We already know from the seventh chapter of our narrative that Keyl, after resigning his office, took up residence in Monroe, Michigan, where he spent his last days with his own and awaited the Lord's call to return home.
When he took up his last abode in this world, he was already so weak in body and spirit that it could be predicted with a fair degree of certainty that his years would not be many. He had already died to this world; he lived only as a dying man in this world. His family did all they could to brighten his last days and cheer his spirits, and often asked him to take a walk, to contemplate the beauty of nature, the splendor of the flowers in the garden, etc.; but then he was wont to say: "There are no more flowers in this world for me." And because he was already so physically stiff and weak that he could no longer walk outside without a guide, he could no longer be induced to go anywhere but to the house of God. But he visited the house of God as often as he was able to be led there. He often had Holy Communion served to him in the house. Dark hours often came over him, when he was afraid of consolation and had to sigh and say with David: "My heart trembles, my strength has left me, and the light of my eyes is not with me". (That is: My countenance is not bright and cheerful.) "Do not forsake me, O Lord my God; do not be far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord, my help." In such hours of trial he was heard to say: "How could I otherwise comfort others, and now I cannot comfort myself!" Then he said again: "Lord, all my desires are before you, and my groaning is not hidden from you." "Hear my prayer, Lord, and hear my cry, and do not keep silent over my tears, for I am both your pilgrim and your citizen, like all my fathers. Depart from me, that I may be refreshed before I depart and be no more." (That is: Do not let me be tempted above my ability, but let temptation come to such an end that I can bear it).
These temptations were the most unmistakable sign of his state of grace and of his sonship of God, for spiritual temptations are a sanctuary which God does not cast at the feet of unbelievers, but with which he graces only his dearest children, and by which he designates them as his elect. St. Paul says: "For whom he hath before ordained, he hath also ordained to be conformed to the image of his Son", that is, he has ordained them to be conformed to the image of the Son of God here on earth in suffering, affliction, trial and temptation, as they will be in eternal glory. Therefore, just as the Son of God, during his walk here on earth, had such hours when he mourned, trembled and trembled, when his soul was grieved to the point of death, when he writhed and writhed like a worm in the dust in the anguish of his soul, and when he cried aloud with lamentation and said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Such hours and times also come to the chosen children of God, when all sense of divine grace departs from them, and in its place comes the sense of divine wrath, in such a way that they tremble and quake with anguish of soul. But such hours of great spiritual temptation do not come by chance, but from the good and gracious hand of God, which directs everything for the best, and which thereby expresses to the faithful the seal of divine adoption. Nor does God leave his elect unconsoled in such anguish of soul, but holds up to them the example of his Son, who has been tempted in every way, so that he might help and comfort all who are tempted. Much less, however, does he leave them in it and let them perish, but says to them, as he once said to the apostle: "May my grace be sufficient for you, for my power is mighty in the weak."
Even our dear Keyl did not remain without consolation in his great trials. For no matter how deep gloom and sadness often took hold of him, the Lord did not let him sink into it, but lifted him up again so that he could speak confidently: "Yet I believe that I will see the good of the Lord in the land of the living"; and: "Nevertheless I will always remain with you, for you hold me by my right hand" (that I may not fall in the temptation and be drawn away from you); "you guide me according to your counsel, and finally accept me with honor."
At such times, when his soul was in a deep depression, he particularly liked it when his pastor, Pastor Hattstädt, and Christian members of the congregation visited him and talked to him about God's word and Christian experiences in the ways of God, which cheered him up again. He often came to his children in the living room and asked them to sing spiritual songs, which noticeably refreshed and strengthened him. He spent a lot of time reading, but he no longer read difficult spiritual things, such as theological journals and the like, as he was too weak for that, his mind could no longer grasp and process them. He preferred to read writings that offered light spiritual food for the soul, such as pious stories for children and young Christians from a popular Christian library and the like.
Thus this great, richly gifted man, who in his life, in addition to his many official duties, had accomplished an immense amount of work with the intention of studying Luther, had once again become a child in the noblest sense of the word, a child in the sense of our Savior's words: "Unless you become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Oh, what a lovely picture this is of our blessed Keyl before our souls. Of course, only those can understand this image who have themselves experienced the ways of God and have recognized that the Lord not only leads his saints in a miraculous way, but that they themselves are a miracle of God. We are reminded of the beautiful song by the pious singer Woltersdorf, in which he sings of the Church of Christ as a miracle, the first verse of which reads:
Who is like the bride of the Lamb?
