Gerhard and Walther

The holy Church of God sustains the relations of mother, virgin, bride. She is mother because she daily bears spiritual sons to God. She is as a chaste virgin, because she keeps herself pure from all unholy alliances with the devil and the world. She is bride, because Christ hath betrothed her to Himself by an eternal covenant, and hath given her the pledge of the Spirit.—Johann Gerhard, Sacred Meditation XXIII

There is a great difference between being convinced of something and carrying it in the heart, and regarding something as true and practicing it in life.—C. F. W. Walther, God Grant It!, p. 887.