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diff --git a/34736-8.txt b/34736-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..326f8ad --- /dev/null +++ b/34736-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,29012 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of True Christianity by Johann Arndt + + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no +restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under +the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or +online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license + + + +Title: True Christianity + +Author: Johann Arndt + +Release Date: December 23, 2010 [Ebook #34736] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO 8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE CHRISTIANITY*** + + + + + + True Christianity + + A Treatise + + On Sincere Repentance, True Faith, The Holy Walk of the True Christian, + Etc. + + By the Venerable + + Johann Arndt + + General Superintendant of Ecclesiastical Affairs in the Principality of + Lüneberg + +Originally Translated Into English By Rev. A. W. Boehm, German Chaplain at + the Court of St. James, and Published in London, A.D. 1712. + + A New American Edition, + +Revised, Corrected, and Furnished with Additional Matter From The Original + German, + + Together With A + + General Introduction, + + By Charles F. Schaeffer, D.D., + + Professor of Theology in the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical + Lutheran Church, at Philadelphia + + Philadelphia + + The Lutheran Book Store, + + No. 807 Vine Street. + + Smith, English & Co., No. 23 N. Sixth Street. + + 1868 + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Introduction By The American Editor. +Book I. + The Author's Preface To The First Book. + Chapter I. + Chapter II. + Chapter III. + Chapter IV. + Chapter V. + Chapter VI. + Chapter VII. + Chapter VIII. + Chapter IX. + Chapter X. + Chapter XI. + Chapter XII. + Chapter XIII. + Chapter XIV. + Chapter XV. + Chapter XVI. + Chapter XVII. + Chapter XVIII. + Chapter XIX. + Chapter XX. + Chapter XXI. + Chapter XXII. + Chapter XXIII. + Chapter XXIV. + Chapter XXV. + Chapter XXVI. + Chapter XXVII. + Chapter XXVIII. + Chapter XXIX. + Chapter XXX. + Chapter XXXI. + Chapter XXXII. + Chapter XXXIII. + Chapter XXXIV. + Chapter XXXV. + Chapter XXXVI. + Chapter XXXVII. + Chapter XXXVIII. + Chapter XXXIX. + Chapter XL. + Chapter XLI. + Chapter XLII. +Book II. + Preface To The Second Book. + Chapter I. + Chapter II. + Chapter III. + Chapter IV. + Chapter V. + Chapter VI. + Chapter VII. + Chapter VIII. + Chapter IX. + Chapter X. + Chapter XI. + Chapter XII. + Chapter XIII. + Chapter XIV. + Chapter XV. + Chapter XVI. + Chapter XVII. + Chapter XVIII. + Chapter XIX. + Chapter XX. + Chapter XXI. + Chapter XXII. + Chapter XXIII. + Chapter XXIV. + Chapter XXV. + Chapter XXVI. + Chapter XXVII. + Chapter XXVIII. + Chapter XXIX. + Chapter XXX. + Chapter XXXI. + Chapter XXXII. + Chapter XXXIII. + Chapter XXXIV. + Chapter XXXV. + Chapter XXXVI. + Chapter XXXVII. + Chapter XXXVIII. + Chapter XXXIX. + Chapter XL. + Chapter XLI. + Chapter XLII. + Chapter XLIII. + Chapter XLIV. + Chapter XLV. + Chapter XLVI. + Chapter XLVII. + Chapter XLVIII. + Chapter XLIX. + Chapter L. + Chapter LI. + Chapter LII. + Chapter LIII. + Chapter LIV. + Chapter LV. + Chapter LVI. + Chapter LVII. + Conclusion Of The Second Book. +Book III. + Preface To The Third Book. + Chapter I. + Chapter II. + Chapter III. + Chapter IV. + Chapter V. + Chapter VI. + Chapter VII. + Chapter VIII. + Chapter IX. + Chapter X. + Chapter XI. + Chapter XII. + Chapter XIII. + Chapter XIV. + Chapter XV. + Chapter XVI. + Chapter XVII. + Chapter XVIII. + Chapter XIX. + Chapter XX. + Chapter XXI. + Chapter XXII. + Chapter XXIII. +Book IV. + Preface To The Fourth Book. + Part I. + Chapter I. + Chapter II. + Chapter III. + Chapter IV. + Chapter V. + Chapter VI. + Part II. + Chapter I. + Chapter II. + Chapter III. + Chapter IV. + Chapter V. + Chapter VI. + Chapter VII. + Chapter VIII. + Chapter IX. + Chapter X. + Chapter XI. + Chapter XII. + Chapter XIII. + Chapter XIV. + Chapter XV. + Chapter XVI. + Chapter XVII. + Chapter XVIII. + Chapter XIX. + Chapter XX. + Chapter XXI. + Chapter XXII. + Chapter XXIII. + Chapter XXIV. + Chapter XXV. + Chapter XXVI. + Chapter XXVII. + Chapter XXVIII. + Chapter XXIX. + Chapter XXX. + Chapter XXXI. + Chapter XXXII. + Chapter XXXIII. + Chapter XXXIV. + Chapter XXXV. + Chapter XXXVI. + Chapter XXXVII. + Chapter XXXVIII. + Chapter XXXIX. + Chapter XL. + Conclusion. +Index. +Footnotes + + + + + + +INTRODUCTION BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR. + + +Both the general purpose of the venerable Johann Arndt in writing his +"TRUE CHRISTIANITY," and also his own character and spirit, will be best +exhibited by submitting to the reader a statement referring to his +personal history. He was born, December 27th, 1555, in Ballenstädt, a town +in the Duchy of Anhalt, where his father, Rev. Jacob Arndt, long labored +as the chaplain of Duke Wolfgang, and the pastor of one of the Evangelical +Lutheran congregations of the place. The latter was a devout and faithful +minister of the Gospel, and a wise and affectionate father. He had, from +the earliest period, devoted much attention to the religious education of +his son, in the performance of which holy duty he was faithfully sustained +by his excellent wife. Their efforts were abundantly blessed. The son, +even in his early years, took great pleasure in reading the writings of +Luther, and also acquired a fondness for those of Thomas á Kempis, of +Tauler, and of others who breathed the same spirit of devotion. That this +feature of his religious character did not undergo any essential change in +his riper years, appears from the circumstance that he was one of the +first who collected, arranged, and republished the religious tracts of +Stephen Prætorius, a Lutheran divine of an eminently devout spirit. These +were subsequently re-edited by Martin Statius, who prefixed the title: +_Spiritual Treasury_ (Geistliche Schatzkammer), to the collection. This +book of devotion was highly prized by Spener, has often been reprinted, is +found in many German households, and well deserves to be translated, and +thus made accessible to the English religious public. + +§ 2. In his tenth year Arndt lost his father, but the orphan soon found +friends who, in the good providence of God, enabled him to continue the +studies which he had commenced with distinguished success under the +guidance of his father. After completing his preparatory education in the +schools of Halberstadt and Magdeburg, he proceeded, in the year 1576, to +the university of Helmstedt, which had recently been established. In the +course of the following year, 1577, he went as a student to the university +of Wittenberg, soon after the official recognition of the principles +embodied in the Formula of Concord (published in 1580), by which that +institution received a strictly Lutheran character, and every tendency to +any other doctrinal system was successfully arrested. It was here that he +formed a very close union, first as a student, and then as a personal +friend, with the eminent Polycarp Leyser, the elder of that name, whose +firmness and devotion in sustaining the distinctive features of +Lutheranism have assigned to him a high position in the history of his +Church.--After Arndt had, even at this early age, acquired distinction as +an accomplished private lecturer on Natural Philosophy, etc., as well as +on the Epistle to the Romans, Leyser furnished him with an unusually +favorable recommendation to the professors in Strasburg. This city, the +government and population of which were exclusively Lutheran, had not yet +been subjected to that great calamity which afterwards befell it, when the +despot and bigot, Louis XIV., incorporated it with the French monarchy, +and by assigning undue privileges to papists, and adopting other +tyrannical measures, opened an avenue for the introduction, not merely of +an inferior Romanic language, but also of the errors and superstitions of +the Church of Rome. + +§ 3. Arndt continued his theological studies in Strasburg, under the +direction of Prof. Pappus, who was also distinguished for his devotion to +the genuine Lutheran faith. In the year 1579 he proceeded to Basel, where, +under the gentle sway of Sulcer, the Lutheran faith had acquired influence +and authority. In this city he was temporarily engaged as the tutor of a +young Polish nobleman; the latter, on one of their excursions, when Arndt +had accidentally fallen into the Rhine, succeeded in seizing his sinking +preceptor by the hair of his head, and thus became the means, in the hands +of God, of saving a life of incalculable value, designed to prove an +ever-flowing source of blessings to the Church. + +§ 4. During this whole period Arndt occupied himself with the study of +medicine, in connection with his strictly theological studies; it is +possible that he would have ultimately chosen the practice of medicine as +the business of his life, if a severe illness had not intervened. After +his recovery, he believed it to be his duty to renounce his personal +tastes, and he thenceforth consecrated himself entirely to the service of +the Church. His medical and chemical occupations, although not abandoned, +were afterwards regarded by him only as a recreation. + +§ 5. He returned, in 1581 or 1582, to his native place, and labored for +some time as a teacher, until he was called by his prince, Joachim Ernest, +to be the pastor of the congregation in Badeborn, a village in the Duchy +of Anhalt; he was, accordingly, ordained in the month of October of the +same year. It was here, too, that he was married, October 31, 1583, to +Anna Wagner, the daughter of an eminent jurist, with whom he passed the +remaining thirty-eight years of his life in unclouded domestic happiness. +She was a devout Christian woman, who cheered and encouraged Arndt amid +his many cares, alleviated every burden to the extent of her ability, and +was always regarded by him with tenderness and gratitude. They were +childless; but many an orphan found that their hearts could overflow with +love towards the young and destitute--a love as full of warmth as beloved +children have ever experienced parental love to be. + +§ 6. In this first pastoral charge of Arndt, the unhappy state of affairs +subjected him, particularly during the latter part of the seven years +which he spent in it, to a "Lutheran martyrdom," as Tholuck expresses +himself (Herzog. Encyk. I., 536). The duke, John George, who now reigned +(a relative of the palsgrave, or count palatine, Casimir, a zealous +Calvinist), after various inward struggles, abandoned the Lutheran faith, +and, in the year 1596, publicly adopted the Reformed faith, a few years +after the transactions to which we now refer. Even Protestant rulers, who +had not yet learned the theory that a union of church and state can +operate only perniciously, perpetually interfered in the internal affairs +of the church.--At this period it was the custom of Lutheran pastors, when +they administered the rite of Baptism, to follow the liturgical form which +prescribed "exorcism." This feature of the whole baptismal form, which was +introduced as early as the third century, or even earlier (before the days +of Tertullian and Origen), consisted simply in a sentence adjuring the +evil spirit to depart from the subject of Baptism. The early practice had, +like others, been gradually associated, after the rise and development of +popery, with superstitious ideas, such as was also the case with the +Lord's Supper, until it assumed an absurd and even revolting form. At the +period of the Reformation, Zwingli and Calvin (Inst. IV., c. 15, 19; c. +19, 24) rejected the whole form of exorcism. Luther and Melanchthon, on +the other hand, after discarding the popish excrescences, believed that +the scriptural doctrine which the early form involved or suggested, +authorized the retention of the practice, when restricted to a very plain +and simple formula, expressive of a scriptural truth.--Now, at that period, +as it is well known, unfriendly feelings, engendered by various causes, +existed to a certain extent, between the heads respectively of the +Reformed and the Lutheran churches, in consequence of which even harmless +customs which none would, under ordinary circumstances, either advocate or +condemn with partisan feeling, assumed a confessional character. Such was +the case with the purified and simple Lutheran baptismal sentence +containing the "exorcism." + +§ 7. Arndt's course in this matter has often been misunderstood; as it, +however, demonstrates him to have been alike a very firm and conscientious +man, and also an uncompromising supporter of the distinctive doctrines and +usages of the Lutheran Church, the following details may be appropriately +furnished.--The language which Luther retained in his form for Baptism +(_Taufbüchlein_), after omitting all popish and superstitious practices, +was the following. Between the prayer and the reading of Mark 10:13-16, +the pastor says: "I adjure thee, thou unclean spirit, in the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, that thou go out and depart +from this servant of Jesus Christ, Amen."--Luther understood the form to be +a declaration or distinct confession of the doctrine of Original Sin, and +a renunciation of Satan. Still, the Lutheran Church, as such, never +recognized the _necessity_ of this ancient form, and its confessional +writings never allude to it. After the excitement of feeling peculiar to +Arndt's age, had been allayed by time, the Lutheran Church regarded the +whole as a mere _adiaphoron_, that is, a "thing indifferent," not +essentially involving any principle whatever, inasmuch as the doctrine of +Original Sin had already been very explicitly set forth and confessed in +her Symbolical Books. Such was the opinion of the eminent Lutheran +dogmatical writers, Gerhard, Quenstedt, Hollaz, etc.; and men like Baier +and Baumgarten even advocated the discontinuance of the practice. It is no +longer retained in any prominent manner in the Lutheran Church.--But in the +age in which Arndt lived, who was not a man that would obstinately cling +to a mere form, the _rejection_ of the formula of Exorcism _did_ involve a +principle; for, under the peculiar circumstances, that rejection might be +understood to be, first, a rejection of the doctrine of Original Sin, and, +secondly, an affirmation that the children of believing parents were in +the kingdom of heaven, even before they had received Baptism. But all this +seemed to conflict with the Pauline doctrine that all are "by nature the +children of wrath." Eph. 2:3. While, then, J. Ben. Carpzov, the +distinguished interpreter of the Symbolical Books, who died in 1557, +decides that the "Exorcism" is in itself a matter of indifference, and may +without scruple be dropped, he nevertheless holds that if the omission of +it should be understood as a denial of the Scripture doctrine of the +corruption of human nature (Original Sin), it becomes, in such a case, a +matter of principle to retain the formula. (_Isagoge_, etc., p. 1122 +_ff._; 1608.) Walch, the other eminent interpreter of the Symbolical Books +(_Introductio_, etc.), does not refer to the matter at all, as it is no +essential part of the Lutheran Creed. But Arndt, who was a calm, +sagacious, and conscientious observer, and who may justly be considered as +claiming that, in forming a judgment respecting him, we should not +overlook the spirit of his times, apprehended that the suppression of the +"exorcism" was secretly designed to be the forerunner of the suppression +of the entire Lutheran faith, which constituted the life of his soul; he +could not, under such circumstances, consent to endanger his most precious +treasure. + +§ 8. Now the duke, John George, after his virtual adoption of the Reformed +faith and practice, issued a peremptory order that the formula of Exorcism +should no longer be employed in his dominions at the baptism of any +infant. Arndt, who was characterized by a childlike submission to those in +authority, as long as matters of principle were not involved, could not +renounce his faith in God's word, and, especially, his personal conviction +of the natural depravity of the human heart. He might have consented to +drop a mere form; but he saw here an entering wedge, which justly alarmed +him. His apprehensions were subsequently proved to have been only too well +founded, when, soon afterwards, Luther's Catechism was suppressed, and +another substituted in its place. Hence, as he could not renounce a +prominent feature of the Lutheran creed, he firmly and positively refused +to obey the ducal command. He remarked, in the written statement which +embodied his reasons for refusing to obey, and which was submitted to the +civil authorities, that his conscience would not allow him to comply with +such a demand of the secular authority--that the orthodox fathers, who had, +during thirteen centuries, connected "exorcism" with Baptism, understood +it in accordance with the mind and true sense of the Scriptures (_ex mente +et vero sensu Scripturæ_)--that it was, therefore, by no means "an impious +ceremony" (as the civil ruler, a layman, had thought proper to designate +it),--that he must necessarily abide by the decision of his conscience--and, +that he would humbly submit to any sentence which his prince might +pronounce in the case. The date which he affixed to the document, is Sept. +10, 1590. That sentence, which was soon afterwards proclaimed, deposed +Arndt from his office, and banished him from the ducal territories. The +reader of Book I. of the "True Christianity," will now understand, after +observing the earnestness with which the author insists on the doctrine of +Original Sin, or the depravity of human nature, that he could not +conscientiously take any step which would, even indirectly, involve a +denial of that sad truth of the Bible,--a truth to which his knowledge of +his own heart daily testified. + +§ 9. But the Divine Head of the Church did not depose this faithful +minister. At the very time when Arndt seemed to be homeless and +friendless, two important posts were offered to him--one in Mansfeld, the +other in Quedlinburg, an important city, which, after belonging to various +rulers, has at last been incorporated with the monarchy of Prussia. The +city adopted the Lutheran faith in 1539. Arndt decided to make this place +his home, and he labored here with eminent success, during a period of +seven years, as the pastor of the church of St. Nicholas. However, he also +endured much affliction in this new charge, and his holy zeal and devout +spirit, while fully appreciated by intelligent and enlightened believers, +were misunderstood and even hated by others, so that he longed to be +transferred to another field of labor. + +§ 10. He was at length permitted to depart, and removed to the city of +Brunswick, situated in the territory of the duke of Brunswick; it aspired +at that time to become a "free city," subject directly to the German +emperor. The warfare between the duke and the city, during Arndt's +residence in the latter, subjected him to many sore trials. His abode in +it, extending from 1590 to 1608, is specially interesting, as he then +presented to the religious community Book I. of his "True Christianity." +Dr. A. Wildenhahn, who has, in recent times, furnished us with various +charming volumes, descriptive of the times, respectively, of Luther, +Spener, Paul Gerhardt, etc., in which he combines "fiction and truth," has +selected this period of Arndt's history, as the one to which he dedicates +his two delightful volumes, entitled "Johannes Arndt" (Leipzig, 1861). +This author complains that he found it a difficult task to collect full +and authentic accounts of Arndt's life. Still, he obtained access to +various documents in the archives of the city of Brunswick, and in the +royal library in Dresden, which had not been previously examined even by +Arndt's best biographer, the Rev. Frederick Arndt, of Berlin; and these +materially assisted him in preparing his own work.(1) + +§ 11. During the earlier years of Arndt's residence in Brunswick, as a +co-pastor of the church of St. Martin, his life was comparatively peaceful +and happy. The purity of his character, the soundness and power of his +doctrine, and the diligence and fidelity manifested in his pastoral +labors, could not fail to command the respect, and attract the love of all +candid persons. But he was at length subjected to trials of a new and +painful character, and became the victim of the hostile and persecuting +spirit of men from whom a very different course of conduct might have +reasonably been expected. The origin of these new difficulties has not +always been clearly understood; while some have regarded Arndt as worthy +of the censures of those who assailed him, others are disposed to condemn +those assailants in unqualified terms. It is strange that, even at this +comparatively remote period, such judgments are sometimes expressed in +language which betrays personal feeling rather than it announces the calm +judgment of a later and disinterested generation. + +§ 12. It is here necessary to cast a glance at the history of the times +which preceded and followed the eventful year 1555, in which Arndt was +born, a year ever memorable as the one in which the signing of the +articles of the Peace of Augsburg secured a temporary external repose for +the Lutheran Church. This "Peace" terminated at least the horrors which +had followed the introduction, in 1548, of the _Augsburg Interim_, by +which the newly-established Protestant doctrine was seriously endangered. +The provisions of this _Interim_ were enforced with such merciless tyranny +by popish authorities, that in South Germany alone about four hundred +faithful Lutheran pastors, who could not conscientiously accede to an +arrangement which might possibly restore the full authority of the errors +and superstitions of Rome, were driven, as exiles, with their families, +from their homes. The spirit of the Christian martyrs of the early ages of +the Church revived in these heroic men, and they clung with undying +tenacity to their holy faith. + +§ 13. That faith now encountered new enemies, who did not resort to fire +and the sword, but who adopted more insidious means for corrupting divine +truth; and again, assaults like theirs, only increased the jealousy with +which the genuine Lutherans guarded the purity of their doctrinal system. +It was the only gift of heaven, which sin and Satan could not touch, and +which retained all its unsullied holiness. The soul of man had become +corrupt; the body was subject to disease and death; the world, fair as it +was, and rich in the gifts of God, had nevertheless been made by sin to +bring forth thorns and thistles. But the Gospel truth, which conducted men +to Christ and heaven, remained in all its purity and power. These men were +willing to suffer and die, but while they did live, they could not relax +the grasp with which they held fast to evangelical truth. Now, amid the +political and religious commotions of that stormy age, could we expect +that devout men should say, "Peace, peace;" when there was no peace? +(Jerem. 6:14.) + +§ 14. Let us illustrate this subject. Schwenkfeldt, for instance (born in +1490; died, 1561), an opponent of both the Lutherans and the Reformed, as +well as of the Papists, and, accordingly, constantly engaged in +controversies with all parties, declared that Luther's uncompromising +determination to maintain the authority of the written word of revelation, +the Bible, was equivalent to a worship of the letter. He assigned, in his +fanaticism and morbid mysticism, a rank to an inner and direct word of the +Divine Spirit, which he asserted that he received, far above that of the +written word of God. He refused to make any distinction between the divine +act of the justification of the believer, on the one hand, and the +progressive sanctification of the believer, on the other. He taught that +the two natures of Christ, the divine and the human, were so fused +together, or, rather, that the flesh of Christ was so absolutely deified +or converted into God himself, that no distinction between them +remained,--that the regenerate could live without sin, etc. He succeeded, +in spite of the crudeness, one-sidedness, and unsoundness of his +doctrines, in attracting many disciples. His death, which occurred in +1561, a few years after Arndt's birth, did not terminate the widespread +confusion which he had created in the Protestant Church; the dread of that +sickly form of mysticism which he attempted to establish, long remained. +The fear was naturally entertained that it might lead many astray, who, +while they did not otherwise fraternize with Schwenkfeldt in his wild and +absurd course, might be deluded by his claims to superior religious +intelligence and holiness. + +§ 15. The disastrous influences of the demagogue Thomas Münzer (born in +1490), and of his fanatical party, the Zwickau prophets, on sound doctrine +and sound morals, as well as the blood which they had shed, were still +vividly remembered.--Servetus, the Unitarian, had perished, but he left a +seed behind; the doctrine of Christ's deity still remained a point of +attack. And besides these false teachers, several others, who were +originally connected in various modes with the Lutheran Church, +promulgated at various times opinions which seemed to be subversive of all +Scripture doctrine.--Agricola, who had originally been an active adherent +of Luther, gradually departed from the faith. He unquestionably betrayed +the interests of Protestantism by sanctioning the Augsburg Interim of +1548. He engaged in a controversy, at first with Melanchthon, and then +with Luther himself, on the subject of the proper "Use of the law"--the +Antinomistic controversy--maintaining that the law was no longer of +importance to the believer, and that the Gospel alone should be preached. +He died in 1566, when Arndt was about eleven years old. The confusion in +the church, which he created by his dangerous sentiments on several +points, was long painfully felt.--The Osiandrian controversy, respecting +Justification, and its relation to Sanctification, began in 1549, and +closed only when Arndt was already a student.--The Majoristic controversy +originated in the public declaration made by G. Major, that "good works +are _necessary to salvation_." The fears which such a doctrine, that +savored of popery, produced among orthodox and devout Lutherans, were +excessive. Those who opposed Major, were alarmed by his unguarded +expressions, and apprehended that the Gospel doctrine of _Justification by +faith in Christ alone, without human works or merit_, would be endangered, +unless they silenced him. The controversy, in its most energetic form, +terminated about seven years after Arndt's birth, but the indirect effects +of the misconceptions connected with the great topic of this controversy, +were deeply felt by him.--The Synergistic controversy, relating to the +question whether man could co-operate with the Holy Spirit in the work of +his conversion, began in the year in which Arndt was born, and was +maintained with great energy during several years.--The so-called +Cryptocalvinistic controversy, referring mainly to the doctrine of the +Lord's Supper, and involving certain important questions respecting the +Person of Christ, commenced about three years before Arndt's birth, and +agitated the church during many years.--These, and other subjects on which +also controversies had arisen, were, in the good providence of God, at +length calmly considered by learned and devout Lutheran theologians, +conscientiously examined in the light of the divine Word, impartially +decided, and set forth, in the year 1580, in the FORMULA OF CONCORD, the +last of the special Lutheran creeds, all the doctrines of which Arndt +cordially received, as he repeatedly declared in an official manner on +various occasions, in his writings, in his last will and testament, and on +his death-bed. (See below §§ 24, 25.) The very great reverence with which +he regarded this noble creed, and his attachment to it, are to be ascribed +not only to the spotless purity of the doctrines which it sets forth, but +also to the good work which it performed in successfully and permanently +deciding several very important questions which had latterly arisen, and +on which the preceding creeds had not authoritatively and fully +pronounced. It is, however, obvious, that even after these storms +subsided, the waves would long remain in commotion, and it was precisely +in these troublous times that Arndt labored in the ministry. + +§ 16. The catalogue of the difficulties which awaited him, is not yet +exhausted. We have to add, as a part of the history of the times, when an +extraordinary number of political and ecclesiastical contentions +prevailed, the excitement of feeling which certain differences of doctrine +between the Lutherans and the Reformed engendered, and which would never +have risen to the fearful height in which history now exhibits it to us, +if political power, controlled alternately by the two religious parties in +some of the German principalities, had not been invoked by them. The awful +death by fire, which terminated the career of Servetus (Oct. 27, 1553, two +years before the birth of Arndt, and more than six years after the death +of Luther), was decreed by the civil authorities of Geneva, but was +sanctioned by Calvin and even the gentle Melanchthon--a sad example of the +clouded views of men at that time respecting religious liberty and the +right of civil rulers to punish men for their errors in the faith. + +§ 17. In the Palatinate (the ancient _Pfalz_, the territories of which are +now distributed among Bavaria, Prussia, etc.) the Lutheran Church had been +established, and popery ceased to exist. But in 1560, a few years after +Arndt's birth, the Elector, Frederick III., withdrew from the church, and +adopted the Reformed faith and usages. His successor, Lewis VI., +endeavored to restore the ascendency of Lutheranism; but after his brief +reign, the authorities which succeeded, established "Calvinism" (the term +employed in Church History) on a permanent basis. A similar +ecclesiastico-civil revolution occurred in Bremen in 1562; fourteen +Lutheran pastors and the Lutheran members of the City Council were +expelled, and the city became Reformed. Such changes occurred elsewhere. +Both parties were undoubtedly more or less honest in adhering to their +doctrinal views; and both claimed the right to depose and exile those of +an opposite faith, whenever the civil and political power was, in either +case, directed by them. + +§ 18. Let it now be remembered that these contending Protestants, Lutheran +and Reformed or Calvinistic, were led by men respectively, who were +confessedly intelligent, learned, and endowed with great abilities, many +of whom were not only honest in expressing their convictions, but also +conscientious in their conduct, whether they were governed by an erring or +an enlightened conscience. That the latter is historically true, is +demonstrated by their readiness, when they lost power, to submit to +imprisonment or exile, rather than to renounce their respective creeds. +They were all too well acquainted with Bible truth to look with other +feelings than with horror on the popish creed. But while their own +Protestant creed was very precious to their souls, they could not tolerate +any departure from it, even if that departure was _not_ in the direction +"towards Rome." That departure must, as they judged, necessarily be +equivalent to a denial of God's truth, as they believed that they had +found it in the Bible. Thus all were alike sensitive--all seemed to feel +that if they tolerated any error, _that_ error could not be trivial--it +was, as far as it extended, a denial of God's truth. Could they safely +assume the shame and guilt of such a sin? We may add, that we are here +speaking only of the _honest_ leaders of the Lutherans and the Reformed, +of whom each man judged and acted for himself, as one who was accountable +to God. No honest Reformed theologian would have screened a Reformed +heretic from condemnation; and no honest Lutheran would, for a moment, +have tolerated a nominal Lutheran, who rejected any part of the creed of +the church. + +§ 19. At the same time, all these men were fallible creatures, subject to +all the errors of judgment, and to all the passions and infirmities +incident to fallen man. They often supposed that their intentions were +pure, when selfish motives governed them, and their jealous guardianship +of God's truth was combined with a jealous love for their personal +opinions. It was under these circumstances, when each party watched with +extreme jealousy over the purity of the faith, as adopted by it, and when, +besides, many private interests--personal, political, and +pecuniary--exercised vast influence, that Arndt entered on his labors.--We +have introduced the above details, in order to explain his declarations in +the preface to Book I. § 8, that he rejects the Synergistic, Majoristic, +etc., errors, and entertains no other views except those which are set +forth in the Lutheran Symbolical Books. + +§ 20. When he commenced his labors in Brunswick, he was the youngest +member of the "ministerium" of the city, that is, of the college composed +of the pastors of the several city churches, all of which at that time +strictly adhered to the Lutheran creed. He had long lamented that, in +consequence of the infelicity of the times, which caused endless doctrinal +controversies, the parties of which were many, Papists, Mystics, +Unitarians, Reformed, Lutherans, etc., the attention of many persons was +diverted from the practical duties of a Christian life, and directed +exclusively to controversies on points of doctrine; the result was, that +the understanding was actively exercised, but the heart was not properly +affected. Such considerations induced him to write Book I. of his "True +Christianity." It was his object to show that God demands a holy life, +proceeding from faith in Christ, and that no jealousy concerning the +purity of the creed will atone for the absence of the fruits of the +Spirit, as exhibited in the life and conduct of the individual. Hence he +insists with a warmth unusual in that excited and controversial age, on +repentance, on faith in Christ, and on a holy life. Possibly, the +apparently sweeping assertions which occasionally occur in his writings, +to the effect that the majority of his contemporaries lacked a heavenly +spirit, acquired their sombre hue in consequence of the publicity given to +human frailties, and the retirement and shade in which vast numbers of +holy men preferred to dwell. His Book I., which constitutes the principal +part of the work, was first published in Jena, in the year 1605; a second +and improved edition appeared in 1607. + +§ 21. It consisted principally of the matter which he had introduced in a +course of practical sermons previously delivered by him on week-days. It +attracted great attention, and was rapidly circulated throughout Germany. +The modest and retiring author, without expecting such a result, at once +became a celebrity. Nevertheless, new trials now commenced. An envious +feeling seems to have been engendered in the hearts of several of his +colleagues in the "ministerium" of the city, when they noticed the honor +which the author had undesignedly gained. Perhaps, too, the controversial +spirit of the times, and the jealousy of good men respecting the faith, +which was assailed on all sides--by Papists, Calvinists, Unitarians, +fanatics, etc.,--may have led them to scrutinize the book with too +suspicious eyes. All held firmly to the Gospel doctrine of Justification +by faith alone, without works. Now, when they found that Arndt insisted +with such earnestness on the evidences of faith, as furnished by a holy +life, they were morbidly affected, and apprehended that the doctrine of +justification by faith _alone_, which their bitter enemies, the Papists, +denounced, had not been guarded with sufficient care by Arndt. Other +expressions, again, which they did not interpret impartially, led them to +fear that he was introducing mysticism and other morbid religious systems +into the Church. The reproaches which he was compelled to hear, deterred +him for some time from fulfilling his promise of adding three other +"Books" to Book I. The complete work may be regarded as consisting of +_Four_ Books, as published in 1609. At a considerably later period a +fifth, and then a sixth book, were added. The former was designed as an +explanation and recapitulation of the Four Books, and the latter, +consisting in part of letters addressed to various eminent theologians, +besides having the same object in view, was intended also to defend the +doctrinal and ethical positions assumed in the Four Books. As they partake +of the nature of an appendix, and refer, to some extent, to +misunderstandings belonging to an earlier age, the Latin versions omit +them, and this example was followed by the English translator. + +§ 22. Arndt was freed from the unpleasant relations in which he stood to +his colleagues in Brunswick, in which city he had spent about ten years, +by a call which he received in 1608 to enter a new field of labor in +Eisleben. This city, which, as in the days of Luther (who was born and +baptized, and who also died there), still belonged to the territory of the +Counts of Mansfeld, is at present incorporated with the kingdom of Prussia +(Province of Saxony). It was here that Arndt ventured to publish the whole +of the Four Books of his "True Christianity." In this new position, his +admirable character and spirit were justly appreciated alike by his +patrons, the Counts of Mansfeld, by his colleagues, and by the people. The +fidelity with which he remained at his post during the prevalence of an +epidemic that carried off many of the inhabitants, his self-sacrificing +spirit in the discharge of his pastoral duties, and his judicious course +as an assessor of the local consistory, demonstrated the true nobility of +his soul--the spirit of the divine Redeemer. However, even though his +relations with all who surrounded him were of the most friendly character, +he did not remain longer than about two years and a half in Eisleben. He +had been repeatedly invited to assume important charges, which he declined +to accept; for while he had often found opponents, his great personal +merit, his eminent services, both as a preacher of the Gospel and as an +author of devotional works, and his godly spirit, had secured for him the +respect, confidence, and love of the whole religious public. Duke George +of Brunswick-Lüneburg, who at that time resided in Celle (Zelle), invited +him, in the year 1611, to accept the two offices of court-preacher and of +General Superintendent of ecclesiastical affairs in the principalities of +Brunswick and Lüneburg. (Celle was subsequently attached to the kingdom of +Hanover, but has, in the most recent times, been absorbed, with the +contiguous territories, by Prussia.) The Count of Mansfeld very +reluctantly consented to Arndt's removal; the latter, however, believed +that it had become his duty to enter the wide and inviting field of labor +which Providence had opened to him. The reigning duke, who was deeply +interested in the welfare of the Lutheran Church, judiciously and +vigorously sustained his new court-preacher in all his labors. The latter, +in addition to his ordinary pastoral duties, visited the congregations of +the whole territory, introduced various ecclesiastical reforms, and +continued till his death, which occurred May 11, 1621, to enjoy the divine +blessing himself, and to be a blessing to all whom his influence reached. +If he was born during a stormy period, and lived in an age of +controversies which wounded his soul, he was, nevertheless, like Luther, +very happy in being permitted to terminate his labors precisely at the +time when he was called away. For, as Luther closed his eyes in peace +during the year which preceded the disastrous battle of Mühlberg (April +24, 1547), so Arndt fell asleep soon after the Thirty Years' War began, +before the world saw those horrors which language fails to describe in +their awful extent. He had contracted a disease of the throat, which was +subsequently aggravated by a violent fever; and his exhausted frame at +length yielded to the assault of disease. He sent for his friend and +brother, the Rev. William Storch, early in the morning of May 9. After +being placed on a chair, he humbly made a general confession of his sins, +declared once more that he adhered as heretofore to the pure doctrine of +God's word and rejected every error, and then, with all the cheerfulness +of Christian faith, received the Lord's Supper. Dr. Morris, in the work +referred to, in a note above, quotes from his authorities the following: +"Mr. Storch then addressed him (in language similar to that which Dr. +Jonas used in speaking to the dying Luther) as follows: 'I do not doubt, +that as you have never entertained any doctrine contrary to God's word, +but have always continued firm and steadfast in the pure, unadulterated +word, the Scriptures of the prophets and apostles, the Augsburg +Confession, and other Symbolical Books of the Lutheran Church, and most +heartily and sincerely despised and rejected all contrary doctrines, so +you will also by God's grace maintain to the end the same doctrines and +faith which you have publicly preached and professed.' Arndt replied +several times, in a weak but intelligible voice, most decisively, 'Yes, +yes, that I will, even to the end.' " On the 11th of May he began to sink +rapidly, but was still able to repeat many of his favorite texts, such as +Ps. 143:2, and John 5:24. After having slept a short time, he awoke, +looked upward, and exclaimed with a comparatively loud voice: "We beheld +his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace +and truth." John 1:14. His wife asked him when he had seen that "glory." +He replied: "I saw it just now. O what a glory it is! It is the glory +which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the +heart of man to conceive of. This is the glory which I saw."--When he heard +the clock striking at eight in the evening, he asked what the hour was. +When it struck again, he repeated the question. On being told that it was +striking nine, he said: "Now I have overcome all." These were the last +words of this "good soldier of Jesus Christ." 2 Tim. 2:3. He lay perfectly +still until after midnight, when he breathed his last. God had given him a +peaceful death. The serenity of his soul in his last hours seemed to +linger on his features, even after the spirit had departed. + +§ 23. Two dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg followed him to the grave (May +15th), as a testimony of their sense of the great worth of their revered +spiritual guide. The text of the funeral sermon, delivered by Rev. Mr. +Storch, consisted of the words, "I have fought a good fight," etc. 2 Tim. +4:7, 8. His remains were deposited in the church at Celle. The tomb +exhibits the following inscription: + + + Qui Jesum vidit, qui mundum et daemona vicit, + Arndius in scriptis vivit ovatque suis. + + +(That is: _Arndt, who saw Jesus, and conquered the world and the devil, +lives and triumphs in his writings_.) + +§ 24. Nothing could be more unjust than any charge affecting the purity of +the faith of Arndt as a Lutheran Christian. His general orthodoxy was +always readily admitted; a few unreasonable and prejudiced men, however, +who suspected that mysticism and other errors were concealed in the "True +Christianity," although the existence of such matter could not be +established, nevertheless alleged, with a certain morbid feeling, that +Arndt did not adopt the entire creed of the Lutheran Church, as set forth +in "all her symbolical books." This circumstance accounts for the +frequency and earnestness with which he declares his _unconditional_ +acceptance of, and hearty belief in, _all_ the details of the Lutheran +faith. Thus the reader will find, at the close of the Preface to Book I., +an emphatic declaration of his recognition of the doctrines of _all the +Symbolical Books_, the names of which he enumerates in full. See, also, +the conclusion of Book II., and the conclusion of the Preface to Book IV., +where similar declarations occur. He repeats them in his Preface to Book +VI., where he employs the following language: "My dear reader, inasmuch as +our holy Christian faith, the pure evangelical doctrine, has, for about +one hundred years, been elucidated, purified, and sufficiently explained, +in accordance with the rule of the holy Word of God, and also been +cleansed from many errors through the means of two glorious and +praiseworthy confessions of faith, namely, the Augsburg Confession, and +the Formula of Concord, which have hitherto been, and still continue to +be, my own confession of faith; and, inasmuch as some have, at the same +time, uttered complaints respecting the ungodly manner of life of the +present world, with which the Christian faith cannot coexist; therefore, I +wrote, some years ago, Four Books on TRUE CHRISTIANITY, in which I have +depicted the internal, and, also, the external Christian life. For +although the pure _doctrine is the foremost point of true Christianity_, I +have, nevertheless, not wished to treat of it in a special manner, as this +has been copiously and superabundantly done by others, and is still daily +done; and I have taken only the Christian _life_ as my subject." This Book +VI. appeared somewhat less than a year before his death, and gives special +prominence to the last of the Lutheran confessions of faith--the FORMULA OF +CONCORD--in which the doctrines concerning the Person of Christ, the Lord's +Supper, etc., are set forth in all their details; he thus repeats anew his +cordial acceptance of the doctrines contained therein. In a letter of +thanks addressed to Dr. Mentzer, of Giessen (Book VI., Part II., Letter +7), he expressly rejects the serious doctrinal errors of Schwenkfeldt +respecting the Scriptures, the Person of Christ, the two Sacraments, etc., +and adds: "These errors have been publicly condemned and rejected, partly +in the Augsburg Confession, and partly in the Formula of Concord, after +the pure doctrine was firmly established." He concurs, of course, in the +condemnation of such errors.--In Letter 8, of the same Book, addressed to +Dr. Piscator, of Jena, he says: "I call on the great God, the Searcher of +hearts, as my witness, that it was not in my mind, in anything which I +have written, to depart from the true religion of the Augsburg Confession +and the Formula of Concord, and that I had no intention to disseminate +erroneous opinions, much less to defend any which conflicted with the +Symbolical Books of our Church." + +§ 25. On his death-bed he repeated anew, as we have seen, that he +continued, as heretofore, to adhere faithfully to the pure evangelical +doctrine. In the two copies of his last will and testament, of the years +1610 and 1616, he solemnly declares that he had always held with full +consciousness and understanding the doctrines of the Augsburg Confession +and the Formula of Concord, and never departed from their contents either +in his public teaching or his private views, that he never would adopt any +other faith, and that he prayed that the grace of God might sustain him in +this frame of mind until his last hour should come. The singularly +emphatic manner in which, on every appropriate occasion--and many of such +occurred--he declared his sincere belief in the peculiar and distinctive +doctrines of the Lutheran Church, in all their details, as set forth in +her SYMBOLICAL BOOKS, by no means proceeded from a narrow-minded sectarian +feeling. "Christ is all, and in all" (Col. 3:11)--these apostolic words +indicate the spirit of Arndt's religion. He could not sympathize with the +Papist, who robs Christ of the glory which belongs exclusively to his +atoning work--not with the Unitarian, who attempts to dethrone Him--not with +the fanatic, who, even when honest, is misguided by passion and spiritual +pride--not with the unbeliever, who flees from the shame of the cross--not +even with his Reformed fellow-Christians, whose merits he readily +acknowledged, but whose rejection of the Lutheran doctrine respecting the +Person of Christ and the Lord's Supper, as set forth especially in the +Formula of Concord, grieved his soul. He had found the precious Gospel +truth, which constituted his life, to be identical with the creed of his +Church, and with _that_ creed alone, in all its glorious fulness. He could +not consent to sacrifice one jot or one tittle of the Augsburg Confession, +nor could he assign to it an isolated position, even though Zwingli and +his associates readily adopted it, with the single exception of Article X. +Nor did his heart or his conscience allow him to ignore the other Lutheran +Symbols. The _Augsburg Confession_ undoubtedly contained the pure truth of +the Gospel, without any admixture of errors; but, owing to the +circumstances and the times in which it originated, when it was the great +object of Luther and his associates to justify their course in withdrawing +from antichristian Rome, it confined itself to those principles which were +then specially debated. Hence Calvin, who differed so widely on some +points from the fully developed Lutheran creed, readily adopted and +subscribed it at Strasburg.--The _Apology_, or Vindication of the Augsburg +Confession, set forth, among others, the cardinal doctrine of the Lutheran +faith, namely, Justification by faith alone, with extraordinary power and +purity. Its full, lucid, and strictly scriptural character has never been +successfully controverted. For this very reason the Apology was rejected +by Papists, as it now is practically by Rationalists and others who depend +on human merit, and are unwilling to give all honor to the Saviour +alone.--The _Smalcald Articles_, which Luther prepared in order to set +forth the points on which no Protestant or Bible Christian could make any +concession to Popery, are also offensive to Papists, to Rationalists, and +to the unbelieving and impenitent generally, as they contain the pure +evangelical truth, which humbles man, while it exalts God.--_The Two +Catechisms (the Large and the Small)_ furnish materials for popular +instruction in revealed truth, which have never been equalled by other +manuals, in their adaptation to the object, their fulness, and their +purity. Hence, a friend of divine truth, like Arndt, who took so deep an +interest in the religious education of the young, could not do otherwise +than regard them as of inestimable value. An enemy of the truth would +naturally disavow them.--The _Formula of Concord_--the last of the series of +Lutheran Confessions of Faith, and the one which Arndt appears to have +prized most highly--was intended, as we have shown above, to determine +various important points involved in the controversies which had arisen in +the bosom of the Lutheran Church before or at the time when he was born. +The very circumstance that this Symbol was demanded by the exigencies of +the Church, demonstrates that the Augsburg Confession was _not originally +designed to be a full and complete confession of faith_, but only a +statement of points discussed during the infancy of the Reformation. While +it excludes every error which might dishonor God, and confirm the +impenitent sinner in his evil course, it completes the previous Symbols, +and forms with them an undivided and harmonious whole, exhibiting with +brilliancy, power, and spotless purity the Person of the God-Man, Jesus +Christ, and glorifies God alone. A confession of faith which so +unreservedly unveils the fearful character of Original Sin, while it so +fully explains and establishes the true doctrine of the Lord's Supper, +would naturally be unwelcome to an impenitent heart; whereas, the devout +Arndt found nothing in it but animating and heavenly truth. Hence he +desired to be regarded as simply an Evangelical Lutheran Christian,--an +adherent of the Formula of Concord. + +§ 26. Religion assumed an unusually attractive and beautiful form in +Arndt, and is strikingly shadowed forth in his "True Christianity;" this +work is an admirable portraiture of his inner man. He was naturally of a +grave, but not by any means of an unsocial or gloomy disposition; he would +not otherwise have been styled "the Fenelon of Protestantism." Dr. +Wildenhahn, whose charming work (entitled _Johannes Arndt_) embodies +strictly accurate historical notices, and derives only subordinate matter, +such as incidents in domestic life, conversations, etc., from analogy and +a fruitful imagination, exhibits him in the true light, as an affectionate +husband, a cheerful companion, a generous and self-sacrificing friend of +the sick and the poor--in short, as a model in all the relations of life. +There is no exaggeration in this language. He possessed great firmness of +character; indeed, a truly heroic spirit dwelt in him. He manifested this +trait on many trying occasions--not only when he preferred poverty and +exile to a denial of a single Gospel truth or Lutheran usage, but also in +many other scenes of conflict. The ravages of the pestilence could not +alarm his heroic soul; the open and violent denunciations of enemies he +always encountered in the spirit of Him who said: "If I have spoken evil, +bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?" (John 18:23.) +There was a certain calmness or gentleness in his manner of treating his +enemies, which, combined with his earnestness and candor in repelling +their calumnies, invariably subdued them. Love--love, not to the amiable +and good, or to the poor and sorrowing alone, but also to his enemies--was +too often and too variously manifested, to leave the spectator in doubt +respecting its true source--a genuine faith in Christ, and deep, ardent +love to Him. In truth, it is here that the peculiar type of his religion +is seen; he lived more in heaven than on earth. The sacerdotal prayer of +Christ (John, Chap. 17) was an unfailing source of light, of hope, of +peace and joy to his soul. Expressions like these, "As thou, Father, art +in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us" (ver. 21)--"I in +them, and thou in me, etc." (ver. 23), and language like that of Paul: +"Christ in you, etc." (Col. 1:27), furnished him virtually with the +formula: "Christ in me, and I in Christ." Such was his faith in Christ, +and such was his love to Him, that he was always calm and hopeful. Hence +features appeared in his religious character which his worldly-minded +contemporaries could not fully appreciate; they were formed by two +different series of Gospel doctrines, which cannot come in conflict, but +which relate to two entirely different objects--Christ, the Saviour, and +fallen man. No one more sincerely embraced the doctrine of Original Sin, +as held by the Lutheran Church, than Arndt did; of this his writings +furnish the evidence. His own searching self-examination, constantly +maintained in the light of Scripture, revealed to him the utter corruption +of his own heart by nature; he found nothing in himself but sin. He was +conscious that he could do nothing without Christ, and deeply felt that +grace--nothing but grace--could renew his nature, and save him. These +convictions induced him to insist with such earnestness, in his Four +Books, on the true and genuine repentance of the sinner. At the same time, +there was nothing like sternness, gloom, or despondency connected with his +sincere and profound self-abasement. For he received with equal strength +of faith another series of truths--he believed with all his heart that +"after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not +by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy +he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy +Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; +that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to +the hope of eternal life." Tit. 3:4-7. Here a new tide of emotions flowed +through his soul. Wonder, joy, gratitude, love, took possession of him. +His large heart was full of happiness that the lost could be found and +saved--that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Rom. 5:20. +And now, when these two distinct principles appear in him in their +practical union, the type of his religion is clearly developed. He was +grave and earnest, humble, and free from all confidence in himself, for he +was "by nature a child of wrath." Eph. 2:3. But, on the other hand, God +had, in pity and in love, given him a Saviour, engrafted him in that +Saviour through Holy Baptism, bestowed on him the fulness of grace, and +invited him, as a repentant, believing, pardoned child of Adam, to enter +heaven. If sin abounded through the first Adam, grace did, through the +second Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), much more abound. His writings, therefore, now +assume a very cheerful character--_love_ is the prevailing theme. Nothing +morose appears in them--sorrow for sin and repentance--faith in Christ and +love to him, are his soul-inspiring themes, and a cheerful spirit, a sense +of fervent, joyful gratitude to God, a heavenly calm, pervade alike his +heart and its language as uttered in the "True Christianity." + +§ 27. The essential features of vital godliness are always the same; yet +"there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." 1 Cor. 12:4. Paul +insists on faith; John, on love. Luther's religion was, like that of +Arndt, earnest, and yet cheerful. Both were enabled by their personal +experience to understand the nature of these Christian virtues, and also +the distinction between them. Luther dwells with wonderful power on +_faith_. Arndt delights to speak of God's _love_. There is something very +beautiful in these different developments of true godliness in the +servants of Christ, while the influences of the same divine Spirit +controls them alike. + +§ 28. It would be an error to suppose that the whole world had risen up in +arms against Arndt, after he had assumed his position as an humble and +devout Christian. Vast numbers received his First Book on True +Christianity with gratitude and joy. It enlightened their minds; it +controlled the conscience; it diffused the warmth of life through their +souls; and they thanked God that such a book, so full of love, had been +given to the world. A comparatively small number of men rose up against +him. Certain individuals, such as his colleague, Denecke, a co-pastor of +the same congregation in Brunswick, were, no doubt, influenced by envy and +personal dislike. But others who opposed him, were by no means governed +solely by unworthy personal considerations. Some of them were so much +concerned about "questions and strifes of words" (1 Tim. 6:4), that they +overlooked and misconceived the heavenly-mindedness of Arndt. Others, who +did him injustice, were led astray by the infelicity of the times. We have +already referred to the disastrous influences of the mysticism and +fanaticism which, in addition to other corruptions of the true faith, had +appeared about, and after, the period of the birth of Arndt. For instance, +the Swiss physician, Paracelsus (who died as a Roman Catholic in 1541), +had published various fantastic and mystical writings, in which he +professed that he understood both mundane and supermundane mysteries. Now +a certain Lutheran pastor in Saxony, named Weigel, who died in 1588, and +who had been confessedly a man of an upright walk and conversation, had +yielded to a tendency to the mysticism and theosophy of Paracelsus. He was +thus led theoretically to undervalue the doctrines of the church, and to +represent them as merely allegorical forms, involving truths not known to +ordinary men. The natural results of his theory, if its folly had not been +exposed, would unquestionably have seriously affected the authority of the +written Word. Before his writings were published, a friend had +communicated to Arndt a short extract from them, which contained none of +his errors; the author's name had been withheld. Arndt, in his innocence, +inserted the passage in his book, and was thus burdened with the odium of +all the Weigelian errors; but he was subsequently released from all +censure, and his freedom from anything like the mysticism of Weigel was +generally conceded. + +§ 29. Another ground of the charge of mysticism which his opponents +advanced, was found in his repeated references in the "True Christianity" +to Tauler. Here, too, Arndt made a brilliant defence, by quoting the great +Luther as his authority. The latter had obtained possession of a +manuscript without a title or an author's name, which deeply interested +him. It dwelt entirely on the communion of the soul with God, and on +kindred topics. Luther, whose godliness was healthy and sound, was so much +charmed with the work, that he published a part of it at Wittenberg in +1516, and prefixed the title: "A spiritual, noble little work, explaining +the distinction between the old and the new man; showing, also, who are +the children of Adam and the children of God, and how Adam must die in us, +and Christ live in us." During the course of the next year he published +the whole work, with an extended Preface of his own, and adopted the +title: "A German Theology"; this general title it has since retained. It +was received with unbounded favor, and circulated rapidly throughout +Europe, for instance, in three English, seven Latin, four French, etc., +translations, besides numerous editions of the original German. It was +supposed to have been written by Tauler, a very devout man, who was born +in the year 1290. His religious tendencies led him, like Luther, to enter +a monastery. The sermons and other writings which he left behind, while +their general character assign to him a place among those who are +denominated "Mystics," nevertheless abound in holy and devout aspirations, +and were dictated by a spirit that sought and found peace in the grace of +God alone.--Arndt entertained the opinion that the "German Theology" was a +production of his pen, and so represents the case in his "True +Christianity." It is now, however, generally conceded, in consequence of +an allusion in the work itself to Tauler as a religious teacher of an +earlier day, that another person, belonging to a later period, was the +writer; his name is still involved in impenetrable darkness.--So, too, it +is by no means certain that Thomas á Kempis (born in 1380), was the author +of the popular book "On the Imitation of Christ," of which more than two +thousand editions in the original language, more than one thousand in +French, besides innumerable others in German, English, etc., have been +published. The historical arguments, adduced chiefly by French writers, +intended to support the claims of the eminent Gerson (born in 1363), as +the author, although not entirely conclusive, are still possessed of great +weight.--Arndt incidentally remarks in a brief statement respecting the +"German Theology," that his copy, printed at Wittenberg in 1520, contained +simply the remark that the book had been written by a devout priest of the +city of Frankfort, for devotional purposes, but the author's name was +withheld. If Luther sanctioned the publication of the "German Theology," +Arndt could calmly listen to those who censured him for adopting a similar +course. Those extracts at least, which he furnishes in the "True +Christianity," are, unquestionably, evangelical and truly edifying. + +§ 30. It will, perhaps, gratify the reader to observe the skill with which +Wildenhahn, to whom we have already referred, illustrates the childlike +simplicity of Arndt's character, by combining fiction with truth. During +his Brunswick pastorate, the City Council of Halberstadt sent him an +urgent call to become the successor of the deceased Rev. D. Sachse, as +pastor of the church of St. Martin in that city. After he had consulted +with his intelligent wife, who, like himself, was anxious to withdraw to +any spot where peace could be found, he resolved to accept the call; and, +in accordance with custom and law, applied to the Brunswick City Council +for letters of honorable dismission. When the question was to be decided, +Arndt appeared in the presence of the burgomaster, Kale, the syndic, Dr. +Roerhand, and other members of the Council, and renewed his request. These +details are historically true. Wildenhahn now subjoins the following: +"Tell me honestly," said the syndic to him, "have you really, as you +allege, taken no steps whatever, in order to obtain this call from +Halberstadt?" "Not a single step," said Arndt, in a solemn manner, with +his right hand on his heart, "the whole is altogether and exclusively a +work of God." But at the moment when he pronounced this solemn +declaration, it became evident to those who were present, that a sudden +thought had startled him; he changed color; he began to tremble; he +suddenly covered his eyes with his left hand. Then, with a voice betraying +deep emotion, he added: "Gentlemen, I have borne false witness! I really +did do something to obtain this call." "Ah!" said Kale quickly, delighted, +as it seemed, to find an opportunity for displaying his official dignity, +"You did? Pray, tell us what it was." "I prayed to the blessed Lord with +tears, that he would assign to me some other spot in his vineyard, no +matter how insignificant, if I could only there preach his word in peace." +"And was _that_ all?" inquired the burgomaster, much surprised, and +speaking in more gentle tones. "That was all," replied Arndt, "and this is +true, as God lives! But, doubtless, I erred here, in impatiently +attempting to dictate to God, etc." Such simplicity of character, such +perfect ingenuousness, such a wonderful freedom from artifice and +disguise, completely disarmed the members of the Council. They now +understood better than previously the artlessness and spirituality of the +man before them, and, after that scene, they accorded to him entire esteem +and confidence. + +§ 31. The great work of Arndt--the "True Christianity," has probably never +had its equal as a popular book of devotion. Tholuck relates the following +anecdote as an illustration of the manner in which even Papists could +appreciate the merits of the work. When Prof. Anton, of Halle, visited +Madrid in 1687, he examined the library of the Jesuits, and incidentally +inquired of the librarian respecting the ascetic writer whom they esteemed +more than other authors of devotional works. The latter exhibited a Latin +book, the title-page and last leaves of which were wanting, and declared +that it was the most edifying work which they possessed. When Anton +examined it, he discovered that it was a translation of Arndt's "_True +Christianity_"! It is only common justice to allow the author to state the +objects which he had in view, in preparing the work. The following passage +occurs in a letter which he addressed in the last year of his life to Duke +Augustus the Younger, of Brunswick: "In the first place, I wished to +withdraw the minds of students and preachers from an inordinate +controversial and polemic theology, which has well-nigh assumed the form +of an earlier scholastic theology. Secondly, I purposed to conduct +Christian believers from lifeless thoughts to such as might bring forth +fruit. Thirdly, I wished to guide them onward from mere science and +theory, to the actual practice of faith and godliness; and, fourthly, to +show them wherein a truly Christian life consists, which accords with the +true faith, as well as to explain the apostle's meaning when he says: 'I +live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me,' etc." (Gal. 2:20.) + +§ 32. The Rev. Dr. Seiss, the author of "Ecclesia Lutherana, etc.," to +whose endeavors the religious public is mainly indebted for the appearance +of the present edition, remarks in a recent notice of the work: "This is +one of the very greatest and most useful practical books produced by +Protestantism. Though written more than two hundred and fifty years ago, +it is still unsurpassed in its department. It stands out with marked and +superior distinction in the modern ages. Next to the Bible and Luther's +Small Catechism, it has been more frequently printed, more widely read, +and more influential for good, than any other book, perhaps, that has ever +been written. Boehm has not exaggerated, when he says that its effects, in +the conversion of souls, has been such, that an account of them would make +a history in itself. Nor can any one candidly read it, without finding on +every page, scintillations of the sunlike splendors of a mind bathed in +the purity, wisdom, and love of heaven." Mr. Boehm, in the Preface to his +translation (which is the basis both of the revision of Mr. Jacques, and +of the present edition), remarks, that among the learned men in Great +Britain, who had read the Latin translation, the distinguished Dr. +Worthington had assigned the first rank among devotional writers to Arndt, +and quotes the enthusiastic terms in which he extols that "faithful +servant of God, John Arndt." And Mr. Jacques closes the Preface to his +revision with the following words: "Divines of all communions and +persuasions, have united in their admiration of this delightful +production. The late learned Dr. Edward Williams has inserted it in his +valuable Appendix to the Christian Preacher: and the Rev. John Wesley made +a most copious extract from it, comprised in Vol. I. and II. of his +Christian Library." + +§ 33. And truly God did not design this great work solely for the comfort +and aid of the German nation during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), but +for all nations and all times. It has been translated into the Latin, +Danish, Swedish, Bohemian, Polish, Low Dutch, English, French, Turkish, +Russian, Malabar, Tamul, etc., languages. At least two editions of the +work in a Latin translation were published in England; the last appeared +in 1708, with the following title: "Joannis Arndtii, Theologici, etc.: De +vero Christianismo. Libri IV. Cura et studio A. W. Boemi. Lond. 1708." 2 +vols. 8vo.--Another Latin edition was published in Germany in 1624. The +Tamul translation had the following Latin title: "De vero Christianismo, +in Tamulicum convertit Benjamin Schulzius, Missionarius Evangelicus."(2) + +§ 34. The work had made so deep an impression on learned British +Christians, who read it in Latin, that the wish was repeatedly and +earnestly expressed that it might be made accessible to English readers. +At this period, that is, during the reign of Queen Anne of England (who +died in 1714), large numbers of German emigrants from the Palatinate +passed through England on their way to the provinces of New York and +Pennsylvania. The Rev. Anthony William Boehm, a German Lutheran clergyman, +had previously been appointed as the court chaplain of Prince George of +Denmark, the consort of Queen Anne. His enlightened zeal and devout heart +led him to take a deep interest, not only in the temporal, but also in the +spiritual welfare of these pilgrims, who were on their way to the wilds of +North America. He accordingly supplied them, by the aid of certain +like-minded friends, with German Bibles and Hymn Books, and also with +German copies of Arndt's "True Christianity," as well as with other books +of devotion. This interesting fact is mentioned in the letters of Dr. +Muhlenberg, published in the well-known _Halle Reports_ (_Hallische +Nachrichten_, pp. 665, 793). But Mr. Boehm also resolved to furnish the +people, in the midst of whom he lived, with the great work of his favorite +author, in their own language, and accordingly prepared an English +translation, which was first printed in London in 1712. + +§ 35. It would be unjust to the memory of this excellent man, if we should +fail to refer to his literary labors. His high office at the royal court +of England, is an evidence of his personal merit. He was not only a devout +and faithful preacher of the Gospel, but also an author who acquired +distinction. In 1734 he published a very valuable work in the German +language, entitled: "Eight Books, on the Reformation of the Church in +England, extending from the year 1526, under Henry VIII., to the reign of +Charles II." In a very beautiful eulogy, in manuscript, found in the +volume before us, the writer refers to the successful efforts of Mr. Boehm +to provide for the education of the children of the poor in his vicinity. +He died May 27, 1722, in his fiftieth year, after having faithfully +labored in the service of Christ. He sustained, with eminent success, the +Danish Lutheran missionaries in Tranquebar, by sending pecuniary aid +obtained in London, as well as religious publications. Besides his great +German historical work, which is the complement of Burnet's "History of +the Reformation of the Church of England," he also published several +English compositions, such as a "Sermon on the doctrine of Original Sin, +Eph. 4:22," printed in London, 1711, and a "Sermon on the Duty of the +Reformation (Jubilee), Rev. 18:4," London, 1718, besides various religious +works in the German language. + +§ 36. About the beginning of the present century, the Rev. Calvin +Chaddock, who resided in Hanover, Massachusetts, obtained a copy of Mr. +Boehm's translation, "accidentally," as he says, and found it to be so +valuable, that he resolved to issue an American edition, which accordingly +appeared in 1809, Boston. In his short Preface he remarks, with great +truth, that the language of the translation "appears to be somewhat +ancient, and the sentiments in some few instances obscure." He adds, in +reference to his own agency: "The only alterations which have been made, +are such as respect redundant and obsolete words, orthography, the +addition of some words, and the transposition of some sentences; that the +ideas of the translator might appear more conspicuous." He might have, +with great advantage, been even more liberal than he was, in correcting +the style; it still remained in numerous passages heavy and obscure. As +the style, even of the original German, is somewhat antiquated, and as, +besides, occasional obscurities and repetitions occur, a later successor +in one of Arndt's pastoral charges, the Rev. J. F. Fedderson, assumed the +task of revising and abridging the whole of the original German, improving +or modernizing the style, and occasionally adding new matter. The result +of his labors does not appear to have received the entire approbation of +the German religious world; the original and unaltered work continues so +popular, that no permanent place has been secured for the substitute. A +portion of Fedderson's production was translated and published in +Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1834, by the Rev. John N. Hoffman, Pastor +of the Evangelical Lutheran congregation of that place. The translation +was never completed. The part which was given, consisting mainly of Book +I., has long since been out of print. + +§ 37. In the year 1815, a new edition of Mr. Boehm's English translation +was issued in London (evidently without any reference to Mr. Chaddock's +American edition), by William Jacques, A.M., who had already distinguished +himself by his translation, from the Latin, of A. H. Francke's "Guide to +the Reading and Study of the Holy Scriptures," of which a reprint, in a +very unattractive form, and with omissions, appeared in Philadelphia, in +1823. He took Mr. Boehm's translation as the "ground-work," which, as he +states in his Preface, he did not "edit either hastily or negligently. +There is not a single page, nor a single paragraph," he continues, "which +has not been subjected to scrutiny," etc. Nevertheless, Mr. Jacques, who +does not appear to have compared the translation with the original German, +made only verbal changes, which, as it is evident, materially improve the +style. But he allowed all the additions of Mr. Boehm, which are generally +quite tautological, and various inaccuracies in thought and expression to +remain. So many antiquated expressions were retained, that it would have +been inexpedient to reprint the work precisely as Mr. Jacques allowed the +text to remain. Besides, he curtailed the full titles of the several +chapters, and, with very few exceptions, omitted the important and +appropriate texts which Arndt had prefixed respectively to the latter. +These circumstances, in connection with others, such as numerous +typographical errors, especially in the Scripture references, plainly +indicated that a revision of the whole was necessary, before the present +edition could be presented to the public. + +§ 38. The editor of the present American edition took that of Mr. Jacques +as the basis of the translation, but compared every sentence with the +original German. He found some cases in which valuable matter had been +omitted, and was occasionally required to supply sentences that had been +mutilated or suppressed. But he erased all the verbal additions, and the +clauses, or sentences, inserted by Mr. Boehm, where it seemed to have been +the object of the latter only to explain remarks that were already +perfectly lucid, or to add emphasis by the insertion of adjectives, etc., +or else to impart beauty by the adoption of poetical terms or phrases, +which were inconsistent with the severe simplicity of Arndt's style. He +even represents the author, on one occasion, as quoting from the +"Homilies" of the Church of England, which Arndt undoubtedly never read, +and certainly does not mention in the original. The American editor has, +also, at the request of several friends, who took an interest in securing +the publication of the present edition, prepared a somewhat copious INDEX. +One of the Latin editions (London, 1708) contains an index, adapted only +to its own pages. Another, in German, is found in some of the German +editions, for instance, in that of Nuremberg, 1762, also adapted to the +pages of the particular edition only. As the American editor found none in +English, and preferred to adapt the new Index, prepared by him, to the +work itself (specifying the Book, Chapter, and Section), he accordingly +completed his task on this plan, after a considerable expenditure of time +and labor. It is somewhat difficult to prepare an Index for a work which +is so exclusively devotional in its character as the present, and in which +the author does not intend to discuss subjects in a strictly scientific +manner. Arndt, for instance, employs terms which, when defined with +precision, indicate different shades of thought, almost as if they were +synonymous (_e. g._, the _grace_, _mercy_, _goodness_, _love_, etc., of +God), and often repeats the same thought in different language. For this +we can easily account, when we recollect that the materials of the work +were taken from a series of popular sermons of the author, delivered at +intervals. The editor allows himself to hope that the Index which he has +prepared, may occasionally be of service to the reader. + +§ 39. But even after having made numerous changes on _every page_ of the +old translation before him, the American editor is conscious that a +critical eye will discover many imperfections in the style. It is often +antiquated and heavy, and sometimes even quaint. Nevertheless, in all +these instances he allowed the English text to remain as he found it, +contenting himself with the correction of orthographical and syntactical +inaccuracies, the rectification of Scripture references, the errors in +which he found to be unusually numerous, the correction of quotations in +accordance with the authorized English version of the Bible, in the many +cases in which Mr. Boehm, or one of his assistants, translated from +Luther's German version, or quoted the English version from memory, etc., +etc. + +§ 40. It is eminently proper that a new edition of Arndt's "True +Christianity" should appear during the present Jubilee year of the +Evangelical Lutheran Church, and that it should be undertaken and +conducted to a successful issue by members of the Evangelical Lutheran +Synod of Pennsylvania. The deep spirituality of Arndt, and his active and +pure faith, can be fully understood and appreciated only when we reflect +on the doctrinal system to which he had given his heart, and to which we +have referred above. This orthodox system found no favor, at a later +period, among the Rationalists; they rejected the doctrines of the Bible +respecting the depravity of human nature, the divinity of Christ, the +efficacy of the divinely appointed means of grace, and similar truths, and +grievously complained of the violence which, as they treacherously +alleged, was offered to their conscience, when the demand was made, that +if they claimed to belong to the Lutheran Church, to occupy its pulpits, +and to receive their support from it, they ought also to adopt its faith. +Their influence is happily decaying in Europe, and the restoration of the +doctrines of the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church to +authority, is coincident with the new and healthy religious life of the +Lutheran Church in Germany, Hungary, Scandinavia, and Russia. The sincere +Christian, John Arndt, whom we heard protesting before God, with his last +breath, as described above, that he believed only the doctrines of the +Symbolical Books of the Lutheran Church, and _all_ those doctrines, little +thought that more than two centuries afterwards, in the remote Western +continent of America, men would arise who would not only reject with scorn +"all the other Symbolical Books," which he revered, but also speak +contemptuously of the Augsburg Confession and its holy doctrines. + +§ 41. The doctrinal system which Arndt so sincerely revered, was brought +to this country by the Lutheran pastors who visited our shores at a very +early period. Dr. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, an eminently enlightened and +holy man, was enabled, by his well-disciplined mind and great +administrative powers, to create order among the scattered Lutherans whom +he found in this country. He was exceedingly zealous in maintaining the +purity of the Lutheran faith, to which he owed all his peace and his +hopes. He gave unusual prominence to the Symbolical Books--to _all_ of +them, mentioned by name--in the various constitutions of congregations +organized or influenced by him, and very properly claimed that none who +rejected them could honestly bear the name of _Lutherans_. We will give +only one illustration, of many which might be adduced, to show the +fidelity with which he held to the Lutheran Symbolical Books, as +enumerated by Arndt in the last paragraph of his Preface to Book I., in +this volume. Dr. Muhlenberg states in an official Report for the year +1747, which he transmitted to Halle (_Hall. Nachr._, pp. 234, 235), that +he had visited a congregation in Maryland, in which great dissensions +prevailed at the time, occasioned by efforts made by certain individuals +to alienate the Lutherans from their faith and church. He says, "Before we +commenced public worship, I asked for the Church Record, and wrote certain +propositions and articles in it in the English language, and among other +statements, made the following: That our German Lutherans held to the holy +Word of God, in the prophetic and apostolical writings; further, to the +unaltered Augsburg Confession, and the other Symbolical Books, etc.(3) I +then read the same publicly to the congregation, and explained it to them +in the German language, and added, that every one who desired to be, and +to remain, _such_ a Lutheran, should subscribe his name." He informs us +that the genuine Lutherans readily subscribed; the rest, who had +unlutheran sympathies, withheld their names. + +§ 42. An unhappy change occurred after Dr. Muhlenberg's day. The +Symbolical Books, which he and his contemporaries received, believed, and +sustained in their whole extent, with religious veneration, existed at +that time only in Latin and German. They gradually receded from the view +of many pastors of the church; individuals were received into the ranks of +the ministry, who had never studied them; doctrines and usages, hitherto +unknown to the church, were introduced into many Lutheran congregations. +At one period several of the most intelligent pastors yielded, to a +certain extent, to rationalistic influences; then, the opposite extreme, +of fanaticism, gained adherents; both rationalism and fanaticism were +alike hostile to "the unaltered Augsburg Confession and the other +Symbolical Books," and a strange combination of elements, derived partly +from rationalism, and partly from fanaticism, temporarily held sway. +Dependence was now placed on human measures and inventions, designed for +the conversion of sinners and the edification of believers, rather than on +the divinely appointed means of grace, which men like Arndt and Muhlenberg +recognized as the only channels through which the Divine Spirit exercises +his influence. If they had lived among us during the second, third, and +fourth decades of this century, when their doctrines, and their mode of +preaching, were regarded by many as antiquated, or unsuited to a supposed +higher grade of religious development, they would have readily predicted +the results--fanaticism, latitudinarianism in doctrine, an evanescent +emotional religion, and, by consequence, the rejection, in whole or in +part, of the Augsburg Confession and the other Symbolical Books. + +§ 43. God, in his mercy, has interposed. The doctrines which Arndt, +Muhlenberg, and men of the old faith, regarded as the life-blood of a +healthy, scriptural religion, are regaining their authority. Many still +reject them; the old faith of the church--Bible truth, is unwelcome to an +ignorant, rationalistic, and unconverted heart. But others have been +taught by observation and experience that mere human measures and +inventions cannot conduct to a healthy and permanent religion, and that +divine truth, as taught in the Scriptures, and set forth in our Symbolical +Books, and the other means of grace given to the Church by its divine +Head, are the only sources from which such a healthy religion can proceed. +In this spirit Arndt wrote the "True Christianity," and by this spirit the +Synod of Pennsylvania is animated. This ecclesiastical body desires to +take away all glory from man, and to give it all to Christ. One of the +results of its attachment to our ancient and holy faith, is the +publication of the present volume, in which the author so eloquently and +affectionately urges all men to repent, to believe in Christ, and to lead +a holy life. + +§ 44. The divine blessing has so remarkably attended the use of Arndt's +"True Christianity," in the original language, and in its various +translations, that the present editor humbly entertains the hope that the +time and labor expended by him in preparing this new edition, may also be +of avail. And he prays that the "True Christianity" may continue the work +which it has already performed, and instruct, guide, and comfort anew the +souls of its readers, to the praise and glory of God. + +C. F. S. + +PHILADELPHIA, August, 1868. + + + + + +BOOK I. + + +Wherein True Christianity, Sincere Sorrow For Sin, Repentance, Faith, And + The Holy Life Of The True Christian, Are Considered. + + + + +The Author's Preface To The First Book. + + +Christian Reader! That the holy Gospel is subjected, in our age, to a +great and shameful abuse, is fully proved by the ungodly and impenitent +life of those who loudly boast of Christ and of his word, while their +unchristian life resembles that of persons who dwell in a land of heathens +and not of Christians. Such an ungodly course of conduct furnished me with +an occasion for writing this Treatise; it was my object to show to plain +readers wherein true Christianity consists, namely, in the exhibition of a +true, living, and active faith, which manifests itself in genuine +godliness and the fruits of righteousness. I desired to show that we bear +the name of _Christians_, not only because we ought to believe in Christ, +but also because the name implies that we live in Christ, and that He +lives in us. I further desired to show that true repentance proceeds from +the inmost centre of the heart; that the heart, mind, and affections must +be changed; that we must be conformed to Christ and His holy Gospel; and +that we must be renewed by the word of God, and become new creatures. For +even as every seed produces fruit of a like nature, so the word of God +must daily produce in us new spiritual fruits. If we become new creatures +by faith, we must live in accordance with our new birth. In a word, Adam +must die, and Christ must live, in us. It is not sufficient to acquire a +knowledge of the word of God; it is also our duty to obey it practically, +with life and power. + +2. There are many who suppose that Theology is merely a science, or an art +of words, whereas it is a living experience and practical exercise.--Every +one now aims at acquiring eminence and distinction in the world; but no +one is willing to learn how to be devout. Every one now seeks out men of +great learning, who can teach arts, languages, and wisdom; but no one is +willing to learn from our only Teacher, Jesus Christ, how to become meek +and sincerely humble; and yet His holy and living example is the true rule +for our life and conduct, and, indeed, constitutes the highest wisdom and +knowledge; so that we can with truth declare, "The pure life of Christ +opens all knowledge to us." + +3. Every one is very willing to be a servant of Christ; but no one will +consent to be His follower. And yet He says: "If any man serve me, let him +follow me." John 12:26. Hence, he who truly serves and loves Christ, will +also follow him; and he who loves Christ, will also love the example of +His holy life, His humility, meekness, patience, as well as the cross, +shame, and contempt which He endured, although the flesh may thereby +suffer pain. And although we cannot, in our present weakness, perfectly +imitate the holy and exalted life of Christ (which, indeed, is not +intended in my Book), nevertheless, we ought to love it, and long to +imitate it more fully; for thus we live in Christ, and Christ lives in us, +according to the words of St. John: "He that saith he abideth in him ought +himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6. It is now the +disposition of the world to acquire a knowledge of all things; but that +which is better than all other knowledge, namely, "to know the love of +Christ" (Eph. 3:19), no one desires to acquire. But no man can love +Christ, who does not imitate his holy life. There are many--a majority, +indeed, of men in this world--who are ashamed of the holy example of +Christ, namely, of his humility and lowly condition; that is, they are +ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ; of them he says: "Whosoever shall be +ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, +of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed," etc. Mark 8:38. Christians +now desire a Christ of imposing appearance, who is magnificent, rich, and +conformed to the world; but no one desires to receive, to confess, and to +follow the poor, meek, despised, and lowly Christ. He will, therefore, +hereafter say: "I never knew you" (Matt. 7:23); ye were not willing to +know me in my humility, and therefore I do not know you in your pride. + +4. Not only, however, is ungodliness, in all its forms, at variance with +Christ and true Christianity, but it is also the cause of the daily +accumulation of the displeasure of God, and of the penalties which he +inflicts; insomuch that he fits all creatures to be avengers, and that +heaven and earth, fire and water, are made to contend against us; so that +all nature is thereby sorely distressed, and well-nigh overwhelmed. Hence, +a season of affliction must be expected; war, famine, and pestilence; yea, +the last plagues are coming in with such violence, that we are exposed to +the assaults of nearly every creature. For even as the terrible plagues of +the Egyptians overtook them before the redemption and departure of the +children of Israel from Egypt, so, too, before the redemption of the +children of God occurs, dreadful and unheard-of plagues will overtake the +ungodly and impenitent. It is therefore high time to repent, to begin +another course of life, to turn from the world to Christ, to believe truly +in him, and to lead a Christian life in him, so that we may securely +"dwell in the secret place of the Most High, and abide under the shadow of +the Almighty." Ps. 91:1. Such is also the exhortation of the Lord: "Watch +ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape +all these things." Luke 21:36. The same is also testified in Ps. 112:7. + +5. Now, to this end, my Christian reader, this book may, to a certain +extent, serve thee as a guide, showing thee not only how thou mayest, +through faith in Christ, obtain the remission of thy sins, but also how +thou mayest avail thyself of the grace of God, in order to lead a holy +life; and how thou mayest demonstrate and adorn thy faith by a Christian +walk and conversation. For true Christianity consists, not in words, nor +in any external show, but in a living faith, from which proceed fruits +meet for repentance, and all manner of Christian virtues, as from Christ +himself. For as faith is hidden from human view, and is invisible, it must +be manifested by its fruits; inasmuch as faith derives from Christ all +that is good, righteous, and blessed. + +6. Now, when faith waits for the blessings which are promised to it, the +offspring of this faith is _hope_. For what else is hope but a constant +and persevering expectation, in faith, of the blessings which are +promised? But when faith communicates to a neighbor the blessings which it +has itself received, _love_ is the offspring of such a faith, imparting to +the neighbor that which it has itself received from God; and when faith +endures the trial of the cross, and submits to the will of God, it brings +forth _patience_. But when it sighs under the burden of the cross, or +offers thanks to God for mercies which it has received, it gives birth to +_prayer_. When it compares the power of God, on the one hand, with the +misery of man, on the other, and submits unresistingly to the will of God, +_humility_ is the fruit. And when this faith diligently labors that it may +not lose the grace of God, or, as St. Paul says: "worketh out salvation +with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12), then the _fear of God_ is the +result. + +7. Thus thou seest that all the Christian virtues are the offspring of +faith, proceed from faith, and cannot be separated from faith, their +common source, if they are indeed genuine, living, and Christian virtues, +proceeding ultimately from God, from Christ, and from the Holy Spirit. +Hence no work can be acceptable to God without faith in Christ. For how +can true hope, sincere love, persevering patience, earnest prayer, +Christian humility, and a childlike fear of God, exist without faith? All +must be drawn from Christ, the well of salvation (Isa. 12:3), through +faith, as well righteousness, as all the fruits of righteousness. But take +great care, my reader, that thou do not connect thy works, the virtues +which thou hast commenced to practise, or the gifts of the new life, with +thy justification before God. For in this matter, man's works, merit, +gifts, and virtue, however lovely these may appear to be, have no +efficacy; our justification depends solely on the exalted and perfect +merit of Jesus Christ, apprehended by faith, even as it is set forth in +chap. V, XIX, XXXIV, and XLI, of this book, and in the first three +chapters of Book II. Take great care, therefore, not to confound the +righteousness of faith, on the one hand, and the righteousness of a +Christian life, on the other; but rather to make a clear distinction +between them; for here the whole foundation of our Christian religion is +involved. Still, thy repentance must be the great concern of thy life, for +otherwise thou hast no true faith, such as daily purifies, changes, and +amends the heart. Thou must, moreover, know that the consolations of the +Gospel cannot be effectually applied, unless they have been preceded by a +genuine godly sorrow, the result of which is a bruised and contrite heart; +for we read that "to the poor the gospel is preached." Luke 7:22. How, +indeed, can faith give life to the heart, unless that heart has been +previously put to death by sincere sorrow and a thorough knowledge of sin? +Do not, therefore, imagine that repentance is a slight and easy work. +Remember the solemn and severe language of the Apostle Paul, when he +commands us to mortify and crucify the flesh, with the affections and +lusts, to offer the body as a sacrifice, to die unto sin, to be crucified +unto the world. Col. 3:5; Rom. 6:6; 12:1; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 5:24; 6:14. +Truly, none of these things can result, when we gratify the flesh. Nor do +the holy prophets employ cheerful terms when they call for a contrite and +broken heart, and say: "Rend your heart--weep and lament." Joel 2:13, 17; +Jer. 4:8. But where is such repentance now exhibited? The Lord Jesus +Christ, when alluding to it, demands that we should deny ourselves, and +renounce all that we have, if we desire to be his disciples. Luke 9:23; +Matt. 16:24. Verily, all this can never proceed from a gay, trifling, and +light mind; of this the evidence may be found in the seven Penitential +Psalms of David. The Scriptures abound in illustrations of the jealousy of +God, who demands both repentance and its fruits, without which eternal +salvation cannot be obtained. But afterwards the consolations of the +Gospel manifest their power. And both such repentance, and such +consolation, are solely the work of the Spirit of God, through the Word. + +8. Now this Book which I have written, specially treats of such sincere +and earnest repentance of the heart, of the exhibition of faith in the +life and conduct, and of the spirit of love which should animate all the +acts of the Christian; for that which proceeds from Christian love, is, at +the same time, the fruit of faith. It is true that I have referred to some +earlier writers, such as Tauler, Thomas á Kempis, and others, who may seem +to ascribe more than is due to human ability and works; but my whole Book +is designed to counteract such an error. I would, therefore, kindly +request the Christian reader to remember the great object for which I +wrote this Book. He will find that its main purpose is this: To teach the +reader how to perceive the hidden and connate abomination of Original Sin; +to set forth distinctly our misery and helplessness; to teach us to put no +trust in ourselves or our ability; to take away everything from ourselves, +and to ascribe all to Christ, so that He alone may dwell in us, work all +things in us, alone live in us, and create all things in us, because he is +the beginning, middle, and end, of our conversion and salvation. All this +has been plainly and abundantly explained in many passages of this Book; +and, at the same time, the doctrines of the Papists, Synergists, and +Majorists, have been expressly refuted and rejected. The doctrine, +moreover, of justification by faith, has been set forth in this Book, and +especially in Book II., in the most pointed and explicit manner. In order, +however, to obviate all misapprehensions, I have subjected the present +edition to a very careful revision, and I beg the reader to receive the +editions which have appeared in Frankfort and other places, in the sense +in which the present Magdeburg edition is to be received. I also affirm, +that this Book, as well in all other articles and points, as also in the +articles of Free Will, and of the Justification of a poor sinner before +God, is not to be understood in any other manner than in accordance with +the Symbolical Books of the churches of the Augsburg Confession, namely, +the first UNALTERED AUGSBURG CONFESSION, the APOLOGY, the SMALCALD +ARTICLES, the TWO CATECHISMS of Luther, and the FORMULA OF CONCORD. + +May God enlighten us all by his Holy Spirit, so that we may be sincere and +without offence, both in our faith and in our life, till the day of Christ +(which is near at hand), being filled with the fruits of righteousness, +unto the glory and praise of God! Amen. + + + + +Chapter I. + + + Showing What The Image Of God In Man Is. + + + _Be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and ... put on the new + man, which after God is created in righteousness and true + holiness._--EPH. 4:23, 24. + + +The image of God in man, is the conformity of the soul of man, of his +spirit and mind, of his understanding and will, and of all his faculties +and powers, both bodily and mental, to God and the Holy Trinity. For the +decree of the Holy Trinity was thus expressed: "_Let us_ make man in our +image, after our likeness," etc. Gen., 1:26. + +2. It is evident, therefore, that, when man was created, the image of the +Trinity was impressed on him, in order that the holiness, righteousness, +and goodness of God, might shine forth in his soul; diffuse abundant light +through his understanding, will, and affections; and visibly appear even +in his life and conversation: that, consequently, all his actions, both +inward and outward, might breathe nothing but divine love, purity, and +power, and, in short, that the life of man upon earth might resemble that +of the angels in heaven, who are always engaged in doing the will of their +Heavenly Father. In thus impressing his image on man, God designed to +delight and rejoice in him, just as a father rejoices in a child born +after his own image: for as a parent, beholding himself, or _another +self_, in his offspring, cannot but feel the greatest complacency and +delight; so, when God beheld the express character of his own Person +reflected in an image of himself, his "delights were with the sons of +men." Prov. 8:31. Thus it was God's chief pleasure to look on man, in whom +he rejoiced, and rested, as it were, from all his labor; considering him +as the great _masterpiece_ of his creation, and knowing that in the +perfect innocence and beauty of man, the excellency of his own glory would +be fully set forth. And this blessed communion our first parents and their +posterity were always to have enjoyed, had they continued in the likeness +of God, and rested in him and in his will; who, as he was their author, +was also to be their end. + +3. It undoubtedly is the essential property of every image, that it be a +just representation of the object which it is intended to express; and as +the reflection in a mirror is vivid in a degree proportioned to the +clearness of the mirror itself, so the image of God becomes more or less +visible, according to the purity of the soul in which it is beheld. + +4. Hence God originally created man perfectly pure and undefiled; that so +the divine image might be beheld in him, not as an empty, lifeless shadow +in a glass, but as a true and living image of the invisible God, and as +the likeness of his inward, hidden, and unutterable beauty. There was an +image of the wisdom of God, in the _understanding_ of man; of his +goodness, gentleness, and patience, in the _spirit_ of man; of his divine +love and mercy, in the _affections_ of man's heart. There was an image of +the righteousness and holiness, the justice and purity of God, in the +_will_ of man; of his kindness, clemency, and truth, in all the _words_ +and _actions_ of man; of his almighty power, in man's _dominion_ over the +earth, and inferior creatures; and lastly, there was an image of God's +eternity, in the _immortality_ of the human soul. + +5. From the divine image thus implanted in him, man should have acquired +the knowledge both of _God_ and of _himself_. Hence he might have learned, +that God, his Creator, is all in all, the Being of beings, and the chief +and only BEING, from whom all created beings derive their existence, and +in whom, and by whom, all things that are, subsist. Hence, also, he might +have known, that God, as the Original of man's nature, is all that +_essentially_, of which he himself was but the image and representation. +For since man was to bear the image of the divine goodness, it follows +that God is the sovereign and universal goodness _essentially_ (Matt. +19:17); and, consequently, that God is essential love, essential life, and +essential holiness, to whom alone (because he is all this _essentially_), +worship and praise, honor and glory, might, majesty, dominion, and virtue, +are to be ascribed: whereas these do not appertain to the creature, nor +belong to anything but God alone. + +6. From this image of the Divine Being, man should further have acquired +the knowledge of _himself_. He should have considered what a vast +difference there was between God and himself. Man is not God, but God's +_image_; and the image of God ought to represent nothing but God. He is a +portraiture of the Divine Being; a character, an image, in which God alone +should be seen and glorified. Nothing therefore ought to live in man, +besides God. Nothing but the Divinity should stir, will, love, think, +speak, act, or rejoice in him. For if anything besides God live or work in +man, he ceases to be the image of God; and becomes the image of that which +thus lives and acts within him. If therefore a man would become, and +continue to be, the image of God, he must wholly surrender himself to the +Divine Being, and submit entirely to his will; he must suffer God to work +in him whatsoever he pleases; so that, by denying his own will, he may do +the will of his Heavenly Father without reserve, being entirely resigned +to God, and willing to become a holy instrument in his hands, to do his +will and his work. Such a man follows not his _own_ will, but the will of +God; he loves not himself, but God; seeks not his own honor, but the honor +of God. He covets no estates nor affluence for himself, but refers all to +the Supreme Good; and so being contented to possess him, rises above the +love of the creature and the world. And thus ought man to divest himself +of all love of himself and the world, that God alone may be all in him, +and work all in him, by his Holy Spirit. Herein consisted the perfect +innocence, purity, and holiness of man. For, what greater innocence can +there be, than that a man should do, not his own will, but the will of his +Heavenly Father? Or what greater purity, than that man should suffer God +to work in him, and to do everything according to His pleasure? Or, what +greater holiness, than to become an instrument in the hands of the Spirit +of God? To resemble a child, in whose breast self-love and self-honor do +not yet prevail, is, in truth, the highest simplicity. + +7. Of this entire devotedness to the Divine will, our Lord Jesus Christ, +while he sojourned in our world, was a _perfect_ example. He sacrificed +his own will to God his Father, in blameless obedience, humility, and +meekness; readily depriving himself of all honor and esteem, of all +self-interest and self-love, of all pleasure and joy; and leaving God +alone, to think, speak, and act, in him, and by him. In short, he +invariably made the will and pleasure of God his own, as the Father +himself testified by a voice from Heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom +I am well pleased." Matt. 3:17. The Lord Jesus Christ, blessed forever, is +the true Image of God, in whom nothing appears but God himself, and such +manifestations as are agreeable to his nature; namely, love, mercy, +long-suffering, patience, meekness, gentleness, righteousness, holiness, +consolation, life, and everlasting blessedness: for by him, the invisible +God was willing to be discovered and made known to man. He is indeed the +image of God in a more sublime sense; that is, according to his +_Divinity_, by virtue of which, he is himself very God, the express and +essential image of his Father's glory, in the infinite splendor of the +uncreated light. Heb. 1:3. But of this point no more can at present be +said: our design being to speak of him only as he lived and conversed in +his holy _humanity_, while he tabernacled upon the earth. + +8. It was in such a holy innocence as this, that the image of God was, in +the beginning, conferred on Adam, which he should have preserved in true +humility and obedience. Sufficient it surely was for him, that he was made +capable of all the benefits of the divine image; of sincere and unmixed +love and delight; of undisturbed and solid tranquillity of mind; of power, +fortitude, peace, light, and life. But not duly reflecting that he himself +was not the _chief good_, but merely a mirror of the Godhead, formed +purposely to receive the reflection of the divine nature, he erected +himself into a _God_; and thus choosing to be the highest _good_ to +himself, he was precipitated into the greatest of all evils, being +deprived of this inestimable image, and alienated from that communion with +God, which, by virtue of it, he before enjoyed. + +9. Had self-will, self-love, and self-honor, been excluded, the image of +God could not have departed from man; but the Divine Being would have +continued to be his sole glory, honor, and praise. As everything is +capable of its like and not of its contrary, and in its like acquiesces +and delights, so man, being in the similitude of God, was thereby prepared +to receive God into himself, who was also ready to communicate himself to +man, with all the treasures of his goodness; goodness being of all things +the most communicative of itself. + +10. Finally, man ought to have learned from the image of God, that by +means of it he is united to God; and that in this union, his true and +everlasting tranquillity, his rest, peace, joy, life, and happiness alone +consist. He should have learned that all restlessness of mind and vexation +of spirit, arise from nothing but a breach of this union, by which he +ceases to be the image of God; for man no sooner turns to the creature, +than he is deprived of that eternal good which is to be derived from God +alone. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + Of The Fall Of Adam. + + + _As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the + obedience of one shall many be made righteous._--ROM. 5:19. + + +The fall of Adam was disobedience to God, by which man turned away from +the Divine Being to himself, and robbed God of the honor due to him alone, +in that he _himself_ thought to be _as God_. But while he thus labored to +advance himself, he was stripped of that divine image, which the Creator +had so freely conferred on him; divested of hereditary righteousness; and +bereaved of that holiness with which he was originally adorned; becoming, +as it regards his _understanding_, dark and blind; as to his _will_, +stubborn and perverse; and as to all the powers and faculties of the soul, +entirely alienated from God. This evil has infected the whole mass of +mankind, by means of a fleshly generation; and has been inherited by all +men. The obvious consequence arising from this is, that man is become +spiritually dead and the child of wrath and damnation, until redeemed from +this miserable state by Jesus Christ. Let not then any who are called +Christians deceive themselves with regard to Adam's fall. Let them be +cautious, how they attempt to extenuate or lessen the transgression of +Adam, as though it were a small sin, a thing of little consequence, and, +at the worst, but the eating of an apple. Let them rather be assured, that +the guilt of Adam was that of Lucifer, namely, _he would be as God_: and +that it was the same most grievous, heinous, and hateful sin in both. + +2. This apostasy (for it was nothing less), was, at first, generated in +the heart, and then made manifest by the eating of the forbidden fruit. +Though man was numbered with the sons of God; though he came forth from +the hands of the Almighty spotless both in body and in soul, and was the +most glorious object in the creation; though, to crown all, he was not +only a son, but the _delight_ of God; yet not knowing how to rest +satisfied with these high privileges, he attempted to invade Heaven, that +he might be yet higher; and nothing less would suffice him, than to exalt +himself like unto God. Hence, he conceived in his heart enmity and hatred +against the Divine Being, his Creator and Father, whom, had it been in his +power, he was disposed utterly to undo. Who could commit a sin more +detestable than this? or what greater abomination is there, that it was +possible to meditate? + +3. Hence it was, that man became inwardly like Satan himself, bearing his +likeness in the heart; since both had now committed the same sin, both +having rebelled against the majesty of Heaven. Man no more exhibits an +image of God, but rather that of the Devil; he no longer is an instrument +in the hands of God, but is become an organ of Satan, and is thereby +rendered capable of every species of diabolical wickedness: so that, +having lost that image which was heavenly, spiritual, and divine, he is +altogether earthly, sensual, and brutish. For the devil, designing to +imprint his own image upon man, fascinated him so entirely by a train of +enticing and deceitful words, that man permitted him to sow that hateful +seed in his soul, which is hence termed the seed of the serpent; and by +which is chiefly meant, self-love, self-will, and the ambition of being as +God. On this account it is, that the Scriptures term those who are +intoxicated with self-love, "a generation of vipers." Matt. 3:7. And all +those who are of a proud and devilish nature, "the seed (progeny) of the +serpent." So the Almighty, addressing the serpent, says, "I will put +enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." +Gen. 3:15. + +4. From this seed of the serpent nothing but deadly and horrible fruit can +possibly proceed; namely, Satan's image, the children of Belial, the +children of the devil. John 8:44. As in every natural seed, how minute +soever it may be, are contained, in a most wonderful and hidden manner, +the nature and properties of the future plant, all its parts and +proportions, its branches, leaves, and flowers, in miniature; so in that +seed of the serpent, Adam's self-love and disobedience (which has passed +unto all his posterity by a fleshly generation), there lies, as it were in +embryo, the tree of death, with its branches, leaves, and flowers, and +those innumerable fruits of unrighteousness which grow upon it. In short, +the whole image of Satan is secretly traced out there, with all its marks, +characters, and properties. + +5. If we observe a little child with attention, we shall see how this +natural corruption displays itself from its very birth; and how self-will +and disobedience especially discover themselves, and break forth into +actions that effectually witness to the hidden root from which they +spring. Let us consider the child further, as it grows up to maturer +years. Observe the natural selfishness of the youth, his inbred ambition, +his thirst after worldly glory, his love of applause, his pursuit of +revenge, and his proneness to deceit and falsehood. And now these evils +multiply. Soon may be discovered in him vanity, arrogance, pride, +blasphemy, vain oaths, awful curses, frauds, skepticism, infidelity, +contempt of God and his holy Word, and disobedience to parents and +magistrates: wrath and contentiousness; hatred and envy; revenge and +murder, and all kinds of cruelty; especially if outward occasions offer +themselves, and call forth into action this latent and deadly seed, and +the various evils of Adam's depraved nature. In proportion as such +occasions continue to present themselves, we shall observe the appearance +of other vices; wantonness, adulterous thoughts, lewd imaginations, +obscene discourses, lascivious gestures, and all "the works of the flesh:" +we shall behold drunkenness, rioting, and every species of intemperance; +fickleness, excessive wantonness, and all that can please the appetite, +the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. And besides these, there may +soon be discovered, covetousness, extortion, chicanery, sophistry, +imposture, and every description of sinister practice; together with +knavery, overreaching in trade, and, in short, the whole troop, or rather +army of sins, iniquities, and crimes, which are so various and so many, +that it is impossible to recount or declare the number of them; according +to the words of the prophet Jeremiah, "the heart is deceitful above all +things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Ch. 17:9. And if to +those already enumerated there be added, in the last place, the seducing +and false spirits; then may be observed schisms in the church, wicked and +dangerous heresies, yea, the abjuring of God and Christ, idolatry, the +denial of the faith, hatred and persecution of the truth, the sin against +the Holy Ghost, with every kind of corruption in doctrine, perversion of +the Scriptures, and strong delusion. Now, what are all these but the image +of Satan, and the fruits of the serpent's seed sown in man? + +6. Who could ever have supposed that such a depth of wickedness and +depravity could be found in such a weak and helpless child; that so +venomous a principle, so corrupt a heart, lay hid in a babe apparently so +harmless? Who could possibly have believed this, had not man himself, by +his sinful and abominable life, by the imaginations of his thoughts (being +"only evil continually," and desperately bent on what is bad), of his own +will brought it to light, and expressed, from his childhood, what was +before concealed as in a seed? Gen. 6:5; 8:21. + +7. Oh! most vile and most accursed root! from which springs the poisonous +tree that is so fruitful in the production of every kind of plague. Oh, +seed of the serpent, most hateful, most dreadful! from which an image at +once so deformed and foul is generated; and which continually enlarges +itself, as it is excited by outward temptations and by the scandals of the +world. Full well might the blessed Jesus so solemnly and strictly forbid, +that any, by bad example, should offend little children; knowing that the +seed of the serpent lurks in them, as the deadly poison in the venomous +worm, ready to break forth into open acts of sin, whenever an occasion +presents itself. + +8. Learn, then, O man! to know the fall of Adam, and the true nature of +Original Sin. Learn, if thou art wise, to discern it in thyself. Examine +it, not slightly and carelessly, but deeply, and as the importance of the +matter deserves; for this infection is greater, this depravation deeper +and more deadly, than can possibly be expressed by words, or even be +conceived in idea. "Know thyself!" and deeply consider what thou art, O +man! since the fall of thy first father; how thou, who wast in the image +of God, art become the image of Satan, an epitome of all his wicked +tendencies, and art conformed to Satan in all malice and ungodliness. For +as in the image of God all the divine virtues and properties are +contained, so in the image of the Devil, which man, by turning himself +from God, has contracted, all the vices and properties are to be found, +and the very nature of the Devil himself. For, as man, before the fall, +bore the image of the heavenly Adam, that is, was altogether heavenly, +spiritual, and divine; so, since the first apostasy, he carries about with +him the image of the earthly Adam, being inwardly earthly, carnal, and +corrupt. + +9. Lo! he is become as one of the beasts of the field. For what, O fallen +man! is thy wrathfulness? and to whom does it more properly belong, to the +lion, or to man? And do not thine envy and thy greediness betray in thee +the nature of the dog and of the wolf? And with regard to thy uncleanness +and gluttony, are not these evidences of a swinish nature? Didst thou, +indeed, but rightly examine thine own breast, thou wouldst there discover +a world of unclean and noxious beasts. Even in the tongue, that "little +member," there may be found, according to St. James, a lake of +pestilential and creeping things, a hold of every foul spirit, the cage of +every filthy and hateful bird (Isaiah 13:21; Rev. 18:2), and, in a word, a +"world of iniquity." James 3:6. Often, alas! do we make such progress in +wickedness as to surpass in wrath and fury the beasts of prey; in +ravenousness and violence, the wolf; in subtilty and cunning, the fox; in +malice and virulence, the serpent; and in filthiness and obscenity, the +swine. Hence it was, that our Lord termed Herod a fox, and the unholy, in +general, dogs and swine; to whom that which is holy should not be given. +Luke 13:32; Matt. 7:6. + +10. Whosoever, therefore, fails to correct this corruption of nature, by +being truly converted and _renewed_ in Christ Jesus, but dies in the state +which has been described, must retain, forever, this bestial and Satanical +nature. He must be arrogant, haughty, proud, and devilish, throughout +eternity. And when he shall have neglected the time of his purification +here, he shall bear about with him the image of Satan in the blackness of +darkness forever; as a testimony, that while he was in the world, he did +not live in Christ, nor was renewed after the image of God. "For without +are dogs and sorcerers, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." Rev. 21:8; +22:15. