Plague 5- Gerhard's Consolation for Pestilence; Prayer

      This continues from Part 4 in a series (Table of Contents in Part 1) of Old Missouri devotions during a time of Plague or Pestilence as we are experiencing with the Coronavirus or COVID-19. — Although this installment does not come directly from "Old Missouri", yet it comes from a highly regarded Lutheran theologian/dogmatician from the era of so-called Lutheran Orthodoxy, roughly the period between the Reformation century and the age of Pietism.  John Gerhard, along with his other theological writings, also wrote devotional materials.  This example was pointed out to me from an interested reader and comes from the book Enchiridion consolatorium oder Tröstliches Handbüchlein Johann Gerhard's wider den Tod und die Anfechtungen beim Todeskampfe (Leipzig, 1877, Google Books: "Handbook of Consolation by John Gerhard Against Death and the Temptations of the Struggle with Death").

Enchiridion consolatorium oder Tröstliches Handbüchlein
John Gerhard's Manual of Comfort (CTSFW bookstore, $7.99)

This book was a translation of Gerhard's original Latin book by a pastor in Germany.  My correspondent had discovered one of Gerhard's "Consolations" that had a heading of "Pestilence" and considered it pertinent for the current world plague.  In the same book, I discovered a short "Prayer in Sickness" and so I consider it worthy to follow "Pestilence". So I then proceeded with the work of translation for both items. — However I have subsequently discovered that an English translation of just the first portion was made in 1990 by Dr. John Drickamer which is still available from the CTSFW bookstore (↗).  Drickamer admitted that he "abridged, altered, and adapted" the text and that he had "taken liberties with the wording".  I did not take liberties with my translations below, perhaps Drickamer's is more readable.  See the translated "Foreword" by the German pastor afterwards – it is informative for learning of Gerhard's own afflictions in his personal life.
      As I translated and studied Gerhard's work, I gained an appreciation for him and wondered that Starck's Prayerbook was patterned after Gerhard's work.  Two things stood out for me from Gerhard's devotion: (A) It is better to be in God's hands in plague and sickness than in man's hands in times of war and bloodshed – as David well knew. (#6); (B) On Christians, those who have despaired of their works and turned to the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, "on such the second death hath no power". (#8). — In the next Part 6…

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Translation from the German by BackToLuther using DeepL and Google Translators, pages 238-241, 185-187 ; 
Bible translations are KJV if not noted. (German texts here & here)

In Times of Pestilence.

Passages of consolation: Numbers 16:46-48 [KJV]: And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

2 Chronicles 6:28-30 [Luther Bibel]:  If becomes any dearth in the land, or pestilence,… or any plague or disease: Then whosoever shall pray or make supplication among all men, and among all thy people Israel, if any man shall feel his plague and his sorrow, then hear thou from heaven, from the place of thy dwelling, and be gracious.

Ps. 91:1-7, 9-10 [composite Luther, KJV]: He who sits under the shield of the Most High, and abides under the shadow of the Almighty, says to the Lord, "My confidence and my fortress, my God, in whom I hope. For He delivers me from the snare of the hunter, and from the pestilence that is harmful. He will cover thee with His feathers, and thy confidence shall be under His wings. His truth is a covering and shield, that thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrows that fly by day, nor of the pestilence that creepeth in darkness, nor of the pestilence that wasteth at noon. Whether a thousand fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, it shall not hurt thee. For the Lord is thy confidence, and the Most High is thy refuge. No evil shall befall thee, and no plague shall come nigh unto thy tabernacle.

Ps. 112:7-8 [Luther Bibel]: When a plague comes, the righteous man is not afraid; his heart has undaunted hope in the Lord. His heart is confident, and fears not. [p. 239]

Reasons for Consolation: 1. God sends this plague to men. Lev. 26:25: I will send the pestilence among you. Amos 4:10: I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt.

2. God can protect His own in time of pestilence. Ex. 15:26 [Luther Bibel]: If you will obey the voice of the Lord your God, I will not put on you the sickness that I put on Egypt; for I am the Lord your physician.

3. The holy angels protect from the slaughter. Ps. 34:7: The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Ps. 91:11-12: For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

4. Faith in Christ will keep away the destroying angel. Ex 12:23: For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. [p. 240]

5. God can easily avert the pestilence if we ask Him in true repentance. 2 Sam. 24:16: And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. 2 Chron. 7:13-14 [Luther Bibel]: "If I send a pestilence among my people, and my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and they pray, and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sins, and heal their Land.

6. It is better to have pestilence than war and bloodshed. 2 Sam. 24:14: David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

7. Sometimes even the pious are taken by this plague. Is. 38:1, 21: In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil. Ezekiel 24:16 [Luther Bibel]: God says to the prophet Ezekiel, “Son of man, behold, I will take away the delight of thine eyes with a plague”. [p. 241]

8. But such things do not hurt them in their souls. Ps. 73:26 [Luther Bibel]: Though my body and soul may be withering away, Thou, O God, art always the consolation of my heart and my portion. Revelation 20:6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power.