Who is so poor and who is so rich?
Who is so ugly and so beautiful?
Who can feel so good and so bad?
Lamb of God, you and your blessed flock
Are wonderful for people and also for angels.
Our dear Keyl also belonged to this wonderful, blessed flock in this world, as his last days clearly demonstrated. As high as the waves of temptation often rose, he was still able to continue singing with Woltersdorf:
I also know about it by grace,
I am part of your reward,
So miserable you can hardly see it,
So marvelous that the enemy is frightened,
So godless that everyone is probably better,
And as just as you, the father's child.
Almost three quarters of a year had passed since Keyl had resigned his post, and his strength had dwindled - when suddenly an event occurred that shortened his days and set a goal for his life.
On Sunday, July 28, the year of his death, he visited the church for the last time. He had been so weak in the preceding days that he had rarely been able to leave his bed. But when the church bell rang for the first time on Sunday morning, he got up on his bed and said: "Today I want to walk with the congregation to the house of God and see the beautiful services of the Lord and visit his temple." When his companions kindly said that it would hardly be possible for his strength to allow him to walk several blocks to the church, he replied firmly: "I will go with God's help; it may well be the last time." He then had himself dressed like a small child and was escorted to the church by strong arms. And when he happily returned to his home after the service, he was very cheerful and happy, talked about the sermon, chatted with his friends and was in good spirits. On the following Tuesday he was sitting in his room with his wife and his eldest daughter (Pastor Körner) in good spirits when he said that he would like a hot soup prepared for him to fortify himself a little. While his wife had gone to fulfill his wish, he got up from his chair and picked up a book from his library, and when he tried to sit down again, he missed the seat, fell backwards to the floor and hit his head on a hard object, but without suffering any further damage. This incident, however, brought about a change in his condition; a nervous fever set in, as a result of which he now fantasized and talked madly more often than before. But even in the midst of his fantasies, one could perceive what his enveloped mind was still occupied with: he preached, spoke about school, baptized, confirmed, etc. In between, there were sometimes moments of light in which he clearly showed that he was well aware of his life-threatening condition by saying: "Now it's coming to an end"; "The grave is here"; "I'm satisfied"; "As the Lord wills". In full consciousness, he now exhorted all his children gathered around him to hold fast above all to the pure doctrine, to listen diligently to God's Word and to go to Holy Communion. He called out to his grieving wife for her comfort: "Commit your ways to the Lord and hope in him; he will do good." And:
"O sweet word that JEsus speaks
To the poor widow: 'Don't cry!
I can't get that out of my mind,
Especially when I am sad."
He then had the last half of the 73rd Psalm read to him, which concludes with the faith-filled words: "If I have only you, I will not ask for heaven or earth. Though my body and soul languish, you, O God, are always the comfort of my heart and my portion. For behold, those who depart from you will perish; you will destroy all who fornicate against you. But this is my joy, that I cleave unto God, and put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."
Although there was no hope of recovery before human eyes and although nothing better than eternal rest could be wished for the weary worker, everything was nevertheless done to preserve his precious life even longer. He was cared for and watched over with the utmost care by his family, and the members of the congregation were always ready to help in any way they could. Pastor Hattstädt sat by his bedside for hours every day, giving him encouragement and comfort from God's word and praying with him. If it happened that the pastor did not arrive at the appointed hour, the sick man would immediately ask: "Where is Pastor Hattstädt today? He was already here yesterday at this time! Have I offended him?"
On Wednesday, at his request, Holy Communion was served to him, which he received with silent, heartfelt devotion. His speech consisted only of affirming what was held out to him. Only once, when his confessor spoke to him of the glory of eternal life, did he say: "I want to go there too."
On Saturday, he fell into a deep sleep from which he never awoke. All but two of the Blessed's children were present at his deathbed. Under the prayers of his eldest son, the emigrant missionary, Pastor Stephanus Keyl, who had been called to his beloved father's deathbed by a telegraphic dispatch, and under the tears and sighs of all his own who knelt around his bed, he finally gave his spirit into the hands of his father, reconciled by Christ, without agony on Sunday morning, August 4, 1872, at the age of 68 years, 2 months and 13 days.