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + Showing How Man Is Renewed In Christ Unto Eternal Life. + + + _In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor + uncircumcision, but a new creature._--GAL. 6:15. + + +The _New Birth_ is a work of the Holy Ghost, by which man, of a sinner, is +made righteous; and from being a child of damnation and wrath, is made a +child of grace and salvation. This change is effected through faith, the +word of God and the Sacraments; and by it, the heart, and all the powers +and faculties of the soul (more particularly the understanding, will, and +affections), are renewed, enlightened, and sanctified in Christ Jesus, and +are fashioned after his express likeness. The new birth comprehends two +chief blessings, namely, justification, and sanctification, or the renewal +of man. Tit. 3:5. + +2. The birth of every real Christian is twofold. The first is "after the +flesh," the second, "after the spirit;" the first is from beneath, the +second from above; the first is earthly, but the second heavenly. The one +is carnal, sinful, and accursed, as descending from the first Adam by the +seed of the serpent, after the similitude and image of the Devil; and by +this, the earthly and carnal nature is propagated. The other, on the +contrary, is spiritual, holy, and blessed, as derived from the second +Adam; after the likeness of the Son of God: and by this is propagated the +heavenly and spiritual man, the seed and image of God. + +3. There is therefore in the Christian a _twofold_ line of descent; and, +consequently, _two_ men, as it were, exist in one and the same person. The +fleshly lineage is derived from Adam, and the spiritual lineage from +Christ, through faith: for as the old birth of Adam is in man by nature, +even so must the new birth of Christ be in him by grace. This is the old +and new man, the old and new birth, the old and new Adam, the earthly and +heavenly image, the flesh and the Spirit, Adam and Christ in us, and also, +the outward and inward man. + +4. Let us now proceed to notice how we are regenerated by Christ. As the +old birth is propagated carnally from Adam, so the new birth is +spiritually propagated from Christ, through the word of God. This word is +the seed of the new creature: for we are "born again, not of corruptible +seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth +forever." 1 Peter 1:23. And, again, "Of his own will begat he us with the +word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." +James 1:18. The word of God produces faith; and faith again apprehends the +word of God, and in that word embraces Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, by +whose spiritual efficacy and virtue man is regenerated or born anew. In +other words, regeneration is effected, in the first place, by the _Holy +Ghost_; and this is what Christ means by being "born of the Spirit" (John +3:5); secondly, by _faith_; whence it is said,--"whosoever believeth that +Jesus is the Christ, is born of God" (1 John 5:1); and thirdly, by holy +_Baptism_; according to that passage of Scripture, "Except a man be born +of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John +3:5. + +5. In Adam, man has inherited the chief evils; as sin, divine wrath, +death, Satan, hell, and damnation; but in Christ, he is restored to the +possession of the chief blessings, as righteousness, grace, blessing, +power, a heavenly life, and eternal salvation. From Adam, man inherits a +carnal spirit, and is subjected to the rule and tyranny of the evil +spirit; but from Christ, he obtains the Holy Spirit, with his gifts, +together with his comforting guidance. From Adam, man has derived an +arrogant, proud, and haughty spirit; but if he would be born again and +renewed in his mind, he must receive from Christ, by faith, an humble, +meek, and upright spirit. From Adam, man inherits an unbelieving, +blasphemous, and most ungrateful spirit; and it is his duty to obtain from +Christ a believing spirit, that will prove faithful, acceptable, and +well-pleasing to God. From Adam, a disobedient, violent and rash spirit is +inherited; but from Christ, we imbibe, through faith, the spirit of +obedience, gentleness, and modesty, and the spirit of meekness and +moderation. From Adam, we, by _nature_, inherit a spirit of wrath, enmity, +revenge, and murder; but from Christ, we, by faith, acquire the spirit of +long-suffering, love, mercy, forgiveness, and universal goodness and +benignity. From Adam, man, by nature, inherits a covetous heart, a +churlish, merciless spirit, that seeks only to profit self, and grasp at +that which is the right of another; but from Christ, is obtained, by +_faith_, the spirit of mercy, compassion, generosity, and mildness. From +Adam proceeds an unchaste, unclean, and intemperate spirit; but from +Christ, a spirit of chastity, purity, and temperance, may be obtained. +From Adam, there is communicated to man a spirit full of calumny and +falsehood; while on the other hand, he acquires from Christ the spirit of +truth, of constancy, and of integrity. Lastly, we receive from Adam a +brutish and earthly spirit; and from Christ, a spirit from above, which is +altogether heavenly and divine. + +6. Hence, it behooved Christ to take upon himself our nature, and to be +conceived and anointed by the Holy Ghost, in order that we might all +receive of his fulness. It was requisite that "the Spirit of the Lord +should rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit +of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord" +(Isa. 11:2), that so human nature might in him, and by him, be restored +and renewed, and that we, in him, by him, and through him, might become +new creatures. This is accomplished by receiving from Christ, the spirit +of wisdom and understanding, for the spirit of folly; the spirit of +counsel, for that of madness; the spirit of might, for that of cowardice +and fear; the spirit of knowledge, instead of our natural blindness; and +the spirit of the fear of the Lord, instead of the spirit of impiety and +infidelity. + +7. It is in this heavenly change that the new life and the new creation +within us consist. For as, in Adam we are all spiritually dead, and +incapable of performing any works, except those of death and darkness; so, +in Christ, we must be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22) and do the works of light +and life. As, by a _carnal generation_, we have inherited sin from Adam; +so, by _faith_, we must inherit righteousness from Christ. As, by a +fleshly descent from Adam, pride, covetousness, lust, and all kinds of +impurity, are entailed upon us; so by the spirit of Christ, our nature +ought to be renewed, and all pride, covetousness, lust, and envy, be +mortified within us. And thus is it necessary that we should, from Christ, +derive a new spirit, heart, and mind; even as we derived from Adam our +sinful flesh. + +8. With reference to this great work of regeneration, Christ is called +"the everlasting Father" (Isa. 9:6), and we are renewed in him to life +eternal, being here regenerated into his likeness, and made in him new +creatures. And if our works ever prove acceptable in the sight of God, +they must spring from this principle of the new birth; that is, from +Christ, his Spirit, and an unfeigned faith. + +9. Henceforth we must live in the new birth, and the new birth in us; we +must be in Christ, and Christ in us: we must live in the spirit of Christ, +and the spirit of Christ in us. Gal. 2:20. This regeneration with its +attendant fruits, is described by St. Paul, as the being "renewed in the +spirit of our mind," "putting off the old man," and the being "transformed +into the image of God." He likewise considers it as the being "renewed in +knowledge after the image of him that created us," and "the renewing of +the Holy Ghost." Eph. 4:23; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10; Tit. 3:5. It is termed +by Ezekiel, "taking away the stony heart, and giving a heart of flesh." +Ch. 11:19. Hence it appears how the regeneration of man proceeds from the +incarnation of Jesus Christ. As man, by ambition, pride, and disobedience, +turned himself from God; so his apostasy could not be expiated and +removed, except by the extreme humility, lowliness, and obedience of the +Son of God. And as Christ, when upon earth, was most humble in his +conversation among men, so it is necessary, O man! that he should be the +same in thee; that he should dwell in thy soul, and restore the image of +God in thee. + +10. And now, O man! contemplate the perfectly amiable, lowly, obedient, +and patient Jesus, and learn of him; live as he lived, yea, live in him, +and tread in his steps. For what was the cause of his living upon earth? +It was that he might become thy example, thy mirror, and the rule of thy +life. He, _he_ only, is the rule of life, and the pattern which every +Christian should strive to imitate. It is not the rule of any _man_ +whatsoever. There is but one example,--Christ; and him the Apostles have, +with one consent, set before us for our imitation. And in the same manner +are we called to view his passion, death, and resurrection: even that +thou, O man! shouldest with him, die unto sin; and in him, with him, and +by him, spiritually rise again, and walk in newness of life, "even as he +also walked." Rom. 6:4. + +11. Thus may we see, how our regeneration arises from the passion, death, +and resurrection, of our gracious Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Hence, +St. Peter saith, "God hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the +resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Pet. 1:3. And all the +apostles will everywhere be found to lay the foundation of repentance and +of a new life, in the passion of Christ. St. Peter, indeed, gives this +express charge: "Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; forasmuch +as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver +and gold; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without +blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:17-19); in which we may observe, that +the ransom paid for our redemption is urged as the motive to a holy +conversation. The same apostle tells us, likewise, that "Christ his own +self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to +sins, should live unto righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24); and Jesus himself +has said: "Thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead +the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be +preached in his name." Luke 24:46, 47. + +12. It is evident, therefore, that from the passion and death of Christ, +proceed both the satisfaction made for our sins, and the renewing of our +nature by faith; and that they both are necessary to the restoration of +fallen man. The latter, as well as the former, is the blessed effect of +Christ's passion, which worketh our renewal and sanctification. 1 Cor. +1:30. Thus the new birth in us proceeds from Christ. And as a means to +attain this end, holy Baptism has been instituted, wherein we are baptized +into the death of Christ, in order that we might die with him unto sin by +the power of his death, and rise again from sin by the power of his +resurrection. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + Of True Repentance, And The True Yoke And Cross Of Christ. + + + _They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the + affections and lusts._--GAL. 5:24. + + +Repentance, or true conversion, is the work of the Holy Spirit, under the +influence of which, man, through the _law_, acknowledges his sin, and the +wrath of God provoked against it; and earnestly mourns over his offences; +and then, understanding, through the _Gospel_, the grace of God, by faith +in Christ Jesus, he obtains the remission of his sins. By this repentance, +the mortification or crucifying of the flesh, and of all carnal lusts and +pleasures, is carried on; together with the quickening of the spirit, or +the resurrection of the new man in Christ. Under the exercise of +repentance, therefore, the old Adam, with his corruptions, dies within us; +and Christ lives in us, by faith (Gal. 2:20); for we must be aware that +these two are inseparably connected. The resurrection of the spirit +follows the mortification of the flesh; and the quickening of the new man, +destroys and annihilates the old man; the ruin of the one, is the life and +resurrection of the other. "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward +man is renewed day by day." 2 Cor. 4:16. We are, therefore, enjoined to +"mortify our members which are upon the earth" (Col. 3:5); and to "reckon +ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus +Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:11. + +2. Let us, however, inquire why the flesh is thus to be mortified; and why +the whole body of sin is at last to be destroyed. It has been remarked +(Chap. II) that, by the fall of Adam, man became earthly, carnal, and +devilish; without God, and without love: for being without God, he was +also without love. Man was now turned from the love of God to the love of +the world, and especially of himself; so that in every situation, and +under all circumstances, he now studies, favors, flatters, counsels, and +applauds himself; and provides only for his own interest, honor, and +glory. All this is the consequence of Adam's fall; who, while meditating +how he might erect himself, as it were, into _a God_, was involved, +together with all his posterity, in the same awful sin and perdition. This +depravation of human nature must of necessity be entirely removed; and +this can be effected only by serious repentance; by godly sorrow; by a +faith that apprehends the remission of sin; by the mortification of +sensual pleasure; and by the crucifixion of pride and self-love. For true +repentance consists not in putting away gross and open sins only; but it +requires that a man should enter his heart, and search into its inmost +recesses. The secret parts, the windings and the turnings of iniquity are +to be laid open; in order that the returning sinner may be thoroughly +renewed, and, at length, be converted from the love of himself, to the +love of God; from the love of the world, to a life of spirituality; and +from a participation of earthly pomps and pleasures, to a participation, +through faith, of the merits of Christ. + +3. Hence it follows, that a man must deny himself (Luke 9:23); that is, he +must mortify his own will, and suffer himself to be entirely led by the +will of God. He must no longer love, seek, and esteem himself; but he must +account himself to be the unworthiest and most miserable of all creatures. +He must renounce all he has for the love of Christ; and trample on the +world, its pomps, and its vanities. He must pass by his own wisdom and +natural endowments, as though he beheld them not; he must confide in no +creature, but in God alone; yea, he must "hate his own life" (Luke 14:26), +that is, his carnal will and pleasures; his pride, covetousness, lust, +wrath, and envy. He must not please, but rather displease himself; nor +must he attribute anything to his own strength or ability. In a word, he +must be crucified to the world (Gal. 6:14), to the lust of the eyes and +the flesh, and to the pride of life. This, and this alone, is that true +repentance and mortification of the flesh, without which no man can ever +be a disciple of Jesus Christ. This only is conversion from self, the +world, and the devil, unto God (Acts 26:18); without which no one can +receive remission of sins, nor be saved. + +4. This is the true cross and yoke of Christ; that of which the Saviour +spoke when he said, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek +and lowly in heart." Matt. 11:29. As if he had said, "Thy self-love and +ambition must be removed by earnest and inward humility, of which thou +hast an example in me; and by the example of my meekness, must thy wrath +and desire of revenge be subdued." This, to the new man, is an easy yoke +and a light burden; though, to the flesh, it may seem to be a most bitter +and afflictive cross. This is to crucify our own flesh, with the +affections and lusts. Gal. 5:24. + +5. They, therefore, who are acquainted with no other cross than the +tribulations and afflictions of this life, greatly err; being ignorant of +that true cross, which we ought to bear after our Lord daily; namely, +inward repentance, and the mortification of the flesh; submitting to our +enemies with great patience; and overcoming the malice of slanderers by +humility and mildness, after the pattern which the Lamb of God has left +us. For it becomes us to follow the example of Christ, who renounced all +worldly splendor and glory, and everything that is commonly esteemed great +and noble. + +6. This yoke of Christ is the real cross, which when a man bears he truly +dies to the world. It is not to retire into monasteries and cloisters, nor +to adopt a set of rules and orders for the regulation of life; for while +the heart remains disordered, and the love corrupt; while the man is +puffed up with spiritual pride, and a pharisaical contempt of others; +while he is devoted to lust, envy, hypocrisy, secret hatred and malice; he +does not die to the world, but altogether lives to it. This is not the +Christian yoke nor is it the cross of Christ; for these consist in +mortifying the flesh, with its sinful propensities; in turning away from +the world to God; in an inward and constant secret sorrow for our sins; in +a daily dying to the world, and living to Christ by faith; in following +his steps with sincere lowliness and humility; and in confiding only in +the grace of God in Christ Jesus. + +7. To this unfeigned repentance, this true and inward conversion from the +world unto God, hath our blessed Lord called us. The imputation of his +righteousness and obedience, together with the remission of all our sins, +apprehended by faith, is promised to it alone. If we are destitute of +repentance, Christ profiteth us nothing; that is, we cannot then become +partakers of his grace and favor, nor of the efficacy of his merits; +because these can be applied only by a contrite, penitent, lowly, and +believing heart. And truly this is the fruit of the passion of Christ in +us, that we die to sin by a sincere repentance; as the fruit of his +resurrection is, that Christ may live in us, and we in him. + +8. All this is necessary to render man that _new creature_ in Christ +Jesus, without which nothing availeth in the sight of God. 2 Cor. 5:17; +Gal. 6:15. + +9. Hence, therefore, let us be instructed in the nature of true +repentance; lest we be led away into that common error, that the mere +relinquishment of some gross enormity, as theft, fornication, profaneness, +blasphemy, is the genuine and only repentance. It is certain, that this is +a kind of _external_ repentance; but it is no less so, that all the +Scriptures alike inculcate the necessity of an _inward_ repentance, which +takes possession of the whole soul. A man under the influence of this +repentance, not only supports a fair conversation in the world, but he +also denies and hates himself. Renouncing the world and all he calls his +own, and crucifying the flesh, he commits himself by faith to God alone; +and offers up to him a broken and contrite heart, as the sacrifice most +acceptable in his sight. This character of inward repentance is eminently +set forth in the Psalms of David, and particularly in those termed +Penitential.(4) + +10. This is, therefore, the only true repentance, when the heart of the +sinner is inwardly torn with grief, and weighed down by heaviness; and +when, on the other hand, it is healed by faith and the remission of sin, +quickened by the infusion of divine joy, provoked to good works, and +thoroughly transformed and changed. Such a frame of mind cannot fail to be +attended also with an _external_ reformation of life and manners. + +11. But, on the other hand, though a man be very serious in the +performance of bodily penances, and, from a dread of punishment, abstain +from the commission of notorious sins; yet if he continue unreformed and +unregenerate in his heart, and enter not upon that new and inward life +which it has been our object to describe, he will prove but a _castaway_ +(1 Cor. 9:27) at last, notwithstanding the whole train of his external +acts. It will avail him nothing to cry, "Lord, Lord!" He will hear the +tremendous declaration, "I never knew you!" For most certain it is, that +not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of +heaven, but those only who do the will of their Heavenly Father. Matt. +7:21-23. And under this awful sentence of divine majesty, all men are +comprised, of what rank or order so-ever, who do not truly and inwardly +repent, and who are not new creatures in Christ, for "if any man have not +the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 8:9. + + + + +Chapter V. + + + Wherein Does True Faith Consist? + + + _Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God._--1 + JOHN 5:1. + + +Faith is a sincere confidence, and a firm persuasion of the grace of God +promised to us in Christ Jesus, for the remission of sin and eternal life; +and it is enkindled in the heart, by the word of God and the Holy Spirit. +Through this faith we obtain the forgiveness of our sins, without any +merits of our own, of mere grace (Eph. 2:8), and for the sake of the +merits of Christ alone; that so, our faith might rest on a firm and solid +foundation, and remain unmoved by perplexity and doubts. This forgiveness +of sin constitutes our justification before God, which is true, solid, and +eternal; for this righteousness is purchased neither by men nor angels, +but by the obedience, merit, and the blood of the Son of God himself. We +appropriate and apply it to ourselves by faith; and hence the +imperfections which still adhere to us cannot condemn us, since, for the +sake of Christ, who now lives and works within us, they are covered with a +veil of grace. Ps. 32:1. + +2. By this cordial and unshaken faith, man wholly dedicates his heart to +the Almighty, in whom alone he seeks his rest. To him only is he now +united, and with him alone he enters into delightful fellowship. He +partakes of all things that are of God and of Christ, and is made one +spirit with the Lord. From him he receives divine power and strength; +together with a new life, attended with new joys, new pleasures, new +consolations, in which are found peace, inward ease, and durable +satisfaction, together with righteousness and holiness. And thus man is +born anew of God by faith. For wherever there is true faith, _there_ +Christ is verily present with all his righteousness, holiness, and +remission of sin; with all his merits, justification, grace, adoption, and +inheritance of eternal life. This is the new birth and the new creature, +springing from faith in Christ. Hence, the apostle calls faith a +_substance_ (Heb. 11:1); understanding by it, a sure, solid, and unshaken +confidence in "things hoped for," and a lively conviction of "things not +seen." For the consolation conveyed by a vital faith is so powerful, as to +convince the heart of the divine truth by inward experience, and by the +tasting of the heavenly goodness in the soul, and of the peace of God, +that passes all understanding; yea, it is so mighty as to enable its +possessors to die with a joyful heart. In this consist that strength of +the spirit, that might of the inner man, that vigor of faith, that holy +boldness; this is that confidence toward God, that exceeding and abounding +assurance, which are so copiously set forth by the holy apostles. 2 Tim. +2:1; Eph. 3:12, 16; Phil. 1:14; 1 John 3:21; 1 Thess. 1:5; 2:2. + +3. That for which a man will dare to die, must be rooted in the soul, and, +by the operation of the Spirit of God, afford an inward assurance. It must +be a cordial, powerful, and eternal comfort, infusing heavenly and +supernatural strength into the soul, by which the fear of death and the +love of the world may both be subdued. Now all this begets so solid a +trust in Christ, and so close a union with him, as neither death nor life +is able to dissolve. Rom. 8:38; 2 Tim. 1:12. Hence St. John says: +"Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world." 1 John 5:4. + +4. _To be born of God_ is in truth no vain figure, no empty name; it must +necessarily be a lively and powerful change, worthy of the majesty of an +omnipotent God. To believe that the living God could beget a dead +offspring, that lifeless members and useless organs could proceed from +him, were very wickedness. It is sure and undoubted that God, being a +_living_ God, cannot but beget a _living_ man, even the new man in Christ +Jesus. And our faith is the victory which overcomes the world. 1 John 5:4. +Who can question whether it be endued with strength sufficient for the +conquest? It is, it _must be_ a lively, vigorous, potent, divine, and +victorious principle; but all its power is derived from him who is +embraced by it, even Christ. By means of faith, we return into God again, +and become one with him; and from Adam, as from an accursed vine, we are +transplanted into Christ, the living and blessed vine. John 15:4. In +Christ, we possess everything that is good, and in him, are justified. + +5. As a scion, when grafted on a good tree, grows, flourishes, and bears +fruit, but, without it, withers away; so man, when out of Christ, is as an +accursed vine, whose grapes are bitterness and gall; and all his works are +sin. Deut. 32:32, 33; Rom. 14:23. But when he is _in_ Christ, he is +righteous and blessed; because "_he_ was made to be sin for us, who knew +no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. +5:21. + +6. It is most evident, from what has been advanced, that works cannot +possibly justify a sinner; because, before we can perform any good work, +we must be engrafted into Christ by faith: and it is equally clear, that +justification is entirely the gift of God, freely conferred on man and +preceding all human merit. How shall a dead man see, hear, stand, walk, or +do any good thing, unless he be first raised from the dead, and endued +with a new principle of life? So neither canst thou, O man, who art dead +in sins, do any work that is good or acceptable, unless thou be first +raised unto life by Jesus Christ. Thus righteousness proceeds only from +faith in Christ. Faith is like a new-born babe, weak and naked, poor and +destitute, and laid before the eyes of the Saviour; from whom, as from its +author, it receives righteousness and sanctification, godliness, grace and +the Holy Ghost. + +7. The naked child is thus clothed with the mercy of God. He lifts up his +hands, receives all from God, and is made a partaker of grace and health, +truth and holiness. It is, therefore, this receiving of Christ in the +heart, that makes a man holy and happy. + +8. Righteousness proceeds therefore solely from faith, and not from works. +Indeed, faith receives the whole Christ, and accepts him, together with +all that he has. Then sin and death, the devil and hell, must flee, and +are unable any longer to preserve their ground. Nay, so effectually and so +powerfully do the merits of Christ justify the sinner, that if the sins of +the whole world were charged on one man, they would not avail to condemn +him, if he believed in Christ. + +9. Inasmuch, therefore, as Christ lives and dwells in thy heart by faith +(Eph. 3:17), never, O believer! indulge the thought, that his indwelling +in thee, is a dead work unattended with any vital power. Rather believe +that it is a quickening principle, a mighty work, and an effectual +transforming of thy mind. Faith effects two things: it first _engrafts_ +thee into Christ, and gives him freely to thee, with all that he has; and +then, it _renews_ thee in Christ, that thou mayest grow, flourish, and +live in him. The wild graft is introduced into the stock, for no other end +than that it may flourish and bear fruit. As by the apostasy of Adam and +the temptation of the devil, the seed of the serpent was sown in man, +growing up into a tree and bearing the fruits of death; even so by the +divine word and the Holy Spirit, is faith sown in man, as the seed of God. +See Chap. II. In this seed all divine virtues and properties are, in a +most wonderful manner, comprehended; which gradually expand themselves +from day to day. This tree is adorned with a profusion of heavenly fruit; +as love, patience, humility, meekness, peace, chastity, righteousness. And +thus the whole kingdom of God descends into man. For true and saving faith +renews the whole man, purifies the heart, sanctifies the soul, and +delivers from the love of the world. It unites with God; it hungers and +thirsts after righteousness; it works love; and it brings peace, joy, +patience, and comfort in adversity: it overcomes the world; it makes us +sons of God, and heirs of the treasures of heaven; and it constitutes us +joint-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. But if any one should not be +conscious of that joyfulness which faith imparts and does not experience +its consoling influences, let him not, on that account, despair; but +rather let him trust in the grace which is promised in Christ: for this +promise ever remains sure, immovable, and everlasting. And though, through +the infirmities incident to human nature, he should stumble and fall; yet, +if the sinner return by unfeigned repentance, and more cautiously watch +against the sin which so easily besets him, the grace of God will not be +withdrawn. For Christ is and will ever be _Christ_ and a Saviour, whether +the faith that embraces him be strong or weak. A weak faith has an equal +share in Christ with a strong faith, for faith, whether it be weak or +strong, possesses the whole Christ. The grace which is promised is common +to all Christians, and is eternal, and on this grace faith must rely, +whether it be weak or strong. The Lord will revisit thy soul in his own +time, with a sense of his gracious favor, and of his abundant +consolations, although, at the present, he may think fit to put a veil +over it in thy heart. Ps. 37:23, 24; 77:7-10. Upon this subject, see Book +II. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + +Showing How The Vital Power Of The Word Of God Should Be Manifested In Man + Through Faith. + + + _Behold, the kingdom of God is within you._--JOHN 17:21. + + +Inasmuch as man's whole welfare depends on his regeneration and renewal, +it was the will of God that all those changes which ought to take place in +man _spiritually_ and by faith, should be also _outwardly_ set forth in +the words of Holy Scripture. Since the Word is the seed of God (Luke 8:11) +within us, it is necessary that it should also spring up and spiritually +bear fruit. That must be accomplished _in us_ by faith, which is declared +_without us_ in the letter of Scripture; and if this effect be not +produced, then the Word is evidently to us but a dead seed, destitute of +life and energy. Hence, we ought in faith and in spirit to learn by our +own happy experience the truth of that which the Scriptures have outwardly +declared. + +2. When God revealed his will in his Word, he never designed that the +latter should be a dead letter, but that it should grow up in us to a new +and inward man; otherwise the Word is of no benefit to us. These truths +may be explained more clearly by a reference to some example, as that of +Cain and Abel. The nature, manners, and actions of these two persons, as +they are recorded in Scripture, clearly explain the motions and workings +of the old and the new man in the breast of the believer. Cain perpetually +endeavors to oppress and destroy Abel. What else is this but the daily +strife of the flesh and spirit, and the enmity subsisting between the +serpent and the seed of the woman? With Abraham, the Christian is required +to quit his own country, leaving all that he possesses, even life itself, +in order that he may walk before God with a perfect heart, obtain the +victory, and enter into the land of promise and kingdom of heaven. Such is +the meaning of the Lord's words: "If any man come to me, and hate not his +father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, +yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple;" that is, he must +renounce all these rather than renounce Christ. Luke 14:26. With Lot, he +must depart from Sodom and Gomorrah, forsaking the wicked course of the +world; not looking back with Lot's wife, but obeying Christ's injunction +(Luke 17:32), in order that his deliverance may be completed. Hither are +all the wars and battles of Israel against the heathen and infidel nations +to be referred; for what is represented under this history but the +continual strife between the flesh and the spirit? Whatsoever is recorded +of the Mosaical priesthood, the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, or +the mercy-seat, with the sacrifices, etc.,--all has relation to the +Christian believer. For unto him it appertains to pray in spirit and in +truth; to burn spiritual incense; and to slay the sin-offering by +presenting his body, through mortification, as a reasonable service and +sacrifice, so that Christ may truly dwell in him by faith. + +3. And if we advert to the New Testament itself, what is this but an +outward expression of those truths, which are to be inwardly fulfilled by +faith, in the experience of the believer? If I become a new creature in +Christ, it is incumbent on me to live and walk in him; in him and with +him, to flee into exile, and to be a stranger upon the earth. The virtues +that resided in him I ought to practise; humility, contempt of the world, +meekness, and patience; and I am bound to be fervent in acts of benignity, +charity, and loving kindness. In and with Christ I should exercise mercy, +and pardon and love my enemies, and, with him, do the Father's will. I +must be tempted by Satan with him; and, with him, I must obtain the +victory. I am to be derided, despised and vilified for the sake of the +truth that is in me; and, if called to it, I ought to die for and with +him, after the example of the saints, and in testimony that he, by faith, +hath lived in me, and I in him. + +4. This is to be conformed to the image of Christ; this is to be born with +and in Christ; to put on Christ; to grow up and be strong in Christ; to +live with Christ in banishment; to be baptized with his baptism; to be +scoffed and crucified with him; to die with him; to be buried with him; to +rise with him from the dead; and to reign with him to all eternity. + +5. If ever thou desirest to live in a constant union and conformity with +thy Head and Saviour, thou art in this manner to die daily with him, and +to crucify the flesh. Rom. 6:5, 6. Should this divine harmony not exist, +and another way be devised more consonant to thy fancy, then Christ will +not be _within_ but _without_ thee; far from thy faith, thy heart, and thy +spirit; and, in that case, he will profit thee nothing. But if thou permit +him to dwell in thy heart by faith, he will be thy strength, thy comfort, +and thy salvation. + +6. All this, O man! doth faith in Christ effect within the heart; and thus +the Word of God becomes a living Word, and, as it were, a living witness +in us of all those things which are externally declared in the Scriptures. +Hence, faith is termed by the apostle a substance and an evidence, Heb. +11:1. + +7. It is therefore evident, that all the sermons, discourses, and +epistles, contained in the Word of God, whether proceeding from Christ, or +the prophets, or the apostles; and, in a word, that all the Scriptures, in +general, as it regards their complete fulfilment, belong to man, and to +every man individually. Not only do the plain doctrines appertain to us; +but all the parables and miracles with which the history of Christ +abounds, have their final reference to man. + +8. The purpose for which they were written was, that they might be +spiritually fulfilled in our own experience. When, therefore, I read that +Christ healed others, I promise myself the same relief; for we live in +unity one with another, Christ with me, and I with Christ. When I read +further, how he cured the blind, I am encouraged to believe that he will +restore me to the enjoyment of spiritual sight, who am blind by nature: +and so, with regard to all his other miracles. Only own thyself to be +blind, lame, deaf, or leprous; to be dead in trespasses and sins; and +then, he will surely heal thy maladies, and quicken that which is dead, +that so thou mayest have part in the first resurrection. + +9. The substance of all that has been advanced is this: the Holy Scripture +bears _outward_ testimony to those things, which are to be _inwardly_ +fulfilled in man, by faith. It points out that image externally, which, by +faith, is to be formed within him. It describes the kingdom of God in the +_letter_, which is to be established in the heart, by faith, after the +_spirit_. It exhibits Christ outwardly, who is, by faith, to live within +me; and it testifies of the new birth and of the new creature, which I +must experience in myself. All this I am to be made by faith, or the +Scripture will profit me nothing. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + The Law Of God, Written In The Hearts Of All Men, Convinces Them That On + The Day Of Judgment They Will Be Without Excuse. + + + _When the Gentiles ... do the things contained in the law ... they + shew the work of the law written in their hearts._--ROM. 2:14, 15. + + +When God created man in his own image, in righteousness and holiness, and +endowed him with exalted virtues and gifts, he impressed three qualities +on the human conscience so deeply, that they can never be effaced: First, +the natural testimony that there is a God. Secondly, a testimony that a +day of Judgment will come. Rom. 2:15. Thirdly, the law of nature, or +natural righteousness, by which man is enabled to distinguish between +honor and shame, and to experience joy and sorrow. + +2. For no nation has ever been discovered so wild and barbarous, as to +deny that a God exists, inasmuch as nature furnishes internal and external +evidence of this fact. Indeed, men have not only acknowledged the _being_ +of a God, of which they were assured by their consciences; but they have +also been affected with a sense of his _justice_, as an avenger of evil, +and a rewarder of good; and this persuasion arose from the consciousness, +that, on some occasions, they were harassed with fearful apprehensions; +while, on others, they felt a certain measure of peace and joy. By this +knowledge, they even proceeded farther, and discovered the doctrine of the +immortality of the soul, as appears from Plato, who most amply discussed +this subject. And, lastly, they gathered from this inward law, that God +was the author and source of all that was _good_ in nature, and therefore +ought to be worshipped by an assiduous attention to virtue, and with a +pure heart. Hence, they defined virtue to be man's chief good; and schools +of moral virtue were accordingly instituted by Socrates, and by other +heathen philosophers. This may be sufficient to convince us, that God, +even since the fall, has allowed a spark of natural light to remain in +men, in order that they might be admonished of their heavenly origin, and +be assured, that it was only by following these footsteps of divinity, +that they could be restored to their former perfection. Some of the +heathens themselves, have not been unacquainted with this truth; among +whom is Aratus, the poet, quoted by St. Paul, who declares that "we are +God's offspring." Acts 17:28. + +3. The Gentiles, however, stifling the testimony of conscience, contemned +the light of nature, and "the work of the law written in their hearts" +(Rom. 2:15); so that it cannot but be their own fault, that they are +condemned and lost; and they are, as St. Paul argues, left altogether +without excuse. Rom. 1:19, 20. And as the Gentiles knew, by nature, the +justice of God, and that such as did evil were worthy of death; and yet +not only committed evil but had pleasure in it; it follows, that they +thereby condemned themselves, whilst "their thoughts accusing or excusing +one another," convinced them of the certainty of the day of judgment. Rom. +1:32; 2:15. But if the _Gentiles_ shall be "inexcusable," because, though +endued with the natural knowledge of God, they sought him not, as was +their duty; what shall _they_ plead in their own behalf, to whom God hath +given his Holy Word, and whom he hath so earnestly invited to repentance, +by Jesus Christ his beloved Son; in order that, forsaking the corruptions +of the world, they might, by faith, apprehend the merits of the Saviour, +and obtain eternal life and salvation? + +4. Therefore, every false Christian shall, in the day of judgment, be +condemned by two mighty witnesses: by his own conscience or the law of +nature, and likewise by the revealed Word of God, which will then judge +him. In that day, "it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom," than +for such false pretenders to religion. Matt. 11:24. + +5. Their anguish and torment shall be without end; since God has made the +soul immortal and planted the conscience in it, to be both a witness and a +judge. The conscience can never throw off the recollection of God, and yet +cannot of itself approach him; which must be attended with unutterable +pain to the soul, and expose it to the worm that dieth not, and to the +fire that cannot be quenched. And the more the wicked have, through +impenitence of heart, treasured up to themselves "wrath against the day of +wrath" (Rom. 2:5), the more severe will this inward and eternal suffering +be. For as God, in the exercise of his righteous judgment, gave up the +Gentiles to a reprobate mind, because they sinned against their own +consciences, and "the work of the law written in their hearts;" so that +they became blind in their understandings, and rushed into every kind of +filthy and abominable pollution; thus drawing down upon themselves the +wrath of God, denounced against all crimes that are committed against the +light of knowledge: so the same doom (yea, and a far heavier one) will be +inflicted upon those who rest in the mere profession of the Christian +faith, and deny the life and the power of godliness. The reason of this is +obvious: such persons have contemned the inward as well as the outward +word and testimony of God, and have not only persevered in a state of +impenitence, but have resisted the Divine Spirit, and blasphemed Him who +favored them with the light of his Gospel. On this account, God gives them +up to a reprobate mind, so that they become worse than heathens and +infidels. He sends them "strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; +that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure +in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:11, 12. + +6. This is the true reason why vices of so detestable a nature universally +abound among Christians; many of which were not so much as known among the +Pagan nations. What satanical pride, what insatiable covetousness, what +unheard-of intemperance, what bestial lust; in a word, what inhuman +wickedness, is not practised by those who call themselves Christians! And +whence does all this arise, but from that blindness and hardness of heart, +which they have contracted by confirmed habits of iniquity. When those who +are called Christians disdain to imitate the meek and lowly Jesus in their +manners and their conversation; when they are scandalized at him, and +consider it disgraceful to look to him whom God has appointed to be the +light of the world, and our great example (John 8:12); then the righteous +God gives them up to follow Satan; to take upon them the life of the +devil, his abominable impiety, wickedness, and lies; that they may execute +with him all the works of darkness, inasmuch as they refuse to walk in the +light. For thus saith the Lord, "Walk while ye have the light, lest +darkness come upon you." John 12:35. + +7. Finally, if God gave up the heathen to so terrible a blindness and so +reprobate a mind; and this because they proved disobedient to the +glimmering light of nature; or, as St. Paul expresses it, "because they +did not like to retain God in their knowledge," in order to be preserved +by him (Rom. 1:28); how much more shall those be banished from life and +salvation, to whom the truth of God has come not only by natural light, +but by means of his revealed word, and the new covenant, and who yet +haughtily despise these special tenders of divine mercy! Of which new +covenant, God thus speaks: "I will put my law in their inward parts, and +write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my +people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man +his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the +least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will +forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Jer. +31:33, 34; John 6:45. + +8. And here, let us also attend to that which the Apostle says, concerning +those who offend wilfully. "If," says he, "we sin wilfully, after that we +have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more +sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and +fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised +Moses' law," continues the Apostle, "died without mercy under two or three +witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought +worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the +blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and +hath done despite unto the spirit of grace? For we know him that hath +said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. It +is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb. +10:26-31. These words, however, are not pronounced in reference to those +who fall through natural infirmity, but against them who sin wilfully and +against knowledge, and who persevere to the end in a state of impenitence. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + No One Can Find Comfort In Christ And His Merits, Who Does Not Truly + Repent. + + + _No unclean person was permitted to eat of the passover._--EXOD. + 12:48. + + +It was the declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ, "They that be whole need +not a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the +righteous, but sinners to repentance." Matt. 9:12, 13. By this declaration +the Lord teaches us, that he indeed calls sinners, but that he calls them +to _repentance_; whence it is evident, that no man can come to Christ +without true repentance and conversion from sin, and without a true faith. + +2. Now repentance consists in dying unto sin through true sorrow for our +sins, and in obtaining the remission of sins through faith and living unto +righteousness in Christ. There is no real repentance unless a genuine +godly sorrow is first experienced, by which the heart is broken and the +flesh crucified. Hence it is termed "repentance from dead works" (Heb. +6:1); or the renunciation of such works as issue in death. To abstain from +dead works is, therefore, one of the principal parts of true repentance. + +3. If we be not the subjects of this repentance, the merit of Christ +profits us nothing; nor can we lay the smallest claim to the benefits +which thence accrue; for Christ proffers his aid, as the physician of +souls, and his blood, as the only effectual medicine for our spiritual +maladies. + +4. But as not even the most precious remedy can effect a cure of a +disorder unless the patient refrain from things that are hurtful in their +tendency, and that resist the operation of the medicine, so the blood and +death of Christ will be of no avail to him who does not fully resolve to +forsake his sins, and to live up to the requirements of the gospel; for +St. Paul says: "They who do such things (the works of the flesh), shall +not inherit the kingdom of God," and, of course, have not any part in the +Lord Jesus Christ. Gal. 5:21. + +5. Again, if Christ, by his most precious blood, is to become our +medicine, it cannot be doubted that we must be in a diseased state, and +that we must, for ourselves, _feel_ that we are so. The whole need not a +physician, but the sick only (Matt. 9:12); and none is spiritually sick +(at least so as to be conscious of it) who does not experience unfeigned +contrition for the sins which he has committed, and who has not a sense of +the indignation of God which is excited against them. He is no proper +patient for the physician of souls who avoids not worldly lusts and +vanities, honors and riches; but goes on in a state of spiritual +unconcern, without any regard to his past life or his final salvation. +Upon a man of this character, no cure can possibly be wrought. He does not +see his distemper, and therefore needs no physician. In short, Christ +profits him nothing, and his merits leave no saving effect upon his soul. + +6. Remember, therefore, O man! that Christ is come to call _sinners to +repentance_; and that it is only such as are broken in heart and contrite +in spirit; only such as fervently desire and thirst after this +righteousness that are in a condition to receive the saving influence of +the blood, death, and merits of the Lord Jesus. + +7. Happy is he who feels in his heart, and still more happy he who proves +obedient to this holy calling, that is, the "godly sorrow for sin, which +worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of," and which is the +work of the Holy Spirit himself. It arises, first, from the _law_, and +from serious meditation on the _passion_ of Christ, which abounds with +loud invitations to unfeigned repentance. It exhibits, as in a mirror, +both the wrath of God against sin, and also his infinite grace in saving +the sinner. To make an atonement for our sins, Jesus shed his blood; and +love induced him to die for us while we were yet sinners. Rom. 5:8. Here +the divine justice and clemency combine for the salvation of souls. + +8. How is it possible that a man who believes in Christ, should continue +in sins which the Lord expiated at no less a price than his own most +precious blood? When, therefore, O man! thou art tempted to pride and +ambition, reflect upon the contempt and humiliation to which Jesus +submitted in order to atone for thy pride and thy ambition. When thou art +covetous after this world, think of the poverty which he underwent that he +might make satisfaction for thy cupidity; and, surely, this will +extinguish in thee the love of money and of worldly estates. What anguish +and agony did Christ suffer on account of thy lusts and sinful pleasures; +and art thou yet in pursuit of these pleasures that will leave behind them +a mortal sting? Alas! how great must be the corruption of our nature when +we can delight in things for which our Redeemer and Lord was sorrowful +even unto death! Christ died to expiate thy wrath, hatred, and enmity; to +atone for thy bitterness and rancor, for thy love of revenge, and the +implacableness of thy spirit. This he effected by his extreme mildness and +patience, mercy and long-suffering. And wilt thou be angry on every +trifling occasion, and esteem revenge to be sweet, when, to atone for it, +thy Redeemer drank to the very dregs the cup of bitterness and affliction? + +9. Truly as many as assume to themselves the name of Christians, and yet +do not forsake the pleasures of sin, "crucify Christ to themselves +_afresh_, and put him to an open shame" (Heb. 6:6); and it is, therefore, +utterly impossible that they should partake of that merit which they tread +under foot. They pollute the blood of the everlasting covenant, and do not +believe that their sins are expiated by it. They do "despite unto the +Spirit of grace;" they despise and resist him; and, by their ungodly +lives, scorn and condemn the grace of God offered in Christ Jesus. Heb. +10:29. Hence, the blood of the Saviour, which was shed for their sakes, +cries aloud for vengeance against them; and this it does by the righteous +judgment of God, which they thus draw down upon themselves,--a +consideration that ought to strike a terror into every one that names the +name of Christ. Indeed, "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of +the living God" (Heb. 10:31); for he is a _living_ God, and not a lifeless +idol, incapable of punishing so scornful a contempt of his grace and +mercy. + +10. With this divine wrath and vengeance, even their own consciences +threaten them, as inevitably following those who (though they know that it +was to atone for sin that the Son of God died so ignominious a death) are +yet not careful to put away their sins. + +11. It was for this reason that, soon after the death of Christ, +repentance was preached over all the world; namely, both because he died +"for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2); and because _in all +places_ of the world men should repent. Acts 17:30. Thus it is said, "God +now commandeth all men _every where_ to repent," and to receive with a +contrite, penitent, and believing heart the sovereign medicine purchased +by the death of Christ, in order that the grace of God be not frustrated, +but answer the end designed. + +12. Remission of sins immediately follows true repentance; but how shall a +man have his sins remitted when he does not repent of them, nay, when he +still rejoices in them? Nothing surely could be more preposterous than to +expect that sins should be pardoned which a man has no design to renounce; +and nothing can be more absurd than to seek consolation in the sufferings +of Christ, and yet continue in the mire of sin which caused Christ's +death. + +13. But certain and obvious as these truths are in themselves, there are +many that call themselves Christians who never repented, and who yet will +presume to lay claim to a share in the merits of Christ, and in the +remission of sins which he has purchased. They have not ceased to indulge +their accustomed wrath, covetousness, pride, malice, envy, hypocrisy, and +unrighteousness, but have rather become more and more enslaved by them; +and yet, alas! they expect forgiveness of sin, and presumptuously apply to +themselves the merits of Christ as a defence against the impending +judgment of Almighty God. And though this is one of the grossest and most +palpable of errors, yet they do not hesitate to bestow upon it the +specious name of _faith_, by which they hope for salvation. These are they +that flatter themselves to their own destruction; fondly supposing that +they are true Christians because they have a speculative knowledge of the +Gospel, and because they believe that Jesus died for their sins. This, +alas! is not _faith_, but _fancy_; and thou art an unhappy, and most +awfully infatuated _false Christian_, if thou canst suffer thyself to be +deluded in this manner! Never did the Word of God teach such a doctrine; +but the unvarying language of the inspired writers is: "If thou earnestly +desirest the pardon of thy sins, _repent_ of them, and firmly resolve to +give up the practice of them; and thus, grieving from thy heart that thou +hast so greatly offended God, and determining to lead a new life, believe +on Jesus Christ, the great propitiation for the sins of the whole world." + +14. But how should that man feel sorrow for his sins, who will not be +induced to quit them? and how should he quit them, while he remains +unconcerned about committing them? Christ, and all his apostles and +prophets, unite in teaching thee, O man! that thou must die to the world +and to thy sins; die to thy pride, thy covetousness, thy lust, and thy +wrath; and that thou must return to the Lord with all thy heart, and +implore his gracious pardon. And this being sincerely done, thou art +absolved, and thy sins are forgiven. _Then_, the heavenly physician looks +upon thee graciously; for he is come to revive those that are of a +contrite spirit, and to bind up the broken in heart. Ps. 147:3. But if +thou seekest for some other way to be saved, than that which is here +pointed out, then Christ will profit thee nothing, and the boasting of thy +faith is altogether vain. For _true_ faith renews him who possesses it; it +mortifies sin, and raises the soul, with Christ, into a new life; for such +a man lives, by faith in Christ, in his love, his humility, his meekness, +and his patience. It is thus, O man! that Jesus becomes unto thee the way +of life, and thus thou becomest in him a "new creature." But if thou +continuest to commit thy favorite sins, and remainest unwilling to die to +the corrupt bent of "the old man" (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22), how wilt thou +pretend to be a new creature? How is it possible for thee to belong to +Christ, when thou dost not "crucify the flesh, with its affections and +lusts?" Gal. 5:24. + +15. Even if thou shouldst listen to ten sermons in one day, shouldst +confess thy sins every month, and receive the Lord's Supper, thou wouldst +derive no benefit from such exercises, nor obtain the remission of sins; +the reason is, that thou hast not a penitent, contrite, and believing +heart, which can be reached by the healing influences of the medicine. The +Word of God and the Sacraments are, indeed, salutary remedies; but they +are such to those alone who unfeignedly repent and believe. What would it +profit, to anoint a stone with costly ointment? What harvest shalt thou +reap, if thou sowest among briers and thorns? First pull up the thorns and +thistles that choke the good seed, and, then, thou mayest reasonably +expect the precious fruit. Luke 8:7. And, in fine, Christ will never +profit thee at all, if thou continuest to love sin rather than Him. The +_birth_ of the Saviour is of no advantage to a man whose aim it is not to +be _born_ with him; nor shall his _death_ avail for any, who are not +disposed to _die_ to sin, and to mortify the deeds of the flesh. Rom. +6:11. So, the _resurrection_ of Christ will benefit none who will not +_rise_ from sin, and live unto righteousness; nor will his _ascension_ +prove a blessing to any who refuse to _ascend_ with him, and to have their +conversation in heaven. + +16. But when, on the contrary, a man, like the Prodigal Son, truly returns +to his offended father, deploring, hating, and forsaking his sins; when he +earnestly seeks forgiveness, and, with the eye of faith, beholds Christ +and his bleeding wounds, as the Israelites beheld the serpent of brass, +and lived (Numb. 21:9); when, at last, under a real sense of guilt, he +cries out with the penitent publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner" +(Luke 18:13); then, _then_, the pardon is granted, the absolution is +sealed, however great and many the sins be which he has committed against +his God. + +17. Such is the efficacy of the redemption which the blood of Christ has +effected, and of so extensive a nature is his merit, that it is fully +imputed, through faith, to every penitent soul. Thus is brought to pass +the scripture, "He giveth repentance and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31); +that is, he pardons the repentant sinner freely and wholly, for Christ's +sake. For it is a pleasure with God to exercise mercy, and to forgive a +sinner. "My bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon +him, saith the Lord." Jer. 31:20; Hosea 11:8. Then it is, that the death +of Christ is rendered truly effectual; and then it is, that the angels of +God rejoice in heaven (Luke 15:7), because the blood of Christ was not +shed in vain for the poor sinner for whom He had died. 1 Cor. 8:11. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + The Unchristian Walk Of Many Persons In Our Day, Is A Cause Of The + Rejection Of Christ And Of The True Faith. + + + _Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof._--2. + TIM. 3:5. + + +Every one calls himself by the Christian name, even though he do not +perform the least part of what he thereby professes; and, by this means, +the Saviour is denied, contemned, blasphemed, scourged, crucified, and, as +it were, cast out of the sight of men, as dead. The Apostle expressly +declares, that some persons "crucify the Son of God afresh." Heb. 6:6. + +2. Would to God that Christ were not, even in _our_ days, crucified again +and again among those who call themselves after his name, and honor him +with their lips; and yet, by their anti-christian lives and actions, +utterly reject and deny him. His most holy, humble, and exemplary life is, +at this day, to be found among but few; and wherever there is not the +_life_ of Christ, _there_ Christ is not himself, however loudly the faith +and the doctrine may be commended. For the Christian faith without a +Christian life is a tree without fruit. True faith works by love (Gal. +5:6); and wherever it is found, there Christ dwells, with all his divine +graces and virtues. Eph. 3:17. + +3. But when these are not expressed in the lives of those who profess his +doctrine, there Christ himself is rooted up and denied; for it is only +where true faith exists that Christ dwells. + +4. Now Christ hath said, "Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I +also deny before my Father and the angels." Matt. 10:33; Luke 12:9. This +denial of Christ is not only made in words (as by those who renounce +Christ and Christianity), but it is also done when, by our lives and +actions, we wilfully sin against the Saviour and resist the Holy Ghost. +St. Paul speaks of some who "profess that they know God, but _in works +deny him_" (Tit. 1:16); and it is certain that Christ is no less denied by +a wicked and satanic life, than he is by a verbal abjuration. It is with +hypocrisy and an empty profession of the faith as it is with open +wickedness; and this is strikingly illustrated by our Lord's parable of +the two sons, who were commanded by their father to go and work in his +vineyard. The one (_openly_ denying) said, "I will not;" while the other +(_professing_ obedience) said, "I go, sir," and went not. Matt. 21:28-30. + +5. This is a forcible representation of those Christians who make religion +to consist in empty profession without obedience. They will cry "Yea, +yea," and "Lord, Lord!" (Matt. 7:21), and yet are worse than others, +because they pretend to be children of the Father, and yet do not, in any +respect, obey his will. Their character is thus given by St. Paul: "Having +a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3:5. Now, what +is it to deny the power of godliness but to deny Christ himself, and to +shake off allegiance to him, and thus to act the part of a heathen under +the mask and name of a Christian? These are "the children of unbelief or +disobedience," in whom the spirit, not of Christ, but _of this world_, +worketh. Eph. 2:2. They, therefore, who usurp a Christian's name, and yet +do not a Christian's work, shall be denied, in their turn, by the Saviour +when he shall pronounce the sentence: "I never knew you: depart from me, +ye that work iniquity." Matt. 7:23. + + + + +Chapter X. + + + The Children Of The World Are Against Christ, And, Consequently, Their + Life And Their Christianity Are Both Alike False. + + + _He that is not with me is against me._--MATT. 12:30. + + +If the conduct of the generality of men in the present age be examined by +the standard of life and doctrine left us by Christ, we must soon come to +the conclusion that it is wholly _unchristian_, and totally repugnant to +his example. The lives of men in our day are, in too many cases, made up +of insatiable avarice, sordid and self-seeking manners, +worldly-mindedness, worldly cares, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the +eye, and the pride of life; disobedience, wrath, strife, hatred, malice, +contentions, and a violent thirst after human applause, pomps, and +dignities. Add to these the jealousies, the revenge, the secret feuds and +envyings, the unforgiving spirit, the injustice and hypocrisy, the frauds +and calumnies, the lies and perjuries, together with all the impurity and +unrighteousness with which the world so exceedingly abounds. In short, the +whole life of the children of this generation consists of the love of the +world, self-love, self-honor, and self-seeking. + +2. To all this the life of Christ is entirely opposed; it can have no sort +of communion with it. His life is nothing else but pure and sincere love +to God and men. It is composed of humanity and kindness, of meekness and +patience, of humility and obedience even unto death, of mercy and +righteousness, of truth and simplicity, of purity and holiness, of +contempt of the world, its honors, wealth, and pleasures; of self-denial; +of the cross, tribulations, and afflictions; of fervent desires after the +kingdom of God, and after the fulfilment of the divine will. This is the +life of Christ, to which the false Christianity of the present age is so +greatly opposed. + +3. If, then, it be the truth that he who is not _with_ Christ is accounted +as one that is _against_ him; and he that _standeth_ not _in_ the will of +God, as he that _withstandeth_ it (and we know that this is the meaning of +the language of our Lord himself), it is most evident that the generality +of those who make a public profession of the Christian faith, not being +with Christ, must be against him. They have no communion with him, but are +contrary to him; they are not led by a Christian, but by an antichristian +spirit. Scarcely any, indeed, are to be found who are of one soul, one +will, one mind, and one spirit with him; and yet only these can be +Christ's, or be accounted his disciples. It is in reference to the latter +that the apostle speaks when he says, they have "the mind of Christ" (1 +Cor. 2:16); and, in another place, "Let this mind be in you which was also +in Christ Jesus." Phil. 2:5. The children of the world have not this mind, +and it is hence certain that they are not _with_ but _against_ Christ. Now +whatever any man's profession and doctrine be, he who is thus _against_ +Christ in his life and actions, is most undoubtedly an antichrist. 1 John +2:18. + +4. Where, alas! shall we now find true Christians, in the midst of so many +_unchristian_ disorders that universally abound? How justly may they be +termed "a little flock!" (Luke 12:32) as they were called by our Lord +himself. How justly has the prophet Isaiah compared the church to a +solitary cottage in a vineyard, and to a wasted city! Isa. 1:8. "Woe is +me!" exclaims Micah, "I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, +as the grape-gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul +desires the first ripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth; +and there is none upright among men." Micah 7:1, 2. See also Ps. 74:19; +102:7. + +5. God alone knows where and who these are: but be they where and who they +may, assuredly Christ is with them, yea, in them, "alway, even unto the +end of the world." Matt. 28:20. Nor will he ever leave them without +sufficient succor; "I will not leave you comfortless," he says; "I will +come unto you." John 14:18. For he knoweth them that are his, and those +whom he is said to _know_, he watches over with never-ceasing and +distinguishing care. "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this +seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." But who _are his_? The answer +is immediately annexed: "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ +depart from iniquity." 2 Tim. 2:19. But let those who are not disposed to +obey this injunction, assume some _other_ name that shall better accord +with their conduct; and let them not name _His_ name, until they conform +to His life by a living faith. + + + + +Chapter XI. + + +Showing That He Does Not Truly Repent, Is Not A Christian, And Not A Child + Of God, Who Does Not, In _His Life And Conduct_, Follow Christ; Also, + Wherein The New Birth And The Yoke Of Christ Consist. + + + _Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye + should follow his steps._--1 PET. 2:21. + + +God has appointed our Lord Jesus Christ to be our prophet or teacher; and, +by a voice from heaven, has commanded us to hear him; saying, "This is my +beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." Matt. 17:5. This +office was most faithfully executed by the Son of God, not only in words, +but (as became a teacher engaged in so sacred a function) by a most holy +and unblemished life. In allusion to this, St. Luke thus prefaces his +account of the Acts of the Apostles: "The former treatise have I made, O +Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to _do_ and teach, etc."; where, +it is to be remarked, that he places _doing_ before _teaching_; intimating +that these ought never to be separated. It certainly is the duty of every +true teacher, first, to practise himself the duties which he purposes to +teach others. Such a teacher was our Lord Jesus; and his conduct is the +pattern of teaching, and the book of life which we ought to study. + +2. It was for this cause, that the Son of God became man, and conversed +with men upon earth, that he might give us a visible example of an +innocent, perfect, and divine life; and that we might follow him as a +light that shineth in darkness, to lead us in the way in which we should +go. Hence he calls himself "the light of the world;" and promises that "he +who followeth him shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of +life." John 8:12. + +3. Hence it clearly appears, that they who refuse to follow Christ in his +life, and to tread by faith in his steps, remain in darkness, and are not +in the way to obtain "the light of life." But what is this _darkness_? It +is an impenitent and depraved life, called by the apostle "works of +darkness," which are to be cast off, that so we may put on "the armor of +light" (Rom. 13:12); and in genuine repentance both these duties are +comprised. + +4. It has been abundantly proved above, that godly sorrow and true faith +thoroughly change a man; that they crucify the flesh, effect an entire +transformation in the soul, and beget, through the Holy Ghost, a new life. +Lest, however, this should be a mere theoretical knowledge, devoid of life +and practice, God has been pleased to set before us his own Son, not only +as a ransom and a Mediator, but also as a _mirror_ of perfect godliness, +and as a most finished pattern of the new man, who is regenerated after +the image of God. In him, the fleshly Adam, the corrupt nature, never +reigned; but the blessed God alone. Him it hath pleased God to set forth +before our eyes, that, contemplating him and his righteous life, we might +be daily more and more renewed after his image. Let us explain this point +more fully. + +5. Sad experience teaches us continually, that our whole nature, body and +soul, is polluted with every kind of sin, vice, and corruption. These are +the works of the devil appearing in the carnal man; and it is principally +in the depraved and perverted _will_, that these diabolical operations are +most visibly discerned. For the depraved will is the root of all sin: if +that were removed, there would be sin no more. With regard to the power +and natural bias of this will, it consists chiefly in turning man away +from God and from _His_ will. Now, whatever departs from that Being who is +the sovereign and supreme Good, cannot but be in itself evil; for it +partakes of the nature of the supreme evil, and is a violation of the +original constitution of our nature, as derived from God himself. It was +this _turning away_ from God that produced the fall both of Satan and of +man; whence sin entered into the world, and has, by fleshly generation, +passed upon all men. + +6. The nature of man is then inoculated with the nature of the devil +himself, and his will tainted with satanical wickedness, as with deadly +poison. Hence Christ called the Pharisees "children of the devil" (John +8:44); and even to one of his own disciples gave the name of Satan (John +6:70); intimating as though the covetousness, lying, pride, and evil +concupiscence, by which the nature of all men is defiled, were Satan +himself. + +7. Hence it may, with all propriety, be affirmed, that they who lead a +life void of repentance, a life of pride, avarice, lust, and envy, live in +the devil, and partake of his nature. Such persons may assume the garb of +honesty; they may veil their real characters under a fair show of morality +and correct deportment; yet, _inwardly_, according to the saying of Christ +to the Jews, they are, nevertheless, devils. John 8:44. Such a declaration +is dreadful to be made; but the truth of it is confirmed, both by the Word +of God and by continual experience. + +8. Our nature, as fallen creatures, being thus miserably depraved, thus +desperately perverted, and vitiated in all its springs; there is an +absolute necessity that it should be purified and _renewed_. There must be +a _total renovation_ of the soul, in all its powers and all its faculties. +But how shall this be effected? We answer: As the _chief evil_ has made a +breach upon our nature, and has infused poison into its very springs; so +must the _chief Good_ revisit and renew our nature, that it may be +assimilated to itself. That which the supreme evil has so radically +corrupted, can be corrected only by a thorough and vital _penetration_ of +the supreme Good, even of God himself; and, therefore, it was necessary +that the Word should be made flesh. + +9. The Son of God truly became man, not for his own sake, but for our +sakes; that, by reconciling us to God by himself, he might make us +partakers of the sovereign good, having cleansed and sanctified us, to +that end; for whatever is to be sanctified, must be sanctified by God and +with God. And as God is in Christ, so ought we to be united to him by +faith, that we may live in God, and God in us; we in Christ, and Christ in +us (2 Cor. 5:19, 21); that the will of God be in us, and we in the will of +God, being made the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Cor. 5:21. This is +the only way in which Christ administers medicine to our corrupt nature; +and the more powerfully he influences man, the more thoroughly will human +nature be purified. + +10. Oh! how blessed is the man in whom Christ does all and is all; whose +will, thoughts, mind, and words, are the will, thoughts, mind, and words +of Christ! It was thus the apostle said, "We have the mind of Christ." 1 +Cor. 2:16. And so indeed it must be with the believer; because the life of +Christ is the new life, yea, the new man in him; and whoever lives in +Christ after the Spirit, hath really put on the new man, and all the +graces with which he is adorned. His meekness and obedience are the +meekness and obedience of Christ; his patience and humility are the +patience and humility of Christ; and his life itself is the life of +Christ, by whom and in whom he lives. This is the "new creature" which is +created after God (2 Cor. 5:17); and that life of Christ in us, of which +St. Paul experimentally says, "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in +me." Gal. 2:20. This is to follow Christ truly. This is to walk in the +light of his life, and to bring forth "fruits meet for repentance;" for, +by this means, the "old man" is destroyed, the carnal life gradually +declines, and the new and divine life is established in the soul. He who +has this life is not a _nominal_, but a _real_ Christian; a Christian not +in word and in appearance only, but in deed and in truth. He is a true +child of God, begotten of Him, and quickened and renewed by faith after +the image of Jesus Christ. + +11. Although we cannot attain to a state of perfection, while encompassed +with so many infirmities that obstruct our progress in the divine life, we +ought not, therefore, to be discouraged, but rather to be inspired with +more fervor in seeking after a consummation so much to be desired. We +ought ardently to wish and pray, to endeavor and study, that the kingdom +of Christ be established within us, and the kingdom of Satan destroyed. 1 +John 3:9; Eph. 2:5. The object of our cares and efforts, of our groans and +prayers, should be--how we may more and more mortify the old man by daily +repentance. For, the more a man dies to himself, the more Christ lives in +him; the more corruptions are removed by the good Spirit of God, the more +divine grace possesses the heart. In proportion as the flesh is crucified, +the spirit is quickened; as the works of darkness are put off, the armor +of light from above is put on; and in the same degree as the _outward_ man +perisheth, the _inward_ man is strengthened and renewed. 2 Cor. 4:16; Col. +3:5. The decrease of the carnal life, is the increase of that which is +spiritual and divine. As the affections of the former, self-love, +ambition, wrath, covetousness, and voluptuousness, are weakened and +subdued, so are opposite affections of the spiritual life invigorated and +raised. The farther a man departs from the world, from "the lust of the +flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16); the +more do God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit enter into the heart and dwell +there. And, on the other hand, the more nature, flesh, darkness, and the +world, reign in man; the less of grace, light, the Holy Spirit, God, and +Christ, is there to be found in him. + +12. This spiritual life is enmity to the flesh, because the latter is +hereby restrained, subdued, and brought under the yoke, and crucified with +its "affections and lusts." In this, however, consist the power, efficacy, +and fruit of true repentance. The nature of flesh and blood is to lead a +lawless, dissolute, and voluptuous life, unshackled by restraint, and +entirely agreeable to its own will and humor. It is this which it finds +sweet, and in which it rejoices. To the flesh and the "old man," the life +of Christ is a most severe cross, and an intolerable burden; but to the +new and spiritual man, "this yoke is easy and this burden light" (Matt. +11:30), and attended with divine serenity and peace of mind. For the true +rest of the soul will be sought for in vain, unless in faith in Christ; in +his meekness and humility, patience and love. Here he hath himself +promised, "Ye shall find rest unto your souls." Yea, he that really loves +the Lord Jesus, will not deem it hard to suffer even death for his sake, +but account it a joy and a happiness. Such is the yoke of the Saviour, +which we are invited to take upon us, that we may find "rest unto our +souls." + +13. It is necessary, therefore, that every one who is resolved to take +upon himself the yoke of Christ, and to imitate His holy example, should, +in the first place, shake off the yoke of Satan, and repress the carnal, +selfish, and unruly propensities of his fallen nature, in order that the +flesh may vex the spirit no more. All must be subjugated to the obedience +of Christ, to the wise and righteous discipline of his law; that is, the +will, understanding, reason, and appetites, together with the sensual +desires of the old Adam, that before reigned in the mortal body, must +henceforth yield a free obedience to the government of the Lord. Rom. +6:12. + +14. True it is that the flesh is highly gratified when honored, courted, +and praised, and when abounding in the riches and pleasures of this life; +but the yoke of Christ, by which the flesh is mortified and subdued, +requires us to prefer ignominy, contempt, and poverty, to affluence and +honor; to account ourselves unworthy of these things, and freely to give +up all that is great in the estimation of the world. It is here that the +humility and life of Christ are most striking and apparent. This is the +"yoke" and this the "burden," which are easy and light to the spirit; this +is the law of love, the commandments of which are not grievous but +delightful. 1 John 5:3. What was the whole life of Christ but holy +poverty, extreme contempt, and severe persecution? Is it not true that he +"came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a +ransom for many"? Matt. 20:28. + +15. It is the tendency of the natural man to desire to excel others, and +to be thought of importance; but the spiritual man loves the humility of +the Redeemer, and desires to be reputed as nothing in this world. The +carnal man, that follows the propensities of corrupt nature, and has never +learned of Christ's humility, meekness, and love, deems it folly to live +as Jesus lived, and thinks those only are wise who indulge their appetites +in security, and satiate themselves with every object which they desire; +and when such a one most lives in the devil, he is so blinded by ignorance +and darkness as to esteem his own life the happiest that can be desired, +and to applaud himself in his own folly. And hence it is that these +deluded wretches, following the false light of carnal wisdom, are not only +deceived themselves, but are the means of involving others in the same +ruin. They, on the contrary, whose minds have been enlightened by the true +and eternal light, are struck with horror and surprise whenever they cast +their eyes upon the pomps and vanities of this world, upon the ambition +and pride, the wrath and revenge, the intemperance and voluptuousness, and +the other fruits of the carnal life which universally abound. Their +language is: "Alas! how far removed is all this from Christ! How far from +true repentance and the knowledge of Jesus is the man that acts thus! How +far from the nature and disposition of a child of God! Alas! he is still +dead in sins, and a slave of the devil." That man, therefore, who does not +imitate the life of Christ, is an entire stranger to true repentance; he +is not a Christian, nor a child of God; nay, he is wholly ignorant of +Jesus Christ; for he who desires to know Christ savingly, both as the +Saviour of the world and as the great exemplar of life, must know him to +be pure meekness, gentleness, and love, and to be wholly composed of +patience and humility. This living ensample of goodness and piety which +the Lord hath set before him, he must carry in his heart, and must labor +to be transformed into its image. The virtues that resided in Christ he +must have within himself; and if he would ever effectually know him, he +must love and admire them in his inward soul. As a plant discovers its +nature by the fragrance which it diffuses around, so the knowledge of +Christ discovers itself by the sweet and sacred odors which proceed from +it. Then is acquired an experimental knowledge of the life, power, rest, +and consolation which flow from the Saviour; which circulate through all +the faculties of the soul, and quicken them by a kind of spiritual +sweetness. Thus is man made to "taste how good the Lord is" (Ps. 34:8); +thus is the truth known, and the supreme and eternal good apprehended and +enjoyed. And thus is it certainly ascertained that the life of Christ is +infinitely superior to every other life in goodness and sweetness, in +dignity and in peace; yea, that it resembles life eternal itself, being +indeed the foretaste of such a life upon _earth_. + +16. As there is nothing more excellent than the life of Christ, nothing +more delightful, more peaceful, or more satisfying to the soul, it ought +to have no rival in our affections, but to be endeared to us above all +things else. He who is destitute of Christ and of his knowledge, can form +no conception of the rest and quiet of eternal life; or of the sovereign +good; or of the everlasting truth; or of the imperishable word; or of the +joy of the soul; or of the true light of love; for all these centre in +Christ, and he who has him has them; because Christ is all these to the +man who truly believes in his holy name. "Every one that loveth is born of +God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is +love." 1 John 4:7, 8. + +17. It is, therefore, most evident that the fruits and effect of the new +birth do not consist in words, however sound, or in a _form_ of godliness, +however specious, but in an _abiding substance_, even in that _love_ which +is God himself. A son bears the image of him who begat him; and whoever is +born of God should evidence it by _love_, for God is love; and hence it is +clear that "he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 +John 4:16. + +18. The _knowledge of God_, in like manner, does not consist in words, nor +in merely speculative and superficial knowledge, but in a vital, +consolatory, and divine feeling, in a pure and unmixed pleasure, gently +infusing itself into the heart by faith, and penetrating it with an +unutterable and heavenly sweetness. This is a true, living, and +efficacious knowledge of God; such as that which the Psalmist means when +he says, "My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (Ps. 84:2); +and again, "Thy loving kindness (as experienced in the divine sensations +of my soul) is better than life" (Ps. 63:3); that is, this divine life +infinitely transcends every other life; in which it is evident that he +means that unutterable joy which is produced by an _experimental_ +knowledge of God, and which is infused into a believing heart. Thus man +liveth in God, and God in man; and thus man knoweth God in truth, and is +known of God. + + + + +Chapter XII. + + + The True Christian Dies Unto Himself And The World, And Lives In Christ. + + + _Christ died for all, that they which live should not henceforth + live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose + again._--2 COR. 5:15. + + +"Christ," says the apostle, "died for all, that they which live should not +henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and +rose again." Besides that this sentence is replete with divine +consolation, declaring that Jesus died for all, it inculcates a lesson of +the most salutary nature, namely, that we should live not unto ourselves, +but unto him who died for us. To live to him, however, before we are dead +to ourselves, is impossible. If, therefore, thy resolution be to live to +Christ, thou must certainly die to the world and to thyself; but if thou +rather inclinest to live to the world and to thyself, it follows that thou +must renounce thy communion with the Saviour. For what communion hath +light with darkness, Christ with the world, or the Spirit with the flesh? +2 Cor. 6:14, 15. + +2. There are three kinds of death: the one _spiritual_, the second +_natural_, and the third _eternal_. The first occurs when a man dies daily +to himself; that is, to his own carnal desires, to his avarice, pride, +lust, and wrath, and such other sins and passions as have their rise in a +corrupt nature. + +3. It is of the second kind of death that the apostle speaks, where he +says, "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Phil. 1:21. As if he +had said, Christ is the life and death, the gain and advantage of the +believer, even when he passes through _natural_ death, for, by it, he +exchanges a short and miserable life for an eternal and blessed one; and +earthly objects for possessions that are eternal and divine: an exchange +which cannot but prove in the highest degree gainful to himself. + +4. If, however, any think that the apostle's language is also to be +understood of the _spiritual_ death of sin, they will not commit an error. +For thrice happy is the soul to whom, in this sense, "to live is Christ:" +thrice happy the soul in which Jesus lives by faith, and that imitates the +graces which manifested themselves in him, especially those of humility +and meekness. But alas! by far the greater part of men have put on the +life of the devil rather than the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, by +yielding to avarice, pride, anger, and other unholy passions. + +5. Awake, therefore, O man! and consider who it is that liveth in thee. If +thou canst truly affirm, "to me, to live is Christ," happy art thou, as it +respects both this world and the world to come. Here, even on earth, let +Christ be thy life, that he may be thy life to all eternity: and in order +to this, account it the greatest of gain, when thou art enabled to die to +the world and to thy own corruptions. Then, in both senses, for thee, to +live is Christ, and to die, gain. What, indeed, can be more profitable or +advantageous, than to die, in this respect, to all thy sinful desires and +affections? Go on, then, in the Lord, and never faint, allowing Christ to +live in thee now, that thou mayest also live with him hereafter. + +6. No man is capable of settled peace and tranquillity, who is distracted +and disturbed with earthly desires and designs; therefore, before thou +canst live unto Christ, thou must die to the flesh and to the world. This +dying to self and living to Christ, may be illustrated by a reference to +several types and histories in the Old Testament. + +7. Thus, as the promise relative to Christ, and the seal of it by +circumcision, were not given to Abraham, until he had quitted his father's +house and relinquished his earthly inheritance (Gen. 12:1, and 17:10), so +man, as long as his affections cleave to the world, is unprepared to +receive the promise which is by the Saviour; and as long as he refuses to +die to it, and deny himself, so long it is impossible that he should enjoy +Christ, or the things which are His. + +8. Jesus can never live in thy soul, until thou art dead to the affections +of carnal nature. St. Paul was thus dead; and hence he could say, "I live, +yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20); and writing to the church +at Colosse, he says, "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in +God." Col. 3:3. + +9. A man may be considered as dead to sin, when sin dies in him, and he +ceases from the commission of it. The same apostle says, "If we live in +the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Gal. 5:25. If we live in +Christ, we must walk even as he walked; for it is not sufficient to boast +of the Spirit in words, while our words are not confirmed by our works; or +of faith, while this is not evidenced by its fruits. Indeed it is said +unto _all_,--"If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye, through +the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Rom. 8:13. + +10. Multitudes, however, may be compared to Saul, who, instead of slaying +Agag (1 Sam. 15:8), according to the commandment of God, only cast him +into prison. They do not _destroy_ their lusts and sinful desires; but are +contented to conceal, and as it were imprison them, that at a future +opportunity, they may indulge them with the greater secrecy. But let us +carefully avoid this trifling; and instead of subjecting our corrupt +propensities to a temporary restraint, let us lay the axe of mortification +to the very root: for unless this be effected, we shall, like Saul, be +cast out from the kingdom, and lose the crown of everlasting life. + +11. Some professed friends of religion resemble trees, the leaves of which +fall off when winter approaches, but their foliage appears again when the +season becomes more favorable and mild; for in the winter of adversity, +they conceal their lusts, and restrain their sinful propensities; but when +prosperity smiles upon them, they break out again, as at the first, and +return to their evil ways. This is an evidence of _hypocrisy_; whereas a +true Christian is in all circumstances, and under every vicissitude, +whether public or private, always the same, and remains unalterably fixed +in his God. He is the same both in prosperity and adversity, in poverty +and in affluence, steadily cleaving to God, and meeting with resignation +every affliction that Providence lays upon him. + +12. The history of Ahab (1 Kings 20:42) furnishes us with another +instance, not much unlike the case of Saul; for, in opposition to the +command of God, he spared the life of the king of Syria; and, in +consequence, sentence went forth against him, and his life was required +for that of the captive king. They who nourish in their breasts those +lusts which are the enemies of God and of themselves, and which are +appointed to destruction, voluntarily draw upon themselves everlasting +death and damnation. + +13. Neither prayer nor a devout spirit can ever be perfected in man, +without the mortification of the flesh. Thus God appointed that every +beast which approached the holy mount of Sinai should be destroyed. Exod. +19:12, 13. How much more does it behoove us to slay our unholy lusts and +affections, if we would ever ascend the mountain of the Lord's house +(Isaiah 2:2, 3; Mic. 4:2), offer up the incense of prayer, or meditate +upon the Word of God! If we neglect to do this, we are already judged, and +shall be banished forever from the presence of the Lord. + +14. Jacob (Gen. ch. 29) served for his beloved Rachel twice seven years; +and love so alleviated his toil, that the years seemed but as so many +days: thus, for the salvation of our souls, did Christ Jesus undergo +thirty and three years' service, and what Jacob said of himself is, in an +eminent degree, applicable to Him: "In the day, the drought consumed me, +and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes" (Gen. +31:40): "for the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to +minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Matt. 20:28. Shall we, +then, scruple to love Christ again, and to fight under his banner against +his enemy, the world? + + + + +Chapter XIII. + + + The Christian Ought Willingly To Die Unto Himself And The World, For The + Sake Of The Love Of Christ, And For The Sake Of That Future And Eternal + Glory, For Which We Were Created And Redeemed. + + + _Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was + rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his + poverty might be rich._--2 COR. 8:9. + + +Thou art required, O man! to die to thyself, thy sin, and the world; and +to lead a holy, harmless life, according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. +This thou art to do, not with a view to merit anything at the hands of +God, but from a principle of love to him, who performed and merited all +for thee, and died to save thee. + +2. Be not deceived: Jesus must be loved by thee, not in word and in +tongue; but in deed and in truth. "If," says he (John 14:23), "a man love +me, he will keep my words;" and so St. John speaks: "This is the love of +God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not +grievous." 1 John 5:3. And, again, the Saviour says: "My yoke is easy, and +my burden is light." Matt. 11:30. To him, indeed, who loves Christ with +all his heart, it cannot but be easy to sacrifice the pleasure which +earthly vanities afford, and to do that which is good, without constraint. +Love renders every burden light that is laid upon us by Jesus; whereas to +him that is devoid of this heavenly principle, every act which duty +requires is grievous and oppressive. To such a one, every religious +exercise is painful and laborious; whereas the man who sincerely loves the +Lord Jesus Christ, esteems death itself to be in nowise terrible, when +submitted to for his sake. And, therefore, the Apostle says: "Unto you it +is given, in the the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but +also to suffer for his sake" (Phil. 1:29); nay, to lay down life itself, +whenever that sacrifice is required of us. + +3. In order to confirm thy faith, consider the example of Moses, who, "by +faith, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of +Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people +of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the +reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." Heb. +11:24-26. + +4. Consider Daniel, who refused the luxuries of a court, and desired to be +fed with pulse and water, resolving "that he would not defile himself with +the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank." Dan. +1:8, 12. He contemned the pleasures of Babylon, that he might attain "the +wisdom that is from above" (James 3:17), which dwells only in a heart +preserved pure from the pollutions of an unholy world. So, if thou +desirest that Christ, the eternal Wisdom, should enter into thy soul, thou +must abhor the pleasures of sin. For as Daniel and his companions were +made fairer by their sobriety and abstemious life, so be thou firmly +assured, that thy soul will appear more beautiful and fair in the sight of +God, even as "partaking of the divine nature," if thou escape "the +corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Pet. 1:4. + +5. Consider, further, the example of St. Paul, who says, "The world is +crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14); that is, I am dead +to the world, and the world is dead to me. Thus are all true Christians +_in_ the world, yet not _of_ it. Though they live in it, they do not love +it; for they view it as a transient shadow; and its pomps, dignities, and +lusts, as vanity and deceit, vexation and disappointment. Hence, they are +crucified to the world, though they remain in it; and the world is +crucified to them; that is, they desire no mere worldly honor, wealth or +joy. + +6. How happy is the man who is dead to earthly vanities, and alive to God; +separated from the world, and drawn into Christ! How blessed is he into +whose heart divine grace is so infused, as wholly to wean it from inferior +objects, and exalt it to the fruition of the light and glory of heaven. +Such a state is the effect of daily prayer and supplication, without which +a true Christian cannot possibly exist. + +7. Agur prayed to the Lord thus: "Two things, have I required of thee; +deny me them not before I die. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me +with food convenient for me." Prov. 30:7, 8. So let the Christian pray: +"Two things I desire of thee, O Lord, even these two: that I may die to +myself, and to the world." For without this death, it is utterly +impossible to be a true Christian. If thou, O Man! thinkest otherwise, +thou certainly deceivest thyself, and shalt at last hear from the mouth of +Christ that awful sentence, "I know you not." Matt. 7:23; 25:12. + +8. Though to die thus to self and to the world, is, to flesh and blood, a +grievous cross, yet will the spirit and the love of Christ eventually +triumph over every difficulty. So powerful indeed are these aids, that +they enable the true Christian to bear all things for the sake of the +Beloved, as a pleasant yoke and easy burden. And although he who lives a +life thus mortified, will be hated by the world, yet shall he be loved of +God; for the enmity of the world is friendship with him (James 4:4). And +the Lord hath himself declared, "If ye were of the world, the world would +love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you +out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John 15:19. + +9. Those who are dead to the world for the testimony of Jesus, it casts +out; but it honors and applauds them who, living in the enjoyment of its +pomp and splendor, are its genuine offspring; because they live in the +world, and the world liveth in them. + +10. In short, that man is not received and commended by the world, but is, +on the contrary, cast out of it, in whose heart, pride, covetousness, +lust, wrath, revenge, and the other corrupt passions of nature, are +mortified and restrained. Unto him the world is dead; and he again is dead +to the world: he begins to live in Christ, and Christ lives in him: and he +will be confessed by the Saviour, as one of his peculiar people, in whom +the great design of redemption has been effected. To others, on the +contrary, it will be said, "I know you not, as ye, in like manner, knew me +not." You have not confessed me before men, but have been ashamed of my +life, my meekness, humility, and patience; and I will not confess you: you +have despised the shame of my cross; and you shall be with shame disowned +by me. Mark 8:38. For whoever refuses to live with Christ in time, cannot +expect to live with him in eternity: whoever has not the life of Christ +here, shall never have it set forth in him hereafter: and whoever disdains +to follow Jesus in the present world, shall never be glorified with him in +the world to come. + +11. Therefore, O Man! strictly scrutinize thy life, and see whether thou +bearest a greater conformity to the life of Christ, or to the life of the +devil: for thou must inevitably be united to one or other of these +throughout all eternity. + +12. If thou art dead to thyself and to thy depraved desires within thee, +thou wilt find it no hard task to die to the world and its vain +allurements which are without thee: and whoever is thus dead to the world, +will not love it or the things which it contains; for, "if any man love +the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15. Again, how +shall his desires any more go out after the world without him, when he is +dead to it? Great indeed would be the loss sustained by a lover of the +blessed God, were he, in any degree, to yield to the allurements of the +world, and allow it to obtain a share in that affection which should be +fixed solely on the Supreme Good. A soul so undecided would soon be +entirely vanquished by the blandishments of sin, as was Samson by the +charms of Delilah (Judg. 16:6); and would become subject to all that +misery and vexation of heart, which invariably attend the love of this +world. + +13. The love of the world appertains not to the _new_ creature, but to the +_old_: for the world has nothing to bestow but honor and vainglory, +riches, pleasures, and carnal desires; in these the "old man" delights. +The new man, on the other hand, has no peace except in Christ, who is his +honor and glory, his riches and his heaven. + +14. And as nothing can be conceived of that is greater or more exalted +than the image of God renewed in Christ Jesus, so it should be our only +concern and care, to render ourselves partakers of this exalted honor; +remembering the words of Tauler, "What man, who is possessed of reason, +can doubt for a moment, that God can infinitely more rejoice and delight +the heart, than the corrupt and indigent creature is capable of doing?" + +15. In addition to this, the Scriptures assure us that man was not created +for the world's sake, but the world for man's. It was not to pamper his +appetite, to heap up riches, or to extend his empire without limits, that +man was formed; it was not that he might acquire large estates and +possessions, erect palaces, or be gorgeously attired, that he was endued +with a soul intelligent and immortal: man was made to be _lord_ of the +earth, and not its _slave_; to subdue, and not to be subdued. He was not +to seek his pleasure and enjoyment on earth, however fair and fascinating +it might be to a depraved taste: he was not destined to be an heir of this +inferior world, nor the possessor of terrestrial, treasures, nor to be +actuated by any worldly motive whatsoever. Man is to depart hence, as one +that dwells on earth as a _tenant at will_. He was not made for it, and +cannot remain in it; he entered it naked, and naked he must quit it again. +Many, indeed, are born into the world at the same time; but an equal +number, on the other hand, are daily taken out by death; nor can any carry +with them even an atom of the treasures which they had accumulated upon +earth. + +16. Man, then, is but a guest and a pilgrim below; and most obvious it is, +that he was not created for this temporal life, and that this world was +never designed to be the _end_ of his being. That _end_ is God, and the +image of God in Christ Jesus, unto which we are renewed by the Spirit; and +we are created for the kingdom of God and for eternal life. These our +blessed Redeemer purchased for us, when they had been forfeited by us; and +it is his Spirit that regenerates men who had been without God in the +world. + +17. How unreasonable, therefore, is it in man to fix his affections on +temporal objects, when we are assured that the soul is infinitely more +noble and more precious than the whole world! How preposterous is it, that +he should lavish his time in the pursuit of earthly things, when he is +conscious that he was created to bear the image of God in Christ, through +the Holy Spirit! Therefore, let us now solemnly repeat what has been +before affirmed, namely, that man was not made for the world, but the +world for man. The excellency of the image of God in Christ Jesus, is +inconceivably great and glorious: so that were all mankind to unite their +labor and might, their wealth, their honors, and their all, they could not +succeed in restoring even _one_ soul to the possession of this image. It +became requisite that Christ himself should die, in order that this divine +image which had been utterly defaced by sin, might, through His Spirit, be +revived; and that man might again become the temple and house of God +through all eternity. + +18. This being duly considered, as certainly it ought to be, how is it +that man so thoroughly debases his soul as to seek after the things of +this world, its honors, its pleasures, lusts, and wealth? He should surely +reason with himself, and say: "Shall I, for the sake of a little gold, or +for this fading world, or for all the honors and pleasures it can afford +me,--shall I, for the sake of _these_, sacrifice my _immortal soul_, which +Christ has redeemed at so infinite a price? God forbid." "What is a man +profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what +shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matt. 16:26. Alas! the "whole +world," with all its power and glory, could not avail to rescue one soul +from eternal destruction; for the soul is immortal, while the world +passeth away with all that it contains. 1 Cor. 7:31; 1 John 2:17. + + + + +Chapter XIV. + + +The True Christian, Who Imitates Christ, Hates His Own Life In This World, + And Forsakes The World. + + + _If any man come to me, and hate not ... his own life also, he + cannot be my disciple._-LUKE 14:26. _He that loveth his life shall + lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it + unto life eternal._--JOHN 12:25. + + +In order that a man may hate himself, he must, in the first place, cease +to love himself; secondly, he must daily die to sin; and, thirdly, +maintain a continual warfare with his corrupt nature, or the flesh. + +2. There is nothing that more obstructs the everlasting salvation of +mankind than _self-love_. This is not to be understood of that natural +love which excites to a due regard to self-preservation, but of that +carnal and inordinate affection which influences man to be wholly +concerned about himself, without any reference to the Supreme Being, the +great Author of life. In this sense the term is used in the present Book. +Man was created to love God alone; and since God only is to be loved, it +follows that he who loves himself is an idolater, and makes of himself a +god. The heart of man rejoices and rests in the object of his affection; +and, whatever this be, he is brought by it into bondage, and is devoted to +it. Man, in this state, is become a servant, and is deprived of that +genuine liberty in the enjoyment of which he was originally created; and +in this lapsed and divided state he must serve as many masters as there +are objects upon which his affections are placed. But if thy love, O man! +be sincerely and simply fixed on God, then thou art subject to no lord but +Him; and thou preservest thy liberty with all the privileges appertaining +to it. It becometh thee, therefore, to be very circumspect in thy life and +conduct, lest thou shouldst in any degree obstruct the progress of divine +love in thy soul. If ever thou desirest to possess God alone, thou must +make a surrender of thyself solely to him. If thou lovest and pleasest +thyself, instead of loving and pleasing God, then sorrow and fear, sadness +and anxiety, will inevitably attend thee; whereas, if thou wholly yieldest +thyself unto God, cleaving to him and delighting thyself in him alone, +then he will never leave thee nor forsake thee, but remove by his gracious +presence all fear and anxiety from thy mind. He, on the other hand, who +seeks himself in all situations and in every circumstance, and who +incessantly pursues after profit, praise, and lust, can never attain to +serenity and peace of mind; for some circumstance there always will be to +cross his desires and to disturb his rest. Never, therefore, yield to the +belief that an accession of fame, wealth, or honor in this world, is +always good and profitable for thee; when, on the contrary, a righteous +contempt of all such transient objects, nay, an utter extirpation of our +love of them, would be attended with an infinite blessing and advantage. + +3. As then, on the one hand, the things of this life, such as praise, +riches, and pleasure, are frail, and pass away with the world that +supplies them, while, on the other, the love of God endureth forever, it +is evident that no satisfaction can be durable that is founded upon the +love of self and of earthly objects. Such peace would be interrupted by +every trivial circumstance that occurred; whereas, when the mind is firmly +set upon God and upon his love, it cannot fail to be preserved in perfect +peace and perpetual serenity amid all the changes of this life. Forsake +thou, therefore, all things, and thou shalt, by faith, recover all things +again; for never can the lover of himself and of the world find the +blessed God. + +4. Inordinate self-love is begotten of the world, and not of God; it is +earthly, and the chief enemy to "the wisdom which is from above." James +3:17. This wisdom does not seek the praise and applause of men; and though +in itself "a pearl of great price" (Matt. 13:46), yet appearing with no +other recommendation than its own native simplicity, it is but little +valued in the world, and, with but few exceptions, is entirely neglected +and forgotten; and though there are many who make a boast of this wisdom, +yet the gem conceals itself from all who do not desire to apply it in +their practice. If, therefore, thou desirest to be possessed of it, O man! +lay aside all that human wisdom which "puffeth up" (1 Cor. 8:1), together +with thy self-love and self-applause, and then shalt thou exchange thy +earthly wisdom, which the world admires, for that which is heavenly and +divine. Then, instead of the wisdom of this world, which in its nature is +elevated and seeks the applause of men, thou shalt be put in possession of +a wisdom which, far from attracting the notice of the world, is despised +and rejected by it, but which is, nevertheless, of a divine origin, and of +everlasting continuance. + +5. It is impossible to love God, until thou abhorrest thyself; that is, +until thou art heartily displeased with thyself and with thy sins; until +thy own carnal nature is crucified, together with the evil propensities of +thy self-will. For the more a man strives to love God, the more he labors +to subdue the lusts of the flesh and his sensual appetites; and the more +he departs from self and from self-love, by the power of the Spirit of +God, the more nearly he approaches, by faith, unto God, and to his divine +love. For as inward peace depends on a freedom from desires after the +things of this world; so when this peace is once settled in the soul, and +the heart has disengaged itself from the ties which bound it to the +creature, it returns freely into God, and rests in him alone. + +6. Now he who is sincerely disposed to deny himself, must follow, not his +own will, but the will of Christ, who has declared, "I am the way, and the +truth, and the life." John 14:6. As though he had said: "Without the way, +no man walketh; without the truth, nothing is known; and without life, no +man liveth: therefore, look upon me, who am the way in which it is thy +duty to walk, the truth in which thou art called to believe, and the life +in which thou art bound to live. I am the unerring way, the infallible +truth, and the everlasting life: the way to immortality is through my +merit; the truth itself is in my word; and life is through the efficacy of +my death; and, therefore, if thou continuest in the _way_, the _truth_ +will guide thee unto eternal _life_. If thou desirest not to go astray, +follow me; if thou wilt know the truth, believe in me; and if thou wouldst +possess life everlasting, put thy whole trust in me, who for thy sake have +endured the death of the cross." + +7. What, indeed, is the safe way, the infallible truth, and the endless +life? What, the way, truth, and life, that are more excellent than every +other? Surely there is no way, but the holy and precious merits of Christ; +no truth, but his eternal word; no life, but a blissful immortality in +heaven. If, therefore, O Christian! thou desirest to be raised up into +heaven with Christ Jesus, believe in him here, and tread in the footsteps +of his humility; this is the safe Way to everlasting glory. If thou +wouldst escape the snares of the world, take hold of his Word by faith, +and follow the example which he has left for thy imitation; because this +is the infallible Truth. And if it be thy wish to live with Christ, then +die thou with him and in him unto sin, and become a new creature; for this +is Life. Thus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life; and he is so, +both by his example and by his merit. + +8. "Be ye followers of God as dear children." Eph. 5:1. Let us labor and +strive after this one thing; that our lives may resemble the life of +Christ. Were there nothing else to confound the false Christian, the +example of Christ might effectually and abundantly do it. When we consider +that Christ our Lord passed his life in grief and pain, we ought to be +ashamed to spend our lives in ease and pleasures. If the soldier forgets +his own ease and comfort when he beholds his captain fighting unto death, +shalt thou pursue after worldly pleasures and honors, when thy Prince was +so ignominiously treated, and, for thy sake, nailed to the cross? Is it +not a sign that then thou dost not, in fact, fight under his banner? + +9. It is true that, in our day, every one desires to be considered a +Christian; but how few are they who imitate the life and deportment of +Christ! Had it been the character of a follower of Christ, to aim at the +acquisition of honors and possessions, our Lord would never have taught +that these are not worthy to be compared with heavenly treasures. +Contemplate the life and doctrine of the blessed Jesus, and thou shalt own +that nothing can be more opposed than he and the world. Behold that manger +and that stable! do they not forcibly evidence a contempt of worldly +things? And will the example of Christ lead thee to err from the right +way? No! he is the way, and he is the truth; and his life, compared with +his doctrine, is the only means to preserve thee from mistake, and to +guard thee from the delusions and errors of the world. Since then the Lord +hath chosen to enter into his glory by the way of suffering and reproach, +why shouldst thou labor to make thy way to hell, through the pomps and +vanities of the world? Return, then, O deluded soul! escape from the broad +way that leadeth unto death, and in which thy only enjoyment is "the +pleasures of sin for a season" (Heb. 11:25); enter into this safe Way, in +which the wayfaring man shall not stray: cordially embrace that Truth +which never can deceive: and live in Him who is Life itself. This way is +the truth, and this truth is the way. Awful blindness! a worm of the earth +would make himself great in the world, when the Lord of glory abased +himself to the very dust. O faithful soul! when thy bridegroom moves to +meet thee, clothed with humility, come down from the elevation of thy +pride and ambition, and descend into the vale of humiliation to meet him, +and he will embrace and receive thee with joy. + +10. As Abraham quitted his father's house, to go into a land which the +Lord was to show him (Gen. 12:1), so quit thou, as a true child of +Abraham, the pleasure-house of self-will and self-love, that thou mayest +obtain the divine blessing. Self-love biases the judgment, blinds the +understanding, disturbs the reason, seduces the will, corrupts the +conscience, closes the gates of life, and acknowledges neither God nor +neighbor. It banishes virtue; seeks after honors, riches, and pleasures; +and, in a word, prefers earth to heaven. He, therefore, who thus "loveth +his life, shall lose it; but he that hateth his life" (that is, resists +this principle of self-love), "shall keep it unto life eternal." John +12:25. Self-love is the root of impenitence, and the cause of damnation. +They who are controlled by self-love and self-honor are destitute of +humility and a knowledge of sin; consequently, they never can obtain the +remission of sin, though they seek it with tears; their tears not being +shed because they have offended God, but merely on account of the personal +loss which they have sustained. + +11. The kingdom of heaven is compared in Scripture to "a pearl of great +price;" in order to obtain which, a man sold _all_ that he had. Matt. +13:45, 46. This pearl is God himself, and that eternal life which he has +promised, and for the attainment of which every other object must be +forsaken. We have an example of this in our Lord Jesus Christ, who +descended from heaven not for his own sake, but for thy sake; not for his +own profit and advantage, but for thine. Luke 19:10. And wilt thou yet +delay to love him who gave himself up unto death for thee? + +12. It doubtless is the part of a faithful spouse, to please her husband +alone: and art thou desirous of pleasing the world, when thou mayest be +espoused unto Christ, the great lover of souls? Forsake therefore and +sincerely despise all that is in the world, in order that thou mayest +become worthy of the eminent dignity of this spiritual marriage: for if +thy love cleave not solely to Christ, it is a corrupt and adulterous love, +and not that which a Christian should bear to the Redeemer. For the +Christian's love to the Redeemer must possess virgin purity. + +13. The law of Moses required that the priest should marry a virgin +(Levit. 