Betkius, Joachim

Betkius, Joachim a German pastor, noted for fervent piety in a time of spiritual declension, was born in Berlin 1601, studied at Wittenberg, and was pastor of the village of Linum for 30 years. He died 1663. He was one of the few German pastors of his time (before the rise of Pietism [q.v.]) who preached and enjoyed a deep religious life. His favorite ejaculation was, "Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." He published Christianismus Ethicus (Berlin, 1633): — Mysteriunm crucis (Berlin, 1637): — Sacerdotium, i.e. N.T. Kingly Priesthood (Berlin, 1640, 4to): — Mensio Christianismi et Ministerii Germanae (Measure of the Christianity and Ministry of Germany by the Christian standard; Berlin, 1648, 6th ed.): — Antichristenthum (Amst. 1650): — Irenicum, seu fortitude pacis (Amst. 1760): — Excidium Germaniae (Amst. 1766). He charged the religion of his age as being anti-Christian, partly from the faults and negligence of the pastors, and partly from the preaching of justification as if there were no sanctification. — Herzog, Real-Encyklopadie, 2, 123.