Spener was inferior to none of his contemporaries in theological culture and acumen. His ability as an ex- egete is attested by his sermons and his valuable book Gemissbrauchte Bibelspriiche (1093). In systematic the- ology he was thorough and eminently clear, though hampered by the formalistic methods of his time. It appears, however, tliat his knowledge, or, at any rate, his interest, particularly towards the close of his life, did not transcend the bfiunds of theology. He was want- ing in imagination, but gifted with a strong and prac- tical mind, as well as with a warm heart, the former of which is evidenced by the choice of genealogy and her- aldry among historical studies as the subjects of special inquiry. An important work in heraldrj', entitled /«- sifpiium Theoria, was published by him as late as 1690. He also lacked a good literary and rhetorical style. All his writings are intolerably verbose. He had experi- mented unsuccessfully with Latin verse, after the man- ner of his time; but at least one German hymn from liis pen deserves mention — So ist^s an clem, class ich mit Freuflen, etc. His ecclesiastical attitude was that of thorough and sincere subordination to the confession of his Church ; but he endeavored to widen, so far as he safely might, the limits within which theologians had restricted the confession. The evils in the Lutheran Church which he censured had all been repeatedly as- sailed by leading writers. He differed from his prede- cessors, however, in according a much larger measure of charity to reformers whose excess of zeal might drive them into error, and he even asserted that real pietA' maj' exist in the hearts of persons whose beliefs con- cerning even important matters of the faith are found to be very erroneous. He conceded, nevertheless, that ev- er}' departure from a correct belief impairs the religious life and constitutes a fault. His only heterodoxy was cMlicism ((J. v.), without a rejection of art. 17 of tlie Augsburg Confession ((j. v.). The hope of a general in- gathering of the Jews into the Church of Christ, to which he held, had been asserted by a number of the earlier theologians of liis Church.
In ecclesiastical polity Spener had, almost alone, dis- covered a great deficiency in the organization, though not in the theory, of his Church. The so-called third estate, the laity, held no position of trust or duty in the practical achninistration of the Church, save as it was represented by persons employed as teachers of the young or officers of the goveriunent. Spener believed in the divine institution of the ministry of the Word,
but he held that the Church could not afford to dispense with the services of laymen; and as the Church needed their services, so they were entitled to participate in her government.
In his private character Spener was eminently pure. His public and private life are open to inspect inn in the writings of himself and his contemporaries, but it would be difHcult to raise a single objection against his moral character. He was gentle, modest, loving, and yet man- ly and energetic. He never laid aside his dignity. '"To do no sin" was his great concern, and he affords an em- inent exam|)le of the length to which a determined Christian may carry the practices of watchfulness and prayer. To these he added occasional voluntary fasts. He himself claims, however, that nature had endowed him with an equable and happily constituted temper.
In his work Spener's greatness appears in the effect he was able to produce upon his own age. Protestant theology was at that tiine turning away from dogma- tism and concerning itself more especially with the in- terests of subjective piet}', and Roman Catholic theol- ogy revealed, in France, a tendency to Mysticism and Quietism. There is no question, however, that Spe- ner was the most influential exponent of the new ten- dency, not merely because of the exalted stations he was called to fill at Dresden and Berlin, but also through the force of his Christian personality and his lofty mod- eration as a theologian. He first gained the confidence of a number of German princes and influential states- men. His relations with the ducal family of Wiirtem- berg and with that of the counts of Wetteraii have al- ready been referred to. Duke Ernest sought his advice with reference to the Calixtine troubles as early as 1G70. Gustavus Adolphus of ISlecklenbnrg counselled with him in regard to reformations which he intended to inaugu- rate. Ulrica Eleonore, consort of Ciiarles XI of Swe- den, corresponded with him in relation to the call of a chaplain for her court. The Saxon princesses were with but few exceptions his supporters. He was also a rallj'- ing-point for all the Lutheran theologians who were not extreme zealots. II is correspondence was immense, and involved the treatment of grave and serious questions; and of the academical percgrinants then so common, many came to sit at his feet. To these must be added the numerous candidates whom he was accustomed to receive into his house and bring under his influence. Finally, we must consider the literary productions which he was able to send out into the world, though his time was frequently occupied with sessions of the consistory from 8 ASSl. till 7 P.JI. Canstein's list of Spener's writ- ings extends over seven folio pages, and enumerates 63 vols, in 4to, 7 in 8vo, and 46 in Timo, aside from numer- ous prefaces, etc. To gain time for such labors he was accustomed to withdraw himself almost entirely from social gatherings. When he died the theological ten- dency of the Church was greatly changed from what he found it at the beginning of his career. iMore than half the faculties and a majority of the consistories were still opposed to his views; but a number of like-minded men had attained to high positions in the Church; and the universities of Halle and Giessen, and, somewhat later, those of Jena and Konigsberg were training a great number of pupils in his spirit and according to his views.