21:13, 14); and Christ, our High Priest, will espouse only a +_virgin-soul_; one that is attached to nothing that the world can offer, +but solely to himself; nay, one that loves not even herself, in comparison +with Christ. "If any man come to me," he says, "and hate not his _own +life_, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26. + +14. In order to understand what is meant by hating ourselves, we are to +remember that we carry about with us "the old man," and are indeed the old +man himself; whose nature is to hasten from one sin to another, to love +himself, to pursue his own profit and honor, and to indulge his own will +and carnal appetite. For the flesh is at all times the same; always +considering itself, easily grieved, envious, bitter, covetous, and +revengeful. This, O Man! is what thou doest: these sinful motions proceed +from thy heart; this is thy very life, even the life of the old man in +thee: and therefore thou must of necessity hate thyself, and thine own +natural life, if ever thou desirest to be a disciple of Christ. Whoever +loves himself, must love his own pride and avarice, his own wrath and +hatred, envy and lying, perfidiousness and unrighteousness; and, in short, +he must love all the progeny of unholy desires, and a corrupt heart. But +if thou desirest to be a Christian indeed, thou must not love, nor excuse, +nor palliate thy sins, but thou must hate them, forsake them, and subdue +them. + + + + +Chapter XV. + + +Showing How The "Old Man" Daily Dies, And The "New Man" Is Daily Renewed, +In A True Christian; Also, Wherein Self-Denial Consists, And What Is Meant + By The Christian's Cross. + + + _If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up + his cross daily, and follow me._--LUKE 9:23. + + +It is the charge of the apostle Paul, "Put off the _old man_, which is +corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of +your mind; and put on the _new man_, which after God is created in +righteousness and true holiness." Eph. 4:22-24. And in another of his +Epistles, he gives us a reason for doing so: "Ye are not your own; for ye +are bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your +spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. + +2. We have already noticed what is meant by _the old man_; namely, pride, +covetousness, lasciviousness, unrighteousness, wrath, enmity, hatred, +etc.; all of which must die in the Christian, if ever the _new man_ arise +in him again, and is day by day renewed. + +3. In proportion as the old man dies, the new man is quickened. As pride +loses its influence, humility, by the grace of God the Holy Spirit, +succeeds; as wrath yields, meekness advances; as covetousness is done +away, trust in God is increased; and as the love of the world is removed, +the love of God takes its place in the soul, and becomes more and more +vigorous and ardent. In this consists the renovation of the new man. This +is the fruit of the Spirit; this is practical and living faith (Gal. +5:22); this is Christ in us; this is the new command of Christ and new +obedience; this is the result of the new birth in us, in which thou must +live if thou desirest to be a child of God; for those only who so live +have a right to be so called. + +4. This is the reason why a man ought now to deny himself; to renounce his +own honor and will, his own love and pleasure, and all his profit and +interest in the world; and why he ought freely to give up his own right +and life, and consider himself unworthy of everything that Providence +bestows upon him. A real Christian, who is endued with the humility of +Christ, readily owns that no man can lay claim to even the least of those +benefits that descend from above, because they are all gifts, and freely +proceed from the goodness of God. On this account he uses all as being +really the property of God, with fear and trembling; not to promote his +own pleasure and satisfaction, his own profit and praise, but from +necessity alone, and because he cannot otherwise subsist. + +5. Let a true Christian who denies himself, and a false Christian who is +filled with inordinate self-love, be compared together. If an affront be +offered to the latter, you may soon behold his anger rising, and visible +marks of passion and discontent; and these are, not unfrequently, followed +up by reproachful language and actions, by a spirit of revenge, and +sometimes by imprecations and curses. All this proceeds from the _old +man_, whose proper character it is to be angry and bitter, and to exhibit +rancor and asperity. On the contrary, he that is a Christian indeed, and +has sincerely begun to practice self-denial, is gentle, patient, and ready +to forgive; free from a revengeful spirit; full of compassion and +tenderness; and esteems himself worthy of all the sufferings which +Providence may be pleased to allot to him. These qualities are all +included in _self-denial_. + +6. In the exercise of this patience, meekness, and lowliness of mind, our +Lord Jesus Christ has set us an example by willingly denying himself. "The +Son of man," he says, "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister" +(Matt. 20:28); and again, "I am among you as he that serveth" (Luke +22:27); and in another place, "The Son of man hath not where to lay his +head." Luke 9:58. David, when reviled by Shimei, practised the duty of +self-denial, for his words were: "The Lord hath said unto him, Curse +David." 2 Sam. 16:10. As if he had said: "I am a worm in the sight of God, +and deserve to suffer far worse things." And thus have all the saints and +prophets of God freely denied their own will, and esteemed themselves +unworthy of every blessing. They bore the burden of their day with +patience (Acts 5:40, 41); they cursed not when they were cursed; they +blessed their persecutors, and prayed for them by whom they were +slaughtered (Acts 7:60); and thus, "through much tribulation, entered into +the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22. + +7. This was true when they acknowledged themselves unworthy of any favor, +but worthy of all the evils that could befall them. + +8. Now, this self-denial is the cross of Christ, which he has encouraged +us to bear, saying: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself +and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23. This self-denying +life is a severe cross to the flesh; the natural man desires a life free +from restraint and contradiction, and would follow the inclination of his +own will, and seek after his own ease and pleasure, rather than the +humility, patience, and meekness of Christ, with the other graces of his +life and example. + +9. But whatever opposition _the old man may_ raise for a time, he has +received the sentence of death, and if thy soul be ever saved, he must +surely die. For never canst thou be clothed with the humility of Christ +unless thy natural pride be first subdued; nor canst thou feel a love of +his poverty unless thy avarice and thy love of the world be first +overcome. Thou wilt not be able to follow Christ in the contempt of +vainglory, nor to endure the reproach of his cross, until thine ambition +be rooted out; nor wilt thou ever express in thy life the meekness and +patience of Jesus until thy revengeful spirit be inwardly mortified. + +10. These are the spiritual exercises which the Scriptures mean when they +speak of _denying ourselves_, of _bearing the cross of Christ_, and of +_following him_,--exercises that are submitted to, not with any expectation +of profit, merit, reward, interest, or praise, but from pure love to the +Saviour, and because Christ hath passed through all this before us, and +"hath left us an example that we should follow his steps." Since the image +of God is the greatest dignity of man, we ought the more earnestly to +practise the duty of self-denial, by which that image, effaced by sin, is +revived within us. And as this is the highest honor of which our nature is +susceptible, so is it the strongest inducement that can possibly be +suggested to endear to us the practice of self-denial. + +11. Why, then, should man so eagerly desire the fading honors of this +world, which, however they may raise him in the estimation of his +fellow-mortals, render him in no degree more acceptable in the sight of +God. The great and the wise have bodies composed of flesh and blood as the +meanest and the most despised; so that, in this respect, no man has the +slightest superiority over another. One is born even as the other, and +dies even as the other; for the beginning and end of all men, as to this +world, is alike. What folly then is it to covet worldly honors and the +praise of men! Such desires spring from the root of self-love, that bane +of the soul, that seed of all spiritual diseases, by which the heart of +man is turned from God to the world, and from Christ to _self_. How +incapable and how backward is the lover of himself to obey the words of +the blessed Redeemer, and to lose his life for His sake that he may save +it. This is a paradox hostile to the inclinations of the "old nature," and +therefore but little considered by the bulk of mankind. + +12. Alas! how small is the number of those who have a thorough knowledge +of the depraved life of the old Adam, or who heartily strive against it! +And yet, if ever we would rescue our souls from perdition, we must die to +it and to all its restless workings. Whatever corruptions have been +entailed on us by Adam, must be removed in Christ. In his humility, our +pride and ambition must expire; in beholding his poverty, our thirst after +earthly things must die away. The contemplation of his bitter sufferings +should subdue our sensual lusts; the reproaches which he endured, and the +entire resignation with which he submitted to the contempt of the world, +should restrain us from the pursuit of worldly honors, and from the +indulgence of anger and passion. + +13. He who is thus dead to himself, will also readily die to the world, +its pomps, and wealth, and honors, and pleasures, solacing himself with +those higher riches, dignities, and enjoyments, to which he is admitted by +faith in Christ. He becomes, indeed, "a stranger upon the earth" (Ps. +39:12), but he is the friend of Christ, and Christ will comfort his heart +with the light of his countenance here, and with joy everlasting and +unutterable in the world to come. + + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + A Conflict Is Constantly Maintained In The Christian Between The Spirit + And The Flesh. + + + _I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my + mind._--ROM. 7:23. + + +The two opposite principles in the heart of the real Christian, are spoken +of by the apostle under different names, viz.: _the inward and outward +man_ (2 Cor. 4:16), the _law of the mind_ and the law of the members (Rom. +7:23), and the _flesh and spirit_. "The flesh," says he, "lusteth against +the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." Gal. 5:17. + +2. When the Spirit conquers the flesh, then man lives in the new nature +and is in God and in Christ: but when the flesh vanquishes the Spirit, and +thus gains the ascendency, then man lives in the devil and in the old +nature; he is under the dominion of the world, and without the kingdom of +God, and, consequently, is called _carnal_. And "to be carnally minded is +death." Rom. 8:6. + +3. It is according to the predominance of either of these principles (the +flesh and the Spirit), that a man obtains his name in Scripture, and is +called _carnal_ or _spiritual_. When the flesh and its sensual lusts are +subdued, it is an indication of the strength of the spirit, and of a man's +proficiency in the inward life; but if a man be vanquished by the flesh, +it betrays the weakness both of his faith and spirit. + +4. Solomon says, "He that ruleth his spirit (his mind), is better than he +that taketh a city." Prov. 16:32. If, then, thou desirest to be a valiant +conqueror, and to gain an immortal victory, conquer thyself; subdue thy +passions, mortify thy pride, quell thine ambition, and destroy every +inordinate lust with which thou art assailed; and thus shalt thou +overthrow the kingdom of Satan, who, by means of such sins, ruleth in the +world. Many have signalized themselves by the capture of towns and cities; +but, alas! how few are they who, in a higher sense, may be denominated +_conquerors of the world_! + +5. If thou yieldest too far to the flesh, thou destroyest thy soul. It is +surely better that the soul overcome, and that the body also be preserved, +than that, the body overcoming, both body and soul should be destroyed +together. + +6. This contest, though attended with various trials and difficulties, +will, however, issue in a glorious victory and a heavenly crown: "Be thou +faithful unto death," saith the Captain of our salvation, "and I will give +thee a crown of life." Rev. 2:10. And the disciple that lay in his bosom +tells us, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." +1 John 5:4. Thou wilt say, What is it to overcome the world? We answer, It +is the world within us, which is here principally meant. Overcome thy +_self_, and then the victory over the world is thine. + +7. Some may, perhaps, be here ready to inquire, "What, if sin sometimes +closely beset me, and bear me away against my will; must I be excluded +from the number of God's children, according to that saying of St. John, +'He that committeth sin is of the devil'?" 1 John 3:8. To this it must be +replied: If thou feelest the conflict of the Spirit against the flesh, and +art grieved that thou sometimes doest things which thou wouldst not, it is +an evidence that, amidst the infirmities which encompass thee, thy faith +and thy spirit struggle against the flesh, and are opposed to it. St. Paul +himself teaches us that this warfare has place even in godly and believing +souls, when he says, "I see another law in my members warring against the +law of my mind (that is, against the new, inward man), and bringing me +into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Rom. 7:23); thus +causing him sometimes to do the things which he would not. To will, was +present with him; but to perform the good which he would, he was not +always able; inasmuch as he could not do of himself the good which he +would, while to do the evil which he would not, was always easy to him. +Hence he exclaims, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from +the body of this death?" Rom. 7:24. And to this agrees what Christ himself +says: "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matt. 26:41; +Mark 14:38. + +8. As long, therefore, as this _conflict_ is felt in man, sin cannot be +said to _rule_ in him; for he who is continually fighting against sin, +resists its struggles for dominion; and sin cannot destroy the man who +opposes the attempts which it makes upon the soul. + +9. It is the experience of all the saints, that they alike have sin, +according to the word of St. John: "If we say that we have no sin, we +deceive ourselves." 1 John 1:8. It is not, however, the _indwelling_ sin +that condemns a man, but the _reigning_ sin. The sin with which we +contend, and to the commission of which we do not consent, is not imputed +to us; as St. Paul says: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them +which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the +Spirit" (Rom. 8:1); that is, who do not permit the flesh to rule. But as +for those who are altogether strangers to this spiritual strife, this +combat of the flesh and Spirit, they are not born again, but are under the +_reigning_ influence of sin; they remain the servants of sin and Satan, +and are, consequently, damned; for "the law of the Spirit of life" hath +not made them "free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2), so long as +they thus suffer sin to rule over them, and to "reign in their mortal +body." + +10. All this is illustrated in Josh. 16:10. The remnant of the Canaanites +were permitted to dwell amongst the children of Israel, but not to have +dominion over them; and thus the Israel of God feel their remaining +imperfections, but do not allow them to gain the pre-eminence. To preserve +this pre-eminence is the duty of the new man in Christ, whose name is +Israel (that is, _a prince of God_) (Gen. 32:28); and who, as a _prince_, +hath power with God, and shall at last prevail. + +11. This daily strife with the old man, is an encouraging evidence of the +existence of the new man; for it plainly indicates that there are two +contending principles in him who is the subject of it. The strength of the +spirit and the victory succeeding it, demonstrate the true Israelite; and +the warfare of the spirit indicates the real Christian. The land of Canaan +cannot indeed be gained without war: but when the flesh, like the +Canaanite of old, invades the territories of the spirit, it then becomes +the part of the spiritual and true Israel not to submit to such a master; +but, after true repentance and remission of sin, to collect new strength +in Christ, and by the grace of God to rise again from his fall, and +earnestly implore Jesus, our true Joshua, to vanquish for him and in him, +the spiritual Canaanite, the enemy of his soul. When this is accomplished, +the sinner is not only forgiven and restored to favor, but he is likewise +refreshed and strengthened in Christ, his great Captain in this spiritual +combat. With regard, therefore, to such as continue to feel many +infirmities in the flesh, and who cannot do the things which they would, I +exhort them to cleave to Jesus as sincere penitents, and to cover their +blemishes with his perfect obedience. It is in this order, and in this +order alone, that the imputation of Christ's merits becomes salutary and +effectual; that is, when a man forsakes his sin, and by daily repentance +strives against it; repairs his former losses, and guards against future +temptations. But while the sinner remains a stranger to brokenness of +heart on account of transgression; while he continues to gratify the +unholy propensities of the flesh, nothing can be more absurd than for him +to suppose that the merits of Christ are imputed to him; for how can the +blood of Christ benefit him who treads it under foot? Heb. 10:29. + + + + +Chapter XVII. + + +The Inheritance And Possessions Of Christians Are Not Of This World; They + Should, Therefore, Regard Themselves As Strangers In It, While They Make + Use Of Earthly Things. + + + _We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can + carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be + therewith content._--1 TIM. 6:7, 8. + + +The design of the blessed God in creating temporal things, was that they +might supply man's bodily wants; and it is right that they should be used +for such a purpose, and be received at the hands of God with gratitude, +attended with fear and trembling. In regard to those things which are not +absolutely necessary, whether gold and silver, food and raiment, etc., +they are left to man in order to _prove_ him; so that from the manner in +which he employs these objects, it may be discovered how he stands +affected towards God, while possessed of the goods of this world: whether, +on the one hand, he will still cleave to God, and in the midst of earthly +possessions, keep his eye constantly fixed on those which are to come; or +whether, withdrawing his love from God, he will attach himself to this +fleeting world, and prefer a fading earthly paradise, to that which is +permanent and heavenly. + +2. Man is therefore left to his own liberty and choice, in order that he +may be judged hereafter according to that which he has chosen here, and +thus be without excuse in that day. Agreeably to this principle, it was +the solemn declaration of Moses to the people of Israel: "I call heaven +and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life +and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and +thy seed may live." Deut. 30:19. + +3. The things of this world are then designed, not to fill us with earthly +delight and pleasures, but to be tests and trials of our fidelity. In +these trials the fall is very easy, when once we begin to withdraw from +God. The pleasures of this world are the fruits of a forbidden tree; of +which we are warned by God not to eat, lest our minds going out after them +should eventually take delight in them, after the manner of those who know +no other pleasures, but such as are derived from earthly objects. These +persons, by indulging the flesh, convert meat, drink, and apparel into +snares by which they are turned away from God. + +4. It certainly is the duty of every true Christian, to esteem himself a +stranger and pilgrim in this world; and as bound to use earthly blessings, +not as means of satiating lust or gratifying wantonness, but of supplying +his absolute wants and necessities. We ought not to set our affections on +these inferior objects, but on Him alone who is able to satisfy them. To +do otherwise, is to expose ourselves to dangerous temptations, and with +Eve, to eat daily of the forbidden tree. The real Christian is not intent +upon worldly concerns, or delicious fare; for his interior eye is directed +to that bread which endureth unto eternal life. Nor is he solicitous about +fine and fashionable apparel; aspiring rather after robes of divine light, +and the raiment of glorified bodies. In short, all things that please the +natural man in this world, are, to a true Christian, only so many crosses +and temptations, allurements of sin and snares of death, that continually +exercise his virtue. Whatever man uses without the fear of God, whatever +he applies to the mere gratifying of his flesh, cannot fail to operate as +a poison to the soul, however pleasant and salutary it may appear to be to +the body. Yet, so far from laboring to know the forbidden tree of worldly +pleasures and its various fruits, man gives himself up to a careless and +thoughtless state of life, and yields to the lust of the flesh, not +considering that this lust is really _the forbidden tree_. + +5. The Christian, on the other hand, uses all things in the fear of God, +and as a stranger and pilgrim on the earth; avoiding every kind of excess +in meat, drink, apparel, houses, and the other things of this life, lest, +by an improper use of them, he should offend both his Father in heaven, +and his fellow-Christians upon earth. He will not so much as gaze on the +_forbidden tree_, in order that he may not be ensnared; but with the eye +of faith, he steadfastly beholds the future felicity of the soul, and for +the sake of this felicity, refuses to yield to the cravings of corrupt +nature. What does it profit the body that in this world it swims in lusts +and pleasures, when, after a short period, it must be devoured by worms, +and stripped of all its enjoyments! "Naked," says Job, "came I out of my +mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither." Job 1:21. We bring into +the world a naked and infirm, a poor and indigent body; and even this is +the spoil of death; for when we pass out of this world we leave it behind +us forever. + +6. Whatever we enjoy from the time of our birth to the period of our +dissolution, is all the bread of mercy and affliction, and designed to +supply the bare wants of this mortal life. At the approach of death all is +taken from us again, and we depart out of the world poorer than when we +entered it. When man enters the world, he brings with him life and a body, +and finds the necessary shelter, meat, and drink provided for him; but, +after existing a short time, he is, in a moment, bereft of all, and leaves +behind him even his body and his life. Consider then, O man! whether there +can be anything more wretched and poor, more naked and miserable, than man +when he dies, if he be not clothed with Christ's righteousness, and +enriched in his God. + +7. As, therefore, we are confessedly strangers and pilgrims here, and at +the hour of dissolution must leave behind us every earthly enjoyment, let +us, at least, cease to encumber our souls with things which we cannot +carry out of this world, and the use of which is restricted to this life +only. Is it not a species of madness to heap up riches for a frail body, +for a body which we must leave behind us, and which cannot possibly enjoy +wealth hereafter? Luke 12:20, 21. Are we ignorant that there is another +and a better world, another body and another life, and that, whatever we +may appear in the sight of men, we are in the eye of God only strangers +and sojourners on the earth? Ps. 39:12; Lev. 25:23. "Ye are," saith the +Lord, "strangers and sojourners _with me_," that is, "_before my eyes_, +although ye may not remember it." + +8. If, then, we are strangers and sojourners, it follows that our country +and our home must be elsewhere. This will be most evident to us, if we +compare time with eternity, the visible with the invisible world, the +earthly tabernacle with the heavenly, and things that are frail and +perishing, with those that are lasting and eternal. Such a comparison will +afford us a due insight into time and eternity, and lead us to behold with +the eye of faith, such things as remain altogether unknown to the +unthinking multitude. It is from the want of this consideration, that so +many become lax and disorderly in their manners, wallow in the mire of +earthly pleasures, and drown themselves in avarice and worldly cares. It +is from the want of this reflection, that the major part of mankind, +however keen and shrewd in the pursuits of this world, are blind and +insensible to the concerns of the immortal soul. They addict themselves so +much to this life, as to esteem it to be the most delightful, the best and +noblest of all; while the true Christian, on the contrary, accounts it an +exile, a vale of tears, a place of misery, a deep and dark prison. + +9. Hence it is that those who love this world, and seek their happiness in +it, do not excel even the brute creation in wisdom or understanding; and +as they live, so they die like beasts. Ps. 49:12, 20. They are totally +blind as it respects the inward man; they do not even think of heavenly +and eternal things; they never rejoice in God, but only in the low and +sordid pleasures afforded by this world. It is in earthly things that they +seek their rest and their enjoyment; and having obtained their object +after much labor and toil, they sit quietly down and congratulate +themselves on their possessions. Wretched, miserable men! blind and +insensible to the tremendous concerns of their eternal salvation! here, +they lie contentedly in the darkness of ignorance, soon to remove hence to +that of death and damnation. Luke 1:79. + +10. In order to our better acquaintance with the nature of our pilgrimage +here, we should unceasingly consider the example left us by the Redeemer, +and earnestly follow him both in his life and doctrine. He hath set us an +unerring pattern of universal holiness. He is our captain and our guide; +and to his life and manners, our lives and our manners should be +conformed. Go thou, therefore, and look unto him; unto him who, when the +greatest of all men, voluntarily chose that life in which nothing of +greatness appeared; a life of meanness, poverty, and contempt of honor, +wealth, and pleasure, the threefold deity of this world. All these things, +to which the world offers sacrifice, the Lord contemned; for he himself +said, "He had not where to lay his head." Matt. 8:20. + +11. Such, likewise, was the character of David; who, before his exaltation +to the throne, was poor and despised; and who, when created king, +accounted all his regal splendor as nothing compared with eternal life, +and the kingdom of God, to which he was called. "How amiable," says he, +"are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth +for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the +living God."--"A day in thy courts is better than a thousand." Ps. 84. As +if he had said, I possess indeed a kingdom, and have people subject to my +sway; I possess kingly palaces, and the strong hold of Zion; but what are +all these in comparison of thy tabernacle, O Lord of hosts? So, too, Job +found comfort in his _Redeemer_. Job. 19:25. + +12. Neither Peter, nor Paul, nor any of the apostles, sought the riches of +this life, but directed their attention to those which were laid up in +another and better world. Hence they freely espoused the despised life of +Christ, walking in his charity, lowliness, and patience; contemning the +earth, and triumphing over the world, its snares, and its allurements. +They prayed for those who cursed them; they thanked those who reproached +them; they blessed those who reviled them. 1 Cor. 4:12; Acts 5:41. When +they were persecuted, they glorified God; when scourged, they were +immovably patient, professing that "through much tribulation they must +enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22); and when slaughtered, they +prayed (with Christ their Head), "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34); "lay +not this sin to their charge." Acts 7:60. Thus were they, on the one hand, +dead to all wrath and revenge; to bitterness, ambition, and pride; to the +love of the world, and of their own life also; while, on the other, they +lived in Christ and in his love, in his meekness and humility, his +patience and his resignation. They are, indeed, made alive in Christ by +faith, who thus live. + +13. To a lover of the world, this excellent way of life is unknown; for +with regard to those who do not live in Christ, nor know that the _truth_ +is in him, these are still dead in their sins; dead in wrath and hatred, +in envy and avarice, in pride and revenge; and as long as they so +continue, they are in a state of impenitence, and have not been quickened +by faith in Jesus, be their boasting what it may. But the genuine +disciples of Christ know it to be a duty to follow the steps of their +divine Master (1 Pet. 2:21), and to be conformed to his life, as the +supreme and original pattern of all virtue and goodness. In a word, the +life of Christ is their exemplar; he himself is their _book_, whence they +derive all solid and substantial learning, as it respects both life and +doctrine. Such persons declare with the apostle, "We look not at the +things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the +things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are +eternal." 2 Cor. 4:8. And with holy men of old they unite in saying, "Here +have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come." Heb. 13:14. + +14. If, then, from a review of all these considerations, it evidently +appear, as it surely does, that in this world we are strangers and have no +abiding place, it follows that we were not created for the sake of earthly +things as the ultimate end of our being; but that there remain for us +another country and other dwellings, to gain which we ought not to +hesitate to sacrifice a hundred worlds, or even life itself. These are +subjects upon which the true Christian continually meditates with +pleasure; and it is his joy that here he has no continuing city, but is +created for life eternal. But how sad is the state of those who, occupied +wholly in pursuing the things of this life, lade their souls with a +crushing weight of worldly vanities, and thereby expose them to endless +perdition. + + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + + Showing How Greatly God Is Offended, When Man Prefers Things That Are + Temporal To Those That Are Eternal; And How Great The Evil Is, When Our + Affections Cleave To The Creature And Not To The Creator. + + + _And the anger of the Lord was kindled; and the fire of the Lord + burnt among them, and consumed them, etc._--NUMB. 11:1. + + +Many there are, in our day, who, under cover of religion, seek after +earthly and carnal things; who use more diligence to become great and +affluent by the gospel, than to be good and happy. They love "the praise +of men, more than the praise of God." John 12:43. They choose rather to +gratify the flesh in its sinful propensities, than to bring it down into +true repentance and brokenness of spirit. But the character of the true +Christian is of an opposite kind. He is more concerned about eternal than +temporal things; he seeks the glory that endureth, more than that which +passeth away; he thirsts after heavenly and invisible riches, and not +after those that are earthly and visible. In short, he mortifies and +crucifies the flesh, in order that the spirit may live. + +2. The sum of Christianity is _to follow Christ_. Hence, it should be our +chief care to imitate the example which he has left us. Our thoughts and +actions, our desires and labors, should all terminate in the attainment of +this _one thing needful_, how we may come to Christ; how be saved by, and +united with him to all eternity. + +3. Never should we cease to consider that endless felicity to which we are +called; but cheerfully await the dissolution of our earthly bodies, and a +translation to that inheritance which is reserved in heaven for us. + +4. By these means, which habituate the soul more and more to the presence +of God, there is begotten in man a holy thirst after eternal things; while +a desire after earthly objects, which is insatiable in its nature, is at +the same time powerfully restrained. This is taught by St. Paul in that +precious saying: "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of +the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Col. 3:17. + +5. The _name_ of God, in which all things are to be done, is the honor, +praise, and glory of God. Ps. 48:10. To this great end of human life, all +our works should tend; for then it is that they are wrought in God (John +3:21), and will follow us into a blessed eternity. Rev. 14:13. + +6. In a word, Almighty God, our chief and sovereign Good should be the +_principle_ and _end_ of all our designs, if we would not fail of eternal +salvation. Hence St. Paul says, "But thou, O man of God, flee these +things" (1 Tim. 6:11); namely, covetousness and the love of the world. He +calls the Christian, "a man of God," because he is born of God, and lives +in God, and therefore is the son and heir of God; as, on the other hand, a +man of the world, is one who lives in conformity to the world, who "has +his portion in this life, and whose belly is filled with the hid treasure" +of the earth. Psal. 17:14. From these snares the Christian is required +carefully to flee, and to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, +love, patience, meekness; and to lay hold on eternal life, whereunto he is +called. + +7. When a man refuses to be guided by these salutary maxims, he falls of +necessity into every kind of enormous and presumptuous sin, and will at +last be punished with eternal fire. See, for an illustration, Numb. 11:1. + +8. Inundations and war, famine, pestilence, and conflagrations, are, it +should be remembered, punishments inflicted by God, on account of our +preferring things temporal to things eternal; and because we are more +careful of a weak and perishing body, than we are of an imperishable, +immortal soul. All this betrays the highest ingratitude, and an open +contempt of the blessed God, deserving to be visited with punishments, +both here and hereafter. For, does not man by such conduct set aside an +almighty, eternal Being, from whom he derives both his body and his soul; +and convert an impotent creature into an idol, to which he surrenders his +love and affection? He who loves the creature more than the Creator, and +things transitory more than those which are eternal, offers surely the +highest possible affront to his Maker, and opposes the great design of the +Christian religion. + +9. It is no doubt true, that all the creatures of God are good in +themselves; but when men begin to set their affections on them, and by +their irregular love to convert them, as it were, into idols, they then +become an abomination in the sight of God, and are justly ranked among the +most odious images of gold and silver. + +10. What else can result from a carnal love of the world but hell and +damnation! Consider the case of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24), and the +one in Numb. 11:1, already mentioned. These are illustrations of the +eternal fire and damnation which must follow a rejection of God. + +11. The love and joy, the wealth and honors of the true Christian, are +circumscribed only by eternity itself; for, "where his _treasure_ is, +there will his _heart_ be also." Luke 12:34. From the lust and love of the +world, on the contrary, nothing can result but eternal damnation. "The +world passeth away and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God +abideth forever" (1 John 2:17): and hence, St. John calls upon the +faithful entirely to withdraw their affections from the world; saying, +"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." 1 John +2:15. These and similar considerations powerfully convince us, that God +will not permit us to fix our affections on any creature whatsoever. + +12. But this will more fully appear from the following reflections: + +I. Love is the very _heart_ of a man, and the noblest of all his +affections; hence, it is due to God only, as the supreme object, and +sovereign Good. + +II. It is absolute folly to love temporal things, which cannot love us; +whereas the infinitely blessed God deserves to be loved alone, since from +a pure principle of love, he created us unto eternal life, and hath, to +the same purpose, redeemed and sanctified us. + +III. _Like_ things are naturally loved by their _like_. Hence, God made us +after his own image, in order that we might love Him; and that, next to +himself, we might love our neighbor, created after the same image. + +IV. The human soul resembles a mirror, representing every object +indifferently that is placed before it, whether it be of heaven or of +earth. Therefore turn thy soul wholly and only to God, that this image may +be fully expressed in it. + +V. The patriarch Jacob, when dwelling in Mesopotamia, far removed from his +native soil, never abandoned his purpose to return, and, at length, after +twenty years' service, demanded his wives and wages; and, cheered by the +recollection of the place of his nativity, returned thither. So should thy +soul, amidst the various engagements of this life, and the hurry of +outward employments, long without ceasing after thy heavenly fatherland. + +VI. Man is made either better or worse by that which he loves. He that +loves God, partakes freely of the divine virtue and goodness that reside +in Him; but he that loves the world, is defiled with all those sins and +evils which attend it. + +VII. When King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:33) was too much controlled by the +love of the world, he lost the very form of a man, and degenerated into +that of a beast. So all men, blotting from their hearts the image and love +of God, are transformed, as it respects their inward man, into the nature +of brutes. For surely those who wholly surrender themselves to the love of +this world, are no better. + +VIII. Lastly, that which a man has loved here, and carried about in his +heart, shall be manifested in him hereafter; and with this he shall +associate himself forever, whether it be God or the world. If the world +have been the object of his love in this life, it will never leave him +hereafter, but will prove his death and his tormentor to all eternity. + + + + +Chapter XIX. + + + He Who Is Most Of All Conscious Of His Misery, Is Most Of All Acceptable + To God; And His Christian Knowledge Of His Misery, Urges Him To Seek The + Grace Of God. + + + _To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a + contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word._--ISAIAH 66:2. + + +These comfortable words, our gracious and merciful God hath spoken by the +prophet, in order to cheer our hearts, when they are most oppressed with +misery and sorrow. Be not thou therefore ashamed to be bruised in spirit, +and abased in thine own eyes. Humble thyself in the dust, and deem thyself +unworthy of all grace and favor; so shalt thou be raised out of thine own +vileness, and obtain, in Christ, acceptance with Almighty God. + +2. He who is still _something_ in his own estimation, is not duly humbled +and depressed in his heart; nor can he expect to be regarded by that Being +who looks upon the poor and contrite ones only. "If," says the apostle, "a +man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth +himself" (Gal. 6:3): and the reason of this is, that God is _all in all_, +alone; and the creature must consequently become a bare and empty +_nothing_. So great and so practical is this truth, that man is not only +to believe it in his heart, but to express it in his life and conduct. + +3. If ever thou designest, then, to give all the glory and honor to God, +that HE may be ALL, alone, thou must surely thyself become _nothing_ in +thine own eyes; and entertain a very low opinion of thyself, and of thy +profiting in spiritual things. For how is it possible that God should be +_all in all_, whilst thou thyself continuest to be _something_? By this +self-exaltation thou invadest the sovereignty of God, and appropriatest +that to thyself, which is his proper due and prerogative. "It was _before +the Lord_," said David to Michal, who had reproached him, "and I will yet +be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight." 2 Sam. 6:21, +22. + +4. A man that will be _something_, is the matter out of which God is wont +to make _nothing_; but he, on the contrary, who loves to be reputed as +nothing, and who, in his own judgment, is so, is the matter out of which +the Almighty maketh _something_. He that will be wise in his own opinion, +is the matter out of which God maketh a fool; and he who is truly sensible +of his own folly and nothingness, is that of which God forms a wise and +great man. He who, before the Lord, sincerely confesses himself to be the +greatest and most miserable of sinners, is, in the sight of God, the first +and greatest of all men. He who believes himself to be the chief of +_sinners_, shall be honored by the Lord as the chief of _saints_. Matt. +23:12; Luke 1:52. + +5. This is that humility which God exalts; that misery which he regards; +that _nothing_ from which he createth _something_. And as, at the +creation, the glorious frame of heaven and earth was brought forth out of +_nothing_, so must man be reduced to a deep sense of his vileness and +nothingness, if ever he be exalted to glory and to dignity. + +6. Reflect upon the example of David, whose misery God beheld, and to whom +he granted the richest gifts of his grace. Consider, again, the example of +Jacob, who confessed, "I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies." +Gen. 32:10. + +7. But above all, lay to heart the example of Christ, the grand and +blameless pattern of a Christian. He was abased below the meanest of men; +was made a worm and a curse for our sake (Ps. 22:6), despised and rejected +of men. Isaiah 53:3. But the lower he sunk, the higher did he afterwards +rise, when he received a name which is above every name. + +8. But who is that blessed and lowly one who is _nothing_ in his own eyes? +It is he who inwardly and in his heart esteems himself worthy of no divine +benefit, whether bodily or spiritual. For he that arrogates anything to +himself, esteems himself to be _something_; and is, therefore, the +farthest removed from divine grace and from this new creation. So +destructive is the spirit of self, that it renders even grace of no +effect, and shuts out that which contains all things in it. For if a man +judge himself worthy of anything, he then does not take all things as a +free gift from the hands of God. Whatever we are, however, is of _grace_ +and not _merit_; nor can we call anything our own, except our sins, our +helplessness, and our misery. All else belongs to God. + +9. A man considered in himself, that is, independently of God, by whom he +subsists, is no more than a shadow. And as the shadow of a tree constantly +conforms to the tree on which it depends, so should man conform to the +will of God from whom he has his very life and being; as the apostle says: +"In him we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28. It is true, +the fruit will sometimes appear in the shadow of the tree; yet it does not +therefore belong to the shadow, but to the tree: so all the good fruits +that may appear in thy life and conduct, are not the produce of thy own +self and thy ability, but of God alone, who is the original source whence +all good fruits proceed. And as the apple grows not from that gross +substance the wood, which is seen by the eye, but from the seminal virtue +which the tree contains, and which is made active from above; so the new +man, and the fruit he bears, spring not up from anything that is gross and +visible to the eye, but from a supernatural and invisible seed. + +10. Now, man is by nature a dry tree; but God is his strength, whereby +life is renewed in him, and he himself is made fat and green in the house +of God. God is the "strength of our life" (Psal. 27:1), says the Psalmist: +and hence we "shall bring forth much fruit whilst we abide in Christ." +John 15:5. + +11. When a man is thus wretched and poor in his own eyes, and has nothing +in the world in which to trust but the pure grace of God, manifested in +Christ Jesus, then God graciously "looks upon him." This divine regard +must be understood in a divine sense. The look or countenance of God, is +not as the countenance of men, destitute of life and virtue: but it is +accompanied with a living power and influence that supports and revives +the faint and penitent sinner. And as none but the humble and contrite are +capable of this heavenly regard; so the more fully they receive the +consolation which God grants, the less do they think themselves worthy of +it. Such a one deems himself unworthy of all blessings divine and +temporal. He says with Jacob, "I am not worthy of the least of all the +mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant:" +for behold, since thou gavest me thy Son Jesus Christ, I come with two +bands, with the blessings of grace and of glory. Gen. 32:10. And truly, if +a man should weep a sea of tears, it were by no means sufficient to +purchase or deserve the least part of heavenly comfort: the grace of God +cannot be merited by men, who deserve nothing but wrath and eternal +damnation. + +12. Whoever thus acquaints himself in faith with his own misery, is truly +one of those poor and contrite men, to whom the Lord graciously looks. +Without this previous brokenness of heart, man cannot expect to enjoy this +blessed aspect of God, nor indeed that grace and kindness which is +promised to the poor in spirit only. In this weakness and poverty the +apostle glories, when he says: "If I must needs glory, I will glory of the +things which concern mine infirmities" (2 Cor. 11:30): and he adds the +reason: "that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Cor. 12:9. For so +great indeed is the mercy of God, that he will not see the work of his +hands destroyed: but the weaker the creature is in itself, the more is it +sustained by the power of an Almighty Being. For in the weakness of the +creature, the power of God is exalted, as the Lord declared unto Paul: "My +grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in +weakness." + +13. The more vile and miserable therefore a Christian is in his own +opinion, the more freely God looks upon him, to the greater manifestation +of the riches of his glory. And in bestowing this heavenly consolation, he +does not look at all on man's merit, but barely on his want and poverty. +And this comfort can in no degree be compared with any human comfort, all +which it infinitely exceeds. In such a sense, then, God looks to the +contrite man and comforts his spirit. + +14. By "the poor and contrite man," is not to be understood, a man that is +poor in the outward sense of the word, or who is altogether destitute of +human help and relief; but _he_ is the poor man, who labors under the load +of his sins, and is grieved for them. If sin were not in the world, there +could be no misery: but now so much misery cannot befall a man, but that +he is still worthy of much more. Ps. 103:10. Far be it therefore from us +to grieve, because we have not many temporal benefits conferred upon us; +since we are not worthy even of the least of them, no, not of life itself. +Our flesh and blood may think this a hard saying; yet every penitent +sinner ought to be a severe judge in his own case, and ought not to make +the least allowance to his carnal propensities. This is the order in which +we are to obtain God's favor and mercy. + +15. And what has man now left to boast of, or what language shall he +employ when he opens his mouth? The best course he can take will be to say +simply, "Lord, I have sinned; have thou mercy upon me!" And, truly, God +himself requires no more from a man than that he humbly deplore his sin, +and in the unfeigned language of repentance pray for pardon. Whoever +neglects this, may be said to have slighted the best and most needful part +of his being, Weep not therefore, O Man! on account of thy _body_, that it +is naked and sick, pinched with hunger and cold, insulted and persecuted; +or because it is confined by bonds and a prison: but humble thyself before +the Lord, and bewail the woful condition of thy _soul_, which is +constrained to dwell in so wretched a house as thy body is, a house of sin +and death. "O wretched man," says the apostle, "who shall deliver me from +the body of this death?" Rom. 7:24. This free and Christian acknowledgment +of thine own inward misery, this godly sorrow, this thirst after divine +grace, this faith leaning on Christ alone, open, in Christ, the door of +grace, by which God enters into thy soul. "Be zealous, therefore, and +repent. Behold, I stand," saith the Lord, "at the door and knock; if any +man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with +him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20): which supper is nothing else than the +remission of sin, attended with heavenly comfort, with life and +blessedness. This is the door of faith (Acts 14:27), through which the +Lord, at the right time, enters into the soul; and after the day of toil +and sorrow is over, refreshes her with the light of his countenance. Then +it is, that "mercy and truth meet together; righteousness and peace kiss +each other; that truth springs out of the earth, and righteousness looks +down from heaven." Ps. 85:10, 11. Then it is that the woman, that poor +sinner, but now a penitent, anoints the feet of her Lord, washes them with +tears, and wipes them with the hairs of her head, expressing thereby all +the marks of an unfeigned and deep humility. Luke 7:37. Then it is, that +the spiritual priest (Rev. 1:6), in the holy ornaments of faith, offers up +the true sacrifice, even a broken and lowly spirit, with the incense of +true contrition and prayer. Ps. 51:19. Then it is that the true sanctified +water of purifying (Numb. 8:7) is applied,--the tears which grief for sin +caused to flow; and now, through faith and by the power of the blood of +Christ, the spiritual Israelite is washed and cleansed. + +16. And thus, O Christian! is seen how by the sense of thy own misery, and +by faith in Christ attending it, thou mayest attain the grace and favor of +God. To conclude, the more wretched and miserable any one is in his own +judgment, the more dearly he is beloved of God, and the more gracious is +the regard which the Lord will bestow upon him. + + + + +Chapter XX. + + +A Truly Christian Sorrow For Sin Promotes The Daily Amendment Of The Life + Of Man, Makes Him Meet For The Kingdom Of God, And Fits Him, In An + Increasing Degree, For Eternal Life. + + + _Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented + of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death._--2 COR. 7:10. + + +True Christianity consists solely in pure faith, love, and a holy life. +This holiness of life springs from true repentance, sorrow, and +self-knowledge; so that a man not only more and more feels his failings +and imperfections, but amends them also, and, in this order, partakes of +the righteousness and holiness of Christ by faith. 1 Cor. 1:30. + +2. But in order to regulate the grand work of salvation with the better +order and care, thou oughtest now to walk in a submissive and filial fear +of God, guarding against all that would gratify the flesh. "All things are +lawful," says the apostle, "but all things are not expedient" (1 Cor. +6:12); that is, "all things edify not." 1 Cor. 10:23. As a dutiful child, +confined to the father's house, does not so much as attempt to follow his +own humor in everything; but, unwilling to offend his parent, observes his +will and pleasure: so a true Christian and child of God will behave +himself in his Father's house, in so careful a manner, as not to allow his +senses any unlawful liberty. He will neither do nor speak anything without +consulting first his Father in heaven, under whose eye he constantly +lives, knowing that He is everywhere present. + +3. Most men live without any fear of God, freely indulging themselves in +worldly pleasures and satisfaction. They will not consider that it is far +better to have a constant fear of God fixed in the heart, than a constant +joy of the world. For as the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and +begets a serious frame of mind; so the joy of this world extinguishes all +good impressions, and banishes true wisdom out of the heart, together with +all godly fear and devotion. + +4. By daily repentance and mortification of the flesh, man is daily +renewed in God's image; for "though our outward man perish, yet the inward +man is renewed day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16); and often, in the midst of his +sorrows, is he visited with a taste of heavenly joy and sweetness. +Whereas, the pleasure and joy of the world are always attended with +heaviness of heart, and an inward sting of a wounded conscience. If the +people were but more sensible of the melancholy effects resulting from +worldly pleasure, and particularly of that damp which it puts upon +heavenly comfort, they would certainly dread all loose and worldly +enjoyments: since thereby the grace of devotion is quenched, and the soul +diverted from those purer pleasures which the Gospel of Christ affords. + +5. There are two things which prevent those who seriously consider them +from being influenced either by worldly pleasures or outward calamities. +The one is, the _eternal pain of the damned_; whoever earnestly ponders +it, will almost find it impossible to be thoroughly merry after the way of +the world. The other is, _the eternal joy of the blessed in heaven_. +Whoever has a sound apprehension of so happy a state, will never be +greatly moved with the calamities of the present life; and this arises +from the consideration of the eternity of those divine enjoyments. But so +great is the levity of our hearts, that it hinders us from any serious +reflection on so important a subject. And hence it is no wonder that we +are both without this wholesome contrition and sorrow, and ignorant of all +celestial joys and comforts. + +6. It is the prerogative of a true Christian to be, on the one hand, but +sparingly, if at all, moved with earthly things, or temporal advantages; +and, on the other, to be the more deeply impressed with the joys of God, +and of life eternal. Neither is he immoderately dejected in the present +adversities that may befall him; but the loss of the soul grieves him to +his very heart, and he counts it worthy of long lamentation. As for the +perishing comfort of this life, he knows it cannot be called a loss, since +he shall receive a thousand-fold for it in the world to come. But when a +soul is once cast away, it can never be restored. + +7. Blessed is the man who is affected with godly sorrow, and tastes that +celestial consolation which succeeds it. But, alas! how much of our time +do we spend in worldly joy and merriment, when we have greater reason to +bewail our own misery and that of others! There is no true liberty, no +solid delight, no substantial satisfaction, but in the fear of God, and in +a quiet, serene conscience. But this blessing can never exist without +faith, and without a holy life and conversation. This faith, attended with +godly sorrow, daily proceeds more and more to correct our faults and +imperfections. Whoever neglects this daily reform of his life and manners, +wastes the most precious part of his time, which he should employ to +secure the interest of his immortal soul. He is an adversary to the new +life; he hinders the kingdom of God in himself; and he can never be cured +of the blindness and hardness of his heart, so long as he remains in that +state. + +8. It follows, therefore, that he only deserves the name of a prudent and +wise man, who carefully avoids whatever he understands to be an obstacle +to the reforming of his life, and to the improving of himself in heavenly +gifts and graces. Happy is he who not only avoids such things as are +detrimental to his body and estate, but also detests those which hinder +the soul in her spiritual progress. + +9. Be therefore courageous, O Man, and endure hardness as a good soldier +of Christ! 2 Tim. 2:3. An evil habit of mind must be overcome with a good +one. It is the apostle's exhortation: "Be not overcome of evil, but +overcome evil with good." Rom. 12:21. The cure of thy soul is not +impossible. View, in the first place, thy own corruptions, and judge them +severely, before thou presumest to censure the faults of thy neighbor. Be +not too forward in admonishing and correcting others; but endeavor to heal +first thy evils at home, before thou enterest upon the reforming of those +that are abroad. + +10. Go on, therefore, O Christian, and learn the lesson of daily +repentance, sorrow, and contrition of heart. If the world despise thee +upon that account, and decry this wholesome exercise as error and as +melancholy, be not concerned at such poor and empty reflections. Grieve +rather that thou art called indeed a Christian, but that thou hast not yet +arrived at that strictness of life and purity of manners, which the Gospel +requires. Bear the contempt of the world with Christian constancy, and +consider the singular benefit which thence accrues to the whole practice +of true religion. For, if thou be scorned by the world, then God is ready +to support thee by fresh supplies of life and comfort, according to his +own declaration: "I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that +is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, +and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. 57:15. + +11. It is impossible that divine and worldly joy should, at one and the +same time, reside in the heart of man; so very contrary are they to each +other, and so inconsistent in their natures, causes, and effects. The joy +of the world is begotten in prosperity; but that which is from heaven, +springs up in the midst of crosses and adversities. + +12. It is true that it is against the bent of nature to rejoice in the +time of adversity, as the apostle himself seems to intimate: "As +sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having +nothing, and yet possessing all things." 2 Cor. 6:10. But then it is no +less true, that the grace of God cleanses our nature, and qualifies it for +such spiritual exercises. And it was after this change that the apostles +rejoiced, because they were "counted worthy to suffer shame for the name +of Christ." Acts 5:41. + +13. A Christian is become by the grace of God, a new creature, and hence +the tribulations of this life are made easy to him. The apostle declared, +that he even "gloried in tribulations." Rom. 5:3. As affliction is a +grievous burden to the old man, so it gives ease and joy to the new man in +Christ. Again, that joy which is from above, infinitely surpasses that +which is from below. Nay, the very reproach and contempt which a Christian +undergoes for the sake of Christ, is attended with a secret satisfaction: +and the reason we are so little affected with these heavenly visitations, +is on account of the joy of the world, to which we are still too much +addicted. + +14. A truly humble man thinks himself worthy of all manner of sufferings, +and unworthy of any divine comfort: but the more unworthy he thinks +himself in true brokenness of spirit, the more is he visited with the +goodness of God. And the more he weeps over his sin, the more is he weaned +from worldly enjoyments; for the whole world gradually becomes to him a +burden and a bitter affliction. + +15. A man that seriously views himself and his inward condition, finds +more reason to mourn than to rejoice. And when he takes a survey of the +lives of others, he will undoubtedly meet with abundance of objects worthy +of pity, or of compassion, rather than of hatred and envy. Why did Christ +weep over Jerusalem, even over that Jerusalem which persecuted and slew +him? Luke 19:41. Truly their sin and blindness was the evident cause of +it. And in this he has also left us a pattern, and with deep feeling +taught us, that nothing in the world should more powerfully melt us into +tears and compassion, than our own sins, and the impenitence and carnal +security which everywhere abound. + +16. Did a man as often revolve in his mind, that he must certainly die, +and appear before the judgment-seat of God, as he thinks on the concerns +of this life, and how to provide for them, surely he would be abundantly +more serious in his conversation, more diligent in the reformation of his +life, and more fervent in all the duties of repentance. Did he moreover +call to mind the unspeakable and eternal torments of hell, succeeding, as +they do, a short enjoyment of sin; this consideration would embitter to +him the sweets of this world, and in comparison, render all the +afflictions of this life, pleasant and easy to him. But alas! the +enticements of the flesh are so strong and prevalent, and our compliances +in their favor, so forward, that we seldom yield to such serious +reflections as these. + +17. Upon the whole, this should be a Christian's daily consideration: if +his body be pampered in lust and luxury; if the flesh be humored and +gratified in its inordinate cravings; then the life of the spirit loses +its vigor, and if not seasonably supported, will pine away into death and +destruction. Whereas, if the flesh be crucified with its lusts and +desires, the spirit lives and gathers strength. One is the death of the +other. If, therefore, the spirit shall live in thee, then thy body must be +certainly made a spiritual sacrifice (Rom. 12:1), and must spiritually die +to the world, and to all conformity with it. + +18. This has been the constant practice of all the saints, from the +beginning of the world until now. They have with thanksgiving eaten and +drunk the bread and cup of tears, according to that declaration of David: +"Thou feedest us with the bread of tears, and thou givest us tears to +drink in great measure." Ps. 80:5. And in another Psalm: "My tears have +been my meat day and night." Ps. 42:3. Again, "I have eaten ashes like +bread, and mingled my drink with weeping." Ps. 102:9. + +19. This has been the "daily bread" of all the saints to this day; yet it +has, however, been sweetened to them, _faith_ being mixed with it. This is +that godly "sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation, not to be +repented of." 2 Cor. 7:10. + +20. But as this godly sorrow is attended with life and happiness, so the +"sorrow of the world worketh death" itself. 2 Cor. 7:10. This kind of +sorrow arises from the loss of honor, of temporal goods and estates, and +other things of that nature. This sorrow has proved so fatal to many, that +they have laid violent hands on themselves, and procured their own ruin +and death by various contrivances. Of this there are not wanting many +examples in the history both of Pagans and Christians: though, indeed, the +latter ought better to understand the maxims and doctrines of Christ, who +has abundantly taught us, not to set our hearts on objects so frail and +perishing. For what is the loss of a handful of fading things, to the life +of a man, with which all the goods of this world cannot be compared? + +21. Be not, therefore, cast down by the loss of temporal goods, which, by +the very laws of nature, we can enjoy but a little while: but lay the more +to heart those incorruptible riches, that are laid up in the world to +come; and do whatever thou canst to prevent the loss of _them_. Death will +strip thee at last of all worldly possessions. Here shall be an end of +pomp and greatness. This law of death is equally given to all, and the +penalty of it attaches to all alike. The greatest king is seized on the +throne, and the meanest beggar on the dunghill (1 Sam. 2:8; Ps. 113:7); +for as the body of the one is, so is also the body of the other: both +putrefy and turn alike to corruption. Nevertheless, the Lord will remove +at length the veil of the shadow of death, which is spread over all +nations, and will "swallow up death in victory" (Isa. 25:8), and "wipe +away all tears from our eyes." Rev. 7:17; Isa. 25:8. + +22. Let these and the like considerations, induce thee patiently to bear +the loss of earthly things; remembering that the whole world does not come +up to the price of one soul, for which Christ vouchsafed to die. The more +thou withdrawest thy heart from temporal goods and estates, the less will +it affect thee, when thou shalt be obliged one way or other to leave them. +Thy grief will undoubtedly be the greater, the more thy love has been +wrapped up with them. Thus does the "labor of the foolish weary every one +of them" (Eccl. 10:15); as the wise man expresseth it. + +23. This is the unhappy state into which the children of this world plunge +themselves. They hoard and amass their goods with assiduous pain and +labor; they possess them with fear and anxiety of mind; and quit them at +last with grief and groans, when they can no longer enjoy them. This is +the "sorrow of this world," which begets no less an evil than _death_ +itself. + +24. We read, that such as adored the beast "had no rest" (Rev. 14:11): so +they that adore the great and toilsome beast of sordid and earthly Mammon, +may be said to have no rest, day nor night. This description of men, most +wretched and most unquiet as they are, may be fitly compared to camels, or +mules. These animals, traversing rocks and hills, and carrying gold and +silver, silken garments and pearls, spices and wines, draw many attendants +with them for their better security: but at night, when they are stabled, +all their precious ornaments, their embroidered garments and vestments, +are taken from them, and they, being weary and stripped, appear to be what +indeed they are, poor and miserable beasts of burden. Nothing is now seen +upon them but the prints of their stripes, and the marks of the blows +which they received upon the road. So, in like manner, that man who in +this world shone in gold and silks, in "purple and fine linen" (Luke +16:19), when the day of his death is come, has nothing left but the prints +and scars of a wounded conscience, contracted by the abuse of such riches +as were committed to his trust. + +25. Therefore, O man! learn to relinquish this world, before it +relinquishes thee. If thou break not with the world, the world will break +with thee, and leave horror and anguish behind it. He who withdraws his +soul from the world, before he quits the world with his body, can joyfully +die: since he is loosed from the ties which bound him to these inferior +objects. As the Israelites, when they were about to leave the land of +Egypt, were daily afflicted with greater burdens by Pharaoh, who designed +to destroy them, and, if possible, utterly to extirpate their progeny +(Exod. 5:9); so the infernal Pharaoh, who desires to hinder our eternal +salvation, when we are now upon the very borders of life everlasting, +still attempts to load us with more of the concerns of this life, and +thereby to obstruct our passage into a better world. + +26. It is certain that we cannot carry with us the least dust of all our +earthly possessions into the kingdom of heaven. Nay, our very body must be +left behind us until the day of resurrection. If we know anything, we know +that the way leading to life is so very _strait_, as to strip the soul +entirely of anything that will hinder her passage. "Narrow is the way +which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:14. As the +husbandman separates the wheat from the chaff, so death frees the soul +from all the chaff and dross of this world, from all riches, and +greatness, and worldly attire, which now, like the chaff, are driven away. + +27. Go therefore, O man, and seriously ponder in thy mind what the apostle +declares: "Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be +repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." 2 Cor. 7:10. + + + + +Chapter XXI. + + + Of The True Worship Of God. + + + _The sons of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord, and there + went out fire from the Lord and devoured them._--LEV. 10:1, 2. + + +This fire is called _strange_, because it was different from that which +continually burned upon the altar, and with which, according to the +command of God, the burnt-offerings were consumed. It is, therefore, a +type of false worship; and the sons of Aaron were destroyed with avenging +flames, because they violated the divine precept. + +2. This marked displeasure of the jealous and righteous God, is in like +manner provoked by those who, from the motion of their own unregenerate +mind, and from a singular presumption of devotion or religious sanctity, +introduce a new and peculiar worship of God; which, not being enjoined by +himself, provokes his indignation, anger, and vengeance; because "God is a +consuming fire." Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29. + +3. In order that _we_ may not incur the wrath of the divine majesty, let +us consider wherein the true worship of God consists; for the punishment +of temporal fire, inflicted on false worship under the _Old_ Testament, is +to us a proof, that the Lord will also, under the _New_ dispensation, take +the severest vengeance on all strange worship, not only with everlasting, +but also with temporal fire, wars, desolations, and effusion of blood. + +4. Now, we can learn wherein the true worship of God consists, when we +compare the Old Testament with the New. The ceremonies which the former +prescribed, referred typically to the Messiah. Devout Jews saw, as it +were, the Messiah from afar, believed on him, and, according to the +promise, obtained deliverance from sin and death through him. But our +worship, according to the _New_ Testament, does not consist in external +ceremonies; we are taught to worship God in spirit and in truth, that is, +to believe in Christ, who fulfilled the Law. Thus he redeemed us from the +curse of the law (Gal. 3:13), and made us free from all Jewish ceremonies +(Gal. 5:1); so that now, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we serve +God with a willing heart and mind (Jerem. 31:33; Rom. 8:14), and our +conscience and faith are not bound by human ordinances. + +5. To true, spiritual, internal Christian worship, three things belong. 1. +The _true knowledge of God_. 2. The _knowledge of sin_, accompanied with +unfeigned repentance. And 3. The _knowledge of grace_, attended with +remission of sin. + +6. The _knowledge of God_ consists in faith, which apprehends Christ, and +in him, and through him, knows God, his omnipotence, love, mercy, +righteousness, truth, wisdom; all which are God himself. For what is God? +Surely no other than pure omnipotence, pure love and mercy, pure justice, +truth, and wisdom. And the same is to be said of Christ, and of the Holy +Spirit. + +7. But whatever God is, he is not to himself only, but also to _me_, by +his gracious will, made manifest in Christ Jesus. Thus _to me_ is God +omnipotent; _to me_ he is merciful; _to me_ eternal righteousness, through +faith and remission of sins. _To me_, also, he is everlasting truth and +wisdom. Thus it is, also, with Christ. He is made _to me_ eternal +omnipotence, the almighty Head, and Prince of my life, my most merciful +Saviour, everlasting love, unchangeable righteousness, truth, and wisdom; +according to the words of the apostle: "Christ is of God made unto us, +wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Cor. +1:30. All of which is also true of the Holy Spirit, who is _my_ eternal +love, righteousness, truth, and wisdom. + +8. This is the true knowledge of God, which consists in faith. It is not +some empty and speculative science, as people imagine; but a cheerful, +lively, and effectual reliance on God, in which I feel the rays and +influences of the divine Omnipotence really descending upon me, so that I +perceive how I am upheld and preserved by him; how "in him I live, and +move, and have my being." Acts 17:28. I must also taste the riches of his +goodness and mercy. Is not that which the Father, Christ, and the Holy +Spirit, have done for thee, for me, and for us all, the effect of pure +love? What more perfect and complete righteousness can there be than that, +by which he rescues us from sin, hell, death, and the devil? And do not +his truth and wisdom most conspicuously appear in all that he has +accomplished for us? + +9. This, therefore, is the true and substantial faith, which consists in a +living and effectual reliance on God, and not in empty words. In this +knowledge of God, or faith, we must, as becomes the children of God, make +daily advances, and abound more and more. 1 Thess. 4:1. Hence the apostle +pours out most fervent prayers, "that we may know the love of Christ, +which passeth knowledge." Eph. 3:19. As if he had said, "Though it were +the sole care of our lives to learn the depth of the love of Christ, yet +would there still remain continual and never-failing matter for further +inquiry." Neither is it to be supposed, that this knowledge consists in a +barren acquaintance with the universal love of Christ, extending itself +over the whole world; but we must also taste it in our own hearts; we must +experience the sweetness and delight, the power and vital influx of this +immense kindness displayed in the Word, and embraced by faith. Can he say +that he knows the love of Christ, who never tasted its sweetness? Hence it +is said of some that were endued with this experimental sense, that they +had "tasted of the heavenly gift, and the good word of God, and the powers +of the world to come." Heb. 6:4. All this is effected by faith through the +Word. The same experience of the divine love is also intimated by the +"shedding abroad of the love of God in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." Rom. +5:5. In this consist the fruit and efficacy of the Word of God. And this +only is the true knowledge of God, proceeding from experience, and founded +on a living faith. For this reason the Epistle to the Hebrews calls our +faith a _substance_, and a certain and well-grounded _evidence_. Heb. +11:1. And this knowledge of God, that arises from a living faith, is one +part of the inward and spiritual worship of God. In a word, _faith_ is a +spiritual, living, and heavenly gift; yea, the very light and power of +God. + +10. When, therefore, this true knowledge of God is attained, by which God +offers himself, as it were, to be touched and tasted by the soul, +according to that Psalm, "O taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. +34:8); it is impossible that a sincere repentance should not immediately +ensue; that is, a real renovation of the mind, and reformation of the +life. For, from a sense and knowledge of the divine Omnipotence, proceeds +_humility_; since he must necessarily submit himself unto the mighty hand +of God, who has perceived its irresistible power and energy. From the +experience of the divine mercy arises _charity_ to our neighbor; for no +man can be uncharitable who has ever been affected by a sense of the +divine compassion. Who can refuse to lend to his neighbor, that considers +that God, from pure mercy, has bestowed himself upon us? From the +long-suffering of God, proceeds great _patience_ towards our neighbor; so +that were it possible that a true Christian could be killed seven times a +day, and as many times be restored to life again, yet would he always +freely forgive his murderer, and this on account of the boundless mercy of +God conferred upon himself. From the divine justice flows the _knowledge +of sin_, as the prophet teaches us: "Righteousness belongeth unto thee, O +Lord, but unto us confusion of faces." Dan. 9:7. "Enter not into judgment +with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." Ps. +143:2. "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall +stand?" Ps. 130:3. From the knowledge of the truth of God, flow _fidelity_ +and candor towards our neighbor; and all fraud, deceit, lying, and other +such sinister practices, are, in consequence, freely abandoned. The +sincere Christian reasons thus with himself: "God forbid that I should +deal deceitfully with my neighbor; for then I should offend the truth of +God, which is God himself; since he has dealt so faithfully with me, it +would be the blackest impiety were I to act otherwise by my neighbor." The +consideration of the eternal divine wisdom produces the _fear of God_. For +whoever knows God to be the Searcher of hearts, viewing the most secret +recesses, must necessarily dread the eyes of the divine majesty. "He that +planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not +see?" Ps. 94:9. Therefore, "Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their +counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who +seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down +shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that +made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed, say of him that framed +it, He had no understanding?" Isa. 29:15, 16; see also Jer. 23:24, and +32:19. + +11. From the true _knowledge of God_, arise the _knowledge of sin_, and +consequent repentance. This repentance brings renovation of mind, and +renovation of mind is accompanied with amendment of life. And this +knowledge, together with those things that attend it, makes up the other +part of the inward worship of God; and it is that sacred fire which, by +the appointment of God, is to be used with the sacrifices, lest his wrath +should be kindled against us, and we be consumed by the fire of his +vengeance. + +12. The injunction of God to the priests, not to drink wine or strong +drink when they were about to enter the tabernacle (Lev. 10:9), is an +illustration of this repentance; and in a _spiritual_ sense, it extends +itself to all Christians. For if we would enter into the tabernacle of +God, even into life everlasting, it is necessary that we should abstain +from the lusts of the world and of the flesh, and from all that tends to +bring the spirit in bondage to the body. For the love of the world, the +love of pleasure, pride, and other vices, are like palatable wine, by +which the power of the soul and spirit is clouded, and at last brought +under subjection to the flesh. Man, so subjected, is restrained from +entering into the tabernacle of God; that is, he cannot arrive at the +knowledge and the sanctuary of God; consequently he is deprived of that +discerning faculty, which distinguishes between things sacred and profane, +clean and unclean; so that he understands nothing of divine and heavenly +operations, and therefore is unfit to instruct those in sound doctrine who +are committed to his care. His understanding and thoughts are not +enlightened from above; but being overcome with the wine of worldly lust, +are eventually involved in gross darkness. This repentance, contrition, +and grief for sin, and this true faith in Christ, are followed by the +_knowledge_ of _grace_ and _remission of sin_; which, as it proceeds from +the merit of Christ only, so the benefit of this merit can be claimed by +no man without repentance. Repentance was therefore necessary, even to the +thief upon the cross, that his sin being first remitted, he might +accompany Christ into paradise. And that his repentance proceeded from a +heart affected with a holy contrition, appears from the reproof which he +gave his companion: "Dost not thou fear God? We receive the due reward of +our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss" (Luke 23:40), and from +the request he addressed to Christ: "Lord, remember me when thou comest +into thy kingdom." Verse 24. These are most undeniable proofs of a +contrite heart, embracing Christ and his merits by faith. + +13. This gracious absolution from sin, which is apprehended in faith by a +penitent heart, supplies all those defects under which we labor: but it is +entirely the effect of the death and blood of Christ. All our offences are +as completely annulled by his abundant satisfaction, as if they had never +been committed. The merit of Christ is of that extent and power, that +David exclaims: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and +I shall be (not only as white, but even) whiter than snow." Psal. 51:7. + +14. Hence also it is, that God is said to _mention_ the sin no more when +the sinner returns to his duty. Ezek. 18:22; 33:16. For whatever is fully +and completely paid for, yea, blotted out too, must of necessity be buried +in eternal oblivion. Isa. 43:25. But conversion must go before remission, +according to the order proposed by the prophet himself: "Wash ye, make you +clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do +evil. Come now and let us reason together: Though your sins be as scarlet, +they shall be as white as snow." Isa. 1:16. As if he had said: "Ye who +require your sins to be forgiven, according to my covenant and promise, +come forward and call me to an account. I do not indeed deny, that I +promised you remission of sins; but it was on no other terms than that you +should first repent. Where is your repentance? where is your true and +living faith? If you have these, all is well! It shall not be my fault, if +your sins (though as crimson in grain, though so deeply dyed, that neither +heaven nor earth can blot them out), be not wholly pardoned and made +whiter than snow." Repentance, therefore, is the true confession of sin; +and if you have this in yourself, namely, sorrow for sin mixed with faith, +be assured, that Christ, by virtue of his death and blood, will entirely +forgive you your sins. This blood, as it is shed for us, so it cries to +God in heaven, and procures a full remission of sin. + +15. When a man is thoroughly affected with this sense of sin, he hastens +in spirit to those cities of refuge, of which three, Bezer, Ramoth, and +Golan, were set apart on this side Jordan, by Moses, being appointed by +him, in order that he who had inadvertently killed his neighbor, might +flee unto them and be preserved. Deut. 4:41-43. + +16. And, alas! O Lord, how often have we inadvertently slain our neighbor +with thoughts, words, hatred, envy, anger, revenge, and unmercifulness! +Let us, therefore, fly upon the wings of faith and repentance, to the +sanctuary of the grace of God, and to the merit and cross of Christ. No +sooner do we arrive there, but we are safe; nor will the avenger measure +to us again with that measure with which we served our neighbor. For by +those cities of refuge, Christ Jesus is signified and represented. He is +the true _Bezer_, that is, a _fenced tower_, according to that saying of +Solomon: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth +into it, and is safe." Prov. 18:10. He also is the true _Ramoth_, which +signifies _exalted_: for Christ is the Most High (Isa. 52:13; 57:15), "And +at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and +things in earth, and things under the earth." Phil. 2:10. Nor have we any +other _Golan_ besides him; which, as the word imports, is a _heap_ or +_multitude_, a storehouse of all manner of celestial gifts. Hence, we read +in the Psalms: "With the Lord there is mercy; and with him is plenteous +redemption." Psal. 130:7. And in the epistle to the Romans: "The Lord is +rich unto all that call upon him." Rom. 10:12. + +17. And this is the _third_ part of inward, spiritual, and true worship, +arising from the knowledge of God. This knowledge is also the source of +repentance, as repentance is of remission of sins, and each rests on an +experimental knowledge of God, as on a proper foundation to sustain it. + +18. Thus is the letter of the law of Moses changed into spirit, or into an +inward, holy, and new life; and its sacrifices are converted into +unfeigned repentance. Hereby we offer up unto God our body and soul, +together with the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Hereby we ascribe +unto him alone, our knowledge, conversion, justification and remission of +sin, that God alone may be all in all, and his grace be worthily +acknowledged, and celebrated with thankful hearts and tongues unto all +eternity. This, then, as hath been already mentioned, is the true worship +of God, of which the prophet says: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is +good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to +love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Mic. 6:8. O when, therefore, +shall we wretched mortals become truly penitent, that we may obtain this +gracious pardon of sin? For without penitence it is impossible we should +secure unto ourselves so incomparable a mercy. For how can sin be +remitted, when there is no sense of sin, no sorrow affecting the mind, no +hunger after divine grace? And how can he grieve for sins, who utterly +refuses to abandon them, and to change his life for a better? May God, for +Christ's sake, turn us, that so we may be truly turned! Lam. 5:21. + +19. From these considerations it abundantly appears, that the true worship +of God is seated in the heart, and consists in the knowledge of God, and +in true repentance, which mortifies the flesh; and, through grace, renews +man after the divine image. In this order, man is made the holy temple of +the Lord, where, through the good Spirit of God, internal worship is +performed, in the exercise of faith, charity, hope, humility, patience, +prayer, thanksgiving, and the praise of God. + +20. But though this worship has regard to God himself, and is offered to +him alone; yet far be it from us to believe, that God has any need of our +adoration or service, or that he receives any advantage from it, or any +addition to his perfection. Let us rather think, that such is the mercy of +God to miserable men, that he is willing to impart himself wholly to us +with all his benefits, to live, to operate, and to dwell in us, provided +we be but ready, by true knowledge, by faith and repentance, to entertain +him in the heart, that as in the school of the Spirit, he may teach us +true wisdom, and carry on the work which he has so happily begun. + +21. For there is no work approved and accepted of God, but that of which +he himself is the author. Therefore has he commanded us to repent and to +believe, to pray and to fast; not that the benefit in any way might return +to him, but belong to us alone. For to God no man can give, and from him +no man can take away; him none can profit, and none can injure. If we be +found devout and sincere in his sight, we shall reap the advantage of it +ourselves; but if we be found false and corrupt, the evil will return upon +our own heads. But what harm, O man, canst thou do to God, if even thou +shouldst wilfully persist in impiety and a dissolute course of life? + +22. God, therefore, commands that he should be served on thy account, not +on his own. He being Love itself, it pleases him that many be found in his +service, to whom he may freely impart the streams of his love, yea, even +himself too. For as a mother cannot but love the infant that reposes on +her breast, so God takes a singular pleasure in a free and unconfined +communication of his love and kindness. + + + + +Chapter XXII. + + + A True Christian Is Known Primarily By Love, And By A Daily Amendment Of + Life. + + + _The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow + like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the + Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still + bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; + to shew that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no + unrighteousness in him._--PS. 92:12-15. + + +Not a Christian name, but a Christian life, evidences a true Christian: +let this therefore be the care of the Christian, that in him Christ may be +seen: and visibly appear unto others, in love, humility, and kindness! for +he in whom Christ does not live, cannot be a Christian. And this holy +life, having its roots within, in the spirit and heart of a man, must of +necessity proceed from this inward principle--just as the fruit proceeds +from the inherent virtue of the tree. For it is necessary that our life +should be influenced by the Spirit of Christ, and fashioned after his +example; according to that saying of the apostle: "As many as are led by +the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:14. "Now if any man +have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9): for all life +proceeds from spirit; and as is the spirit which inwardly acts, moves, and +governs in a man, so will the man outwardly appear. Whence it is evident, +how necessary the Spirit of God is to a truly Christian life; and, +therefore, Christ has not only commanded us to pray for the Spirit, but +has also promised unto us this gift. Luke 11:13. This Spirit is the Spirit +of regeneration (Tit. 3:5), by which we are quickened in Christ, into a +new, spiritual, and heavenly life, and from the life and never-dying power +of this Spirit of God, every Christian virtue must be derived. It is then +that "the righteous man flourisheth as the palm tree, and groweth like a +cedar in Lebanon." Ps. 92:12. + +2. Hence it follows, that a man must be first internally renewed in the +spirit of his mind after the image of God; and that his inward desires and +affections must first be conformed to Christ (which the Apostle terms "the +new man created after the image of God") (Eph. 4:24), before a suitable +life can proceed from the heart. But as soon as the heart is inwardly +renewed, the outward life proceeding from it is but a constant expression +of that vital principle which prevails within the mind. Yea, since "God +trieth the heart and the reins" (Ps. 7:9), it is reasonable that a man +should possess, in the more secret recesses of his heart, even much more +than outwardly appears in his life. + +3. Though, in our inward part, we attain not unto the purity of angels, it +is but just that we should fervently sigh after it. And, indeed, God +approves the desires of our spirit when it thirsts after a further +purification: "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, and maketh +intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Rom. 8:26. +Yea, the blood of Christ purifies us by faith (Acts 15:9), so that we are +"without spot or wrinkle" (Eph. 5:27); and in this respect we possess, not +the purity, holiness, and righteousness of any angel, but that of Christ; +yea, and Christ himself. 1 Cor. 1:30. + +4. This undeserved righteousness, freely applied to us, must renew our +body, soul, and spirit, and produce a true holiness of life and manners. +And this life, though it is at first like a tender palm tree, must daily +become more and more vigorous in us, and gather strength in Christ Jesus. +And our growth in Christ will be in proportion as we advance in faith, in +virtue, and the practice of a Christian life and holiness. This is to +"flourish like a palm tree." + +5. As the palm tree, when depressed, mounts the higher, so ought a +Christian to be renewed continually in his spiritual desires and +exercises. Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10. He is to strengthen himself every day +with fresh purposes to walk suitably to his new name, and with unwearied +endeavors to avoid the danger of being a false Christian. He is to proceed +with vigor and earnestness, as if he had but this day been initiated into +the principles of true religion. For as one that enters upon a new office +should have nothing more at heart than worthily to acquit himself in his +post; so also should we act, who are called unto Christ, "with a holy +calling." 2 Tim. 1:9. If this holy purpose be not firmly rooted within, no +amendment of life will ensue, no vigor in piety, no increase in Christ; +yea, the very quickening Spirit of Christ must be wanting. For such a +resolution and holy firmness of doing good is the work of the Spirit of +God, and of that preventing or anticipating grace which allures, invites, +and moves all men. Happy is the man, who with his ears and heart proves +obedient to it, and hearkens to that heavenly wisdom which "utters her +voice in the streets." Prov. 1:20. In a word, whatever a man views with +his eyes, is a manifestation of the Creator, by which he calls upon man, +and endeavors to draw him to the love of himself. + +6. Whenever, therefore, we feel this heavenly call or impulse upon our +minds, we should immediately set our hand to work, and take care that a +moment so invaluable do not slip away in a light and careless manner. This +is an hour free from such obstacles as at other times closely beset us. If +this be slothfully neglected, other days and times may possibly succeed, +in which we cannot think, hear, speak, or do any good. This being foreseen +by eternal Wisdom, she everywhere lifts up her voice, and calls upon us, +lest we should neglect the opportunity which is so freely offered. + +7. As a tree planted in the open air readily admits the light of the sun, +and the benign influences of heaven; so the grace of God, with other +celestial influences, shines upon thee, O man, and would revive and +nourish thee by its presence, if the affairs of this world did not hinder +thee from receiving the benefit. + +8. Call to mind the shortness of the time appointed for life! Seriously +consider how many opportunities of doing good, and of reducing the +Christian virtues into practice, thou hast already neglected. One half of +thy life has possibly been consumed in sleeping, and the other in eating +and drinking, and in other natural actions; so that when thou now comest +to the grave, thou hast but just begun to enter upon a better life. + +9. If thou art afraid to die in wickedness, O lead a holy life whilst thou +art in good health! If thou desirest to leave the world as a Christian, +endeavor to be a good Christian whilst thou art in it. Now, he only lives +as a Christian, who demeans himself as if he were every day to die; well +knowing that a good servant will at all times be ready at the call of his +master. And God, by death, as by his messenger, summons us all before his +tribunal. + +10. "Blessed," therefore, "is that servant, whom the Lord, when he cometh, +shall find watching. Of a truth, I say unto thee, that he will make him +ruler over all that he hath." Luke 12:37, 44. And who is it that watches, +but he who does not suffer himself to be carried away by the world, or its +unhappy votaries? Let us, therefore, flee from both; knowing that the +manners of this corrupt age are like baneful excrescences, which consume +the vital sap of a tree, and, in a short time, cause it to wither. + + + + +Chapter XXIII. + + + He Who, In Christ, Desires To Grow In Grace, Is Often Compelled To + Withdraw From Worldly Society. + + + _How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!--My heart and my + flesh crieth out for the living God._--PS. 84:1, 2. + + +Thou actest wisely, if thou avoidest too frequent an intercourse with +worldly men. For as it is never better for our bodies than when they are +at home; so it is ever best with the soul, when it is at rest in its own +habitation, which is God himself; from whom it derives life and being. To +him, therefore, the soul must return again, if ever she is to enjoy rest, +and find safety. + +2. It is observed of all creatures, that they nowhere thrive so well, as +where they drew their first life and origin. Thus the sea to the fishes, +the air to the birds, the earth to the plants, and God to the soul, is the +place of rest, according to the Psalmist, "The sparrow hath found a house, +and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young." Ps. +84:2. As that man will bring trouble upon himself, who gives young people +too much liberty to go abroad; so shall he suffer much, who yields up the +reins of his tongue and thoughts, allowing them to wander through the +affairs of the world, as so many circles of vanity. Be assured, that you +will escape many faults, if you study to confine your thoughts within the +limits of your heart. + +3. "Those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the +courts of our God." Ps. 92:13. What are these courts? They are the +internal and spiritual sabbaths of the heart; which, as Lebanon in the +desert, flourish best in a retirement of mind, and abstraction of spirit. +Labor to attain this solitude of soul, and thou shalt become fit to search +thine own heart, and to contemplate that variety of wonders and mercies +which God has bestowed upon us. + +4. Nor are we to imitate those who admire subtle disputes and inventions, +who take pleasure in reading fine, pleasant, and witty productions; which, +if rightly considered, deprave, rather than improve the mind of the +reader. Whatever does not promote the repose of the heart, and the +continual renovation of the mind, should neither be heard, spoken, read, +nor even be entertained in thought, by a disciple of Jesus. True +Christians are like the trees of God, which should daily grow stronger, +and take deeper root _in Christ_. St. Paul testifies of himself, that +besides "Christ and him crucified," he desired to know nothing. 1 Cor. +2:2. And this has been the practice of all the saints of God, who have +endeavored, to the utmost of their power, by carefully cherishing this +blessed tranquillity of heart, to approach nearer and nearer to a life +raised above the world, and to emulate those elevated minds that entirely +rest in God, as the centre of all their happiness. One of them once said: +"As often as I converse with men, I return less a man in some part or +other." For since the dignity of human nature principally consists in the +similitude of God, and therefore God hath described man to be the image +and likeness of himself (Gen. 1:26); it follows, that the more unlike any +man is to God, the less a man he is: and the more closely he unites +himself to God, the more conformed to HIM does he become. None can, +however, turn himself to God, who does not first withdraw himself from the +world. It is the nature of every seed, to bring forth a plant of its own +kind; so if the seed of God, the Holy Spirit and Word, be in thee, thou +shalt become a "tree of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he +may be glorified." Isa. 61:3. + +5. Nothing is more common, than that some word or other is dropped in the +conversation of men, which being idle and vain, grievously wounds and +pollutes the soul. No man, therefore, has more security and peace, than he +who keeps at home, in the house of his heart, and restrains his thoughts, +his words, and his senses, from straying beyond their bounds. + +6. He that will speak well, must first learn to be silent; for to talk +much is not eloquence, but prating. He who desires to command well, must +first learn to obey; since it is impossible that he should be a good ruler +over others, who knows not how to be subject and obedient to God. He that +desires peace and serenity of mind, must set a watch over his tongue, and +maintain a good conscience; for an evil conscience is like the troubled +sea; yet shall it find rest if it return unto Christ in true repentance. +The dove which Noah sent out of the ark, not finding any place of rest, +returned to it. Gen. 8:9. This ark is Christ and the Church, having only +one door or window, which is that of repentance, through which we are to +come to Christ. And as the dove retired into the ark immediately when she +found no rest for her foot; so when thou art floating in a sea of worldly +affairs, and art in danger of suffering shipwreck, retire immediately into +thy heart to Christ; lest, being too much tossed on the floods of the +world, thy rest be broken, and the tranquillity of thy mind entirely +destroyed. + +7. While thou conversest with men, and art engaged in the affairs of this +world, be careful to manage everything with fear and humility. Avoid all +self-confidence and rashness in acting. Remember that thou art as a tender +shoot tied to a prop, in order that it may grow up with the more safety: +so do thou constantly lean on the staff of humility, and the fear of God, +lest a sudden tempest should arise, and lay thee level with the ground. +Alas! how many a man is deceived when he, too unadvisedly, rushes into +worldly affairs. Persuade thyself, therefore, that it is as unsafe to +trust to the world, as to the sea. The external joy of the world, though +for a time it soothe a man in his carnal security, and promise prosperous +things, yet may soon be disturbed by an unexpected tempest, leaving +nothing behind but the sting of an evil conscience. + +8. If a man would, on the one hand, seek no pleasure in what is frail or +perishing; and if, on the other, with a mind freed from secular joys and +affairs, he would give himself up to those more heavenly concerns that +become a true Christian, he would often be visited with a fervent +devotion, a profound peace, a sweet tranquillity, a serene conscience, and +other divine comforts. But, alas! we will not be persuaded of these +things; and hence it follows, that our conversion, amendment, and devotion +are, by our too free conversation with men, rather hindered than improved. +We may find within us, what we easily lose in an inconsiderate pursuit of +things without us. And as a tree nowhere prospers better than in its +natural soil; so the inward man grows nowhere more happily, than in the +inward ground of the soul, where Christ resides. + +9. The conscience of man is possessed either with joy or sorrow. If the +conscience be conversant with things internal and heavenly, it will +refresh us with inward delight and comfort; but if it be polluted with an +excessive cleaving to worldly concerns, it will be of necessity attended +with inward sorrow and perplexity. 2 Cor. 7:10. + +10. As often as the soul is affected with hearty remorse for sin, she +bewails herself, and sends up secret groans to the throne of mercy. This +penitential exercise is a wholesome fountain of tears, in which the soul, +night after night, cleanses and washes herself by the Spirit and by faith, +through the name of _Jesus_ (1 Cor. 6:11), that so she may be duly +prepared to enter into the inward sanctuary, and holy of holies, and there +enjoy a secret intercourse with the Lord. + +11. And because the Lord is "a God that hideth himself" (Isa. 45:15), the +soul must approach him in a way remote from the noise of the world, that +she may the more freely partake of his divine communications. Hence the +Psalmist says: "I will hear what God the Lord will speak." Ps. 85:8. And +"I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. +This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his +troubles." Psalm 34:4, 6. "Unto thee will I pray: my voice shalt thou hear +in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, +and will look up." Psalm 5:2, 3. Thus the farther the soul retires from +the world, the more intimately she converses with God; just as the +patriarch Jacob conversed most familiarly with God and angels when he was +farthest removed from friends and children. Gen. 32:24-29. It cannot, +indeed, be expressed in words, how much a soul sequestered from the +friendship and fellowship of the world, is loved by God and by angels. + + + + +Chapter XXIV. + + + Of The Love Of God And Our Neighbor. + + + _Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, + and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned._--1 TIM. 1:5. + + +In this verse, the apostle sets before us love, the highest and noblest +virtue; and acquaints us at the same time, with four particulars +concerning it. _First_, that Love is the summary of all the commandments: +for "love," says the apostle, "is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13:10); +in which all the precepts are comprehended, and without which, all gifts +and virtues are unprofitable and fruitless. + +2. What he says in the _second_ place, namely, that Charity must arise +from a pure heart, relates to the love of _God_, which requires a heart +void of worldly love and affection, according to that saying of St. John: +"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For all +that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the +pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world +passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God +abideth forever." 1 John 2:15-17. Whosoever, therefore, has a heart +purified from all love to the creature, so as to depend or acquiesce in no +transient good whatsoever, can cleave most intimately to God, saying with +David, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that +I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the +strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." Psal. 73:25, 26. The love +of such a one, proceeds out of a "_pure heart_." Of the same character +also, is that love which is attended with great delight, pleasure and joy +in God; of which we have an illustration in David: "I will love thee, O +Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; +my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my +salvation, and my high tower." Psal. 18:1, 2. + +3. The apostle, in the _third_ place, teaches us, that love must be "out +of a good conscience." This properly concerns the love of _our neighbor_, +who is to be loved, not for the sake of interest or worldly advantage +(which would be a false love out of a bad conscience); but for the sake of +God only, and of his commandments. Nor ought we to afflict our neighbor +either by word or deed, either secretly or openly; nor on any account, +bear envy, wrath, hatred, malice or rancor against him; that so our +conscience may not accuse us when we address ourselves in prayer to God +Almighty. + +4. The _fourth_ requisite of Love is, a "faith unfeigned;" so that nothing +be done that is contrary to the rule of faith, and to our Christian +profession, and that God be not denied publicly or privately, in +prosperity or adversity. This is the substance of what is contained in +that sentence of the apostle. We shall now speak more particularly, with +respect to each of the several parts. + +5. In the _first_ place, then, _Love_, according to the apostle, "is the +end of the commandment;" for that love which arises from a pure faith, is +the noblest among the fruits and effects of faith; than which a man can do +nothing better or more acceptable to God. For God does not require at our +hands great and difficult enterprises, no high performances that exceed +our capacities; but he has changed the yoke of the Old Testament service, +and its many commandments and ordinances into faith and love, and has +given us for this end the Holy Ghost, who, "shedding abroad in our hearts +the love of God" (Rom. 5:5), renders everything sweet and easy, and proves +the original spring of this heavenly virtue. + +6. Love, therefore, is not a hard work, a labor attended with toil and +difficulty; on the contrary, it makes everything easy to a good man. "His +commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3), that is to say, they are not +so to an enlightened Christian; for wherever the Spirit of God comes, he +creates a free, willing and ready heart in the discharge of Christian +virtues. Nor does God require of his children great skill or learning: it +is only love which he regards. If this be sincere and fervent, free from +disguise and dissimulation, God takes more pleasure and delight in it, +than in all the knowledge and wisdom, in all the art and talent that any +man upon earth, in his best works, can possibly exhibit. Wherever this +divine love is wanting, there all wisdom and knowledge, all works and +gifts, are altogether unprofitable. They are accounted vain and dead, as a +mere body without life. 1 Cor. 13:1, 2. + +7. As for human learning and great abilities, they are common to heathens +as well as to Christians; and great actions are performed as well by +infidels as by believers. It is _love_ only which proves the sure test of +a sound Christian, distinguishing between the false and the true. For +wherever Charity is wanting, there can be no good thing, however it may +claim the admiration of men by its specious appearances. The reason is, +because God is not there; for "God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, +dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16. + +8. Love is also pleasant, not only to God who gives it, but also to man, +who exercises it: whereas, all arts and sciences, all the knowledge and +wisdom which man grasps, are not attained but with great labor and study, +with much care and application, and even at the expense of bodily health. +But this heaven-born love cheers both the body and the mind. It +invigorates the spirits, confers new strength, and wonderfully improves +and exalts the mind. Nor is it attended with any loss whatever, but on the +contrary, produces many good and noble effects in the soul. Love is itself +the reward of the lover, and virtue always carries its own recompense with +it: as, on the contrary, the vicious man is punished by his own excesses, +and vice is the constant tormentor of him that commits it. + +9. Again, when the other faculties of the body and mind are faint and +wearied, love faints not. Love is never weary, never ceases. Prophecy may +pass away, tongues may cease, and sciences may be destroyed; arts may be +lost, the knowledge of mysteries may vanish; yea, faith itself at last may +fail also: but yet "love never faileth," nor can fail: for when all that +is imperfect is happily removed, then love alone abides forever, and +attains its full perfection. 1 Cor. 13:8. + +10. To render anything pleasing to Almighty God, it is necessary that it +proceed from him; since he approves of nothing but what he himself works +in us. Now, God is love; it therefore follows, that all that we do, ought +to proceed from a divine faith, in order that it may be pleasing to God; +and from pure love, that it may prove profitable to men. This love must be +_pure_, without any regard to self-honor, self-interest, and those mean +designs which sometimes intrude into a Christian's actions. In like manner +our _prayers_ should spring from a principle of love, that they may have +the more ready admittance to the God of love. Consider, therefore, how +that man's prayer can be acceptable to God, who is full of wrath and +rancor, hatred and malice? Were such a one to repeat the whole Psalter +every day, it would be but an abomination before the Lord. True worship +consists in spirit (John 4:23, 24), in faith, in love, not in a long +recital of words. Remember the example of Christ, who, from a merciful +heart, cried, "Father, forgive them." Luke 33:34. A man that does not love +God, is also unwilling to pour out his heart in prayer and supplication: +but to him who is affected with a sense of divine love, the duty of prayer +is easy and delightful. A man that has a cordial love to God, readily +serves him; but he that is void of this love, does not serve him at all, +though he may submit to much toil and drudgery, and even heap one mountain +upon another. + +11. Upon the whole, then, nothing is more agreeable to human nature, +nothing better and more profitable, than this divine love, which, +therefore, should be stirred up in the heart of man, and when once raised +into a flame, should be carefully preserved from being ever quenched. + +12. Faith should work all things in a Christian through love; and love +should be the agent of faith, as the body is the agent of the soul. The +soul sees and hears, speaks and acts, through the body, to which she is +united; so, O man! should the love of God, springing from faith, do all +things in and through thee. Whether thou eat or drink, hear or speak, +commend or reprove, let all be done _in love_, after the example of +Christ, in whom resided nothing but pure love. If thou beholdest thy +neighbor, behold him with the eyes of a compassionate friend; if thou +hearest him, hear him with love and tenderness; and if thou speakest with +him, let thy speech be seasoned with love and Christian affection. + +13. Carefully preserve the root of Christian love by faith, in order that +nothing but that which is good may grow up in thy heart, and issue thence, +as from its genuine centre. 1 Cor. 16:14. Thou shalt then be enabled to +fulfil the commandments of God; since they are all comprehended in love. +Hence, a holy man has expressed himself after this manner: "O love of God +in the Holy Ghost! thou art the highest joy of souls, and the only divine +life of men. Whosoever enjoys not thee, is dead even while he lives; and +whosoever possesses thee, never dies in the sight of God. Where thou art +not, there the life of men is a continual death; but where thou art, there +life is made a foretaste of eternal happiness." Whence it appears that +this divine love is the sum and fulfilling of all the commandments of God. + +14. We consider now, in the _second_ place, that our love to God ought to +proceed "out of a pure heart." The heart of a man who is desirous to love +God, ought first to be cleansed from all worldly love and attachment to +the creature. It is then that God becomes the chief and sovereign Good to +the soul. She can then say, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, +and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot." Ps. 16:5. "The Lord knoweth the +days of the upright," that is, those that love him out of a disinterested +heart; "and their inheritance shall be forever." Ps. 37:18. "Delight +thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." +Ps. 37:4. In a word, God is the only fountain whence all our joy ought +constantly to spring. + +15. God, therefore, should be the most beloved object of our souls, and +our hearts should rest in him alone, because he is the highest good. He is +nothing else than mercy and goodness, love and kindness, clemency and +patience, truth, comfort, peace, joy, life, and happiness. All this he has +laid up in Jesus Christ. Whoever, therefore, has Christ, is thereby put +into the possession of all these heavenly virtues. And whoever loves God, +must also of necessity love God's truth and mercy, his goodness and +kindness, and the whole train of divine virtues. + +16. For, a true lover of God has a love to all that God loves, and an +aversion to all that God hates. If any man loves God, he must love truth, +mercy, and righteousness, because God is all this himself. He must also +delight in humility and meekness, since thereby he is rendered conformable +to that meekness and lowly-mindedness which resided in Jesus. On the other +hand, a true lover of God cannot but abhor all ungodliness, with all the +works of iniquity; because all manner of impiety is enmity against God, +and is the work of the devil himself. A lover of God hates a lie, because +the devil is the father of lies, and was a liar from the beginning. And +this is the reason that every one who loves lies, injustice, and other +vicious workings of nature, must needs, in that sense, be the offspring of +the devil (see John 8:44); and again, whoever loves Christ, his Lord and +Saviour, loves also the example of his pure and holy life, his humility +and meekness, his patience, and the other heavenly virtues that appeared +in his conduct. And such a one must of necessity be adopted into the +number of the children of God. + +17. This love, proceeding out of a "pure heart," must be obtained from God +by prayer and supplication. And truly, God is willing to enkindle in us +this heavenly flame through the love of Christ, if he be but earnestly +solicited, and if the heart be every day and every moment laid open to his +divine influence. If thy love should grow cold and weak at any time, +arouse thy heart, faint not, but stir up the grace of God within thee, and +be not too much discouraged at it. In the name of God arise again, set to +work, and renew the acts of thy first love. As thou art sensible of thy +coldness in love, thou mayest be assured from that circumstance, that the +eternal light of divine love is not _wholly_ extinguished, although it be +eclipsed, and at present give but little heat. Doubt not that thy Saviour +will enlighten thee again, and fire thy heart with his love; so that thou +mayest sit once more under his shadow, and rejoice in the light of his +countenance. At the same time be earnest in prayer and supplications, lest +hereafter the flame of this heavenly love should be again deadened in thy +heart. Such is love "out of a pure heart," unmixed with love of the world. + +18. Let us now consider, in the _third_ place, Love, as arising from a +"good conscience," and as it respects our neighbor. The love of God and +the love of our neighbor are so closely united, that they can never be +separated. The true touchstone of our love to God, is the love which we +bear to our neighbor. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, +he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how +can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from +him, That he who loveth God, love his brother also." 1 John 4:20, 21. For +the love of God cannot dwell in a man who is filled with hatred or malice, +or divested of all bowels of love and compassion. If thou hast no pity on +thy brother, who stands in need of thy help, how canst thou love God, who +needs not anything that is thine, and has commanded thee to express thy +love towards him, by bestowing marks of it upon thy brother? + +19. As faith unites to God, so love unites to our neighbor; and as a man +is made up of body and soul, so faith and love (that is, the love both of +God and of our neighbor) make up a true Christian. Thus he that "dwelleth +in love, dwelleth in God." 1 John 4:16. And since God effectually desires +the good of all men, it follows, that he who loves in like manner is of +one heart with God; and that he who is otherwise affected is against God, +and has not the mind of the Lord, but is the enemy of God as well as of +his neighbor. He is, unquestionably, an adversary to God who is an enemy +to men. + +20. It is the property of this love to bewail and compassionate the +infirmities of others. Gal. 6:1. Indeed, the failings and weaknesses of +our fellow-creatures represent to us, as in a mirror, our own +imperfections, and remind us of the various defects that encumber our +nature. Therefore, when thou seest another overtaken in a fault, consider +that thou also thyself art but a man; and learn from thy own infirmities, +to bear those of others with patience, meekness, and humility. Rom. 15:7. + +21. Such especially as sin, not from, malice or determined wickedness, but +who are surprised into a fault by weakness and inadvertency; and who, +coming soon to themselves again, repent of that which they have done, and +firmly resolve to watch the more against the snares of Satan for the +future; such souls as these are surely to be pitied and assisted. He that +does otherwise, shows that he has nothing in him of the merciful and +forbearing spirit of Christ. When a man hastily condemns the faults of his +neighbor, without feeling any love or compassion, it is an evident sign +that he is altogether void of God, and of his merciful spirit. On the +contrary, a true Christian, being anointed with the spirit of Christ, +treats all men as one that has a fellow-feeling with them, and bears with +them in a sympathizing Christian love and tenderness, according to the +example of Christ, which he has left us to follow. Therefore, if any man, +upon serious search into his inward condition, finds that he has not the +love of his neighbor abiding in him, let him know, assuredly, that the +love of God remains not in his soul, and that he himself is without God. +This should strike him with horror and indignation against himself; it +should influence him the more speedily (after repenting of his sin from +the bottom of his heart) to reconcile himself to his neighbor, that, in +this order, the love of God may also return to him again. Then all his +actions, while he continues in this love and faith, are good, holy, and +divine; and this love, dwelling in his heart, will actuate him freely and +willingly to embrace all men, and with great affection and joy to do them +all manner of kindnesses; so that he will "rejoice over them to do them +good," even as God himself. Jer. 32:41. + +22. Without this love, whatever is in man, is diabolical and altogether +evil. Nor is there, indeed, any other cause why the devil can do no good, +but because he is utterly destitute of love both towards God and man. +Hence, all which he does is radically evil, and deprived of all intrinsic +goodness. In all that he sets about, he designs nothing but God's +dishonor, and man's destruction. He cunningly contrives ways to vent his +enmity both upon God and man; and, therefore, he seeks for such hearts as +he can fill with spite and envy, and then discharges through them his +malice and wrath. "And hereby it is manifest who are the children of God, +and the children of the devil." 