The funeral of the remains of the dear servant of God took place on August 6 in a most solemn manner. The large funeral cortege was preceded on foot in pairs by the teachers of the Monroe parochial schools with all the school children, the girls dressed in white and carrying bouquets of flowers, which they finally threw on the coffin as it was lowered into the grave. Lovely funeral songs, performed by a mixed and a men's choir, contributed not a little to the solemnity of the funeral. Pastor Hattstädt preached the funeral sermon in the church on Psalm 37:5, on the basis of which he mainly gave words of comfort to strengthen the faith of the grieving family. At the graveside, Pastor Bauer spoke on Dan. 12:3: "But the teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that are wise in righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
May the memory of this faithful servant, who in his 42 years of untiring service in the Church has led many to righteousness, remain a blessing not only to his children and descendants (to whom these pages are first dedicated), but also to our entire Synod and its preachers, so that many may follow his shining example, as it is written: "Remember your teachers, who have spoken to you the word of God, which end ye shall see, and follow after their faith." May God also accompany our meager election with his blessing.
Subsequently, we take the liberty of adding a brief description of the resting place of our blessed Keyl. His weary remains rest in the cemetery of Trinity Lutheran Church in Monroe, Michigan. If you walk eastward from the center of the friendly little town on Fourth Street, you will come to the spacious cemetery on the south side of the street, which was purchased by the congregation and which, with its friendly and peaceful location, makes a pleasant impression on the visitor's mind. When we enter the cemetery, a flat area about 150 feet wide spreads out before us, on which beautiful grounds have been laid out, and once we have walked through these grounds, we have to climb a hill rising several feet, and this is where the resting places begin. The entire extensive hill is cut through by a path that runs through it and divides it into two equal halves. Immediately upon entering the hill, to the right of the path, our blessed Keyl rests among other children of God who have died in faith in Jesus, in the immediate vicinity of his predecessor and comrade-in-arms, the blessed Pastor Flessa. The grave, carefully tended by loving hands, has a lovely location here in the fresh greenery, near several fir trees and ornamental plants. Above the grave is a monument erected by his surviving relatives and the community in Baltimore, which announces to foreign visitors whose earthly body rests beneath this mound. It is a simple but very tastefully crafted monument made of white Italian marble, which ends in a cross at the top. It bears the following simple inscription:
"Here rests in God Pastor Ernst Gerhard Wilhelm Keyl. Born May 22, 1804, died Aug. 4, 1872.
Hebrews 13:7: "Remember your teachers, etc."
But we will add to this
Amm! it will happen, we will see Christ coming in the clouds to take us with him, Amen.
Amen! No death shall terrify, Christ will awaken us. Who himself before buried, And lives forever, Amen.
Writings of the late Pastor E. G. W. Keyl.
Draft Sermons on the Sunday and Feast Day Gospels from Dr. Luther's Sermons and Interpretations. Compiled by E. G. W. Keyl, pastor at the Second German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore. Bound in half French. Price $1.50.
"This homiletical auxiliary book", it says in "Lehre und Wehre" (XII, 183 f.), "is the mature fruit of many years of incessant study of what Luther left in writing about all the Protestant pericopes of the Sundays and feast days of the church year, as well as the result of many years of tried and tested practice. We Lutherans have no doubt that Luther was a model preacher to whom no other theologian can be compared. Luther's sermons, however, have such a peculiar form, and the golden thread running through them is often so difficult for the untrained eye to recognize, that not a few, when they wish to exploit them for sermons to be delivered now, often find so great difficulty that they refrain from doing so, preferring to take counsel in the sermons of other lesser theologians, whose form is closer to that now customary, and whose content therefore seems easier to consume now. How much purified gold of pure, sound doctrine and scriptural treatment, which our church possesses in Luther's postils, especially in the invaluable Kirchenpostille, remains so unused is therefore impossible to say and cannot be lamented enough. Our dear brother, Pastor Keyl Sr. in Baltimore, who has devoted almost his entire life to digging through Luther's writings with unparalleled diligence and tireless perseverance, has therefore rendered a praiseworthy service to all Lutheran preachers who are concerned to feed their listeners with healthy, hearty food, and thus to our entire church. In this work we find all Luther's sermons on the usual Protestant texts of the church year, with the use of Luther's relevant commentaries, arranged and arranged in such a way, down to all branches of the main thought, that the old Luther appears as if in the garb of our time, without having lost his old granularity, strength, purity and fullness. It is true that everything that Luther gave in his various sermons and commentaries on each individual Gospel has been worked up here into a sermon, but in such a way that, according to the instructions given in the preface, each scheme gives content and form to a whole series of volumes. Even those who are not inclined to adopt these sermons from Luther cannot, in our opinion, undertake a more fruitful homiletical exercise than by taking the trouble to write down and study the sentences given here only in quotations to form a continuous sermon. But every beginner will be pleased to find here everything necessary for the composition of a thorough sermon after Luther, so that he can add more or less (without embarrassing fear of not being able to carry out his plan) from his own treasure of knowledge and experience, as his time permits. We must confess that we wish with all our hearts that we had had such an aid in our hands when we were young, in which case we would have learned to cover the board for our listeners quite differently than we have done as a result of a complete lack of instruction, advice and help. Many will be pleased to hear that the citations are given according to both the Walch and Erlangen editions, so that everyone, whether they own one or the other edition, can use the book with equal ease."
