Historical-Political Dissertation on Coins, Both Functional and Commemorative

Christ; just as Mr. Mich. à Lankisch, Pastor of Grosschœnau near Zittau, in his learned book entitled Neupolierter Mahlschatz (Newly Polished Treasury of Painting), Chapter 15, in his consideration of the Schaugroschen (commemorative groschen) on page 482, treats this very argument and applies it specifically to newlywed couples—not less piously than charmingly—citing among other things a passage from Saint Ignatius's 3rd Epistle, which is to the Magnesians: ὁ θεοσεβὴς ἄνθρωπος νόμισμά ἐσιν ὑπὸ θεῶ χαραχθὲν· ὁ ἀσεβὴς, ψευδώνυμον νόμισμα, κίβδηλον, νόθον, παραχάραγμα, ὐχ ὑπὸ θεῶ, ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ διαβόλῳ ἐνεργηθέν the pious man is a coin stamped by God; the impious man is a counterfeit coin, adulterine, spurious, lacking the proper character, made not by God, but by the devil. Hence the grave admonition of Saint Ambrosius to the impious, L. 1. offic. c. 49: "Cast out from the coin of your soul the image of the devil, and raise up the image of Christ." Thus also the most consummate Theologian, Blessed Joh. Gerhard, in the dedication to Book 1 of Schola Pietatis (School of Piety), very aptly expresses the hypocrisy of many Christians who show off only a semblance of piety (2 Tim. 3:5) through a comparison with a coin that deceptively mimics on the outside the appearance of goodness, as if it were gold or silver. Such as, for example, a copper or plated coin, of which we shall speak later. Nor can the Chrysologia Catechetica of the Golden-Mouthed one, Blessed Scriverius, be any less a witness to our assertion. His 66th meditation, century 3 (in Gottholds zufälligen Andachten / Gotthold's Occasional Devotions), is also excellent, in which, among other reasons for the character of the Prince impressed on coins, he adds this one: that, moved by this very thing, subjects might conduct themselves in their commerce and business all the more religiously and justly, as if the Prince himself were the witness and present. What else? That Christ himself convincingly rebuked the seditious Jews regarding their duty by an argument taken from the tax coin and the image and inscription of Caesar impressed upon it (Matthew 22). See Cyriac. Spangenberg, loc. cit., and the most learned dissertation of Marq. Freher on this tax coin. Our most sweet Savior likewise institutes a comparison full of comfort between the repentant sinner and