1 John 3:10. + +23. _Lastly_, Love must be "out of faith unfeigned," that is, we must love +God equally in prosperity and adversity. Whoever loves God sincerely, +accepts with joy all the dispensations of his Providence, after the +example of Christ; who, with a cheerful and ready mind, took up the cross, +which he knew that the will of his Father imposed on him. "I have," says +he, "a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened (and in pain) +till it be accomplished!" Luke 12:50. In the same manner have all the holy +martyrs carried with joy their cross after him. + +24. To those that unfeignedly love God, the cross, which Christ enjoins us +to bear, does not prove grievous or burdensome; and this for no other +reason, than because it is the _yoke of Christ_. Matt. 11:29. If the +magnet attracts the heavy iron, why should not that heavenly loadstone, +the love of God, attract the burden of our cross, and render it light and +agreeable; especially after the heart is affected with a touch of the +divine love? If the sugar sweeten such herbs as are bitter by nature, why +should not the sweetness of the love of God make that pleasant and easy, +which to the flesh is nothing but a cross and affliction? And truly it was +from the fulness of this love, that the blessed martyrs bore the most +exquisite pain with patience and joy; being transported with it to such a +degree, as to be almost insensible of their very torments. + + + + +Chapter XXV. + + + The Love Of Our Neighbor, More Particularly Considered. + + + _Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in + bondage._--2 PETER 2:19. + + +There is no bondage more hard and grievous, than to be under the yoke of +the passions: but of all these, none is so cruel as _hatred_, which so +weakens and depresses all the powers both of body and mind, as not to +leave to the man one free thought. On the contrary, he who lives in _love_ +is _free_. He is no slave to anger, envy, covetousness, pride, lying, or +calumny; and being delivered from these by love, he suffers not himself to +be subdued by evil desires, but continues Christ's freeman (1 Cor. 7:22) +in the liberty of the Spirit: for "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there +is liberty." 2 Cor. 3:17. Whosoever, therefore, walks in the love of +Christ, is no longer a slave to sin, or a servant to carnal affections; +for the Spirit of God's love has freed and purified him from carnal +concupiscence. And we see that the love of God extends over all men; of +which we not only find sufficient proofs in Scripture, but the footsteps +of his universal benignity are also everywhere displayed in nature. We are +all equally covered with the heavens, and have all the use of the sun, the +air, the earth, and the water; as well they who are of high degree, as +they who are of the meanest condition. And the very same mind that is in +God towards us, ought also to be in us towards men; God himself having set +us a pattern of universal kindness for our imitation. He regards not one +more than another, but loves all with an equal affection. With him there +is no respect of persons, of dignity, or merit; but he beholds all alike +in Christ. This is for our instruction. Now, as God acts towards us, so +ought we to act towards our neighbor. And truly, after the same manner as +we deal with man, so God will deal with us again. We need not go far to +inquire what favor we have with God Almighty. If we but enter into our own +conscience, it will impartially tell us, what mind and affection we bear +to our neighbor; and as we have done to him, so will God certainly do to +us again, and return our works into our own bosom. And in this sense it is +said of God, that "with the pure he shews himself pure; and with the +froward, shews himself froward" (Ps. 18:26); that is, if thou bearest an +evil mind to thy neighbor, God will be thine adversary also. + +2. Since, therefore, God has no need of our service, he has substituted +our neighbor in his place, to receive our charity, and has commanded us to +pay it as to himself. He has made this love of our neighbor the very +_touch-stone_ by which we are to examine the sincerity of our love to God. + +3. And it is for this reason that he has enjoined the love of our neighbor +with so great earnestness, requiring us to show constantly the same love +to him which God shows to us. For unless a man be fully reconciled to, and +be in perfect charity with his neighbor, he cannot have the favor or grace +of God. And although all the sins of the world are atoned for by the death +of Christ, and a full pardon obtained, yet all mankind may in some sense +be said to be in the same circumstances with the servant in the parable, +who had not wherewithal to pay; the king freely remitted him all his +debts: but when he afterwards behaved himself cruelly towards his +fellow-servant, the king revoked his pardon, and condemned the servant, on +account of the hard usage with which he treated his neighbor. Matt. 18:23, +etc. This parable Christ concludes with the remarkable expression: "So +likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts +forgive not every one his brother, their trespasses." Verse 35. And, "With +the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again." +Luke 6:38. + +4. Hence, it plainly appears, that man was not created for himself alone, +but for his neighbor's sake also. So strict is the commandment of loving +our neighbor, that when it is broken, the very end of our creation is +destroyed, and the love of God is immediately withdrawn from the soul. +Nothing is left but the severest justice, judging and condemning all that +are void of this charity. + +5. If we duly considered these things, we should never be angry with one +another; neither would "the sun ever go down upon our wrath." Eph. 4:26. +It is true, on the one hand, that Christ by his death on the cross has +offered a full and complete atonement for all our trespasses, and in this +respect, has remitted all our sins at once; yet is it, on the other hand, +an awful consideration, that the whole extent of the merits of Christ will +be of no avail at all to us, if we continue to hate our brother, and will +neither pardon nor love him. We shall be entirely cut off from all the +benefits that flow from the atonement. + +6. Hence it appears how important the love of our neighbor must be in the +sight of God, binding us even to such a degree, that God refuses to be +loved by us, unless we love our neighbor also; so that if we fail in our +benevolence toward the latter, we fall at the same time from grace and +divine charity. And for this reason, we were created all equal and of the +same nature, that we might not despise one other; but, like children of +one common parent, live in peace and love, and endeavor to maintain a good +and serene conscience. + +7. Now, whoever hates and despises his brother, hates and despises God +also, who has forbidden all such animosities in the severest terms. If +thou contemnest thy brother, God also contemns thee; which hastens thy +judgment and condemnation, and deprives thee of all interest in the merit +and redemption of Christ, by which sin is forgiven. + +8. For it cannot be possible that a heart filled with wrath and +bitterness, should in any degree reap a saving fruit from the blood of +Christ, which was shed from a motive of pure love. Yea, the above parable +(Matt. 18:35) plainly convinces us, that God was less offended at the debt +of ten thousand talents, than at the barbarous cruelty of which the +servant was guilty; he can overlook the debt, but he cannot overlook the +want of love. Let us, therefore, ponder the words with which the Lord +concludes the parable: "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto +you." + + + + +Chapter XXVI. + + + Wherefore Our Neighbor Is To Be Loved. + + + _Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth + another hath fulfilled the law._--ROM. 13:8. + + +"Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? Shall I come before him with +burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with +thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my +first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my +soul?--He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord +require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly +with thy God." Micah 6:6-8. + +2. By this question, and the answer to it, the prophet teaches us, wherein +the true worship of God properly consists; not in ceremonies and +sacrifices, since we are not able to give anything to God, because all is +his own already; not in offering up human sacrifices, which he does not +require at our hands, but detests and abhors, because they are injurious +to Jesus Christ, the great propitiatory oblation which God appointed to +take away the sins of the world (John 1:29): but the true worship of God +consists in pure faith, which, from the visible effect of it, the prophet +here describes, by "doing justly," that is by the exercise of faith in +righteousness, in charity and mercy, (which is more pleasing than all +sacrifices); and in true humility and contrition, as it is said: "The +sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O +God, thou wilt not despise." Ps. 51:17. + +3. To this divine worship, founded within the heart, and proceeding from +faith, love, and humility, St. Paul powerfully exhorts us in Rom. 13:8-10. +His admonition contains in it both the praise of Christian love, and the +perpetual duty in which we stand engaged to our neighbor, and without +which it is impossible to serve God aright. For truly there is no other +way of serving God, except by that which he himself works in our hearts: +so that to serve God, is nothing else but to serve our neighbor, and to do +him all the offices of Christian love and humanity which we are able to +perform. + +4. The apostle calls love a summary of all virtues, and the "fulfilling of +the law." Rom. 13:10. Not that we are able by any acts of charity, to +fulfil perfectly the divine law, or that consequently we can merit eternal +life thereby; (which cannot possibly be, except our love were complete in +every respect, and arrived to a consummate perfection): but the apostle +desires to suggest thereby the wonderful excellency of this virtue, and to +incline us, at the same time, to an unfeigned love. As to our +righteousness, it is not grounded on any work of ours, but only on the +merits of Christ applied to us by faith. + +5. From this righteousness of Christ, apprehended by faith, springs love +to our neighbor, together with the whole train of Christian virtues, +called by the apostle "fruits of righteousness, which are to the glory and +praise of God." Phil. 1:11. But since the dignity of this virtue is so +very eminent, it will be proper to set forth further motives by which the +practice of it may be endeared to us. + +6. The first and strongest of all motives, is that which St. John uses: +"God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in +him" (1 John 4:16). For who would not wish to be in God, and to remain in +Him; and that God should be and remain in him? And who, on the contrary, +would not abhor to be in Satan, and to have Satan dwelling in him? And yet +this is the ordinary consequence, as often as charity is repulsed, and +unnatural animosities are admitted into the heart. For as God is a lover +of men, ready to save them from eternal destruction, so the devil is a +hater of men. This is further explained by St. John: "He that loveth, is +born of God, and knoweth God." 1 John 4:7. And again: "In this the +children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever +doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his +brother." 1 John 3:10. Now, can there be anything more desirable than to +be ranked among the children of God, to be begotten of God, and to know +God truly and experimentally? But whoever has his heart void of this love, +and has never felt its force and energy, nor tasted its goodness and +gentleness, long suffering and patience, this man knows not God, who is +pure love. For the knowledge of God must proceed from enjoyment and +experience. And how is it possible that a man should know Christ, whilst +he is a stranger to love, and to that loving intercourse which subsists +betwixt Christ and the soul? Hence it follows, that he that is without +love, is without Christ also. But he who is earnest in the exercise of +love, shall not be left barren in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ: +"For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall +neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus +Christ." 2 Pet. 1:8. + +7. The second motive is found in what our Lord himself says: "By this +shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to +another." John 13:35. Now, in order to be a disciple of Christ, it is not +enough to be a Christian in name, or by a mere verbal profession; but to +be a disciple of Christ implies much more. Such a one must believe in his +name; must love him, imitate him, live in him. He must, in a peculiar +manner, adhere to him; must feel the love of Christ infused into his soul, +and freely partake of all the gifts and benefits purchased by him. Whoever +has not this love of Christ abiding in him, is not Christ's disciple, nor +can he pretend to have any share in his merits. For how is it possible +that Christ should know a man who has neither faith in, nor any love to +him? As a flower is known by its fragrance, and fruit by its flavor, so a +true disciple of Christ is known by his love. + +8. Hence, St. Paul does not hesitate to affirm, that "all gifts without +charity are nothing" (1 Cor. 13:2); which is a third motive why we should +desire this excellent gift. In truth, neither the knowledge of divers +tongues, nor the gift of miracles, nor the understanding of high and +sublime mysteries, nor any extraordinary endowments, are sufficient marks +by which to know a Christian; this prerogative being entirely reserved to +"faith, which worketh by love." Gal. 5:6. Nor does God require any hard +things at our hand (such as the working of miracles), but to exercise love +and humility; virtues that may be apprehended by the meanest capacity. Nor +will it be demanded of thee in the day of judgment, whether thou hast been +versed in arts, tongues, and sciences, or what great parts thou hast +possessed in this world; but whether thou hast exercised thyself in faith +and love. "I was a hungered," saith our Saviour, "and ye gave me meat, +etc." Matt. 25:35, etc. And St. Paul says to the Galatians: "In Christ +Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision (no +gifts, no parts, no endowments, no respect of persons); but faith which +worketh by love." Gal. 5:6. + +9. Add to these, as a fourth motive, that passage of St. John: "If a man +say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth +not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not +seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God, love +his brother also." 1 John 4:20, 21. This all the inspired writers teach, +that love towards God cannot possibly exist in the soul without love to +our neighbor. For he that hates his neighbor must be an enemy to God; +because God is a lover of men, and requires us to be of the same mind. + +10. A fifth motive is, that love is the great law of nature, and attended +with many things beneficial to mankind, without which we would not be able +to live. When any good thing happens to man, it certainly proceeds from +divine love. Hence, St. Paul calls love, the "bond of perfectness" (Col. +3:14); and describes, in Rom. 12:9, 10, the excellent fruits that grow +upon this stock. And our Saviour himself teaches to the same effect: "All +things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to +them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matt. 7:12. And this is so +universal a truth, that the heathens themselves were, by the very law of +nature written in their hearts, convinced of it. Hence they said: "That +which you would not should be done to yourself, do not the same to +another." This excellent sentence, the Emperor Severus, a prince adorned +with many virtues, had daily in his mouth, and enacted it into a law for +the good of the country. + +11. A sixth motive is, that love is a beautiful image and a foretaste of +eternal life; when the saints shall love each other sincerely; when they +shall delight in one another, and converse together with wonderful and +ineffable concord, in an inexpressible sweetness, in unfeigned affection, +cheerfulness, and joy. Whoever, therefore, would conceive to himself an +image of that marvellous love and harmony, and obtain some foretaste of +the exquisite pleasures of the eternal beatitude, let him study this love, +in which he will find a singular pleasure, with much peace and +tranquillity of mind. + +12. The more pure and fervent our charity is, the nearer it approaches to +the divine nature. This is a seventh motive. In God, in Christ, and in the +Holy Ghost, there resides the most pure, fervent, and transcendent love. +It is then that our love becomes pure, when we love one another, not for +the sake of private interest, but for the sake of the love of God, which +is the great and unerring pattern which we ought carefully to follow. For +God loves us with a disinterested love: but if any man loves his neighbor +for his own private profit and interest, his love is not pure at all, nor +does it, in any degree, come up to that sublime example which is set us by +God Almighty. This makes also the difference betwixt heathen and Christian +charity. A Christian loves his neighbor in God and in Christ, +disinterestedly and generously, without debasing himself by any ignoble or +selfish design. Thus is his love preserved pure and sincere, free from +dissimulation, falsehood, and any counterfeit. Whereas the heathens +polluted their deeds with self-honor and interest, and other sinister +ends, which mingled with the best of their actions. This Christian love, +when it becomes a habit in the mind, produces a true fervency of spirit, +to perform still greater acts of love and benignity. And it is then that +love is truly fervent, when it inspires the lover with great mercy and +tenderness towards his fellow-creatures, and prompts to vigorous efforts +to relieve their necessity. When he has the affairs of his neighbor as +much at heart as his own, then he is ready even to "lay down his very life +for the brethren" (1 John 3:16), if need be, or, after the example of +Moses and Paul, to be "accursed" for the brethren, and to be "blotted out +of the book of God," if this possibly could be done. Exod. 32:32; Rom. +9:3. + +13. Hence it follows (which is the eighth motive), that we ought also to +love our enemies, according to the Lord's precept: "Love your enemies, +bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for +them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the +children of your Father which is in heaven. For if ye love them which love +you, what reward have ye? do not the publicans the same?" Matt. 5:44; Luke +6:32, etc. Herein consist the excellency and prerogative of a true +Christian; namely, to subject nature to this divine principle, to tame +flesh and blood, and to overcome the world, and the _evil_ therein with +_goodness_. Rom. 12:21. "If thine enemy hunger, feed him." Rom. 12:20. It +is not enough for a Christian not to hurt his neighbor or enemy; but he is +commanded to _do_ him _good_, and to support him with such aids, as are +convenient for him (Exod. 23:4, etc.); whoever refuses to comply with +these terms, cannot be a child of God, or a disciple of Christ. + +14. The ninth motive is, that whoever does not practise Christian love and +charity, separates himself from the spiritual body of Christ, that is, the +Church; and forfeits all the privileges of this body, and even the merits +of Christ; there being but "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Eph. 4:5. +For as the members when cut off from the body, no longer partake of the +life and power of the head, but are dead; so those that do not live in the +practice of love and charity, are separate from Christ, the sole Head of +the Church, and can receive no power and vital influence out of his +fulness. Therefore, St. John says, "He that loveth not his brother, +abideth in death." 1 John 3:14. + +15. Lastly, we ought to love one another, because on the wings of this +love the prayer of a Christian ascends to heaven. By prayer, all good +gifts are to be obtained; and without prayer, all helps and consolations +are expected in vain. But then our prayer must spring from the evangelical +principle of love; since God gives ear to no prayers, but to those that +are grounded on faith and Christian charity: "If two of you agree on +earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them +of my Father which is in heaven." Matt. 18:19. + +16. Come then, O man! let this sweet agreement and harmony be established +among us upon earth. Let us live in the spirit of love, that peace and +union may dwell among us; for where peace is, there is the God of peace (2 +Cor. 13:11; Rom. 15:33); and where He is, there "he hath also commanded +his blessing and life for evermore." Ps. 133:3. + + + + +Chapter XXVII. + + + Wherefore Our Enemies Are To Be Loved. + + + _Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them + that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and + persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is + in heaven._--MATT. 5:44, 45. + + +The first cause why enemies ought to be loved, is the express commandment +of God by his Son; for which he gives this reason, "that we may be the +children of our Father in heaven," that is, "of him that loved us when we +were yet his enemies." Rom. 5:10. As if he had said, "Unless you love your +enemies, you cannot be the children of the heavenly Father: and he that is +not God's son, what father shall he have?" This commandment of the Lord is +little practised; alas! how backward we are in bringing forth such fruits +as become the children of God! If we be his children, truly we ought to +study the great lesson of loving our enemies, that so, in some degree, we +may express the character of our Father in heaven. + +2. The Scripture says, "He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death." +1 John 3:14. And why does he abide in death? Because he has not yet +received that vital principle which is to be derived from Christ. The +spiritual and heavenly life consists in faith towards God, and in love to +our neighbor. Thus, St. John says, "We know that we have passed from death +unto life, because we love the brethren." 1 John 3:14. Whence it is +manifest, that love is an undoubted sign and effect of spiritual life or +restoration to life in Christ; as hatred to men is an infallible proof of +spiritual death and separation from God. And this spiritual death here, +will end in eternal death hereafter; of which our Lord faithfully warns +us. + +3. Whoever, therefore, suffers his heart to be filled with wrath and +bitterness against his neighbor, ought to know assuredly, that even his +best performances, his prayer and attendance on divine worship, and other +works of that nature, are altogether vain, and of no account before God. +St. Paul says, "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though +I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me +nothing." 1 Cor. 13:3. + +4. It is, on the other hand, the property of a noble and divine mind, to +pardon injuries. Behold how long-suffering God is, and how easily he is +reconciled. Ps. 103:8. Consider the example of Christ, the Son of God, +who, in the midst of his exquisite torments, like a patient lamb, did not +so much as "open his mouth." Isa. 53:7. Contemplate the nature of the +divine Spirit, who appeared in the form of a dove (Matt. 3:16), with a +view that by such a representation he might teach us a dove-like meekness +of mind, and recommend to us that tender simplicity of manners, which +becomes a true Christian. With what patience did Moses bear the reproaches +of the people, thus deserving to be called "very meek, above all the men +which were upon the face of the earth." Numb. 12:3. Remember also the +conduct of David, and with what lenity of mind he heard the curses of +Shimei. 2 Sam. 16:10. + +5. True love teaches us to be angry with none but ourselves. True peace +consists not in having much wealth, but in bearing patiently whatever goes +against our nature. Should a madman rail at the sun, and curse it for +being nothing but darkness, the sun would never be darkened by his +reproachful language, but continue his course, and enlighten the world as +before. So do thou also, and remember that there is no sweeter or better +revenge than to forgive. Such wise and excellent rules were practised by +many of the heathens themselves. Pericles, the Grecian orator, having +patiently heard a man revile him for the space of a whole day, when night +came on, kindly invited him to his house, and entertained him in a +friendly manner, saying, "It is easier to speak evil of virtue than to +possess it." Thus Phocion, general of the Athenians, when he had deserved +well of his country, but through envy was adjudged to death, and was now +about to undergo the sentence, being asked if he had any commands for his +son, generously made answer: "None, except that he never take measures to +revenge this injury, which I suffer of my country." The Emperor Titus +being told that two brothers had conspired to cause his death, scrupled +not to invite them both to sup with him; and in the morning went with them +to the theatre, and placed himself betwixt them, to behold the play. Thus +with marvellous clemency he overcame, at last, their baseness. And when +Cato had committed suicide, Julius Cæsar said: "I have lost a glorious +victory; for I had intended to forgive Cato all the evil that he has done +to me." + +6. But after all, as to the man who cannot be influenced by the +unspeakable patience and meekness of the Son of God himself, to forgive +and to love his enemies, him neither the example of the saints, nor of +heathens, will ever be able to melt into love and forbearance. For what +greater injustice and barbarity can be conceived, than that the Son of God +should be so shamefully treated by the children of men, be scourged with +stripes, crowned with thorns, spit upon, and loaded with all the marks of +scorn and derision; and lastly, be nailed on the cross? Nevertheless, he +was able to bear, with an unshaken firmness, all the affronts and +indignities which the malice of men was able to contrive; nay, and freely +to pardon all this barbarous usage, and to pray, "Father, forgive them!" +Luke 23:34. + +7. And, truly, it was to this very end that our blessed Redeemer set his +example before our eyes, that it might be an all-healing medicine for such +spiritual diseases as have seized upon us; particularly, that it might +abase all pride and loftiness, strengthen what is weak, supply what is +defective, and correct what is evil and out of order. Can the distemper of +pride be so violent, as not to be healed by the profound humility and +lowliness of Christ? Heb. 5:8. Can avarice and covetousness prove so +stubborn, as to baffle a remedy derived from that sacred poverty which +appeared in Jesus Christ? What wrath is so fierce and vehement, that his +meekness and lenity cannot mollify it? What desire of revenge so bitter +and barbarous, which his patience cannot assuage and compose? What +inhumanity so great and cruel, which the love of Christ cannot warm into a +sweet and compassionate temper? And what heart can be so hard and +obdurate, as not to be melted with the tears of Jesus Christ himself? + +8. Who would not heartily wish to be made like God the Father, his Son, +and the Holy Ghost, and to carry within him the excellent image of the +sacred Trinity, which chiefly consists in love and forgiveness? For it is +the highest of all the divine properties, to show compassion and mercy, to +spare and to pardon, to be kind and gracious: and that must be undoubtedly +one of the sublimest virtues, which makes us bear the nearest resemblance +to the Most High God, and to all such persons as are the most conspicuous +for goodness and virtue. + +9. Lastly, the highest degree of virtue is, when a man, overcoming +himself, is ready at any time to forget injuries, to pardon offences, and +to show acts of favor and clemency. "He that is slow to anger," says +Solomon, "is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his spirit, than +he that taketh a city." Prov. 16:32. This is the highest step of the +soul's ascension in her spiritual exercise; and when she has attained it, +she rests in God, and is perfect in him. + + + + +Chapter XXVIII. + + + Showing How The Love Of The Creator Should Be Preferred To That Of All + Creatures; And How Our Neighbor Is To Be Loved In God. + + + _If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in + him._--1 JOHN 2:15. + + +The heart of man is so constituted, that it cannot exist without love; it +must love God, or the world, or self. If, therefore, man be under so +strong a compulsion to love, let him direct his love to God, the supreme +Good, and give up that affection to Him, who originally planted it in man, +and kindled it by his good Spirit; and who is still ready, at our fervent +request, to rekindle this flame in the soul. His love to us is still the +great principle that produces our love to him: and if his love to us meet +with a suitable return on our side, then his love will, day by day, more +ardently embrace us. For love begets love, according to the words of the +Lord: "He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father." John 14:21. + +2. Wherever the love of God resides, it disposes the soul freely to love +all men, and not only to wish them well, but to do them all proper acts of +love and beneficence; this being the property of that love which is +grounded in God, and derived from him. Such a lover of God and of his +neighbor, will never hurt or defraud any man in word or deed. + +3. But the generality of the people are engrossed so much with the love of +the world, that they never even admit the love of God into their hearts. +This is plain from that false love with which they treat their neighbor, +and which, under a show of friendship, seeks nothing but temporal +advantage. Nothing in the world should be loved to such a degree, as to +injure the love of God, or to come in competition with it; especially +since there is so great a vanity and vileness in the world, and so great a +worth and majesty in God, as that no comparison can ever be made betwixt +them. As God infinitely excels all his creatures, so the love of God +infinitely excels in holiness and dignity all the love we can bear to the +creature, and is in no wise to be compared with it. No love to the +creature ought to have sufficient weight with us, to make us offend the +love of God, or to act in opposition to the same. + +4. St. Paul says: "Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit +thereof?" 1 Cor. 9:7. These words may not improperly be applied to this +case. Who is more worthy of our love, than he that hath planted it in our +hearts, and to whose love we owe our life and being? And as we all live by +the love of God in Christ, so we should all adhere to this love, and make +it our constant support even in the time of adversity. As a pilot in +tempestuous weather, does not leave the ship to the mercy of the billows, +but secures it by the anchor as well as he can, and stays its unruly +motions; so in like manner, when the ship of our faith is tossed about in +the sea of this world, and beset on all sides with the temptations of sin +and vanity, of wrath and pride, of lust and avarice, we should hold to the +love of Christ, and not suffer our hearts to be removed from that +spiritual steadfastness, which is to carry us safe through all the +tempests of this perverse and boisterous world. Romans 8:38, 39. Thus, +when sin and death, the devil and hell, tribulation and persecution, and +other miseries, threaten to overwhelm us, we are then to hold fast the +love of God manifested in Christ Jesus. This divine love is like that +mountain of salvation which was showed to Lot when he went out of Sodom, +to escape the fire of that accursed place. Gen. 19:17. + +5. The fire of lust, attended with everlasting flames and torments, is +worse than that of Sodom. But the love and fear of God are a sovereign +remedy against this profane love, and against any motion contrary to its +pure and heavenly nature. It was this divine fear and love which preserved +Joseph from the enticements of Potiphar's wife, and it still guards us +against the snares of an evil world. Gen. 39:9. + +6. No man can love the world, but he who has never tasted the love of God; +nor can any man hate, defraud, or circumvent his neighbor in anything, but +he that does not love God from his heart. Whence arise all the anxious +cares of this life, that grief and vexation of spirit with which poor +mortals are disturbed? Surely, from nothing but from a want of the love of +God. For the sweetness of divine love is so strong and effectual, that it +mitigates the sense of all the miseries that are incident to this life. +This love renders a man happy even in death itself. + +7. Again, such is the nature of love, that it influences a man to lay +aside all thoughts about anything else, and to fix his attention entirely +on the beloved object, in order to possess and enjoy that alone. Why then +are the children of men so much besotted with the things of this world? +Why do they not entirely forget all wealth and honor, lust and riches, +that they may enjoy him alone, whom they profess to love? This was in +former times the constant practice of the holy men of God; whom the +exquisite sweetness of this divine love had so much overpowered, as to +make them forget the whole world, and even themselves also. Hence they +were accounted fools in the world, when at the same time they were the +wisest of all men; and their despisers most deserved the name of fools and +madmen, as preferring a handful of frail and transient things, to +everlasting and never-fading prosperity. Those are the greatest fools, who +call the godly by that name, who, setting their love on things above, are +deeply concerned to obtain and eternally enjoy them. 1 Cor. 3:19; 4:10. + +8. A true lover of God, loves God as if there were nothing in the whole +universe to love but God alone. And for this reason, he finds all that in +God, which he sought before in the world. For God hath in himself all +things _essentially_, whatever we can desire. He is true honor and joy; he +is peace and pleasure; he is wealth and magnificence. With him are light +and life, glory and majesty, and all those delights that the heart of man +can desire. All is found in a more substantial and transcendent manner in +God, than it is in the world. If, therefore, thou lovest any creature, for +the sake of _beauty_, transfer thy love to God, who is the fountain of all +beauty. If thou wouldst love that which is _good_, fix thy love upon God, +who is the eternal source of all goodness, nay, the essential _Good_ +itself, and without whom there is no goodness at all. Matt. 19:17. For +whatever goodness the creature may seem to possess, it is but an +inconsiderable drop derived out of the ocean of the infinite goodness of +God, and which is besides impaired by many frailties and imperfections +that adhere to it. + +9. To conclude--is it not far better to set thy love and affections on God +alone, the unexhausted fountain and well-spring of all perfection and +goodness? The less a thing has of earthly gravity in it, the lighter it +is, and the more easily is it carried upwards. So it is with the soul; the +more it cleaves to earthly things, and is pressed down by them to the +ground, the less ability has it to raise itself to God, and rejoice in its +Maker. In a word, the less a man loves this world, the more will the love +of God and of his neighbor prevail in the soul. + +10. Hence it follows that he that loveth God, cannot but love his neighbor +also, and he that dares to offend God, will not forbear to offend his +neighbor. + + + + +Chapter XXIX. + + + Of That Reconciliation To Our Neighbor, Without Which God Withdraws His + Grace. + + + _First be reconciled to thy brother._--MATT. 5:24. + + +Every one who desires to be reconciled to God, must of necessity endeavor +to reconcile himself to his neighbor; because God takes the injury which +is offered to man, as offered to himself, and the evil done to man, as +done to himself. + +2. When, therefore, any one offends both God and man, he cannot be +restored to the favor of God before he is reconciled to man his neighbor; +for having offended them both, he must also be reconciled to both, which +is expressly attested by Christ himself: "If thou bring thy gift to the +altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, +leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled +to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matt. 5:23, 24. + +3. It will be needful, therefore, to say something further of the love of +God and of our neighbor, and to show how impossible it is to separate the +one from the other: and again, that this reconciliation, so joined +together, proves the true source of brotherly love and affection. + +4. This the beloved disciple has expressed as follows: "If a man say, I +love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his +brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And +this commandment have we from him, that he that loveth God love his +brother also." 1 John 4:20, 21. So utterly impossible is it, that the love +of God should subsist without the love of our neighbor. Hence, also, it +follows, that he who truly and unfeignedly loves God, will also embrace +his neighbor with the same sincere affection. And again, if the love which +we profess to bear to God be hypocritical and false, then the love with +which we seem to love our neighbor, will rise no higher than its +principle, but prove false likewise. Therefore, the love of our neighbor +is the test of our love of God, by the right application of which, the +truth or falsehood of that love will easily be discovered. + +5. This consideration gives us a true insight into the love of our +neighbor, and that brotherly reconciliation which ought to attend it. +There is a twofold object given by God to man, to which all the actions of +his life are constantly to tend; namely, the love of God, and of our +neighbor. Into this, all our endeavors ought finally to be resolved, and +we ought to make a daily progress in this holy exercise; since we are to +this very end, created, redeemed, and sanctified. In a word, Christ +himself is the one and only scope in which all our actions ought to +centre. Now, the more we approach to love, the more we approach to Christ, +and the better we imitate his unblamable life. + +6. For this end God was made man, or, the Word was made flesh, that he +might set before our eyes a most lovely and living image of his infinite +love and kindness, and that from hence it might appear, that God was LOVE +itself; love in His own immense, incomprehensible, and unsearchable +essence; and that man, by viewing so amiable an object of love as is +displayed in Christ Jesus, might be transformed into the same image day by +day. + +7. Furthermore, as, in Christ, God and man are united together by an +indissoluble tie, so the love of God is so closely connected with the love +of our neighbor, that the former cannot exist without the latter. Nay, the +love of God and of our neighbor can be no more disjoined or put asunder, +than the divine and human natures in Christ. And as he who injures the +humanity of Christ cannot but affront his divinity also; so he who offends +man, is in like manner guilty of offending the infinite God himself. We +cannot be angry with our neighbor, without being, at the same time, angry +with God! + +8. We will illustrate what has been said, by the following comparison. +When a circle is made, and from its centre a number of lines are drawn to +the circumference, all these lines, though ever so distant in the +circumference, meet together in the point, which is in the middle. Here +they are all united in one, and all flow into one, be they ever so wide +asunder, yea, even directly opposite one to the other. Not one of all the +lines, let their number be ever so great, can be broken from the rest, +without losing its communication with the centre itself, wherein they all +meet. So God is a point, or a centre, whose circumference is everywhere, +extending in a manner, to all men upon earth. Whoever presumes to break +off the lines of his love from his neighbor, must, in like manner, disjoin +and break them off from God at the same time. And as all these lines +cohere and concur in the centre, and therein mutually affect one another, +so is there a sort of central sympathy, and a fellow-feeling, as it were, +of the sufferings of our neighbor, provided we be but all united in God, +the great centre of all good Christians. + +9. The truth of what has been said, is forcibly illustrated in the history +of Job. When the tidings were brought him, that his temporal goods were +destroyed, it appears that he quietly bore the loss of them, without +giving any great sign of discontent at the appointments of Providence. He +still continued to bless the Lord, and freely to own, that he who had +given him his property, had also a right to take it away whenever he +pleased. But when he was told, that he had also lost his children, then +indeed it went to his heart: then he "arose, and rent his mantle, and +shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground." Job. 1:20. So let every +true Christian act when he hears of the calamity of his neighbor (here +represented by the children of Job); knowing that he ought more to be +affected with the misery of his neighbor, than with the loss of all his +worldly substance. For it is the property of true love, to be moved with +the miseries of other men more than with our own losses. O, happy men! if +they would live together in mutual love and affection! Then frauds would +cease; then injuries would be known no more, nor would there be any +complaint of unjust ways, or of underhand dealings. + +10. In order that this might be the more deeply impressed on the heart, +God was pleased to create but _one_ man in the beginning, together with +Eve, who was soon afterwards made. Gen. 2:21, 22. This was done, that all +mankind, springing up from one original stock, and, as it were, from one +root, might all unite in mutual kindness and brotherly affection with one +another. This is the reason why God did not create a multitude of men in +the beginning, but one only; whereas he created many beasts, trees and +herbs at once. + +11. The love which God commands us to pursue, is of that agreeable nature, +and of that incomparable sweetness, that it does not in the least burden +either a man's soul or body. Nay, it renders the mind easy under every +event, is most agreeable to our very nature, and in every respect attended +with a quiet and blessed life. But if the same God who has enjoined thee +to love thy neighbor, had commanded thee to hate him, thou wouldest then +have had cause to complain of hard usage, and of a far heavier burden than +that which love can possibly impose upon thee. For the spirit of hatred +and revenge is a tormentor of the soul, and a daily grief and vexation to +those that are enslaved by it. On the contrary, love refreshes the whole +man; and is so far from weakening or destroying body or soul (which is the +common effect of hatred and envy), that it is a great preserver of both, +and exhilarates them by the healing influence which it carries with it. In +a word, to those that love God, it is a pleasure to love their neighbor +also; but those who do not love God think it a hard and difficult task to +embrace their neighbor with brotherly love. + +12. But if thy depraved nature should still find it a hard task to love +thy neighbor, then consider how much harder it will be to be banished +forever from the presence of God, and to endure the pangs of hell to all +eternity. Wretched is the man, who makes so sad a choice as to prefer +hell-torments to a friendly reconciliation. Our own experience would soon +convince us, if we made the trial, that as by faith we enjoy solid peace +with God (as the apostle assures us, Rom. 5:1); so by Christian love and +reconciliation we enjoy peace with men, together with much ease and +tranquillity of heart: whereas, on the contrary, a mind full of rancor and +malice frets itself, and has no other reward to expect than the lashes of +an unruly conscience. + +13. The sum of all this is: Every virtue rewards its followers with peace +of conscience; and every vice punishes those that commit it with the +recompense which they deserve. Every virtue exalts those that practise it; +and every vice covers its slaves with shame. + +14. With regard to the order and method by which we are to proceed in +working out a sound reconciliation with our offended neighbor, the +Scripture is explicit. The terms of reconciliation are these: 1. The +offender is to confess his sin to his neighbor whom he has offended. 2. He +is faithfully to restore that of which he has defrauded his neighbor; that +is, he ought to return not only the _principal_, but also the _fifth_ part +over and above it. 3. If there be none to receive it, he is then to offer +it unto the Lord himself. Numb. 5:7, 8. + +15. This restitution of things unlawfully taken away, is commanded in such +strong and expressive words, as to show that it is absolutely a necessary +part of unfeigned repentance. St. Augustine has thus expressed his mind on +this subject: "The sin is not remitted, unless the thing unlawfully taken +away be restored."--"When the thing that is taken away may be restored, and +is not restored, there is no true, but a feigned repentance." + +16. And truly it is the property of unfeigned repentance to contemn all +earthly things, and count them as loss (Phil. 3:8), in respect of that +abounding grace which is bestowed upon a penitent sinner. Of this we have +a glorious instance in Zaccheus, and in his conversion to God (Luke 19:8); +who has had, however, comparatively few followers in this age. Sound +conversion to God cleanses the heart, and purifies the conscience, by +faith in Christ; it breaks the power of sin, and by influencing a man to +restore such things as are wrongfully detained, not only clears the heart +before God, but also the outward conduct in the eye of the world. For in +the heart and conscience a man is a thief before God, as long as he keeps +any thing back that is taken away, however he may cease to steal +hereafter. Therefore, in order that repentance may prove true, and the +conscience be freed from guilt, all possible restitution is to be made: or +if a man be not able to make full restitution, he ought fervently to +implore the Lord, that he himself, in his stead, would restore the things +taken from his neighbor, and thus do justice. + +17. Since a sinner is thus bound in a twofold respect to God and to his +neighbor, in order that his repentance may be full and efficacious, it is +required that both be satisfied. God does not accept any man's repentance, +unless he be first reconciled to his neighbor. Therefore, it is to no +purpose if thou shouldest say unto God: "Merciful God, I confess that I +have offended and injured my neighbor; I have damaged him by wicked usury +and fraud; and have dealt so with him, as I would not that another should +deal with me: which iniquity I humbly entreat thee, O Lord, to pardon for +thy dear Son's sake." Be not deceived; God will not be mocked! He repels +thy prayer, and saith: "Restore first that which with fraud and usury thou +hast taken from thy neighbor, and then thy pardon shall be ready." Not as +if a man merited the pardon of God by this restitution; this is a debt due +to his neighbor, and how can he pretend to merit any thing by that +restitution which he is so engaged to make, and which the law of God +expressly enjoins? For thus hath the Lord commanded: "All things +whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." +Matt. 7:12. "For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be +measured to you again." Luke 6:38. + +18. The same truth is confirmed by the following Scriptures: "Leave thy +gift (oblation or sacrifice) before the altar and go thy way; first be +reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matt. 5:24. +"Cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, +judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason +together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as +white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." +Isa. 1:16-18. And again, by the same prophet the Lord thus reasons: "Is +not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to +undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye +break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou +bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked +that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? +Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall +spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the +glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward." Isa. 58:6-8. + +19. All these Scriptures, with one consent, proclaim this great +truth,--that God will not accept the repentance of any man, or hear his +prayer, or regard his alms and oblations, unless he be first reconciled to +his neighbor, and make him all the restitution that is in his power. + + + + +Chapter XXX. + + + Of The Fruits Of Love. + + + _Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity + vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself + unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no + evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; + beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, + endureth all things._--1 COR. 13:4-7. + + +Even as the tree of life stood in the midst of Paradise (Gen. 2:9); so +Jesus Christ stands in the Paradise of the Christian Church, in order that +all believers might derive life and strength from him. The whole substance +of the Christian religion consists in _faith_ and _love_. As by _faith_ in +Christ, the life of a Christian is rendered acceptable to God (the life +which he lives being not so much his own, as the life of Christ in him); +so LOVE proves the fruitful principle of all such charitable acts as +relate to his neighbor. And so true is it, that all virtues, how shining +soever they may be, are of no account without charity; that even faith +itself is counted dead if it be without love. James 2:17. For although +faith, as it respects justification, has no regard to works, either +preceding, accompanying, or following it, but to JESUS CHRIST only, on +whom it lays hold; yet is that faith but mere show and pretence which is +not attended with love, though it should even work miracles. For as a body +destitute of a soul is dead; so the inward spiritual man, if he have not +love, is dead in all his members. Therefore hath the apostle declared, +that faith should work by love. Gal. 5:6. It is true that faith justifies +a sinner without works (Rom. 4:6); yet when it performs the functions of +mutual love among men, it will necessarily be accompanied with a train of +good works; this being the true test by which genuine faith can be +distinguished from all counterfeits. This is that faith which works by +love; this is the tree which bears abundance of fruits, as from the +following considerations will farther appear. + +2. The _first_ of these fruits is long-suffering. "Charity suffereth +long." The nature and constitution of this virtue no one ever more fully +expressed than Christ himself, the true tree of life, whose goodly and +salutary fruits we ought to eat, and to convert into our own substance and +nature. As he by his wonderful long-suffering bore the malice of the +world, that thereby sinners might be brought to repentance (Rom. 2:4); so +do thou also, O man, order thy life and manners, that it may appear +evident, that the meek and gentle Christ lives in thee, and that thou +mayest continue in him, as a member firmly united to its head. + +3. The _second_ fruit is kindness. "Charity is kind." This virtue was also +most eminently seen in Christ Jesus, and in that example which he hath set +us. David says: "Grace is poured into thy lips." Ps. 45:2. And the +Evangelist tells us, that "they wondered at the gracious words which +proceeded out of his mouth." Luke 4:22. To these words do thou give +attention, O man, and follow this great pattern of love and benignity, +that so Christ may also speak by thy mouth, and that thou mayest remain +united to him in perpetual charity. + +4. The _third_ fruit is, not to be envious and revengeful, but to be ready +to remit any offence whatsoever. "Charity envieth not." Nothing is more +agreeable to the nature of God, than to forgive. "The Lord is merciful and +gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, +neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after +our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities." Ps. 103:8-10. "If +the wicked will turn from all his sins that he committed, and keep all my +statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he +shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall +not be mentioned unto him; in his righteousness that he hath done, he +shall live." Ezek. 18:21, 22. "Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant +child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; +therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon +him, saith the Lord." Jer. 31:20. And lastly, this divine goodness is most +clearly expressed by Isaiah, and represented as the very character of God: +"I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for my own sake, +and will not remember thy sins." Isa. 43:25. Therefore be thou in this +respect also like unto the merciful God. Forgive, I say, and forget the +trespasses of thy neighbor, that so, in like manner, Christ may also +forgive thine offences and transgressions. It is then that the same mind +is in thee which was also in Christ. And in this order alone thou shalt +obtain fellowship with him. + +5. The _fourth_ fruit is candor. "Charity vaunteth not itself." A kind and +charitable man does not misjudge his neighbor, vaunt it over him, rashly +censure him, or disingenuously deride him before others. True love is +altogether averse to these unfair proceedings. Whoever sincerely loves his +neighbor, shows his heart in his countenance, and does all things +ingenuously, and without guile. A visible example hereof Christ himself +hath left us, whose deportment was equal both to friends and enemies, and +who from the bottom of his heart endeavored most earnestly to promote the +salvation of mankind. Let this be an example to thee, O man, and follow in +thy Master's footsteps, that so the candor which was in Christ, may also +shine forth in thy life and conduct. As the Lord has most heartily +espoused our good and interest, so ought we in like manner, to do the same +among ourselves also; if we wish to partake of the nature of Christ, and +to be united to him, as living members to their Head and Saviour. + +6. The _fifth_ fruit is, not to be "puffed up." Charity is not of a +haughty and supercilious temper. It is not swelled with high conceit on +account of its own deeds and performances. Behold again thy Lord Jesus! +When a woman, in a great concourse of people, lifted up her voice and +said: "Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast +sucked," "Yea," replied he, "rather blessed are they that hear the word of +God and keep it" (Luke 11:27, 28); humbly removing from himself that +praise which was entirely due to him, and resigning it to those that truly +loved the Lord. If thou also resolvest to do this, then verily the humble +Jesus lives in thee, and thou livest in him; it being the constant +character of true charity, to transfer the praises of men to another whom +it esteems more worthy of them. + +7. The _sixth_ effect of charity is, "not to behave itself unseemly." A +man endued with love, is not easily soured with discontent, or with any +morose humor. His conversation is easy, obliging, and so concordant with +all the offices of love and humanity, that the kindness residing within +may even be read in his countenance. Of this sweetness of temper, the Lord +Jesus hath left us a most bright and holy pattern. He did all with a +spirit of mildness; and when he conversed with sinners, then pity and +compassion visibly appeared in his very mien and aspect. This sweet temper +of Christ ought also to be transfused into our souls, so that our life may +prove a transcript of this most blessed original. + +8. The _seventh_ fruit of true love is, "not to seek her own." A true +Christian has by love obtained such enlargement and liberty of soul, as to +serve his fellow-creatures freely, without any view to self-interest. +Nothing is more pleasing to him than to do good to all without the least +expectation of gain. This pure and disinterested love originally dwells in +God Almighty. He gives all things freely, without receiving any profit at +all. He commands us to fear and worship him, for no other reason than to +make us proper objects of his divine love and benignity. And, lo! what a +glorious pattern of disinterested love Christ has set before us! Matt. +20:28. As a tree, without respect of persons, imparts its fruit to all in +the most ample and universal manner; so has Christ, and God in Christ, +given himself unto us as the greatest and most excellent Good. Go now, O +man! and practise the same virtue; that so Christ, the ever-living _vine_, +may bud in thee, and that thou mayest become a fruitful plantation of the +Lord. Isaiah 61:3. + +9. The _eighth_ fruit of true love is, "not to be easily provoked." A man +that has tasted of true love, is not apt to entertain any bitterness, much +less to vent it by cursing and railing words. Contemplate again the life +of Jesus, who did not so much as open his mouth against his enemies, nor +pour forth any bitter and vehement speeches, but gave blessing and life to +those that hated him. Isaiah 11:3; 42:2. And though he, indeed, denounced +wrath against Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida, and uttered many woes +against the Pharisees (Luke 10:13; 11:42); yet this did not proceed from a +bitter or revengeful temper; but was no more than a serious and earnest +exhortation to true and unfeigned repentance, that so the offenders might +at last be saved. Therefore, let us be cautious, lest any root of +bitterness should at any time spring up in us, and so hinder our charity, +and thus many be offended. Heb. 12:15. + +10. The _ninth_ fruit of charity is, "to think no evil." This is also the +property of God Almighty, as he himself testifies: "For I know the +thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and +not of evil, to give you an expected end. And ye shall seek me, and find +me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jer. 29:11, 13. +Whence it follows that whosoever has thoughts of peace towards his +neighbor, has the mind of Christ, and is animated and influenced by his +Spirit. + +11. The _tenth_ fruit is, "Love rejoiceth not in iniquity," nor has it +pleasure in the injury or oppression of good men, as Shimei had when David +fled before Absalom. 2 Sam. 16:5, 6. On the contrary, true love imitates +Christ Jesus, who, with a tender compassion, beholding with a mournful +countenance, the fall of Peter (Luke 22:61), raised and reclaimed him, and +thereby fulfilled the words of the Psalmist: "God raises them that are +bowed down." Ps. 146:8. And how did he deplore the evil which was hanging +over the men of Judea, and the destruction of their temple and city! Luke +19:41; 15:4. With what fervency, with what a hearty desire, did he bring +his wandering sheep into the right way; and with what a sweet and gentle +voice did he allure them home! Let us imitate so great a master of love; +and if any one be overtaken in a fault, let us bewail his case, instruct +him in the spirit of meekness, and bear his burden, that so we may fulfil +the law of Christ. Gal. 6:2. For he did first bear himself the burden of +our sins, that we, being made his living members, might be formed to the +same temper by him, who is the Head of the Church. + +12. The _eleventh_ property of charity is, that it "rejoiceth in the +truth," and is exceedingly pleased with a Christian order of things. Of +this we have an example in Christ Jesus, who, at the return of the seventy +disciples, rejoiced in spirit and praised his Father for the success which +had attended their function. Luke 10:21. Thus also the angels in heaven +rejoice (as Christ himself teaches us), over the conversion of a sinner. +Luke 15:10. Whoever, therefore, seriously lays to heart the practice of so +Christian a virtue, manifests thereby an angelical temper of mind: nay, it +is a proof that the very mind of Christ, yea, of God himself, resides in +that soul. + +13. The _twelfth_ fruit of charity is, to "bear all things," in order to +preserve the bond of peace and of mutual friendship. Love patiently bears +the infirmities of others, after the example of St. Paul, who was made +weak with the weak, that he might profit the weak: nay, he was made all +things, if by any means he might be an instrument to save some. 1 Cor. +9:22. The same heavenly love _believeth_ all things, and suspects no evil +of its neighbor; _hopeth_ all things, praying and desiring that peace and +happiness may constantly accompany our fellow-creatures. And, lastly, true +love _endureth all things_ for the sake of benefiting a neighbor; all +which our blessed Redeemer, by his own example, has most feelingly taught +us. He bore all manner of reproaches and injuries for our sins; he +underwent most inhuman scourgings and buffetings, with extreme poverty, +that in him, and by him, we might obtain everlasting joy and honor. + +14. The _thirteenth_ fruit of love is, "not to faint or be weary," in +doing good. Herein it is like God, whose mercy is from everlasting to +everlasting upon those that fear him. Ps. 103:17; Luke 1:50. God expects +and waits that he may be gracious unto us. Isa. 30:18. In order that he +might have mercy on us, he rose up to spare us, and he loves to be exalted +in showing mercy. His love is stronger than death, which many waters are +not able to quench, and from which nothing can ever separate us. Cant. +8:7. He hath mercy on us with everlasting mercies. And though he declares, +on a certain occasion, that he is "weary with repenting" (Jer. 15:6); yet +is this confined to those only who wilfully reject the tender of his +mercy, who despise his grace, and abuse his goodness: and in no wise +affects those that heartily fear him. "The mountains shall depart, and the +hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither +shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy +on thee." Isa. 54:10. After this standard of divine mercy, we ought also +to regulate the love we bear to our neighbor, so that it may never fail or +faint in acts of humanity and kindness; no, not even in those which we are +bound to bestow on our very enemies. As Christ did, so ought we, from a +compassionate and never-failing love, to pray, "Father, forgive them." +Luke 23:34. + +15. In a word, Love is the greatest, the best, and the noblest of all +virtues. First, because God himself is love. 1 John 4:16. Secondly, +because it is the fulfilling and the summary or comprehension of the whole +law. Rom. 13:10. Thirdly, because it is eternal and never-failing, so that +it is not like faith and hope, which vanish away when that happiness +appears which is the end of faith. 1 Cor. 13:8. Fourthly, because all good +works and services done to our neighbor without it, are vain and of no +account before God. And lastly, because love gives us an assurance here, +that by faith in Christ we shall inherit life eternal hereafter. Hence it +follows, that Christian love must excel all other gifts and graces +whatsoever, and that our main concern ought to centre in so divine a +virtue. Nothing, certainly, can be greater than experimentally to know +that love of Christ which "passeth all knowledge," that we may be filled +with all the fulness of God, and the fruits of love. Eph. 3:19. + + + + +Chapter XXXI. + + + Pride And Self-Love Corrupt And Destroy Even The Best And Noblest Gifts. + + + _Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have + not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal, + etc._--1 COR. 13:1, etc. + + +Lest any should wonder why St. Paul sets forth the virtue of charity with +so many high and eminent praises; we are to consider that God is LOVE; and +that, consequently, the same praise belongs to both: nor can there be a +greater virtue in God or man, than love. + +2. But our love is twofold: the one true, living, sincere, and undefiled; +the other false, polluted, hypocritical, and selfish. The former of these +St. Paul has most amply described, and exhibited all the fruits and +properties that attend it, of which we have already spoken. The latter +kind, which is false and polluted, may sometimes seem, indeed, to promote +the glory of God, and the profit of mankind; yet inwardly, and in the +heart, it seeks nothing either in word or deed, but private honor and +interest only. Now whatever flows from this fountain of false love, +proceeds not from God, but from the devil; for it is a poison infecting +the very best of works, and the most excellent gifts conferred on man. + +3. As a flower, that in sight, taste, and smell, is sweet and beautiful, +is rejected with disgust, if it contain secret venom, because it is +hurtful to man; so, though a man be adorned with the most exquisite parts, +and the very gifts of angels themselves, if he be void of charity, and +full of avarice, pride, self-love, and self-honor, then all those gifts +not only prove of no value, but become pernicious to him that possesses +them. For whatever is really good, always proceeds from God himself, so as +to begin and end in him. Whatever deviates from this _beginning_ and +_end_, can never be really good, nor acceptable to the Lord. That which +this good God works in thy heart, is truly good, and only good: but it is +quite otherwise if self-love, self-honor, and self-interest, bear the sway +in thy soul, and influence the actions of thy life. All that springs from +so depraved a principle, must be of the same nature with the principle +whence it flows, corrupt and defiled, since it does not proceed from God +as from its original cause and moving principle; God alone is good. Matt. +19:17. + +4. It is said that it was the wish of a certain saint of old, that he +might be of no other use to God, than his own right hand was to himself; +an _instrument_, ready to give and to receive what was fit, and this in +the manner directed by the soul; arrogating neither honor nor profit to +itself. And, indeed, it is right that we all should be of the same temper. +For as all things come freely from God to us, so we should return all +things freely to our neighbor, from a principle of pure love, and in true +singleness of heart, without any desire of glory or self-interest. For as +God alone is the author of all that is good; so it is but just that all +honor and glory should be given to him alone. Man is but an instrument, +made fit to receive and to deliver what God bestows upon him. + +5. Now if a man be without this sincere and pure love, he is, +notwithstanding all his gifts and endowments, a mere nothing, and of no +account in the sight of God. Though he speak with the tongues of angels; +though he prophesy, and know all mysteries, and have such faith as even to +remove mountains; and though he should moreover bestow all that he has +among the poor, and give his body to be burned; all this will avail him +nothing at last, and stand him in no stead when he is to have his trial. 1 +Cor. 13:1-3. + +6. The reason is plain. Self-love, self-honor, and self-interest, are of +the devil, who thereby procured his own downfall from heaven. For after +God had created Lucifer a most glorious angel, and adorned him with the +most excellent gifts of wisdom, light, and glory, he began to pride +himself in his gifts, and to love, honor, and exalt himself. This +self-complacency proved the very first step to his ruin. He turned his +love from God to himself, and was deservedly driven from his principality, +together with all such as adhered to him, and whom he had infected with +the same pride and self-love. Not contented with his estate or +principality, he aspired too high, and lost all which the Creator had +conferred upon him, according to St. Jude: "The angels kept not their +first estate." Jude 6. See also Col. 2:15. + +7. By the same sin which had effected his own ruin, Satan attempted the +ruin of man, namely, by diverting him from the love of God to the love of +himself. Hereby self-love and self-honor began to act in man, and +influenced him to seek equality with God himself. Hence he was cast out of +Paradise, as Lucifer had been before cast out of heaven, leaving to us all +the heritage of pride and self-love. And this is the fall of Adam, which +all men in themselves repeat; and which is transmitted through flesh and +blood, from one generation to another. + +8. The remedy by which a thorough cure may be wrought in fallen man, is +wholly to be sought in the precious _merit of Christ_ apprehended by +faith. By this we are renewed in Christ, and the flesh is crucified, with +its sinful desires. Then we love ourselves no more, but on the contrary, +even _hate_ ourselves. Luke 14:26. We do not honor or extol, but deny and +mortify ourselves. We no more seek our own glory and interest; but, +denying all we have, we withdraw our pleasure and trust from everything +whatsoever it be (Luke 14:33), and manfully fight with our own flesh and +blood. Whosoever refuses to comply with these terms, can in no case be a +disciple of Christ; since this is the only means by which the natural +degeneracy of our heart is to be subdued, and a sound conversion is to be +effected. + +9. Since it was utterly impossible that man, by his own natural strength, +should restore himself (for of himself, he can do nothing but love +himself, boast of himself, and seek his own ends and interest; or, to sum +up all in a word, _commit sin_); God, in his infinite mercy, was moved to +commiserate man's fallen condition, and to make the very beginning of the +work of man's restoration. In order to this, the Son of God took the form +of a man upon him, thereby to renew our nature, that, being regenerated +_by_ him, _in_ him, and _from_ him, we might become new creatures. For as +in Adam we are dead both bodily and spiritually, so we ought to rise again +in Christ, and be renewed both in spirit and body. 1 Cor. 15:22. And as by +a _carnal_ descent from Adam, sin, self-love and pride cleave to our +nature; so in Christ, by a _spiritual_ birth, we must be justified, and +inherit by faith his righteousness. And, as by our carnal birth, we draw +our sin from Adam, especially self-love, pride, and ambition; so from +Christ, by faith, and by the Holy Ghost, our nature is to be renewed, +cleansed, and sanctified. All self-love, pride, and ambition, are to die +in us, in order that we may attain a new heart and a new spirit from +Christ, even as we received our sinful flesh from Adam. And with reference +to this new birth in us, Christ is called the _everlasting Father_. Isaiah +9:6. + +10. Hence it follows, that all the works of a Christian, together with his +gifts and talents, ought to proceed purely from the new birth, if ever +they be acceptable to God; and that they ought to spring from faith, from +Christ, and from the Holy Ghost. Wherever this principle is wanting, there +the most excellent parts, and even miracles themselves, are of no account +at all before God. So with respect to our neighbor, all things ought to be +done in Christian charity (1 Cor. 16:14), without any view to private +gain, or honor; as a pattern of which God has set his Son before us (John +13:15), in whom there was no spot of self-love or arrogance; no desire of +profit or praise; nay, in whom nothing resided but pure and undefiled love +and humility. He is _inwardly_ to live in our hearts by faith, and +_outwardly_ to be expressed in our whole life and conduct. It is then, +that all our works, words, and knowledge, wholly proceed from Christ, as +from their original source. Without this divine principle settled within +the mind, all our gifts and works, be they ever so high and angelical, are +insignificant, and of no worth. For wherever self-love sways the soul, +there must be a hatred of God; where pride rules, it engenders a contempt +of God; and how can works springing from so vitiated a principle, ever be +acceptable to the Lord? + +11. Let us, therefore, most fervently beseech the Lord, to give us true +faith and sincere love; a love not defiled with any desire of vain honor, +profit, and glory. Whenever this divine temper is obtained and established +in the heart, it is followed with this happy effect, that thereby not only +great and illustrious endowments and works are made acceptable to God, but +also the least and meanest of all, even the gift of a cup of cold water. +Matt. 10:42. For a small work proceeding from sincere love and humility, +is far more excellent than all the splendid works that are raised on no +other foundation than pride and self-love. + + + + +Chapter XXXII. + + + Great Gifts Do Not Demonstrate A Man To Be A Christian, But Faith That + Works By Love. + + + _The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power._--1 COR. 4:20. + + +St. Paul, intending to describe a Christian in a few words, says: "The end +of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good +conscience, and of faith unfeigned." 1 Tim. 1:5. As if he had said: To be +a Christian, and to render ourselves acceptable in the sight of God, +requires nothing hard and lofty; no worldly wisdom, no human learning, no +great parts, no gift of prophesying, no eloquence, no knowledge of +tongues, no miracles: but only that a man have faith in Christ; that he do +all things in love, and with a mind wholly resigned to God; and that he +suffer himself to be led and governed by the good Spirit of God. + +2. We should not, therefore, regard how many languages a man speaks, or +how eloquent he is in his delivery; but how he shows forth his faith by +love, and by the mortification of the flesh. "For they that are Christ's +have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Gal. 5:24): under +which are included self-esteem, self-love, covetousness, vain-boasting, +ambition, self-interest, and all else that is carnal. To which purpose +also St. Paul says, that "the kingdom of God is not in word," or in great +gifts and endowments, "but in power" (1 Cor. 4:20); that is, in a living +exercise of Christian virtues, of faith, love, meekness, patience, and +humility. + +3. Therefore, no man is in favor with God, or is saved, because he is +endued with brighter gifts than others; but because he is found in Christ +Jesus by faith, and lives in him as a new creature. 2 Cor. 5:17. Great +gifts do not make us happy. If a man had attained to gifts so +extraordinary and marvellous as never any possessed before, yet would he +be certainly cast away, unless he lived at the same time in the exercise +of daily repentance in Christ, in a ready abnegation of the world, and in +a denial of himself, and of all his selfish desires. Nay, if he did not +hate and forsake himself, so as to place his whole confidence in God +alone, and to cleave to his grace, as an infant to the breast of the +mother, he would be forever banished from the presence of God, +notwithstanding all his gifts and all his endowments. + +4. It is certain that gifts and parts are not bestowed upon us in order to +make us great here, and happy hereafter; but they are wholly dispensed for +the edification of the Church. When the seventy disciples, at their +return, said with joy, "Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through +thy name" (Luke 10:17, 20); our Lord replied: "In this rejoice not (for +neither miracles nor gifts shall save you), but rejoice rather because +your names are written in heaven." By faith Moses was saved, not by his +miracles. Aaron's eloquence did not the more endear him to God. And +Miriam, the sister of Moses, who was endued with the gift of prophecy, and +by whom the Spirit of the Lord spoke, was struck with the leprosy. Numb. +12:10. + +5. The apostles themselves did not enter into the kingdom of heaven +because of the miracles which they performed, nor on account of the gift +of tongues conferred upon them, but because they _believed_ in Christ, the +Saviour of the world. Those of the first rank, and those of the meanest +condition, must tread in the same way of faith and humility, of repentance +and mortification, and become new creatures in Christ through faith and +love; in whom Christ also may live again by this faith. Whoever neglects +this order, cannot expect to be accounted one of the family of Christ. + +6. Christian love is that new vital principle by which a man is actuated +to do good. This is attended with the life of Christ, and the powerful +indwelling of the divine Spirit. To this purpose the apostle desires, that +we may be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph. 3:19): and St. John +tells us, that "God is love, and that he who dwelleth in love, dwelleth in +God, and God in him." 1 John 4:16. Whoever, therefore, feels the love of +God shed abroad in his heart, feels no less than God himself there. +However, in order that we might not deceive ourselves with a false and +hypocritical, instead of a true and divine love, the apostle has drawn up +the character thereof, and represented it as a tree adorned with numerous +branches: "Love," says he, "is patient, kind," etc. 1 Cor. 13. All which +are the essential properties of Christians, and consequently the life of +the new man. + +7. To sum up all in a few words, God the Father is love, God the Son is +love, God the Holy Ghost is love. The whole spiritual body of Christ, +which is the Church, is also knit together by the bond of love; so that +there is but one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith (Eph. +4:5, 6); and lastly, eternal life itself shall be nothing else but eternal +love. + +8. Whoever, therefore, does not live in love, is certainly a dead member +of the body of Christ. As a dead member is not supported by that natural +heat which nourishes the body and every living member thereof, nor is +sustained with proper food for its daily growth and increase; so a man who +does not live in Christian love is destitute of spiritual life, and is +dead to God and to Christ. He is without faith, a withered, lifeless +branch; he has no part in God, in Christ, and the Holy Ghost, in the holy +Christian Church, and in life eternal; and will be excluded from the +presence of that GOD, who has declared himself to be LOVE. + + + + +Chapter XXXIII. + + +God Has No Respect To The Works Of Any One; But Judges Of Works According + To The Heart. + + + _Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord + pondereth the hearts_.--PROV. 21:2. + + +When the prophet Samuel, by the commandment of God, went to anoint David +king, he entered the house of Jesse, and offered to anoint his first-born: +but the Lord said to him: "Look not on his countenance, or on the height +of his stature; because I have refused him. For the Lord seeth not as man +seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on +the heart." 1 Sam. 16:7. + +2. By this example God declares, on the one hand, that he has no regard to +any man's person, be he ever so great and eminent, when his heart is +destitute of piety, love, faith, and humility; and on the other, that he +esteems persons and works according to the inward spirit and intention of +the mind, and thence allows or disallows them, according to Prov. 21:2. +Moreover, all gifts and endowments, how considerable soever they be, and +how admirable, great, and glorious they may appear in the eyes of men, in +nowise please the Lord, unless they be accompanied with a pure heart, a +heart that has a steady respect to the honor of God and the profit and +edification of our neighbor; and which, at the same time, is freed from +pride and arrogance, from self-love, and self-interest, and any of those +sinister views which are apt to mingle with the works of a Christian. + +3. Consider the example of Lucifer, the fairest and most glorious angel +which heaven contained. No sooner did he stain the gifts of God with +self-love and self-honor (not considering that he was bound to advance +thereby the glory of God, who had conferred them upon him), than he was +transformed into a devil, and, being cast down from heaven, was shut out +from the glorious presence of God. + +4. If ever, therefore, our works shall be acceptable to God, they ought to +proceed from pure faith towards God, and sincere love to our neighbor, +being cleared from the spots of self-love, self-honor, and self-interest, +as much as possibly can be in this state of infirmity. To this end St. +Paul says, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have +not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal" (1 Cor. +13:1): that is, I am altogether vain and unprofitable. In truth, God +regards not fluency of speech, but an humble heart; not arts, learning, +wit, or ability, but he weighs the _spirit_ of a man, whether it be bent +upon promoting its own honor and interest, or the glory of God and the +profit of men. Nor does God regard a faith by which mountains might be +removed, and the eyes of the beholders be attracted from all sides, if a +man seek thereby his own honor and glory. But the Lord looks with the +greater affection upon him who "is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and +trembles at his word." Isaiah 66:2. In short, if a man distribute all that +he has to the poor, or give up his body to be burned, it will be all to no +purpose, if the act be sullied with self-honor and self-complacency. It is +the heart only and the inward intention of the mind, which the Lord +regards. This fully appears from many instances recorded in Scripture. + +5. Both David and Saul attended the service of God, but with a different +effect. 1 Sam. 15:9; 2 Sam. 24:25. David, Manasseh (2 Chron. 33:13), +Nebuchadnezzar, and Peter, after repentance, obtained mercy; Saul, +Pharaoh, and Judas, on the contrary, fell short of it, on account of the +different principle which swayed their minds. Pharaoh (Exod. 9:27) and +Saul (1 Sam. 15:24), no less than Manasseh, used the same prayer, "Lord, I +have sinned!" but they received different rewards. The prayer of Hezekiah, +Joshua, and Gideon (Isa. 38:7; Josh. 10:12; Judg. 6:37), by which they +required a sign from heaven, is approved and praised; the Pharisees doing +the same are rejected and reproved. Matt. 12:38; 16:4. The Publican and +the Pharisee prayed both in the temple; but both are not approved. Luke +18:14. The Ninevites fasted (Jonah 3:5, 10); the Jews and Pharisees did +the same (Matt. 6:16): but the former were received, and the latter +rejected. "Wherefore (say they) have we fasted, and thou seest not?" Isa. +58:3. The poor widow, who cast into the treasury but two mites, is praised +by Christ; whereas, he that gave more is not. Luke 21:3. Herod and +Zaccheus both rejoice at the sight of Christ; but they had most different +rewards. Luke 19:6; 23:8. + +6. All this proceeds from no other cause than the heart, and that moving +principle by which it is swayed, and which God chiefly regards. He accepts +those works only which flow from unfeigned faith, sincere love, and true +humility; for whatever our gifts or works may be, if pride, self-love, and +the contagion of filthy lucre, infect them, they are at once rejected by +the Lord. + + + + +Chapter XXXIV. + + + Showing That God Alone, Without Any Human Aid, Is The Author Of Our +Salvation, And That We Are To Submit Unreservedly To His Grace; Also, That + Christ's Merit Is Not Imputed To The Impenitent. + + + _But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us + wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption._--1 + COR. 1:30. + + +In this impressive sentence, St. Paul teaches us that all things necessary +for our salvation are merited by Christ Jesus our Lord. When we were +ignorant of the way of life, he was made _wisdom_ unto us; when we were +sinners, he was made our _righteousness_; when we were an abomination +before God, he was made our _sanctification_; and when we were in a state +of damnation, he became our _redemption_. + +2. It is therefore most certain, that man does not contribute so much as +one jot to his salvation. Sin, indeed, man could commit of himself, but he +was not able to justify himself again; he could lose, but not recover +himself; kill, but not restore to life; he could submit himself to the +devil, but could not shake off his spiritual fetters. As a dead body +cannot quicken itself again, so men "being dead in sins" (Eph. 2:1, 5), as +the Apostle declares, cannot raise themselves again to life. + +3. We did not contribute anything towards our creation, neither do we +perform anything towards our redemption, regeneration, and sanctification, +which are far greater transactions than the creation itself. + +4. Hence it was necessary, that the Son of God should take human nature +upon him, to recover all that was lost in Adam, and to revive those that +were dead in sins and trespasses. + +5. That this may be the better understood, we ought to represent to +ourselves the traveller in the Gospel, who, falling among thieves, was +cruelly wounded and bruised by them, and at last utterly disabled from +helping himself again. Luke 10:30. Him, therefore, the good Samaritan +receives into his arms, binds up his wounds, sets him on his beast, takes +him to an inn, and omits nothing that a faithful physician could +administer to a sick and wounded person. And as the traveller showed +himself obedient to his physician, and strictly followed the directions +prescribed by him; so we ought to act if we desire to be healed of our +disease. We ought to _suffer_ the healing hand of the Lord, and not to +resist, when he attempts the cleansing of our wounds; and when, after +having poured in wine and oil, he binds them up. To obtain the blessed +effect of these spiritual operations, we must wholly resign ourselves to +him, who alone is able to save us; and then we may trust to the goodness +of God, that on his side he will not fail to restore us to health and +soundness. + +6. No sooner does a sinner repent than he begins his happy return towards +the Lord, grieving for his former transgressions, and suffering that his +wounds be washed with the sharp wine of the law, and the oil of +consolation. Whoever complies with these terms, in him, Christ, by his +grace, works an unfeigned faith, attended with all the fruits it +produces,--righteousness, life, peace, joy, comfort, and salvation, and +thus "worketh in him both to will and to do, of his good pleasure." Phil. +2:13. + +7. But it is not in the power of man by nature to forsake sin. The +Scripture calls the natural man a "servant of sin" (John 8:34), and one +that is "sold under sin" (Rom. 7:14), who can do nothing but sin; and the +prophet says, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his +spots? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil." Jer. +13:23. But "the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all +men (by the Gospel), teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly +lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present +world." Tit. 2:11, 12. This is offered us by the word of God; and it is +this grace which excites, teaches, and allures fallen man; which urges and +influences him to renounce sin, and to submit to the discipline of grace. +And these divine admonitions, furnished through the Word, fully agree with +the inward testimony of the conscience; so that a man is convinced both +from without and from within of his sinful life, and of the necessity of +quitting it, in order to preserve his soul from everlasting destruction, +for whoever lives in sin, lives in opposition to God and his own +conscience. + +8. When a man yields to the suggestions and exhortations of divine grace, +and, proving obedient to the Word, begins to withdraw from his vicious +life, then the grace of God endows him with all those virtues which the +Gospel requires. It is then that faith springs up in the soul, the +original principle of all other virtues. This is followed by love, and all +Christian graces, which grow as so many fruits on the tree of faith. It is +then, also, that light begins to shine in the midst of darkness. But as it +is impossible that darkness should be able to enlighten itself; so it is +also impossible for fallen man to raise himself from darkness to light. +Hence the Psalmist says, "For thou wilt light my candle; the Lord my God +will enlighten my darkness." Ps. 18:28. Let a man open his eyes ever so +much, he will never be enlightened whilst the light of the sun is +withdrawn from his sight. Thus the grace of God, that is, of Christ +himself, is that clear and serene light, risen on all men "that sit in +darkness, and in the shadow of death." Luke 1:79. "He enlighteneth every +man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9): that is, he manifests himself +to all, and offers his grace to all. He is the light of the whole world; +he shows the way of life to all men; and leaving us his own example for +imitation, he goes before us like a good shepherd (John 10:4), and guides +his flock into the path in which they are to walk. He sought us out as his +lost sheep, and even now daily seeks and allures us. Luke 15:4. Nay, more; +he still follows us closely, calls after us, and wooes us to his love, in +as endearing a manner as a bridegroom does his bride. O that men did not +love sin and darkness rather than light and grace! + +9. Now, as a physician, addressing his patient, says: "Beware of this, +lest you die; you hinder the workings of the medicine by an irregular +life, so that you cannot be made whole;" so Jesus Christ, the true +physician of souls, says: "My beloved, I beseech thee, incline thy mind to +true repentance; utterly forsake all thy sins; shake off thy pride, thy +covetousness, thy carnal propensities, thy wrath, and thirst of revenge, +with other sins. If this change be not wrought in thee, thou must surely +die; and the precious medicine of my blood and merit can profit thee +nothing, whilst thy disorderly life hinders their healing effect." + +10. It was for this cause that Christ gave it in charge to his apostles, +before all things, to preach repentance (Luke 24:47); and he himself +called sinners to it while he conversed with them upon earth; because an +impenitent heart never can partake of his merits. + +11. Whoever hears that either sin must be forsaken, or eternal +condemnation be endured, must, of necessity, be brought to some serious +consideration about the state of his soul. He is struck with a double +conviction; the truth of the Word of God, and the power of his own +conscience, leaving so strong an impression upon him, as to set him beyond +all doubts about the truth of this matter. It is true, God hath freely +promised remission of sin to all men; but it is on this condition, that +they _repent_, and turn themselves unfeignedly to the Lord. Thus the +prophet says, "If the wicked shall turn from his wickedness, he shall live +thereby. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto +him" (Ezek. 33:14, 16): where we see that repentance and remission of sin +are linked together. + +12. Christ, the Son of God, in no other sense promises life eternal to +those that believe in his name. The nature of faith must, however, be more +fully inquired into. This faith is a very active principle in the soul. It +daily strives against the old man; it tames the flesh, and subjects it to +the Spirit; it converts the whole man; it subdues and vanquishes sin; it +purifies the heart. He is a true believer who turns from the world, from +sin and the devil, to God, and seeks rest and comfort wholly and entirely +in the blood, death, and merit of Christ, without the works of himself, or +of any other man whatsoever; the blood of Christ being a perfect ransom +for all the debts which the soul has contracted. Whoever, therefore, +imagines that his sins may be pardoned, although he desist not from them, +is most miserably deluded. He deceives himself with a false faith, which +he has assumed to himself, and the dreadful effects of which he must +hereafter feel. He can never be saved without true repentance. + +13. Consider the case of Zaccheus the publican, who, having a sound +apprehension of the doctrine of faith and conversion, freely acknowledged +_that_ to be true faith by which a man is turned from sin to God, and in +this order hopes to obtain a gracious pardon from Christ, and an interest +in his merit, so as to rely upon it with a filial trust and an unshaken +firmness of mind. In this manner did he understand the word of our Lord, +"Repent ye, and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15): that is, Desist from sin, +trust in my merits, and expect forgiveness of sin from me alone. Hence +Zaccheus says to Christ, "Behold, the half of my goods I give to the poor; +and if I have taken anything by false accusation, I restore fourfold." +Luke 19:8. In these words he does not commend his own works at all, but +extols the grace of God, which had taught him the way of true repentance. +As if he had said: "O Lord, I am so thoroughly grieved at the fraudulent +practices which I have committed against my neighbor, that I will not only +restore fourfold unto him, but will also bestow half of my goods on the +poor. Wherefore, Lord, since I confess my sin, and fully resolve to leave +it, I now embrace thy promises with faith, and beseech thee to receive me +into thy grace and favor." And no sooner is this resolution taken, than +the Physician declares, "This day is salvation come to this house. For the +Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." + +14. This is true repentance and conversion, carried on by a faith which is +the work of God within us. God himself will begin, advance, and finish at +last, the great work of our salvation, if we only yield to his Spirit, and +do not resist him wilfully, as did the refractory Jews of old; to whom the +apostle says: "It was necessary that the word of God should first have +been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves +unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." Acts 13:46. It +is, therefore, our duty to take the advice of the physician, after the +manner of the sick, and to obey his precepts and prescriptions. As the +physician first explains the nature of the disease, so the Lord lays open +the spiritual disease of the heart, and then, as a faithful physician, +warns us against hurtful things, lest the healing virtue of the precious +blood of Christ be obstructed, and at last rendered ineffectual. + +15. No sooner does man, by the assistance of the Holy Ghost, withdraw from +sin, than the grace of God begins to operate in him, and to endue him with +new gifts. Without this, he is not sufficient to think any good thought of +himself, much less to do any good work. Whenever such a person discovers +any good motions arising in his mind, he attributes every good desire to +divine grace, even as St. Paul says, "By the grace of God I am what I am." +1 Cor. 15:10. Whoever, therefore, complies with this order of salvation, +to him the merit of Christ and his perfect obedience, are fully imputed, +as if he himself had made a complete atonement for all his transgressions; +but no wicked person, and no contemner of this dispensation, has a share +in the imputation of the merit of Christ. + +16. God, when he works in us and through us, crowns and commends those +things as our own, of which he himself is the chief author. "Without me," +saith Christ, "ye can do nothing" (John 15:5); that is, no good; for by +nature we are ready enough to do evil without him. The doing of evil is +our own property; as the doing of good is entirely the property of God. +Therefore let no flesh glory in anything; all is of and through grace. +Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8, 9. + +17. Happy is the man that refrains from sin, and gives up his will to the +Lord. Christ uses all his endeavors to gain our love and affections, and +to wean us more and more from the profane love of the world. He applies +the most endearing expressions, in his word, and in his addresses, to our +hearts. He seeks and allures us; and even before we remember him, he +bestows upon us tokens of his love and kindness; and this for no other +end, than that we might at last forsake our beloved sin, and partake of +the blessed effect of his blood and merits. + + + + +Chapter XXXV. + + + All Wisdom, Arts, And Sciences, Yea, Even The Knowledge Of The Whole + Scripture, Are Vain, Without A Holy And Christian Life. + + + _Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into + the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father + which is in heaven._--MATTH. 7:21. + + +Since in Love are contained all the duties of a Christian, and since the +whole life of Christ was nothing but the purest and most cordial love, +therefore St. Paul, under the name of charity or love, has comprehended +the whole life of a Christian. 1 Cor. 13:1. + +2. It is the property of true love, to respect _God_ alone in everything, +and not _self_. It refers all to God; it does not love or honor self; it +is not intent upon personal glory or interest; but it undertakes +everything with a free and disinterested regard to God and man. He who is +endued with Christian love, loves God and his neighbor with pure +affection, because God is the sovereign Good, to which we ought to adhere. + +3. Whoever, therefore, is destitute of this love, must of necessity prove +a hypocrite amidst all his pretences and boasts. In whatever he +undertakes, he seeks himself, and not purely God, as he ought to do. For +this reason, his love is false, be his boasts what they may. If such a man +had all the Scriptures committed to memory, and could speak of them with +the tongue of angels, yet would he still prove as sounding brass, without +life and motion. For as no natural food can nourish the body, unless it be +converted into the juices and the blood; so also the Word and the +Sacraments are unavailing, if they be not converted into a man's life; and +if a new, spiritual, and holy man, be not begotten thereby. + +4. Hence St. Paul says, "Though I have the gift of prophecy, and +understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, +so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." 1 +Cor. 13:2. As if he had said, If I pursue mine own honor by those gifts +and attainments, and seek anything besides the honor of God, and the good +of my neighbor, then I am an abomination before the Lord, and not at all +acceptable in his sight. + +5. This is intimated by that saying of our Lord: "Many will say to me in +that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name +have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then +will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work +iniquity" (Matt. 7:22, 23): for you have not respected me alone in what +you have done, but rather your own selves. + +6. This is again attested by St. Paul: "Though I bestow all my goods to +feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 2 Cor. +13:3. But can it be possible (some may say), to give all to the poor, and +yet be destitute at the same time of love or charity? Yes; there may be a +love which is not altogether single in what it performs, but biased by +impure designs, and by some temporal interest, or the applause of men, or +any such selfish objects, whereby the best of actions are too often +corrupted. Of this nature was the charity of the Pharisees of old, who +offered abundance of sacrifices, and persuaded others to adorn the temple +with magnificent gifts, and to bring sacrifices of great price. But whilst +they suffered themselves to be led away by pride and ambition, which +mingled with their very worship, they forgot to show mercy to the poor, +and to practise that "undefiled religion," whereby the fatherless and the +widows are to be supported and visited. James 1:27. For this preposterous +charity, the Lord reproved them, saying: "Woe unto you, scribes and +Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence +make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." Matt. +23:14. In this perverse religion they have many followers, even at this +time. Such are those who bequeath large legacies to temples and +monasteries, that priests and friars who enjoy them, may make long prayers +for such as bestow them. This truly is a false and deceitful love; for +those who perform these acts, do not so much regard the honor of God as +their own. + +7. He that is _justified_, shall live by his _faith_ (Habak. 2:4); and +whosoever is thus justified, lives in true repentance, and by daily +mortification of his flesh, becomes himself a _sacrifice_ unto the Lord. +Rom. 12:1. He spends his time in continual acts of love and charity; +flowing from a disinterested principle, free from self-honor and +self-love, and entirely directed to advancing the glory of God. Therefore, +O man, if thou even yieldest thy body to be burnt, and yet art void at the +same time of this pure and sincere love, thou doest nothing in all such +performances. And what do they profit themselves, who torture their +bodies? They generally are puffed up with a conceit of their singular +sanctity, and, thus setting forth their own pompous religion and +will-worship, they do not regard God in what they do, so much as catch at +the applause of men. Isa. 58:3; Zech. 7:5, 6. Nay, some are blinded to +such a degree by the spirit of delusion and error, as to suffer themselves +to be burnt in defence of conceits such as these. They expect thereby to +be enrolled in the list of such martyrs as were slain for the sake of +Christ and the Gospel; when in truth they seek not Christ, but themselves, +and rise not to defend _his_ honor, but their own erroneous opinions. This +is called by St. Paul, a strong _delusion_, and a _working of Satan_. 2 +Thess. 2:9, 11. It is not the punishment, but the cause, which makes a +martyr. + +8. Such martyrs as these the devil has had even amongst the heathens +themselves; many of whom were so far blinded in their understandings, as +contentedly to die for the defence of their idols, and false, heathenish +religion. And is not the same done at this day amongst those who call +themselves Christians? Even as the heathens, to gain an immortal name, +persuaded themselves that they did well in what they endured, so self-love +and vainglory have so far besotted some monks, and other persons even in +our age, as that they have murdered kings and princes, to support the +better their church, or the _Catholic cause_, as they call it, which they +supposed to be in danger. If such men are made to suffer again, it is +manifest that they do not suffer for the sake of Christ, nor are they to +be accounted _his_ martyrs. They are martyrs to the pope of Rome, to their +own conceit, and to a thirst after vainglory, with which they are carried +away. Thus much concerning false love, to which man is seduced by a false +and deceitful light. + +9. It remains, therefore, that without a sincere love to God and our +neighbor, and a holy and Christian life attending it, all arts and +sciences, gifts and attainments, profit nothing. Wisdom, how great soever +it may be, yea, though it be as great, or greater than that of Solomon, is +nothing; and the knowledge of the whole Scripture, if it be without love, +must necessarily degenerate into a poor, empty speculation. All works +whatsoever, and martyrdom itself (if so it be called), are to no purpose +without this essential character of love. For to know the will of God and +his word, and not to live up to them as a rule, only increases our +condemnation, as the Lord plainly affirms: "If I had not come and spoken +unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their +sin." John 15:22. + + + + +Chapter XXXVI. + + +He Who Does Not Live In Christ, But Gives His Heart To The World, Has Only + The Outward Letter Of The Scriptures, But He Does Not Experience Their + Power, Or Eat Of The Hidden Manna. + + + _To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden manna, + and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name + written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it._--REV. + 2:17. + + +By this Scripture we are taught, that no man can taste the inward +sweetness of heavenly joy and comfort hidden in the Word, who does not +first vanquish his own flesh and the world, with all the pomps and lusts +thereof, and the devil himself. But those that crucify their flesh daily, +with all its desires and lusts, by serious contrition and repentance, who +die daily to themselves and to the world, and to whom this life is a cross +and affliction; these are divinely fed with the heavenly manna, and drink +the wine of the joy of paradise. Those, on the other hand, that love the +pleasures of this world rather than those of heaven, render themselves +altogether unfit to taste the hidden manna, preserved for him alone that +overcometh. The reason is, because _like things_ (according to the +proverb) rejoice _in their like_; and things of a contrary nature do not +unite one with another. Since, therefore, the word of God is spiritual, it +is no wonder that worldly minds take no pleasure in it. For as the body +receives no strength from the food which the stomach does not digest; so +the soul receives no strength from the divine word, unless it be entirely +converted into itself, that is, into its own life and nature. + +2. Yea, as a man that is sick of a fever acquires a distempered appetite, +and deems the coarsest trash more pleasant than wholesome food; so those +that are sick of a spiritual fever, that is, of the love of the world, of +pride and covetousness, loathe the good word of God as bitter and insipid +food. Those, on the other hand, that have the Spirit of God, find in it a +hidden manna, and a secret sweetness, which transcends all other delights; +but then it is not to be tasted by such as are carried away with the +pleasures of a profane world. + +3. Many hear the glad tidings of the Gospel repeatedly, and yet are but +little affected with what they hear. They do not feel any fervency of +spirit, any sense of spiritual joy. The cause is plain; they are not led +by the good Spirit of God, but by the corrupt spirit of the world; nor +have they heavenly, but earthly minds, which cannot receive the things of +God. Whoever, therefore, wishes to obtain a sound understanding in +spiritual matters, to feel the power of the word of God, and to eat of the +hidden manna, ought by all means to conform his life to the word which he +reads, and to the life of Christ which is set before him. It is then that +the Lord feeds the humble with grace (1 Pet. 5:5), satisfies the meek with +his love, and supports the patient with his comfort; rendering his yoke +pleasant, and his burden light unto them. For the sweetness of this +heavenly manna cannot be tasted except under the yoke of Christ, according +to the promise of the Lord: "He hath filled the hungry with good things, +and the rich he hath sent empty away." Luke 1:53. + +4. "The words that I speak unto you," saith the Lord, "they are spirit and +they are life." John 6:63. Whence it follows, that a carnal and voluptuous +man, who has no spiritual understanding or taste, cannot possibly perceive +or relish the words of Christ. These must be apprehended in spirit, and in +an inward tranquillity of mind, attended with great humility and fervent +desires after God. In this order, the Word of God must be received and +digested, if ever it is to afford a vital nourishment to the soul; which, +if it be neglected, then truly the Word is no more than an empty sound, +and an external letter. As a man that hears the sound of a harp, and +understands not its melody, receives no pleasure from it; so no man can +perceive the virtue hidden in the Word, unless he endeavor to express it +in his life, and thoroughly to conform himself to it in his spirit. + +5. For this reason, the Lord says: "I will give him a white stone, and in +the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that +receiveth it." + +6. This is the testimony of the hidden Spirit, who witnesses to the divine +Word: and in like manner, the Spirit of the Word gives testimony to our +spirit (Rom. 8:16), whence both unite, and so become one spirit. 1 Cor. +6:17. This is that new name, which no man knoweth but he that hath it. As +no man perceives the sweetness of honey, but he that tastes it; so the +name of this divine testimony, written in the hearts of good souls, no man +knoweth but he that possesses it. He only understands the nature of +heavenly comfort, and of divine visitations, who really tastes them. This +name and testimony are called _new_, because they are the blessed effect +of the _new birth_, and come _from above_. + +7. Blessed is the man to whom God thus gives himself to be tasted! Thus +were the prophets of old fed with this heavenly bread, and sustained by +the eternal Word proceeding from God, and communicating itself unto them. +This made their tongues so free and so ready in the delivery of the divine +oracles. And from this inward sense, with which they were so powerfully +affected, the Holy Scripture has been derived, and handed down to us for +our edification. + +8. Even at this day, God does not cease still to speak unto all men, and +inwardly to feed them with his Word: but alas! most men have shut their +ears against his voice, and will rather hear the world than God, and +follow their own lusts, than the motions of the good Spirit of God. They +cannot eat of the hidden manna, because they greedily adhere to their +carnal propensities, and contemn the tree of life, with the fruit thereof. + +9. But surely such men are awfully blinded, since they will not understand +that God can afford infinitely greater pleasures than this world is +capable of imparting. He that has once tasted the goodness of God, will +esteem the whole world, together with its most exquisite pleasures, to be +nothing but gall and bitterness. Our first parents were beguiled by the +world; and by eating of the forbidden tree, they brought no less an evil +upon themselves than death itself: and yet we are so much besotted with +the pleasures of this world, as to follow freely their steps, and to obey +the forbidden lusts of the flesh, which cause our death. Rom. 8:13. + +10. Christ says: "If any shall eat of me," the true tree, and the true +bread of life, "he shall live for ever." John 6:51. And what is it to _eat +of him_, but to believe in him, to rejoice in him, to delight in him, and +to rest and to take pleasure in nothing but him alone? The world bestows +poor and inconsiderable wages, and yet it is served with great labor and +earnestness; whereas God grants an eternal and never-fading reward; and +yet with what sluggishness, coldness, and backwardness is his service +performed! How few there are, who adhere to God with as much care and +faith, devotion and obedience, as profane worldlings do to mammon, and the +world! We see them often take long and tedious journeys for a little +money; but for the sake of heaven, it grieves them to move even a foot. + +11. In all classes men seek and love the world more than they regard God. +Many a scholar studies day and night to attain preferment and honor, who +will hardly take time to say the _Lord's Prayer_ for the good of his soul. +The men who avoid no labor to get the bread that perishes, will undergo +none to procure that which is incorruptible. There are many who fear no +difficulty, flee from no danger, and, in an earthly warfare, stare even +death in the face; influenced by no other motive than to gain a little +fleeting fame, or at best, to be ranked among nobles and heroes: whereas +there is hardly one to be found that will enter into a combat with the +corrupt propensities of his flesh, although this is the way to obtain a +kingdom in heaven. We see the victors of many nations, and the subduers of +vast kingdoms, who little care to overcome themselves. There are large +numbers who do not regard the loss of their immortal souls, if they can +but gain the perishing goods of this world. All these, certainly, have not +tasted the hidden manna of the divine Word; for they do not overcome the +world, but are themselves overcome by it. Whosoever will taste the +sweetness of this heavenly manna, must, for the sake of the love of God, +despise the world, and overcome it. When he complies with these terms, he +is refreshed again with that comfort of the Holy Ghost, which no man knows +save he that receives it. + +12. This, therefore, must be done. The tree of life must first be planted +in us, before we can eat of its fruit: and the heart that wishes to be +quickened with heavenly comforts, ought first to be truly converted from +the world to God. But we, being intoxicated with worldly pleasures, do not +see that the joys of heaven are far more excellent than all that this +world affords. That which God gives, is infinitely more true and more +substantial than all which the creature can bestow. And that teaching +which comes from above, through the inspiration of the divine Spirit, is +far more noble and solid than that which is conveyed to us by man's +understanding, and imprinted on the mind with much toil and labor. The +flowers and fruits which are the productions of nature are nobler and +better than those which are fashioned of the finest gold by the hand of +art; even so, one drop of divine consolation is more satisfactory, and +incomparably better, than a whole ocean of worldly lust and pleasure. + +13. Whenever, therefore, thou desirest to taste any heavenly comfort, +withdraw thy heart from the joys of this world. As if the Lord were to +say, "If any will understand me, let him seriously attend to what I say; +if any will see me, it surely behooves him to fix his eye upon me alone." +Who can doubt but that our heart and senses, and all the faculties of our +souls ought to be converted to God, and fixed on him alone, if ever we +desire to see, hear, and understand God; nay, to taste him and his +goodness? For thus he expresses himself in the Prophet: "When ye shall +search for me with your whole heart, ye shall find me." Jer. 29:13. + +14. Many at this day are held in great admiration on a very light account. +Oh! a learned man! (they say), a rich man! a great man! a wise man! But +scarcely any regard how meek, how humble, how patient, or how devout any +man is. Of this perverse judgment, there is no other cause, than that the +people of this world only admire the _exterior_ of a man, and pass by what +is _within_ the mind, which alone is worthy to be esteemed and valued. Let +him that praises a man because he is a great traveller, and has seen many +cities and countries, consider whether it be not far better to have seen +God. Let him that admires another, because he has served several monarchs, +and attended on emperors, kings, and princes, tell us whether it be not +far more excellent to be the servant of God, to wait on the King of +Heaven, to hear Him speak in the heart, and to serve Him faithfully? Many +who enjoy nothing but the things of this world, will say, "We have +abundance of learned men and great scholars in this age; arts and sciences +are greatly advanced among us." But such men as these, do not know the art +of arts, the science of sciences, which is divine Love; a benefit +preferable to all other knowledge and learning, but which seems to be +almost wholly extinct in this degenerate age, together with faith itself, +that produces it. The number of those that are in truth divinely "taught +of God," is apparently but small (Isa. 54:13); and so of those that care +to be instructed in the humble and meek life of Christ. Matt. 11:29. Yea, +to speak plainly, there are among the most learned at this day, some who +are, perhaps, the most alienated from the life of God, and know but little +of that truth which is in Jesus. They are those who confine knowledge to +words and terms artfully contrived; when indeed solid erudition and +learning consist not in _words_, but in _things_, and in a real and +eternal wisdom. Upon the whole, whoever calls this world a wicked world, +is not mistaken in his judgment. + +15. Others will praise a man, because he keeps a rich and plentiful table, +and fares sumptuously every day; but they do not consider that the very +crumbs dropping from God's table, are transcendently better than the +choicest dishes of the wealthy and greedy; and that the hidden manna, and +the incorruptible bread, descending from heaven, and prepared by the Lord +himself, afford the most savory and most delicious food for nourishing the +soul. Ps. 23:5. + +16. Whoever enjoys God and his Word, is disgusted at nothing, and nothing +can displease him; for he enjoys God in all. But what can delight him, who +does not taste the sweetness of God, and the goodness of his Word? GOD +alone is the joy of the soul. He infinitely surpasses all earthly joy and +transient mirth. He is the eternal Light, which incomparably exceeds all +created lights. May he be pleased to influence our hearts with his hidden +pleasure! May he purify our spirits, and all the faculties of our souls! +May he enlighten and quicken, correct and revive all that is within us! +And, O! when shall that glorious hour appear, in which the Lord will +satiate us with his presence, and replenish us with all that he himself +is! Isa. 55:12. + +17. But as we are not yet prepared for so transcendent a joy, so we cannot +partake of it, while we are confined to this state of imperfection. Let +us, therefore, be content with the crumbs of comfort which fall from the +Lord's table, and patiently wait for that time, wherein we shall be +refreshed with his joy for evermore! + +18. Hear the words of our blessed Saviour: "Behold, I stand at the door, +and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to +him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20. Is it not, then, a +foolish thing to slight so great a favor, and to treat contemptuously the +King of kings, who, like a heavenly guest, comes to see thee? Is it not +disgraceful to let a friend stand knocking without, and refuse to admit a +man to thy presence, who has nothing at heart but thy welfare? How +unaccountable then must it be to debar the great God from thy heart, who +stands in no need of thy presents; but, after the manner of princes, +brings his own royal dainties with him when he approaches the house of a +poor subject! He will feed thee with heavenly bread, and with that hidden +manna which is preserved for those that overcome. + +19. When the Lord says, "Hear my voice, and open the door," he compares, +as it were, the heart of a man to a house full of noise and clamor, where +music, though ever so sweet and melodious, cannot be heard. So the voice +of the divine Visitor cannot enter a profane heart, whilst it is hurried +about with the cares and desires of this world. Such a heart closes the +door against this Visitor, and consequently cannot taste the sweetness of +the celestial manna. But when this noise and tumult cease, it is then that +these secret whispers are best perceived in men. And O! that thou, with +Samuel, couldest answer: "Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth." 1 Sam. +3:10. + +20. The truth of this internal, spiritual, and heavenly supper is also +attested elsewhere. The apostle speaks of some, that "have been once +enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers +of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of +the world to come." Heb. 6:4. By this we are taught, that in whomsoever +the Holy Ghost freely resides, there the virtues and powers of the world +to come are also tasted. It is then that the soul feeds on that manna, +which is hid in the gracious Word proceeding out of the mouth of God, and +by which all the saints live. + +21. The efficacy of this living Word was also tasted by the royal prophet, +through the Holy Ghost, when he burst forth into these words: "In thy +presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for +evermore." Ps. 16:11. From this lively sense, he also invited others to an +enjoyment of the same sweetness, saying, "O taste and see that the Lord is +good. There is no want to them that fear him." Ps. 34:8, 9. Of the plenty +and dignity of this heavenly banquet, he hath thus expressed himself: +"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou +anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." Ps. 23:5. "Thy loving +kindness is better than life." Ps. 63:3. "They shall be abundantly +satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of +the river of thy pleasures." Ps. 36:8. And lastly, "Let all those that +seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee; and let such as love thy +salvation, say continually, Let God be magnified. But I am poor and needy; +make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make +no tarrying." Ps. 70:4, 5. + +22. From all these, and many other places besides, it may abundantly be +known who those are that are inwardly fed with the good Word of God, and +with the hidden manna of the world to come; even those that are poor in +spirit, who entirely rely on divine comfort. These only are worthy to +taste of this heavenly manna, and of the divine gift, of which David +speaks at large: "How amiable," says he, "are thy tabernacles, O Lord of +hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my +heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God." Ps. 84:1, 2. By this +Scripture we may understand, that the least pleasure of the world to come, +infinitely exceeds all the joys of this world; and that one day passed +there, is far more excellent than a thousand years here. Whoever has +tasted these exquisite pleasures, will discard the things of this life, as +empty and insipid. The whole world becomes a burden, a trouble and +vexation of spirit, to such a person. He is like one that is accustomed to +delicious fare, and consequently cannot partake of what is coarse. + +23. This is so sacred a hunger and thirst, that none but God alone can +satisfy it, and he only, by his love. This is that spiritual fulness with +which the saints are satiated, according to the words: "Eat, O friends, +drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." Song of Sol. 5:1. These +spiritual enjoyments the Lord bestows on his friends, in order to unite +them the more closely to himself, and to make them the sooner forget the +perishing things of this world. A few crumbs of this bread, a few drops +pressed from this heavenly vine, ought to excite our desires after that +plentiful and abounding fountain, which shall flow for us hereafter. + +24. In order that the Lord might excite in us so sacred a thirst, and that +he might make us long the more earnestly after such heavenly objects as +these, it was expedient that he should first himself thirst upon the cross +for our sakes. John 19:28. As he himself satisfies and quenches our hunger +and thirst, so ought we again to satiate his thirst and ardent desire of +loving. He more fervently thirsts after us, than we do after him; +according to that which he hath himself declared: "My meat is to do the +will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34): and the +will of God was, to save men from everlasting destruction. If we but +thirsted after him as he thirsts after us, we should then drink so +plentifully of his Spirit, that even "rivers of living water would flow +from our bodies" (John 7:38): that is, nothing should be seen in us, but +what is spiritual, lovely, and consolatory. Nay, he would make us +overflow, as it were, with a torrent of divine goodness and consolation, +so that soul and body, and all that is within us, should triumphantly +rejoice in the living God. For nothing is of so great and so divine an +amplitude as a man's soul, after it has gained true freedom and liberty. +Such a soul comprehends God, heaven, and earth. And again, nothing is less +than a man's soul in its nothingness and humiliation, when it humbles +itself under God and all his creatures. + + + + +Chapter XXXVII. + + + He Who Does Not Follow Christ In Faith, Holiness, And Continued +Repentance, Cannot Be Delivered From The Blindness Of His Heart, But Must +Abide In Eternal Darkness; And He Cannot Have A True Knowledge Of Christ, + Or Fellowship With Him. + + + _God is light, and in him is no darkness at all: if we say we have + fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the + truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have + fellowship one with another._--1 JOHN 1:5-7. + + +That we may the better understand the nature of light and darkness, it is +necessary first to give heed to the description of the light, as it is +originally. + +2. "God is light," saith St. John. But what is God? God is a spiritual, +eternal, and infinite Being; God is almighty, merciful, gracious, +righteous, holy, true, and the only wise God. God the Father, Son, and +Holy Ghost, is unspeakable love and faithfulness; He is one in three +Persons; He is the Sovereign Good, and good essentially. And this is the +true and everlasting light. Whence every one that departs from God, from +his love, his mercy, his righteousness, and his truth, departs also from +light itself, and must consequently fall into darkness; for without God +there is nothing but everlasting darkness. O how dark, therefore, is that +soul in which God doth not dwell! Now if God be light, then the devil must +certainly be darkness; and if God be love, then the devil must be nothing +but hatred and wrath, enmity and envy, malice and uncharitableness, sin +and wickedness. Whoever, therefore, turns himself to sin, turns himself to +darkness and to the devil. Neither can he be delivered, till he turn back +again, from darkness to light, from sin to righteousness, from vice to +virtue, from the devil to God. Acts 26:18. And this is the work of a true +and living faith which purifies the heart. Acts 15:9. For he who believes +in Christ, daily repents and turns from sin and the devil to Christ Jesus. +For even as Adam by sin turned himself from God to the devil, so we ought +to withdraw again, by true repentance and faith, from the devil to God. + +3. Hence it follows that man, without being converted from sin to God, can +never be truly enlightened. "For what communion hath light with darkness?" +2 Cor. 6:14. Impiety and impenitence are wholly darkness, and, +consequently, can have no fellowship with the light of the knowledge of +Christ. So that it is absolutely impossible that those should be +enlightened by the Spirit, and the light of eternal truth, who live in +darkness and impenitence. To this purpose, St. Paul says concerning the +Jews: "When they shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away" (2 +Cor. 3:16); that is, their darkness, blindness, and ignorance shall be +removed, and Christ shall give them light. + +4. The greatest blindness, or thickest darkness that covers the minds of +men, is the sin of unbelief, with the fruits resulting from it; such as +pride, avarice, wrath, and the whole train of sensual lusts and pleasures. +Wherever these take possession of a man, it is impossible that he should +know Christ, the true Light of the world; much less can he savingly +believe in him, trust in him, and obtain by him everlasting life. + +5. For how should that man know the humility of the heart of Christ, whose +own heart abounds with pride and high-mindedness? How should he be +acquainted with the meekness of the heart of Christ, who is full of bitter +wrath and envy? How should he understand his marvellous patience, who +delights in revenge, and is hurried about with a multitude of unruly +passions? But he who does not understand the humility, meekness, and +patience of Christ, does not know Christ himself, nor believe in his holy +name. For truly, if ever thou desirest to attain a sound knowledge of +Christ, thou must obtain, by faith, the same heart which is in Christ; +thou must experimentally perceive in thy heart, his meekness, his +patience, and his humility. It is then that thy knowledge becomes solid +and substantial. As a fruit is known by the taste, so Christ, the tree of +life, is known by tasting. Whenever thou tastest by faith the humility of +Christ, his meekness and his patience, thou then eatest of his fruit, and +shalt find rest for thy soul. Thou enjoyest in Christ the favor and +consolation of God. This is the only way to true rest and tranquillity of +mind. For the grace and comfort of God cannot enter into a heart that is +void of faith, and destitute of the meekness and humility of Christ. It is +to the _humble_ that God gives grace. 