Another reviewer writes ("Lehre und Wehre" XII, 250 f.): "The purpose of the 'Draft Sermons' indicated is to present in a practical manner and good order the rich treasure of doctrine and consolation laid down in Luther's writings. Most readers of "Lehre und Wehre" will remember that a part, the third booklet, of the "Drafts" appeared in print as early as 1855. At present, with the help of God, the complete work has appeared in print. That booklet came into my possession soon after its publication. For almost nine years I have used it to prepare for the sermons it contains. It was out of the question for me to develop it myself, to create it myself.... Nor was I able to bring out the old anew from within myself; so I thought it best to stay with the old in order to be able to do it properly, and that is what the 'sermon drafts' were to serve me for, and so far I have never been sorry that I have taken them to hand. Admittedly, what is presented here is not such an easy commodity as one so often finds laid out in catalogs and on booksellers' counters. Thus the use of the "drafts" also had its difficulties for me, since, although prepared for it, I was still untrained and did not have Walch's edition of Luther's works at hand, especially when I saw a disposition of about six printed pages, such as that of the eighth Sunday after Trinity, which is composed of five sermons and an interpretation. The thought involuntarily arose in my mind: If the disposition already contains six pages, how long will the sermon be? I readily confess that I was rather clumsy at first, and that I committed many an offense, which I am now aware of, and probably several more unintentionally. Patience and perseverance, however, together with the good hand of God, have led me in the right direction, so that later on I was always able to fulfill my principles regarding the length of the sermon. The quantity of quotations no longer bothered me; I followed the advice given here in the preface. I either compiled a verbatim extract of the main passages, or I gave a summary sermon, using especially the passages marked 'Summa', 'short' and 'general'; in this way I worked my way into it, and with time it went better. Every one of us will gladly agree that it is no dishonor to follow in Luther's footsteps; so the outlines are not intended to save preachers any work. But where do we find the time for such laborious work? If this should be anyone's concern, I ask you not to regard it as vain self-glory if I say here that among my brethren in the ministry not the least amount of work has fallen to me, and I have been able to do it, and others have even more work than I, and have also been able to do it. Just make the best use of your time and you will be able to do a lot; the benefit you get from this work is always worth some effort."
Interpretation of the Catechism from Dr. Luther's writings and the symbolic books, compiled by Ernst Gerh. Wilh. Keyl, pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baltimore. 4 vols. Bound in hardcover. Price $4.00. Each volume is also available separately. Price $1.00.
