To the Christian reader, I act among other reasons from important motives and, for some time now, have been contemplating the improvement of the clergy.
Since I, in the name of Jesus, hereby surrender for general use this Pastoral Collegium, it is necessary in a short preface to inform the reader of some such things pertaining to it, and first of all of the occasion of Christ, which is the following.
Among many other proofs of God's special providence in the conduct of my life, I remember this, that by his anointed, our Most Merciful King, he has appeared to me with a quite unexpected call, to my present academic office, and in it imposed me among several duties, especially the preparation which candidates for ministry might need, after their other studies have reached the usual goal.
In order to live up to this very important duty with the assistance of God, in so far as my so-called crises would suffice, I began at St. Michael's Day in 1755 a Collegium Pastorale, on such days and hours of the week as could not be hindered by the usual lectures. Now I was astonished that the greater part of my hearers had set out to recite my words by postscript. But although this willingness to teach was in itself praiseworthy and not disapproving in other respects, this time I do not advise to give it place, especially for two main reasons. At first, in these practical matters, I wished to act not only with the mind and the memory, but also sensibly with the will and the affections of the heart; the former must to some extent hinder the latter in the case of the copyist, who devoted all his diligence only in putting my words in pen. Secondly, I knew from experience that such copies, taken not by sight but by poor hearing, must be very numerous, and for the most part inaccurate. Thirdly, there was the fact that my Auditorium Domesticum could not accommodate as many tables as all these writers needed.
For these reasons I asked my listeners to spare themselves the trouble of writing after the lecture, and to first open their ears and heart to me. If there were any among them who in their own time desired to read and reflect on what they had once imperfectly grasped by hearing, then they could expect to achieve their desire most certainly, when I, if God gave life and rest, had to mind too well to let the same Collegium by the Press go out to their and others' edification. This solution was the one that imposed on me the debt, which I hereby seek to repay.
Concerning the contents of the writing itself then, it is not desired without hope that the it may become a means at the hand of the Almighty for some edification of the walls of Zion among us. The Great Shepherd, whom I dare to take on the solitary of my eyes, and the honest intention of my heart in doing so, he uses this work to strengthen his faithful servants in the same mind which already governs the conduct of their office, but to warn and convince all those who must be far from this mind that their way will within a short time hurt them in depravity, even in a depravity so much greater than others, as they themselves have given themselves to the companions of others on the path of life. If some of these by reading these magazines, should go within themselves, turn around, give glory to God, and begin the deeds of which they have long since been named, then the newspaper would touch my heart with heartfelt joy.
If doctrine is destined to improve all the other estates in the world, then there is undeniably the highest concern that this office be entrusted only to such people of God who both know the will of the Lord themselves and who have a heartfelt desire to make it known to others, as well as in all intents and purposes to behave like faithful housekeepers and shepherds over the Lord's flock. The Church has always needed such men, and has always had some of them; for without their help its condition would have been far worse than it is. But for some time now I think that the Church needs to be concerned about the improvement of teachers, since the lack of righteous teachers now could have doubly harmful consequences. Should I explain this sentence somewhat more clearly: my opinion of an urgent need for the improvement of the doctrine is based on certain random things which our times bring with them, far more recognizably than the times of the Fathers.
| Hertil henregnes nu først et rigere lys, en rigtigere naturlig smag og en skarpere dom hos menneskene i almindelighed, hvad andre videnskaber, stænder og embeder angåer. Ved et mindre lys opdagedes fordum mindre feil. Den ene holdt den anden mere tilgode, og, i hvor lidet fortrin en lærer havde, da fandt han han dog deri mere sikkerhed, end som nuomstunder. Sandheds kundskab er vistnok bleven langt større, og, endskjøndt dens lydighed desværre! hos alt for mange maa savnes nu såvelsom tilforn, hvoraf reiser sig desto større dom, saa pålægges dog lærestanden, ved lysets almindelige fremgang, den store fornødenhed, ikke at ståe tilbage i sin deel, men mage det saa, at seerne i Israel beholde noget forud i sandheds kundskab og i dens kjærlighed, eller i det retsindige, vise og gudelige forhold, som skal give dem ære at tale med, og deres ord indgang hos fornustige folk. En anden aarsag, som gjør lærestanden nu sremfor nogen Tid trængende til Forbedring i lærdom og levnet, er denne, at det nylig omtalte rigere lys, som tiderne føre med sig, bliver nu, langt mindre end tilforn, inden for sine rette grændser. Det misbruges kjendelig til Religionens, det er, den allervigtigste sandheds ringeagtelse, af mange saadanne, som med hine selvkloge Romere, blive til dårer just da, naar de ville synnes vise. Her gaaer det fornusen ikke anderledes end visse unge mennesker, som i en hast slippe af et alt for hårdt formynderskab, og derover begynde en rasende levemåde, såsnart dem gives råderum og leilighed til at yttre deres lyster. Knap ere overtroens bulverker kuldkastede ved hjælp af Guds eget Ord og sund ands, førend fornusten viser sin utaknemmelighed i at antage, som ledsager, den kjøds-sands, der er fiendskab mod Gud og hans hellige Ord, følgeligen ogsaa mod Ordets tjenere, hvilke af hine formente stærke ånder, endelig må ansees med yderste foragt, såfremt de ikke ere istand til at understøtte Religionens høiagtelse, både ved en viis og discret læremåde, uden hvilken sandheds ord såer en vrang anseelse, så og ved en ustraffelig, uegennyttig og ret christelig omgængelse, uden hvilken hiin mistanke bliver dobbelt stor og farlig, ja allerfarligst mod dem, som tale meest derom, og gjøre mindst deraf. Vee berden for forargelse i almindelighed, og vee kirken i særdeleshed for lærestandens forargelse! | This now includes first a richer light, a more real natural taste and a sharper judgment in men in general, as far as other sciences, estates and offices are concerned. At a lesser light, former errors were discovered. One held the other more favorably, and, in how little advantage a teacher had, then he found in it, however, more security than at present. The knowledge of truth has evidently become far greater, and, though its obedience unfortunately! too many must now be missed as well as in the past, from which the greater judgment arises, but the doctrine, by the general progress of light, the great necessity, is not required to stand back in its part, but to make it so that the seers in Israel retain some preceded in the knowledge of truth and in its love, or in the righteous, wise and divine relationship which is to give them honor to speak with, and their words entrance in delighted people.
Another reason which makes the doctrine now for some time in need of improvement in learning and living is that the newly mentioned richer light which the times bring with them is now, far less than before, within its proper limits. It is noticeably abused to the contempt of religion, that is, the most important truth, by many such as, with their self-righteous Romans, become fools just when they would seem wise. Here things are no different from certain young people, who in a hurry get rid of an excessively harsh guardianship, and begin a furious way of life over it, as soon as they are given room to maneuver and an opportunity to express their desires. The bulwarks of superstition are scarcely overthrown by the help of God's own Word and healthy spirit, before the discerning man shows his ingratitude in assuming, as a companion, the flesh-sand, which is enmity against God and his holy Word, consequently also against the servants of the Word, which of hine supposed strong spirits, must finally be regarded with utmost contempt, if they are not able to support the esteem of Religion, both by a wise and discreet doctrine, without which the word of truth sows a false reputation, so and by an impunity, disinterested and rather Christian intercourse, without which hiin suspicion becomes doubly great and dangerous, yes most dangerous against those who talk most about it, and do least of it. Woe to the indignation of indignation in general, and woe to the church in particular to the indignation of the doctrine! |