1 Pet. 5:5. + +6. But how is it possible that Christ should profit a man who does not +desire to have the least fellowship with him? For, in truth, all those +that live in the darkness of sin, have no fellowship with Christ, be their +pretences what they will. For thus says St. John: "If we say that we have +fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. +But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one +with another." 1 John 1:6, 7. And in the following chapter he explains it +more fully: "The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that +saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even +until now. He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is +no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother, is in +darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, +because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." 1 John 2:8-11. + +7. As long, then, as a man continues in that dark and terrible cloud of +sin, it is impossible that he should be enlightened by Christ, the true +Light of the world, and be thereby brought to a saving knowledge of God. +Whoever will attain to a true knowledge of God and Christ, must firmly +believe that God is nothing but grace and love. Now, no man can know what +love is, but he that has, and practises it, the knowledge of a thing being +the result of a man's experience, of his feelings, and of the works of +truth which he performs. Whoever, therefore, does not exercise love +(whatever words he may use about it), continues an utter stranger to the +nature of love; and what he is pleased to call love, is nothing but show +and pretence. And as Christ himself is nothing but love and humility, +meekness and patience, and every true virtue, so a man that is not +frequent in the performance of these and the like virtues, is altogether +ignorant of Christ and of the truth. He is but a superficial pretender to, +and a vain usurper of, His holy name, let his boasts be what they may. The +Word of God is nothing but spirit. Whoever, therefore, does not live and +walk in the Spirit, in no wise understands what the Word of God is, though +he may dispute and argue copiously about it. How shall a man tell us what +love is, who never performed any act of love? How shall a man give an +account of the nature of light, who, having been constantly confined to a +dark dungeon, has never seen the light himself? Now, the light in man is +faith and charity, according to the saying of Christ: "Let your light so +shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your +Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:16. + +8. In a word, the holy life of Christ is nothing but love and charity. No +sooner do we, by faith, learn from him true love and humility, meekness +and patience, as he himself has engaged us to do, than we are transformed +into his image, and enlightened with that true and eternal light, which he +himself is; according to that exhortation of St. Paul: "Awake thou that +sleepest (namely, in sins and the lust of the flesh), and arise from the +dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph. 5:14. + +9. From all this it follows, that in the case of as many as do not awake +from their spiritual lethargy, that is, from the lust of the eyes, the +lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and other pleasures that attend +them, their souls cannot be enlightened by Christ, since they love +darkness rather than light, and thereby unfit themselves for a reception +of the divine light. + +10. It also hence appears that those, on the other hand, who truly embrace +the life of Christ, and follow him in faith, are by him graciously +enlightened, according to his promise: "I am the light of the world: he +that followeth me (in faith and love, hope and patience, meekness and +humility, fear of God, and in prayer, etc.) shall not walk in darkness, +but shall have the light of life." John 8:12. Therefore, the true +followers of Christ, and these only, freely enjoy the light of life, and +are alone endued with true illumination and sound knowledge of Christ. And +it is on account of this Christian faith and life, that true believers are +called by the Apostle, _a light in the Lord_. "Ye were," saith he, +"sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord" (Eph. 5:8): here he +means the principle of faith, and those Christian virtues that attend it. +And again, "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: +we are not of the night, nor of darkness,"--"putting on the breast-plate of +faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation." 1 Thess. 5:5, 8. +Christ denies that the world (that is, carnal and unregenerate minds), can +ever "receive the Spirit of Truth." John 14:17. + +11. That there might be a perfect and absolute example given to men, and a +complete idea of virtue and goodness, the Son of God became also Man, and +by his unspotted and holy life was made the public Light of the world, +that so all men might follow him, believe in him, and receive light from +him. Since, however, false Christians own with their lips that Christ is +the safe and great exemplar of virtue, and yet do not follow him in their +life and actions, it is manifest, that the heathens who esteemed virtue, +put the Christians to shame. The most eminent of them, such as Plato, +Aristotle, Cicero, Seneca, have highly recommended the study of virtue, +and freely confessed, that "if virtue could be seen with bodily eyes, it +would appear fairer, and with a more glorious lustre than even the morning +star." But, truly, none have had a fuller view of the beauty of virtue, +than those who by faith have seen JESUS CHRIST, that unerring pattern of +righteousness. These are those that have "handled the Word of life" (1 +John 1:1), as St. John tells us. And, surely, if heathens have been so +much absorbed by the love of virtue, how much more should a Christian love +the transcendent beauty of Jesus Christ, who is virtue itself, and +composed of nothing but pure love, and unspotted meekness; nay, who is GOD +himself? + +12. It was not without cause, therefore, that St. Paul preferred the love +of Christ to all other knowledge or science: and with him we ought to pray +that we may experimentally "know this love of Christ which passeth +knowledge" (Eph. 3:19), that so we may thereby be "filled with all the +fulness of God." Now there is no man that has the love of Christ in him, +but he must necessarily also love the humility and meekness of Christ, and +from sincere love to him readily embrace them. By this means he is still +more and more enlightened, and day by day transformed into the image of +Christ, "as from glory to glory." 2 Cor. 3:18. And the reason of this is +evident; for God delights to give grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5), as +the Scripture tells us: agreeably to what St. Bernard says, "The rivers of +grace flow downwards, not upwards." They visit and refresh the valley, but +will not rest upon mountains, or upon anything that is high and lifted up. +How should then the grace of the light and knowledge of God come to a man +that walks not in the humble and holy light of Christ, but in the way of +Lucifer? For if there be any faith in us, and if this be attended with +suitable fruits and practice, it will not leave us "barren and unfruitful +in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:8. In an humble soul +Christ lives, and then also his Spirit rests upon it (the spirit of wisdom +and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of +knowledge and of the fear of the Lord), as truly as it rested upon Christ +himself. For in whomsoever the light and the life of Christ dwell, in him +is also Christ himself, who is the very light and life of a Christian. And +this also is the reason that the gifts and graces of the divine Spirit +rest upon a true Christian, as well as upon Christ himself, according to +the prophecy of Isaiah. Ch. 11:1-3. + +13. Hence St. Peter, speaking to the Jews, exhorts them to repent (or to +be renewed in their minds): "and ye shall," says he, "receive the gift of +the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38. Whence it plainly appears, that those who are +in a state of faith and repentance, are the only men duly prepared for +receiving the divine Spirit, the true enlightener of hearts. + +14. Whoever, therefore, desires to be delivered from the blindness of his +heart, and from eternal darkness, yea, from the devil himself, let him +faithfully follow Christ in true faith, in unfeigned conversion, and in a +thorough newness of life. The nearer we are to Christ, the nearer we are +to the eternal light; the more closely we adhere to unbelief, the more we +adhere to darkness and to the devil himself. For even as Christ, faith, +and all the virtues, are nearly allied and belong together, so in like +manner, are the devil, unbelief, and all the vices, and works of darkness, +so nearly combined, as to render it impossible to conceive of one without +the other. + +15. Consider the apostles of the Lord. They followed their Master in +faith, in contempt of the world, denying themselves, in renouncing their +possessions, and in living together in unity of the Spirit. By this means +they were enlightened from above, and filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts +2:1, etc. With these terms the rich young man in the Gospel being +unwilling to comply, he continued shut up in the darkness of the world, +and was not enlightened unto eternal life. Luke 18:23. For "if any man +love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15. And +"he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and knoweth not whither he +goeth: because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." 1 John 2:11. + +16. All the sermons of Tauler refer to this subject. He makes it appear, +that without the sincere exercise of faith, without a serious course of +mortification, without self-denial, without a narrow search into one's own +heart, and without the inward, calm sabbath of the soul, no man can obtain +or enjoy the divine light. + +17. In short, in proportion as the works of darkness are destroyed in a +man by the Spirit of God, in that proportion is he illuminated; and again, +in the same degree as the corrupt nature, the flesh, and the world, pride, +and the lust of the eyes, domineer in a man, in that degree darkness is +left in him, and the less of grace, of light, of the Spirit of God and of +Christ, is he possessed of. Therefore it remains, that without unfeigned +repentance, and a _daily_ repentance, no man can be truly enlightened from +above. + +18. Whoever yields too much to one sin, undoubtedly opens a door to many +others. Sin never comes alone, but, like a noxious weed, spreads itself on +every side, and gains more ground every day. And as the darkness becomes +greater accordingly as the sun retires, so as the holy life of Christ +departs from us, the darkness and sin increase, till at length the man is +swallowed up in eternal darkness. On the contrary, if a man devote himself +to the practice of one virtue, he gains thereby an opportunity of +practising all the rest in time, and cannot but daily proceed from one to +another. This admirable connection is represented by St. Peter as a chain, +in which all the rings are linked together, and none is suffered to +separate from another. "Add," he says, "to your faith, virtue; and to +virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, +patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly +kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity;" superadding one virtue +continually to another, and crowning all at last with this promise: "If +these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be +barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter +1:5-8. To sum up all in a few words: Whoever is not earnestly bent on the +exercise of such heavenly virtues as these, certainly knows not Christ, +and is void of all saving knowledge: whereas, if a man by faith grow in +virtue, he also grows in Christ himself. On the contrary, the wrathful, +the covetous, the proud, the impatient, do not grow in Christ, but in the +devil. + +19. It is the apostle's command, that we should grow up "unto a perfect +man." Eph. 4:13. As a child gradually grows up to the stature of a perfect +man, so a Christian ought daily to grow in the practice of faith and +virtue, till he become a perfect man in Christ. But "he that lacketh these +things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was +purged from his old sins." 2 Pet. 1:9. As if the apostle had said: Christ +by his death has indeed taken away our sins, and blotted them out; not +that we should continue in the service of sin, but that, dying to sin, and +living to Christ, we should show forth the fructifying power of the death +of Christ. Without this order practically applied to the mind, it is +manifest, that the purging away of our old sins, and the atonement made +for them, can profit us nothing. Our sin is never forgiven until we +entirely quit it, repent of it, and embrace Christ with an unfeigned +belief. If we preserve but one sin alive, the mortifying of all the rest, +if that were possible, would avail nothing; but we should be condemned to +eternal death, without any hope of expiation or forgiveness. Thus, a man +may be damned for the sin of wrath alone; whereas, if he had seriously +corrected and quitted it, he would have obtained pardon not only for that, +but even for other sins of which he stood guilty. But neglecting to do +this, he is one of those that are "blind," and "he forgets that he was +purged from his old sins!" 2 Pet. 1:9. + +20. By this we are given to understand the necessity of repentance, and a +thorough change of life: for although Christ died for our sins, and +abolished them with the price of his blood, yet can we never partake of +that merit, unless we _repent_. Without repentance this precious blood +profits nothing. And though every man has a promise of pardon for his sin +through the merit of Christ, yet that promise belongs not to the +unbeliever, nor to the impenitent, but to those only who truly repent and +reform their lives. Those sins shall not be remitted, which a man will not +leave; but those only which he is willing to quit, and for which he +heartily grieves. And here the word of the Lord is verified, "The poor +have the Gospel preached to them;" that is, remission of sin, and life +everlasting consequent upon it. Matt. 11:5. Let us suppose a man, who, for +many years, has been the servant of covetousness, after the example of +Zaccheus; or of lust, as Mary Magdalene; or of wrath and revenge, as Esau. +Let us also suppose that this man, as soon as he heard that either these +sins were to be entirely left, or that the death and blood of Christ would +else profit him nothing, becomes a true suppliant to God, and cries out to +him: "Oh God! how am I grieved for this! O Lord, be merciful, be +merciful!" and then forms a new resolution, desists from his sin, craves +pardon and grace, and believes in Christ. Then all his former offences +are, of grace, freely remitted to him. No merit of his own is regarded, +but solely the death and the blood of Christ shed for him. This is the +only way in which a returning sinner is to obtain mercy. Whereas, he that +does not fully resolve to abandon his former sins, his covetousness, +wrath, usury, pride, lust, etc., will hope forever in vain for a remission +of sin, being condemned to everlasting confusion and anguish. He shall be +obliged to satisfy for himself the justice of God, and yet will never be +able to perform it. On earth he was destitute of that faith which purifies +the heart (Acts 15:9); and so his sin and lust, which have not been +mortified here, shall forever torment him there. It is for this reason, +that St. Paul so earnestly inculcates, "that they which do such things, +shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. 5:21. And therefore either the +loss of this heavenly kingdom must certainly follow, or the narrow way of +_self-denial_ must be heartily chosen. + +21. Wherever this unfeigned conversion to, and faith in, God, are wrought +in the soul, there pardon and divine grace are freely bestowed. And where +these are, there is Christ also; without whom no grace can be obtained. +Where Christ is, there are likewise his precious merit, and the full +ransom which he has paid for our sins, and which is appropriated to the +penitent soul. Again, where these are, there is righteousness; and with +righteousness, is peace; and with peace, sweet serenity of conscience. It +is then, that righteousness and peace kiss each other in the soul. Ps. +85:10. This clearness of conscience is attended with the Spirit of God +himself; who being a Spirit of joy, will surely pour forth the "oil of +gladness" (Heb. 1:9), and quicken the soul with a foretaste of life +eternal itself, which shall be joy and glory without end. + +22. This is that light of eternal life, that eternally triumphant joy, +with which those only are crowned that live in Christ, and exercise daily +repentance. This is the beginning of a spiritual life, as the death of +Christ is the basis and foundation on which it is raised. On the contrary, +where there is no repentance, there is no pardon of sin; where there is no +inward remorse or spiritual sorrow, there grace cannot have a place. Where +these are wanting, there Christ himself is wanting, together with the +whole extent of his merits and satisfaction, be the pretences of the +_false_ Christian ever so fair and specious. Where this satisfaction is +not thoroughly applied to the soul, there is no righteousness, and +consequently no peace, no good conscience, no comfort. Where there is no +comfort of heart, there is no Holy Ghost, no joy, no calmness of mind, and +no life eternal; but death, hell, condemnation, and everlasting darkness. + +23. Behold, O man! how true it is, that none of those who refuse to follow +Christ in their lives, by an unfeigned repentance, can ever get rid of the +blindness of their hearts, and of everlasting darkness. + + + + +Chapter XXXVIII. + + + Showing That An Unchristian Life Leads To False Doctrine, Hardness Of + Heart, And Blindness; Also, Treating Of The Eternal Election Of Grace. + + + _Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the + light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in + darkness knoweth not whither he goeth_.--JOHN 12:35. + + +Since Christ, and faith in him are denied, and almost wholly extirpated by +an ungodly life, what shall his doctrine profit us? For his doctrine, with +the Word and Sacraments, is delivered to us for no other end, than that it +be inwardly digested, and converted, as it were, into our very life and +spirit. As from a good seed springs up good fruit, so from the Word and +Sacraments should spring up within us the noble life of regeneration, or +the new birth; the new, holy, and spiritual man; or, to speak all in one +word, a true and real Christian. For he that is a Christian, must needs be +born again of the Spirit, the Word, and the Sacraments, and believe and +live in Christ, as in the primary principle of the life of grace. As +certainly as a child is begotten by his father, so truly must the +Christian be begotten of God and of Christ, through faith. James 1:18; 1 +Peter 1:23; John 3:3, 5; Titus 3:5. + +2. When, therefore, we do not resolve to strive against the depraved bent +of our flesh, and to digest the doctrine of Christ into our life and +nature; nay, when we contradict the _Christian_ doctrine by an +_anti-Christian_ life, by irreligion and profaneness; is it not plain that +we are not begotten of God, nor born of Christ? What will Christ's +_doctrine_ profit us, when we are sure that our _life_ does not correspond +with it at all? Will our vain boasts of the light of the Gospel do any +good, when we evidently walk in darkness? It is on this account that the +light deservedly retires from us, and the world begins to be overspread +with darkness and false doctrines, with errors and with seducing spirits. +And that we might beware of these, our blessed Saviour hath left us this +warning: "While ye have the light, walk in the light, lest darkness come +upon you" (John 12:35); that is, lest ye be led away into all kinds of +errors and delusions, into blindness and hardness of heart, into darkness +and prejudices, which indispose the mind for the very reception of the +light of the Gospel. This was the case with Pharaoh, the Jews, and also of +Julian the Apostate; who, being in the end convicted by the reproaches of +his own conscience, exclaimed openly, and to his own confusion, that +Christ both lived and reigned, and was both Lord and God; saying, "Thou +hast overcome, O Galilean; thou hast overcome." It would have been better +for him to have said, "Lord, have mercy upon me!" But, alas! this was +entirely out of his reach, in consequence of the hardness of his heart, +contracted by an uninterrupted course of sinning, and by having rejected +and despised the mercy of Christ. + +3. This hardness of heart, is that terrible darkness which, in the end, +overtakes all such as refuse to walk in the light whilst they have it. It +is the just punishment inflicted on those that blaspheme the truth, as +Pharaoh did, when he asked: "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his +voice, to let Israel go? I know not the Lord." Exodus 5:2. Therefore it +was but just that he should the more grievously feel the overruling power +of God, by being made an example to the whole world, and a lasting +monument of the indignation of the Lord, and of the weakness of men who +vainly presume to oppose him. + +4. In like manner were the Jews of old struck with blindness and hardness +of heart, when they refused to hearken to the voice of the Lord, having +been warned by Moses long before, that this would certainly come to pass. +"The Lord," says he, "shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and +astonishment of heart." Deut. 28:28. This actually did befall them, as may +be seen, Isaiah, chap. 6:9-12. Whereby it is manifest, that such hardness +of heart is the most righteous punishment of unbelief, of contempt of God, +and the heavenly truth declared by him; according to the words of St. +Paul: "With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; +because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. +And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should +believe a lie." 2 Thess. 2:10, 11. Whence it plainly appears, why God is +used to strike men with such terrible blindness and hardness of heart; +namely, because they "receive not the love of the truth." + +5. And, indeed, the man from whom God takes away his offered grace, is +surely most wretched and miserable; neither can he of himself at any time +return into the right way. As a proof of this, we have the examples of +Pharaoh and Julian. He from whom the Lord removes his light, must of +necessity live in darkness. God removes it, however, from those only who +refuse to walk in it; _neither does he take his grace from any, but from +those that boldly reject it_. + +6. It is in this sense that the words of St. Paul are to be taken: " 'I +will have mercy (saith he) on whom I will have mercy.' Therefore hath he +mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he hardeneth." Rom. +9:15, 18. But truly the Lord hath pity on all them who freely receive his +mercy; as, on the contrary, he hardeneth those that reject and blaspheme +the offer of his grace. And it is this wilful resistance for which St. +Paul reproves the Jews: "It was necessary," says he, "that the word of God +should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and +judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the +Gentiles." "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and +glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal +life, believed" (Acts 13:46, 48): that is, as many as did not resist and +obstinately cast away the word of grace, as the means of faith. It was +because the Jews were guilty of this, that they could not believe: for the +Lord hath not ordained any one to eternal salvation, who disdainfully +rejects his word, and proves disobedient to the offer of his grace. + +7. The ordination to life eternal, or the election of grace (Rom. 11:5), +is fully brought to pass in Jesus Christ, with this promise annexed, that +God offers his grace to all by the Gospel; those who receive it are +ordained to eternal life; and whosoever reject it thereby "judge +themselves unworthy of eternal life," as St. Paul expresses it. That is, +by their own fault they make themselves unworthy of that blessing, and +debar themselves from that universal grace which is displayed in the +Gospel; and so putting their own names out of the book of life, which is +Christ, they resist the good work of God by their own contumacy, and, +consequently, cannot obtain that true saving faith, which the Word begets. + +8. And here let us not deceive ourselves, by vainly supposing that they +only reject the word of God, who do not outwardly embrace the faith and +doctrine of Christ (such as Mahometans and Jews); and that those who +profess the Christian faith, and adhere to the doctrine of the Gospel, +cannot possibly be deemed wilful despisers of the offer of mercy. Certain +it is, that all who will not follow the footsteps of Christ, nor take his +life upon them, nor walk in the light, fall under this heavy charge. And +for this cause God is moved to take from them the light of his word, and +of pure doctrine. "I," saith Christ, "am the light of the world: he that +followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of +life." John 8:12. + +9. Hence we learn that whoever follows the example of Christ, and lives +his life, shall be in no danger of being misled by any delusion and error. +He shall also escape that blindness and hardness of heart, which an empty +confessor of the Christian faith draws upon himself. Consider here, on the +one hand, the many proud, noble, learned, ingenious, and mighty men of +this world; and, on the other, the errors, blindness, and delusions, into +which they are plunged. Truly, those delusions arise from no other source, +than because men do not live in Christ, but are averse to the imitation of +his holy life; and therefore cannot have the light of life. + +10. From the same source also proceed those "workings of Satan," and those +"strong delusions," together with all the "lying wonders" mentioned by St. +Paul (2 Thess. 2:9-11), and which more and more increase upon us, because +the world is not willing to follow Christ, and by this means, to be +preserved from delusion and error. "For what communion hath light with +darkness? and what concord (therefore) hath Christ with Belial?" 2 Cor. +6:14, 15. That is to say, Purity of doctrine, and divine knowledge, cannot +remain with those that live in the devil, in darkness, in pride, in +covetousness, and filthy pleasure. How should the pure doctrine dwell with +those who exhibit impurity of life and manners? Nothing, certainly, can be +more irreconcilable, than purity of doctrine and an impure life. + +11. If, therefore, we would preserve pure doctrine, we must be wholly +changed in our minds, and have no part with the world, and with +unchristian actions. We must "awake" (Eph. 5:14) from the lethargy of sin, +and shake off the works of darkness, that so Christ may enlighten us again +with the light of true faith. Whence it is plain, that whosoever does not +follow the footsteps of Christ, nor imitate him in his love, humility, +meekness, patience, and obedience, he must necessarily be deceived, and +stray from the knowledge of God; since he does not walk in the way which +leads to truth. + +12. On the contrary, if we but lived in Christ, if we walked in his love +and humility, and directed all our endeavors and studies purely to this +_one object_, that the flesh be mortified, and the life of Christ raised +within us; that through him we might overcome ourselves, and triumph over +the flesh, the world, and the devil; if this were but once effected, there +would then remain very little contention and strife about the doctrine, +and heresies would of themselves fall to the ground. + +13. We have an example of most strange delusion in Ahab, who, on account +of his wicked and tyrannical life, was seduced by four hundred false +prophets. 1 Kings 22. It was by their encouragement that he undertook that +fatal expedition against the Syrians, in contempt of the true prophet +Micaiah, who positively foretold his death in that battle. But being led +by a false light, he rejected the truth, and gave credit to lying +prophets, who prophesied nothing but peace and prosperity to him. Hence +the justice of God met him, according to the word of the true prophet, and +by due desert the dogs licked his blood. + +14. In this is verified the word of St. Paul: "The god of this world hath +blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the +glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them." 2 Cor. 4:4. And is not +the same judgment threatened against all hypocrites, who boast of Christ +and his doctrine, but deny him in their life and actions? For thus saith +the Lord through the prophet: "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with +their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart +far from me; therefore the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the +understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." Isa. 29:13, 14. +Concerning the prophets in particular, the Lord has plainly declared, that +he has "covered the prophets, the rulers, and seers." Hence the vision +shall become as a "sealed book," etc. Verse 10, 11. And as for the Jews +themselves, the apostle has told us, that there is a "vail upon their +heart," preventing their eyes from beholding the true Messiah; which, +however, shall be "taken away when they turn to the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:15, +16. + + + + +Chapter XXXIX. + + + Showing That The Purity Of The Doctrine Of The Divine Word Is Maintained +Not Only By Discussions And Publications, But Also By True Repentance And + Holiness Of Life. + + + _Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, + in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which + was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in + us._--2 TIM. 1:13, 14. + + +It is very necessary, that the purity of doctrine, and the truth of the +holy Christian faith, should be maintained and defended against all false +teachers. For this we have the example of the holy prophets, who, with +great zeal, preached against false and idolatrous prophets under the old +law; of the Son of God, who sharply disputed against the Pharisees and +scribes at Jerusalem; of St. John, the Evangelist, who wrote his Gospel +against the heretical Ebionites and Cerinthus, and the Revelation (chap. +2:6, 15), against the false church of the Nicolaitans and others. + +2. Thus, too, St. Paul vigorously defended the doctrine of justification +by faith (Rom. 3:20, etc.), of good works (2 Cor. 9:8, etc.), of the +resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:1, etc.), of Christian liberty (1 Cor. +9; 10--Gal. 5:1, etc.), etc., against certain false apostles who had +intruded into the Church. We have, further, the example of the holy +bishops and fathers of the primitive church, who, following the example +set them by the apostles, strenuously opposed in their public +controversial writings, the Pagan superstitions, and the heresies of those +times. Nay, for the same purpose General Councils were gathered by the +Christian emperors, who condemned the chief heretics that infested the +church at that time; such as the Arians, Macedonians, Nestorians, and +Eutychians; not to mention the example of Martin Luther, by whose +polemical books and writings, the papacy, and other sects, have in these +latter days been successfully assailed. + +3. It remains, therefore, that preaching, writing, and disputation against +heretics, must be continued, to the preserving of the purity of doctrine, +and of true religion. For this reason, the apostle will also have "a +bishop to be able both to exhort and convince the gainsayers." Titus 1:9. +Though this in itself is both lawful and commendable, yet it has so fallen +out by the abuse of it, that disputations and controversies are increased +to such an extent in these days, that the Christian life, true repentance, +love, and godliness, are, as it were forgotten; as if the sum and +substance of the Christian religion consisted in arguing, and writing +books of controversy, rather than in that unfeigned holiness of life, and +purity of manners, which the Gospel requires. + +4. For consider the examples of the holy Prophets and Apostles, as also of +the Son of God himself. They did not barely dispute against false prophets +and apostles, and the superstitions maintained by them; but also with +great zeal and vigor exhorted to true repentance, and a holy life. Their +sermons were accompanied with power and energy; and they made it appear, +that by wickedness and impenitence, true religion and worship were +destroyed, the Church laid waste, and kingdoms and countries visited with +the plague, war, and famine. And all this exactly came to pass even as +they said. Of this complexion is that declaration of the Prophet, where he +denounces to the Jews, "that because the vineyard of the Lord did not +bring forth grapes, but wild grapes, the Lord had decreed to lay it +waste." Isaiah 5:4, 6. Whence it appears, that impiety is the cause, why +God takes away his Word from us. And does not the Lord speak to the same +effect, in the words recorded by St. John? "Walk while ye have the light, +lest darkness come upon you." John 12:35. But what is it to walk in the +light, except it be to imitate Christ in his life, and to have the same +mind which was in him? And what does the Lord intimate by the "darkness +coming upon us," but the loss of the Gospel, and of the purity of the +Christian doctrine? All this may abundantly convince us, that without +repentance and holiness of life, no soul can be illuminated with the +saving light of the Gospel. For the Holy Ghost, who is the true +enlightener of hearts, flees from the ungodly, and chooses holy souls +only, to make them friends of God. And if the beginning of wisdom is the +fear of God (Ps. 111:10), who can doubt that impiety and carnal security +are the beginning of folly, ignorance, and blindness? + +5. The true knowledge of Christ, and profession of his doctrine, consist +not in words only, but in deeds and a holy life, as St. Paul says: "They +profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, +and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Titus 1:16. And +again; "They have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof." 2 Tim. +3:5. By this we are taught, that Christ and his Gospel are denied by a +wicked life, as well as by words; and that he has not the true knowledge +of Christ, who puts it not into practice. A man who never tasted in his +heart the humility, meekness, patience, and love of Christ, cannot know +Christ himself; and, consequently, in the time of trouble, cannot freely +confess him. Whoever confesses the doctrine of Christ, and rejects him in +his life, confesses him only in part; and whoever preaches the doctrine of +Christ without his life, preaches Christ only in part. The world abounds +with books of controversy, written in defence of the _doctrine_, but very +few living books are extant concerning a Christian _life_. Now what is +doctrine without life, but a tree without fruit? Or how should he follow +the doctrine of Christ, who refuses to follow him in his life? For the sum +and substance of the doctrine of Jesus Christ is "charity, out of a pure +heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." 1 Tim. 1:5. But +we live in an age, wherein there is so vast a number of disputants and +reasoners in matters of doctrine, that one would think they had nothing +more at heart than the promotion of religion and piety: whereas, upon a +closer search, they are found to be inwardly full of malice and pride, +envy and avarice. For this reason the apostle hath joined together _faith_ +and _love_, when he commands us to "hold fast the form of sound words." 2 +Tim. 1:13. _Life_ and _doctrine_, as he intends to show, must go hand in +hand together, and never be put asunder in the great work of salvation. + +6. Though we do not in the slightest degree affirm, that by our own +efforts and piety, eternal life is obtained (for "we are kept by the power +of God through faith unto salvation," 1 Pet. 1:5): yet it is certain, that +by an ungodly life, the Spirit of God, with all his gifts, is banished; +amongst which gifts, faith, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, are not +the least. Therefore it follows again, that without a holy life, purity of +doctrine cannot be preserved; and that the wicked who will not follow +Christ in his life, cannot be enlightened with the true light of the +Gospel. On the contrary, those that walk in the light, that is, who +persevere in the blessed footsteps of Christ, are illuminated by the true +light (John 1:9), which is Christ, and are hereby preserved from the +danger of delusions and errors. To this effect, that holy and enlightened +writer, Tauler, has said: "As soon as a man dedicates and yields himself +up to God, and denies his own will and flesh, then immediately the good +Spirit of God begins to illuminate him, and to endue him with solid and +sound knowledge; because this man truly keeps in his heart the true +spiritual sabbath, and rests from all sinful lusts, and from his own will +and works." This sentence is to be understood of the state after +conversion, and of daily illumination and growth in divine gifts and +graces. + +7. Not without cause, then, doth the Lord say, "I am the way, and the +truth, and the life." John 14:6. He calls himself the way, as showing the +way unto us. And how did he show it? Truly, not in his doctrine only, but +also in his most holy life. This life of our blessed Redeemer consisted in +a true and unfeigned devotedness to God, leading us in the way to truth +and to life, as the substance of our whole religion, and the summary of +all the commandments of God. This book of life contains in it many great +and arduous lessons, to learn which were sufficient to take up our whole +time. Here is inculcated the exercise of true repentance, and of that +living practical faith which attends it; here the practice of love, hope, +meekness, patience, and humility, are to be studied; here the duty of +prayer, and of the fear of God, is explained: all which taken together, +make up the whole life of Christ, set us as a pattern to follow. This is +that "strait gate," and that "narrow way," which few can find. Matt. 7:14. +This is the book of life, which but few read, though all things are +comprised in it which a Christian ought to know and to practise; so that +we shall need no other book in order to our eternal salvation. Here is the +reason why also the Holy Scripture is contained in a few books, that it +might appear that Christianity does not consist in a multitude of volumes, +but in a living faith, and in a serious imitation of Christ. For the wise +man says: "Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a +weariness of the flesh." Wherefore, let us hear the conclusion of the +whole matter: "Fear God, and keep his commandments." Eccles. 12:12, 13. + +8. We are told in the parable, that the devil, when men are asleep, cometh +and soweth tares among the wheat, and goeth his way. Matt. 13:25. This +teaches us, that when men lay aside the works of repentance, and indulge +themselves in the sleep of sin, of carnal security, of love of the world, +and of temporal care and concerns; then the devil gradually scatters his +seed of false doctrine in the field of pride (Gen. 3:5): whence arise +various sects, schisms, and heresies. For by the sin of pride both angels +and men lost the true light with which they were at first endued. Pride is +the original source of all delusions and errors, which have been most +unhappily brought into the world. If Satan, and Adam, the first man, had +continued in a state of humility, as did Christ when he conversed among +men, then never had any error or temptation invaded this world. But now +there is no other means for our recovery left, except that which is taught +by St. Paul: "Awake, thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give thee light" +(Eph. 5:14): convincing us thereby, that no man can be divinely +enlightened, who has not shaken off his sinful lethargy; that is, his +carnal security, profaneness, and impiety. The same is attested by St. +Peter: "Repent, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts +2:38); and by the Lord himself, in that saying: "The world cannot receive +the Spirit of truth, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him." John +14:17. And what is the _world_, but a life passed without God? + +9. Again, when the Lord says: "By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matt. +7:20); does he not signify the fruits of a good and holy life, as the +proper marks whereby true and false Christians may be discerned? A naked, +empty profession of the Christian faith, will be no safe foundation upon +which to rely. Any false Christian may cover himself with the _sheep's +clothing_ of a verbal profession of the Christian faith; when inwardly and +in his heart he is anything but a true Christian. However, be the lives of +the professors of Christianity ever so vain and wicked, it does not follow +hence, that the whole doctrine is also false and corrupted, as some would +insinuate, vainly condemning our doctrine on account of the wickedness of +some of its professed adherents. If this were true, the doctrine of Christ +and of his apostles would not escape the charge of error and falsehood; +because even in their days many impious characters intruded into the +church, and made a fair profession of the Christian faith. A profane life +is no sufficient proof of false doctrine in general, though it may give us +an insight into the individual himself, whether he be a true or a false +Christian. Truly, he cannot believe aright, who leads a life opposed to +the nature and properties of a divine faith. Such a man is no more a +believer, or a Christian, than a dead body is a man. As many, therefore, +as are of the number of such corrupt and unfruitful trees, are fit for +nothing but to be hewn down and cast into the fire. Matt. 7:19. + +10. In order to understand this the better, we ought to inquire into the +nature of a sound and saving faith, and the peculiar properties that +attend it. And in the first place, a true, saving faith, works by love. +Gal. 5:6. By faith man is made "a new creature" (Gal. 6:15); he is thereby +born again, and united with God. By faith, "Christ dwells" and operates +"in his heart." Eph. 3:17. By faith the whole kingdom of God is +established in the soul, and the divine Spirit "purifies and enlightens +the heart." Acts 15:9. And truly, the Scripture copiously sets forth these +and similar properties that accompany true faith. Thus the apostle says: +"He that is joined unto the Lord (by faith) is one spirit." 1 Cor. 6:17. +And what is it to be one spirit with Christ, but to have the same mind, +the same heart and will, which are in him? And this oneness of spirit must +needs suppose that new, holy, and heavenly life of Christ which is to be +raised within us. To the same purpose it is said: "If any man be in +Christ, he is a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17); where _to be in Christ_, is +not only to believe in him, but also to live in him. Again, "I will +betroth thee unto me forever; I will even betroth thee to me in +faithfulness." Hos. 2:19, 20. This sentence can signify no less, than that +a man by faith is wholly and spiritually united to Christ: so that where +faith is, there Christ is; where Christ is, there a holy life abides in +man; where the life of Christ is, there also is his love; and where love +is, there is God himself, who "is love" (1 John 4:8), and there is also +the Holy Ghost. And in this divine order all these heavenly transactions +combine; even as the head is one with the members, and as the cause is +linked with the effect. And this connection of faith and life, St. Peter +admirably enforces, when he bids us to "give all diligence to add to +faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and +to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, +brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity." "For if these +things," says he, "be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall +neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus +Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar +off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." 2 Pet. +1:5-9. Here the apostle evidently declares, that in whomsoever this union +of faith and of life is not to be found, he is destitute of all saving +knowledge of Christ, and walks in darkness. For it is the property of true +faith to change a man wholly, to renew, and to quicken him in Christ; so +that henceforth man may live and dwell in Christ, and Christ again may +live and dwell in man. + + + + +Chapter XL. + + + Sundry Rules For Leading A Holy Life. + + + _Exercise thyself unto godliness. For godliness is profitable unto + all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that + which is to come._--1 TIM. 4:7, 8. + + +In this apostolical sentence is contained a brief description of a +Christian's life, and of the main study about which he is employed, +namely, the study of godliness, or of Christian piety, which comprehends +in it the whole train of Christian virtues. The apostle makes use of two +motives to recommend this heavenly study, and the constant practice of it. +_First_, says he, "Godliness is profitable unto all things." Godliness is +of most admirable service, as soon as our words and actions are influenced +by it. It renders the whole life acceptable to God, and useful to our +neighbor. The _second_ motive is, because godliness is accompanied with a +gracious reward both in this life, as appears from the examples of Joseph, +of Daniel, and of others, as well as in that which is to come; where we +shall reap without ceasing, provided we do not faint while we dwell here. +Gal. 6:9. For our better encouragement in the practice of piety, let us +endeavor to keep in remembrance the following rules and considerations. + +I. If thou even canst not live up to that degree of holiness which the +word of God requires, and which thou thyself desirest, yet thou must never +cease _ardently_ to _wish_ for it; for such holy breathings are always +acceptable to God. God does not so much regard the outward action of a +man, as the heart whence the action proceeds. But after all, never neglect +to crucify thy flesh, and never permit it to rule over thee. + +II. In all that thou thinkest and doest, be careful to preserve the +_purity of thy heart_. Set a watch over it, lest thou be defiled with +proud thoughts, words, or actions; with wrath, or other such works of the +flesh, and of the devil. Sin opens the door to the devil, and shuts the +heart against God. + +III. Study continually to maintain the Christian liberty of thy soul, and +do not suffer thyself to be enslaved, or brought into bondage, by any +inordinate love of the creature, or of the things of this world, whose +lord and master thou oughtest to be. Consider the value of thy soul, which +certainly is of a more noble nature than this present perishing world. Why +shouldest thou degrade it so far, as to subject it to the frail, base, and +frivolous things of this life? + +IV. Beware of the care and _sorrow of this world_, because it worketh +death. 2 Cor. 7:10. As _worldly_ sorrow begetteth death, so _godly_ sorrow +begetteth life, and lays up an eternal treasure! Worldly sorrow springs +from avarice and envy; from excessive care; from unbelief and impatience; +and other temporal sources. Godly sorrow proceeds from a knowledge of thy +sins, and those eternal punishments which follow them. This sorrow +produces many salutary effects in a penitent soul, and "worketh repentance +to salvation, not to be repented of;" being attended with spiritual joy, +and solid peace or tranquillity of mind. No loss of a temporal kind ought +to afflict thee so much as the remembrance of thy sins, by which thou hast +offended the infinite goodness of God. + +V. If thou canst not bear thy cross with joy and cheerfulness, yet take it +at least with _patience_ and _humility_, and acquiesce calmly in the +divine will and providence. For, truly, the will of God is always good; +nor does it intend anything but thy benefit and salvation. Whatsoever, +therefore, God shall be pleased to appoint thee in his wisdom, do thou +gratefully accept it, and be either joyful or sorrowful, poor or rich, +high or low, vile or excellent, as He orders thy lot. Let this saying +always be in thy mind: "Thus it seemeth good unto God, and so it must +needs be expedient and useful for me also. His will, not mine, be done." +Let not that, therefore, which pleases God, displease thee; but rather +rejoice that all things are ordered according to His pleasure and thy +salvation. Remember that "the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy +in all his works." Ps. 145:17. Hence it is but just that the will of God +should be done, because it is always good and profitable; and that thy own +will should be subdued and unaccomplished, because it is always evil and +hurtful. + +VI. Whenever the Lord visits thy soul with heavenly joy, accept the same +_with gratitude and humility_. But when he is pleased to withdraw the +comfortable light of his presence, then consider that the mortification of +the flesh must needs be of greater profit to thee than exalted joy in the +spirit. Through overmuch spiritual joy, many fall into spiritual pride. +But whatever causes mortification and sorrow, is far more useful in +subduing the flesh, than that which is delightful and pleasing to nature. +The Lord best knows whom to lead in a pleasant and agreeable path, and who +are to be brought through an unpleasant, stony, and difficult way. Always +esteem it best to arrive at thy journey's end by that way which divine +Wisdom has chosen for thee, however different it may be from thine own +choice, or from the devices of thine own heart. Remember, that "sorrow is +better than laughter;" and that "by the sadness of the countenance the +heart is made better." And if thou wilt be wise, trust to the experience +of the wise man, who tells thee furthermore, that "the heart of the wise +is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of +mirth." Eccl. 7:3, 4. + +VII. Make an offering to God _of all that thou hast, and undertakest_. If +thou canst not bring offerings of a high and exalted devotion, of prayer, +of thanksgiving, and of other similar acts of religion, offer at least +what thou hast, with a good will, and a fervent desire. _Wish_, at least, +that it may prove acceptable unto the Lord; for to have such a desire, or +to be willing to have it, is no contemptible offering, but is very +agreeable to the kindness of God. In what measure thou _desirest_ to offer +up thy devotion, thy prayer, and praise; in that measure God accepts the +same. He requires no more at thy hands than he himself works in thee by +his grace: nor canst thou return him more than he has first conferred on +thee. In the meantime, entreat the Lord Jesus, that he would graciously +please to supply what is defective in thee, by his own more perfect +oblation and sacrifice: because he, and he only, is the perfection of our +imperfect worship and service. Say, therefore, in faith: "O my God, and my +Father, I beseech thee, let my devotion, my prayer, and thanksgiving, +together with all the acts of my faith and worship, be graciously accepted +by thee in thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Esteem them, not according to +what they are in themselves, but according to what they are made by the +merit of the all-sufficient sacrifice offered up by thy Son. O look upon +that, and upon all that he has wrought for me in the flesh; and as his +most perfect works must needs be pleasing to thee, so let mine also be +acceptable to thee for his sake. He, O my God, shall abundantly make up +whatsoever is defective in me." By this means, our devotion, our prayer, +and thanksgiving, how imperfect, weak, and obscure soever they may be in +themselves, acquire a certain lustre, worth, and dignity derived from the +merit of Christ, whereby our works are rendered acceptable to the Lord. As +a naked and unclean infant is offensive to every one that sees it, but +becomes sweet and lovely when it is thoroughly cleansed, and covered with +fine linen: in like manner, all the works which thou doest in thy natural +state, are polluted with sin, and of no account before God; but no sooner +art thou covered with the perfection of Christ (Isa. 61:10), than thy +works are acceptable to God. As fruit, which is not valuable in itself, +surprises the spectator into a love of it, when served up in vessels of +precious gold: so our prayers and acts of devotion, though of no account +in themselves, are exalted in Jesus Christ, in whom, as _in the beloved, +we are made accepted_ with God. Eph. 1:6. + +VIII. If thy sins and manifold frailties (as they should do), make thee +sad, yet _let them not lead thee to despair_. If they be many in number, +remember that there is yet more mercy with Christ, and "plenteous +redemption with him." Ps. 130:7. If thy imperfections be ever so great, +remember that Christ's merits are yet greater, and say with the royal +penitent: "Have mercy upon me, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy +tender mercies!" Ps. 51:1. And when, by the grace of God, thou truly +repentest, and beholdest Christ Jesus, that great sacrifice for sin, then +God himself repents of the evil which was to be inflicted upon thee; and +absolution and remission of sin instantly follow so good and salutary a +sorrow. Ezek. 18:23; 33:11. As the leper, upon his application to Christ, +was immediately delivered from his evil, so is also the penitent sinner. +No sooner did he say, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean;" than +Christ freely replied: "I will; be thou clean." Matt. 8:2, 3. So also the +merciful God, inwardly and in the spirit, makes thee clean, comforts thee, +and says: "Be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee." Matt. 9:2. This +wonderful mercy of the Lord in cleansing and absolving thee of thy sins, +as it is forcibly represented by the example of that leper, so it ought by +no means to give thee an occasion to sin the more; but to love God the +more, and to say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me +bless his holy name." Ps. 103:1. + +IX. Let not injuries, reproaches, and revilings, provoke thee at any time +to wrath, indignation, or revenge; but rather _take them as so many trials +of_ thy heart, and of the inward state of thy soul. Hereby God designs to +_prove_ thee, that it may appear what is hidden within thee, and whether +meekness and humility, or wrath and pride, sway thy mind. For that which +lies concealed in a man, is stirred up and made manifest by reproaches and +provocations. If, therefore, thy heart be endued with meekness and +lowliness, thou wilt easily bear contempt and injuries; nay, thou wilt +accept them as so many paternal chastisements designed for the good of thy +soul. Moreover, thou must consider, that contempt and reproaches are part +of the chastisements which the Almighty sends, and thou shouldst patiently +bear whatever the Lord shall be pleased to allot to thee. "Let us go +forth," says the apostle, "unto him, bearing his reproach." Heb. 13:13. +Behold with what lowliness of heart did he undergo the affronts of a +profane world! And should not we submit to the same with meekness, and +with an unshaken evenness of mind? Say not then, "Should I suffer these +things from so contemptible a fellow as this?" but rather submit, in +consideration of that patient and meek spirit which was in Christ, and +displayed itself in his whole life and conduct. Lastly, consider the +kindness of God towards those that suffer for his sake. So faithful is he, +and so kind to those that bear any disgrace on his account, that he +confers the greater marks of honor and favor upon them. Thus David, when +Shimei vented his malice upon him, took it for a pledge that God would +bestow a token of great honor upon him; and this accordingly came to pass. +"It may be," says he, "that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and +that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day," and turn his +curse into a blessing. 2 Sam. 16:12. Be not, therefore, at all disturbed +at the evil report that wicked men may raise against thee; but rejoice +rather, since the Spirit of glory rests on those that are reproached for +the name of Christ. 1 Peter 4:14. + +X. Study to overcome and to pacify thine enemies, by bestowing upon them +tokens of _love and kindness_. No man will ever be reconciled by wrath, or +revenge, or returning evil for evil, for victory consists in virtue, not +in vice. And as one devil does not drive out another, so it cannot be +expected that one evil should be subdued by another; or that enmity +against thee should be extinguished by affronts and provocations offered +by thee. A man that is full of sores and bruises, is not likely to be +healed by the addition of more blows; and if he be so mad as to beat and +to cut himself, he is to be pitied, and to be treated with the greater +kindness and lenity. In like manner, if a man be full of _spiritual_ +distemper, and of hatred, he is to be handled with the more love and +gentleness; if, perhaps, by such lenient means as these, he may be +softened into a better temper. Consider the method which God himself uses +for overcoming our natural obstinacy. Does he not conquer our malice with +his goodness, and our wrath with his love? And does he not invite us to +repentance by many endearing marks of love and benignity? Rom. 2:4. This +method is prescribed by St. Paul: "Be not," says he, "overcome of evil, +but overcome evil with good." Rom. 12:21. This is victory indeed. + +XI. When thou observest that God has adorned thy neighbor with gifts above +thee, take heed _not to envy him_ on that account; but rather rejoice and +give thanks to God for the same. Consider, that since all true believers +make up together but _one_ body, it must needs follow, that the beauty of +every member is communicated to the whole body, and to every member +thereof. On the other hand, when thou perceivest the misery of thy +neighbor, lament over it as if it were thine own; considering that the +condition of all men is equally subject to evil, and that misery and +affliction are the lot of mankind. Christ hath also set thee here an +example. And, truly, whoever does not commiserate and sympathize with the +misery of his neighbor, let him pretend to be what he may, he is no living +member of the body of Christ. For did not Christ look upon our misery as +his own, and by compassionating our deplorable state, deliver us from all +our miseries? This mutual love and sympathy, are inculcated by St. Paul: +"Bear ye one another's burdens," says he, "and so fulfil the law of +Christ." Gal. 6:2. + +XII. As for _love_ and _hatred_ in relation to thy neighbor, make the +following distinction. It is but fit that thou shouldest hate his vices +and crimes as the very works of the devil; but then, beware of hating the +_person_ whilst thou abhorrest his _sin_. On the contrary, it is thy duty +to bewail the case of thy neighbor, who, being carried away by so many +irregular passions, enjoys no solid rest in his soul. Offer up his cause +to God, and pray for him, as Christ did for his enemies, when he was +nailed to the cross. Luke 23:34. Do not, therefore, hate any _man_, but +hate his _vices_ only; for whosoever hates a man, and seeks his ruin, can +in no wise be pleasing to God; since it is the very nature of God to be +kind, and to desire that "all men should be saved, and come unto the +knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim. 2:4. This was also the end for which +Christ took our flesh upon him. He came into the world, "not to destroy +men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9:56. + +XIII. Consider all men as being frail and imperfect, but none as more +frail and imperfect than thyself; for before God, all men stand equally +guilty, and there is no difference. We have all sinned, and have thereby +been deprived of the image of God, and of all the glory which attended it. +Rom. 3:23. How great a sinner, therefore, thy neighbor may be, never +fondly persuade thyself, that thou art better before God. Remember this +warning of the apostle: "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest +he fall." 1 Cor. 10:12. He that makes himself the lowest of all men, is in +the fairest way of being preserved, by the grace of God, unto salvation. +And certain it is, that thou standest no less in need of the grace and +mercy of God, than the greatest of sinners. Where there is a great measure +of humility, there is also a great measure of grace. Wherefore St. Paul +accounted himself the "chief of sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15); and it was in this +order he obtained mercy, and had so much long-suffering bestowed upon him. +And in another place he declares that he will glory in nothing but in "his +infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon him." 2 Cor. 12:9. + +XIV. True illumination is always accompanied with a contempt of the things +of the world. As the children of the world have their inheritance here +upon earth; so the children of God have theirs laid up above in heaven. +The treasures which the children of this world have chiefly at heart, are +temporal honors, perishing riches, earthly splendor and glory. But the +treasures of the children of God are poverty and contempt, persecution and +reproach, the cross and death, trouble and sorrow. Thus did Moses prefer +"the reproach of Christ before the treasures in Egypt;" and the affliction +of the people of God, before the pleasures of sin. Heb. 11:25, 26. + +XV. Remember, that by the name of a Christian written in heaven, is +intimated that solid, practical _knowledge of Christ_ which is grounded +_in faith_, and by which we are transplanted into Christ. From this +knowledge flow all the living virtues which the Lord will praise in the +great day of retribution. Matt. 25:34, etc. He will then also bring to +light all those treasures which we have laid up in heaven (1 Tim. 6:19), +together with all such works as have been wrought in God. John 3:21. Never +has a saint lived upon earth, but he has been particularly eminent in one +virtue or other; and this virtue shall never be forgotten. Ps. 112:6. +Whether it be faith, love, mercy, patience, or any other virtue in the +practice of which he has been so conspicuous, it shall make up that +eternal name which is written in heaven. Rev. 2:17; 3:12. This will be the +note and character of the saints, and their eternal memorial before God. +But of this, more shall be said in Book II. + + + + +Chapter XLI. + + +The Whole Of Christianity Consists In The Restoration Of The Image Of God + In Man, And The Destruction Of The Image Of Satan. + + + _But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of + the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, + even as by the Spirit of the Lord._--2 COR. 3:18. + + +In the _true knowledge_ of Christ, wherein is comprehended that of his +Person, offices, benefits, and heavenly and eternal gifts, consists _life +everlasting_. John 17:3. This knowledge is kindled in our hearts by the +Divine Spirit, and is a new light shining forth with increasing +brightness, and passing on from glory to glory. It is like a metallic +body, which, by constant polishing, becomes every day more brilliant; or +like a tender infant, which, by a daily supply of food, grows up in vigor +and strength. No sooner is the righteousness of Christ, through faith, +conferred upon a returning sinner, than he is also really born again, and +the image of God is daily renewed within him. His spiritual growth, or the +renovation of his mind, goes on, however, in a successive manner, from one +degree to another, for he has not yet become a "perfect man in Christ." +Eph. 4:13. He is a child for some time; but is continually nourished by +the Divine Spirit, and daily brought to a greater conformity with the Lord +Jesus Christ. + +2. For the whole life of a Christian upon earth, is properly nothing else +than a continual _renewing_ of the image of God in his soul: so that he +may constantly live in the new birth, and daily mortify that which is old +and corrupt, till the body of sin be eventually destroyed. Rom. 6:4. This +life must be begun in this world, that so it may be perfected in that +which is to come. Whereas, in whomsoever the renewal of this divine life +shall not be begun before his departure from this world, in him it never +shall be accomplished. Wherefore I have thought it might be well briefly +to repeat what is here meant by the _image of God_, which is to be +revived; and what by the _image of the devil_, which is to be obliterated +and destroyed in man's soul: for in the right knowledge of these two, the +substance of our whole religion consists. It is the main point upon which +all turns, and from which many other articles (as that of Original Sin, +free-will, repentance, conversion, faith, justification, prayer, the new +birth, sanctification, and lastly, obedience, and the whole practice of a +religious life), borrow no small light. Of this, the following remarks +will give an account. + +3. The soul of man is an immortal spirit, endowed of God with excellent +faculties; as the understanding, will, memory, and other powers and +affections. + +4. See that thou turn all these towards thy God, in order to behold him +therein as in a mirror; and, by beholding him, to have his image gradually +formed in thy soul. In this sense the apostle speaks of "the glory of the +Lord," which we behold "with an open face," without vail and shadows. 2. +Cor. 3:18. + +5. As God is a truly good and holy Being; so also were the substance of +the soul, and its true nature and essence, originally good and holy. And +as in God there is nothing of evil; even so was the soul of man, in the +beginning, free from all manner of evil. As in God there is nothing but +what is right; so in the soul there was nothing at first but what was +right also. For He is the rock, whose "work is perfect;" even "a God of +truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he." Deut. 32:4; Ps. 92:15. +As God is wise, so was also the human soul full of divine and spiritual +knowledge, of heavenly and eternal wisdom. And as the divine wisdom +ordered all things in number, weight, and measure, and knew the powers of +all creatures, as well in heaven as in earth: so also was the mind of man +possessed of the same light and knowledge. + +6. And as it was with the understanding, so it was with the will: for as +the one was the image and reflection of the divine understanding, so was +the other of the divine will, in everything. It was holy as the pattern +was holy, and conformed to the will of God. Hence, as God himself is, so +was the human soul; righteous, loving, merciful, long-suffering, patient, +meek, gentle, true, and pure. Exod. 34:6; Ps. 103:8; Joel 2:13. Yea, all +the passions or affections, all the appetites, and motions of the heart, +being made most perfectly conformable to the motions and affections of the +divine mind, partook of this conformity of the will of man to that of God. +As, therefore, God is LOVE, so all the affections and motions of man, in +his first state, breathed nothing but pure love. As God, the Father, the +Son, and the Holy Ghost, are ONE in an unspeakable and eternal bond of +love; so all the affections and desires of man, burned with a most perfect +and ardent love, and he cleaved unto God fully with all the powers and +faculties which he had; "with all his heart, and with all his soul, and +with all his might" (Deut. 6:5); so that man verily loved God more than +himself, and preferred God and His honor, to himself and his own. + +7. But as the image of God shone forth in the _soul_, so the image of the +soul again shone forth in and from the _body_. This, therefore, was holy, +chaste, and pure throughout, not subject to any unclean motion or lust. It +was undefiled and without blemish. It was in every respect, beautiful, +well proportioned, and graceful; of vigorous health, and possessed of a +constitution even out of the very danger of sickness. It was such as death +itself had no power over, and it was perfectly free from pain, +listlessness, passion, grief, and old age, now the common attendants and +warnings of man's mortality. In a word, the whole man, both in soul and +body, was pure, holy, righteous, and every way acceptable to God. For, in +order that man might be the image of God, it was necessary that his body +should be holy, and conformable to God, as well as his soul. Accordingly, +St. Paul both exhorts and prays, that the _body_, together with the +_spirit_ and _soul_, be _sanctified wholly_; and be preserved holy and +blameless unto the coming of our Lord. 1 Thess. 5:23. For since man is +made up of soul and body, and exercises both bodily and spiritual +functions, there was a necessity that the instrument through which the +soul was to act, should be pliable and obedient, adapted to the nature of +the soul, and holy as the soul was holy; to the end that the holy and +righteous soul, might finish her work through the body without any +obstacle or resistance. As, therefore, the soul burned with the pure love +of God: so did all the powers of the body manifest and exert themselves in +the love of God and man. As the soul was altogether merciful; so also the +body was, with its whole might, and all its faculties, impelled to +tenderness and compassion. As chastity shone forth from the soul, which +was altogether pure; so the whole body, in like manner, with all the +inward and outward senses and powers thereof, visibly set forth the most +perfect purity and chastity. To conclude, the virtues no less gloriously +shone in the body, than in the soul itself; so that the body was the holy +instrument of the soul, in everything suited to it, and worked together +with it. And hence man in the state of innocency, was able to love God +_with all his heart_, _with all his soul_, _with all his strength_, _and +with all his mind, and to love his neighbor as himself_: which is the very +substance both of the old and new law given to man. Deut. 6:5; Matt. +22:37, 39; Luke 10:27. Hence, as often as God calls for the heart of man, +we are to understand the _whole man_, both as to body and soul, and the +powers, faculties, and operations of both. In this sense, the word +"_heart_" is frequently taken in Scripture; so that under it are +comprehended all the powers of the soul, as the understanding, will, and +memory, together with all the desires and affections attendant on them. So +when God demands a man's _soul_, he, under that name, requires not a part, +but the whole of a man. He must, in all his powers, be conformed to God, +and renewed in Christ Jesus: and thus man, having put off the old nature, +and being renewed in the spirit of his mind, must also _walk_ in newness +of life, and in the spirit by which he was begotten again. Gal. 5:16; Eph. +4:23. + +8. Moreover, there was a _perfect joy in God_, which accompanied this +perfection of holiness, righteousness, and divine love, in man. By this, +all the faculties and springs, both of soul and body, were most powerfully +affected: for wherever divine holiness resides, there also divine joy must +be present. These two are knit together with an everlasting bond, and make +up the very image of God. Yet, as in this life, the divine righteousness +and holiness are but imperfect in us, so we but taste, while here, only +the first fruits of that joy which shall be fully revealed hereafter. +However, as the righteousness of Christ is verily _begun_ in sincere +believers, so it follows that they also enjoy a _real_ beginning and +foretaste of divine joy and comfort; as those Christians can abundantly +attest, that have learned religion by experience. John 16:22; 2 Cor. 1:5; +Phil. 4:4. Whatever progress, therefore, any one makes in the love of God, +be it more or less, so much of divine joy does he also perceive in his +soul. And this holy and divine love, as it shall in the next life attain +its full perfection, so in that day the Christian's _joy_ (arising from +love) shall also be _full_, as the Lord himself declares. John 15:11; +16:22. For divine love is the only true life, and the only true joy: but +where this love of God is wanting, there is neither joy nor life; but +death itself, and the everlasting portion of wicked men and devils. Whence +has a father joy? Is it not from the love of his children? Whence has a +bridegroom joy? Is it not from the love of the bride? Isaiah 61:10; 62:5. +But infinitely sweeter must that joy be, which is derived from the love of +our Creator! He not only embraces us as a father does his children, but he +rejoices over us as over his bride; nay, most tenderly kisses us "with the +kisses of his mouth" (Cant. 1:2.), (that is, in Christ, who is his mouth +and word), and coming to us, through Christ with the Holy Ghost, makes his +_abode_ with us. John 14:23. Take heed, however, concerning this image of +God, which consists in a conformity with God, that you do not therefore +think, as if man were made _equal_ with God in holiness. Not by any means. +For God is infinite as to his essence, virtues, and properties; he is +incomprehensible, and without bounds; so that nothing in the world can be +compared with him. Man therefore, even in his first state, could not +properly be said to bear God in him; being designed only to bear his +_image_, as it has been already explained in Chapter I. of this Book. + +9. That which has now been stated concerning the image of God, is plain, +true, and beyond all doubt. It cannot be denied, that God created man, to +be a bright mirror of himself: so that if man had been desirous to know +the nature of God, he might, by looking into himself, have beheld God +there, as in a glass, and clearly perceived the image of the Deity within +his own breast. + +10. This image was the life and blessedness of man; but the devil, looking +with envious eyes upon this image of God in man, exerted all his art and +cunning to efface it, by raising in man a spirit of disobedience and +enmity against God. Gen. 3:1, etc. This he accordingly effected with a +subtility and haste, that never were since seen. He was not ignorant, that +if man had continued in that state, _he_ would have been the master: but +that if he could be induced to fall from it, that the devil would thereby +become the lord (or rather the tyrant) of fallen man. When, therefore, +with all the powers of his cunning and malice, he could devise nothing +more likely to accomplish his design than that by which he himself lost +his first state or principality, he began, in a seductive manner, to +insinuate into the imagination of the woman, no less than an affectation +of the Divine Majesty. What can appear more divine, or what is there more +noble to be wished for, than to "be as God"? Gen. 3:5. By this cunningly +contrived method, man being therefore circumvented, he lost the divine +image at once; and the image of Satan, consisting in an affectation of the +Divine Majesty, was impressed upon him. + +11. This aspiring thought, by which man threw off all his dependence on +God, being thus begotten in the mind; and this haughty arrogance having +once seized the imagination, there followed immediately apostasy from God, +disobedience, and transgression of the commandment concerning the +forbidden tree. Hereupon the image of God was extinguished, the Holy +Spirit departed from man, and the image of Satan was imprinted instead of +that which was effaced. Hence now there are so many men, so many slaves of +the devil. The devil having thus gained his object in subjecting man to +his dominion, most cruelly tyrannized over him; just as a giant may be +supposed to do over a little infant. Hence the understanding in man is +darkened and blinded; the will is, by a complete disobedience, turned from +God; and all the springs and powers of the heart are stirred up against +God in utter malice. In a word, the whole image of God lieth now slain in +man, and the whole race of mankind, being swayed by the satanical nature, +have a seed sown in them full of the deepest malignity. Hence men became +the offspring of Satan, and his living likeness, being poisoned with all +manner of sin and enmity against God. Thus died man! Thus died he the +death everlasting! For as the image of God is the life and salvation of +man, so the departure of this image is the death of man, even death +eternal, and his damnation, which is also called a death "in trespasses +and sins." Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13. + +12. They best understand this death, who, having been cast into deep +spiritual temptations, sensibly feel the devil's rage and tyranny over +them. By this he torments the soul beyond what it is in the ordinary power +of sin to effect. Now, unless the Holy Ghost shine in upon the soul under +this terrible affliction, and by darting in some ray of his light comfort +it; the devil slays the man with this death, and racks the soul with the +very anguish of hell itself. Hence all the natural force of the body +sinks, the strength fails, the heart withers and pants, and the very +marrow in the bones consumes away, so that there is no soundness left in +the body. This state is described at large, in Psalms 6 and 38. The word +of God itself, to such a one, seems dead and lifeless: he finds in it no +manner of devotion, no savor of spiritual life. This is the _spiritual_ +death, into which the soul is fallen: and while the soul remains thus +spiritually dead, all human holiness, righteousness, excellency, might, +power, glory, honor, arts, and wisdom, can avail nothing. And, truly, man +would undoubtedly perish in this grievous condition, if he were not +supported by divine grace: for nothing but this is able to succor him. + +13. Learn, therefore, O man, duly to look into, and rightly to consider +the abominable filthiness of _Original Sin_, as the sink of all +abomination. For by this the hereditary righteousness of God was lost, and +the hereditary unrighteousness of the devil transplanted into men. Hence +the sinner was cast away from God, and doomed to an eternal death: and +this he must certainly undergo, except he obtain forgiveness of sin for +Christ's sake through faith. + +14. But to set the state of fallen man, both as to soul and body, in as +clear a light as possibly I can, I think it well to give a fuller +description thereof in this place; most earnestly entreating every one, +for the sake of God and of his own eternal salvation, to ponder again and +again, and seriously to revolve in his mind that original depravity which +has corrupted our nature. The consequence of this will be, that as a man +beholds his bodily face in a glass, and knows it, so he may also behold in +himself his own wretchedness, and original sin. This will daily influence +him to lament his own distressed condition, and to sigh after Him, who +alone is able to heal us. + +15. For the whole Christian life is indeed nothing else, than a constant +wrestling with original sin, and a continual purging away of the same by +the aid of the Holy Ghost, and by true repentance. For, in proportion as +any one mortifies his natural propensity to evil, in that degree is he +renewed after the image of God, even day by day; and they who are not +inwardly mortified by the Holy Ghost, are at best no more than hypocrites, +let them make ever so great a show with an external profession of the +Christian faith. Neither can they expect to enter into the kingdom of God, +since they are not renewed into his image: for whatsoever is not dead to +itself, nor renewed into the image of God by his Spirit, is altogether +unfit for that glorious state. + +16. From all this, there may evidently be inferred the absolute necessity +of the new birth, and of the daily renovation of our mind into the image +of God. This necessity will yet more fully appear, when we consider the +image of the devil according as the law describes it. For as the devil not +only does not _love_ God, but rather _hates_ him with his whole heart; so +he has infected man's soul with the same contagion, and transfused into it +malice against God; so that now man by nature neither loves, honors, +believes, calls upon, nor trusts in God; but as he is filled with enmity +against him, so he flees from him, and shuns him. As the devil is hurried +on with a blind fury, and lives without God and his will; so in like +manner, the soul of man being corrupted by him, leads a _godless_ life, +unmindful of God and of his will. This inward darkness of the mind, is +attended with a frightful destruction of the divine light and image; and +brings forth that abominable sin, in which man, left to himself, saith: +"There is no God." Ps. 14:1. And by reason of this blindness of heart, all +mankind are become an abomination before God, in all their ways. + +17. But notwithstanding so dreadful a night of apostasy, there still +remains a spark of natural light in man's understanding, by which he might +come to know that there is a God (Rom. 1:20); as also, that this God must +be just, according as all the heathen philosophers teach: but as for the +spiritual life, which is after God and his righteousness, it was wholly +extinguished in man. For conscience, which is the law of God written in +every man's heart when it was first formed by him, teaches every one what +is good and right. Thus if you look, for instance, upon a person that is +unchaste, there is not one that so much wallows in the filth of the flesh, +but he now and then thinks with himself, "Surely there is a God, and this +God is most pure and undefiled; and so not like to me by any means." He +cannot but reflect further: "This holy and pure God, must abhor every sort +of pollution and uncleanness; and, therefore, if I would be acceptable to +him, I ought to live chastely, and to abstain from all impurity." But this +spark of light is soon put out by the filthy lusts of the flesh which +crowd in upon the mind; these overwhelm all good impressions, just as a +spark of fire is swallowed up by a flood of water. The lust of the flesh +is kept within the heart, and the conviction, which began to reprove it, +is soon stifled. + +18. From this it plainly appears, that the spiritual life, consisting in +holy love and truth, is in the carnal or natural man utterly abolished. +And thus the wiser sort of heathens, however they might sometimes by the +light of nature maintain both the being of a God, and his providence over +human affairs, were soon carried away with the darkness of their own +hearts, and again called in question that providence which they had before +asserted: so that very little is to be made of what they say on this head. +This their books sufficiently declare. From this hereditary blindness of +heart, and this natural inbred darkness, spring unbelief and doubts. And +because all men are by nature in this degenerate state, they are an +abomination in the sight of God; since there is no faith in them, nor any +filial reliance upon the paternal goodness of God. To this spiritual life, +and to the various operations that proceed from it, the natural man is an +utter stranger; consequently he does not call upon God, but trusts to his +own wisdom, power, and strength. This is the greatest blindness and +darkness of mind possible. + +19. From this blindness of heart, further arise both a contempt of God, +and a state of carnal security. As the devil does not humble himself +before God, but is hardened in pride; so has he infected the soul of man +with the same vice, and poisoned it with contempt of God, security, and +presumption. Hence he, like his father the devil (John 8:44), will not +humble himself before God; but is stout and insolent, haughty and +self-willed, and would do everything after his own will, without the least +fear of the Lord to keep him awe. As the devil relies on his own strength +and wisdom, and thereby entirely governs himself; so fallen man, being +infected with the contagion of Satan, acts in conformity with him; and +will always be his own counsellor and master. Moreover, as the devil seeks +his own honor, so does the natural man, who bears his image. He is in +pursuit of self-honor, without any regard to his Maker, whose honor he was +designed to promote. As the devil blasphemes the name of God, and is +ungrateful to his Creator; so it is with man, transformed into his image. +As the devil is unmerciful, wrathful, and revengeful, so is the soul of +man, which he has soured with the same leaven of malice. As the devil +delights to _lord_ it over men, and to please himself with vainglory, so +man, tainted with the same tyrannical ambition, haughtily lifts himself up +above others. He laughs at his neighbor, and shuns his company, as if he +were a worthless, pitiful person, and too great a sinner to be conversed +with. But, O man! thou art to consider over and over again, that in these, +and all other cases, the method of God is not to charge or accuse the +outward members of a man, but the _heart_ only. The heart is the murderer +and the liar, not the hand nor the mouth. It is the soul that is guilty; +and this is therefore everywhere arraigned in Scripture. So when God +commands men to call upon him in the time of trouble (Ps. 50:15), he gives +this command to the soul, not to the lips. And it is the very same in +every other case. Whosoever does not observe this necessary rule in +reading the Scriptures, is blind indeed. He can never have a right +apprehension of original sin, repentance, or regeneration: nay, he cannot +attain to a sound knowledge of any one article of the Christian religion. + +20. We have daily before our eyes the extreme wickedness of men, their +horrid pride, savage hatred, barbarous enviousness, and other impious +qualities, with which they tear one another, after the manner of wild +beasts. Many are transported to such a degree of malice, as to be +unconcerned about their own lives, provided they can but hurt or destroy +another. Their neighbor must submit to their pleasure, or expect to have a +snare laid for his ruin. Thus, as the devil himself is a "murderer from +the beginning" (John 8:44); so he stirs up the soul of man to thirst after +the blood of others. For all these inhuman qualities of the heart, this +envy and wrath, this bitterness of mind, this rancor and malice, what are +they but the seed of the devil sown in man, and his express image engraven +upon the soul? Alas! how the devil has portrayed himself in man! + +21. God had implanted in man a conjugal affection, that was pure and +honorable; that thence children might be begotten after the divine image. +Nor could there have been a love more holy and heavenly, than that by +which man, in his blessed estate, would have thus propagated the image of +God and mankind at the same time. All would have been for the glory of his +Creator, and the salvation of man. Nay, if man in the state of innocency +could have begotten a vast multitude of children, and have thus propagated +the honor and image of God; nothing, certainly, could have been more +grateful to him than this; nothing more delightful, more full of holy joy +and satisfaction. For these acts would then have proceeded from pure love +to God and to men, as so many images of the Supreme Good. As God found in +the creation of man, a holy pleasure, and delighted in him, as in his +image; so also man would, in like manner, have been sensible of a most +pure and exquisite joy in the procreation of his like, for it would have +been the propagation of God's image. But, alas! Satan has polluted this +chaste flame of conjugal love with all uncleanness. Men and women, +actuated with a blind transport of lust, begot children _in their own_, +not in God's likeness. Gen. 5:3. How is the holy bond of matrimony +trampled upon and profaned! How wholly defiled is it with spots of the +flesh, and what a multitude of vices and impurities now shelter themselves +under the sacred name of matrimony! + +22. As God is just, the devil is unjust. The devil is therefore a thief, a +plunderer; and being so in himself, has instilled into man's soul the same +unjust disposition, the same ravenous nature. The devil is a false accuser +(Rev. 12:10), a fallacious reasoner (2 Cor. 11:3), and a treacherous +informer (Job 1:9, 10), as well as a scornful mocker of God and man. Job +2:3, 4, 5. He misrepresents both words and actions, and wrests them to a +wrong sense. Of this artful contrivance he gave a striking instance when +he beguiled our first parents by his craft and subtlety. Gen. 3:5-7. Thus +the soul of man, corrupted by Satan, has received from him, as by +inheritance, a perverse and lying nature. John 8:44. This poison, conveyed +into the soul, is so horrible and so manifold, as to render it altogether +impossible to declare at large the subtile contrivances, and the different +kinds of diabolical art and cunning that proceed from it. Eph. 6:11. Read +Psalm 5:9, Romans 3:13, and James 3:5, 6; and thou shalt find described +therein in the most lively terms, that world of wickedness, which by a +deceitful tongue is drawn forth from the diabolical venom that lurks +within, and that thence spreads itself through the whole man. For God does +not blame the tongue, or the hands alone, but in his law, charges the +fault upon the whole man, yea, upon the heart, as the chief cause of all +the evils committed. See the Commandments, in Exodus 20:16, 17. This ought +to be particularly observed in the whole course of a religious life. + +23. And this is that image of the devil, which now, instead of the image +of God, is so deeply engraven on the soul. Hereby man is made to delight +in sinning, and in slandering another, even as the devil's name imports. +Rev. 12:10. How many, alas! are there, that reckon themselves very good +Christians, and yet will not hesitate to slander their neighbor upon any +occasion that offers; and after they have discharged their venom against +him, will applaud themselves for what they have done. Such a man will say: +"This is just what I have sought for a long while; I am now eased of a +great burden; I seem to be alive again, as I have so finely treated such a +one." Ah! poor man, thou art to be pitied! How great is thy blindness, +that thou dost not discern who it is that has transformed thee into such a +devil and slanderer; and whose image it is thou carriest about thee! Seest +thou not that this is the very nature of the devil, the unhappy seed of +Satan? Discernest thou not this to be his true temper, which he has +implanted in the soul of man, that it might there display itself, in all +sorts of vices, but more particularly in pride, covetousness, lust, and +slander; even as daily experience abundantly witnesses? Alas, is this thy +wit, and cunning, and wisdom? + +24. Behold, O man! the foul, the horrible, the profound corruption of +Original Sin! O how filthy, how unsearchable it is! Consider this again +and again; and descending into thyself, learn there to know the image and +nature of Satan, which, like a gangrene, is spread through thy whole soul, +together with all the dangerous symptoms that attend it. And learn how thy +soul is hence become an abomination before God, and is laid waste in so +dreadful a manner, that no creature is able thoroughly to search out the +malignity of the heart of man. Neither art thou thyself able sufficiently +to explore it, or to explain in words, that detestable venom which is as +rottenness in thy innermost parts. Wherefore, I earnestly beseech and +entreat every one, that he ponder with himself, and seriously reflect on +those things that have been said concerning the _depravity and corruption +of man's heart_; even as if they had been inculcated a thousand and +thousand times, over and over again. For so great is this virulence, so +malignant and pestilential, as to put it beyond the power of any creature, +either angel or man, ever to root it out, or to cleanse or free our nature +from it. All the powers of men come short of so great a performance. For +how should any one be able to work out his salvation with his own natural +powers, since they all without exception are utterly depraved, and dead to +spiritual things? Man, therefore, must be forever miserable, and eternally +lost in this corruption, unless there come to his help one that is able to +succor, and to apply a healing medicine to so dreadful a disease. This +must be a lord over sin and death, able to subdue so obstinate an evil, +and by his divine virtue, to renew, transform, and purify again the +defiled nature of man. All this is a convincing proof, that +_justification_ cannot be the work of man, but is the work of God only; +and likewise that _regeneration_, or the being born again by the Spirit, +is indispensably needful to the restoring of fallen nature. For in +conformity to the inward principle of corruption, there is now a sort of +necessity that the soul should live a perverse and impious life. Man does +not now hesitate openly to transgress all the commandments of God; and +this is enmity against God. The understanding and will are now so dead, +and so much enslaved by sin, that according to their natural bent, they +are incapable of any love, fear, or reverence for God. They cannot call +upon him, honor him, praise, or worship him; they cannot put the least +trust in him, or turn themselves towards him. Many of the heathens have, +indeed, been illustrious for their good and virtuous deeds, and gained no +small credit by their morality. But it is utterly impossible for nature to +_change the heart_, to turn it to God, and to cleanse it from those sinful +affections that lurk within. This work is to be accomplished only by a +_divine_ power. For notwithstanding all this glittering show of morality +which some make, there still remains the inward root of the tree of evil, +whose fibres stick so fast in the soul, that no human power can ever +destroy them. The utmost that a man can do in so sad a case, is to prevent +the fire from breaking out into flames, so as to consume all that comes +near it; but notwithstanding this damp which is cast upon it, the evil +fire still keeps in, and secretly burns as much as ever. + +25. Were not human life, and the management of civil and social affairs +under some check, the whole race of mankind would be destroyed at once, +and rooted up from off the face of the earth. But though the devil has +exercised an exceedingly great cruelty over man, yet God has not suffered +him to pluck up all the natural powers and affections from man's soul, or +to extinguish the spark of free will which remains in the soul. There +still remain the law of nature and the natural love subsisting betwixt +husband and wife, parents and children. Without this it would have been +impossible for mankind to have long subsisted upon earth. For he who obeys +the unbridled lusts and desires of his corrupt nature, must be looked upon +as the very bane of all society. He entirely ruins, as much as in him +lies, all commerce and dealings betwixt men. It is, therefore, an effect +both of God's mercy and wisdom, that he has preserved in fallen man this +little flame of natural love: the design of which is, that by the sense of +this love, we might know in some degree the excellency of that spiritual +and divine love which we have lost by the fall of man; and that from +feeling the one, we might be brought to consider the worth of the other, +and to breathe after the recovery of the same. But as to _spiritual_ +matters, and such things as more immediately concern the happiness of the +soul, and the kingdom of God, nothing can be more true than that saying of +the apostle, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of +God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because +they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. 2:14. That is, man in his natural +state, has not so much as one spark of spiritual and divine light; but is +wholly blind in the things that appertain to the heavenly life, and that +constitute the image of God in the new creature. Man, nevertheless, was +created for this only end, that by means of this spiritual light, he +might, with the inward eye of the soul, contemplate the gracious presence +of God, and his sincere love towards him; and, continually walking with +and before the Lord, absolutely depend upon Him, and submit himself to be +governed by His will and pleasure. + +26. The natural man not having so much as one spark left of this spiritual +light, it cannot but be that all men must abide in their natural +blindness, unless they be enlightened by God himself. This is that +hereditary spiritual blindness, which utterly incapacitates us for the +knowledge of such concerns as relate to the kingdom of God. But if it +happen, as too often it does, that a man besides this, indulge in evil +practices, then that spiritual blindness is followed still by another, +even natural blindness, which produces mournful effects in the fallen +soul. For by so prevailing a wickedness, that weak glimmering light which +yet sparkles in man, and would reason him into _outward_ honesty of life, +is at last totally extinguished; and the soul is struck with utter +blindness and darkness of heart, and must forever continue so, unless +Christ enlightens it. + +27. What art thou, then, O man, unless Christ by his Spirit regenerate +thee, make thee a new creature, and transform thee into the image of God? +This new creation, necessary as it is, is, however, only _begun_ in this +life, and must struggle under the weight of many infirmities. If thou dost +but look into thyself, even after thou art become a new creature through +the Holy Ghost, it will plainly appear that the image of God is but +slightly delineated, and, as it were, shadowed out in thee. Dost thou not +see, that faith, hope, charity, and the fear of the Lord, are as yet but +weak, and hardly able to advance beyond the first principles of the +Christian life? Dost thou not see how slender thy humility is, and how +deeply the sin of distrust, pride, and impatience, is rooted in thy +breast? Dost thou not find thy devotion weak and languid; and thy charity +towards thy neighbor comparatively cold? How tender a spark of pure +chastity remains in the heart; and how vast a fire of carnal desire burns +within! How faint the one, how violent the other! How great still are thy +self-love, self-honor, and interest, sins that lurk within, and do not +always outwardly appear! And how fierce is the tide of evil concupiscence +which flows in upon thee, and disturbs thy inward repose! Whence it +follows, that to the very last moment of our lives, we must, by the Spirit +of God, continually wrestle with the old Adam, and with the image of +Satan. All this urges us incessantly to pray, sigh, and seek, till the +Divine Spirit be bestowed upon us, in order to destroy the image of Satan +daily, and to restore the image of God to us. + +28. From all this, thou canst easily understand, O man! that thou art +never to rely on thine own strength; but entirely to cleave to the grace +of God, which alone is able to work all this in thy soul. All things are +to be sought and obtained from and by Christ through faith. From Him thou +art to receive divine knowledge and wisdom, against thy own blindness; his +righteousness, against all thy unrighteousness; his holiness against all +thy impurity; a full redemption, power, and victory, against death, hell, +and the devil. From Christ thou must obtain remission of all thy sins, +against the kingdom of sin and Satan, and against all the combined powers +thereof; and, lastly, everlasting happiness, against all spiritual and +bodily adversities and troubles. In this order, life eternal is to be +derived from Christ. But of this, more shall be said in the Second Book of +this volume. + + + + +Chapter XLII. + + +In This Concluding Chapter The Reasons For Adopting The Method Observed In + Book I. Are Explained; The Duty Of Guarding Against Spiritual Pride Is +Described, And The Truth Is Set Forth That True Spiritual Gifts Cannot Be + Obtained Without Prayer. + + + _What hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst + receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received + it?_--1 COR. 4:7. + + +I regard it as necessary, before I conclude this Book, to call the +reader's attention to several points. + +2. In this Book, _repentance and its fruits_, have, for various reasons, +been explained at large, and in different ways. Most of the Chapters in +this Book, accordingly, treat upon the fruits of true repentance; such as +our renovation in Christ, the daily mortification of the flesh, the +practice of self-denial, contempt of the world, the exercise of charity, +etc. For therein we find the beginning and foundation of true +Christianity, of a holy life, and of salvation itself, through true faith. +So, too, no solid comfort can ever be tasted in the heart of man, unless +he be thoroughly acquainted with the nature of Original Sin, that +dreadful, mortal, and diabolical evil, which is like an infernal poison +(ah, it is impossible sufficiently to describe and deplore it!) and has +proved the seed of a multitude of fatal and pernicious fruits. All the +books of comfort, and all the promises with which the Gospel abounds, +afford no substantial consolation to a man, except he be first thoroughly +humbled by a sense of his misery, and of that awful evil, Original Sin. +Man, in this fallen state, is too apt to flatter himself, and to look for +comfort, before a thorough search has been made into his own sinful +condition, degeneracy, and apostasy from God. Nature is concerned for +comfort more than for a cure. + +3. But this is very preposterous, and altogether against the tenor of +Scripture, and the method of salvation therein explained. Our Lord says, +"The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Matt. 9:12. No +cure can be expected, no medicine can be prescribed, no comfort can be +applied, nor can Christ himself, the great Physician of souls, be of any +benefit at all, so long as a man, thinking himself well, is not sensible +of those deep distempers that rage in his soul. Hence a true Christian's +life consists in a _daily crucifixion_ of the flesh, and of all its sinful +propensities. O that every one might lay this earnestly to heart! No man +can belong to Christ, or have a share in his merits, but he that regulates +his life according to this rule. Now, such a soul shall not be left +comfortless in the end; but, shall be refreshed with divine consolation. +No sooner is a soul thoroughly humbled by a lively sense of inbred +corruption, and the infectious influence it hath on all the actions, than +it is raised again by those suitable grounds of comfort which the Gospel +affords. In all this, the operation of the Divine Spirit, and man's +meditation on the word of promise, concur, and bring over the soul to +Christ, who is both willing and able to heal her, and to turn her mourning +into permanent gladness. He who will enter upon this course of true and +sincere repentance, must be careful, at the same time, not to be shaken by +the foolish judgment which this impious world will be apt to pass upon the +whole design of true Christianity. Let the profane worldling think ever so +much of his own natural parts and wisdom, it is certain that he is +altogether blind in the things of the Spirit of God, and most ignorant. +And though he may exercise his reasoning faculty on things that are far +above his reach and capacity, yet while he has no knowledge of the +wretchedness of his own nature, and of those spiritual diseases that +spring from it, he continues an utter stranger to spiritual concerns. He +does not understand what Adam and Christ are, or how Adam is to die, and +Christ to live in us again. And as he disdains to learn what he knows not, +he must forever remain in darkness and ignorance. Nor will he ever be able +in that state to obtain any insight into the grounds and properties of +true repentance, faith in Christ, and the new birth, wherein true +Christianity consists, and whereby he might be rescued from everlasting +ruin. + +4. The next thing which I would mention at the close of this Book, and +which thou art carefully to avoid, is the sin of _spiritual pride_, after +God has begun to implant in thee, by his grace, spiritual gifts, new +virtues, new habits of mind, and new knowledge. See that thou ascribe +these attainments not to thy own power, wisdom, or industry, but to the +grace of God. Carefully avoid taking up thy rest in those virtues and good +dispositions that are formed within thee; and never confide in them as +_means_ of thy justification before God. For as they are yet marked by +various defects and imperfections, so they can never pass for the perfect +righteousness of God. Never seek thy own honor and glory by the gifts +which God has been pleased to bestow upon thee. On the contrary, use them +with humility and fear, divesting thyself of all selfish designs, and +returning all thou hast unto Him, who is the true Disposer and Author +thereof. Do not say in thy heart: "I have now a strong faith, fervent +charity, much knowledge, many gifts;" for these suggestions are the +_tares_, which the enemy of thy soul sows among the wheat while thou +sleepest. + +For, (_a_) none of these gifts are thine, but God's only, without whose +illumination and all-quickening power, thou art but a lifeless lump of +clay. These gifts are no more thine, than the light and heat of the sun +are the earth's, which is warmed and penetrated by them. Thou art, at the +best, but the casket to hold the jewels; and the glory of these no more +belongs to thee, than the lustre of a precious stone belongs to the box in +which it is kept. Is it not, therefore, great folly to boast of the goods +of another, which are laid up in thee? + +(_b_) Thou art to consider, that, as the lord of a treasure may lodge his +treasure wherever he pleases, and remove it as he thinks fit; so God, in +like manner, may deposit his heavenly treasure in thee, and take it away +again, as he sees proper. Him, therefore, thou oughtest to fear with holy +reverence, and at the same time carefully beware of spiritual pride and +presumption: for this would issue in the inevitable loss of the celestial +jewel committed to thy trust. "Be not high-minded, but fear." Rom. 11:20. + +(_c_) Thou art, further, to consider, that the righteous God will call +thee to an exact account of all he has intrusted to thy care. The more +thou hast received, the more will he require at thy hands. + +(_d_) In the midst of all thy gifts, do not think that thou hast received +all that the Lord has in store for his children. Ah! beloved Christian! be +thy attainments ever so high and excellent, they are hardly the beginning; +there is yet much which thou lackest. + +(_e_) Seriously consider, that no good and perfect gifts are obtained or +preserved except by _prayer_: for every good and perfect gift descendeth +from God. James 1:17. Whatever thou seemest to possess without this, is +but a lifeless shadow, a seed bearing no fruit, but withering away. For +without prayer, no heavenly gift can descend into the heart of man. The +reader is desired to peruse what is said on the subject of Prayer in the +_Second_ Book of this Work. There are two things which thou must chiefly +regard in thy prayers and application to the Lord: _first_, That the +_Image of Satan be destroyed in thee_; as unbelief, pride, covetousness, +lust, wrath, etc.; _secondly_, That the _Image of God be restored __ in +thee_; in which are contained faith, love, hope, humility, patience, +meekness, and the fear of the Lord. These two, that is, the destruction of +the satanic, and the restoration of the divine image, are illustrated in +the Lord's Prayer. This prayer makes both _against_ thee, and _for_ thee. +If the name of God alone is to be hallowed, then thy name must be debased +and thy haughtiness be pulled down. If the kingdom of God shall come, then +certainly the devil's kingdom must be overthrown in thee. If thou desirest +that the will of God should be done, then truly thine own must be +renounced. + +These are the two parts into which any useful prayer-book or method of +prayer may be fitly digested; an order which is clearly exhibited in the +prayer of our Lord, so far as it respects those heavenly and eternal +benefits and gifts which we are directed to seek. Nay, in the Lord's +Prayer, all the treasures both for soul and body, and all the things which +we need both for this life and that which is to come, are summed up. And +there is no question, but that the Father in heaven, according to his +paternal compassion, will readily grant, what the Son of his love has so +strongly commanded us to ask. + + + + + +BOOK II. + + + + +Preface To The Second Book. + + +As in nature, my dear Christian reader, the destruction of one thing is +the production of another; even so is it in a true Christian life. The +old, carnal man must be destroyed and pass away, that so the new spiritual +man may be produced in his place. And as our carnal life is directly +contrary to the holy life of Christ (which in the preceding Book is +sufficiently declared); it is absolutely needful that we renounce this +carnal life, before we can attain the spiritual life of Christ, or follow +him in those steps which he has been pleased to leave us. Thus, for +instance, thou must put an end to thy pride, before thou canst be truly +humble; thou must cease from wrath, before thou canst possess the virtue +of meekness. And this is the reason why the spiritual Christian's life +ought to proceed from true _repentance_. This is also the design and +substance of the preceding Book, as plainly appears both from the order in +which the chapters are arranged, and from the _Conclusion_ appended to the +whole Book. + +2. Since, however, there will be occasion to treat of the doctrine of +repentance in some chapters of this Second Book, I shall now give some +account of the whole method into which this Book is digested. As the main +design of the First Book was to lay open the nature of Original Sin, and +the deadly influence which it has upon all our actions; so it is but fit +that the Second Book should begin with JESUS CHRIST, that everlasting +wellspring of man's salvation, in whom alone we find help and a remedy +against the destructive poison of Original Sin, and against that flood of +calamities and miseries which thence proceeds. All this on man's side, is +effected by FAITH, apprehending that salvation which is merited by Christ. +This matter is explained in the first three chapters of this Book. As, +however, that _faith_ which leads the soul to this fountain, and draws +thence effects so excellent and good, also brings forth living and sound +_fruits_; the next three chapters (IV-VI), are spent in describing the +same more at large. But, even as the fruits of righteousness and of the +Spirit are to grow up in us and wax strong, so must the fruits of the +flesh, in proportion, decay and decrease. And this is the daily, +effectual, and unfeigned repentance, wherein a Christian ought constantly +to be employed, if ever the flesh be mortified, and the Spirit be restored +to dominion. It was, therefore, judged expedient, to give here a clear +description of the difference betwixt the flesh and the Spirit, and of the +properties of a daily repentance. Here consult Chapters VII-X. But +inasmuch as from this habitual repentance, and the mortification of the +_old_ man (the life of a true Christian being nothing else but a constant +crucifixion of the flesh), the _new_ man is daily to come forth, it is +impossible to find a more perfect pattern, than that which our Lord Jesus +Christ himself has left us. And for this reason, the life of Christ ought +to be a mirror unto us, in which to view ourselves and him; and by +beholding him, to embrace the more freely his poverty and reproach, his +contempt and sorrow, his cross and passion, his agony and death. And this +holy life of Christ is the death of the flesh, and is accompanied with the +exercise of prayer, love, and humility. This is set forth at large in +Chapters XI-XXV. + +3. Thus are the humility and lowliness of Christ a true ladder of +ascension for a penitent soul; by means of which we ascend into the heart +of God, as of a loving Father, and calmly repose in his paternal +affection. It is the _human_ nature of Christ with which we begin our +spiritual life, and rising up higher and higher, arrive at last at his +_divine_ nature. It is then that we contemplate in Christ the heart of our +Father in heaven. It is then that we behold him as the sublime, the +everlasting, essential, and infinite Good; we behold him as the +immeasurable omnipotence, as the unfathomable mercy, the unsearchable +wisdom, the purest holiness, the unspotted and endless righteousness, the +most perfect goodness, the noblest beauty, the most perfect graciousness, +and, at last, as the most joyful salvation. These points, as they chiefly +make up Christian contemplation, so they are explained in Chapters +XXVI-XXXIII. But because no one can ever arrive at this state without +prayer, hence the ensuing ten Chapters (XXXIV-XLIII), treat upon the +nature of _prayer_, and the exercise of divine _praise_. And since this +life, grounded on maxims of sound and unfeigned religion, will soon be +attended with _crosses_ and _tribulations_, there follow fifteen Chapters +(XLIV-LVIII), wherein are considered the _cross_ of Christians, and the +virtue of _patience_, the practice of which is thereby exceedingly +promoted. To all this, something is added of the nature and conquest of +those deep _spiritual temptations_, with which Satan harasses those that +adhere to the Lord, and who endeavor to be faithful to the end. + +God grant that we may all be true followers of Christ, not ashamed of his +holy life; but follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, and be led at last +to the living fountains of waters, where the Lord will wipe away all tears +from our eyes! Amen. + +JOHN ARNDT, +General Superintendent in the Principality of Lüneburg. + + + + +Chapter I. + + +Jesus Christ, The Son Of God, Is Given To Us By Our Heavenly Father As Our + Help Against The Damnable And Deadly Poison Of Original Sin, And The + Pernicious Fruits Thereof, As Well As A Protector Against All The + Calamities And Evils Both Of The Body And The Soul. + + + _With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation._--ISA. + 12:3. + + +As our distemper is exceedingly great, mortal, damnable, and out of the +power of any creature to remove; therefore it is needful that we should +have a remedy proportioned to the disease; a high, a divine, an +everlasting, remedy and help, entirely derived from the pure mercy of God. +As our original disease was caused by the wrath, hatred, and envy of the +devil (Gen. 3:1): so God, in tender compassion, was moved to heal the +mortal wound of our sin by his infinite mercy. And as Satan had used his +utmost endeavors and subtlety, in order to infect, slay, and condemn us, +God was pleased, in his infinite wisdom, to give us his beloved Son, in +order to restore us to that life, happiness, and salvation which we had +lost. Hence he has made the precious blood of Christ to be the grand +restorative of our nature, and the cleanser from all the contagion of sin. +He hath given us his quickening flesh, to be our bread of life; his holy +wounds, as a sovereign balsam to heal our wounded condition; and his +precious death, to be an abolition of our death, both temporal and +eternal. 