When it was announced in 1880 that the work was once again available in its entirety, a reviewer in the "Lutheraner" wrote as follows: "We are pleased to be able to announce that this formerly much bought and used work is once again available in its entirety. The first part, published in Germany in 1853, and the second in New York in 1857, have been republished by our 'Concordia-Verlag'. Older readers of the 'Lutheran' are sufficiently familiar with the work. To new readers we would like to say that they are offered a work of a very special kind. The blessed author says in the preface: 'Up to the year 1726 at least such an (explanation of the Catechism) did not yet exist; otherwise a theologian, such as Dr. Löscher was, would undoubtedly have known it, and would not have expressed the wish that all that could be read in Luther's writings on the Catechism (as of which he had the most glorious thoughts) should be compiled. In this work, not only that which is found in Luther's catechetical writings, but also that which is found in his other writings relating to the Catechism, is compiled, namely in question and answer. There is no better book for preparing for the Catechism. All pastors and teachers who acquire it will not regret it. Even those who own Luther's writings can only be glad to have a book in which Luther's sayings on the catechism doctrines are compiled in order to be relieved of the time-consuming search. It cannot be recommended urgently enough to the house fathers, who are supposed to diligently practise the catechism with their children, for reading aloud during home devotions. "The work best praises its master," it says in an earlier recommendation of this work. 'We dare to say it boldly, in living conviction of the truth of what we say, that in more recent times no more useful, salutary and necessary work has been undertaken. It goes without saying that no man can better interpret the Catechism and more fully bring to light the immeasurable treasures of heavenly wisdom it contains than Luther, the author of the Catechism. In addition, Pastor Keyl has so richly exploited Luther's writings for the further elaboration of the Catechism that the work quite possibly replaces a complete Lutheran dogmatics, that is, an entire Christian doctrinal edifice from Luther. Also, the content is introduced by questions so well posed that the questions, instead of hindering the understanding of the answer, as is often the case elsewhere, often serve to shed a desirable light on Luther's subsequent words. ('Luth.' XII. p. 54.)" - (Cf. "Lutheran" 36, 184.)
When the first volume, containing the first main section, was published, one reviewer wrote: "We can only say this much after we have read through the book: You preachers, you school teachers, you house fathers and all of you who have already been confirmed, buy, read and read again, and you will praise God for this precious, incomparable gift". (Cf. "Lutheraner" 10, 40.) - Another reviewer writes: "The structure of the book is extremely simple. It begins with an introduction, which shows in four different parts what the Catechism is, what Luther's Small Catechism in particular is, how and in what way preachers, teachers and church members, each according to the measure of his profession, should practice the Catechism, and what benefits the diligent practice of the Catechism brings.... As an introduction to the holy Ten Commandments, there then follows a section dealing with the two tables of the Ten Commandments in general. Besides the usual doctrines which the consideration of the division into two tables entails, there is here an excellent exposition of the relation of the two tables, namely, that the second table must give way to the first, and that sins against the second arise from sins against the first: that ignorance and perversion of this relation ordered by God is the reason and cause of the abominable and destructive vice of wickedness, appears from this exposition as clearly as it is seldom known and observed by few. From there, after the contents of both tables have recently been shown, we are led to the individual commandments themselves. It struck me at first that the superscription of the sacred Ten Commandments, 'I am the Lord thy God,' was not interpreted before the individual commandments themselves; for the sake of these words the interpretation of all the commandments, except the first, evidently begins with the confession, 'We ought to fear God' (because he is the Lord) 'and to love' (because he is our God). I soon found, however, that in the explanation of the text of the first commandment the meaning of those words is demonstrated, and in the second commandment the "We shall fear and love God" is shown to be a consequence of "I the Lord thy God". This arrangement must also serve to prepare a special place for the first commandment, as is already evident from the form of the interpretation, which is so different from that of the other commandments. Thus, after a brief overview of the content of the first commandment, it will be shown how it incorporates all the other commandments, indeed how all wisdom flows and flows from it as from the main commandment, how the core of it is faith, and from the keeping of this one commandment comes all righteousness, from the transgression of it all sin. The form of the first commandment is justified against all those who accuse us of separating the threat and promise from it, as well as omitting the prohibition of images. After this, the interpretation in the Catechism gives the theme according to which the transgression and fulfillment of the first commandment is carried out, but this is an evangelical interpretation; for although in the section dealing with the transgression, unbelief against Christ is not exactly shown from the outset as the main sin and summit of the transgression, precisely because it is the point at which all sins of idolatry converge: yet these mighty speeches, which make the thunder of God resound on Sinai, are permeated by the shattering thought of melancholy, that through transgression the God is grieved, who has not spared even His only begotten Son. The doctrine of the fulfillment of the first commandment, however, proceeds from the outset from the evangelical truth that only through faith in Christ can the commandment really be kept; and as little as law and gospel are ever mixed together, so little is the sweet, lovely evangelical refreshment missing in the answers, which gives us an idea of why John says: "His commandments are not hard." ... The interpretation of the other commandments always proceeds essentially in such a way that first the individual commandment in general is dealt with, namely its connection with the preceding one and its position within all of them, then the transgression and fulfillment of the commandment, then the promise that God has made of obedience, and in the second commandment also the special threat against the transgressors, and each time at the end an instruction is given on the fourfold use of the commandment. It would not be easy to find a question from the area of Christian conduct and life that would not find a concise and clear answer here.... The conclusion of the holy Ten Commandments, the threat and promise, is interpreted first in the relationship of these words to the first commandment, and then in their relationship to all the commandments. Here, too, we admire the tremendous earnestness with which Luther wields the sword of the Spirit against the secure and the sleepy, and how, on the other hand, he teaches the fainthearted and the failed so sweetly and sweetly to taste and see how kind the Lord is..., but never forgets to point from the promises of the law to the promises of the gospel, which alone can satisfy our hearts before God.... Without specifically mentioning it, the law is used in the whole book for its threefold purpose: to be a bar against the wickedness of rude, rebellious people, a mirror in which we may recognize our sins, and a rule by which we may walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. - The book is for everyone, not only for preachers and teachers; fathers and mothers will then be able to teach their children and servants fruitfully, as is their duty; if only God would that proper practice of the catechism would once again come about in the homes." ("Lutherans" 10, 60 ff.)