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Prayer in Sickness.

My Lord and God, who giveth and giveth back life, in whose hand is life and death, health and sickness, hear me, hear me, not according to my will and desire, but according to the good pleasure of thy will. If thou wilt, thou can make me well; just speak one word, and I will be well. Thou art the length of my days, my time is in thy hands. But if thou now would call me to thy heavenly homeland by the way of death, then first kill all inordinate love for earthly life in me, give me strength of spirit so that I may overcome the fear of death; light up and, when my eyes become dark, multiply in me the right light of the heart in the midst of darkness. With thou is the source of true life, and in thy light I shall see the light. Thy death, dear Lord Jesus, has become to my death [p. 186] poison, thy death has earned me eternal life. Thus I take thy Word with a believing heart and am therefore certain that thou dwellest in my heart through faith. Therefore I will not burden thou from my heart, but thou bless me and raise me up with life-giving comfort. Thou hast said: He who believes in Me shall never die. This thy Word my heart holds before thee, and in such trust I come before thy throne of grace that thou wilt not cast out him that cometh to thee. Thy dear blood maketh me clean from my sins, thy wounds hide me from the wrath of God and from the severity of judgment. In thee will I die, and thou wilt live in me; in thee will I abide, and thou wilt abide in me; thou wilt not leave me in death and dust, but wilt raise me up to the resurrection of life. Thou hast fought and overcome for me, so now fight and overcome in me as well. May thy power become powerful in my weakness. My soul clings to thee, do not let me be separated from thee. Thy peace, which is higher than all reason, preserve my heart and my senses. Into thy hands I commend my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, Lord, thou faithful God. Take my soul [p. 187] which thou created, which thou redeemed, which thou cleansed of sins with thy blood, which thou hast sealed with the pledge of the Holy Spirit and nourished with thy body and blood. It is yours, thou gavest it to me. Now therefore take again what is thine, and forgive me the guilt of my sins with which I have defiled it. Let not the fruit of thy suffering be lost to me, nor thy dear blood shed in vain for me. In thee have I hoped, Lord, help me that I shall not be defiled, nor mocked forever. Amen.

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In the next Part 6…
Read the "Foreword" by the German pastor Böttcher in the "Read more" section below:

BÖTTCHER'S FOREWORD (Translated and abridged by J. Drickamer)

The Manual of Comfort is a gem of edifying Lutheran literature. It came into being in 1611 and was written in Latin. Its author, the great Lutheran dogmatician, John Gerhard, was at that time, though very young, the Superintendent at Heldburg in the Meining area. The work which establishes his fame, the dogmatics known as the Loci theologici, was begun during his years at Heldburg. He was always concerned to apply doctrine to life. This manual of comfort against death grew alongside the learned Loci. The Loci are like the great garden of nature in which all kinds of useful vegetation thrive. This little manual may be compared to an herb garden in which one who understands healing has planted the choicest medicinal herbs.

The great theologian arranged the medicine garden at first for himself. It was a difficult time for him. On January 10 of the year named, his first and, until then, only son died. In May the young mother followed the child. While they fought against death, John Gerhard also collapsed with broken health. But his inner man was not broken. That was accomplished by the medicinal herbs which he knew from God's Word. He planted them together in a medicinal garden to strengthen his soul a few weeks before his wife was called home. He composed it in Latin, but we will hardly be mistaken if we assume that he presented now the one, now the other herb to the departing soul that was so precious to him, as it was necessary for her. This little book has been experienced and proven by the author himself as few others have been.

This little book will never leave the pastor in the lurch in facing souls that need comfort. Those who care for the sick will find in it precious answers for the questions of doubt with which the soul can be made anxious in the final struggle. Even the afflicted soul, if it has used the book, can draw from it the needed herb for itself.

The little book was translated into German shortly after it was published. But the various translations did not seem to satisfy the author. So he published his own translation in 1626. I have searched for Gerhard's translation, but I have never found anything of it. That can be explained. Such small writings have seldom been included in the scholarly libraries. They have commonly been worn out in the homes.

As excellently as the dear Gerhard understood how to write Latin, so poor was his ability with German. The learned language adhered to him so that he wrote German in a very cumbersome style. I suspect that Gerhard's translation, if anyone would discover it, would not differ substantially in style from that of his brother-in-law, Schroeter, the only one that I could find, which is almost completely unusable by a sick person in our day. In all modesty I am letting my translation be issued because the little book must not be lost to the German Lutheran church and its pastors.

The Lord accompany it with His blessing!

Sachsenburg bei Frankenberg in Saxony,

February 1, 1877.

Carl Julius Böttcher

Evangelical Lutheran Pastor