1 John 1:7; Acts 20:28; John 6:32, etc.; Isa. 53:5; 25:8. + +2. But so disabled, so weak, and undone, is fallen man, that he cannot so +much as apply this precious medicine even when it is freely offered: so +little health, so much weakness is there in him. Nay, we even, by nature, +strive against our cure, and reject the remedy which should help +us.--Wherefore, O Lord, unless thou shouldst draw me after thee (Cant. +1:4), and, as a faithful physician, administer to me what thou hast +ordered, the best prescriptions will avail me nothing. Take me, therefore, +entirely into thine own hands, and trust me not to myself. If I be left to +myself, the eternal ruin of my soul will be my lot. Therefore "turn thou +me, and I shall be turned: heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; for +thou art my praise." Jer. 31:18; 17:14. As long as thou keepest back thy +mercy, and hidest thy face from my sorrow, I shall remain in a diseased +condition. Ps. 30:3. Whilst thou forbearest to quicken me, I am tied down +by the chains of death. Therefore I cry with David, "I am poor and needy; +make haste unto me, O God. Thou art my help, and my deliverer; O Lord, +make no tarrying." Ps. 70:5. + +3. O blessed Lord! shall not thy mercy be strong enough to raise a sick +soul from her languishing illness? a soul that is not able to raise +herself? Wilt thou not condescend to come to me, since it is not possible +that I should come to thee? Didst thou not love me, even before I had so +much as a thought of loving thee again? Thy mercy is so prevailing and so +strong, that it has even overcome thyself. Was it not mercy that nailed +thee to the cross, and gave thee up to death? What is so strong as to +encounter and conquer thee, if it be not the strength of thy own mercy? +What has might sufficient to apprehend thee, and to bind and conduct thee +to death, but thy love only, wherewith thou hast loved and quickened us, +when we were dead in trespasses and sins? Eph. 2:1. For thou wouldst +thyself undergo the pangs of death, rather than suffer us to be forever +bound over to death and eternal damnation! + +4. Thy mercy, O Lord, has made thee all our own, and put a title to all +thy merits into our hands. When thou becamest a tender infant, it was +wholly for our sakes, unto whom thou art "born a child." Isa. 9:6. When +thou wast made an offering for our sins, and when thou wast slain as an +innocent lamb on the cross, it was to give up thyself unto us, and freely +to impart unto us all things beside. O excellent gift of God! a good +wholly appropriated to us, even our own peculiar good and treasure! + +(_a_) Behold! beloved Christian, the wisdom of God! God has by means of +this everlasting good made himself our own property, that he might thereby +in return make us _his own_. For having purchased us "with a price," we +are no longer our own, but his who hath bought us. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. For +whosoever receives so excellent a gift, receives also the Giver himself, +from whom it proceeds. And again, whosoever possesses any good as his own, +he makes it his own to all intents and purposes, and to the best advantage +he can. Thus, likewise, is CHRIST become thy own and proper GOOD. Thou +canst apply him in such a manner, as to obtain by him everlasting life and +salvation. + +(_b_) CHRIST is become the true medicine of thy soul, to restore thee--thy +meat and thy drink, to refresh thee--thy fountain of life, to quench thy +thirst--thy light, in darkness--thy joy, in sadness--thine advocate, against +thy accusers--wisdom, against thy folly--righteousness, against thy +sin--sanctification, against thy unworthiness--redemption, against thy +bondage--the mercy-seat, against the judgment-seat--the throne of grace, +against thy condemnation--thy absolution, against thy fearful sentence--thy +peace and rest, against an evil conscience--thy victory, against all thine +enemies--thy champion, against all thy persecutors--the bridegroom of thy +soul, against all rivals--thy mediator, against the wrath of God--thy +propitiation, against all thy trespasses--thy strength, against thy +weakness--thy way, against thy wandering--thy truth, against lying and +vanity--thy life, against death. He is thy counsel, when thou hast none to +advise thee--thy power, in the midst of thine infirmities--thy Everlasting +Father, when thou art forsaken and fatherless--thy Prince of Peace, against +the adversary--thy ransom, against thy debt--thy crown of glory, against thy +reproach--thy teacher, against thy ignorance--thy Judge, against thy +oppressor--thy King, to destroy the kingdom of Satan--thine everlasting High +Priest, to intercede for thee. + +5. (_a_) Consider now, O Christian, what an excellent gift the Lord JESUS +CHRIST is. Let it be thy daily prayer and supplication to make a true +saving use of all those heavenly benefits, and to improve all the +_offices_ of Christ to the end for which they are designed. If he be thy +Medicine (Matt. 9:12), fear not but thou shalt be healed: since he is thy +Bread (John 6:51), thy soul shall be filled. Is he to thee a Fountain of +Life (Isai. 12:3), then truly thou shalt thirst no more. Is he to thee a +Light (John 8:12), then thou shalt remain no longer in darkness. Is he thy +Joy (Luke 2:10), what then shall afflict thee? Is he the Advocate (1 John +2:1) that pleads thy cause, what adversary shall cast thee? Is he thy +Truth, who shall deceive thee? Is he thy Way, who shall make thee to err? +Is he thy Life (John 14:6), who shall slay thee? Is he thy Wisdom, who +shall seduce thee? Is he thy Righteousness, who shall condemn thee? Is he +thy Sanctification, who shall reject thee? Is he thy Redemption, who shall +imprison thee? 1 Cor. 1:30. Is he thy Peace (Eph. 2:14), who can disturb +thee? Is he thy Mercy-Seat (Rom. 3:25), who can arraign thee? Is he thy +Throne of Grace (Heb. 4:16), who can give sentence against thee? Is he thy +Discharge and Absolution (Colos. 2:14), who then dares impeach thee? Is he +the Champion and the Captain of thy Salvation (Heb. 2:10), who shall be +able to stand against thee? Is he thy Bridegroom (John 3:29), who then +shall snatch thee from him? Is he thy Ransom (1 Tim. 2:6), who will arrest +thee? Is he thy Crown of Glory (Heb. 2:7), who then shall reproach thee? +Is he thy Master (John 13:13), and Teacher, who then shall correct thee? +If he be thy Judge (2 Thess. 1:9), who shall oppress thee? If he be thy +Propitiation (1 John 2:2), who shall accuse thee? If he be thy Mediator (1 +Tim. 2:5), who shall set God against thee? If he be thy Advocate (1 John +2:1), who shall prosecute thee? Is he thy Immanuel (Isai. 7:14), who shall +be against thee? Is he thy King (John 12:15), who shall expel thee out of +his kingdom? Is he thy High Priest (Heb. 7:25), who can refuse his +intercession and sacrifice? Is he thy Saviour (Matt. 1:21), who shall +destroy thee? + +(_b_) How canst thou have a more excellent, a more valuable present? It is +a present of greater worth than thou thyself, than all mankind, and all +the world besides. It is a present that infinitely surpasses all the sins, +miseries, and calamities of the whole world. Christ hereby is all our own, +both as to his divine and his human nature. It was by sin we had forfeited +the richest of all treasures, the Sovereign Good, even God himself: and it +is by Christ, that all is made up again, and God himself given to us as +our property. And for this reason, Christ is called Immanuel (Isai. 7:14), +(which being interpreted is, _God with us_), that in him we might have +both a God and a Brother. + +6. (_a_) Consider now, O Christian! what an immense, what an infinite good +thou hast in Christ thy Redeemer, and to what spiritual benefits thou art +entitled by him. If people were but better acquainted with the sources of +this heavenly comfort, then no cross, no affliction, would seem any longer +insupportable to them; because Christ would be all in all, and by his +presence alleviate the miseries of this life. Christ himself is ours not +only as a crucified Christ, but also as he is glorified, together with all +the majesty that resides in him. "All things are yours, whether Paul, or +Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or +things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." +1 Cor. 3:21-23. + +(_b_) Alas! poor, miserable, accursed, and condemned sinners, that we by +nature all are! How came we to be favored and honored with so high and +inestimable a gift? For thou, O Lord Jesus, art to us--Jehovah our +Righteousness--a Mediator between God and man--our everlasting Priest--the +Christ of God--a Lamb without spot--our propitiatory oblation--the fulfilment +of the law--the Desire of the patriarchs--the Inspirer of the prophets--the +Master of the apostles--the teacher of the evangelists--the light of the +confessors--the crown of the martyrs--the Praise of all the saints--the +resurrection of the dead--the first-born from the dead--the glory of the +blessed--the consolation of the mourners--the righteousness of sinners--the +hope of the afflicted--the refuge of the miserable--the entertainer of +strangers--the fellow-traveller of pilgrims--the way of them that were +mistaken--the help to them who were forsaken--the strength of the weak--the +health of the sick--the protector of the simple--the reward of the just--the +flaming fire of charity--the Author of faith--the anchor of hope--the flower +of humility--the rose of meekness--the root of all the virtues--the exemplar +of patience--the enkindler of devotion--the incense of prayer--the tree of +health--the fountain of blessedness--the bread of life--the Head of the +church--the bridegroom of the soul--the precious pearl--the rock of +salvation--the living stone--the heir of all things--the redemption of the +world--the triumphant Conqueror of Hell--the Prince of Peace--the mighty lion +of Judah--the father of the world to come--the guide to our heavenly +country--the sun of righteousness--the morning star--the inextinguishable +light of the celestial Jerusalem--the brightness of the everlasting +glory--the unspotted mirror--the splendor of the divine majesty--the image of +the paternal goodness--the treasure of wisdom--the abyss of eternity--the +beginning without beginning--the word upholding all things--the life +quickening all things--the light enlightening all things--the truth judging +all things--the counsel moderating all things--the rule directing all +things--the love sustaining all things--the whole comprehension of all that +is good. + +(_c_) This is the great and infinite gift, which God has so freely +bestowed upon mortal men. + + + + +Chapter II. + + +The Manner In Which The Christian Should Apply And Appropriate To Himself + The Consolation Noticed In Chapter I. + + + _The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was + lost._--LUKE 19:10. + + +The _first_ or chief foundation on which the Christian depends, when he +derives consolation from the doctrines of the remission of sin, and of the +merit of Christ, consists in the _universal_ extent of the divine +_promises_; of which that mentioned above is not the least considerable. +For if Christ came to save those that are lost, who can possibly doubt, +that he will also seek and save _thee_, since thou art of the number of +the lost. It is also said, that God, "commandeth all men everywhere to +repent; because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the +world in righteousness." Acts 17:30, 31. This argument is full of +consolation. As if the apostle had said, Christ will judge the world; and +_therefore_ God commandeth _all_ to repent, that all may escape the +dreadful sentence of eternal damnation. This is confirmed by St. Peter, +who tells us, that God "is not willing that any should perish, but that +all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. All which passages plainly +assert the universal grace of God, extending itself to _all_ men. + +2. The _second_ foundation is the divine _oath_. In order that no room +might be left to doubts and scruples in this grand article, God has +confirmed the universal promise of grace with an _oath_. "As I live, saith +the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he +turn from his way and live: none of the sins that he hath committed, shall +be mentioned unto him." Ezek. 33:11, 16. As if he had said, How can I +delight in the death of a sinner, who am Life itself? Let but the wicked +be converted, and he shall certainly live.--Behold! God desires sinners to +be converted! And dost thou doubt, that thou, who art a sinner, art by God +solicited to conversion? When the apostle explains this oath, he says, +"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ +Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Tim. 1:15. But if Christ +came into the world with an intent to save sinners, thou art undoubtedly +one of the number of those whom he came to save. + +3. In order to show that the Lord will not retain the remembrance of sin, +he hath no less than three times engaged his word. First, by the prophet +Isaiah, "I, even I," says he, "am he that blotteth out thy transgressions +for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Isa. 43:25. Secondly, by +Jeremiah he hath thus expressed his mind: "This shall be the covenant: I +will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Jer. +31:33, 34. And, thirdly, by the prophet Ezekiel, "If the wicked," says he, +"will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, he shall surely live, +he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they +shall not be mentioned unto him." Ezek. 18:21, 22. This is the divine act +of oblivion, solemnly declared in favor of all returning sinners, without +exception. + +4. Now the cause or reason why God promises that he will not remember sin +any more, is no other than the all-sufficient satisfaction and +reconciliation wrought by Christ. For whatever is entirely paid, yea, over +and above paid, should be altogether buried in an everlasting oblivion. +Now, God being once perfectly reconciled and satisfied by the most holy +and most complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ, he can no longer be angry, +nor perpetuate the remembrance of our transgressions. + +5. The same oath is repeated in the prophet Isaiah, "Look unto me," says +the Lord, "and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: I have sworn by +myself; the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not +return." Isa. 45:22, 23. Which oath, the Epistle to the Hebrews explains +in this manner: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the +heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: +that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, +we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold +upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, +both sure and steadfast." Heb. 6:17-19. That is, God, by his counsel and +promise, having confirmed them with an oath, hath more than sufficiently +sealed and established his gracious will; that so none might be +discouraged. + +6. The _third_ foundation is the eternal covenant of grace, which consists +in the pardon of sin: "This shall be the covenant: I will forgive their +iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Jer. 31:33, 34. And this +covenant or testament, because confirmed by the death of Christ, is +therefore everlasting. To the same purpose the Lord says by the prophet: +"Neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that +hath mercy on thee." Isa. 54:10. And again, "I will make an everlasting +covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David" (i. e., Christ). Isa. +55:3. And Moses declares the same: "The Lord thy God is a merciful God: he +will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of +thy fathers which he sware unto them." Deut. 4:31. And again we read: "He +will ever be mindful of his covenant." Ps. 111:5. On which eternal +covenant, that we might the more firmly rely, he hath renewed and +established it with every one by Holy Baptism, which therefore is called +"The answer (or covenant) of a good conscience towards God." 1 Peter 3:21. +For this end, Christ himself was baptized in Jordan, and thereby entered +with us into this covenant. Matt. 3:13. + +7. The _fourth_ foundation is the death of Christ, by which the covenant +or testament of God was ratified. But if any ask, For whom did he die? St. +Paul answers, that "he died for ALL." 2 Cor. 5:14, 15. And St. John says, +"He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2. So +John the Baptist said: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin +of the world." John 1:29. This, the apostle explains in the following +comforting manner: "As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men +to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came +upon ALL men unto justification of life" (Rom. 5:18): where a comparison +is made betwixt Christ and Adam. As if he had said, "Since the offence of +Adam hath been so strong, as to make all men sinners; shall not the +righteousness of Christ be far more powerful to make them righteous? If +sin hath abounded, shall not grace much more abound?" The same apostle, +having occasion to show that the merit of Christ is universal, and extends +itself to all, thus reasons: "For there is one God, and one mediator +between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for +all." But if this be true, it also follows, "that God will have all men to +be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim. 2:4-6. On +all this Paul remarks, that God, by "Christ hath reconciled all things to +himself, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Col. 1:20. +And again: "God spared not his own SON, but delivered him up for us ALL." +Rom. 8:32. In this number, reckon also thyself, because "God is no +respecter of persons." Acts 10:34. Since, therefore, Christ died for +sinners, thou, who acknowledgest thyself to be one, must necessarily have +an interest in his death, and in all the benefits purchased by it. + +8. The _fifth_ foundation is the universal call, grounded upon the +universal merit of Christ. The latter was exhibited for the sins of the +whole world, and it was proper that it should be preached to all +creatures. Matt. 9:13. Now since Christ declares: "I came not to call the +righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 16:15), it follows, that thou +also, because thou art a sinner, art called. But called to what? To +repentance. And why? That thou mayest obtain remission of sin, through +faith. "It behooved," says the Lord, "that repentance and remission of +sins should be preached in the name of Christ among all nations." Luke +24:46, 47. And the apostle affirms, that "the gospel was preached to every +creature which is under heaven." Col. 1:23. But to what end did God cause +it to be preached? Surely for no other end than that thereby faith might +be kindled and established among men, according to that saying of the same +apostle: "How shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and +how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard?" Rom. 10:14. +Whenever, therefore, God calls us to repentance, far be it from us to +think that God calls us in vain, or without a real design to save us. +Surely God does not deceive us: but in this serious affair he seriously +calls upon us, that we may embrace his mercy, and accept the offer of +grace. Hence he is also angry with those who make light of his supper, and +disdain to come to his feast. Matt. 22:7. Whereas, to those who obey his +call, through faith, he hath given his promise, full of heavenly comfort +that "whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting +life." John 3:16. Nay, he hath graciously promised to preserve the same +faith unto the end, even till the salvation of the soul, which is the end +of faith, be secured. Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:9. + +9. The _sixth_ foundation is the inward testimony of the divine Spirit in +us, who seeks after righteousness, and seals us unto the day of +redemption. Rom. 8:16; Eph. 4:30. This Spirit incessantly rouses and +awakens the conscience. He reproves without intermission, convinces of +sins, and sets them before thine eyes. He summons thee to repentance, +calls thee inwardly in thy heart, strives with thee, and leaves nothing +untried, in order to keep thee from every sin, and lead to thy conversion. +John 16:8. These things thou canst not conceal, though ever so desirous to +do it. This witness of Christ in thee, is never silent: and though thou +shouldst stop thine ears against him, yet shalt thou be compelled to hear +him _inwardly_. And if thou shouldst desire to reject his summons, yet +must thou feel the internal energy of his correction. All this is a +convincing, strong, and unquestionable proof, that "God would have thee to +be saved." + +10. The _seventh_ foundation consists of the examples of sinners, whom +God, upon their conversion, hath received into favor. Surely "there is +none righteous," of himself, "no, not one." Rom. 3:10, 23. Not only David, +Manasseh (2 Chron. 33:11-13), Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, and Zaccheus; +but "ALL of us are sinners, and come short of the glory of God." There is +none innocent in his sight. Whatever favor God shows to one, the same he +offers to all the rest; since he "is no respecter of persons." Acts 10:34. +We all are saved by grace, without any merit of our own, and all stand in +need of a gracious pardon of sin: for, "if thou, Lord, shouldest mark +iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" (Ps. 130:3), and if thou enterest +into judgment, "in thy sight shall no man living be justified." Ps. 143:2. + +11. The _eighth_ foundation is, that the merit of Christ is not only +sufficient, but even more than sufficient for the sins of all men, how +numerous, great and heinous soever they may be. Why then shouldst thou +exclude thyself, and refuse to share in the benefits of the ransom which +Christ paid? Is it not infinitely greater than the sins of the whole +world? For as thou art of the race of men, so thou canst apply to thyself +that word of the Lord, "The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, +but to save them" (Luke 9:56): and that of St. Paul, "God was in Christ, +reconciling the world unto himself" (2 Cor. 5:19): and again, that of St. +John, "He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world" (1 John +2:2); that is, for all the sins of every man in particular. + +12. A _ninth_ foundation is this, that the merit of Christ is an +_infinite_ satisfaction, beyond all number, measure, and end; and it is so +on account of the exalted Person that suffered, who is both God and man. +Why shouldst thou then limit the extent, number, measure, and bounds of +merit so ample, and exclude thyself from it? So great, so high, and so +extensive are the power and efficacy of that merit, that it would still +prove a sufficient ransom if every man were guilty of the sins of the +whole world. Nay, if there were as many worlds drowned in sin, as there +are men that live on this earth, yet would the merit of Christ and his +righteousness be large enough to cover all their sins. Cast not therefore +away a mercy so universal, so full and every way abounding. This surely is +that "depth of the sea, into which God hath cast all our sins." Mic. 7:19. +Hence the Psalmist says: "As the heaven is high above the earth, so great +is his mercy towards them that fear him. As far as the east is from the +west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Ps. 103:11, 12. +This is that "eternal redemption which is obtained for us." Heb. 9:12. The +benefit of this complete redemption, is summed up by St. Paul: "It is God +that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died," etc. +Rom. 8:33, 34. + +13. The _tenth_ foundation is this, that the obedience of Christ is +perfect: because he fulfilled the will and law of his Father in all +things, thereby to give satisfaction for all the disobedience which all +the men in the world had committed against God's law. For if the sin and +transgression of any one man were not expiated by him, then surely, his +obedience would not prove perfect, and the disobedience of Adam would be +more effectual to condemnation, than the obedience of Christ to +justification. This cannot be, since the apostle in plain terms affirms +the contrary, in Rom. 5:18. What reason is there then, that any one should +exclude himself from this perfect obedience, or be backward to assert his +own interest in it? Let us rather consider, that Christ for this very end +humbled himself, "and became obedient unto death, even the death of the +cross" (Phil. 2:8), "that he might redeem them that were under the law." +Gal. 4:5. In the number of these, we all surely are comprised. For, as our +first parents aspired after and affected the majesty of God, so it +behooved Christ, the repairer of our breaches, by a most profound +humility, to atone for this heinous offence, and to be "made a curse for +us" (Gal. 3:13), in order that the blessing might come upon all, who were +cursed in Adam. + +14. The _eleventh_ foundation is, that since the royal victory and triumph +of Christ surpass all the multitude, weight, and heinousness of sin, +together with all the power of death, hell, and Satan, what cause canst +thou assign, O sinner, why the same victorious Christ should not triumph +over _thy_ sin as well as over all the rest? What! canst thou believe that +_thy_ transgressions _alone_ are more powerful than Christ, the omnipotent +king? When he shall make all his enemies his footstool (Ps. 110:1), cannot +he subdue under him also thy sins? Dost thou think that _thy_ crimes only +shall prove too hard for him? God forbid, therefore, that thou shouldest +call in question thy interest in so universal a conquest, in so glorious a +triumph. + +15. The _twelfth_ foundation is the everlasting priesthood of Christ. Ps. +110:4; Heb. 4:14. He freely grants pardon to all them that ask it; and +gives the Holy Spirit to those that earnestly pray for that gift. Nor will +he, or can he refuse to any what belongs to his office (Heb. 5:6; 7:17); +for he is the Saviour of the world, and the High Priest and Mediator +between God and man. 1 Tim. 2:5. If he refuse his office to any one that +implores it, he would verily cease to be a Mediator. But so far is he from +this, that he freely offers to sinners the benefit of his mediatorial +office. "Come unto me," saith he, "all ye that labor and are heavy laden." +Matt. 11:28. And again: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the +waters" (Isa. 55:1) of life. And does he not by his apostles and +messengers, seriously invite us to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20), and +at the same time offer us his help and assistance for that end? He seeks +the lost sheep (Ezek. 34:16), and receives into favor the Prodigal son as +soon as he returns. Luke 15:20. Take heed, therefore, O man, that thou +reject not the office of Christ the Mediator, and that thou deprive not +thyself of the benefit of a sacerdotal intercessor, every way full of +divine consolation and comfort. + + + + +Chapter III. + + +Our Righteousness Before God, Consists Solely In The Perfect Obedience And + Merit Of Christ Jesus, And In The Remission Of Sin Apprehended By Faith. + + + _As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the + obedience of one shall many be made righteous._--ROM. 5:19. + + +As a skilful builder, when he is about to raise a lofty structure, takes +care to lay first a deep and solid foundation, so the merciful and +compassionate God, when he was to erect the high and everlasting palace of +our salvation and righteousness, thought fit to lay the foundation +thereof, in the depth of his mercy, upon the Person and office of his dear +Son Christ Jesus, as on the true rock of salvation. This is the promise +recorded by the prophet: "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, +a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that +believeth shall not make haste." Isa. 28:16. This stone was indicated by +Christ, when he declared to Peter, that "thereon he would build his +church;" a church so firmly and surely sustained, that "the very gates of +hell should not prevail against it." Matt. 16:18. + +2. This was the rock and corner-stone, which was preached by the apostles +Peter and Paul. 1 Pet. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:19. This is that marvellous +corner-stone celebrated by the Psalmist, and upon which the 118th Psalm is +grounded. Upon this foundation, God has been pleased to raise the whole +structure of our righteousness, faith, and eternal salvation. But as God, +our merciful Heavenly Father, has, on his side, placed the groundwork of +our salvation and righteousness in the unsearchable depth of his mercy and +everlasting love; nay, even in his beloved Son, and the paternal affection +of his own heart; so he wills that on our side also the same be laid in +the depth of our heart, and in the centre of our soul; in order that, +through the divine light and power of faith alone (and even faith is +solely the work of the Divine Spirit), the righteousness of Christ may be +apprehended, and without any respect of our own works, whether antecedent +or consequent, be freely imputed and appropriated to us. The reasons of +this way of proceeding are as follows. + +3. In the _first_ place, that God by this means might cleanse and justify +a man from within, and in the inmost centre of his soul: for as man is +inwardly corrupted by Satan, and infected in all the interior powers of +his soul, so it is but fit that his cure should be wrought from within, +and that all the faculties of his soul should be restored to their former +integrity and soundness. + +4. _Secondly_, that our righteousness proceeds from _faith_ only. This +faith is wrought by God himself, and it stands entirely in his _power_ (1 +Cor. 2:5), being supported by it, and not by any human performance, or +hypocritical action of men. Of this latter sort was the righteousness of +the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20), who made indeed a show of outward +performances, but were little concerned about the reformation of the +heart, and the inward recesses of the mind. + +5. _Thirdly_, that our heart, soul, and spirit, renouncing human power and +strength (upon which, through the temptation of the Devil, and the snares +of self-love, ambition, and pride, they too much rely), might wholly +depend upon _Christ alone_, and upon his precious merit and satisfaction. +For from him alone flow the gracious remission of all our sins, and the +whole train of graces consequent on it; Jesus Christ having abundantly +satisfied for the sins of the whole world, and reconciled the Father to +mankind. + +6. _Fourthly_, that the righteousness of Christ, by faith, might be made +_our_ own. In order to the same end he also by his Word and Spirit begets +this faith in our hearts, that thereby we may become actually possessed of +this inestimable treasure. For this is the highest, the unspeakable, and +inconceivably great consolation, that our righteousness is not the +righteousness of a man, nor even of a saint or angel, but of Christ, and +of God himself; "It is God that justifieth." Rom. 8:33. Therefore if the +whole world were overflowed with the sins of one man, yet would the +righteousness of Christ be still more extensive and overflowing. For +verily, he is "the Lord our Righteousness" (Jer. 33:16), and how can sin +be more powerful than the Lord Jehovah? Would it be an insufficient +satisfaction, thinkest thou, if instead of a penny which thou owest thy +creditor, thou shouldest return ten thousand pounds? But such a price, +nay, one infinitely greater, is paid with the blood of Christ, which +therefore is called by St. Paul, "God's own blood." Acts 20:28. So great +and immense is the righteousness of Christ, conferred on us by faith, that +thereby we are not only made _righteous_, but also _righteousness_ itself. +2 Cor. 5:21. For, as it is not enough that a defiled infant be washed from +its uncleanness, but it must also be wrapped up in clean apparel (Ezek. +6:10), so Christ not only cleanses us with his blood, but clothes us also +with the garment of salvation, and covers us with the robe of +righteousness (Isa. 61:10): which we have received from the hand of the +Lord. This garment is called by the prophet, priestly or holy apparel; by +David, "the beauty of holiness" (Ps. 29:2); by St. John, "fine linen clean +and white, which is the righteousness of saints" (Rev. 19:8); by the +prophet Amos, "rivers of righteousness" (Amos 5:24); by St. Paul, +"superabounding grace" (Rom. 5:20); and "exceeding riches of grace." Eph. +2:7. All these expressions set forth that the righteousness bestowed on a +penitent soul, is as great as God himself, and therefore beyond all human +comprehension. Though in the state of innocency, our first parents had a +complete righteousness in its kind, yet was it not so full and exuberant +as that which we have obtained in Christ: for this righteousness and +holiness, which we apply to ourselves by faith, is far more excellent than +that which Adam would have left us, had he continued in his original +innocency. So, too, the humility and obedience of Christ, as it was more +perfect, so it was more acceptable to God, than the obedience and +innocency of Adam; nay, a thousand such persons as Adam, could not have +come up to the perfection of Christ alone. Adam would have transmitted to +us indeed an hereditary righteousness, and thereby united us with God; yet +it cannot be denied, that our union, established with God in Christ, is +much more noble and excellent than that which we should have derived from +Adam: for Christ being made man, has in himself so cleansed and exalted +human nature, that the primitive state of Adam is not at all to be +compared with it. And as Christ retains his human nature to all eternity; +so all believers continue in the same united to God; because Christ is +wholly ours, and we are wholly his. Whatever purity the human nature hath +obtained in general in His Person, is also transferred to the nature of +each believer in particular. This will appear in the glorification of our +bodies at the last day, when "they shall be fashioned like unto the +glorious body of Christ." Phil. 3:21. Nay, even in this life, it is said +in faith: "Behold, thou art fair, my love" (Cant. 1:15); "glorious, not +having spot or wrinkle" (Eph. 5:27): "the king's daughter is all glorious +within, her clothing is of wrought gold." Ps. 45:13. In a word, our +righteousness in Christ is no less immense than God himself; and if his +depth may be found out, so will our righteousness. Whence all creatures, +finding nothing that can be reproved in man, must stand as it were +astonished, and cry out with admiration: "Who is he that shall accuse or +condemn man, whose righteousness is the Son of God himself?" And this is +that righteousness of faith on which we rest, as on an eternal rock, and +which is a foundation that cannot be shaken. Of this we glory, in this we +rejoice in time and in eternity. By this we are conquerors, and triumph +over sin, death, the devil, and hell. By this we tread upon the lion and +adder, and trample under foot the young lion and the dragon. Ps. 91:13. + +7. _Fifthly_, an angel (who never died for us) cannot be the foundation of +our righteousness, much less any _man_. The righteousness of man is but +weak and inconstant; and if he should fall, "all his righteousness that he +hath done shall not be mentioned" (Ezek. 18:24; 33:13), and therefore +whatever is built thereon falls soon to the ground and comes to nothing. +For this reason, our righteousness must have another foundation; a +foundation, namely, which is firm and constant, and not liable to be +shattered to pieces, though the "mountains should depart, and the hills be +removed." Isa. 54:10. "An everlasting righteousness must be brought in" +(Dan. 9:24), so that "the salvation of the Lord may be forever, and his +righteousness be not abolished." Isa. 51:6. A most excellent, eternal, and +sovereign Person, must procure an eternal and infinite good, by an immense +and infinite satisfaction offered for us. + +8. The _sixth_ cause why God will have our righteousness to be apprehended +by faith, is found in his truth and promise, on which our faith entirely +rests, and by which God declared and promised righteousness to Abraham, +and to all his faithful seed. Whence St. Paul argues, that "our +righteousness must be of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end that +the promise might be sure." Rom. 4: 16. Upon this promise of grace, +fulfilled in Christ, has God established our righteousness and salvation, +as the same apostle in another place more fully asserts: "Even as +Abraham," says he, "believed God, and it was accounted to him for +righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same +are the children of Abraham." And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would +justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto +Abraham: saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed (Gen. 12:3). "So +then they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham." Gal. +3:6-9. And thus "grace and truth are come by Jesus Christ." John 1:17. + +9. _Seventhly_, God has made his grace, and the merit of Christ, the +foundation of our righteousness, that Christ alone may have the honor of +it. Isa. 45:22-24; 53:11. "In him alone is our help." Hos. 13:9. He is the +beginning, middle, and end of our righteousness and salvation, so that +"every mouth may be stopped." Rom. 3:19. For we are "saved by grace +through faith; not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8, 9. But +if our righteousness were founded on our own works and merits, there would +then be no room for grace, nor should we have occasion for mercy or pardon +of sin, "for which every one that is godly doth pray." Ps. 32:6. Moreover, +there would be no place for humility, nor for the fear of God; neither +would faith and prayer turn to any great account; yea, we should have no +need of a Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour. Christ would have then died in +vain; and we should be obliged, both by an external and an internal +obedience, perfectly to fulfil the whole law. We should remain under the +curse, have fallen from grace, and have lost Christ; as St. Paul expressly +testifies in Gal. 5:3, 4. So that the doctrine of justification by +_works_, in the sight of God, is altogether inconsistent with the whole +Scripture, both of the Old Testament and the New, and with our holy +Christian faith. + +10. In short, our salvation and righteousness are founded entirely upon +the eternal grace of God, and the eternal Person and office of Christ; and +in Christ alone we are made righteous, holy, alive, blessed, sons and +heirs of God. The righteousness of Christ is ours, his goodness ours, his +holiness ours; his life ours, his happiness ours, and lastly, the sonship +and inheritance of Christ are ours; and so the WHOLE Christ, both +according to his divine and his human nature, is ours; (for God gives us +the WHOLE CHRIST for a Saviour, that he with his Person, office, grace, +glory, and blessedness, may be wholly appropriated to us). That all this +is our own, is our highest consolation, glory, praise, honor, love, joy, +and peace before God and all the angels and elect; it is our sublimest +wisdom, strength, might, victory, and triumph over sin and death, the +devil and hell, the world and all our enemies. For which God be praised to +all eternity! Amen. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + Showing That Saving Faith In The True Christian Produces Manifold Fruits +Of Righteousness, And That These Must Proceed From The Depth Of The Heart; +Also, That The Character Of Our Outward Works, Depends, In The Judgment Of + God, Upon The State Of The Heart. + + + _And this I pray, that ye may be sincere and without offence till + the day of Christ: being filled with the fruits of righteousness, + which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of + God._--PHIL. 1:9-11. + + +The true Christian is not only justified by faith in Christ, but is also +made a temple and habitation of Christ and of the Holy Spirit. To this end +the good Spirit of God purifies his heart by faith: and it is fit that +Christ should live in his temple, together with his love, humility and +meekness. 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 3:17; Acts 15:9. To this end also thy Redeemer +has bestowed upon thee his Holy Spirit, that he might create in thee a new +heart, and endue thee with so cheerful and ready a mind, as to do the will +of God freely, without any unwillingness or compulsion. Jer. 31:32, 33; +Heb. 10:16. This new and holy obedience proceeds not from the law, or any +legal commandment; but from a lively faith. Hence, "the law is not made +for a righteous man" (1 Tim. 1:9), to _compel_ him to do good; though it +is in other respects an excellent rule by which to regulate a Christian's +life and manners. For a true and living faith does everything freely and +of its own accord: it renews the man, it purifies the heart, it produces +fervent love to our neighbor, it hopes and considers such things as are +not yet seen. Faith prays, praises, fears, and confesses God. It is also +patient, humble, merciful, loving, meek, easy to be reconciled, +compassionate, and peaceful. Faith readily forgives offences; hungers and +thirsts after righteousness; embraces God with all his grace, and Christ +with all his merit; and obtains a complete remission of all sins. Now if +any one does not perceive in his heart these fruits of the Spirit, and the +indwelling of Christ by faith, let him humbly entreat the Lord, and that +with tears and groans, that he may obtain them. I would not be understood, +however, as saying that a Christian in this life could attain to perfect +and absolute holiness; for even the greatest saints are still sensible of +their infirmities; of which the book of Psalms and the Lord's Prayer fully +convince us. God therefore requires that our righteousness, by which we +are to please him, should be entirely apprehended by faith; and lest we +should act the hypocrite he wills that his righteousness should be stamped +on our very heart, and on the inmost centre of our souls; and likewise +that all the fruits of faith and righteousness should proceed from a +living and sound principle seated within the mind. According to this +inward and leading principle, God judges all our works, whether they be +true and genuine, or false and hypocritical. + +2. Here again, we do not assert that perfection can be found in this +present world, but only require that a Christian should walk in newness of +life, and approve himself by such works as are cleared from guile and +hypocrisy. For it is by no means possible that the fruits of the Spirit +enumerated by St. Paul, in Gal. 5:22, 23, should not be found in that man +in whom the Spirit of God himself dwells (Gal. 5:22); or that a good tree +should not be known by its fruits, though they may not be altogether so +perfect and angelic as could be wished, but be stained and often obscured +by various frailties and imperfections. Nevertheless, all hypocrisy and +insincerity, are utterly to be banished from a regenerate state; nor are +the fruits of a Christian to proceed from an empty profession, or a +lifeless appearance of things, but possess truth and reality. I do not +deny, on the one hand, that the Christian Church may be fitly compared to +a hospital crowded with all manner of sick; or to a house inhabited by +sinners as well as by saints. I believe also that many, like feeble +children, have not yet attained to the ability of walking alone; but that +they gradually learn to walk steadily. Hence it is necessary to "bear one +another's burdens" (Gal. 6:2), and never rashly to judge or condemn those +who by reason of their weakness halt behind. Rom. 14:1. We ought rather to +restore in the spirit of meekness those that stumble, and with great +tenderness to rectify what is amiss in them. Thus we learn to read our own +imperfections in the infirmities of our brother. But on the other hand, +Christians ought to labor to make continual advances in the spiritual +life. They ought not to continue always in a state of infancy and +weakness, how difficult soever it be to conquer the carnal mind that +obstructs our growth. They ought to be fervent in the practice of +"charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith +unfeigned" (1 Tim. 1:5); and bear this in perpetual remembrance, that all +outward performances are valued by God according to the inward disposition +of the heart. If the heart be good, thou mayest then be assured, that +whatever thou doest is also good before God: but if the heart be evil, +corrupt, and envious, then all thy works are evil and hateful. Such as +thou art inwardly, and in thy heart, such art thou accounted to be before +God; and such are thy prayers, thy public worship, thy giving of alms, thy +receiving the Sacrament, and all thy other performances. + +3. Whosoever therefore is willing to try his own faith and inward +condition, should set before his eyes the Ten Commandments (as by Christ +himself interpreted) (Matt. 5 and 6), and learn to judge of his actions by +his heart. By such an impartial trial, he will clearly perceive whether +what he does be acceptable or unacceptable to God, and whether he bring +forth the genuine fruits of that inward righteousness which is by faith. +Phil. 1:11. For example, thou considerest that thou dost not defile +thyself with any external idolatry. Now, in keeping from idols thou doest +surely well; but I would have thee farther inquire, whether thou also +abhorrest all manner of _internal_ idolatry? Or whether thou hast set up +an inward idol in some secret corner of the heart, to which thou payest +thy vows? Ezek. 14:3, 4. Examine thyself whether thou art _within_, what +thou professest to be _without_? See whether thy heart be not set upon the +world, upon avarice, and pride? If so, then thou art assuredly guilty of +most dangerous idolatry; for the creature has engrossed those noble +affections which should be entirely surrendered to the Creator, and +dedicated to him alone. Thou assurest us that thou art punctual in saying +thy prayers, and in praising God; and that thou dost not neglect to offer +up thy thanks for benefits received at his hands; but didst thou ever +consider, whether thou cursest in thy heart, whilst thou prayest with thy +lips? Whether thou contradictest by thy actions what thou expressest in +thy words? If so, thy prayer will prove but a worthless performance, and +all thy thanks and praises will be trifling and vain. Thou tellest us how +strictly thou keepest the sabbath-day. In this truly thou doest well; but +look on the inward frame of thy soul. Dost thou celebrate the true sabbath +in thy heart? Dost thou rest from evil thoughts and wicked desires? Is thy +heart devoted to God, and freed from noise and clamor, that God himself +may work in it? Thou attendest divine service at church; it is well done; +but see that thou carry not with thee to church the canker-worm of pride +and vanity. This would convert thy service into mere formality, and all +thy performances into an empty show. Thou yieldest external obedience to +God and to thy superiors; but does that which passes within thy soul agree +with this exterior conduct? Is everything done with an upright and willing +mind? Dost thou act from a principle of love, or of fear only? If it be +fear that constrains thee to an external compliance, then know assuredly +that thy obedience is no more than hypocrisy. Thou defilest not thy hands +with blood and slaughter, and thinkest thyself free from the crime of +murder. But take a view of thy heart: for when the heart burns with wrath +and anger, and when this, as a flame, flashes out upon thy face; when thy +inward wrath breaks out into reproaches and curses, saying to thy brother, +_Raca_, and _Thou fool_; then surely thou art become guilty of the +judgment, of the council, and of everlasting fire. Matt. 5:22. What +therefore will it avail thee that thy hand is unpolluted with blood, +whilst thy heart accuses thee of hatred and murder? 1 John 3:15. For +within, in the heart, the murderer, the adulterer, the thief, and the +liar, are harbored. Here it is that thou must look for the beast, the evil +lust, and the root of all malice and mischief: which, if it be not +destroyed by serious repentance, by true contrition and conversion, by +faith and the blood of Christ, it is impossible that thou shouldest do so +much as one work acceptable to God; who judges of all thy actions by the +inward temper and disposition of the heart. + +4. Of this Christ himself gives us an example from the commandment "Thou +shalt not kill," saying, "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there +rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift +before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother." +Matt. 5:21-26. That is, it will not at all avail thee to pray, to +sacrifice, to worship God, and to take the Sacrament; yea, all thy actions +will be converted into so many sins, because God regards the heart only, +and not the outward performance. Hence St. Paul commands us to "lift up +holy hands without wrath and doubting." 1 Tim. 2:8. And St. Peter enjoins +married persons to beware of anger, and to dwell together in love and +harmony, as heirs together of the grace of life, "that their prayers be +not hindered." 1 Peter 3:7. Nay, the Lord Jesus himself strongly exhorts +us to brotherly reconciliation, by the three following arguments. Matt. +5:25, 26. + +(_a_) The first is, "Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in +the way with him;" that is, whilst thou art on this side of eternity: for +our life indeed is nothing else but a perpetual motion towards death and +the grave. If in this life thou art not freed from the bonds of wrath, +thou shalt remain a captive to them, yea, to the devil himself, throughout +all eternity. + +(_b_) The second argument is, "lest at any time the adversary deliver thee +to the judge." It is an awful thing to be summoned to the tribunal of God, +and before so tremendous a judgment-seat, to plead our cause against an +accusing adversary. Whereas, whatever is pardoned, settled, and forgiven +in this life, the same will also be forgiven and eternally pardoned in the +next. Whence we may gather how much God regards the love of our neighbor, +since he will have it by no means separated from the love of himself; and +therefore refuses to admit of our love to him, unless it be linked to that +of our neighbor. And why? Because God is Love itself, and loveth man as +his own soul. + +(_c_) The third argument is, "lest thou be cast into prison, whence thou +canst not come out till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." It is +agreeable to the divine justice, so to deal with us there, as we have +dealt with our neighbor here; and "with that measure we have meted withal, +to measure to us again." Luke 6:38. Wherefore if thou refusest to forgive +any brother his faults, the judgment of God is this: That in like manner +no sin shall be remitted to thee. This will prove a burden heavy indeed. +For the man that dies in this bitter, irreconcilable temper, must, in +hell, continue a debtor to all eternity, and this without any hope or +prospect of ever lessening the debts which he has here contracted. + +5. Thus the Son of God, has by this example, taught us that we must judge +of the worth of our outward works, nay, of all our religion, by the inward +disposition or principle that sways the heart. But perhaps thou still +continuest to flatter thyself, and to say, "I am baptized into Christ; I +have the pure word of God; I hear it; I receive the sacrament of the +Lord's Supper; I also believe and confess all the articles of the +Christian faith: wherefore it cannot be, but that my life and actions must +be pleasing to God; I am a Christian in truth, and in the right way to be +saved." This, alas! is the general, but false reasoning of many in these +days, who regard their outward performances as constituting true +righteousness. It might do well enough, if the heart did but agree with +their profession: for without this, all is mere trifling, and a dead, +hypocritical show. Look therefore into this, and learn to judge of thyself +by the inward frame of thy soul. Thou boastest indeed, that thou art a +Christian; and an excellent name it is; but dost thou consider, whether +thy heart and thy actions agree with a name so sacred? Hast thou received +the unction from above, and art thou possessed of the fruits of the +Spirit, that demonstrate a Christian? 1 John 2:27. If these be wanting, +thou wilt prove in the end but a false and spurious Christian. Thou +assertest, further, that thou art baptized; and so indeed thou art! But +search the state of thy heart, and inquire whether thou livest in the new +birth, in daily repentance, and an unwearied mortification of the old man. +See whether thou bringest forth fruit answerable to the baptismal +covenant, in which thou art engaged? Thou sayest that thou hast the +oracles of God committed to thee, and that thou hearest and readest them: +but inspect thy heart, and consider whether the Word be converted into thy +life and spirit, as bodily food passes into thy flesh and blood? Whether +thou hast lived up to its direction, and expressed the effect of it in thy +conduct? If thou contentest thyself with the bare _hearing_ thereof, thou +must know that this will never yield eternal salvation, and that thou +deceivest thyself in a matter of infinite importance. For this reason has +the Lord compared the kingdom of Heaven to leaven, which gradually spreads +itself through the whole lump, and converts every part into its own +nature; thereby to set forth that powerful influence which the Word ought +to have upon our will and affections. Truly, "not every one that saith, +Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the +will of the Father which is in heaven." Matt. 7:21. Thou thinkest that +thou dost a service when with zeal thou defendest the purity of the +doctrine: and truly therein thou doest well. Nevertheless, I would have +thee inquire, whether by the purity of the doctrine, and thy defence of +it, thou hast also attained a true purity of the _heart_. Do we not find +many rigid defenders of the pure doctrine, who in their lives are the most +unclean of men, full of pride, bitterness, and covetousness? Alas, the +name of God itself, is made a common shelter for all manner of vices, +which screen themselves under the same, with impunity. Thou affirmest that +thou often receivest the Lord's Supper. This is right; but search thine +own heart. Thou hast often received the flesh and blood of Christ in this +Sacrament: why then do the flesh and blood of Adam live and reign in thee? +Should not the life of Christ shine forth in thy whole conduct? Should not +his love, his humility, and meekness, diffuse themselves through all thy +manners? Where is the advantage, if thou receivest Christ in the +Sacrament, and deniest him in thy life and actions? Thou sayest, that thou +believest and confessest all the articles of the Christian faith. It is +well! but have recourse to the touchstone of the _heart_. That is only a +true faith, which unites man with God, and God with man; by which God +dwells, lives, and operates in man. If these effects be wanting in thee, +thy faith is false, and so far from uniting thee with God, it sets thee at +a greater distance from him. This, however, is not to be understood of the +faith of weak and feeble Christians, which is often so clouded, as to +render it hard to perceive its life and motion. For even a weak _faith_, +though it be like smoking flax, has in it the properties of a strong +faith, though it cannot exert itself with equal strength and energy. It +heartily cleaves to God, and brings forth fruit amidst all those +infirmities with which it struggles. But I would have it understood of +faith in general, and of the trial and fruits of it, that, if thou +believest in Christ, then Christ must certainly live in thee by faith, or +thine will prove but an empty, naked profession. If thou believest that +Christ suffered death for thy sins, thou must also die with him to the +same (Gal. 2:20), and renounce the world, with all its pride and avarice. +Rom. 6:2. If this effect do not follow, then truly thou believest not in +Christ. If thou believest that Christ was crucified for the sins of the +world, _thou_ must with him be crucified to the same. If thou refusest to +comply with this, thou canst not be a living member of Christ, nor be +united with him by faith. If thou believest that Christ is risen from the +dead, it is thy duty to rise spiritually with him, and firmly adhere to +him, thy Head and Saviour. In a word, the birth, cross, passion, death, +resurrection, and ascension of Christ, must, after a spiritual manner, be +transacted in thee. And this is the blessed effect of faith, and the +influence it has on believing souls. Wherever this effect is wanting, +there is nothing but a lifeless image of faith, with which men miserably +deceive themselves. So if thou believest in the Holy Spirit, the same +Spirit in whom thou believest, must of necessity dwell and reign in thy +heart, and enlighten and sanctify it. For, "as many as are led by the +Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:14. + +6. Therefore, dear Christian! let not your religion be confined to bare +externals, but see that it proceed from the more inward recesses of a +heart endued with a true, living, and active faith, and with an unfeigned, +inward, and daily repentance. If you put away from you this inward life, +this faith, and this repentance, you strip your religion of all essential +goodness, and, instead of a living principle, which ought to be +established in the mind, you carry about an empty, insignificant name, +which will avail you nothing in that day, wherein God will judge all +things according to the inward frame of the heart. But if you are truly +affected with a sense of your inward wants and impurities, then flee +without delay to the healing fountain of grace! Draw and drink, pray and +knock, seek and cry, "Lord, have mercy upon me!" Then your heart shall be +cured, your sin covered, and your transgression cancelled. + + + + +Chapter V. + + + Showing That The Evidence Of True Christianity Does Not Consist In The + Knowledge And The Hearing Of God's Word, But That He Is A Christian, In + Whose Life God's Word Is Manifested, And Who Beseeches God In Sincerity +That This Word, As A Divine Seed, May Be Quickened In Him, And Bear Fruit. + + + _The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every + one that believeth._--ROM. 1:16. + + +The way by which we are to arrive at true and substantial wisdom, and +become friends of God, is to submit ourselves to the discipline of +repentance, and to lead a life conformable to the Word of God. Such a life +as this cannot fail to be attended with true illumination of the mind, and +an increase of all divine graces; nay, with so close an alliance with God +himself, as to make us "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the +corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:4. An example of +this we have in Enoch, who having "walked with God, was not, for God took +him" to himself. Gen. 5:24. To such a holy life as this David aspired with +the utmost fervor of spirit, proposing two means by which to obtain it: +the first, _fervent prayer_; and the second, _a diligent practice of the +word of God_. "I cried," says he, "with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I +will keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy +testimonies." Ps. 119:145, 146. + +2. These words set forth the difficulties which he encounters who seeks to +be a true Christian, and to keep the word of God in holiness of life. For +flesh and blood naturally strive against the word of God, and that +holiness of life which it requires: and are, besides, inconstant and weak, +and prone to yield to the enticements of the world. The devil on all +occasions hinders our progress, and opposes our endeavors on every side. +This is followed by a multitude of evil examples, and the persecutions +which wicked men raise in opposition to those souls that enter upon +another course of life. Against obstinate evils, such as these, all the +strength of the soul is to be opposed. This we learn from the example of +David, who cried unto the Lord _with his whole heart_, in order that he +might better digest the Word, and by leading such a life as that Word +requires, continue in the favor of God. This ought also to be our main +concern; the favor of God being infinitely preferable to all that the +world affords. Whoever pleases God, and is His friend, most effectually +secures himself thereby from the malice of all his enemies. Hence _serious +and fervent prayer_ is, as I said before, the first step to a holy life. +The second means to obtain a holy life, is expressed in the following +words of the same Psalm: "I prevented the dawning of the morning, and +cried: I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I +might meditate in thy word." Ps. 119:147, 148. Here the Psalmist declares +the earnest study, love, and affection, which are due to the word of God; +as also the time best suited for meditating in it, namely, the morning. +The faculties of the mind are then more strong and vigorous than at other +times; and are best disposed for searching into divine subjects. The truth +of this is at that season most feelingly perceived, when the soul, +afflicted by sadness and deep spiritual temptations, "watches for the +morning" (Ps. 130:6), and with "waking eyes" (Ps. 77:4), expects help from +the Lord. She is then "as a sparrow alone upon the house top," as a lonely +owl in the desert (Ps. 102:6, 7); and "so weary with groaning" (Ps. 6:6), +as to be almost ready to expire. + +3. This is that exercise of the cross, or school of affliction, in which +all saints are most effectually trained for a happy eternity. Whoever is +not inured to this sort of trials, can know but little of God and of his +word. In this exercise, all the natural powers of soul and life consume +away, that God alone may become our strength and support. By such inward +trials as these, the carnal life is likewise more and more weakened, and +the quickening power of God and of his word, perceived with the greater +effect and experience. And truly, all our efforts ought to centre in this, +that the external hearing and reading of the divine word be practically +applied to the mind, and improved into Christian experience. + +4. This doctrine, therefore, I would have firmly rooted in thy mind, +namely, that not the reading or hearing, but the doing and practising of +the word, demonstrates the true Christian. James 1:22. Without this +practical improvement, hearing and reading will be of no great advantage. +For the word was not committed to us, that it might be read and known +only, but that it might be reduced to practice. As a medicine gives no +relief to the patient who hears of, or looks upon it, but at the same time +refuses to take it; so the word, though a remedy for our diseased nature, +can yet cure no man, or restore him from death to life, whilst he refuses +to take what the word prescribes. Therefore, in order to this, fervent and +constant prayer (according to the example set us by David), will be +requisite in order to enable us to conform our life and actions to the +divine word. What advantage is it to an artist that he knows an art, if he +never practises it? Will not his supine and careless neglect reduce him at +length to poverty? And what will it avail us to _know_ the word of God, +and not _do_ it? "That servant," says our Saviour, "which knew his lord's +will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall +be beaten with many stripes." Luke 12:47. And St. Peter affirms, that "it +had been better for such not to have known the way of righteousness, than, +after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto +them." 2 Peter 2:21. As a father does not own him for a son, who in +everything acts in a manner contrary to his will, so not words, but the +life and actions, are marks and indications of a child of God, according +to that saying of our Saviour: "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do +the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me,--this did not Abraham.--Ye +are of your father the devil." John 8:39, 40, 44. Why should a barren and +fruitless tree take up any room in the garden, when it only incumbers the +ground on which it grows? It is surely fit for nothing, but to be cast +into the fire, as is represented in the parable of the barren fig-tree. +Luke 13:6, 7. As it would be foolish to give to a raven the name of a +swan, to which it has no resemblance; so if the men of this world should +be called by the name of true Christians, whilst so little of a Christian +temper appears in their life and manners, I think it would be justly +counted egregious folly. It is not by words, but by deeds and actions, +that we are to judge of a Christian's state, according to that saying of +St. Paul: "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." 1 Cor. 4:20. +Such is the condition of most men at this day, that those who make the +strongest pretences to the Christian name, do nothing but that which is +contrary to the Christian spirit. They are like the people at Rome, +concerning whom Laurentius Valla exclaimed when reading these words of our +Lord, "Blessed are the merciful, blessed are the peacemakers," etc. (Matt. +5:7-9), "_Surely either these words are not true, or we are no +Christians._" Man is corrupted to such a degree, that even not a few brute +creatures visibly surpass him in some good quality. The dove excels him in +harmlessness (Matt. 10:16); the ant in industry (Prov. 6:6); the stork in +a careful provision for her young; the dog in love and fidelity; the ox +and the ass in knowledge of their master (Isa. 1:3); the sheep in meekness +(Isa. 53:7); the lion in generosity and clemency towards weak animals; the +cock in watchfulness; and the serpent in wisdom. On the contrary, man in +his natural state exceeds all the beasts in mischief. He is more fierce +than a wolf; more crafty than a fox; more vain than a peacock; more +voracious than a swine; more pestilent than a viper; fiercer than a bear. +Indeed, the Lord Jesus himself terms Herod a _fox_ (Luke 13:32); John the +Baptist applies the name of _vipers_ to the Pharisees (Matt. 3:7); and St. +Paul that of _lion_ to Nero. 2 Tim. 4:17. Truly, those vices and +mischiefs, which go single and unaccompanied in brutes, are oftentimes +crowded together in one natural man. So that the human body is very +significantly called by the apostle, "the body of sin" (Rom. 6:6), as +being full of sins, and infected with all manner of defilements. Not to +mention, that there is no creature so bad and pernicious, but that it may +be still of some use to men. The foxes and wolves, for instance, with +their skins, secure men from the injuries of a rigorous season. But, alas! +what good is there to be found in a man abandoned to the conduct of an +unregenerate nature? "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is +only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5; 8:21); as is more than once expressed in +Scripture. He exercises his reason to practise fraud; he wastes his body +with pride and lewdness; and is both inwardly and outwardly corrupted, so +that all his members are justly called the "instruments" or weapons "of +unrighteousness." Rom. 6:13. Hence it is, that the Sacred Scriptures +represent our nature in colors so dark and odious, as may strike terror +into every man that reads them. "There is none righteous, no, not one: +there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. +They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; +there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open +sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is +under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their +feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; +and the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before +their eyes." Rom. 3:10-18; Ps. 14. + +5. Behold here the deplorable image of the natural man! Behold the +abomination that is common to us all! And now tell me how a man can see +the kingdom of God, unless he be born again from above, or, as St. Paul +expresses it, "unless he be renewed in the spirit of his mind: putting on +the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true +holiness?" Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10. And the same apostle says, "But ye have +not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been +taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus." Eph. 4:20, 21. Yea, he says, +"They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and +lusts." Gal. 5:24. Alas! if those belong not to Christ, who do not mortify +the members of unrighteousness, but live in the pollutions of sin, then +they surely must belong to the devil, and cannot inherit the kingdom of +heaven, since they do not crucify the flesh. For whosoever desires to +please God, must become "a new creature" in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17); "in whom +neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new +creature." Gal. 6:15. Now, since these are the terms on which our eternal +welfare depends, let it be our main concern, that we more and more +vanquish sin in our mortal bodies, and that we be members, not of Satan, +but of Jesus Christ. Let us earnestly endeavor, that the divine Word may +gain ground, and bear fruit in our souls. Let us strive to render our +lives acceptable to God, so that, being preserved by his grace to the end, +we may continue "vessels of mercy, and not of wrath." Rom. 9:22, 23. + +6. It is for this reason that David so heartily wishes to lead a holy +life, conformably to the word of God: "I cried," says he, "with my whole +heart; hear me, O Lord; I will keep thy statutes" (Ps. 119:145): for since +our conversion is entirely from above, it follows, that a holy life must +be obtained by continual prayer and supplication. "Heal me, O Lord," says +the prophet, "and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for +thou art my praise." Jer. 17:14; 31:18. And David says again, "I cried +unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies." Ps. 119:146. Sin +and the kingdom of Satan are, indeed, so strong and powerful in man, that +it is in vain to attempt their conquest without the divine aid and +assistance. + +7. Let us therefore shake off all sloth and negligence, and let us acquit +ourselves diligently, in a matter of so great importance. David himself +further adds, "I prevented (_that is_, I came before) the dawning of the +morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent (_or_, +anticipate) the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word." Ps. +119:147, 148. And very appropriate are the words of the prophet on this +account: "He wakeneth me morning by morning: he wakeneth mine ear to hear +as the learned." Isa. 50:4. With which those of Solomon agree: "I sleep, +but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh." Song +5:2. + +8. In these and the like sentences of Scripture, we may view the fatherly +care, and condescending love of our merciful God; since his delight is to +be conversant with the sons of men, to speak with them and to instruct +them. Hence he appointed his Son to be our heavenly Teacher and Master; of +which the Lord Jesus himself gave a visible image when he was found in the +temple in the midst of the doctors, and astonished the hearers with "his +understanding and answers." Luke 2:47. This was done by our Saviour, not +merely on account of the Jewish temple, which is now destroyed; but rather +on account of the Christian Church itself, which is the true and heavenly +Jerusalem, taught and instructed by his Word and Spirit. It was also done +with reference to the temple of our heart, in which he will teach, +comfort, enlighten, and sanctify us. Here he will pray, ask questions, and +answer them; and speak in holy thoughts, and devout meditations. And in +this the prophetical office of Christ consists. Hence also he replied to +his mother in these words: "How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that +I must be about my father's business?" (Luke 2:49), meaning that office +which was conferred upon him by his Father. This office he now performs at +the right hand of God, as our true and only High priest; and upon earth he +discharges it by his _word_; by means of which he also inwardly preaches +in our hearts by his Holy Spirit and gracious illumination. Without this, +the outward preaching must prove barren and unfruitful, according to the +words of the apostle: "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the +increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that +watereth; but God that giveth the increase." 1 Cor. 3:6, 7. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + +The Perfection And Salvation Of Men Depend On Union With Christ By Faith; + But To This They Can Contribute Nothing, Whereas They Rather Interfere + With The Grace Of God By Their Perverse Will; But Christ, And He Alone, + Accomplishes The Work In Us. + + + _Without me ye can do nothing._--JOHN 15:5. + + +As man by his apostasy from God, through ambition and self-love, was +separated from him, and fell from the perfection in which he was created, +so he must of necessity return to his original tranquillity and happiness, +by a _union_ with God; in which the whole of human perfection consists. It +was therefore necessary, that the Son of God should become man, in order +that human nature, being again united to God, might thereby be restored to +its primitive integrity and perfection. As the divine and human natures +are united in the one Person of Christ, so must we all, through grace, be +united to him by faith, as to our eternal and sovereign Good. In this +manner it pleased God to rectify the exceeding corruption of our nature by +the abounding goodness of his grace. This union is declared by the Son of +God himself: "I will betroth thee," says he, "unto me for ever, in loving +kindness and in mercies." Hos. 2:19. For since our nature is infected and +corrupted by _sin_, which is the greatest of evils, it could not be +restored and healed but by GOD himself, the sovereign Good. + +2. Now as the union of the divine and the human natures in Christ is +eternal, and is never to be dissolved, insomuch that even death itself +could not break asunder so sacred a bond: so Christ our Head is to be so +firmly united with his faithful members, that neither life nor death may +ever be able to separate them from him. This is also declared by the +prophet Hosea, in the Person of Christ: "I will," says he, "betroth thee +unto me for ever." + +3. This union by faith, is of the highest necessity, because "our +iniquities have separated between us and our God." Isa. 59:2. And this +deplorable state will continue to all eternity, unless Christ dwell in us +here by faith. Moreover, we are not able to do the least good, unless +Christ himself work it in us. Hence, says the apostle, "Not I, but the +grace of God which is with me." 1 Cor. 15:10. And the Lord himself says: +"Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5); the truth of which he +illustrates by the beautiful parable of the vine and the branches. Whence +it naturally follows, that if we are, or do, any good at all, it is +altogether to be ascribed to God alone; according to what is said by the +prophet: "Thou hast wrought all our works in us" (Isa. 26:12); and by +another: "I am like a green fir-tree. From me is thy fruit found." Hos. +14:8. + +4. O man! consider therefore, what thou art, and what thou canst do. What +hast thou been able to contribute to thy restoration and the renovation of +thy depraved nature? Surely nothing. As thou couldst not afford any help +toward thy bodily birth, nor create thyself; so neither canst thou bring +any assistance towards thy new birth or regeneration. Thou canst indeed +lose, corrupt, and destroy thyself; but to renew, to restore, to heal, to +justify, and to quicken thyself, is a work entirely beyond thy strength. +Couldest thou contribute anything that God might become man? No. There is +nothing therefore that thou canst arrogate to thyself, or ascribe to thy +own ability. Indeed, the more a man attributes to his own will, strength, +and ability, the more effectually does he obstruct divine grace, and the +renewal of his corrupted nature. Let us therefore wholly renounce our own +strength, our own wisdom, our own will, and self-love, that, being thus +resigned to God alone, we may suffer his power freely to work in us, so +that nothing may, in the least, oppose the will and operations of the +Lord. + +5. Until thou art brought to this, O Christian, that thy mind becomes +merely passive, and that thou purely _sufferest_ the operation and will of +God, it is evident, that God is impeded by thee, so that he cannot unite +himself with thy soul; or by true renovation of thy corrupt nature +establish his image there. For our own will, self-love, ambition, the +opinion of our own wisdom, and whatever we arrogantly claim to ourselves, +are so many impediments, why God cannot freely operate in us, and effect +his good will. For as a man's own will more and more corrupts and depraves +him; so the will of God more and more perfects and restores him. + +6. Hence, it was said by Bonaventura, that "the highest perfection of +religion, consists in renouncing our own will." And by Augustine, "If _to +love God_ is the greatest good to man, _to love himself_ must needs be his +greatest evil. And, if such is the nature of good, that it diffuses and +communicates itself; of necessity self-love must be a great evil, since it +engrosses to itself both its own and the goods of others, and will not +part with any of them." Of this even the pagan Seneca himself was not +ignorant when he said: "That only is an accession to virtue, which is a +denial of thy own will." And again: "Unless thou departest from thyself, +thou canst not approach God, who is above thee." + +7. Our _own will_ is nothing else but a defection or apostasy from God. +Defection verily is easy, smooth, and pleasant; but the recovery from it +is bitter, troublesome, and difficult; yea, even beyond all the power of +the creature. For man, by his own strength, can neither return, nor in any +wise help himself, whether in will or deed. Man's will is captive, and his +works are dead. Christ alone is able to help, in the beginning, the +progress, and the end. He lays before us two means, the _law_ and the +_gospel_; or _repentance_ and _remission_ of sin. Through the _law_, in +the first place, thou must die with Christ, and by true sorrow and +brokenness of heart sacrifice thy own will. Thou must become as nothing in +thine own eyes, and resign thyself wholly to Christ. Then grace and +forgiveness of sin are conferred through the _gospel_, and man, that was +dead before, is made alive by faith. Whence it appears, that no man can by +his own strength convert and quicken himself. For it is absolutely +necessary that he hate, deny, and lose himself; that he be displeased +with, and die unto, himself; and that his hope be placed entirely in God +alone, by whose grace he expects to live. + +8. But even this self-hatred, denial, and mortification, are not the +effect of our own will and ability. "It is not," says St. Paul, "of him +that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." +Rom. 9:16. It is God therefore alone who operates all this in us by his +grace, and by the power of his good Spirit: so that our justification is +not derived from any creature whatsoever, but from God alone, whose work +and gift it is. For the most dangerous enemy any man has, is _himself_; +insomuch that we have great reason to implore the Lord to deliver us from +ourselves and all that we have by nature, and then to bestow that which +flows from his grace. By our own strength we are not able to perform the +least good, if God, himself, even after conversion, do not graciously +operate in us. Who is there that can endue us with love and mercy, but +God, who is LOVE itself, and from whom all other graces proceed? +Therefore, Christ _alone_ is our help and support, when the help of men +cannot avail. But after all, be the condition ever so low to which man has +been brought by the fall of Adam, he is now raised again by Christ, and +even exalted to a higher degree than he possessed before. But of this more +shall be said in Chapter XI. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + +Showing That In Order To Understand The True Nature Of Repentance, We Must +Necessarily Know The Distinction Between The Old And The New Man; Or, How +In Us Adam Must Die, And Christ Live; Or, How In Us The Old Man Must Die, + And The New Man Live. + + + _We know this, that our old man is crucified with Christ, that the + body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not + serve sin._--ROM. 6:6. + + +In every Christian there is found a twofold man, opposed, like their +fruits, to one another. This will more fully appear from the following +statement: + +Adam, Christ. +Old man, New man. +Outward man, Inward man. +Old birth, New birth. +Flesh, Spirit. +Nature, Grace. +Reason, Faith. +Darkness, Light. +Tree of death, Tree of life. +Evil fruit, Good fruit. +Sin, Righteousness. +Damnation, Salvation. +Death, Life. +Old Jerusalem, New Jerusalem. +Kingdom of the Kingdom of God. +devil, +Seed of the Seed of God. +serpent, +Natural man, Spiritual man. +Image of the Image of the +earthly, heavenly. + +The truth of this statement, the Scriptures, as well as experience, +abundantly confirm. The former speak largely of the old man and the new, +of the inward and outward man. See Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:9; 2 Cor. 4:16. They +teach also that the Spirit of God is in us: Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; +2 Cor. 5:5; Eph. 1:13. And likewise Christ, Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 13:5. +_Experience_, moreover, demonstrates the same. Hither may also be referred +that striving and struggling of the flesh and Spirit, from which even the +saints are not free. Rom. 7:23. Likewise there belong here the different +fruits of the flesh and Spirit reckoned up by St. Paul. Gal. 5:19-23. This +point is therefore clearly stated in Scripture, and too certain to be +called in question by any Christian. It is the hinge, as it were, on which +all the Scripture moves, and the foundation on which the true knowledge of +man depends. Out of the same fountain issue true repentance, or the death +of Adam, and the life of Christ in us. For no sooner does Adam die in us, +but there perishes with him all that is originally derived from him; the +old outward man, the old birth, the flesh, nature, corrupt reason, +darkness, the tree of death, evil fruits, sin, death, damnation, the seed +of the serpent, the natural man, the earthly image, the old Jerusalem, and +the kingdom of Satan. But as long as Adam lives, there also live and reign +with him the old man, and the carnal birth, the flesh, nature, corrupt +reason, darkness, and the whole train of evils before mentioned, being all +comprised under the kingdom of Satan, and subject to damnation, and to the +curse everlasting. But if, on the other hand, Christ live in any one, then +verily there live and reign with him the new and inward man, the new +birth, the Spirit, grace, faith, light, the tree of life, good fruits, +righteousness, life, happiness, the seed of God, the spiritual man, the +heavenly image, the new Jerusalem, and the kingdom of God. All which +proceed from the divine blessing, and tend to eternal salvation. Here is a +matter of importance, namely, so to order one's life and conduct, that +Christ the new or second Adam, and not the old Adam, may live and reign in +us. + +2. Therefore it is necessary for a man to watch, to fast, to pray, fight, +and strive; and, as St. Paul expresses it, to examine himself if Christ be +in him. 2 Cor. 13:5. He is to work out his salvation with fear and +trembling. Phil. 2:12. He is to enter through the strait gate and the +narrow way in Christ. Matt. 7:13. That is, man must now hate and deny +himself, forsake all (Luke 14:26), and die unto sin. Rom. 6:2. This surely +is not to be effected, as the delicate Christians of this age imagine, by +any careless and slight application of mind, but by an inward and profound +sorrow, contrition, and brokenness of heart, together with groans and +tears that cannot be uttered. These inward exercises, and acts of +devotion, are most feelingly set forth by David in his Penitential Psalms, +which abound with expressions of this nature. Ps. 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; +143. The apostle calls it a crucifying of the flesh with the affections +and lusts thereof. Gal. 5:24. Whoever attains to this state, in him verily +Christ lives, and he reciprocally in Christ by faith. Then Christ conquers +and reigns in man, whose faith is become "the victory that overcometh the +world." 1 John 5:4. + +3. But since the world, which thou art to strive against, is not _without_ +thee, but _within_ thee, it follows, that it is also to be conquered not +without, but within thee. For what is the world, but "the lust of the +flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?" 1 John 2:16. As +these are in thee, so in thee they are to be subdued, that thus thou +mayest worthily bear the name and character of a true child of God. "For +whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world" (1 John 5:4); and if thou +overcomest, and gainest the victory over thy great enemy the world, thou +art then a child of light (Eph. 5:8), a member of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27; +Eph. 5:30), and the temple of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 6:19. Thou art now a +good tree (Matt. 12:33), that freely and without constraint, yea, with +joy, love, and pleasure, bringeth forth fruit to the glory of God. Matt. +5:16. + +4. But if thou livest in Adam, and Adam reigns in thee, then thou art not +a child of God, nor born again of him. For since thou art overcome by the +world, and since the prince thereof rules in thee by pride, ambition, and +self-love, thou art on this very account to be numbered amongst the +children of the devil. John 8:44. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of +God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:14. And, on the contrary, as many +as are led by Satan, they likewise are his children; yea, they are the +very members of Satan, sons of darkness, a habitation of unclean spirits, +an accursed Babylon, full of impure and of abominable beasts; as it is +represented by the ancient prophets (Isa. 13:21; Rev. 18:2); but +particularly by the prophet Ezekiel. He being brought in spirit into the +temple at Jerusalem, beheld two remarkable things: one whereof was, "every +form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the +house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about;" and secondly (which +was still more detestable), "seventy men of the ancients of the house of +Israel, worshipping these beasts and images, and offering them incense." +Ezek. 8:10, 11. + +5. Behold, O man, a lively representation here given of thy depraved, +brutish, and beastly heart! If thou wilt but enter into this temple of thy +heart, thou shalt surely find therein vast numbers of foul, detestable +creatures, images, and idols, fashioned and represented by all manner of +corrupt and impure thoughts in the carnal mind, imagination, and memory. +Moreover (and this is the greatest evil of all), though these idols and +horrid abominations should be utterly banished from the heart, and this +detestable evil, by which man is made the habitation of unclean and +pestilential reptiles, should, by all means, be destroyed by repentance, +by mortification of the flesh, and by penitential tears and humiliation; +yet, instead of doing that, thou lovest these serpents, adorest these vile +monsters, and servest and caressest them. Alas! thou but little regardest +that Christ is cast out of thy soul by these abominations, and is utterly +banished from thy heart; and that by this means thou deprivest thyself of +the supreme and eternal Good, losing the Holy Spirit with all his +excellent gifts and graces. O miserable man! thou exceedingly grievest +when any outward trouble befalls thee, or when thou losest anything in the +world that is dear to thee; why then is it, that thou art not at all +concerned at the loss even of CHRIST himself, and at the deplorable state +of thy soul and body, which are both become a habitation of malignant +spirits! + +6. If these things be seriously pondered and laid to heart, we shall soon +understand what Adam and Christ are; and how they live and act in men. To +this head we may also refer the following observations. First, In Adam we +are ALL naturally equal, nor is one better than another; since we are all, +both as to body and soul, equally polluted and corrupted, so that it is +affirmed by St. Paul, not only of Jews and Gentiles, but even of all men +in general, that "there is no difference." Rom. 3:22. Hence it is also +true, that in the sight of God, no man is better than the most profligate +criminal. For though that perverse temper which is natural to all, does +not equally in all break out into works, yet God judges all men by the +inward state of the heart, that poisoned fountain of all sin. Nor is there +any sin so heinous, which man by nature would not freely commit, were he +not strongly restrained by divine grace. For by the bent of our nature we +are but too much inclined to pollute ourselves with all manner of +wickedness (Jer. 13:23); and if the inclination be not always attended +with the external effect itself, it is wholly to be attributed to the +grace of God, and not to any strength or prudence of our own. Gen. 20:6. +This consideration should excite us to the practice of true humility, and +to an unfeigned fear of God; and at the same time restrain us from rashly +despising our fellow-creatures, lest, by reflecting on others, we +ourselves split upon the dangerous rock of carnal presumption. Secondly, +it is proper to observe, that as in Adam we are all equally bad with +regard to the corruption of nature; so by Christ we are all made equally +just and holy; no man receiving for himself any prerogative of a peculiar +righteousness in the sight of God. For since Christ is our perfection, our +"wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30; +6:11), we, who in _Adam_ are alike, are also alike in _Christ_. For as in +_Adam_ by nature we are all one man and one body, infected with the foul +contagion of disobedience and sin, so all true Christians are as one man +in _Christ_, and make up one body, completely purified and sanctified by +faith, and the blood of Christ. + +7. This truth is a remedy against _spiritual pride_, namely, that none +should account himself better before God than others, though perhaps +adorned with greater gifts, and endowments. For even these are no less +bestowed on him of pure grace, than are righteousness and salvation +themselves. Upon this principle of pure grace, be careful to keep thy mind +constantly fixed. If thou dost so, then this grace shall protect thee +against the dangerous snares of pride and arrogance; and as, on the one +hand, it will convince thee of thy own misery and poverty in spirit, so, +on the other, it will give thee a most lively insight into Christ, and +into the exceeding riches of grace, offered through him to all mankind. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + +Showing How Graciously God Invites Us To Repentance, And How Necessary It + Is That It Should Not Be Delayed. + + + _Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the + angels of God over one sinner that repenteth._--LUKE 15:10. + + +God, who is of infinite mercy, in order that he might the better soften +our hard and stony hearts, and turn them from the world, ourselves, and +the devil, unto himself (Acts 26:18), has, in his Word, variously +represented and set before our eyes man's conversion and repentance. + +2. Among other ways of impressing it on our minds, the two parables of the +_Lost Sheep_ and of the _Prodigal Son_ (Luke, chap. 15), are exceedingly +affecting, and are so abundant in divine consolation, that it is scarcely +possible seriously to think upon them without tears. Therein our Saviour +describes three different hearts. Of these the first is, the impenitent +heart of a sinner; the second, the contrite heart of a penitent; the +third, the heart of God, full of mercy and paternal affection. + +3. The _first_ he describes under the similitude of a degenerate son, +wastefully spending his substance and inheritance, and at last reduced to +such necessity, as to wish to fill his belly with the husks which the +swine did eat. By this figure all mankind in their natural state are +shadowed forth; who, as so many degenerate sons, have squandered away the +heavenly inheritance by continual riot and wickedness. That is, they have +lost their original righteousness, holiness, innocency, and the beautiful +image of God, in which they were at first created (Eph. 4:24), and are now +by their own fault become the bond-slaves of sin, of the devil, and of +death. And to complete their ruin, finding no relief, rest, or comfort, in +any human performances and laws (which answer to the husks in the parable) +they must of necessity perish with endless famine and misery, unless they +speedily have recourse unto the grace of their Heavenly Father. + +4. The _second_ heart, which is that of a repenting sinner, is set forth +in these words: "How many hired servants of my Father have bread enough, +and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise, and go to my Father, +and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before +thee; and am no more worthy to be called thy son." In this account we have +a very moving description of true repentance. By the Prodigal's coming to +himself, is signified sorrow for sin; that is, when a man, on the one +hand, reflects upon his own misery, and considers how, from being a child +of God, he is become, as it were, a brute beast (2 Pet. 2:12), an unclean +swine, a man void of reason, earthly and sensual; and, on the other, +mindful of his divine origin, turns his thoughts entirely upon his Father, +repents, acknowledges his offences, and says, "Father, I have sinned +against heaven, and before thee;" and have offended both God and man. This +he immediately confirms by a sincere contempt of himself, expressed in +these words: "and am no more worthy to be called thy son." Moreover, +_faith_, which is the other part of repentance, is exhibited to us in his +actual _arising_ and _returning_ to his father's house. He assumed +confidence to repair to his home, and firmly persuaded himself that his +father would receive him, if not as a son, at least as one of his hired +servants. "For," says he, "I am no more worthy to be called thy son; make +me as one of thy hired servants." This plainly shows the sure hope he +entertained, that his father would yield to his entreaties, and receive +him into his favor. + +5. And now I come, _thirdly_, to draw the character of the paternal heart +of God, set forth in the parable. + +I. _When the son was yet a great way off, his father saw him._ Behold the +prevenient mercy of our Heavenly Father, who graciously looks for his +prodigal children. Ps. 79:8; Isa. 30:18, 19; Ps. 32:8. + +II. _And was moved with compassion._ Hereby is represented his mercy +waiting to be gracious to us. + +III. _And ran and fell on his neck._ Here is mercy receiving into favor. + +IV. _And kissed him._ This exhibits mercy ready to administer consolation +to the returning sinner. Micah 7:19; Isa. 66:13. + +V. _Bring forth, says he, the best robe, and put it on him_ (Isa. 61:10). +This has relation to Christ, and points out his righteousness, and +_justifying_ grace. Rom. 8:33. + +VI. _And put a ring on his hand._ Hereby is signified the Holy Spirit, the +pledge of sonship (Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:5), the seal of intimate favor and +union; and it also represents to us the espousing mercy of the Lord. + +VII. _And shoes on his feet._ This denotes a new and holy walk in Christ, +resulting from the Divine power, and the grace of the Holy Spirit; which +are the peculiar effects of preserving mercy. 1 Peter 1:5; Ps. 84:11. + +VIII. _Bring hither the fatted calf._ By this feast is represented the joy +of angels, or rejoicing and _crowning_ mercy, described by the holy +Psalmist, and the prophet Isaiah. Ps. 63:5; 103:5; Isa. 65:13. + +6. What strong and endearing arguments are here offered by the goodness of +God inviting us to sincere repentance! Let us, then, seriously consider +some of the main _inducements_ to true repentance, of which seven shall be +proposed at present. + + ------------------------------------- + +I. The boundless mercy of God. + +II. The kindness of Christ, and his inestimable merit. + +III. The awful threatenings and punishments that are laid before us. + +IV. Death. + +V. The last judgment. + +VI. Hell. And + +VII. Everlasting joy. + +I. THE MERCY OF GOD. + +7. "If thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek +him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. When thou art in +tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter +days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his +voice; (for the Lord thy God is a merciful God); he will not forsake thee, +neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he +sware unto them." Deut. 4:29-31. What tender affection, as of the heart of +a father, have we here presented to us! And how just and reasonable is it, +that it should move us to repentance! For how numerous and _great_ soever +our sins may be, the mercy of God is still _greater_, according to the +words of the Psalmist: "With the Lord there is mercy; and with him is +plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." +Ps. 130:7, 8. And again: "According unto the multitude of thy tender +mercies, blot out my transgressions." Ps. 51:1. Nor are our sins so filthy +and abominable, but God can make them white as snow. "Though your sins," +says the prophet, "be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Isa. +1:18. And the Psalmist says: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; +wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Ps. 51:7. Neither are they so +various and manifold, but that they are surpassed by the riches of divine +grace, according to the apostle: "In Christ we have redemption through his +blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." +Eph. 1:7. And what we read in Exodus teaches the same: "The Lord, the Lord +God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and +truth; forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin." Exod. 34:6, 7. Nor +are they so strong and powerful, but God can destroy them, and throw them +into the depth of the sea, as he did unto Pharaoh and all his host. "He +will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the +depths of the sea." Micah 7:19. Nor, finally, are they so mortal and +pestilential, but God can heal them, as the prophet assures us: "The +wicked shall not fall by his wickedness in the day that he turneth from +it." Ezek. 33:12. + +II. THE KINDNESS OF CHRIST. + +8. How kindly and affectionately Christ Jesus receives sinners, he himself +abundantly declares in the Gospel: "They that be whole," says he, "need +not a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the +righteous, but sinners to repentance." Matt. 9:12, 13. "The Son of man is +come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10. Of this +gracious bounty of Christ towards returning sinners, the prophets have +left us many predictions. "Woe be to the shepherds of Israel," saith +Ezekiel, "who have not sought that which was lost: but with force and with +cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no +shepherd. Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. +As a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep +that are scattered; so will I seek that which was lost, and bring again +that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and +will strengthen that which was sick." Ezek. 34:2, 4, 12, 16. And the +prophet Isaiah says, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall +gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom." Isai. 40:11. +Nor should only the _gracious nature_ of Christ move thee to _repentance_; +but more especially his extreme _sorrow_, and most innocent blood shed on +thine account. For consider within thyself: + +(1.) That he laid down his life, not for heaven or earth, but for thy +soul. And wilt thou, by sin and impenitence, wantonly cast away so great +and valuable a treasure? + +(2.) Remember, that thou couldest not have been redeemed by any other or +less price than the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:19). Why shouldest +thou deprive thyself of a ransom so inestimable as the Redeemer has paid +for thee? + +(3.) Call to mind, that Christ has redeemed thee from the world, from sin +and the devil. And dost thou desire to continue longer in the service of +so hard and cruel a master? + +(4.) Be assured, that without unfeigned repentance, the merit of Christ +will avail thee nothing; yea, that thou tramplest under foot his blood, +and dost "despite unto the Spirit of grace." Heb. 10:29. + +(5.) Lastly, consider how sharp and cruel were the sufferings which thy +Saviour underwent on thy account! How he wept and sorrowed, trembled and +feared! Heb. 5:7. How grievously he was wounded for thy transgressions +(Isa. 53:5), and, at last, as a worm (Ps. 22:6), and cursed (Gal. 3:13), +hung upon a tree! How loudly this mournful scene calls on thee to repent! + +III. THREATS OF TEMPORAL PUNISHMENT. + +9. "God judgeth the righteous," saith the Psalmist, "and God is angry with +the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword: he hath bent +his bow, and made it ready: he hath also prepared for him the instruments +of death: he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors." Ps. 7:11-13. + +10. This wrath and revenge, no man will ever be able to escape, as the +prophet Amos affirms: "He that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. +Though they climb up to heaven, thence I will bring them down: and though +they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command +the serpent, and he shall bite them. Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are +upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the +earth." Amos 9:1-3, 8. "Their blood shall be poured out as dust," saith +Zephaniah, 1:17, 18, "and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver, +nor their gold, shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's +wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy." +Such terrible threatenings as these should lead us to unfeigned +repentance; this being the only means by which to prevent impending +desolation, and the total destruction of nations and cities; as evidently +appears from the example of Nineveh. Jonah 3:5, 10. "At what instant I +shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, +and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation against whom I have +pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought +to do unto them." Jer. 18:7, 8. + +IV. DEATH. + +11. God has concealed the time of our death from us, that thereby we may +be kept in the daily and uninterrupted practice of true repentance, as not +knowing which hour may be our last. "The whole life of a man is given him +for repentance," saith St. Bernard. And this repentance is a Christian's +daily cross and tribulation. Thus it is said in the Psalms: "I am ready to +halt, and my sorrow is continually before me." Ps. 38:17; 73:14. God has +promised grace to the penitent, but he has not promised to sinners another +day in which to repent. "It is appointed unto men once to die; but after +this the judgment." Heb. 9:27. Such as God shall find thee, as such will +he judge thee: wherefore, live in such a manner as thou wouldest wish to +have done, when thou art dying. Consider seriously in thy mind, where they +now are, who but a few years ago wasted their lives with lust and vanity, +and freely enjoyed the "good things" of this world? Luke 16:25. They are +all gone to their own place, where they wait for the day of judgment. +Wherefore, "come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her +sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Rev. 18:4. + +V. THE LAST JUDGMENT. + +12. For after death, there is neither place nor time for repentance. It is +in this world that eternal life is either lost or obtained. Those that +repent betimes, shall not be condemned in judgment; but the impenitent +will hear the awful sentence: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting +fire." Matt. 25:41. "Behold, therefore, now is the accepted time; behold, +now is the day of salvation!" (2 Cor. 6:2), which will be followed by the +day of judgment in the other world. "To-day, therefore, if ye will hear +his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation; lest I swear in +my wrath, that ye shall not enter into my rest." Ps. 95:7, 8, 11; Heb. +3:7, 8, 11. "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, +that every one may receive the things done in his body, whether it be good +or bad." 2 Cor. 5:10. Those, therefore, who here repent, "shall have their +sins covered" (Ps. 32:1), and "they shall no more be mentioned unto them," +as the prophet declares. Ezek. 33:16. Lay hold, therefore, on the offer of +mercy betimes, know and confess thy sins, O man, that they may be remitted +and forgotten. + +VI. ETERNAL PAINS OF HELL. + +13. With this present life, the season of the mercy of God closes. It will +then be said: "Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good +things." Luke 16:25. Thy life is now over. Thou art now dead! Dead to God +forever, to whom thou didst refuse to live in time! There is no redemption +from hell. Ps. 49:14-20. How can the damned enjoy the goodness of God, to +which they were dead whilst they were alive, and to which they will now +continue dead to all eternity! Remember, therefore, that now is the only +time for mercy, and the hour of visitation to repent; whereas, there the +damned so die, as, notwithstanding, always to live; and so live, as yet to +die eternally. All the senses will there suffer torment. The sight shall +be punished with eternal darkness; the ears shall be filled with weeping +and gnashing of teeth; the smell with stench of fire and brimstone; the +taste with the bitterness of eternal death; and the feeling with a sense +of endless tortures and miseries. + +VII. THE JOY OF ETERNAL LIFE. + +14. Is it not a very high degree of folly, to prefer a short perishing +pleasure to an eternal joy; and a worthless trifle, to the glorious +presence of God? Now none shall enter into this, but he who has thoroughly +washed himself, and "made white his robes in the blood of the Lamb." Rev. +3:14. "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and +murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." Rev. +22:15. None of those, who, having been here invited to the feast of +Christ, yet refused to come, "shall taste of his supper." Luke 14:24. The +highest joy of eternal life, will consist in "seeing God as he is." 1 John +3:2. _To see God_, is all in all, and an eternal reward. "Ye shall see +me," says our Lord, "and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man +taketh from you." John 16:19, 22. This sight of the face of God is the joy +of the angels; it is their life, and the invisible food by which they are +sustained. Now as this vision of God creates the most exalted joy, so to +be banished from it, is to suffer the greatest, the most terrible, and the +most severe torment, and eternal misery. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + Showing What Repentance Is, And The Manner In Which The Sinner Truly + Repents; Also, How The Goodness Of God Leads Us To Repentance. + + + _Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all + your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: + and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord + your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of + great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil_.--JOEL 2:12, 13. + + +The Lord, whose mercy is infinite, by no means seeks our destruction, but +rather our life and happiness. He best knows the wretched and deplorable +condition into which we are fallen by sin; and he is also desirous to +reclaim us from that dangerous state, and to preserve us from everlasting +ruin. It is for this reason, that he so earnestly invites the soul to +repentance, and engages us to the same by many strong and powerful +motives. + +2. Sometimes God is pleased to stir us up by terrible _threatenings_. +"Behold," says he, "I will bring evil upon this people; because they have +not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it." Jer. 6:19. +Again, "And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the Lord, and +I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; +therefore, will I cast you out of my sight." Jer. 7:13, 15. This dreadful +proclamation of both temporal and eternal calamities, should strike fear +and terror into us: for the threatening of God is not an empty voice, nor +a sound that vanishes into nothing, but it is accompanied with many +terrible effects, and consuming wrath, as will in its time more fully +appear, and which we even feel already by sad experience; since miseries +and calamities, like a flood, seem to carry all before them. Nay, they +will undoubtedly multiply upon us, and exert themselves with the utmost +fury and fierceness, except we betimes prevent them by a sincere +repentance. Thus the wrath of God shall be poured forth in wars, famines, +pestilence, fire, and inundations, till he has at length destroyed our +very _foundations_, as he did once to the city of Jerusalem. Lam. 4:11. + +3. But if the proclamation of wrath and judgment cannot prevail upon us, +yet ought God's abounding _goodness_, attended as it is with so many +endearing marks of love, to melt our hearts, and to soften them into true +and earnest repentance. For thus hath the Lord spoken by the prophet: +"Return, thou backsliding Israel, and I will not cause mine anger to fall +upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for +ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against +the Lord thy God." Jer. 3:12, 13. In these words, God makes a free offer +of his grace, entreats and adjures us to return to him again, for he is +willing to accept our repentance. + +4. The passages that have been quoted, are a convincing proof that God, by +his grace, mercy, patience, and clemency, strongly invites us to true +repentance. There are chiefly three things in those scriptures, which +deserve a more particular observation: namely, the _nature_ of repentance, +or what it is to repent; that is, to turn unto the Lord:--the _manner_ in +which repentance is to be wrought out; that is, by fasting, weeping, and +mourning:--the _motive_ to engage us in so holy an exercise, which is the +paternal goodness of God; "_for I am merciful_." + +As to the _first_, we know that _to repent_, is nothing else but to be +led, through the _law_ of God, to acknowledge the natural blindness of our +hearts, and that detestable impurity which lurks within. Next, we ought to +regard this as the very source whence all other sins proceed, and whereby +we depart from God, the supreme and eternal Good, deserving not only +various punishments here, but also his everlasting wrath in hell +hereafter. All this ought to awaken in us sorrow and distress, not so much +by reason of the threatened punishment, as rather on account of the +heinousness of the many provocations offered to a merciful Father, who in +his very nature is love and kindness. This being done, we may then raise +again our souls by virtue of the _Gospel_, and with a well-grounded faith, +rely on the favor of God, and on the sure remission of sin promised in +Christ Jesus. This must necessarily be attended with a serious amendment +of life, with a constant purification of the heart by faith, with a +mortification of all evil desires, and with a sincere abnegation of our +own will, so opposite to that of God. In a word, it will be accompanied +with a new life acceptable unto God in Christ, and with fruit worthy of +repentance; suitably to what God enjoins by the prophet: "Wash ye, make +you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease +to do evil, learn to do well. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall +be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:16, 18. + +5. But alas! here is the difficulty! These things are much more easily +said, than reduced to practice. The reason is, because hardly any will +earnestly engage in so weighty a work, or search into the true original +cause of the many dreadful disorders that appear in our lives and conduct. +Man flatters himself with a confident opinion of his own goodness, and +cherishes the affection of the old man. There are few who care to see +their hearts in their inward and native depravity; or to be made sensible +of that vein of evil nature which runs through all their actions, even the +best and most shining. And thus Christ himself, and the grace of God, +manifested by him, are wantonly disregarded. + +6. And yet Joel (2:12) requires us to "turn unto God with all our heart, +with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." Hereby he intimates that +we are turned away from God; have forsaken the fountain of living waters +(Jer. 2:13); and are now unable to attain life and happiness again, unless +we "_search_ our ways," and "_return_" unto him from whom we are gone +astray. Lam. 3:40. It is for this purpose that the Prophet charges +"backsliding children" to return, with the promise annexed, that the "Lord +will heal their backslidings." Jer. 3:22. For this verily is the will of +God, that we should see and confess our misery, in order that he may +compassionately heal it. + +7. But since, by nature, we are so blind as to be utterly unable of +ourselves sufficiently to discover our own wretchedness; God has been +pleased to afford means, with a view to bringing us to a sound knowledge +of ourselves. This is done by his holy Word and the Sacraments, which are +always accompanied with his grace and Spirit. By these the Father draws, +allures, and calls us to himself, as so many lost and wandering sheep. +John 6:44. For as a straying sheep cannot of itself return, but must of +necessity be sought and brought back to the fold by the shepherd, so we +would forever go astray in the wilderness of sin and error, did not God +himself carefully seek us; and this the examples of Peter and Paul +abundantly confirm. Therefore the prophet says: "Turn thou me, O Lord, and +I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God." Jer. 31:18. "Heal me, O +Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art +my praise." Jer. 17:14. "For it is God," says the apostle, "which worketh +in us, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:13. + +8. When, therefore, the Lord graciously awakens us by these means, and +invites us to repentance, it is our part, not to withstand his grace and +Spirit; (as it is said, "To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your +hearts") (Ps. 95:7, 8); but to confess the sin which he thus reproves in +us, and by no means make light of the grace offered to us in the Gospel. +Then God will assuredly have mercy upon us, as he himself declares: "Let +the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let +him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, +for he will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:7. + +9. Upon this account the work of conversion, though it is entirely a work +of God's grace, is yet in one respect ascribed to us; namely, as we _give_ +up ourselves to the Lord, and to his operations, and do not wantonly +resist his Spirit, despise his grace, and cast it from us; or, as the +apostle expresses it, do not put his Word from us, nor stop our ears +against it, as did the Jews of old. Acts 13:46; 7:57. On the contrary, +when the severity of the _law_ has laid open our spiritual diseases, and +we have felt the bitterness thereof; let us avail ourselves of the +_Gospel_ as a healing remedy, and suffer our heavenly Physician to restore +us to health. + +10. An image of this we have in a straying sheep. If it but hear at a +distance the voice of the shepherd, it starts back immediately, and +returns to him. And how willingly would the lost sinner follow the voice +of his Shepherd, if sin had not so perverted him, as to reduce him lower +than the very beasts in stupidity and dulness! Of this indeed the prophet +complains: "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but +Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." Isa. 1:3. "Shall they +fall," asks another prophet, "and not arise? Shall he turn away, and not +return? The stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the +turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the times of their coming: +but my people know not the judgment of the Lord." Jer. 8:4, 7. + +11. We ought, therefore, most fervently to implore the Lord, not to +withdraw from us his gracious assistance, without which we must certainly +go astray. For since sin and the old Adam constantly abide in our corrupt +flesh and blood, we have need of daily, yea, hourly supplies of grace, for +repressing the tyranny of sin, and for nourishing the life of God within +us. The grace of God is the life of our soul, as the soul is the life of +the body. And as the life of the body, without the free enjoyment of the +air, must soon be extinct; so the vital flame of the inward life will +speedily languish, without a daily supply of grace to support it. For this +reason Solomon prayed: "The Lord our God be with us; let him not leave us, +nor forsake us; that he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all +his ways." 1 Kings 8:57. + +12. This is a lesson which ought not to be learned in a light and general +manner, but by a close and practical application be brought home to every +one in particular. Let, therefore, every one look into his own heart and +seek its renewal, that so all may be reformed in time. Let us remember +that comfortable exhortation, and the promise annexed thereto: "Seek ye +the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near." Isa. +55:6. "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with +all your heart, saith the Lord." Jer. 29:13. + +13. But in order to true repentance, it is not enough to refrain only from +gross sins, and foul visible transgressions; but the heart, whence all +those evils proceed, is to be changed and purified; that so inward pride, +covetousness, and lust, with all sinful affections, may be mortified at +last. For whilst the heart is unchanged, unreformed, and unrenewed; that +is, whilst our own corrupt temper, our inward malice, wrath, hatred, +enmity, revenge, lying, and deceit, are quietly suffered within us; all +our boasts of, and pretences to, and formalities in, religion, are but +mere show and hypocrisy. God requires no less than a new heart, and "a new +creature in Christ Jesus." 2 Cor. 5:17. No one is so holy, so good, and so +thoroughly cleansed, but he will still find something in his own heart to +be thrown out, or to be amended and rectified. "As a fountain casteth out +her waters, so Jerusalem casteth out her wickedness." Jer. 6:7. This is +the first head, relating to the nature of repentance, of which more has +been said in Book I. + +14. Let us now consider, in the second place, the _manner_ of our +returning to God: "with all the heart," says the prophet, "with fasting, +with weeping, and with mourning." Wretched mortals can weep floods of +tears for empty and perishing goods, whilst they stand unmoved at the +miserable state of their souls, and at the loss of an eternal and +incorruptible inheritance! In this they are altogether unlike David, who, +by his example, sets a most shining pattern of sincere and unfeigned +repentance before us. See Ps. 6, and Ps. 38. "For the Lord looketh on the +heart" (1 Sam. 16:7), and "trieth the heart and reins." Ps. 7:9. + +15. What the prophet says of fasting, is to be understood of a general +fast enjoined by the prophet to all the people. In such a fast the whole +body of a nation were wont to be concerned. They publicly confessed their +sins; they deplored and bewailed them; and thus humbling themselves before +God, fasted both inwardly and outwardly. And in this order they begged +remission of sin, and deprecated the judgments of God gathering over them. +Such a general fast and public repentance as this, such sincere +conversion, prayer, faith, confession, and supplication, are the most +effectual means to appease the wrath of an offended God, and to avert his +judgments from whole kingdoms and nations. This plainly appears from the +history of the defeat of the other tribes of Israel, by that of Benjamin; +in which the former having in two battles lost forty thousand men, all +went up and came before the Lord, with weeping and mourning, and there +fasted the whole day, from morning to night. Judges 20:26. A similar +illustrious example is recorded of the fast of the Ninevites (Jonah 3:5, +10): and of the children of Israel, who, being beaten by the Philistines, +kept a fast for seven days together, after Saul and Jonathan were slain in +the battle. 1 Chron. 10:12. + +16. Such solemn penitential fasts were also in use in the primitive +Church, when the Christians met together, and in any great public calamity +humbled themselves before the Lord. Not, surely, to obtain remission of +sin by such performances, as so many meritorious acts of devotion; but by +a contrite, sober, and humble heart, to deprecate the judgments that were +ready to break in upon them. And such fasts might with propriety still be +observed. + +17. Fasts such as these, accompanied with true repentance, would prove an +impregnable wall and fortification against all our enemies; a sovereign +medicine in all pestilential diseases; and a safeguard about all our +estates and possessions. An example of this we have in Job, who, whenever +his children had spent any day in mirth and feasting, "offered up unto God +prayers and sacrifices for them" (Job 1:4, 5); and thus, as it were, +fortified his house by prayer against the insults of wicked men and +devils. + +18. In great public calamities the Lord looks out for such men as may, +like a bulwark, oppose his wrath when ready to make a breach. "I sought +for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap +before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. +Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them, I have consumed +them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon +their heads, saith the Lord God." Ezek. 22:30, 31. We may also remember, +on this occasion, the intercession of Abraham. Gen. 18:23. + +19. Thus the prophet Daniel was a wall of defence when he made confession +to God of the sins of all the people. Dan. 9:4, 5, etc. And the prophet +Joel, in very moving terms, describes such a penitential fast: "Blow the +trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the +people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the +children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth of +his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the +ministers of the Lord, say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine +heritage to reproach." Joel 2:15-17. + +20. Such public fasts ought to be celebrated by the whole multitude, +without hypocrisy, with ardent zeal and devotion; for it is the will of +God, that every one readily confess his sins. He requires true humility, +sincere repentance, and a turning to him with our whole heart. Hence the +prophet commands the "heart, and not the garments," to be rent. The Jews, +at the hearing of any sad or terrible evil, were accustomed to rend their +clothes, in order to evidence thereby the inward sorrow with which they +were affected. This, however, like their fasting, was often a mere +formality, and their grief was only pretended. Wherefore, the prophet +reproves them, saying, "Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a +man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to +spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an +acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to +loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the +oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy +bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy +house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide +not thyself from thine own flesh?" Isa. 58:5-7. + +21. These words explain the nature of a true fast; which is then only +kept, when, on the one hand, we abstain from sin, subdue the wanton lusts +of the flesh, and keep the old man, with all his members, under constant +restraint and subjection: and, on the other, when we are fervent in works +of charity, in the practice of patience and mercy, and of the other +virtues springing up from a contrite, sincere, and penitent heart. And it +is with regard to these inward acts of humiliation, that the prophet bids +us _rend our hearts_. For as the wounds of the heart must necessarily be +very painful; so the grief occasioned by our sins should affect us, as if +our very hearts were bruised and crushed. And this "broken spirit," this +"contrite heart," is that _sacrifice_ which is so highly acceptable to +God. Ps. 51:17. Such a heart has, by faith, obtained a due fitness to +receive the influence of the grace of God, the consolations of the Holy +Spirit, and the merit and blood of Jesus Christ. As a hard and massive +stone cannot be penetrated by the oil or water poured upon it, until it be +broken to pieces; so the sovereign balm of God's grace and consolation +cannot comfort and quicken the heart, except it be first broken and +softened into humility, that so by faith it may partake of the merit of +Christ. "Not the whole, but the sick, have need of a physician." Matt. 9: +12. Let no one think that he belongs to Christ, unless he has first +"crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts." Gal. 5:24. The blood +of Christ will be of no profit to any except to those who embrace it with +a contrite, afflicted, penitent, humble and believing heart. + +22. As for the _motives_ to repentance, which make up the third head, they +are thus expressed by the prophet: "Turn unto the Lord, _for_ he is +gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth +him of the evil." Joel 2:12, 13. He lays down in these words, a gradual +display of the manifold mercies offered to returning sinners. As if he had +said, "If you think it a small thing that I am _gracious_, then know that +I am _merciful_ also: if this be not enough, I am likewise _patient_ and +_slow to anger_: if this will not yet suffice, then I am, moreover, of +_great kindness_. If, after all, you still require something more, then +understand, that I easily _repent_ of intended punishments; yea, even when +my avenging hand is lifting up, I am ready to let fall the rod, upon your +serious repentance." + +23. First, then, the prophet calls God _gracious_ (Ps. 103:8); that is, +ready to be entreated and reconciled. God is easy to be prevailed with, +forgives offences, deals not in strict justice and the rigor of the law, +according to what we have deserved. And all these marks of mercy should +lead us to repentance. There are many admirable promises, all tending to +the same end. "If thou afflict them, they will cry unto me, and I will +surely hear; for I am gracious." Ex. 22:23, 27. "Therefore will the Lord +wait that he may be gracious unto you. Thou shalt weep no more; he will be +very gracious unto thee, at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, +he will answer thee." Isa. 30:18. That is, the Most High is so rich in +grace, that he waits for you. In him there is _expecting grace_, by which +he readily receives those that truly return: _prevenient grace_, expressed +by the Psalmist--"Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent (_that is_, meet, +_or_ anticipate) us" (Ps. 79:8): _protecting grace_, noticed by the same +prophet; "He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about" +(Ps. 32:10): _preserving grace_; "Surely," says David, "mercy shall follow +me all the days of my life." Ps. 23:6. Of this we have given examples in +the preceding chapter. With this agree also the words of Scripture: "With +the Lord there is mercy; and with him is plenteous redemption." Ps. 130:7. +Wherefore, let the divine clemency and grace move thee to sincere and +unfeigned repentance. + +24. Secondly, the prophet declares that God is _merciful_. To be +_merciful_, is to be easily moved by the miseries of another, and from the +very heart to compassionate his case. This is to be seen in parents, who, +not only with unfeigned tenderness love their children, but are at the +same time so deeply touched with their misery and weakness, as to be +willing even to die for them, if that were possible. Thus David, when he +lamented the death of his son Absalom, mournfully exclaimed: "O my son +Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, +my son, my son!" 2 Sam. 18:33. But these bowels of mercy, this ardent, +cordial, and tender affection, are infinitely more conspicuous in God +himself, who, from an abounding sense of love and kindness, has given up +his Son to death, and thereby transcended all the affections of earthly +parents. This is declared by the prophet: "Can a woman forget her sucking +child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, +they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Isa. 49:15. And by another, +"Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against +him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled +for him: I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord." Jer. 31:20. +And again by another, "The Lord thy God is a merciful God; he will not +forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he sware unto them." Deut. 4:31. +And David confirms it: "The Lord is merciful and gracious." Ps. 103:8. And +again, calling to mind this mercy, when of three punishments he had it in +his power to choose which he pleased, he answered, "Let us fall now into +the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great." 2 Sam. 24:14. Would to +God that his paternal mercy might also allure us to unfeigned repentance! +St. Paul himself refers to this most powerful inducement, when he +beseeches us "by the _mercies_ of God, etc." Rom. 12:1. + +25. The third appellation given to God by the prophet is, that he is +patient, or _slow to anger_. He is not easily moved to wrath; he suffers +many provocations offered him, and gives time for repentance and +conversion. All which he has abundantly evidenced by many real +demonstrations, powerful enough to convince us, that even in God himself, +"Love beareth all things, endureth all things" (1 Cor. 13:7), even as +parents bear with their children. To this purpose says St. Peter, "The +Lord is long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but +that all should come to repentance." 2 Pet. 3:9. And again, "Account that +the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation." 2 Pet. 3:15. And Paul +wishes, that "the goodness of God may lead us to repentance." Rom. 2:4. To +this long-suffering of God it was entirely due, that he granted the old +world a hundred and twenty years in which to repent; bearing all that time +with their provocations, and waiting for repentance. Gen. 6:3. And O! how +much time hath he given us to repent in, and to work out our salvation! +But this divine grace is abused by those who only grow more wanton by +mercies, and "turn even the grace of God itself into lasciviousness." +Jude, ver. 4. But by this they only hasten their ruin, and render more +grievous the punishment which they deserve. If one, and then another of +these many and provoking affronts, with which men offend an omnipotent +God, were daily put upon a mere mortal, nothing certainly could be +expected but the utmost severity of his resentment. How inconceivably +great then must be the patience of God, who not only pardons offences so +numerous and so heinous, but also returns all manner of kindness to the +offender himself. O! that the inconceivable patience of the Lord might +inspire us with a hatred of sin, and lead us all to repentance! + +26. Fourthly, God is represented to be _of great kindness_; so great +indeed, that no sin, how great soever, can surpass it. For as God is +essentially and wholly good, so is he desirous to communicate himself +wholly to men, provided they be willing to receive and admit him. Yea, by +his nature he can be and do nothing but good. He takes a pleasure therein, +and "rejoiceth over us to do us good." Jer. 32:41. His mercy is as great +as himself, that is, infinite. It extends to all mankind. "Thy mercy, O +Lord, is in the heavens." Ps. 36:5. "As the heaven is high above the +earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him." Ps. 103:11. And +we read in the Lamentations: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not +consumed, because his compassions fail not: they are new every morning: +great is thy faithfulness." Lam. 3:22. See, therefore, O man! that a +goodness so inexpressible be no longer abused, but that it animate thee to +sincere repentance. + +27. And lastly, the prophet says of the Lord, "_It repenteth him of the +evil._" This is as if he would say: "It is the nature of God, to punish +with reluctance; and when he is even constrained thereto, it is not for +our destruction, but salvation, that we be not condemned with the world." +1 Cor. 11:32. He then doth "his strange work" (of punishment), that he may +bring to pass his own work (of mercy). Isa. 28:21. Thus he repented of the +evil he had designed against Nineveh. Jonah 3:10. And, therefore, "it is +good, that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of +the Lord. For the Lord will not cast off for ever: but though he cause +grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his +mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of +men." Lam. 3:26, 31-33. Therefore, repent of thy sins. + +28. For as soon as thou repentest of sin, and supplicatest the Lord in +true faith, God will also repent of the punishment he intended to inflict. +The words of the Lord to Jonah are very memorable: "Doest thou well to be +angry for the gourd? Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou +hast not labored, neither madest it grow, which came up in a night, and +perished in a night: and should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, +wherein are more than six score thousand persons?" Jonah 4:9-11. This +boundless mercy is still the same even at this day, and will continue so +forever to penitent and returning sinners. Go, therefore, O man, and let +this overflowing mercy of God lead thee to repentance! + + + + +Chapter X. + + + The Four Properties Of True Repentance. + + + _I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, + because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted + me up, and cast me down. My days are like a shadow that declineth; + and I am withered like grass. But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for + ever, and thy remembrance unto all generations._--PS. 102:9, etc. + + +In these words _four properties_ of true repentance are enjoined on a +sinner. The _first_ is, _to account himself unworthy of all the mercies of +God_. This is contained in these words: "I have eaten ashes like bread, +and mingled my drink with weeping:" that is, There is nothing I can take +any more delight in, and I account myself unworthy of any good or +delicious fare. This, however pleasing it may be to the palate of others, +is not more savory to me than mere ashes.--The same regard to our own +unworthiness is thus inculcated by the Lord: "If any man will come after +me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." +Luke 9:23. And, "If any man come to me, and hate not his own life, he +cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26. Herein is expressed a threefold +reference which a true Christian ought to have to his own unworthiness. + +2. (_a_) _First_ then, he is commanded to _deny himself_: that is, to die +to self-will, to self-love, and self-honor, esteeming himself utterly +unworthy of any of the benefits conferred by God on other men; or judging +himself not "worthy of the least of all the mercies" of God (Gen. 32:10); +and reputing himself the most inconsiderable, not only of all men, but +even of all other creatures; after the words of the Psalm: "I am a worm, +and no man." Ps. 22:6. In this manner, for a man to despise himself, is +truly to _deny himself_. + +3. (_b_) He is commanded, _secondly_, to _hate himself_; that is, to +condemn in himself whatever is pleasing and acceptable to the flesh; as +honor, luxury, revenge, anger, avarice, and whatever else savors of the +flesh. He is to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, and to +abhor in himself its whole offspring, as the work of the devil himself, +tending only to increase and nourish the perverse seed of original +depravity. And such self-abhorrence in a sinner, will then of necessity be +followed by pleading _guilty_, and by looking upon himself as one worthy +of eternal death. + +4. (_c_) The _third_ lesson enjoined in these words, consists in _taking +up the cross, and in following the Lord_: that is, that we, not with a +morose and discontented, but with a ready mind, bear all manner of +sufferings, and deem ourselves worthy, not only of these, but even of far +more grievous afflictions. Thus Christ himself, whose example is set +before us, "endured the cross, and despised the shame" (Heb. 12:2), +thereby teaching us, that in "quietness and confidence shall be our +strength." Isa. 30:15. And all that is comprehended in the imitation of, +or following after, Christ. + +5. Upon the whole, these things make it appear, that a soul truly humble +and penitent, thinks itself unworthy of all divine benefits, and even of +daily food and refreshment. And this accords with the example of Christ +himself, who, parched with thirst on the cross, and having vinegar given +him mixed with gall, said no more, than, "It is finished." John 19:30. +This was the reason also, that the true penitents under the old law judged +themselves entirely unworthy of any good thing. They put sackcloth on +their bodies, and sat in ashes. They satisfied their hunger with bread +taken from the ashes, and quenched their thirst with water mingled with +tears; as a testimony that they did not deserve any cleaner or better +food, but merited rather to eat and to drink with their food, the very +tears that trickled upon it. + +6. Now the _cause_ of this great self-abasement, was that profound sense +with which they were affected, that, on account of their sin, they +deserved an eternal curse and condemnation. This consideration lays the +returning sinner very low. He deems himself utterly unworthy even of the +least of the benefits of God. An illustration of this we have in +Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. When David was raised to the royal +dignity, he called to mind the kindness of his friend Jonathan, who +formerly had delivered him out of the hand of his father Saul; and +commanding search to be made, whether there remained any of Jonathan's +family, to whom he might make a suitable return of thanks; he at last +found Mephibosheth, a lame and poor man, who, being ordered by David to +eat bread at the king's table, bowed himself, and exclaimed: "What is thy +servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" 2 Sam. +9:8. This is a pattern, indeed, of a soul truly contrite in spirit and +penitent in heart, and, therefore, sensible of both its own unworthiness, +and of all the mercies bestowed on it by the Lord. And truly we may, with +far greater reason, make use of the same humble speech, whenever the Lord +our God vouchsafes to us, as it were, the food of his own table, and in +the Holy Supper gives us his body and blood to eat and drink. + +7. In like manner does the Prodigal Son, after his repentance, express his +sorrowful mind to his Father: "Father," says he, "I am no more worthy to +be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants." Luke 15:19. The +woman of Canaan was even content to be called a dog, if she were but +permitted to "eat of the crumbs falling from the master's table." Matt. +15:27. Peter says to the Lord: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man!" +(Luke 5:8); that is, I am not worthy that thou shouldest have any further +converse with me. And the centurion of Capernaum was of the same mind: +"Lord," says he, "I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof." +Matt. 8:8. So also St. Paul professes himself to be "not meet to be called +an apostle" (1 Cor. 15:9): and declares, that he "counted not his life +dear unto him, so that he might finish his course with joy." Acts 20:24. +This inward sense of self-abasement David expresses when he speaks of +"eating ashes like bread, and mingling his drink with weeping." If the +heart of a Christian be brought to a sense of this vileness, then it is +truly contrite and humble, and fit to be made a living sacrifice unto the +Lord. Ps. 51:19. + +8. A _second_ property of true repentance, is, _to grieve at nothing so +much as at the offences offered to God himself_. This is intimated in +these words: "Because of thine indignation and thy wrath, for thou hast +lifted me up, and cast me down." That is, Of all my other miseries and +griefs, the greatest and most insupportable, is the sense I have of my +having so heinously offended the infinitely good, holy, and righteous God. + +9. Since God is nothing but love, grace, righteousness, goodness, and +mercy, yea, the original source of all virtue, He must of necessity be +offended with every sin committed by men; since the nature of sin is +directly opposite to the nature of God. Thus by injustice, the justice of +God is offended, he being justice itself. By lying, the truth of God is +offended, he being truth itself. By hatred the love of God is offended, he +being love itself. In a word, since God is the perfection of all virtue, +goodness, and love, it can be no other than diabolical malice to offend +such infinite goodness, such immense love, nay, _Love_ itself. Had he at +any time injured us, it might be no such great wonder, if we hated him, +and offended him in our turn: but now, that he gives us nothing but what +is good--soul, body, and life itself; that he feeds and clothes us; that he +heals our body when it is sick; yea, pardons our sins when we pour out to +him our souls; is ready to receive us into favor, as often as we return; +now that he has given us his only Son with the Holy Spirit, yea, and +Himself too, and adopted us into the number of his children: and having +done all this for men, to be yet offended, opposed, and hated by them, is +a madness, a malice altogether unaccountable and monstrous. Would it not +be most wicked and impious to kill him who gave thee life; to beat and +wound him, who kindly embraced and cherished thee in his bosom; to insult +and affront him, who heaped honors and dignities upon thee; and to disown +and reject him, who had chosen thee for his son? But all these, and far +greater indignities, thou offerest to thy heavenly Father, to the supreme, +the righteous, the holy God, whom angels adore and fear, and whom seraphim +worship with the acclamations of "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; +the whole earth is full of his glory!" Isa. 6:3. And thou, who art but +dust and ashes, art not afraid to offend him! If a penitent man earnestly +calls to mind this monstrous sin, it is impossible but he must be affected +with the keenest sorrow of heart, and feel the smart of his wounded +conscience to equal and even exceed that of a wounded body. And there is +all the reason in the world why it should be so. For hence must +necessarily arise a dread and terror, _inwardly_ threatening the +conscience with wrath and judgment, and _outwardly_ setting before it the +approach of temporal calamities: whence a man, even as Job complains (ch. +6:1, etc.), finds no rest, takes no delight in anything, loathing even his +meat and drink. These terrible pangs of conscience are described by David: +"Thine arrows," says he, "stick fast in me: and thy hand presseth me +sore." Ps. 38:2. For as a wound grievously smarts and grows worse whilst +the arrow remains fixed in it; so also it is with the conscience, whilst +the sting of sin and judgment is not taken away. And these lashes and +clamors proceed from nothing but the sentence of divine justice proclaimed +in the conscience, and the terrors of hell and death attending it. +Therefore, David exclaims, "Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down:" +like one thrown down from a lofty rock into a low valley, who is so +bruised and maimed, that not one sound limb remains. + +10. But how terrible soever the fear of the judgments of God may prove to +an awakened conscience, yet is there some ground of comfort; since the +prophet tells us, that these arrows, these threats, these terrors, are the +arrows and terrors of GOD himself. And it is God, who having thereby +wounded and broken the heart, heals and restores it again. It is HE that +killeth, and it is He that maketh alive; He boweth down, and He raiseth +again (Ps. 146:8); He bringeth down to the grave, and He bringeth up +again. 1 Sam. 2:6. + +11. Whosoever, therefore, accounts and feels nothing to be more bitter and +grievous, than to have offended _God_, the infinite Good, and Love itself; +he only has experimentally learned the doctrine of contrition, and laid a +firm foundation for sound and genuine godliness. This was one of David's +acts of repentance: "Against THEE," says he, "Thee only, have I sinned." +Ps. 51:4. As if he had said, "This is my anguish and sorrow, that I have +offended THEE." And Daniel thus expresses himself: "Lord, righteousness +belongeth unto THEE, but unto us, confusion of face," because we have +offended so righteous a God. Dan. 9:7. + +12. The _third_ property of repentance is contained in these words: "My +days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass." That +is, a heart truly penitent, is deeply sensible of its own weakness. It +entirely despairs of its own strength and ability, knowing itself to be as +destitute of life and power, as the very shadow; and as empty of spirit +and moisture, as the grass that fadeth away. The same is affirmed in +another Psalm: "Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth, and mine +age is as nothing before thee: verily, every man at his best state is +altogether vanity." Ps. 39:5. + +13. O! how noble a step would it be toward the attainment of substantial +wisdom, were man but sensible of his own NOTHINGNESS! Man is nothing, as a +shadow is nothing. As a shadow is without life, and without substance of +itself, and vanishes at the departure of the sun; so is the condition of +man, whenever the Lord withdraws the light of life from him! And it is +worthy of observation, that, the nearer the sun is, the less are the +shadows observed to be; and on the contrary, the farther the sun removes +from us, the larger the shadows appear. The same happens to man: the more +of God and his gifts is present with a good man, the less he esteems +himself, the less he boasts of himself, and of what he calls _his_. On the +contrary, the farther a man is removed from God, the greater he is in his +own eyes; the more he is puffed up with his parts and abilities, the more +he extends the bounds of his pride, and the less he knows how to keep +within proper compass. Again, as shadows at the setting of the sun are +greatest, though then just ready to disappear and vanish away; their +greatness being but a forerunner of their approaching end; so it is with +the shadows of this world, and the whole train of vain pomps and +pleasures. They pass away suddenly when we are most lifted up by them. As +the shadows vanish upon the withdrawing of the sun; so when an empty man +becomes great in his own eyes, the divine sun sets upon him unexpectedly, +and he returns to be _nothing_, even when he thought to be _something_. +Moreover, as the shadow has no life of itself, but entirely moves with the +motion of the sun, upon which it depends: so man of his own nature, is +nothing but a body destitute of life and motion; and it is God alone who +is able to put life and motion in it. The shadow of a tall and goodly tree +moves not, except as the tree itself is moved; so man only liveth and +moveth in God (Acts 17:28), of whom he is a shadow and reflected image. +The hour of death will at length fully declare, that man's "days on the +earth are as a shadow" (1 Chron. 29:15; Job 8:9), as a vain shew or image +(Ps. 39:5); nay, as grass which grows up, but soon withereth when it is +mown down: so fades our life away immediately, when it is cut down by the +fatal scythe of death. Ps. 102:3, 11; Ps. 103:15. Lo! thus are our days +consumed like smoke, and we are "gone like the shadow when it declineth." +Ps. 109:23. + +14. Now when a man by true humility is thoroughly persuaded of all this, +and is convinced that he is nothing in the sight of God but a lifeless +shadow, then, verily, his repentance is unfeigned, and his heart right +before the Lord. And as it is appointed unto all men once to undergo a +natural death, so ought all daily to die unto sin, that they may live unto +God, and depart happily out of this mortal life, when all the shadows +disappear. This daily dying to the world, as it is the best exercise, so +it is also the best preparation for the hour of death; and if we earnestly +practise the former, we shall then be fitted for undergoing the latter. +That which we most frequently practise, becomes most perfect to us. + +15. The _fourth_ property of true repentance, is _union with God_, implied +in these words: _But thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever, and thy +remembrance unto all generations._ As if the prophet had said: "Though I +am persuaded, that I am a perishing shadow, and wither like grass (Ps. +102:11), yet I am no less certain, that in _thee_ I shall abide for ever; +for thou thyself art eternal." As by sin a man is divorced from God, so by +true conversion, he is again united to him. Even as the Person of Christ +is indivisible, and as the eternal Deity united the human nature in Christ +Jesus with itself in so firm a bond, as is not to be dissolved by death +itself (the humanity of Christ remaining in perpetual union with the +Divinity, and with the glory therein residing): so, in the work of true +conversion to God, penitent and believing souls are so closely and +intimately united to God, that neither life nor death can separate them +from him (Rom. 8:38): for "he that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit" +(1 Cor. 6:17), God betrothing us unto himself forever. Hosea 2:19. In a +word, Christ himself is our only Witness; and he is the Book of Life +wherein we are plainly taught, that as his human nature abides eternally +united with the divine, so all believers shall be eternally united with +their Lord and Head, being _one spirit_ with him. Now, as God is eternal, +and Christ eternal; so the promises of God in Christ are also eternal and +inviolable, he having made with us a covenant of everlasting grace. Ps. +111:5. Therefore, though a true Christian be forsaken of the world; be +vexed and tormented by sin, death, hell, and the devil himself; nay, +though even his own flesh and heart fail at last, and be wholly consumed, +yet is God "the strength of his heart, and his portion for ever." Ps. +73:26. + + + + +Chapter XI. + + + Showing That The Fruit Of Conversion Is The New Creature; Also, That The + Christian Is, By Faith, A Lord Over All, And, By Love, A Servant Of All; + And, That The Life Of Christ Is A Mirror For Us. + + + _If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature._--2 COR. 5:17. + + +All that are in Christ by faith, are "new creatures;" that is, they are +the children of God, are righteous before God, have forgiveness of sin, +and the Holy Ghost; they are partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), +are heirs of everlasting life, and are liberated in their consciences from +the law, the curse, death, the devil, hell, and damnation. All, whatever +appertains to their salvation, is in them begotten of Christ by grace, and +is conceived by them through faith; hence, neither time nor place, neither +law, nor commandment, nor ceremonies, nor anything whatsoever, can be any +hindrance to them. They are made perfect in Christ, who is now become a +vital principle in them, and they have in him the accomplishment of the +law through faith. Rom. 10:4. + +2. Thence the name of a _Christian_ is a higher and more excellent name +than all the names in the world. It is a greater name than is to be found +in palaces and courts, a name above all posts of greatness, above the +whole world, with all that it contains. But, on the other hand, the name +of a Christian is also the lowest name of all the names in the world, +without exception. Thus, in the same degree, faith exalts a Christian +_above all_; love brings down a Christian _under all_. This thou wilt then +best understand, when thou seriously considerest the holy life of Christ; +which is the brightest mirror both of love, and of all other virtues. See +Phil. 2:5-8. + +3. Behold how Christ made himself the servant of all! how humble was he in +heart! how meek in spirit! how kind and gracious in words! how benevolent +in his behavior! how merciful towards the poor! how compassionate towards +the distressed! how patient towards his slanderers! how calm in his +answers! how merciful towards sinners! Whom did he ever despise? whom did +he ever revile, being reviled? How condescending was he to the very +meanest! how ready to show acts of grace to all, without distinction! how +heartily did he seek the salvation of all men, praying for his very +enemies and murderers! Luke 23:34. How did he bear our sickness, sorrows, +reproaches, stripes, wounds, and punishments! And indeed, what else is the +life of Christ, but a most accomplished pattern of love, humility, +patience, and all other virtues whatsoever! This we ought to look into, +and to reflect upon it in our hearts; but especially when we are alone. +This is better than all the high boasts of knowledge, and all the art and +wisdom of the world. This life of Christ is like a seal (Cant. 8:6) to be +stamped upon our hearts, and leave there the impression of his image, +life, love, humility, patience, cross, reproach, and death. This would +prove a true celestial light to our hearts, and a powerful means both to +renew us in the inner man, and to transform us more and more into the +divine image. Now as Christ was _under all_ men, yea, under all creatures, +in his state of _humiliation_ in this world; but is now in his state of +_exaltation_, a Lord _over all_: so a Christian is, with reference to his +_faith_, a lord _over all_, nothing being excepted but God; but with +regard to his _life_ and conduct, a servant of servants, being _under all_ +persons and things. + + + + +Chapter XII. + + + Showing That Christ Is The Only Way And End Of True Godliness; And That + Man Goes Astray, When God Does Not Guide And Direct Him. + + + Teach me thy way, O Lord: I will walk in thy truth; unite my heart + to fear thy name.--PS. 86:11. + + +This way is Christ. He says, "I am the way." John 14:6. But thou wilt here +ask, How am I to come to him? The answer is: By _faith_. For _faith_ +unites us with Christ; _love_ binds us fast; and _hope_ upholds and +sustains us while we walk in this way; that is, in the life of Christ. Yet +at the same time, faith, hope, and love, all proceed from Christ himself, +and are his work in us. All these graces flow from him, and return to him. +This way goes out from him, and leads back to him again. + +2. Faith apprehends the Person of Christ, and his office; Love follows +Christ in his life and conversation; Hope seizes on the glory that is +hereafter to be revealed in Christ. _Faith_ must have no other Christ, no +other Redeemer, no other Saviour, no other Mediator and Way to life, but +JESUS CHRIST only. _Love_ sets before itself the one only life of Christ, +as the most perfect and shining pattern to which to conform itself. _Hope_ +looks up steadfastly to Christ, as the glorious Captain of our salvation, +keeping its eye fixed upon his everlasting kingdom above. This, _this_ is +the right _way_; this is the unerring truth, wherein we are to walk; and +this is what is meant by _having the heart united, to fear the Lord's +name_. + +3. These three chief virtues are allied again to three other virtues. The +alliance of faith, is with humility; of love, with patience; and of hope, +with prayer. For he that believeth, humbleth himself; he that loveth, is +patient; and he that hopeth, learns to pray, and boldly to approach the +throne of grace. O how goodly and beautiful is this way! This is the way +of God, the way of salvation, the path to glory, even our great Master's +way! And may He himself teach us this way of truth, and inspire us with +courage to walk in it! Where this frame of mind is, there the soul is +firmly united to the fear of the Lord; and this is that _one thing_ which +David desired. Ps. 27:4. Such a one is resolved heartily to follow Christ +in his humility and love, meekness and patience, expelling, through the +lowliness of Christ, the venom of pride that lurks within. Consider how +Christ thy Lord was made for thee a despicable worm (Ps. 22:6), and +trampled upon by the basest of men! and by looking to him, learn to +restrain thy haughty temper. In a word, let his humility slay thy _pride_; +and do thou suppress the assaults of _covetousness_, by meditating on the +poverty of Christ. Behold, he had not so much as even where to lay his +head (Matt. 8:20), and how eager art thou to grasp in possession whatever +thy unbounded desires fix themselves upon! Let the spirit of _envy_ die, +by the consideration of the overflowing love of Christ. He hath given thee +life itself, and thou grudgest thy neighbor even a morsel of bread. Let +the thirst for _revenge_ be overcome in thy breast by the meekness of +Christ. Behold! he prayed for his enemies (Luke 23:34); and thou dost not +even pray for thy friends. His face being buffeted and spit upon by +sinners, he quietly endured it; and thou canst hardly endure a severe +look, or an unkind word from thy neighbor! Let the enticements to _lust_ +and voluptuousness be beaten down, by the agony and pains which thy Lord +suffered in his holy body. Behold, and see, whether the sorrows of any man +were ever like unto his sorrows! Lam. 1:12. This consideration will prove +a check to the wanton lusts of thy flesh, and a curb to thy thirst after +worldly pleasure. He wore a crown of thorns; and wouldest thou wear one of +gold? He wept for the sins of others; and refusest thou to weep for thine +own? He was a man of sorrows; and shouldest thou wish to be a man of +pleasure? + + + + +Chapter XIII. + + + Showing That Jesus Christ Is The True Book Of Life, And That His Poverty + Teaches Us To Despise The Glory Of The World. + + + _Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was + rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his + poverty might be rich._--2 COR. 8:9. + + +All who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are written "in the book +of life" (Phil. 4:3), or as the Lord expresses it, "in heaven." Luke +10:20. This shall be made manifest in that great day, when the Lord will +"confess their names before his Father, and before his angels." Rev. 3:5. +But besides this, the Lord Jesus himself is a most complete Book of a +truly Christian life: he being, as the word and wisdom of the Father, made +man, and come into the world to teach us by his life and death; and by his +conduct and conversation, to set a pattern before us for our imitation. + +2. The whole of his life, from his tender infancy to his death, was made +up of nothing but a continual series of crosses and afflictions; insomuch +that he took hardly any step without the inseparable attendance either of +a pressing poverty, or of great contempt, or of most exquisite pains and +sufferings: and into these three heads the entire extent of the life of +Christ may be fitly resolved. + +3. The poverty which the Lord endured, may be considered again under a +threefold aspect. In the first place, he was poor in relation to outward +things. This he himself declared: "The foxes," says he, "have holes, and +the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay +his head." Matt. 8:20. + +4. This indigence in worldly goods was attended by another, which was a +poverty of friends. Nothing was more visible in his birth than meanness +and poverty. He was born at Bethlehem, the least among the cities of +Judah, and of a mother that was destitute of all wealth and worldly +greatness. Luke 2:4, 7. Nor did he ever court the favor and friendship of +the great and wealthy of this world. It is true, that Lazarus of Bethany +was his friend, the Evangelist taking particular notice, that the Lord +_loved him_, and thought him worthy of the title of his _friend_ (John +11:3, 5, 11, 36); but this friendship was not founded on any worldly +advantage which the Lord expected from him, but on that faith, whereby he +was induced to believe, that Jesus was really the true Messiah. + +5. The third degree of the Lord's poverty, was the state of his +humiliation, whereby, laying aside the _form of God, he humbled himself, +and made himself of no reputation_. Phil. 2:6, 7. He thereby entered into +the depth of our misery. He was wearied in the journeys he undertook, when +he "went about doing good" (Acts 10: 38); but particularly, when he healed +multitudes of sick and diseased, that continually crowded to him from all +parts, and surrounded him often to that degree, that he could not so much +as eat bread, and even his very friends thought him beside himself. Mark +3:20, 21. He fulfilled also what was said by the prophet, and is repeated +in the Gospel: "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses" +(Isa. 53:4; Matt. 8:17); never withdrawing from any hardship or +approaching calamity, never shrinking under the burden of poverty, or +cruel mockings, or unjust reproaches, or other evils, though they were +sharp and numerous. And whereas he might have been served by all the +creatures of God, and waited on by legions of angels, yet he dispensed +with all this glory, and did not exert that sovereign power which he +possessed. He suffered his head to be torn by thorns, his hands to be +bound, his sacred body to be scourged, his hands and feet to be nailed to +the cross, his side to be pierced with a spear. All this he freely +allowed, though it was in his power to prevent it, and with one word to +restrain all creatures from inflicting an injury on him. + +6. In a word, for our sakes, he made himself subject to all creatures. He +took upon him the form of a servant, that by his lowliness, he might +repair our losses, and reinstate us in that sovereign dominion over all +the creatures, which we had lost. He rose from the dead again, and gained +a perfect conquest at last, thereby to purchase for us an everlasting +victory. He suffered himself to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1, 8), +hurried about by his malice, tormented by his instruments, the Jews, +fastened to the cross by their cruelty; and all this he underwent, in +order to rescue mankind from the power of the devil and all his +subordinate tools and agents. + +7. Thus the Strongest became weak; the Almighty infirm; the most Glorious, +became most despicable; the most Beautiful, most abhorred and hated; the +most Exalted, most exposed himself to temptations of all kinds, to +sufferings and difficulties, to pains and hardships. Hereby he designed to +check and put to shame our sinful tenderness and effeminacy. We are, alas! +so tender and delicate that the smallest cross is now complained of as an +insufferable burden, and a little trouble and toil undergone for the sake +of God and our neighbor, seems a sufficient plea why men should start back +into the smooth way, and forsake the Lord; whereas he sends such trials +upon men for the purpose of promoting thereby the recovery of their own +souls, and the glory of his name. + +8. Thus the Lord laid aside for a while the form of God. But this was not +all. He did no less lay aside the use of the divine wisdom which resided +in him. His conversation with others was plain and easy; and he behaved +himself like a man _who had not learned letters_, as the Jews expressed +it. John 7:15. He did not assume to himself the wonted formalities of a +great doctor, or of an acute reasoner and disputer. Neither did he act +like men that value themselves on account of their parts, skill, polite +learning, and high descent. Nothing was more visible in his life and +conduct than that quiet serenity of mind which he enjoyed in the midst of +all the storms of the world. This was attended, however, by a divine +power, an unaffected holiness of manners, an unfeigned charity, meekness, +and humility. He made use of plain and easy terms when he "taught the way +of God in truth" (Matt. 22:16); therefore he was despised by the proud +Jews as an unlearned man. Thus the eternal WISDOM of God, speaking through +the prophets of old, was cast aside as folly, and the true light of souls +rejected as deception: all which may serve to instruct us not to overvalue +ourselves upon our parts and abilities; but to consider that they are not +given us for the gratification of pride; and to employ them solely for +advancing the glory of God, and the good of our fellow-creatures. + +9. This simplicity of our Lord was manifested herein also, that he made no +display of his glory and majesty. So great was his condescension, that he +freely conversed with sinners. He did eat and drink with them; and this +for no other reason, but to complete thereby the great work for which he +was sent, which was, to "seek and to save that which was lost." Luke +19:10. It was on this account that he was so grievously defamed with a +multitude of odious names by his enemies, who called him "a gluttonous +man, a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners" (Luke 7:34): and at +another time, they exclaimed against him as a Samaritan, that had a devil. +John 8:48. And, at last, he suffered them to crucify him between two +malefactors, as if he were the greatest criminal, whereas he then bore our +transgressions. + +10. Now he might have gained a greater repute than John himself, who, +according to the Lord's own testimony, was a "burning and a shining +light." John 5:35. But he readily renounced any such honor, thereby to +give a check to all superficial pretenders to piety, who are too apt to +value themselves on account of an outward show of religion: though those +that busy themselves so much about form and appearance, may have but +little of the life and power of God within them. + +11. In short, the Lord forsook all that is lofty and grand in the world. +He was a king, and yet would be subject to kings and magistrates, nay, to +Joseph and his mother, though they were so mean and indigent. "He went +down with them to Nazareth, and was subject unto them." Luke 2:51. He was +Lord over all, and yet when he came into the world, "He came not to be +ministered unto, but to minister" (Matt. 20:28), clothing himself in the +attire of poverty and meanness. He was the great and wise Prophet, and +chose disciples of the lowest rank, plain and simple people. And when it +was in his power to behave himself as a Lord and Master in the small +company of his followers, yet did he even there divest himself of that +right, being "among them as one that serveth." Luke 22:27. He assumed no +lordlike air over them, but chose rather to be a master in life and +doctrine, than to have any other distinguishing character of grandeur and +pre-eminence. Thus when he taught the duty of obedience, he showed at the +same time a pattern of obedience in his own conduct. When he endeavored to +instil into his disciples a sense of humility, of patience, of subjection +to their superiors, and of other Christian virtues; he practised them +first himself, that so his own example might have the greater influence +upon the lives of others. Being Head and Master, he thought it becoming +his character to be chief also in bearing affronts, reproaches, injuries, +poverty, misery, and in performing the most humble services, even such as +that of washing his disciples' feet. John 13:5. Thus he proved a Master, +Head, and Teacher, not in doctrine only; but in life, in example, and +practice. + +12. Alas! how great is our folly! Our Head despised worldly honor, and lo! +we are in pursuit of it. He submitted to crosses and trials, and we shrink +back at the sight of them. He became obedient unto death; and we seek +liberty, so that we may follow our own will. But this does not agree with +the example which the Lord has set before us, nor with the spiritual +maxims contained in the Book of Life, which he has left us for imitation. + +13. Consider, therefore, O man, whether the way wherein thou walkest +agrees with that excellent way wherein thy Lord and Master walked himself. +If thou despisest the narrow way of Jesus, and followest the way of the +world, then know certainly that thy way, though smooth and pleasing for a +while, will end in utter destruction at last! And thus the first part of +Christ's life of sorrow and poverty has been described. + + + + +Chapter XIV. + + +Showing How Christ, By The Shame And Contempt Which He Endured, And By His + Self-Denial, Teaches Us To Despise The Honor And Glory Of The World. + + + _He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and + acquainted with grief._--ISA. 53:3. + + +The second head of the life of poverty of Christ, is the contempt which he +endured from the world. After thou hast read over and seriously considered +the lesson of _poverty_ exhibited by the Lord, take also a view of the +deep and unaffected _humility_, which was so eminently seen in his whole +life and conduct. Never did he catch at the applause of men; never was he +actuated by ambition, or any thirst after temporal honor and greatness: on +the contrary, whenever men offered to bestow honors and praises upon him, +he refused them, both by word and by deed: never did he accept of any +honor from men; nay, not even when "they would take him by force to make +him a king." John 6:15. On the other hand, with what inexpressible +humility did he bear all the insults, the reproaches, and calumnies with +which his enemies loaded him? He was execrated as a Samaritan, and his +miracles were maliciously ascribed to the power of Beelzebub. John 8:48; +Matt. 12:24. The sound doctrine which he brought down from heaven, was +denounced as blasphemy; and he who taught it, was everywhere insulted by +foul and uncharitable censures, and such base lies and slanders as the +malice of men could contrive. He was betrayed and sold; he was denied and +buffeted; he was spit upon and crowned with thorns; he was derided and +scourged; he was smitten, and sentenced to death; he was rejected, and +condemned to undergo the ignominious "death of the cross." Phil. 2:8. He +was forsaken by God and men; and, in fine, being stripped of all, was +executed in the midst of scandalous malefactors, hanging on the tree like +one accursed. Gal. 3:13. He was made the common gazing-stock of all his +enemies, and derided by all. His prayers were turned into ridicule; his +garments were parted by lot; and at the approach of the very pangs of +death, he had nothing wherewith to refresh himself but vinegar mingled +with gall. Matt. 27:34. At last, when all was finished, he expired on the +cross, amid the reproaches, hatred, and indignation of the world; his body +was pierced with a spear, and he made his grave with the wicked. John +19:34; Isa. 53:9. Nay, his enemies continued to fume with rage and malice, +even now when he had given up the ghost; and called him a deceiver. Matt. +27:63. Being risen at last from the dead, and triumphing over his enemies; +they boldly denied the truth of his resurrection. Thus was the Lord, in +the beginning, progress, and end of his ever-blessed life, "despised and +rejected, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." + +2. In the course of our Lord's life, there is not only displayed to us the +abounding treasure of redemption gained by Christ; but it is also most +clearly demonstrated, that in this scene of suffering, he is our great +teacher and master, our prophet and shepherd, our instructor, light, and +constant monitor; that also we, by looking unto him, may learn to despise +earthly pomp and greatness; and by closely adhering to him, like true +members to their head, "grow up into him in all things" (Ephes. 4:15), +being rendered conformable unto his life, "and rooted and grounded in his +love." Ephes. 3:17. + +3. But when our lives are contrary to the life of him who is designed to +be our Head; when in our actions, words, and endeavors, we do not entirely +aim at God's glory, but our own; it is more than evident, that Christ does +not live in us, but rather the prince of this world. It is then plain, +that we have not yet learned to love Christ, and that we are not yet loose +from the various ties of this world; for "whatsoever is born of God, +overcometh the world" (1 John 5:4); and so of course is not overcome by +it. Nor does such a one any longer love the world; for "if any man love +the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15); and +consequently, that of Christ must be absent likewise. For the whole life +of Christ teaches us how to die unto the world. Consider then the +beginning, together with the progress and conclusion of his life, and +remember the profound HUMILITY with which he bore the contempt and +reproaches of all those that love the world. + + + + +Chapter XV. + + + Showing How We Should, Through Christ, Bear And Overcome The Trials And + Contempt Of The World. + + + _Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against + himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds._--HEB. 12:3. + + +It is a most moving complaint uttered by the Messiah: "I became a reproach +unto them; when they looked upon me, they shaked their heads. Help me, O +Lord my God; O save me according to thy mercy; that they may know that +this is thy hand; that thou Lord hast done it. Let them curse, but bless +thou; when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice. +Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame; and let them cover themselves +with their own confusion as with a mantle. I will greatly praise the Lord +with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. For he shall +stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn +his soul." Ps. 109:25-31. + +2. This pathetic complaint of the Lord our Redeemer, every Christian ought +to represent to himself as a mirror, in which to behold the life of Christ +under the cross, together with that of all the saints in general. This way +of the cross has been copiously set forth in the Book of Psalms, in order +to render it the more familiar to us, and to teach us betimes, that "we +must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22. +Such a consideration gives present ease and comfort under the contempt and +reproaches incident to the true followers of Christ, and accustoms them to +a conformity to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29): which as it is one of the +greatest honors our Master bestows on his disciples; so it is by the world +abhorred and loathed, just as a healing medicine is by a distempered and +delicate palate. This conformity is, however, the grand duty of a +Christian, inuring him to bear his Master's reproach (Heb. 13:13) and +abject image in time, that he may also hereafter bear his glorious image +in eternity. Phil. 3:21. + +3. Now, as the 109th Psalm above-mentioned, contains a prayer of Christ +poured out in the midst of his sufferings; so it mentions, in the latter +part, three kinds of trouble more particularly, with which the Lord found +himself oppressed. + +4. In the first place, the Lord complaineth of a vehement anxiety of +heart, declared in this manner: "I am poor and needy, and my heart is +wounded within me." Ver. 22. Behold, what complaints this holy, this +eminent Person is reduced to! And what is the reason of them? Surely, to +acquaint us in the most affectionate terms, with all that he hath suffered +for our sake. He says, "I am poor;" and lo! thou toilest to get estates, +to hoard up riches; and yet when thou hast them, thou art still poor and +discontented in the possession of them. He says, "I am needy;" and thou, O +man, art entirely bent upon thy ease, prosperity, and fulness of bread! He +complains, "my heart is wounded within me;" how unreasonable is it then, O +man! that thou shouldest desire to be humored and gratified in all thy +vain and carnal propensities! Now, if nothing will awaken in thee a love +of the cross of Christ, let at least the consideration of the sacredness +of the afflicted Person, infinitely exalted above thee, work thee into a +ready compliance with his life. Such a consideration will give thee ease +and patience under any grief that may attend thee, and make thee relish +better those pure and untainted pleasures which will succeed the cross. +Therefore, think with thyself in this manner: "I am now put to trouble and +anxiety of heart; but the same befell also my Lord and Master, whose very +soul was surrounded with sorrows so heavy and acute, with pains so great, +that nothing of what I shall ever undergo can equal them." However, the +Lord, after his sufferings, entered into everlasting joy; after contempt, +into never-fading glory; through death into life; and through hell into +heaven. And thus will it be with the sincere followers of the Lord, to +whom their crosses will prove but as so many advances to a more excellent +glory, and their affliction will be the avenue to everlasting bliss and +happiness. + +5. The Lord continues his complaint thus: "I am gone like the shadow when +it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust. My knees are weak +through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness." Ps. 109:23, 24. A most +expressive description of the common frailty of human nature! What is a +shadow, but a mere nothing, an empty lifeless appearance? To such an +abject lowliness, to such an inconceivable degree of humiliation, the Lord +suffered himself to be reduced whilst he dwelt among us! He who is life +and light itself, and the bottomless fountain of life and happiness, is +exposed to labor and infirmities; and should not men hereby learn so much +humility at least, as to think themselves far more emphatically as +shadows, or as nothing, than the Lord of life himself? At the same time, +it is to be remembered that the Lord here refers to his state of +humiliation alone, for, in his own glory he is our Lord and our life. He +says, "I am tossed up and down as the locust." The Lord had no settled +habitation upon earth, as men of the world have. He was in a constant +pilgrimage towards that kingdom which cannot be moved. For this reason he +is said to have only _dwelt or tabernacled_ among us (John 1:14), and is +here compared to a locust, which having no abiding place, is fearful, and +tossed to and fro with every wind. Nahum 3:17; Exod. 10:19. And even in +this our blessed Saviour has left us a pattern, to walk as he walked; and +since we have no continuing city here, to seek one to come, which "hath +foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Heb. 11:10. What is farther +added of the weakness of his knees, and the failing of his flesh, +abundantly appeared about the time of his passion, when his "strength was +dried up like a potsherd" (Ps. 22:15); and this may be a monitor to us +under bodily diseases and infirmities. Should we complain of a fit of +sickness, when the Lord of life pined away into weakness, and languished +in misery? What matters it, how languid, weak, and neglected our body be, +if our soul and spiritual life be but vigorous and sound? The soul ought +to "eat that which is good, and delight itself in spiritual fatness" (Isa. +55:2), that so it may grow "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his +might." Ephes. 6:10. + +6. Thirdly, the Lord complains of the great contempt he underwent in this +world, in order to stop us in our pursuit after vain honor, pride, and +self-esteem. "I became," says he, "a reproach unto them: when they looked +upon me they shaked their heads." What indignity is there like unto this! +But the Anointed of the Lord endured it all for no other end, than to +rescue mankind from eternal scorn and infamy; for man having become a +scorner and hater of God, Christ was designed to make atonement for so +heinous a sin, by the extreme contempt which he willingly endured. +However, as the Lord by his humble submission to the contempt of the +world, has laid a mighty obligation on all Christians to be his followers +therein; so the considerations here annexed, may be of use for supporting +a man under sufferings of that nature. + +7. First consider, that in bearing the contempt of the world, thou bearest +no less than the very image of Christ, and followest him who is thy Head +and Master. Rom. 8:17. + +8. (2) To be contemned and disrespectfully used by the world, is of great +efficacy for improving thyself in true humility; a virtue which finds +favor with God. "For God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the +humble." 1 Peter 5:5. + +9. (3) Thy suffering of reproaches for the sake of truth, is an evidence +that thou art ranked with that cloud of witnesses, who in all ages have +been made "as the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things," +and so continue to be esteemed "unto this day." 1 Cor. 4:13. + +10. (4) Remember that those that are come out "of great tribulation, shall +be before the throne of God" at last (Rev. 7:14), and be there "confessed +before the angels of God." Luke 12:8; 1 Cor. 4:5. + +11. (5) Of what consequence is it how contemptuously the world uses thee, +since thou art not to rise in the last day (as many shall), "to shame and +everlasting contempt" (Dan. 12:2), (the Lord having redeemed thee from +that), but to honor and glory! + +12. (6) Remember that God does not withhold his grace from thee in this +world. When the world frowns, God favors. When men withdraw their +kindness, then God confers his mercy. For this purpose the Psalmist prays: +"Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy; that they may +know that this is thy hand, and that thou, Lord, hast done it." Ps. +109:26, 27. That is to say: As the Lord removed at last his Son from the +cross, from all the labors of his soul, from all the insults of his +enemies, and crowned him with glory in heaven; so will he deal with thee +also, if thou continuest faithful in bearing the cross, and all the +injuries of a profane world. All shall see and shall know, that it is the +Lord's hand that hath done it. + +13. (7) It was God himself who suffered his beloved Son to be thus +contemned, reproached, and reviled, according to the words of the Psalm: +"Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face." +Ps. 69:7. Remember, therefore, that the same God, who gave a bitter cup to +his dear Son, hath also allotted thee thy trials, to humble thee, and to +know what is in thy heart. + +14. (8) Be sure that the Lord will change all the undeserved reproaches +thrown upon thee, into so many blessings, and in his own time pour shame +and confusion upon the scoffers. This is expressed in the following verse: +"Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but +let thy servant rejoice." Ps. 109:28. Nay, if the wicked curse ever so +much, yet "shall the curse causeless never come" (Prov. 26:2), as plainly +appears from Balaam's attempt, who could not "curse, whom God had not +cursed." Numb. 23:8. Whereas, whosoever feareth the Lord, it shall go well +with him at the last, and he shall find favor in the day of his death. The +same blessing is bestowed on Abraham, and on all those that walk in the +steps of his faith: "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that +curseth thee." Gen. 12:3. And in another place we have this encouragement: +"Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their +revilings." Isa. 51:7. And our Redeemer himself hath declared: "Blessed +are ye, when men shall revile you." Matt. 5:11. And his apostle says: "If +ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of +glory and of God resteth upon you." 1 Pet. 4:14. + +15. (9) The Lord goes on in the aforesaid Psalm: "I will greatly praise +the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude." Ps. +109:30. Christ now returns thanks to his heavenly Father for the very +crosses and reproaches that were allotted him. This is the temper of every +sincere Christian. He is thankful in the midst of afflictions and +reproaches, particularly when he looks on the hand of that kind Father who +entails all this upon him, but who also delivers him. And truly, the Lord +never inflicts a judgment on any soul, but he affords at the same time +sufficient reason for thanking and blessing him for that affliction. Thus +is gratitude the happy product of crosses and trials. And this +consideration is fit to sweeten the duty of resignation to the will of +God. He that for the love of Christ readily submits to the contempt of a +vain world, shall be honored by God again, both in this world and in the +world to come. There is a time, wherein the Lord "raiseth up the poor out +of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set +him with princes, even with the princes of his people." Ps. 113:7. Surely, +it argues an excellent spirit, when a man for Christ's sake bears the +insults of the wicked, and maintains an unshaken calmness of mind, in the +midst of all the calumnies of the world. This is "the ornament of a meek +and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price." 1 Pet. +3:4. + +16. (10) The Psalm concludes, "For he shall stand at the right hand of the +poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul." Ps. 109:31. Here is +comfort sufficient to make a Christian bear up against the hardships and +reproaches he is exposed to in his warfare. It is never said that the Lord +will stand at the right hand of the violent and great ones, of the +oppressors and persecutors; but he will stand at the right hand of the +poor, who being destitute of the arm or support of men, flee to the Lord +alone for help and refuge, as to the sole object of their faith and trust. +Those are "remembered, when he maketh inquisition for blood" (Ps. 9:12); +and those are the afflicted, or the humble, "whose cry the Lord doth not +forget." Tertullian tells us, "We are then absolved by God, when the world +condemns us." For though "the wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh +to slay him; yet will the Lord not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him +when he is judged." Ps. 37:32, 33. Thus will the Lord attend thee, O man! +with a wonderful deliverance, and afford thee reason enough to extol his +name among many, for his marvellous kindness. David himself "had fainted, +unless he had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the +living. Wait, therefore, on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall +strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." Ps. 27:13, 14. +"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both +will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest +the counsels of the heart: and then shall every man have praise of God." 1 +Cor. 4:5. + + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + Showing How Christians Are To Seek And Obtain Favor And Glory Through + Christ, In Heaven. + + + _Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise, etc._--PS. 109:1, etc + + +This is a prayer of the eternal Son of God. The purport or substance of +this prayer, may be more fully expressed in this manner: + +"My Heavenly Father! thou knowest that in this world I have not sought my +own glory, but the glory of thy holy name, and the salvation of all men: +and therefore am I so bitterly persecuted, blasphemed, contemned, and +vilified. Nevertheless, this is my comfort, that thou art my Father, and +that I am thy only begotten Son: lo! this is my glory, in heaven with +thee. And this my glory wilt thou in due time manifest and bring to light; +that by thy glorifying of me, the world may see who it is whom they have +blasphemed and persecuted." John 12:28. + +2. Hence we are to learn, that such have the greatest glory and praise in +heaven, who in this world are the most persecuted for righteousness' sake. +This we may gather from the example of our Lord himself. From him, the +true Book of Life, we may learn true wisdom. But that we may the better +understand that his example and holy life are our Book of Life, let us +carefully observe the following considerations: (1) Christ never sought +upon earth his own glory in anything, but accounted it sufficient for him, +that God alone was his glory. So let us, in like manner, reject the empty +glory and praises of this world, in whatever we do; endeavoring only that +God be glorified in us, saying, "Ah, Lord God! give us also such a heart, +even the heart of Christ thy Son, that we may have our glory in _Thee_ +alone, and not in _ourselves_; that we may have our glory in heaven, and +not upon earth." + +3. (2) It was the highest glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he was the +only begotten Son of God. And for this reason did the world persecute, +vilify, and blaspheme him. Here let our prayer be like this: "Grant us +also, Holy Father, that we may count it our greatest glory and joy, that +we are thy children; that so we may also obtain the eternal enjoyment of +thy love and promise, and may, by virtue of our adoption, come to possess +in thee an everlasting inheritance. Remind us, also, that if the world +hate, envy, reproach, and persecute us, it has done the same to thy dear +and holy child Jesus." + +4. (3) It is the glory of the Lord Jesus, that he wrought so many divine +works, that he went about continually doing the most wondrous acts of +grace and beneficence to mankind: and that he did this from pure love +only, and from the highest compassion for the miseries of fallen nature; +although he received nothing but hatred and most heinous ingratitude in +return. "Grant us, blessed God, grateful and faithful hearts, so that we +may be always ready to do good to as many as we possibly can; and that we +may never be deterred from acts of charity, by the unthankfulness of the +world, ascribing not to ourselves, but to thy name only, the glory of all +that we do." + +5. (4) It is the highest glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, that out of pure +love, he laid down his life for us; that he purchased us with his own +blood; that he was obedient to the Father, even unto death; that with the +greatest meekness he endured the vilest reproach; and with the utmost +patience, bore the pains of the cross. "O God, our glory, help us, that we +may also overcome our enemy with love; that we may subdue our flesh with +godly obedience; bear the reproach of the world with the meekness and long +suffering of Christ; obtain the victory through patience; and being thus +made strong in the Lord, be more than conquerors through him that loved +us!" + +6. (5) The highest glory of the blessed Jesus, is his exaltation to the +right hand of God, and the name given him, which is "above every name; +that, at the name of Jesus, every knee, both in heaven and in earth, +should bow, and all tongues confess him to be their Lord." Phil. 2:9-11. +"Help, O gracious God! that we may esteem it our highest glory to be made +conformable to our ever-blessed Head and Saviour; that so when he shall +hereafter appear in power and majesty, we also may appear with him in +glory, after we have here endured the contempt of the world, and continued +faithful to the end, when every man shall have praise of God." 1 Cor. 4:5; +2 Cor. 4:17. + +7. (6) The glory of Christ the Lord is, that he is the only Head of his +Church in general, and of every member thereof in particular; a glorious +King of his people; and an everlasting High priest, making intercession +for us. "Help us with thy grace, O God most gracious, that we may evermore +account it our greatest glory, that we are members of thy Son, and +subjects of his kingdom, and that we may enjoy all the privileges and +benefits purchased by his high-priestly intercession, sacrifice, and +benediction." + +8. (7) Another branch of the glory of Christ is, that God has most +wonderfully displayed and magnified his name throughout the whole world: +and has (in opposition to all his enemies, blasphemers, and persecutors, +who would not own him to be the Son of God), in the most public and solemn +manner attested his cause, declared him to be his Son by mighty signs and +wonders, and established faith in his name amongst many nations and +languages. Notwithstanding that God held his peace for a while, and vailed +the glory of his Son under the mystery of the cross; yet did it break +forth the more gloriously like the sun. For, "out of Zion, the perfection +of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep +silence." For though God, who is our glory, may seem now and then to be +silent, and to hold his peace when we are insulted and persecuted; yet is +there nothing more certain, than that after the short hour of probation, +he will no longer keep silence, but with a high hand deliver us from the +reproach which we suffered, and "remove his stroke away from us," that we +may rejoice in his salvation. Ps. 39:10. However, "it doth not yet appear +what we shall then be." 1 John 3:2. + +9. The conclusion of the whole is this: It is God alone who is to be _our +glory_; it is not the world, nor wealth, nor honor, nor greatness, nor the +arm of flesh, that I may call my glory; but God, and only God, is my +glory! Wherefore, "let not the wise man glory in his wisdom" (as it is +written), "neither let the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich +man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he +understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord." Jer. 9:23, 24; 1 Cor. +1:31. + + + + +Chapter XVII. + + + Showing How We May Through Christ, And After The Example Of All The + Saints, Overcome The Calumnies Of Men. + + + _Mine enemies reproach me all the day, and they that are mad + against me are sworn against me._--PS. 102:8. + + +Among the many crosses and troubles of a Christian, a false and slanderous +tongue is none of the least, as we may evidently see, from the example of +Christ himself, whom the Pharisees, with their envenomed tongues, both in +his life and at his death, did most maliciously sting. + +2. Herein the Lord left a pattern of patience to every Christian, who must +not think to escape, since the great Master himself was wounded by +malicious tongues. The more conformable any one is to Christ, and the more +zealously he follows Christ's steps, the more is he also insulted by false +and deceitful tongues. This plainly appears from the example of holy +David, who was tormented by slanderers, as he himself complains in the +following Psalms: 3, 4, 10, 12, 15, 31, 50, 52, 55, 58, 64, 69, 102, 120, +and 140. Indeed, there is no one of the prophets of old who did not have +these deadly arrows shot against him by murderous tongues; for "their +tongue is an arrow shot out: he speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his +mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait." Jer. 9:8. All honest hearts +ought, therefore, to beware of back-biters. As he that toucheth a man +infected with leprosy, or any infectious distemper, must expect to be so +infected; so he that gives ear to lying tongues, too often catches the +same distemper. + +3. Now, since a Christian is forbidden to retort evil for evil (Rom. +12:17; Matt 5:39), (this agreeing in no wise with the Christian faith); +there is no other counsel left, but that by a conscience void of offence, +he derives his comfort from those divine oracles with which the Lord has +furnished him for that purpose. + +4. (1) Let thy first comfort be the example of Christ and of all the +saints. It fares no worse with us in this respect, than with Christ our +Head, and with all that have ever been most dear to him. Nothing of this +kind has befallen us, which has not been before in all ages undergone by +his followers. And since the examples of others have generally a strong +influence on our lives, and readily suggest themselves to our remembrance +in time of trouble; we ought, therefore, to improve all those instances +into an encouragement to bear our treatment with patience, for the sake of +the joy that usually springs up from the reproach of the cross. Look then +upon the Prince of thy salvation, look upon the lives of all the saints of +old, those who have been the greatest lights in their generation. Consider +the example of Moses, who esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches +than the treasures in Egypt (Heb. 11:26), and who, by reason of the +continual contradictions he underwent, is said to have been a man meek, or +afflicted, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. Numb. +12:3. And what shall we say of David? He was truly, in his time, the very +mark, as it were, at which all the false tongues in the land shot their +murderous arrows. "Mine enemies," said he, "revile me all the day long: +and they that are mad against me, are sworn together against me." Ps. +102:8. They affronted him daily with the reproach of his misery, turning +him, as it were, into a proverb, and offering him the most heinous +indignity that can be offered to a man. What shall we say of Job? How was +he upbraided by his friends, and grieved with their tongues! And how fell +Daniel, that holy prophet, into an open sepulchre, yea, into a den of +lions! Yet how powerfully did the Lord rescue Moses, Job, and Daniel! All +these are gone before thee, and their examples, if duly considered, will +excite in thee a spirit of holy emulation, and draw thee into the same way +of the cross by which they entered into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22. +Behold, thy Lord Jesus goeth before thee, pursued with the curses and +revilings of the Pharisees! There goeth Moses before, and the faction of +Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, following behind, with execrations in their +mouths, and stones in their hands, to rid themselves of him! Numb. 16. +There is David in sore trials, and Shimei behind, cursing his king! 2 Sam. +16:5. And there are the apostles of our Lord, and an unbelieving multitude +behind, stopping their ears, and running madly upon them. + +5. (2) It is not enough, however, slightly and superficially to reflect on +the example of the saints; but we must learn also to be _followers_ of +them, when we are tried as they were, and in every tribulation copy after +their meekness and patience. How shall meekness appear, or how shall +patience be exercised, if thou be not contradicted; or if there be none to +deride, slander, or vilify thee? Thou must, therefore, patiently take up +thy cross with them, and meekly follow the Lord Christ in his steps. Thou +art called to _suffer_ with thy Saviour, and not to avenge thyself, not to +return evil for evil, not to revile again being reviled, not to threaten +being slandered, but quietly to commit thy cause "to him that judgeth +righteously." 1 Pet. 2:23. Evil tongues must give an account in the day of +judgment of every _idle_ word which they have spoken. Matt. 12:36. And +this will at the last day prove a burden heavy enough. Leave all, +therefore, to the Lord, to do as he pleaseth, who will not fail to do +right. Recompense and vengeance belong to him alone. Deut. 32:35. Fix +thine eye on the Lord Jesus: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet +he opened not his mouth: he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as +a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth." Isa. +53:7. + +6. (3) From the examples of the saints, we are, in the next place, to +learn a sovereign remedy, which they made use of against the venom of evil +tongues. This is _prayer_. They prayed, and so they were healed and +comforted. When they were bitterly cursed by their adversaries, they sent +up only their cry to God, saying: "Let them curse; but bless thou." Ps. +109:28; Luke 6:28. Consider the whole Book of Psalms throughout. How did +David defend himself with prayer, as with a wall of iron, against false +tongues! They are all foolish marksmen, who bend their bow against the +innocent; and draw the sword to slay such as are of a right conversation: +for their lies and slanders shall return at last upon their own heads, and +shall enter into their own bowels; as it is written: "Their sword shall +enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken." Ps. 37:15. +All this can be obtained by prayer. Whenever any one prays earnestly +against an evil speaker or a liar, it is as if he wrestled and fought with +him; even as David wrestled with Goliath (1 Sam. 17:48, 49), or as Moses +contended with the Egyptian sorcerers. Ex. 7:12. Here two spirits fight +with each other; that is, the prayer of faith proceeding from the Holy +Spirit, the Spirit of Truth; and the spirit of lies proceeding from the +devil, the father of lies. But all these devilish serpents of the +Egyptians shall eventually be subdued, and, as it were, swallowed up by +the divine rod of Moses; that is, by prayer. + +7. (4) Another remedy against the poison of a wicked tongue, is the +frequent _reading and meditating upon the Word of God_. This is an +excellent means of consolation and refreshment, whenever a soul is +insulted and pursued by enemies. An upright heart hunted by men of +falsehood and malice, is like a hart, whose thirst increases by being +hunted; and as this pants after the water brooks (Ps. 42:1), so must a +soul in affliction long after the cooling streams of the divine Word, and +thirst for the living waters of grace, thereby to be quickened and +refreshed. For by this word of grace the Lord revives a drooping soul, +speaking to her in a kind and gracious manner. "Blessed are ye," says our +Master, "when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all +manner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for +great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which +were before you." Matt. 5:11, 12. In this saying of our Lord, there is a +threefold ground of comfort. 1. Blessed are ye. 2. Rejoice. 3. Great is +your reward. Who would not be willing, for the sake of so great and +endless a good, to endure here reproach and persecution for a short +period? Yea, who would not even rejoice, since he is made by this means a +partaker of Christ's sufferings, in order, "that when the glory of Christ +shall be revealed," he may also partake with his Lord in that joy? "If ye +be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the Spirit of +glory and of God resteth upon you." 1 Pet. 4:13, 14. Remember also, that +"it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth;" that he "sit +alone and keep silence," when he hath anything laid upon him to bear; yea, +that he "put his mouth in the dust," and wait in hope; and that he "give +his cheek to him that smiteth him," when he is "filled full with reproach. +For the Lord will not cast off for ever." Lam. 3:27-31. + +8. (5) Thou art further to learn, that such calumny is a hellish storm, +which soon rises, and soon blows over. As a traveller is not disheartened +at any tempestuous weather he is liable to meet with upon the road, but +provides himself the more against it: so let the spiritual pilgrim never +be cast down by storms and tempests; but let him go on in hope, and +continue faithful to the end of his journey. This has been uniformly the +state of the true church. "O thou afflicted," says the prophet, "tossed +with tempest, and not comforted!" Isaiah 54:11. Is it a "strange" thing +that has happened unto thee? 1 Pet. 4:12. What is more common to a +traveller, than to be overtaken by foul and stormy weather? A persevering +diligence will, notwithstanding, bring him home at last. The world makes +every one a gazing-stock, that looks with concern upon the vain follies of +men, and drops a serious word in favor of virtue. What is to-day the fate +of one good Christian, may to-morrow be the fate of another, according as +the humor of the world works, which allows no one to pass uncensured that +is not in league with it. The best method a Christian can adopt in all +these storms, is to be quiet under them, and to keep his mind free from +anger and bitterness. He that considers every hard word to be a stain on +his character, which ought to be wiped off, will by so doing only render +things worse. Hence it remains, that the most effectual way to stop the +fury of slanderous tongues, is to yield to it for the present, and +patiently wait till time itself shall set things in a better light. He +that will dispute every thing at the sword's point, as it were, is like a +man that is stung by a bee, and being thereby put in a passion, runs +headlong upon the whole hive in order to be revenged, by turning it upside +down. Had he not better have borne it, than feel the smart which must +attend an attempt so rash? The fire of malicious tongues burns the more +fiercely when we seek to quench it by too hasty efforts. An evil tongue is +like that serpent called the Hydra, which, as some tell us, brought forth +seven other heads when, in order to destroy it, you cut off one. Thus a +wicked tongue is so far from being restrained by contradiction, that it +spreads the farther by it, and broaches seven lies instead of one. Whereas +he that is deaf to popular rumors, and is not easily alarmed at every +little noise, will not only better repel the darts of wicked tongues, but +enjoy also an unshaken tranquillity both of soul and body. This is a truly +noble method to overcome the worst of our enemies. He that rejects this +heroic meekness of soul, sets himself entirely out of God's protection, +and whilst he eagerly endeavors to save his name and reputation, must be +the more harassed by the perpetual alarms of malignant tongues. + +9. (6) Besides this, there are some other particular reasons, why the Lord +permits his children to be persecuted by virulent tongues. When David in +his sore troubles was cursed by Shimei, he said no more than, "Let him +curse; for the Lord hath bidden him." 2 Sam. 16:11. And what other reason +can be assigned for this, but that the Lord hereby seeks to preserve his +children from exalting themselves above measure, on account of such +eminent gifts as have been conferred upon them; and that they may at the +same time improve themselves in the practice of mutual love, mildness, and +humility? What is said by David of Shimei, namely, that he was bidden to +curse his king, is expressed by Job in more general terms: "He poureth +contempt upon princes." Job 12:21. Now, who is able to fathom all the +mysterious depths of divine judgments? The carnal mind by no means likes +to be reviled, insulted, or undervalued. Pride and self-love so naturally +adhere to us, that they taint all our works and actions. Every one loves +to be extolled, and to be made much of, to be esteemed and admired. Alas! +it is this natural self-love, which having once led man astray, now +propagates nothing but error and folly in the world. It was this self-love +that ruined both Lucifer and Adam, and stripped them of the divine love +and life with which they were once adorned. In order that we may obtain +the victory over this spirit of self-love, and with a view to facilitate +this conquest, the Lord thinks, as it were, with himself: "I will permit a +lying tongue to assail thee, as I formerly permitted Satan to harass my +servants Job and Paul, for their greater humiliation. This slandering +tongue shall be thy devil, thy scourge, thy plague, to buffet thee (2 Cor. +12:7), and help to beat down that proud heart, that haughty look, that +aspiring temper, which, without this curb, would at last carry all before +it." Thus the Lord leaves nothing untried to accustom the soul to that +excellent spirit of humility, and to restrain the spirit of self-love, by +which men become allies to Lucifer, who, endeavoring to have a will of his +own, opposite to that of his Maker, entirely lost his principality, and +that original state in which he was at first created. Jude, ver. 6. + +10. (7) Therefore as the Lord is faithful on his side, so he seeks to +convert the venom of impious tongues thrown upon his children, into a +precious medicine, by which to heal that self-love which is fostered +within, and which engenders abundance of other spiritual diseases in the +mind. When the world meditates evil against them, then God brings good out +of the evil. As out of a certain poisonous serpent an antidote is prepared +against poison itself, so God overrules the worst of counsels, and makes +them turn to the greatest good to his children. Thus "all things work +together for good to them that love God." Rom. 8:28. They are taught +thereby to practise one of the noblest of the works of charity, which is, +to "bless their enemies, and to pray for them who despitefully use them." +Matt. 5:44. He that has thus far gained the conquest over corrupt nature, +so as to pray heartily for his enemies, is almost arrived at the sublimest +degree of true evangelical charity, which alone is able to soften our +stubborn hearts into the mild and compassionate heart of Christ, who has +also set us a blessed pattern to follow: "Father!" said he, "forgive them; +for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34. For wherever true love is +rooted in a soul, it will most certainly produce a tender commiseration +towards enemies; who, as the Christian knows, whilst they hate men, render +themselves entirely unfit for any communion with God and Christ, and give +up their hearts to the devil, that great hater of souls. And this should +influence every Christian to commiserate such evil men, who are not of +God, but of their father the devil; and lest they should forever sink into +the jaws of Satan, the Lord commands his people to pray for them, with +this motive annexed to the command: "That ye may be the children of your +Father who is in heaven." Matt. 5:45. What has been said of the overruling +power of God, whereby he converts the venom of lying tongues into a +healing medicine, will more fully appear from the following instances. +Joseph would never have been exalted to the dignity of ruler over the land +of Egypt, had he not fallen under the malicious lashes of a wanton tongue, +and thereby been condemned to prison. Gen. 39:17; 41:40. Had Moses not +been persecuted by the violent accusations of his enemies, and obliged to +flee from the face of Pharaoh (Exod. 2:15), he had never seen the Lord in +the bush, after having led Jethro's flock to Horeb. Exod. 3:2. The +spiteful tongue of Doeg the Edomite, and of other enemies of David (1 Sam. +22:9; Ps. 52), drew many a noble Psalm from the latter. Thus Doeg's +poisonous tongue was David's medicine. The same overruling wisdom of God +appeared for Daniel, when, by the virulence of his accusers, he was cast +into the den of lions, but was most triumphantly exalted again by divine +Providence, for many good and noble ends; his enemies themselves being +made to lay the foundation of his greatness. Dan. 6. Mordecai had the same +experience. His ruin was devised by the murderous tongue of Haman (Esther +3:6); but the Lord returned his wickedness upon his own head, and his +bloody machinations only hastened the destruction of their contriver. +Esther 7:10. Therefore, "commit thy way unto the Lord: trust also in him, +and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness +as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." Ps. 37:5, 6. Only endeavor +to be in constant union with the Lord thy God, and to love him with all +thy heart, and then he will direct thy steps. For "when a man's ways +please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." +Prov. 16:7. If the world be permitted to stain thy reputation here, and to +detract from thy honor, what matters it, provided the Lord dignify thee +with a crown of glory hereafter? It is he that will deliver and honor thee +at last (Ps. 91:15); and it is he that will give thee both grace here, and +glory hereafter. Ps. 84:11. + +11. (8) Another comfort in trials of this nature, may be drawn from the +control which the Lord exercises over the hearts of all men. It is he that +"looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth, from the place of his +habitation." He "fashioneth their hearts; he considereth all their works" +(Ps. 33:14, 15); and he "will not deliver thee unto the will of thine +enemies." Ps. 41:2. A man is often transported with rage and malice to +such a degree, that he would bear down all that comes in his way; but a +little while after, you will find that the man is altogether cooled; his +heat is allayed, and he is reduced to such a moderation of temper, as if +he were become quite another man. Nay, how often do we see that a bad man, +designing nothing but spite and malice, is stopped in the midst of his +passionate pursuit, and, as it were, obliged not only to drop his wicked +design, but also to bestow tokens of favor upon the person whom he was +about to affront. This is an operation peculiar to the wisdom of God, who, +by his secret power, often renders abortive the most malicious projects +conceived against his children. Thus the Lord came to Laban, when incensed +against Jacob, and commanded him to "speak not to him; either good or +bad." Gen. 31:24. And Esau, who bore his brother no good will, when he +came within sight of him, must needs run and meet him, embrace him, fall +on his neck, kiss him, and receive him with the most endearing expressions +of love and kindness. Gen. 33:4. + +12. (9) Lastly, it is the nature of a malignant tongue, to swell high +suddenly, and by rage and fury to gain universal applause and admiration; +but its downfall is as sudden as its rise. Calumny is like a fire, the +flame of which mounts up to the very sky; but the want of fuel will soon +make it go down again. The reason is, because God, who is the everlasting +Truth, hates a spirit of lies, and cannot endure it. And this is also the +reason, why those that have raised their greatness on no other foundation +than lying and self-conceit, may indeed dazzle the eyes of others for a +season; but when they flatter themselves as fixed in an unshaken +condition, then generally their ruin is ready at hand, and the Lord's +judgment destroys all. Then "the lying lips are put to silence, which +spoke grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous" +(Ps. 31:18); a text which plainly shows, that pride and disdain of others, +are wont to accompany a slandering and lying tongue. But "woe unto thee +that dealest treacherously; when thou shalt make an end to deal +treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee." Isa. 33:1. "For +the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest +the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity." Ps. 125:3. Though a +treacherous man may go on in quest of more honor and greatness; yet shall +"evil hunt the violent man at last, and overthrow him." Ps. 140:11. + +_Sundry consolatory passages, selected from the Psalms, for those who are +assailed by the reproaches of enemies._ + +13. Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine +head. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine +enemies upon the cheek-bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. +Ps. 3:3, 7.--O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? +how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing (lying)? But know +that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself; the Lord will +hear when I call unto him. Ps. 4:2, 3. + +14. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the +bloody and deceitful man.--There is no faithfulness in their mouth; their +inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they +flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by +their own counsels.--But let all those that put their trust in thee +rejoice: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, +Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a +shield. Ps. 5:6, 9, 10, 11, 12. + +15. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be +ashamed suddenly. Ps. 6:10. + +16. O Lord, my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that +persecute me, and deliver me: lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it +in pieces, while there is none to deliver.--Behold, he travaileth with +iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He +made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His +mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall +come down upon his own pate. Ps. 7:1, 2, 14, 15, 16. + +17. Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me under the shadow of thy +wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who +compass me about. Ps. 17:8, 9. + +18. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be +saved from mine enemies.--In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried +unto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before +him, even unto his ears. Ps. 18:3, 6. + +19. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is +the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even +mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled +and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: +though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.--For in the +time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his +tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.--Teach me thy +way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.--For +false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. +I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in +the land of the living. Wait on the Lord. Ps. 27:1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 13, +14. + +20. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are +in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that +persecute me.--Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous +things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.--Oh how great is +thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou +hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou +shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou +shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Ps. +31:14, 15, 18, 19, 20. + +21. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord +chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the +Lord persecute them. Ps. 35:5, 6. + +22. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious +against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the +grass, and wither as the green herb.--The wicked plotteth against the just, +and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he +seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and +have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as +be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, +and their bows shall be broken.--The wicked watcheth the righteous, and +seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn +him when he is judged.--I have seen the wicked in great power, and +spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he +was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Ps. 37:1, 2, 12, +13, 14, 15, 32, 33, 35, 36. + +23. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth +not his mouth. Then I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth +are no reproofs.--For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually +before me. Ps. 38:13, 14, 17. + +24. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my +sorrow was stirred.--I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst +it.--For I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers +were. Ps. 39:2, 9, 12. + +25. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall +never suffer the righteous to be moved. But thou, O God, shalt bring them +down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live +out half their days; but I will trust in thee. Ps. 55:22, 23. + +26. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; for my soul trusteth +in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until +these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that +performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from +the reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth his +mercy and his truth. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them +that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and +arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the +heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net +for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, +into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. My heart is fixed, O +God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; +awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O +Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy +mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou +exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. +Ps. 57:1-11. + +27. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy; who whet their tongue like a +sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words; that +they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, +and fear not.--But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall +they be wounded. So shall they make their own tongue to fall upon +themselves: all that see them shall flee away. Ps. 64:1, 3, 4, 7, 8. + +28. Mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take +counsel together, saying, God hath forsaken him; persecute and take him; +for there is none to deliver him.--I will go in the strength of the Lord +God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, +thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy +wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me +not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power +to every one that is to come.--Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore +troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the +depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on +every side. Ps. 71:10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21. + +29. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. +My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not +suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. +Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord +is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall +not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee +from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy +going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. +Ps. 121:1-8. + +30. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent +man; which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered +together for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: +adders' poison is under their lips. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the +wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow +my goings. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread +a net by the way side; they have set nets for me. I said unto the Lord, +Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God, the +Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day +of battle. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his +wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. As for the head of those that +compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Let +burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep +pits, that they rise not up again. Let not an evil speaker be established +in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. I know +that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of +the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the +upright shall dwell in thy presence. Ps. 140:1-13. + +31. I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I +make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed +before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou +knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a +snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man +that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried +unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land +of the living. Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me +from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of +prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about: +for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. Ps. 142:1-7. + + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + +Showing How The Sorrows And Pains Of Christ Should Teach Us To Subdue The + Lusts Of The Flesh. + + + _My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death._--MATT. 26:38. + + +The third branch of the cross of Christ consists in the unspeakable sorrow +and sufferings which began at his very birth. For as his most holy human +soul was filled with the light of divine knowledge and wisdom, by virtue +of the personal union of his two natures, he saw all that he should +experience in the future, as if it were already present; and thus his soul +was, from the beginning, filled with the deepest sorrow, and suffered +inward pain. He foresaw his future inconceivable and inexpressible agony +of soul, and his unspeakable bodily pains. For the more delicate, pure, +and innocent, the human nature in Christ was, the greater were the pain +and anguish that affected him. Of this those sorrows and spiritual +torments, that are wont to work upon the inmost soul, are a sufficient +proof. For inasmuch as the constitution of the soul, by reason of its +immortality, exceeds that of the body in worth and delicacy; so also her +pains exceed those of the body in depth and acuteness. For this reason the +Lord never rejoiced upon his own account, and with reference only to +himself; but it was when he saw that his Heavenly Father was known and +worshipped, and his divine works manifested unto the world. Hence "he +rejoiced in spirit" at the return of the seventy disciples. Luke 10:21. + +2. Since all those things, which he was to suffer, from his own people and +countrymen, were known to him, he could not but be highly afflicted and in +constant sorrow; and this was also still more the case, the more nearly he +approached the time appointed for his passion. This he himself testifies, +saying, "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened +till it be accomplished!" Luke 12:50. And the time of this baptism being +come, he says, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (Matt. +26:38): intimating thereby the excessive and unutterable grief and anguish +of spirit, that forced from him that sweat, which "was as it were great +drops of blood." Luke 22:44. And what pains he suffered besides, in his +tender and sensible body, no tongue can sufficiently declare. _First_, +because sin is an infinite and inexpressible evil. For, its full +punishment and atonement could not but cause torment so exquisite, that to +a mere man it had been altogether insupportable. + +3. The _second_ reason of this exquisite grief was, because he bore the +sins of the world: not merely those sins which from the beginning of the +world had been committed, but those also which men should become guilty of +through all ages, down to the very end of the world. And, therefore, such +as are the number and malignity of _all_ sins, of _all_ men, through _all_ +generations; such also were the pain and sorrow endured by the Lord. For +which cause he prayed in Gethsemane, "O my Father, if it be possible, let +this cup pass from me." Matt. 26:39. + +4. _Thirdly_, the sufferings of Christ were heightened by that perfect +love which he bore to his heavenly Father. The greater our love is, the +greater is also the grief occasioned by what interferes with it: as on the +contrary, the less it is, the less are we troubled by that which thwarts +it. Since, therefore, Christ loved his heavenly Father with most exalted +and consummate love, his affliction must needs have been the more +grievous, on account of the heinousness of sin, with which fallen men so +shamefully insulted so beloved a Father. Hence the sins of the whole +world, with the pains he endured for them, did not so much affect him, as +the sorrow he felt on account of the indignity offered to a God, who, in +his very nature, is love itself. And it was upon account of this love of +the Father (which deserved all the returns of love the creature was able +to make), that Christ sustained most exquisite pains, and a most +ignominious death; in order that by a satisfaction proportionable to the +offence, he might regain for wretched mortals that love and favor of God +which they had forfeited by their offences. + +5. In the _fourth_ place, the suffering of Christ was endured on account +of his perfect love to mankind. For as he died for all, and bore the sins +of all, so also was he exceedingly desirous to see the object of his death +accomplished, which is the salvation of all men. Hence the unbelief and +impenitence of men, which hindered this love from taking effect upon +sinners, caused him most grievous and bitter torments: but especially was +he pained that they threw away their souls when he desired to save them. +Not to mention the cruel hatred and envy, wrath and blasphemy, by which +some were hurried on, even to trample on that blood which was designed to +redeem them. He himself says, "Reproach hath broken my heart" (Ps. 69:20); +lamenting not so much his own, as the condition of them who reproached him +in so heinous a manner. + +6. _Fifthly_: another circumstance which pierced the very heart of our +Lord, was his being forsaken of God, notwithstanding he was the Son of God +himself. For though it is true that God could not forsake him, who himself +was God, and did not cease to be God even when he hung on the cross, when +he expired, and when he was buried; yet does he complain of being forsaken +by him. Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46. But this lamentable complaint the Lord +poured out, in order to show that God withdrew from him, as a man, the +support of his comfort, hiding himself for a while in this dark hour. He +manifests also, by this exclamation, the extreme misery in which he then +was. + +7. The _sixth_ aggravation of the anguish of Christ, was on account of his +Person, for he was very God. Whence it is plain, that all the reproaches +and blasphemies uttered against him were an infinite evil, as being +directed against the entire Person of Christ, who was true God and man; +and so he endured, both as God and man, the revilings of his enemies in +his whole Person. All this left a most exquisite impression of sorrow upon +his soul. + +8. And, in the _seventh_ place, who is able sufficiently to explain what +pains the Lord suffered in his most innocent, most holy, most tender, and +delicate _body_? Or who can doubt that a body most innocent, most +delicate, most noble, most pure, conceived by the Holy Ghost, personally +united with the divine nature, filled with the Spirit of God, and with all +the fulness of the Godhead; I say, who can doubt that such a body should +not feel most grievous and bitter pains, when smitten, scourged, wounded, +pierced, crucified, and put to death? No words are sufficiently expressive +to set forth the pain and acuteness thereof. What is all our affliction, +if compared with this suffering of the Lord? We, as sinners, have justly +deserved eternal death and damnation; and yet even the smallest cross is +too heavy a burden for tender Christians, who do what they can to shake it +off, though it is designed as wholesome medicine, to procure the health of +the soul. Surely, he who is a sincere lover of Christ, can wish no other +condition, of life, but such as comes up nearest to the original of the +blessed life of Christ. 1 Peter 2:21. This conformity of our lives to the +life of Christ we ought to account our greatest gain and dignity in this +world. Let the true lover of Christ rejoice in this, that he has been +thought worthy to suffer with Christ, his Head and Saviour. + +9. Since, then, affliction is to be the companion of a Christian in his +way to heaven, or, to use the apostle's phrase, since he must, "through +much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22); what cause +can we assign why we should not willingly walk in the same path? For we +know that the Son of God himself travelled this way before us, and by his +holy example sanctified it, not having "entered into his glory but by +sufferings." Luke 24:26. And since, notwithstanding all the insults of the +enemy, he entered into glory at last; we may also assure ourselves, that +our affliction, which is but for a moment, shall be followed in the end by +an everlasting weight of glory and happiness. 2 Cor. 4:17. + +10. In fine, as the Lord did not spare himself, but devoted himself +entirely to the service of others, undergoing all from no other impulse +than fervent love and charity; so this love, of our Redeemer should awaken +love in our souls, and never should we grow faint and weary under any +affliction whatever. + + + + +Chapter XIX. + + + Showing How We Should Behold In The Crucified Christ, As In The Book Of + Life, Both Our Sins, And Also The Displeasure, The Love, Justice, And + Wisdom Of God. + + + _And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book + written within and on the back side._--REV. 5:1. + + +Christ crucified is set before our eyes as a Book of Life, whence we may +learn the sacred wisdom of God, which is in him eminently displayed. For +the whole Scripture, the Law and all the prophets, are completely +fulfilled in him by his most perfect obedience, wherein he was faithful +even unto death, and suffered the most cruel torments for the sins of the +world. And this perfect internal and external obedience and suffering, is +that Book of Life written within and without. Rev. 5:1. + +2. In the first place, the Crucified Jesus presents us with a deplorable +sight of our sins, both as to their number and heinousness. By the +lamentable complaint into which he burst forth, he manifested that inward +anguish of soul, which he suffered for the hidden and secret sins of our +hearts. In his wounded and mangled body, bleeding on the cross, he leads +us to behold and read, as in a book, the malignity of those sins which we +have committed by all our members, in having yielded them up to the +government of lust. + +3. Besides this, the devout soul may behold in Christ Crucified, the +justice of God in judging sinners. There was no other means by which to +remove both our sin and the punishment attending it, than this high +atonement made by the Lord himself. And hence we may learn that God is so +far from letting any sin go unpunished, that he will rather deliver up his +most beloved Son unto death than connive at the transgression of a sinner. +Rom. 4:25. + +4. Hence the soul may, further, contemplate the infinite love and +condescending mercy of the Heavenly Father, most wonderfully displayed in +our Crucified Saviour. Rather than that we should forever perish in our +wretched state, and be subject to eternal death and damnation, he would +have his own Son make satisfaction for us; which we ourselves, yea, and +all the other creatures besides, had never been able to perform. + +5. The contemplation of Christ Crucified will, in the next place, lead us +to a sight of the most gracious will, providence and fatherly care of God, +as it respects the recovery of lost mankind. No opposition was so great, +no difficulty so stubborn and obstinate, which he did not conquer by his +beloved Son, the author of our salvation. That we might inherit +everlasting joy, he left nothing untried, nor did he spare even his own +Son. + +6. In the same Book of Life (the _Crucified Jesus_), appears also the +infinite wisdom of God, namely, in finding out a means of salvation, such +as could never have entered into the thoughts of any creature whatever, +and which, at the same time, revealed both the justice and the mercy of +God. For the work of our salvation was so wisely ordered, that by +manifesting the infinite mercy of God, his justice was not at all +infringed; as, on the other hand, Christ by his death has so atoned for +sin, that in satisfying the claims of strict justice, his infinite mercy +is rendered more bright and conspicuous. And as by eating of the forbidden +tree, the first Adam (Gen. 3:1), brought us under the curse; so God in his +marvellous wisdom has, by the tree of the cross, taken away the curse, and +restored his blessing. 