In the review of the second volume, dealing with the second main section, it says, among other things: "It is not an ordinary catechism with interpretation for school lessons, but a collection of all the profound thoughts, hints, insights and explanations which our dear Luther, indisputably the greatest theologian after the apostles, wrote down on the words and truths of the catechism. We have here not only what Luther gives in the writings which directly expound the Catechism or some parts of it, but also those statements which Luther has made in his various other writings on important parts of the Catechism, in a selection admirably calculated for the needs of our time; so that even those who have the complete works of Luther, and are no strangers to them, are surprised again and again by the light which Luther's words throw on the text of the Catechism, which are often borrowed from such writings of his in which one has sought nothing less than keys to the Catechism and has not found them in one's own reading. The book serves partly to supplement and partly to correct any other interpreted catechism, is excellently suited to be read aloud at a family service *) and at the same time contains a treasure trove in which one can easily obtain advice on the most important theological truths for the most diverse purposes. This second volume in particular is probably the most important of all, as it contains the whole marrow of the Gospel. It forms a whole; even those who do not possess the first volume on the main parts and cannot buy it because of poverty, have with it not a fragment, but a complete work." ("Lutheraner" 13, 149.) (*) In that a householder, in the morning, would use the Altenburger Bibelwerk... in the evening, the Lutheran interpretation of the Catechism is probably the most convenient).
In the announcement of the third volume, which contains the third and fourth main sections, it says: "We warmly welcome this interpretation of the Catechism and wish it the widest possible dissemination. Every writer is his own reliable interpreter. Who understands Dr. Luther's catechism more correctly than Luther himself? Here the industrious hand of Pastor Keyl, like a bee, has collected the most beautiful, clearest, most pithy, most powerful, most striking passages from Luther's various writings. Anyone who knows and has diligently read the first and second volumes of the same work will have good reason to expect something excellent and outstanding in the third volume. We do not wish to belittle other orthodox explanations of the Catechism; but that this must be the best and most approved is self-evident." ("Lutherans" 16, 181.)
Finally, it bites in an assessment of the fourth volume: "It contains the fifth and sixth main sections, the house prayers, the house table and the Christian questions, and thus concludes the whole delicious work. Shall we add a word of recommendation? Well, a work that recommends itself so excellently certainly does not need our inadequate recommendation. But I want to say what every Lutheran has long known, but often does not think about when it comes to acting in accordance with his knowledge. What the Catechism is, namely a summary of the whole doctrine of salvation for the simple-minded, and how it is best and most fruitfully to be applied, no one since the days of the apostles knows and understands like Luther. This is shown incontrovertibly by his two catechisms and everything he said from time to time in his writings on the subject and which is masterfully compiled in Keyl's work. So if anyone thirsts for the pure milk of the Gospel, let him, if he already has the other volumes, buy this one as well, or if he does not yet have them, buy them all together. But let him buy them in order to use them diligently and faithfully, indeed, let them be his daily pasture. The sweet fruit of a mature, well-founded knowledge of the pure, wholesome doctrine will then certainly not fail to appear; and such a firm, clear knowledge is so greatly needed in the turmoil of these very last times and here in the land of enthusiasts, if we do not want to be swept away in the wild whirlpool of erroneous and harmful opinions." ("Lutherans" 24, 159.)
Orders for one or other of the above works or individual parts should be addressed to