...see his testament, of which he established the first in 1610 and the second in 1616. In this latter testament, he used these words: "Because many factions and sects have broken in at this time, whose teaching struggles against the Holy Scripture, but especially the teaching of the Pope, the Jesuits, Calvin, and the Anabaptists, I expressly reject the same as false teaching that runs contrary to the Word of GOD, as my published public writings sufficiently and abundantly testify. In which recognition and confession I intend to remain firmly through the grace of GOD until my last blessed hour." Rather, one sees from the first preface to these books that he was primarily driven to undertake this work, as useful as it was necessary, by the miserably corrupted state of Christianity. He was moved by a merciful compassion and a desire to awaken the hypocritical Christians from their security to repentance, faith, and the following of JESUS CHRIST. Even an English theologian, JOHN WORTHINGTON, recognized and testified to this in a preface to THOMAS à KEMPIS's Imitation of Christ, where he writes: "Out of such pure and compassionate love, to promote the salvation of the neighbor and the spiritual welfare of souls, the faithful servant of GOD, Johann Arndt, published his writings," etc.

§. 16. The helpful means which he used in the preparation of these books were taken primarily from Holy Scripture, with whose most select

testimonies they are filled through and through. He did not only use these as the foundation, but also constructed the entire building from them. However, just as one is accustomed to decorating a built house in all sorts of ways, he also adorned this building with various testimonies. Some were from the Church Fathers (among whom he seems to have read MACARIUS Macarius of Egypt, a 4th-century monk known for his spiritual homilies especially diligently). Others were from ancient and modern pagan and Christian writers. Some were from certain mystical authors who recognized and saw the truth even before Luther's time. Since he diligently read the writings of Johann Tauler and the Teutsche Theologie German Theology alongside the books of THOMAS à KEMPIS on the Imitation of Christ (both of which Luther and Melanchthon also loved and praised very much), () it could hardly have been otherwise than that he frequently used their ways of speaking, which had become familiar to him through diligent reading, and borrowed some small pieces from them. Beyond this, he also used here and there the writings of an Italian widow, ANGELA de FOLIGNO, () who lived before Tauler and died in 1309. She also had a taste of the truth. Like a bee, he took the best from her and allowed it to flow in with an Evangelical meaning Lutheran or Protestant in this context understanding. The blessed Mr. Dr. Diecmann () noted this and defended Arndt very modestly in this regard. He noted that Arndt had a special inclination toward pure mystical theology, which he actually drew from the pure source of Holy Scripture, but he also made use of what other mystical writers

Person and True Christianity

Historical Preface

had understood before him. Therefore, the famous Leipzig theologian VALENT. ALBERTI, along with the Lord of Seckendorf, praised Arndt because he purified mystical theology from Papal abuse and leaven and linked it with the Evangelical doctrines of faith and justification. That Arndt also used the opuscula spiritualia small spiritual works of LUIS de GRANADA (with whom he lived at the same time),

is something he is indeed accused of by LUCAS OSIANDER and others. However, Mr. Dr. Diecmann (****) assures us that he diligently compared these small works with Arndt's True Christianity but could find no trace of this allegation.

() Luther himself (just as Arndt did) had the German Theology* published in 1518 and 1521 with a preface full of praise. And of Tauler, Melanchthon writes: Origen has the advantage in allegories, but in our times Tauler does; although I hear that there are some godless sophists who are said to despise this man's Christian teaching.
() Information about this person can be found in Mr. Gottfried Arnold's** Life of the Believers original title: "Leben der Gläubigen", page 1298 and following.
(*) In the second part of his German Writings original: "Teutschen Schrifften", page 177.
(**) In the place cited above, page 184.

§. 17. Most of all, however, Arndt is criticized for having also used the writings of PARACELSUS and WEIGEL. It cannot be denied that Arndt read THEOPHRASTUS PARACELSUS, who was a Professor of Medicine and Physics at Basel during Luther's time. Arndt esteemed him highly for his medical science, to which Arndt himself was devoted for a time, and he made use of one or another of his philosophical insights. This can no more be held against him than it is against others who have borrowed something from ARISTOTLE, PLATO, PLINY, AVERROES, etc. But it can never be proven that he accepted everything Paracelsus taught as truth, or that he shared in his theological errors, or gave him a

hearing in those things that concern faith and life and which displace the foundation of Christianity. If some refer to a missive about the Mystery of the Eternal Word original: "Sendschreiben vom Geheimniß des ewigen Worts", which Arndt is said to have written to an Imperial Notary at Benzigeroda, Erasmus Wohlfart, and in which he supposedly philosophized about the heavenly flesh of Adam and Christ from PARACELSUS; others have long noted that this letter could never have flowed from Arndt's pen. Firstly, because shortly before his end, Arndt taught quite differently about the singular mystery of the incarnation of the Son of GOD in the appendix to his books on True Christianity than is taught in this missive. Secondly, because it is claimed on the title page that this missive has been newly brought into pure German language, whereas certainly Arndt's style of writing was pure and German enough and required no improve...