1 Peter 2:24. Yea, by the unsearchable counsel of +the divine wisdom, it is so brought about, that through the death of +Christ, all things detained under the power of death are restored to life, +death itself being destroyed at last. 1 Cor. 15:26. By his pains and +torments is purchased for us eternal pleasure in heaven; by his griefs and +sorrows are gained joys celestial without end. And by this wonderful work +of God, though foolish in the eye of the world, he hath confounded the +wisdom of the wise; and by the foolishness of God (1 Cor. 1:25), he has +manifested a wisdom altogether unfathomable to men. + +7. In Christ Crucified farther appears the brightest and fairest pattern +of patience and meekness that was ever seen. So far was he from revenging +the injuries done him, that he made intercession to his Father for his +revilers, yea, even laid down his life for the sins of those who put him +to death. + +8. The believer discovers, moreover, in Christ the most astonishing +humility, wherein he was so eminent, that he readily underwent the most +ignominious death of the cross. Thus are the death and passion of Christ +become to a faithful soul, redemption from hell, an avenue into paradise, +a complete reconciliation with God, a victory over the devil, that great +enemy of souls; a full satisfaction for sins, and in one word, an entire +recovery of that original righteousness which had been lost. + +9. By all this, it sufficiently appears to a Christian soul, that Christ +Crucified is indeed a Book of Life, teaching nothing but the eternal and +infallible truths of God. Let us then silently sit down at the feet of our +Crucified Lord, who, as the great Teacher of souls, and Book of Life, will +not neglect to instil into an humble heart, the lesson of a living faith, +and of a holy life consequent on it; provided we desire to be not dead, +but living members of his body, and to be so controlled and influenced +both by his life and his death, as to produce abundant living fruits. + + + + +Chapter XX. + + + Of The Power And Necessity Of Prayer, In These Holy Contemplations. + + + _I will seek him whom my soul loveth._--SONG OF SOL. 3:2. + + +Since the living knowledge of God and of Christ crucified, is not to be +attained, unless we keep our eye constantly fixed upon the innocent and +holy life of Jesus Christ our Lord; and since we cannot arrive at this +elevation of mind, but by devout, humble, believing and earnest prayer; it +is, therefore, highly necessary to make some further inquiry into the +nature of prayer. It consists not so much in an utterance of words, as in +a meditation or intercourse of the believing heart with God, and in a +lifting up of the soul, and of all her faculties and powers, to our +Heavenly Father. Ps. 19:14; 25:1. As it is impossible to find God without +prayer, so prayer is a means for seeking and finding him. Matt. 7:7, 8. + +2. And as it falls under a threefold denomination, it being either _oral_, +_internal_, or _supernatural_ (according to St. Paul: "I will pray with +the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also;" 1 Cor. 14:15); +so we shall now consider each of these in order. + +3. _Oral prayer_ is an humble address to God, and an external exercise, +which conducts the soul to the internal duty of prayer, and leads man into +the interior recesses of his own heart; especially if the words uttered be +digested in faith, and if, by attentive application, they be well pondered +and considered. This often proves a means of elevating the spirit and soul +so near unto God, as to enjoy with faith a truly filial intercourse with +Him, our heavenly Father. + +4. _Internal_ prayer is offered up without intermission, in faith, spirit, +and mind, according to the words of our Saviour: "The true worshippers +shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4: 23); also those +of David: "Let the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O +Lord." Ps. 19:14. And again: "I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit +made diligent search." Ps. 77:6. Hereby, says St. Paul (speaking of the +Spirit of adoption), we cry, Abba, Father. Rom. 8:15. By this internal +prayer, we are led on gradually to that which is _supernatural_; which, +according to Tauler, "consists in a true union with God by faith; when our +created spirit dissolves, as it were, and sinks away in the uncreated +Spirit of God. It is then that all is transacted in a moment, which in +words or deeds has been done by all the saints from the beginning of the +world." For this reason this supernatural prayer is unspeakably more +excellent than that which is chiefly external; for therein the soul is by +true faith so replenished with the divine love, that it can think of +nothing else but of God only. Or if another thought should enter +inadvertently into the heart, it proves but an occasion of trouble and +sorrow; and the soul cannot be at ease till the intruding thought has +again vanished. A soul that has once arrived at this happy state gives but +little or no employment to the tongue: it is silent before the Lord: it +panteth and thirsteth after God (Ps. 42:1, 2): it longeth, yea, even +fainteth for him (Ps. 63:1; 84:2). It loves him only; it rests in him +alone, not at all minding the world, nor worldly affairs. Whence it is +still more and more filled with an experimental knowledge of God, and with +such love and joy as no tongue is able to utter. Whatever the soul then +perceives, is beyond all possibility of being expressed in words. If one +should ask a soul under these contemplations: _What dost thou perceive?_ +the answer would be: A good that is above all good. _What seest thou?_ A +perfection of beauty, transcending all other beauty. _What feelest thou?_ +A joy surpassing all joys. _What dost thou taste?_ The inexpressible +delight of love. Nay, such a one would tell you that all the words that +possibly could be framed, were but a shadow, and came infinitely short of +the inward delight which was experienced. This is the voice of the eternal +Word; this His speech to a loving soul; according to that saying of the +Lord: "He that loveth me--I will manifest myself unto him." John 14:21. +Whatever is felt here, whatever is seen here, is above nature. Here voices +are heard, and words perceived that are termed words of the understanding +and the mind. + +5. This is the school in which the soul learns to know God aright, and, as +it were, to taste him. Ps. 34:8. Whilst she knows him, she loves him: and +whilst she loves him, she longs for the full enjoyment of him. This is the +true sign of love, to desire wholly to possess the beloved object, to be +intimately united with, and altogether transformed into it. + +6. This the soul now and then perceives in a glance, which lasts but for a +moment, and then vanishes again; but it puts the soul upon fervent +desires, to recover, if possible, that beam of heavenly joy which darted +upon her, and to regain this divine taste, which so lovingly moved her. +And she desires all this, in order to be more intimately united to her +beloved. From this affectionate desire spring up both internal and oral +prayer; the soul being fully convinced that these heavenly pleasures and +visitations are to be attained only by prayer. And in all this, the +wonderful wisdom of God appears, by which everything is managed in the +most perfect order. + +7. Thus none is permitted to attain unto mental prayer, but he who begins +with that which is oral; and none can have an access to the _supernatural_ +prayer, or to a union with the highest and most delightful Good, but by +_mental_ prayer. But this highest can only be known by an experimental +perception, not expressible by words. + +8. And this is the cause why God so strictly, so frequently, and so +earnestly enjoins prayer (Ps. 50:14); because it is a sacred pledge and +bond, by which God draws us up to himself; and by elevating us into his +immediate presence, detains us there a while, and unites us with himself, +who is the source of all that is good. And thus we are always reminded of +him; without this gracious order, we would think less frequently on him, +and would not share in the gifts of his mercy. + +9. If, therefore, thou desirest that thy prayer be acceptable to God, see +that thou perform it not with a divided, but with a whole and entire +heart. But this is not to be attained, except by frequent exercise and +continual and unwearied application. Without this, thou canst not reap the +fruits of prayer. On the contrary, as often as thou givest attendance to +any external work, take care that thou set not thy heart wholly upon it. +If thou eatest and drinkest, or attendest to any other outward affair +incident to this life, see that thou bestow not thyself, that is, thy +whole heart, upon it. For thy heart is to rest entirely in God alone, and +closely to adhere to him by internal prayer. The more thou offerest up +thyself to God by this prayer, the more will the divine light display +itself in thy mind. And again, the more the knowledge of God is enlarged, +the more delightful will be thy sense and perception of the highest good; +the more ardent also and affectionate will be thy love to the Lord; and in +fine, the more capable wilt thou be of enjoying him. The soul thus +disposed will in a supernatural manner taste of a happiness so high and +transcendent as infinitely to exceed all the language and expressions of +men. + +10. Of this threefold prayer, Jesus Christ himself has furnished us with a +bright and perfect pattern, whence we may learn the nature and method of +it, if we but attentively consider his manner of praying. We find that he +often continued whole days and nights in prayer to God. Luke 6:12. He +prayed with a fervency that made him triumph in prayer, and rejoice in +spirit. Luke 10:21. He has, therefore, both by example and words, taught +us the method of praying; and leaving us a pattern to follow, has +commanded us to watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation. Matt. +6:9. He also most frequently recommends to us the duty of prayer (Matt. +26:41); thereby testifying that nothing was more pleasing, nothing more +acceptable to him than our prayer; he having enjoined it for no other +reason than to show us how entirely he loved us, and how desirous he was +that by prayer we should partake of the highest and most precious good. + +11. Lest, however, we should allege that so noble an effect as that which +results from a due performance of prayer was not attainable by us, the +Lord did not think it enough to say: "Ask," but he has encouraged us also +with a promise annexed: "And ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." +John 16:24. He moreover excites us to pray by his own example, for amid +his sufferings he prayed for us, as the Evangelist records: "For being in +an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great +drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:44. + +12. Set, therefore, this mirror of prayer before thine eyes, and study to +persevere therein. Whenever thou feelest thyself faint and weak in prayer, +then seriously advert to thy Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed not for +himself, or upon his own account, but for thee and upon thy account, and +thus sanctified thy prayer and blessed it, and added life and efficacy to +it. Him, therefore, behold, who, though he was true God, and consequently +in actual possession of all things, yet as man, obtained for thee of his +Heavenly Father, all things by prayer. And hence as his whole life was a +continual and uninterrupted prayer, and a perpetual longing to do the will +of God: so he finished it with praying upon the cross. Luke 23:46. + +13. If then thy Lord and Saviour prayed so fervently upon thy account, and +was heard; surely he will not suffer thy prayers to be poured forth in +vain. Did he procure all things for thee by prayer? And thinkest thou that +thou canst obtain the least blessing without it? Thou knowest that without +divine grace, light, and knowledge, and, in fine, without faith, not one +can be saved; but it is no less plain that these and all other graces can +be obtained by prayer alone. It is the Lord whom thou must entreat by +fervent prayer, so as to obtain from him faith, love, hope, humility, +patience, the Holy Spirit, together with the whole train of Christian +virtues, which he is both able and willing to give, as well as to +strengthen in thy soul. It is He alone that createth them in the heart. +But as he that hath them not, cannot give them, so the Lord, whose gift +they are, will not give them without being asked. + +14. If then thou art truly desirous of pouring out thy soul before the +Lord in fervency of spirit, there is not a more ready and effectual means +of doing this than with the eyes of thy mind to behold the mirror of the +most meek and humble life of Christ: to keep thy eyes attentively fixed +upon the poverty, the reproach and contempt, the griefs and sorrows, and +the most ignominious death of thy blessed Redeemer. Into this Book of +Prayer, if thou diligently look, thy heart and mind will become inflamed +with most affectionate and ardent desires. And though the devil and the +flesh will not cease to assault thee with temptations on all hands, yet, +by means of prayer, they shall be subdued at last. + +15. Nor is the duty of prayer only stirred up and revived by the +contemplation of Christ crucified, but the heart is also cleansed thereby. +Without this purification of the heart by faith (Acts 15:9), our prayers +will prove altogether ineffectual in the sight of God: whereas, after a +sincere application to the Lord by prayer, the Spirit of God is wont to +visit the heart with his gracious presence, as he descended upon the +apostles, even then, when they were with one accord praying at Pentecost. +Acts 2:1. + +16. With reference to the temptations that are wont to attend the duty of +prayer, thou must behave thyself under them as the Lord himself did. In +the midst of the agony which he suffered on the mount of Olives, "he +prayed the more earnestly." Luke 22:44. Thus thy prayer shall prove at +last the victory over all thy enemies. By prayer the Lord manifests +himself unto his people. By prayer we learn to practise true humility; for +by prayer the highest is united to the lowest; the most High God to the +most humble heart. And this humility is the very channel through which +abundance of divine grace is infused into the soul. The more this grace +humbles man, the more grace itself gets rooted in the soul. And again, the +more a soul is enriched with grace, the more she improves in humility. + +17. The most considerable temptation and obstruction in prayer seems to be +when God withdraws the grace of a fervent and lively devotion. And yet it +is in this case that we ought the more to stir ourselves up to prayer and +supplication. It is true, a prayer poured forth in a spirit of power and +fervency must needs be acceptable to God; yet that which climbs up to the +throne of grace in affliction, temptation, spiritual dryness, and +brokenness of soul, is still more pleasing in his sight. For as the heart +of a father is sooner softened into paternal tenderness, by the trembling +words of a sick and languishing child, than by the strong voice of one in +perfect health; so is the secret affliction, and feeble effort of a soul +affected with a sense of her weakness in faith, of her poverty in spirit, +and of her want of spiritual life and comfort, far more acceptable to our +infinitely good God than the more vigorous petition of a soul elevated by +a sense of faith and divine consolation. Only hold out patiently in these +spiritual straits, and be assured that the Lord, in his own time, will +certainly "restore unto thee the joy of his salvation." Ps. 51:12. + + + + +Chapter XXI. + + + Of The Power Of The Noble Virtue Of Humility. + + + _Be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth + grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty + hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time._--1 PET. 5:5, 6. + + +Without true humility all prayer is in vain. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the +Book from which this noble virtue is best learned; as he is, indeed, a +perfect mirror to us of all the virtues and graces. Look on his life, and +thou wilt find it made up of nothing but love and humility. Look on his +doctrine, and thou wilt discern it to be absolute wisdom and truth; a +doctrine consisting not in words, but in a living power; and in very deed +itself. + +2. Now, in order that we might perfectly learn how to practise this virtue +of humility, he taught it not only by words, but also by deeds and by his +holy example, forasmuch as he humbled himself unto death, even the death +of the cross. Phil. 2:8. Behold, then, O Christian, how this gracious +virtue has its foundation, and its highest and most excellent ground, not +in any angel, not in any apostle or eminent saint, but in Jesus Christ +himself. And therefore he saith: "Learn of me" (Matt. 11:29), which is as +if he had said: "Look ye upon me how I abase myself under all, who yet am +above all. Behold, as much higher as my majesty is, so much lower is my +humility: and so much dearer should this virtue be to you, as I your Lord +and your God have described and delineated it in my whole life." Observe, +he saith, "Learn of me." But what? Not to do mighty wonders, not to work +signs and miracles, or show any great work of creation, but to be _meek_ +and _lowly_. "And if I did not teach you this with mine own example," +saith the meek Lamb of God, "ye would not believe that this virtue is so +high and so noble." + +3. The humble Jesus chose to exemplify this as his concluding work: after +his last supper, he took a towel and girded himself, and then "washed his +disciples' feet;" that so he might by such example implant this virtue in +all that should be ever called by his name, and might most sensibly +imprint it on the heart of every one to whom this Gospel should come. +Wherefore he also saith: "Know ye what I have done to you?" John 13:4, 5, +12. "Do ye indeed consider what it is that I have done? Will ye remember +this that I have now done to you? Will ye be ready to serve one another in +the same manner? And will ye humble yourselves one to the other, and +submit gladly even to the meanest offices of charity? O learn of me, by +what you have at this time seen me do: for I have given you an example, +that ye should do as I have done to you. Whosoever then shall forget my +humility, the same shall forget a principal part both of my doctrine and +my example, and shall never find rest unto his soul. Therefore let this my +example be a rule for your whole lives, and let my life evermore be set +before your eyes as a representation of humility." + +4. And now let us show that without humility all prayer to God is utterly +vain. Humility is a bright light in the heart, in which there is at once +discovered to us our own nothingness, and the high majesty and overflowing +goodness of God. Hence the more any man knows himself, the more he must +needs come to the knowledge of his own nothingness. For when a man sees +his own emptiness, and learns that he is destitute in himself of +everything that is good, he begins to pray the more earnestly for the +grace and mercy of God. He pants after, and betakes himself to God, as to +the origin and fountain of all good things; desiring to know him aright, +to praise him, and to honor him as he should. This desire being thus +begotten in him, he pours out his heart by himself, and says, "When shall +I come and appear before God?" In this humility he looks at God's majesty +and greatness, as also at his superabundant love and grace. And hereupon +the streams of grace flow down into such a faithful, humble soul, by +prayer. And divine grace being thus communicated to the thirsty soul, +there is hereby begotten in it a spirit of prayer, which ceases not to +ascend in holy aspirations, and to bring down the blessings of peace and +righteousness. Through such grace of God there is a descent of the Holy +Spirit into the soul, whose influences thereby grow continually stronger +and stronger: and the "love of God" is by this means "shed abroad in our +hearts by the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 5:5), which is given to us through the +prayer of humility. For when the believing soul, conscious of her own +vileness, reflects upon the humiliation of the Son of God, and beholds him +humbling himself so as not only to put off the form of _God_, that he +might appear in that of _man_, but even to suffer the greatest of evils in +this vile form, for the vilest of his creatures; by this reflection and +consideration, he is not only made humble, but hence, also, in this his +humility, there springs up a most noble flame of love to God, which burns +more and more day by day. And in this divine flame of love, the soul, +being attracted by faith to God, is hence made to love all men in God, and +in Christ; as calling to mind the exceeding great love of the Godhead +towards mankind; and particularly how her Heavenly Father has in Christ +loved her, and called her to the participation of his goodness. When thus +the soul is drawn to God, and included in his love, the consequence is +this, that as to all those who are beloved by God, the soul also cannot +but love in like manner as God loveth them. + +5. Hence it follows, that if any good befall our neighbor, charity will +rejoice; but if any evil happen to him, it will sorrow. And the humble and +the charitable person, behaving himself courteously and lovingly towards +his neighbor on all occasions, does not rashly judge him, if he behold his +misery; much less does he behave himself haughtily and superciliously +towards him, or treat him with contempt. 1 Cor. 13:4. For the soul that is +truly humble, can never so put off the sense of her own misery and +vileness, as to despise another, or to esteem herself better than any; for +she remembers the mire out of which she herself has been delivered. And +while she stands, she knows well enough that she does not stand by her own +strength, but solely by the help of divine grace. + +6. Humble charity judges itself in the first place, examines itself before +all, and influences us to condemn ourselves rather than others: and a +neighbor's calamity will cause the soul to descend into herself, and +deplore herself before God. In another's fall, the lowly and loving soul +reads her own defaults, her own sins and transgressions, her own calamity +and misery. + +7. Moreover, by humility a man is confirmed in the knowledge of God, and +established in hope. Having a consciousness of his own ignorance, +blindness, and folly, in divine matters, he gives thanks to God for the +revelation of his word, and imprints it more diligently on his heart. But +considering also, that as he has no knowledge of God and divine things in +himself, so likewise all his own abilities are nothing before God: he is +hence established in a godly hope, placing his confidence in nothing but +God only. + +8. Another fruit of humility is, that it renders a man acceptable to +others, even in the very outward course of his life. For it avoids +contentions and quarrels, and composes the whole man to gentleness and +benignity. Yea, a man is conformed by means of it even to Christ himself, +who says in one of the Psalms: "But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was +as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth +not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs." Ps. 38:13, 14. Such a faithful +and humble man as this is a living member of Christ, in whom Christ +liveth. + +9. Besides, humility brings with it true inward peace of the mind; so that +he who is the possessor of it can by no miseries and calamities whatever +be unduly distressed or disquieted, but may with St. Paul say: "Who shall +separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:35. And he is mindful +always of that saying: "My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor. 12:9. + +10. True humility also begets silence. He who is endued therewith, as he +is sensible of his own ignorance and foolishness, will beware of speaking +a great deal, or of being over-forward to teach others. + +11. In short, it is impossible to enumerate how many spiritual benefits +and fruits, how many heavenly treasures of virtues and graces, are +comprehended in, and flow from, this most noble virtue; so that it may +deservedly be regarded as a spiritual treasury. It is, therefore, not +without reason, that the Son of God, our light, life, salvation, and +treasure, would have us to learn it even of _himself_. O that this holy +wish of our Lord might be fulfilled by all Christians; and that they would +with all diligence learn from Him this most excellent virtue! + +12. If it be asked, What is the means for acquiring this virtue, and by +what way may one arrive at so great a treasure, which abounds so richly in +the gifts of celestial grace? I answer, that there are two: first, ardent +and devout prayer; and secondly, constant meditation on Christ crucified. +Let us look earnestly to the passion and death of Christ, and let us +meditate on it, as on a holy Book of life, till this root of the Christian +virtues, with all which accompany it, grow up day by day in our hearts, as +in a fruitful and well-cultivated soul. + + + + +Chapter XXII. + + +All The Works Of A True Christian Must Be Done In Humility, Or They Will, + Otherwise, Become An Abomination And Idolatry. + + + _That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the + sight of God._--LUKE 16:15. + + +All works that are a well-pleasing and acceptable sacrifice to God, can +proceed from true faith alone; this will not fail to beget Christian +humility in the heart. The effect of this will be meekly to acknowledge +that with regard to any good that may be found in us, it is wholly and +solely to be ascribed to the grace of God: "Not I, but the grace of God +which was with me." 1 Cor. 15:10. He who does not do this, commits two +sins: the first is, apostasy from God, by turning himself from God towards +himself, that is, from the Supreme Being, towards that which is in itself +nothing. The second is sacrilege, by taking to himself that honor which is +due to none but God; to whom, and not to man, everything that may be +called good belongs. He, therefore, that doeth not all things in humility, +steals from God the glory due to him. For when God says: "I will not give +my glory to another, neither my praise to graven images" (Isaiah 42:8); he +shows that all glory and praise are due to him alone. + +2. If, therefore, any man applaud himself, either for knowing or doing +anything, verily that man takes to himself the glory which is due to God +only, and is thereby an idolater of himself. For this reason, ambition is +abominable idolatry: and self-love, and self-esteem, are no less than +having another God before him whose name is Jehovah. For this very reason +also, the devil seeks to be honored and worshipped in the world. + +3. Such a vainglorious devil, covetous of honor and worship from the +world, every proud and arrogant person, by thinking highly of himself, +cherishes in his heart. If thou be wise, see that thou break down and +destroy this idol, which is set up in thy heart. Many persons are so holy +that they will not even look upon any outward images, lest they should +happen to be defiled by them; not observing, at the same time, that great +idol which they carry about with them in their hearts, and by which they +are to such a degree defiled as to become an abomination before God. For +all that is most highly esteemed by men (through self-love and ambition) +is an abomination before God. Whence all who seek only their own honor, or +power, or ascribe aught to themselves as their own, are idolaters. Thus +the whole world lieth in idolatry; and every house has its living idols. + +4. That idolatry which defiles thee, proceeds from within, even from the +heart. To whatsoever thy heart inclines, in whatsoever it acquiesces and +rests, and unto whatsoever it cleaves by love and inclination, whether it +be good fortune, wealth, honor, power, or long life; that very thing +immediately becomes an idol, and has seduced thee into the sin of +idolatry. Idolatry is not any outward pollution; but that which is +internal, spiritual, and springing up within. It is so that God considers +it; He judges all things according to the heart; and it is so only that he +looks, trying the hearts and reins (Ps. 7:9), and judging of all things +according to the faith or unbelief there found by him. Whence Christ has +also plainly told thee, "Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be +also" (Matt. 6:21); that is, thy God, thy rest, thy peace, thy trust will +be there; and there will be thy paradise, yea, there will heaven and all +things be to thee. Observe closely what that object is on which thy heart +loves to dwell, for it is surely thy God, whatever its nature may be. If +thy heart cleave fast to God only, then is _He_ thy God, and blessed art +thou: according as it is written: "Happy are the people whose God is the +Lord." Ps. 144:15. And again, "Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he +shall give thee the desire of thy heart." Ps. 37: 4. But if thy mind +cleave to the world, then the world is thy God. And so of the rest. + +5. It hence appears that there are really in the world no other idols but +such as the heart of man makes for him. The devil himself is called "the +god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4), because the ungodly follow him, do his +deeds, love darkness, and take pleasure in the works of the devil. And +thus men make a god even of Satan. + +6. Idols of wood are easily avoided, but take heed of the idols of gold. +See that thou be not ensnared by these. It is no hard matter to keep from +dead idols; but take heed that thou worship not living ones, and +especially thyself. As soon as thou ascribest honor, skill, or power to +thyself, thou settest up thyself in the place of God. This idolatry is +properly struck at by God, when he says that he "will not give his glory +to another." Isa. 42:8. For whatsoever is, or is called by the name of +honor and glory, is due to none but him, who is the Most High, and the +most Holy One, and the sovereign and everlasting Good. Whosoever, +therefore, thou art, that wouldest not make an idol of thyself, nor +pollute thy works with the foulest of abominations before God, learn +hence, not to ascribe to thyself honor, or glory, or praise; knowing that +it is true humility to shun honor, and to account one's self unworthy of +all glory. When thou shalt do this, and shalt have mortified all ambition +and self-esteem, then thou shalt be known to be dead to the world indeed. +From this springs up the new man, in whom is found the most noble life of +Christ; which life, he himself has described as being meekness and +lowliness of heart. Matt. 11:29. He, on the contrary, is still carnal, and +lives after the flesh, according to the old birth, who would be honored +and greatly esteemed: because it is the nature of the carnal man to +endeavor to be, or to be accounted above all others. But if any man seek +to be accounted nothing of, he has a heart truly spiritual and Christian. +But alas! where shall we now find the true Christians, that is, such as +are willing to be slighted, and to be reputed as nothing? For, as hath +been said before, it is the property of the true followers of Christ, to +deny themselves, to hate themselves, to despise themselves, and to +renounce all that is theirs, for his sake. Matt. 10:38; Luke 9:23. Such +are indeed genuine Christians. + +7. If any one should here ask of me, What then is a Christian to do, if it +please God so to honor him as to give him grace and glory before the world +(Ps. 84:11), as in the case of Daniel: and, since God has appointed +certain distinctions among men, several orders, states, and offices; and +has for that end variously distributed his gifts among them, What is the +duty of a Christian, if he be advanced to some post of dignity? I answer, +If this be thy lot, then render all the honor which is conferred upon thee +to God again; and ascribe nothing to thyself which is the right of +another, or take that to be thine which is God's only. + +8. As soon, therefore, as any honor is given thee, see that, being mindful +of thy low estate, thou transfer it all to God, and keep nothing thereof +to thyself. If thou neglectest to do this, and shouldest be induced to +attribute anything to thyself, it is certain that thou must thereby lose +divine grace, while, with a sacrilegious impiety, thou invadest that which +of right belongs to God. So if thou excel others in spiritual or natural +gifts, in wisdom or skill, wealth or dignity, be watchful not to take this +honor to thyself; yea, let it be thy joy and delight to offer all up to +God again, from a most deep and intimate devotion of thy heart. This thou +wilt not fail to do, and to give that glory to Him which is due, when thou +shalt glory in nothing but in Him only, according to the words of the +Prophet: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; neither let the mighty +man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let +him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, +that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and +righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the +Lord." Jer. 9:23, 24. + + + + +Chapter XXIII. + + + A Man Who Does Not Perceive His Own Emptiness, And Does Not Give All The + Honor To God, Commits The Greatest Of Sins, And Falls Like Satan. + + + _Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity._--PS. + 39:5. + + +To the end that man may acknowledge his own vanity, he is compared by the +Psalmist (Ps. 39; 144:4), to a shadow; and again in another place (Ps. +90:5), to a dream. Now what is a shadow? It is a lifeless resemblance of +that thing on which it depends; and has in itself neither substance nor +life, but is nothing. In like manner, man of himself has neither +substance, life, strength, nor indeed any ability whatsoever; but depends +on God, even as a shadow on the body, or as light on the sun. + +2. Whosoever, therefore, so forgets himself as not to depend on God, who +alone is all in all, "thinking himself to be something when he is nothing, +he deceiveth himself." Gal. 6:3. He falls from the true eternal and +Sovereign Being into his own nothingness; from the unchangeable Good into +vanity; from truth itself into a lie. + +3. This is not only the greatest of sins, but of punishments also. For the +more man turns from God to himself, the more he approaches extreme misery +and calamity. And man by this means, even by turning himself away from +God, towards his own faculties and powers, in truth punishes thereby the +very sin which he commits. He is then accounted to turn himself away from +God, and to forsake "the rock of his salvation" (Deut. 32:15), whenever he +ascribes to himself any degree of power or strength, art or skill, wisdom, +or honor, or merit, so as to be willing to be thought somebody, and to be +much accounted of; when, in very deed, all these in no wise belong to man, +or to any creature, but to God only. Every creature is but a mere shadow, +and of itself merely nothing; even so as the life, substance, faculty, +wisdom, powers, and strength which it seems to have, are not properly its +own, but are God's only. + +4. Wherefore, as soon as a man ascribes all or any of these to himself, he +becomes guilty of apostasy from God. Nor indeed was the devil's apostasy +aught else, but the not abiding within the bounds, duties, and properties +of a creature, which has all its life, substance, and ability in God, and +ought to hold the same from him, as the shadow does with respect to the +body and the motion thereof. For any one, therefore, to ascribe those +things to himself which are God's; or to challenge to himself honor, +glory, wisdom, or esteem (forasmuch as none of these suit a creature, but +are all to be transferred to God alone, to whom they really appertain), is +properly to fall like Satan. Hence God permitted him to fall, not +sustaining him any longer with his grace, which was by him disowned. The +same thing must befall all men who, through pride and ambition, presume to +arrogate to themselves any of those things which are God's. They are not +upheld by the grace of God, who arrogantly turn themselves away from God, +affecting to be as God. God alone being All in all, and moreover being the +only Good, or the _one Good_, and the _all-Good_ essentially; it would be +most unreasonable for any creature to claim to itself aught of that which +is good. Hence our blessed Lord saith, "There is none good but one, that +is God" (Matt. 19:17); meaning, that he is the essential Good, and he +alone is all that is good. This property of God, our Saviour was not +willing to take unto himself in his state of humiliation, forasmuch as he +was then held to be no more than a mere man; that thus, by his most bright +example, he might instruct us that man ought not to ascribe to himself the +things which are God's. + +5. When man does otherwise, he commits the greatest of all sins, and, +aiming at divinity, stains himself thereby with a most nefarious +sacrilege, being turned from God to himself. And as many as are in this +condition, seek help, counsel, and comfort, not from God only, as they +ought, but from creatures, and sometimes even from the devil himself. But +what greater madness, or what worse blindness is there, than to expect +good from evil, life from death, blessedness from the damned, help from +the helpless, blessedness from the accursed, and light from darkness? +Whereas, on the other hand, it is the highest wisdom to look for good from +the source of all good, to seek life from the fountain of life, to expect +blessedness from the spring of salvation, and to go for help to him who +can do all things, and "with whom nothing is impossible." Luke 1:37. + + + + +Chapter XXIV. + + + Of The Noble Virtue Of Love, And Of Its Power, Soundness, And Purity. + + + _He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love._--1 JOHN + 4:8. + + +Love, says St. Paul, is the greatest of all virtues, and without it all +gifts are unprofitable (1 Cor. 13:13); therefore he admonishes us, saying, +"Let all your things be done with charity." 1 Cor. 16:14. Accordingly we +are to pray with charity, as our Lord says: "If thou bring thy gift to the +altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; go +thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother." Matt. 5:23, 24. And in the +Lord's Prayer, our forgiving our neighbor's debts, or trespasses, is +strictly joined to God's forgiving ours. Matt. 6:12, 14, 15. + +2. Love is, however, so singular a virtue, that a man may mistake therein +as easily as in anything else. Therefore nothing ought to be looked upon +with a more suspicious eye than love; for there is nothing which can so +powerfully incline, force, or restrain, and so thoroughly penetrate the +mind, as love. Therefore, if love be not ruled by the true light, the Holy +Ghost, it precipitates the soul into a thousand calamities. + +3. And this I do not say with respect to the love of evil; for this, as a +diabolical thing, is by all Christians to be avoided; but I speak of that +love which is betwixt God, and man, and his neighbor. Love, when not +regulated by divine wisdom, can easily be deceived, misled, and thrust out +of its due order, so as not to reach the true end. Many think they have +the love of God in their souls, and yet have the love of the world, or +their own love, nay, it may be the love of Satan. + +4. Take an instance of this fact: any one that loves the Lord God only for +the sake of temporal things, that he may be preserved by him from temporal +misfortunes, loves himself more than God, and prefers his own welfare +before God. This is called inordinate love. He ought to love God more than +himself, nay, love him above all things; and all things, both good and +evil days, he ought to love for the sake of God. + +5. But when man prefers himself to the love of God, he surely makes +himself God, by loving himself more than God; and whilst he loves not God +as God, for his sake, but merely for his own private interest, he has a +false and deceitful love. He that has such a love, loves all things for +his own sake, for the profit and honor which he reaps from them. He loves +also holy men, nay, the very word of God, for this reason only, that it +may afford him a show and name of holiness, but not for the sake of that +excellent Good which lies hid therein. + +6. And because such a love is impure, it brings forth impure fruits, which +are self-interest, self-honor, self-lust; all which are carnal and +earthly, not heavenly and spiritual fruits. Thus many love great skill and +learning, that they may be preferred to others, and may rule over them; +not from a principle of love to God and their neighbor, but from a love to +themselves, thinking thereby to gain great honors and preferments. + +7. There are others also who love God that he may spare them, and not +punish them for their sins in dreadful severity; nay, that he may be +bountiful to them in this present time; but this, alas! is a very weak +love. For these love God for their own profit, and not for his own sake, +or not by reason of his being the most excellent and highest Good. + +8. Others love God that he may bestow upon them many gifts in +understanding and wisdom, whereby they might gain a great reputation. + +9. Some also love virtue, not for the sake of virtue itself, but that they +may obtain a great name, and be looked upon as brave, virtuous men, and +men famous for their honesty and piety. All this is not true love, for it +tends not to the right end. + +10. There is often also love betwixt some persons uniting themselves by a +love of their own, which increases in them so much that they are pleased +with everything done by him whom they love. For love always follows its +beloved, and cleaves wholly unto him. And thereby one is often involved +and drawn aside into evil; or even the lover himself allures his beloved +to it, because he knows that so it pleases him; and by this false and +deceitful love he is hindered from prayer and all other Christian virtues. + +11. Therefore it is highly necessary that our love should be guided and +ruled by the Holy Spirit, and by our meditations on the whole life of +Christ and his holy sufferings, out of which nothing but _pure_ love +shines forth. He loved God purely, above all things, and not himself. He +loved man with a pure, undefiled love, and not himself. He did and spake +nothing for his own sake, but all for ours. Whatsoever he did and spoke +was for our benefit; he was not profited by it, but we were. All his pains +and labors, nay; his greatest torments and afflictions, were not too hard +or heavy for him, that we might be benefited and saved thereby; nay, his +very cross was joy unto him, that he might fulfil the will of God his +Father. + +12. That is a pure, undefiled love for which nothing is too difficult, +which complains of nothing, nay, which spares not itself, but gives itself +for the beloved's sake, even unto death. Whatsoever crosses and sufferings +God sends, this love regards as good. It sees that it is the holy will of +God, and therefore it would rather suffer much more for the same, and is +very well contented with everything that God willeth; for it knows that +God orders all things right and well. + +13. And as love unites itself to the beloved, it learns also his manners, +follows him for his love's sake, and does that which is well-pleasing unto +him: so he that loves Christ rightly learns of him his manner of life and +his virtues, for he knows it is well-pleasing unto him. He conforms +himself to his image, and remains all his life under the yoke and cross of +Christ, even as Christ, during his whole life, bore the cross of poverty, +contempt, and pains. And although no man in this frail state can attain +unto perfect love, yet every Christian is to labor, that his love be not +false, but as pure as possible, according to what St. Paul says, "Love out +of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." 1 Tim. +1:5. + +14. This pure love, derived from Christ and the Holy Ghost, works in man +every good thing, and is never idle. It is its joy to do good, for it can +do nothing else; even as the Lord God says, "I will rejoice over them to +do them good." Jer. 32:41. Why? Because God is love itself, which can do +nothing else but that which it is in its own being. And this is a sign of +pure and true love. For this love does not say, "I am not obliged to do +this or that;" but where it has no law, there it is a law unto itself, +only that it may do much good; for otherwise love would not continue to be +love. + +15. Hence it is plain why God Almighty is never weary of doing good; and +why he is that infinite Good which never ceases to be. He is everlasting +love, which cannot desist from doing good, or else he would cease to be +love. Therefore, even when he punishes and chastises, he draws all good +out of evil, directing it to a good end, even to our salvation. + +16. This pure love of God causes us to pray aright. For as a friend has +his friend at his disposal in all things, so also such a lover of God is a +friend of God, and obtains from him that for which he prays. Therefore, +because Lazarus's sister knew the Lord Jesus to be not only a friend, but +also the Son of God, she said, "I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt +ask of God, God will give it thee" (John 11:22); and because Mary loved +Jesus, she was heard by the Lord, and he restored her brother unto her. Of +such a love as obtains from God all things, holy David saith, "Delight +thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine +heart." Ps. 37:4. + +17. But in order that thou mayest have a characteristic mark of this love, +observe these _four_ properties of true love. 1. Love submits itself to +the will of the beloved. 2. True love abandons all friendship which is +contrary to its beloved. 3. One friend reveals his heart unto the other. +4. A true lover endeavors to be made conformable to his beloved, in his +manners, and in all his life. Is the beloved poor, the lover will be poor +with him. Is the beloved despised, the lover also bears his contempt. Is +he sick, the lover is sick too. Thus love makes an equality between them, +so that they have the same prosperity and adversity. For there must be +such a communion between the lover and the beloved, as that each of them +shall be made partaker of the other's good as well as ill. This, then, is +not only a communion, but a union or uniting of two minds like each other, +and of two hearts which are alike. + +18. After such a manner our Lord Jesus Christ is become our Friend. For, +1. His love submitted itself to the will of man, and was obedient unto the +cross: nay, for the sake of man he submitted his will to every one, even +to his enemies. 2. He neglected all other friendship that he could have +had in the world; nay, he even forgot himself, and spared not his own body +and life for our sakes. 3. He revealed in his Gospel, his heart unto us; +therefore he says, "Henceforth I call you not servants; but I have called +you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made +known unto you." John 15:15. 4. He was made alike unto us in all things, +sin only excepted. Phil. 2:7. He became poor as we are, and mortal even as +we. + +19. If now we will be his true lovers, we must also do all these things. +And seeing he was made like unto us in all things, and in all our misery, +why would not we strive to be made like unto Him? If we thus love him, we +shall obtain from him all things by prayer, according to his saying, "Unto +him that loveth me, I will manifest myself." John 14:21. O what a friendly +and delightful manifestation in the heart is there, when we experience +heavenly joy, wisdom, and understanding! Here is the only right way to +acquire understanding and wisdom, which are so highly praised by king +Solomon in the Proverbs. + +20. We are, therefore, naturally led to the conclusion, that genuine +prayer cannot be offered without love. + + + + +Chapter XXV. + + + Sundry Signs By Which We May Ascertain Whether We Truly Love Christ. + + + _If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in + him._--1 JOHN 2:15. + + +The first mark that the love of Christ is in us, is the avoiding of the +love of the world. When thou considerest Christ in his holy poverty, how +he was so entirely empty of love to temporal things, his love will also +actuate thee to learn that thou art to put off the love of the world and +to despise it; so that thou wilt desire nothing here but thy Lord Jesus +Christ, and wilt not put thy confidence in any creature, or earthly +assistance. + +2. Secondly, thou wilt willingly bear reproach and contempt from the +world, for the sake of Christ's holy reproach; nay, with St. Paul, thou +wilt account it thy glory, and rejoice in it. Eph. 3:13. Nor wilt thou be +much troubled when the world makes no great account of thee; for such was +thy Lord's and Redeemer's life in this world. This shall be thy full +satisfaction, that Christ is thy honor, renown, glory, light, strength, +power, and victory, wisdom, and skill. For to follow Christ is the highest +wisdom. + +3. Thirdly, seeing that Christ in his holy body and soul has suffered pain +and sorrow unto death, thou also, for his love's sake, wilt not only with +patience, but even with joy, suffer sorrow, persecution, distress, and +affliction, nay, torment and pain unto death. + +4. And, fourthly, as Christ had comfort and joy in no man nor in any +creature, but only in God, according to what is said in Psalm 22, so thou +also wilt bear it patiently when all worldly comfort leaves thee. For thou +knowest that at last God will make thee joyful with his everlasting +comfort, of which St. Paul gives us an admirable account (2 Cor. 6:4, +etc.): "Let us approve ourselves as the ministers of God, in much +patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in +imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by +pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, +by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor +of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, +by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, +and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not +killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; +as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." + +5. Fifthly, thou shalt esteem the cross of Christ as the highest good, +beyond all the treasures of the world. If it were not so, Christ would not +have taught thee so, and put it before thine eyes with his own life and +example. Thou mayest easily believe that the Son of God would not mislead +thee by his example, but conduct thee to the highest wisdom, and to the +highest heavenly joys, although the way is strait and narrow. But thou +seest that he himself walked in this narrow path. And because there are +few that follow him, he says, "Few there be that find it." Matt. 7:14. For +it is not an easy thing to conquer self, to deny self, to die unto self, +and to renounce the world and all that we have. This is the narrow way, +and few there be that find it. + +6. The sixth mark of the love of Christ is, never to have the beloved +Jesus out of our thoughts; but to set him always before us by faith, and +to consider the works of his love. + +7. As for instance: I. His _incarnation_, in which, as in a Book of Life, +we see chiefly a twofold benefit: 1. That he thereby fills us with his +love. And, 2. That he makes us sure of our eternal salvation and +happiness. O what inexpressible love is this, that God was made man and +like man, that he might make men like unto God! O the greatness of love! +He took upon him the form of a servant (Phil. 2:6-8) that he might make us +kings, and adorn us with royal crowns. O the greatness of love, that God, +incomprehensible and invisible, should be made palpable and visible! Who +is able to fathom the deep abyss of this love! O what great, unutterable +wisdom, that out of the great evil of sin, thou, O Lord, hast brought +forth such an infinite good, discovering thereby the deep abyss of thy +love! O the great comfort it is to me to know that thy human birth is my +divine birth, and a fountain of salvation against the deep well of sin! + +8. II. His holy _doctrine_, wherein are found eternal wisdom, truth, +light, life and salvation; and his holy _life_, whereby he has shown us +the manner, and the way, how to live a truly Christian and godly life. For +the pattern of his holy life is the most wonderful light, which will not +let us walk in darkness. + +9. III. The mystery of the innocent _death_ of Christ, in which there are +seven particulars to be considered. 1. The fulfilling of the justice of +God, and of the divine sentence. 2. The satisfaction for all our sins. 3. +Our reconciliation with God; for we were reconciled to God by the death of +his Son. Rom. 5:10. 4. The manifestation of the superabundant love of God +through the death of our Redeemer. 5. The eternal truth of God, that he +has given us his Son, and thereby testified himself to be truly our +Father. 6. The victory over all enemies. 7. The acquiring and purchase of +eternal salvation and life. + +10. IV. His _resurrection_, which gives us a firm assurance of the +resurrection of our bodies, and also of that spiritual resurrection, +wherein, through the grace of God, and the power of the life of Christ, +we, having been spiritually dead, become spiritually alive in Christ. Rom. +6:4. + +11. V. His _ascension_, which is a consummation of our eternal redemption, +righteousness, and salvation. + +12. These five works of the love of Christ are the true Christian school +wherein we are to study, never letting them depart from our thoughts. + + + + +Chapter XXVI. + + + Five Kinds Of Works Of Love, In Which The Grace And Goodness Of God Are + Especially Revealed. + + + _The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of + Jacob._--PS. 87:2. + + +There are chiefly five arguments of the love of God. 1. Christ's +incarnation. 2. His suffering. 3. God's indwelling in us. 4. God's love +shining forth out of the creatures. 5. His amiableness in his own Being, +therein surpassing all created things. + +2. I. Where love is, there is union; for it is the nature of love that it +unites itself with the beloved. Now, as God loved man so mightily, it +could not be otherwise but that he must unite himself again unto man after +his fall, and out of pure love and mercy become a man. Ah! "What is man +that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him!" +Psalm 8:4. The soul of man is so beloved of God, that as Christ is God and +man, having united himself with human nature, with our body and soul: so +also God loves our soul so much that he desires to pour himself wholly +into the same, if it were perfectly purified, and man did not resist him. +For there is infinite love in God, which is unutterable. This is, then, +one of the greatest demonstrations of the love of God, that God is made +man, and has showed himself a true lover of men, having taken upon him +what is human that he might give us what is divine. He is become a Son of +man, that he may make us children of God. He came down to us upon earth, +that he might lift us up into heaven. O what a noble exchange! and all for +this end, that we in him might be loved of God. It is as if God did call +from heaven, saying: "O ye men, behold my beloved Son! Him I have suffered +to become man, that he might be a living example and witness of my deep +love to you; that he might bring you all with himself to me, and ye all +might be made my children and heirs!" Therefore the Lord always calls +himself in the Gospel the _Son of Man_, out of an intimate love to us. We +seldom read that he calls himself the Son of God, but always the Son of +Man, from an affectionate humility and love. + +3. II. Although his holy incarnation is a very great argument of his love +to us, yet his holy _suffering_ and _dying_ for our sins are a still +greater one. For "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down +his life for his friends." John 15:13. "In this was manifested the love of +God towards us (saith St. John), that God sent his Son to be the +propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:9, 10. This is the highest love. Our +God, according to his incomprehensible omnipotence, could have found out +other means by which to redeem us; as the Lord Jesus Christ himself prayed +for it in his agony, saying: "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto +thee; take away this cup from me." Mark 14:36. But then it would not have +been the highest love shown to us. In order that God might bestow the +highest love upon us, and that we might not be able to say, "God has +something which he loves too dearly to give it to us;" he has given us his +dear Son, and not only given him, but given him also to be the +propitiation for our sins. Therefore he could not have showed us greater +love. Therein God commandeth his love towards us. Rom. 5:8. "He that +spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not +with him also freely give us all things?" Rom. 8:32. Hath he given us that +which is the greatest, he will surely give us that also which is less. In +the eternal life all that is God's shall be ours. "He that overcometh +shall inherit all things." Rev. 21:7. + +4. III. Further, God shows his love to us, by his dwelling among us, and +in us. O what a great comfort is this, that God has sanctified our heart, +and dedicated it to be his dwelling-place. Formerly, in the Old Testament, +when the tabernacle and sanctuary were finished, Moses was commanded to +consecrate, to sanctify, and to sprinkle it with the blood of the +sacrifice; for "almost all things were by the law purged with blood." Heb. +9:22. And thereupon the glory of God came from heaven, and filled the +tabernacle (Exod. 40:34); so also, after Christ died for our sins, and +after we are sanctified through his blood, God comes to us and makes his +abode with us. + +5. Whom we love, with him we delight to be. God loves mankind tenderly; +therefore he delights to be with them, and to have his habitation among +them. "I the Lord dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is +of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and +to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isa. 57:15. And again, with +whom we delight to be, him we tenderly love. God delights to be with men; +therefore he loves men tenderly, according to the Psalm: "In the saints on +earth, and in the excellent, is all my delight." Ps. 16:3. This assurance +that God loves us and is with us, ought to comfort us in all our +calamities, in poverty, in sickness, in persecution, and in contempt. What +(sayest thou), doth he love them whom he suffers to come under so many +crosses? I answer, Yes, that he may through the cross make them glorious. +As their sufferings here abound, so also shall their consolations abound +there. 2 Cor. 1:5. The greater afflictions are on earth, the greater joy +and glory are in heaven. 2 Cor. 4:17. + +6. And this is the reason why God makes many people sorrowful; namely, +that he may dwell in their hearts; for he delights to dwell nowhere more +than in a poor and contrite spirit. Ps. 34:19; Isa. 66:2. God fills us +here with his grace, that he may fill us hereafter with his glory, even as +he fills and illuminates the heavenly Jerusalem. Rev. 21:23. + +7. IV. The love of God shines forth also out of the creatures. When St. +Paul would desire for his Ephesians the best, the highest, and the most +glorious thing, he wishes that they might know the love of God, and be +able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and +depth, and height of the same. Eph. 3:18. He means to say so much, that +the love of God is higher than heaven, deeper than the sea, broader than +the earth, longer than it is from east to west, according to Psalm 103:11. + +12. In a word, heaven and earth are full of the love of God: for all that +God hath created, be it visible or invisible, he hath created for this +end, that his inexpressible goodness and love might therein be manifested. +And, therefore, he hath given to man both inward and outward senses, that +thereby he might perceive the goodness and love of God. For all that man +can apprehend by his understanding, thoughts, mind, and reason, as well as +what he apprehends with his outward senses, altogether bears witness to +the love of God. All that man hath, is a testimony of the love of God; +yea, all creatures, visible and invisible, are, as it were, so many +messengers of God, declaring unto us his love; and he speaks to us through +them, saying, "Behold the heaven and earth, and all creatures! I have +created all out of love to man." And whenever we perceive the pleasantness +of the creatures, we perceive the goodness of God; so that both with our +inward and outward senses we can taste and see that the Lord is good, +according to the words of the 34th Psalm, ver. 8. + +8. The sun speaks to us by its light and warmth, as if it said: "Look upon +me, the greatest and the brightest creature among all visible things: He +must be great that made me." Ps. 19:1, etc. But not only through beautiful +creatures doth God speak to us, but also through the most despicable worm, +as if God did say: "Lo, thou art beholden to me thy Creator, that I, who +could have made thee a worm, have, out of mercy, made thee a man." Here +remember him who said: "I am a worm, and no man." Ps. 22:6. Thus God +speaks unto man through all the creatures, declares his love to him, and +invites, leads, and draws us unto himself. This is that wisdom of God +which in all places uttereth "her voice in the streets," which "rejoiceth +in the habitable part of the earth, and whose delights are with the sons +of men." Prov. 1:20; 8:31. + +9. Indeed, if we consider the matter aright, we are encompassed by the +love of God, even as we are all inclosed under heaven, seeing that "in God +we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28. Man can go nowhere, +but the love and goodness of God follow after him, and call him through +all the creatures, nay, through his own heart and conscience, saying: +"Whither wilt thou go, beloved child? Whither shalt thou flee from my +presence? If thou ascendest up into heaven, I am there. If thou makest thy +bed in hell, behold I am there. If thou takest the wings of the morning, +and dwellest in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall my hand +lead thee, and my right hand shall hold thee." Ps. 139:7, etc. Therefore, +come unto me, and acknowledge my love and grace, with which I meet thee in +every creature. Hast thou sinned, grace abounds with me; hast thou left +me, my love and mercy have not yet rejected thee, but are continually +hastening after thee, have been calling to thee, and, as a wandering +sheep, have sought after thee. And if thou believest not these many +testimonies of all the creatures, believe the testimony of my dear Son, +how I have loved the world in him. John 3:16. "Thou canst nowhere find +rest for thy soul except here; turn which way thou wilt, thou must and +canst only rest in my love and grace." O how blessed is the heart which +understands that heaven and earth are full of the love of God, and that he +has as many witnesses of his love as there are creatures! But the greatest +and highest witness of all is the Son of God. + +10. V. We know also the love of God, from the amiableness of his own +being. From the visions of the prophets, and the Revelation of St. John, +we can observe that God Almighty is so lovely and beautiful, as infinitely +to transcend all the beauty and loveliness of the world. He is the beauty +of all things beautiful, and the loveliness of all things lovely, the life +of all the living. He is ALL. An ancient father has said: "God is so +lovely and beautiful, that if a man were in a fiery furnace, and saw the +beauty and glory of Him but for a moment, the greatest torment would be +changed into the greatest joy;" as it happened to St. Stephen, when he saw +the glory of God, and said: "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son +of man standing on the right hand of God." Acts 7:56. God is so lovely and +beautiful, that if a man saw him for a thousand years together, it would +seem to him but one hour. For in beholding the loveliness and glory of +God, all time is swallowed up; so that the more any one sees God, the more +he desires to see him; the more he loves God, the more he will love; and +the more he praises God, the more will he praise him; according to the +words of Xystus, an ancient teacher: "Devout souls can never be satiated +with the love and praise of God." Hence, although the holy angels have +seen God from the beginning of their creation, they have not yet seen him +enough; and although they have praised him from the beginning, they have +not yet praised him enough: for "God is more to be praised, than all +praise can express; and more lovely, than the love of all the creatures +can reach." God is infinite in his beauty, loveliness, and glory; +therefore no creature can love him enough. God is so amiable, that the +more one loves him, the more one desires to love him. He is so to be +praised that the end of his praises cannot be attained; so lovely to be +looked upon, that looking upon him never makes us weary; so comfortable to +be heard, that he never can be heard enough. Tauler says, "If one might +taste but a drop of the perfect love of God, all the joys and pleasures of +this world would be changed to us into the greatest bitterness." The +saints have endured the greatest torments for the sake of the love of God, +and have given up their lives; and if they had a thousand bodies, they +would hazard them all, that they might keep the love of God; as the +Psalmist says, "Thy loving kindness is better than life; therefore my lips +shall praise thee." Ps. 63:3. God is so high, so noble, and so pure a +Good, that the more any one knows him, the more he loves him. He is so +tender and perfect a sweetness, that the more one tastes of him, the +sweeter he becomes; and the more one loves him, the more his loveliness +increases. Blessed is the soul which is filled with the love of God. He +will be conscious in his soul of such amiableness as cannot be found in +time among creatures. + +11. Behold now, ye children of men, how deceived ye are by the love of the +world. What is it which any man can obtain by the love of temporal things, +but sorrow, trouble, loss of time, unprofitable words (of which an account +must be given), wranglings, fightings, and a burdened conscience? Surely +all the children of men shall one day sorely repent that they have so much +loved the world, and the things therein: according to the warning given us +by St. John, saying, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in +the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in +him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of +the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the +world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth +the will of God abideth for ever." 1 John 2:15, etc. Therefore every man +ought to mourn all the days of his life that he ever loved anything more +than God only. If God pours into thy heart his love, so that thou lovest +him above all things, then he has given thee the best thing he hath, even +_Himself_. + + + + +Chapter XXVII. + + + Showing How The Lord Jesus Manifests Himself To The Loving Soul As The + Highest Love And The Highest Good. + + + _To him that loveth me, I will manifest myself._--JOHN 14:21. + + +If thou duly considerest Christ crucified thou wilt see nothing in him but +pure, perfect, and unutterable love, and he will show thee his heart, and +say, "Behold, in this heart there is no deceit and no lie (Isaiah 53:9), +but the highest faithfulness and truth are there. Incline thy head unto +me, and rest upon my heart; open thy mouth, and drink out of my wounds the +sweetest love, which out of the heart of my Father springs up and flows +through me." + +2. When thou shalt have tasted this love, thou wilt forget and despise, +for its sake, all the world, and be desirous of nothing else but of this +love. Thou wilt say to thy Lord, "O Lord, give me nothing more than the +sweetness of thy love; nay, if thou wouldst give me the whole world, I +would desire nothing else but thee and thy love." + +3. O happy is the soul which feels this love! for in that soul Christ is +truly known, and manifested to be nothing else but pure love, and to be +the love of the souls of men. These words state a most happy experience; +for that Christ is the love of our soul he clearly shows by his spiritual +coming and delightful refreshing of the soul; and when the soul tastes but +a drop thereof it is filled with joys. For infinite love is so great that +our hearts cannot comprehend it. This the holy martyr Ignatius owned, who +always used to call the Lord Jesus, his Love, and said: My Love is +crucified. + +4. In this love of Christ all our works ought to be done (1 Cor. 16:14); +and then they proceed from Christ out of true faith, and are well-pleasing +to God, whether we eat, or drink, or sleep, or perform the duties of our +calling. All that comes forth of a believing love is made pleasant to God +and men; for it is done and wrought in God. John 3:21. + +5. Although this love of Christ is the highest good in heaven and upon +earth (for all good things are contained therein), yet is God so willing +and ready to bestow it upon us, that he hath sent, even his dear Son, into +this misery, to make us partakers in him of this inexpressible treasure, +through faith. And he is much more ready to give us this precious good +than we are to receive it. + +6. This love, "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 5:5), +when felt in us, affords us more joy than all the world can give. And if +all creatures were present, a believing and loving soul would part with +them, yea, not so much as look upon them, because of the superabundant +sweetness of the love of God. And if all creatures should begin to speak, +the voice of the love of God would be stronger and more delightful than +the voice of all the creatures. For this love binds and unites the mind +unto Christ, and replenishes it with all good. This precious good is +indeed known, seen, and tasted in the spirit, but no words can express it. +All words are much too weak to set forth even the shadow thereof; and no +man's tongue can reach that precious and lovely good of which the spirit +of man is sensible. Therefore also St. Paul says, that he heard in +paradise words that were "unspeakable." 2 Cor. 12:4. + +7. And when this precious good withdraws from the soul, there is then +greater sorrow than if all the world had been lost. Then the soul calls +and cries, "O thou delightful love, I have scarcely tasted of thee; why +dost thou forsake me? My soul is as a child that is weaned of his mother +Ps. 131:2. Oh, thy loving-kindness is better than life! (Ps. 63:3); let me +taste thereof. My soul thirsteth for thee (Ps. 42:2) only, and nothing +else can satisfy me, or make me joyful." + +This holy love causes also, that without it the whole life is imbittered +to a believing and loving soul, and is accounted as death and misery. Yea, +for the sake of this love, man desires to die, to put off the earthly +tabernacle, and to be at home, and present with the Lord, according to the +words of St. Paul. 2 Cor. 5:8. + + + + +Chapter XXVIII. + + + Showing How The Highest Good Is Perceived And Tasted In The Soul. + + + _O taste and see that the Lord is good._--PS. 34:8. + + +God is an eternal, perfect, infinite, substantial, communicative Good, +full of love and joy; and therefore he desires to be known in living +faith, in spirit, and in truth. This cannot however be, except a man +really taste and feel in his heart the goodness, sweetness, +loving-kindness, and comfort of God. + +2. If this were to be performed there must needs be in man something +conformable to God, and capable of knowing him, that so we might be made +partakers of the highest good. Now this is the soul of man: into the soul +God was willing to pour forth his goodness, yea, to dwell there, and to +manifest and make known himself more and more. + +3. But since man has lost this sovereign good by sin, and the devil has +obtained a habitation in, and possession of, him; working in man all his +own works, as pride, covetousness, lust, anger, envy; man, therefore, +"through the faith of the operation of God" (Col. 2:12), must be turned +again from the world unto God, from Satan unto Jesus Christ (Acts 26:18), +and Satan with his works must be driven out and be utterly dispossessed. +As long as Satan works in man, God works not in him; His works are +hindered, so that the soul cannot taste that God is good. Indeed, the +reason why there are so few that know God aright is, that in the greatest +number of men the works of darkness and of Satan have the ascendency. The +most part adhere to the world, to the creatures, and to themselves. + +4. But they who will rightly know and taste the Lord's goodness, must be +joined unto him, and be one spirit with him. 1 Cor. 6:17. And the more +this is done the more does God manifest himself in the believing, loving +soul; the more the heart is turned from the world unto God, the more God +is united to the soul. All love to the world and to the creature must be +turned out, if the love of God ever enter in. "If any man love the world, +the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15. Where God finds a soul +empty of the world, he fills it with heaven, with himself, and with all +his goodness. The more the heart is emptied of love to the world, the more +God fills it with his light and comfort. "Therefore," as an ancient father +says, "in an empty, still, and quiet soul, it can be better felt than +expressed what God is." + +5. If then a man would really know that God is good, even the highest +Good, he must taste his goodness in his heart. The Scripture testifies +thereof outwardly, but the heart must feel it inwardly, and must taste the +living word. It must "taste the good word of God and the powers of the +world to come." Heb. 6:5. Thou canst never better understand that God is +kind and loving, than when thou feelest his comfort. None can better teach +thee that God is a Being full of joy than God himself, when he rejoices in +thee. And so it is also with all other things of God. If he do not +perform, and himself work all in thee, thou wilt never come to a living +knowledge of him. "To know God without God, is impossible," says St. +Augustine. Therefore, that man will never be able to know rightly what God +is, unto whom God does not make known and manifest himself. But when a +heart feels the living word of God, then it knows and understands that God +is all, all-good, and the true, perfect, eternal Good, and better than all +for which any heart can wish or desire. + +6. When this is known and tasted in the soul, according to the words of +Psalm 63:3, "Lord, thy loving-kindness is better than life;" then the soul +begins to scorn the world with its joys and pleasures. She has in God +satisfaction, even full satisfaction, and, in short, ALL. For the world, +with all that is in it, is made up only of individual things, which are +imperfect and inconstant; but God is the true, perfect, universal, and +eternal unchangeable Good. + +7. For this reason David says, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord? +and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." Ps. 73:25. This +is the language of a soul which has tasted the perfect good, from which +all love to the world and creatures is removed, and which has no pleasure +nor delight in the world and in earthly things, but in God alone, the +highest Good. And this is the true, sensible, and experimental knowledge +of God, nay, the true love of God above all things, which is felt and +tasted in the heart; for when God is rightly known, he is loved, praised, +and honored above all things. + +8. Now, if we have the eternal, perfect good, wherein there is all good, +and which alone is ALL, why should we love that which is imperfect? For +where the true, perfect good is known, there it is also beloved above all +imperfect things, that is, above all creatures whatsoever. + +9. Thus the living knowledge of God expels the love of the world; and thus +man begins to despise the world, with all the vanities thereof, saying, +with King Solomon, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity;" nay, all under the +sun "is vexation of spirit." Eccles. 1:2, 14. Thus love to the world is +abolished in the heart, and there remains only love to God, and to the +eternal good which abideth for ever. + + + + +Chapter XXIX. + + + Showing How The Loving Soul Considers God In His Benefits As The Most + Liberal Bountifulness. + + + _In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that + God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live + through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he + loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins._--1 + JOHN 4:9, 10. + + +All that God does with reference to man, be it benefits or punishments, he +does to this end, that man, who is turned away from him, may be turned to +him again. + +2. But man is foolish and brutish, like the beasts (Ps. 32:9), and does +not understand the reason for which God bestows upon him so great +benefits, namely, that thereby he might be invited and encouraged to love +God: nor does he, on the other hand, consider why God punishes him, +namely, that he may turn himself unto God. + +3. Let us consider, first, bodily and temporal benefits, and then those +that are spiritual and eternal. + +4. I. God has created nothing, either visible or invisible, which may not +be serviceable to man. The invisible creatures which minister to us, are +the holy angels (Heb. 1:14), whose wisdom, strength, diligence, and +watchfulness over us, are declared and praised in many places of +Scripture; so that even many angels wait upon one man: witness the history +of the patriarch Jacob and the prophet Elisha. Gen. 32:1, 2; 2 Kings 6:17. +Because many evil spirits lie in wait for one man, seeking to destroy him; +therefore also many holy watchers are ordered by God for his defence. That +there is joy also in the presence of the angels, over our repentance and +prayers, the Lord teaches us. Luke 15:10. This benefit, because it is +bestowed upon us after an invisible manner, many people little consider; +but a wise man, who considers not only the visible world, but the +invisible also, understands well, that in the invisible world, wherein God +dwelleth, there is much greater glory, and there are much greater numbers +or hosts, and greater principalities and dominions (Col. 1:16) than in +this visible world. And as God makes his own ministers and princes defend +and watch over us, it is plain that this is an exceedingly great benefit; +even as that is to be accounted an honor and favor, when a prince appoints +his own ministers to conduct and defend one that is to travel through a +wilderness or through a hostile country. + +5. Look upon the firmament, and consider how God has appointed it for thy +service. Behold the wondrous course of the sun and moon. Why do they run +so incessantly, day and night, and rest not so much as for one moment? +Gen. 1:16; Ps. 19:6. Are they not diligent and industrious servants of +man? For God hath no need of their service; he wants not their operations +nor their light; it is for man that they were created. The sun serves thee +as an unwearied servant, which every morning rises early, and carries +before thee the beautiful light, and puts thee in remembrance of the +eternal light, which is Christ, and his divine word; this shall be the +light of thy soul, that thou mayest walk as a child of the light. The moon +and the night cover thee with a shadow, bringing rest unto thee, and +teaching thee to abide and to dwell under the shadow of the Most High. Ps. +91:1. The moon, like an unwearied handmaid, conducts water to fertilize +the earth. Nay, there is not a star which does not shine, and has not +received some blessing for the benefit of man. + +6. Behold the air and the winds, how clear they make the firmament, +dispelling the clouds; or they gather them together and cause them to pour +forth afterwards upon the earth. It is very wonderful that God "bindeth up +the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them." Job +26:8. The air bears and sustains the clouds, those moist vapors which are +afterwards resolved into small drops of water. Job 36:27. Thunder, +lightnings, and hail (Job 37:3), must lead us to acknowledge the power of +God, to pray to him, and to thank him when he has preserved us in a +terrible tempest. Ps. 18:8, 13, 14. + +7. Behold the various winds which govern navigation; so that where a wind +blows, there the ship is driven, and sails on her way as a bird flies +through the air. Thus all places of the world can be found out, and all +the secrets thereof discovered, that nothing may be kept hid of what God +hath created for the benefit of man. + +8. Behold the various kinds of fish in the sea. Gen. 1:20, 21; Ps. 104:25. +They have their appointed times and seasons, in which they, as it were, +rise out of the depths and present themselves, crowded together as the +corn in the field, as if they would say, Now we are in season, now is the +time of harvest for the sea; gather therefore, O ye men! And so it is with +the birds also; when their time is come, they fly together in great +multitudes, and show themselves to mankind. + +9. Behold the earth, that great storehouse of food and treasury of God. It +furnishes forth meat and drink, medicine and clothing, houses and abodes, +and all the various metals. Each month produces its flowers, which present +themselves to our notice, as if they would say, Here we are; we bring our +gifts, and present them to you, as good as we received them from our +Creator. Nay, even the forest, which is the habitation of roving beasts, +God hath put under man, and made him to have dominion over them. And were +we to attempt to enumerate all the temporal benefits of God, we should +find it impossible to number only them that are in one particular country. +There is no fruit, but it is a benefit of God; and let man enumerate them, +one by one, if he be able. Should not we learn from this to know our good +and bountiful God? Ps. 65:10, 11. If a great potentate were to subject to +thee his whole kingdom, and all his dominions, nobles, and powerful men, +nay, all his subjects, and were to command them to guard, defend, +preserve, clothe, cure, and feed thee, and to take care that thou want +nothing at all, wouldest thou not love him and account him a loving, +bountiful lord? How then oughtest thou to love the Lord thy God, who has +reserved nothing for himself, but appointed for thy service all that is in +heaven, or comes from heaven, and all that is upon earth. He needs no +creatures for himself, and has excepted nothing from thy service, neither +in all the hosts of holy angels, nor in any of his creatures under the +stars. If we but desire it, they are ready to serve us; nay, hell itself +must serve us by bringing upon us fear and terror, that we may not sin; +and by punishing and tormenting our enemies and all the wicked, more than +man can desire. + +10. II. Let us, upon this ladder of the creatures, ascend unto God our +Creator, and consider his spiritual benefits. Has not the Holy Trinity, +each Person in particular, bestowed upon man great grace and beneficence? +The Father has given us his own Son, and "how shall he not with him also +freely give us all things?" Rom. 8:32. Has not God the Son given us +himself, and all he is, and all he has? "God commendeth his love toward +us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8. Is +not the Holy Ghost within us, illuminating, purifying, teaching, +comforting, and adorning our souls with his gifts? He "beareth witness +with our spirit that we are the children of God." Rom. 8:16. + +11. In a word, God's mercy pours forth itself entirely upon us, and omits +nothing whereby men could be moved to love God. The benefits God bestows +upon us, are so many messengers which he sends for inviting us to come and +to enjoy his love. If thou shouldest ask the Scriptures, the angels, all +the prophets and all the saints of God, nay, all creatures besides, "From +whence come you?" they would answer, "We are the messengers of the mercy +of God; we carry fire and flames, that the heart of man, which is cold and +incrusted, as it were, with ice, might be warmed again by the love of +God." Yet all these numbers of flaming messengers of God are not able to +warm the dead, cold, and frozen heart. This, therefore, is the greatest +wonder the devil can effect, that he makes a human heart so cold, that +warmth cannot be raised therein, by so many flames of the love of God. + +12. Therefore, hearken, thou human heart, and consider where thy Creator +has placed thee: namely, in the middle of so many fiery benefits, where +the glorious angels surround thee with their flaming love, and where there +are so many creatures and messengers of God, all proclaiming his love unto +thee. Wherein now has God Almighty transgressed against thee? Whereby has +he deserved, that thou shouldst not, or canst not, love and praise him? If +what he has done for thee be too little, behold, he offers to do still +more. He will create for thee a new heaven and a new earth, and will build +a new, glorious, heavenly city, which his glory will lighten; nay, he will +illuminate thee with his own light and glory. Rev. 21:10, etc. Could a +young woman be so cold, as not to love a fair and youthful bridegroom, +whose beauty and goodness were praised day and night, nay, who had +delivered her from death, and adorned her with the fairest ornaments? +Therefore know, thou human soul, how cold the devil has made thee, since +thou canst not be at all warmed by the love of God. + +13. And since God has implanted love in all human hearts, tell me, if thy +love could be bought of thee, to whom wouldest thou sell it rather than to +the Lord thy God? But thinkest thou, that God has not bought of thee thy +love dear enough, and has not paid for it a price sufficient? Hath He not +given thee his dear Son for it, and Heaven and Earth besides? All that +thou expectest to gain for thy love from the world, is as nothing, in +comparison with what God has given thee, and what He further has prepared +for them that love him. 1 Cor. 2:9; Isa. 64:4. The world, perhaps, gives +thee a handful of honor and riches, accompanied with many troubles, and +yet thou lovest it! Why dost thou not rather love God, the everlasting +Good? But if thy love is not to be bought or sold, but rather will bestow +itself freely upon that which thou likest best, what can love find that is +to be esteemed more than the supreme, eternal, and most glorious Good? +Everything we love, is our beauty and ornament: and if thou lovest God, +thou shalt make him thereby thy beauty and thy ornament. And since that is +lovely which is beautiful, nothing can ever make thee more lovely and +comely, than the love of God in thy soul. + +14. And lastly, it is but just and reasonable, that we should love him +"who first loved us." 1 John 4:19. Take account of all the benefits of +God, and sum them up; so shalt thou find that all creatures are full of +the love of God. This love follows and surrounds thee everywhere, so that +thou canst not be rid of it, nor hide thyself from it. It is too powerful +and overcometh thee; thou must enjoy it whether thou wilt or not, unless +thou wouldest live no more. + +15. Now we know that brutes love those by whom they are loved; wouldest +thou be worse than a brute, hating thy Benefactor, in whose love thou +livest and movest, standest and walkest, sleepest and wakest? But as a +thing that is to be kindled, must be held to the fire till it take the +flame: so also art thou to expose thy heart to the fire of the love of +God, till it be kindled and inflamed therein, which is effected by +continual contemplations of the benefits of God. As formerly the priests +were commanded to kindle the sacrifices by the holy fire (Lev. 6:12), so +must the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ, kindle the sacrifice of thine +heart, by the fire of his Holy Spirit. And this holy fire of his love was +burning toward us from eternity; for He loved us before the foundation of +the world. Since that, it has gloriously shown forth itself in the Lord's +incarnation and birth; and chiefly in his sufferings and death, whereby He +has bestowed upon us the highest love; and this fire of his flaming love +to us will not be extinguished to all eternity. Near this fire continue +thou with thy cold heart, that thou mayest he kindled with, and united to, +the love of Christ. + + + + +Chapter XXX. + + + Showing How God Manifests Himself To The Loving Soul, As The Supreme + Beauty. + + + _O Lord my God, thou art very great: thou art clothed with honor + and majesty; who coverest thyself with light as with a + garment._--PS. 104:1, 2. + + +As nothing is more lovely to a loving soul than Christ, and no good higher +or more precious than God himself; so there is also nothing more +_beautiful_ in the sight of such a one than God. That soul looks upon God +as the highest beauty, with which nothing in heaven and earth is to be +compared; so that all the holy angels cannot sufficiently praise to all +eternity this beauty of God. If all the holy angels in their lustre, and +all the elect in their glory, were put together, it would nevertheless +appear, that all their beauty and splendor proceed from God, who is the +eternal glory and beauty; and that they are derived from the everlasting, +infinite light and brightness. For as God is all good, and the highest +good, so He is also all beauty, ornament, and glory. + +2. And when a man beholds in spirit the glory of God, he forgets all the +creatures, nay, the beauty of all the angels also; and mourns over nothing +so much, as that he has offended this great Good with his wickedness, and +this infinite eternal beauty and brightness with his impurity. + +3. But because the Son of God, the brightness of his glory (Heb. 1:3), is +become man, He hath made men partakers of his divine nature, and of his +comeliness (2 Pet. 1:4), so that all who are in Christ by faith, are +comely and glorious before God. Ps. 16:3. He remembers our defects and +filthiness no more; for although his eyes see, yet the brightness of his +glory, and the love of Christ cover them. Eph. 5:27. + +4. The wise heathen Plato, considering the beauty of the creatures, of the +luminaries, of the firmament, of the flowers in the fields, of the metals +and animals, has by his reason drawn the conclusion, that God must of +necessity be an eternal Being, beautiful above all things, because the +beauty of all the creatures must be comprehended or concentrated in Him. +But we say from the word of God, and the holy Evangelist St. John: "It +doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when He shall +appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2); +that we then, being perfectly renewed after the likeness of God, shall +really be an image, like unto God, through which his beauty, brightness, +and glory will shine; but out of Jesus Christ our Lord, in the highest +brightness and beauty of all. For in him is all fulness; and so it has +pleased the Father that "in him should all fulness dwell" (Col. 1:19); and +that "in him should be gathered together in one all things, both which are +in heaven, and which are on earth" (Eph. 1:10); which no finite creature +can comprehend. + +5. Therefore angels and men shall admire the brightness and beauty of +Christ, especially the chosen children of God, "whose vile bodies shall be +fashioned like unto his glorious body." Phil. 3:21. And this is what +Daniel says, "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the +firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever +and ever." Dan. 12:3. And as the 104th Psalm, ver. 2, says of God, "Thou +coverest thyself with light," so our covering or garment will also be +nothing else but light and brightness. + + + + +Chapter XXXI. + + + Showing How God Manifests Himself To The Loving Soul As The Infinite + Omnipotence. + + + _O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to + thy faithfulness round about thee?_--PS. 89:8. + + +The love of God wills, that a loving soul should do good to all men, and +be profitable both to foes and friends; not for the sake of its own profit +and honor, but only for the sake of the love of God, which, as it were, +moves his omnipotence to draw nigh unto us; which also, from its infinite +treasure, gives us all we have, to the end that we should give again from +love what the love of God has given us out of the treasury of his +omnipotence. + +2. Therefore, O man, be careful that thou appropriate nothing to thyself, +but restore all to the omnipotence of God, who himself is all that thou +hast and art. No creature can either give to, or take away from, thee; it +is only the omnipotence of God which can do it. Nor can any creature +comfort thee; the love of God alone can do it. + +3. In this love, the loving soul sees the fulness of God's +incomprehensible omnipotence, which comprehends in itself heaven and +earth, the sea and the dry land, but cannot be comprehended by any thing. +For the whole world is to the omnipotence of God "as a drop of a bucket, +and as the small dust of the balance." Isa. 40:15. + +4. And out of this fulness of God's omnipotence, all the powers of angels, +men, and all other creatures, proceed. It sustains the firmament of +Heaven. The motions of the sea and the powers of the earth proceed from +it; so that heaven and earth are full of God, full of the divine power and +operation, full of the Spirit of the Lord. The power of God, which is the +might of his love, comprehends, incloses, and replenishes all things, but +is comprehended by none. Ps. 139:2, etc. + +5. As high as God is over all things, so deeply also is he in all things, +and all things are in him, according to St. Paul, who says, "Of him, and +through him, and to him, are all things" (Rom. 11:36); and again, "Who is +above all, and through all, and in you all." Eph. 4:6. + +6. Since God is so great and over all things, nothing surely can be equal +to him; and he that will be so, makes himself a god, commits the greatest +sin, and falls into the pit of perdition. And since God is all, all that +is without him must be as nothing. Therefore from God's omnipotence, man +learns to know his own nothingness, and to fear God, who delights in them +only that "humble themselves under his mighty hand." 1 Peter 5:6. + +7. Now as great and high as God is in his omnipotence, even so low is he +made by his love. Behold our Lord Jesus Christ, the living Son, the +powerful arm of God, by whom were all things created, and by whom all +things consist (1 Col. 1:16, 17); how deeply has he descended by his love, +and how lowly and humble has he made himself among all creatures! + +8. Therefore, even as we cannot fathom, much less express in words, the +omnipotence of God; so neither can we fathom with our thoughts the +humility and lowliness of Christ. Nevertheless, as deep as is his descent, +so high is also his ascent far above all heavens. Eph. 4:10. Unto him be +honor and praise to all eternity. Amen. + + ------------------------------------- + +O God! O Jesus! O blessed Spirit! Thou unchangeable mind! Thou +inextinguishable light! Thou Peace which cannot be disturbed! Thou +indivisible unity! Thou infallible truth! Thou ineffable bounty! Thou +immeasurable might! Thou infinite wisdom! Thou incomprehensible Goodness! +Thou omnipresent eternity! Thou Life of all the living! Do Thou enlighten +me, do Thou sanctify me, do Thou quicken me! + + + + +Chapter XXXII. + + + Showing How The Loving Soul Knows God As The Highest Righteousness And + Holiness. + + + _Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are + a great deep._--PS. 36:6. + + +All who love God acknowledge him to be the highest and most holy +righteousness, which pervades all, and is over all. This in God is his +most holy will; in angels holy obedience; in man, the testimony of his +conscience; in all creatures, it is the order of nature, whereby God has +ordered all things in number, weight, and measure. All that is done +against this order, is contrary to God and nature. + +2. All sins, therefore, in the world, are committed against God's +righteousness, and the sinner thereby offends all creatures, even all the +angels in heaven, and his own conscience, and sets them in hostility +against himself. For when God is offended and provoked to anger, all +creatures are also offended and made angry; so, too, when God is +reconciled, all creatures are reconciled also, and rejoice over such a +man. Hence St. Paul says, that all things are reconciled by Christ, +whether they be "things in earth or things in heaven" (Col. 1:20): and +this, because God is reconciled through him. Therefore the Lord says, +"There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that +repenteth." Luke 15:10. The angels rejoice for man's own sake. + +3. But if God be not reconciled to man, all creatures, angels, and nature +itself, execute vengeance upon him. Hence come the dreadful judgments of +God: and it is impossible to avert such vengeance and judgments. "Thou art +to be feared, O God; and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art +angry? Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth +feared, and was still." Ps. 76:7, 8. Thus may we see in the plagues of +Egypt how all creatures executed vengeance upon the wicked. + +4. From the most holy righteousness of God, when offended, proceeds also +the curse; as Moses, the man of God, witnesses, when he speaks of the +transgression of the divine law. Deut. 27:15, etc. + +5. It is a curse when the justice of God executes such vengeance, that the +cursed cannot enjoy any good, either from God or the creature, but is made +an "abhorring unto all flesh." Isa. 66:24. "A curse is a liableness and +condemnation unto eternal misery." Therefore a curse is terrible and +dreadful unto all creatures, so that they cannot endure it. And this is +the highest vengeance of the justice of God. + +6. From the most holy righteousness of God proceed also those wonderful, +unsearchable, secret, dreadful judgments, whereof David says, "Thy +judgments are a great deep" (Ps. 36:7); and St. Paul, "How unsearchable +are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" Rom. 11:33. + +7. When, therefore, we consider them, we see therein the righteousness of +God, of which the man of God, Moses, says, "To me belongeth vengeance, and +recompense," saith the Lord. "If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand +take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will +reward them that hate me. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people! for he +will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his +adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land and to his people." Deut. +32:35, 41, 43. + +8. In these words, Moses declares the vengeance of God upon all the +wicked, who resist the righteousness of God. Against them God will whet +his glittering sword; that is, his dreadful sentence and judgment, at +which the earth feareth, and is still. Ps. 76:8. And him, upon whom God +executes his vengeance and judgment, all the world cannot save; according +to the words of the Psalm: "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O +God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou +Judge of the earth; render a reward to the proud." Ps. 94:1, 2. Here we +read that although the Lord God is a gracious, loving, kind, merciful, +long-suffering God, to all them that fear him, he is nevertheless a just +judge, according to his righteousness, of all the wicked that transgress +against his righteousness. + +9. He, therefore, sets before us in his word, not only instances of his +grace and mercy, but also of his justice and vengeance; such as those of +the deluge, Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh in Egypt, and in the Red Sea; +Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; Saul, Ahithophel, Ahab, Jezebel, +Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Sennacherib; and in the New Testament, Herod, +and many more; in every one of whom, we may see the wonderful judgment and +vengeance of God. Therefore he is called, a _God of vengeance_, "unto whom +vengeance belongeth," because he is the most holy, and the most righteous +God; nay, righteousness itself. Therefore, the saints (Rev. 6:10) appeal +to the justice of God with a loud voice, saying: "How long, O Lord, holy +and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on +the earth?" + +10. Such judgments of God are executed daily, but are rightly understood +only by believing and holy souls, according to the words of the Psalm: +"With thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked." Ps. +91:8. This saying is not to be understood according to carnal passions and +affections, but it is to be considered spiritually; for it imports that we +are to give unto the Lord our God, the praise of his righteousness; and to +say, "Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments" (Ps. +119:137); and "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his +works." Ps. 145:17. Thus holy and believing souls delight to see the +wonderful judgments of God; yet not according to the flesh, so as to +rejoice over the destruction and perdition of the wicked (which would +proceed from self-revenge); but, according to the spirit, they take +delight, that is, they acknowledge and praise the righteousness of God, +who fulfilleth his word, and is a righteous God. And at the same time, +they lament and weep over the perdition of the wicked, even as our Saviour +wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41); and as David wept over Absalom. 2 Sam. +18:33. + +11. So, then, we are here to have a twofold respect, namely, to God and to +men. If we look upon the destruction of men, we are justly to be +sorrowful; but if we look upon God, we are to praise his justice, for he +doeth wrong unto none. Ps. 92:15. + + + + +Chapter XXXIII. + + + Showing How The Loving Soul Considers God As The Eternal Wisdom. + + + _Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the + world._--ACTS 15:18. + + +God ordains, governs, moves, and regulates all things according to his +unsearchable wisdom, as it is written (Isa. 45:4-12): "I have even called +thee by thy name; I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I +am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God besides me.--I form +the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord +do all these things.--Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the +potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him +that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe +unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, +What hast thou brought forth? Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, +and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning +the work of my hands command ye me. I have made the earth, and created man +upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their +host have I commanded." + +2. This is a powerful testimony concerning the eternal wisdom, and the +wondrous, incomprehensible government of Almighty God, which may be first +observed in this, that he has called every one of us by his name, and has +surnamed us, though we did not know him, and were not yet in being. This +our name by which God calleth us, is our faith, our outward calling, and +our whole course of life. There we are inclosed in, or surrounded with, +God's eternal wisdom and providence, as it respects our whole life, its +beginning, middle, and end (Ps. 139:16), or as to our going out and coming +in. Ps. 121:8. "He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by +their names" (Ps. 147:4); that is, he gives them their courses, powers, +and operations. How much more doth he so in reference to men! God forms +the light and creates darkness. He makes peace, and creates evil; that is, +as to the evil of punishment, the just reward of sin; this he creates and +permits; nay, he calls the sword, and causes an alarm of war to be heard. +Jer. 49:2. + +3. In a word, he ordains all things wisely. He sees and hears all things +before, according to the words of the Psalmist: "Understand, ye brutish +among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the +ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that +chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? He that teacheth man +knowledge, shall not he know?" Ps. 94:8-10. + +4. Here king David teaches us that God has laid a mirror of his +omniscience and eternal wisdom into man, into the hearing ear, and seeing +eye, those two wonderful powers of the human body. + +5. It is extremely offensive to a man, to hear and see anything unjust or +unreasonable; how much more to God, who has an all-seeing eye and an +all-hearing ear, must men's ingratitude be offensive; he having ordained +all things by his wisdom, in order to be serviceable unto men. He has made +the sun by his wisdom to give light, not unto itself, but to us; the water +affords drink, not to itself, but unto us; the earth brings forth fruits, +not for itself but for us; the fire warms, not for itself, but for us; the +air gives breath, not to itself, but to us; the bread feeds, not itself, +but us; the herbs do not heal themselves, but us. + +6. The eternal wisdom of God has planted so many powers in the creatures, +and has so wisely distributed them, that they are, as it were, so many +hands through which the wisdom and goodness of God divide these treasures +among us, according to the words of Job: "Who knoweth not in all these, +that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of +every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." Job 12:9, 10. And "Ask +now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and +they shall tell thee" (Ver. 7); that "with God is wisdom and strength, he +hath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be +built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening." Ver. 13, +14. "He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the +earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the +cloud is not rent under them." Job 26:7, 8. + +7. Since then the Lord our God ordaineth all things by his wisdom, he +ordaineth all our crosses; and therefore we are not to murmur, but to +praise his wisdom, and to learn patience; for things cannot proceed +otherwise than as they are ordained by God. But not only the things that +befall us in particular, are the most wise order of God; but also all +great national plagues, famine, pestilence, wars, and revolutions of +states. And although we may think that these are nothing but confusion, +perdition, and destruction, yet there reigns the wisest order of God. This +we may gather from the histories of Holy Writ, where famine, wars, +pestilence, desolations of the kingdoms of the world, the destruction of +the Jewish kingdom, and of empires, the Babylonian Captivity, and many +similar events, are described. "I know," saith Solomon (Eccles. 3:14), +"that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, +nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before +him." + +8. And again, "Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, +which he hath made crooked?" Eccles. 7:13. + +9. If we consider it aright, we must own that God could not have ordered +things more wisely. So we may say also, with reference to the persecutions +of the saints, both in the Old and New Testament; to our Lord Jesus +Christ; the holy Gospel; the holy martyrs; and all other things. In our +sight, these all seem to be absurd, and foolish, and yet they are the +highest wisdom of God. + +10. As then we are to give unto God the praise of righteousness, in all +his wonderful judgments; so we are also to give unto him the praise of +wisdom, in all the wonderful changes of the world, and in all our crosses +and sufferings; knowing that he can direct all evils to a good end, and +out of evil derive good: so that in all things, how confused soever they +may appear unto us, there shineth forth his wisdom, even as his +righteousness doth in all his judgments. + +11. But the loving soul sees the wisdom of God especially in the +restoration and redemption of the human race, and in the renovation of the +soul and the faculties thereof. For so it pleased the wisdom of God, that +the corrupt image of God in man, should be renewed by the divine +substantial image of God, that is, by Christ. After man had lost by sin +that blessed wisdom, that glorious light of his _intellect_, by which he +knew God aright, and so had fallen into the utmost blindness, nay, into +eternal darkness, wherein he must have dwelt forever; the Son of God, who +is the eternal wisdom of the Father, became man, and a light of life unto +men (John 1:4), that he might bring back those that had gone astray; that +he might teach the ignorant; call to himself the sinners; and rekindle in +them the light of the knowledge of God by faith and the Holy Ghost; nay, +that he might unite himself to the soul of man, and might shine forth +therein. + +12. Secondly: after the _will_ of man was entirely turned away from God, +perverted, and wholly changed into disobedience, striving against God in +all things; the Son of God was made man, that he might be unto us a +pattern of perfect obedience; that he might heal our evil will; implant +his good will in our hearts; renew our will through the Holy Ghost; and +make us partakers of his holy obedience by faith; according to those words +of Scripture (Gal. 3:14), "That we might receive the promise of the Spirit +through faith;" nay, that he might unite himself to us, and live in us, +that so our will also might be made conformable unto God. + +13. Thirdly: because the _affections_ of our hearts, and all our +faculties, were in contrariety to God, and "every imagination of the +thoughts of our hearts, was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5); the Son of +God, who is love itself, became man, that he might give us a heart wholly +new; that he might plant therein the love of God, and sincere humility and +meekness; that he might take from us the old carnal heart, and unite +himself with us, that so we might be made of one heart, mind, and spirit +with him; all which are the fruits of his most holy incarnation wrought in +us. + +14. And this is the highest wisdom of God, that by his dear Son, He thus +reneweth man. For as God has created man by his wisdom, after his perfect +image; so He hath also, by his dear Son, who is eternal wisdom, and who +was made man, created man anew, and regenerated him to a new image of God, +wherein his wisdom, glory, and righteousness should shine forth forever. +It is in this chiefly that the image of God consists. + +15. Thus the corrupt image of God in man, is renewed by the substantial +image of God, which is Christ. + + + + +Chapter XXXIV. + + +Showing How A Man Should Seek The Wisdom Of God By Prayer; Containing Also +A Useful Treatise On Prayer, Wherein The Reader Is Taught How The Heart Is +To Be Moved Unto Prayer, And Brought Into A Quiet Sabbath, So That Prayer + May Be Wrought In Us By The Lord; The Whole Being Set Forth In Twelve + Sections. + + + +Section I. + + + All That We Have Lost In Adam We Recover Fully And Completely In Christ. + + + _In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and + knowledge._--COL. 2:3. + + +In the beginning God formed man out of the dust of the earth, and breathed +into him the breath of life, and man became a living and immortal soul, +adorned with perfect wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and blessedness, +after the image of his Creator. For where there is divine wisdom, there is +blessedness; and where there is blessedness there is divine wisdom. Man, +therefore, wanted nothing in Paradise to make him completely happy. But +when, being seduced by the temptation of the serpent, he turned away from +God, and fell into sin, then was this divine image in man effaced, and he +became subject to the devil, to death, and to misery. For as soon as this +divine image was defaced in him by sin, he could discover nothing in +himself but misery, blindness, and the curse. + +2. But in order that Adam, that is, all men in Adam, might not utterly +perish, God himself was made man; that is, he was pleased to send his Son +to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a virgin. The Son of God +has, by his holy life and doctrine, as by a pattern, shown us again the +way of wisdom and salvation in which we are to walk. For he has not only +delivered us from our sins by his most bitter death, but has moreover +given us a commandment, that "we should walk, even as he also walked." 1 +John 2:6. + +3. We are, therefore, begotten again by him, through faith, to be the sons +of God; nay, we are made sons of God in and with his own Son. For "as he +is, so are we also in this world." 1 John 4:17. + +4. In this Son "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden." For +whatsoever was lost in Adam, is perfectly to be found in Christ. Rom. +5:18, 19. + +5. If we would, in this life, have a foretaste of these great and glorious +treasures, it must be obtained by prayer, diligent searching, and +continual knocking. For no man can have admission into the kingdom of God, +unless he walk in the new birth, and seek it earnestly of God. No man can +be delivered from the power of sin and the devil, unless he repent, and +offer up his prayers in the name of Christ. For though Christ has +purchased for us all good things, yet without faith no man can be partaker +of them; in and by faith he must also pray, seek, and knock. In a word, it +is by prayer only that we can obtain those "good and perfect gifts which +come down from above, from the Father of lights." James 1:17. + +A PRAYER. + +O Eternal God and Father, teach me, I beseech thee, by thy Holy Spirit, +that even as I have lost all by dying in Adam, so I may recover all by +being made alive again in Christ. Grant that I may daily die to myself, by +continual mortification and repentance, and devote and give myself up +entirely to thee; that so all the good things which I have lost may be +restored to me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. + + + +Section II. + + + The Evils That Follow The Neglect Of Prayer. + + + _Ye have not, because ye ask not._--JAMES 4:2. + + +1. The neglect of prayer is a violation of the _commandments_ of Christ, +who commands us to "pray without ceasing" (Matt. 7:7; Luke 18:1), not for +His sake, for he well knows what we stand in need of (Matt. 6:32); but for +our own, that we may have a portion of the treasures and inheritance of +God. He that lives in the neglect of prayer is a breaker of the first and +second commandments, even as to blaspheme God is to bring voluntary +destruction upon himself. + +2. He that neglects the duty of prayer is a despiser of the _promises_ +annexed to the performance of that duty. "Call upon me, and I will deliver +thee" (Ps. 50:15); "Ask, and ye shall receive" (John 16:24); for he +thereby represents God as unmindful of his promises, or as not able to +fulfil them. + +3. By the neglect of prayer, our faith, which is the great treasure and +foundation of the inward man, by degrees decays and perishes. For not by +the arm or power of flesh, but by faith in Christ, can we conquer sin, +death, and the devil. 1 John 5:4. Prayer is the nourishment of faith; and +this is that wisdom and eternal life which we must seek for by diligent +prayer. + +4. The Lord Jesus departs from them that despise prayer; so that they are +blinded and walk in darkness, knowing neither themselves nor God, but are +strangers to his will. They shut the kingdom of heaven against themselves; +and, being destitute of light to know the will of God, they fall into many +dangers and temptations, and sometimes into despair: whereas, on the +contrary, where there are the Holy Spirit and faith, there the world is +overcome. + +5. He that neglects prayer enters into a state of carnal security, and +every kind of iniquity. Such a man is not sensible how deeply he is +engaged in sin; but rushes into all the avenues of destruction which lie +open to receive him. The good things of this world which God has given +him, such as health and riches, he regards as things that come by chance, +or are secured by his own labor; and upon that account he has no gratitude +to his Creator and Benefactor. + +6. As man, since his fall, is exposed to continual dangers, both of body +and soul, so is he particularly in danger from the devil, evil spirits, +and wicked men, who, like the devil, are continually plotting the +destruction of the righteous. Whosoever, therefore, neglects prayer, will +be, in the midst of these temptations, like a ship tost in a storm, +without help or hopes of escape. + +7. Such a one also leads a most unhappy life; he is in continual +difficulties and fears, being perplexed, doubtful, and uneasy about the +success of his affairs. His head and hands are full of business; yet he +sees but little fruit of his labors, and even that little is in the end +unblessed. Therefore, though the Scripture says that "the wicked may be +seen in great power," yet it adds, "they pass away, and are not." Ps. +37:35, 36. They are "like the chaff which the wind driveth away." Ps. 1:4. +On the other hand, they that seek unto God by prayer "shall flourish like +a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Ps. 92:12. And "though +many are the afflictions of the righteous" (Ps. 34:19), yet the wicked +undergo more pain and trouble to go to hell than the righteous do to +obtain heaven. + +A PRAYER. + +Most merciful and compassionate Father, thou knowest that man renders +himself miserable by his own negligence and sloth, whilst he transgresses +thy commands, and neglects the duty of prayer, contemning and slighting +thy most certain and faithful promises. But because thou lovest thy +creatures, and art not willing that any should perish, therefore it is +that thou dost so earnestly invite us to the exercise of prayer. Give me +grace to lay this continually to heart, that I may be able to offer up my +prayers aright, through thy Son Jesus Christ, and be delivered from the +punishments and miseries due to the despisers of that holy duty. Amen. + + + +Section III. + + + The Benefits Of Continual Prayer. + + + _Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full._--JOHN + 16:24. + + +1. Man, since his fall, is become slothful and inactive in everything that +is good. He, therefore, that would escape this unhappy state, and the +destruction that will certainly attend it, must stir himself up by prayer; +and by holy meditation conquer his aversion to divine things, and devoutly +consider with himself the advantages of prayer. Let him reflect, that he +thereby praises, honors, and adores the eternal, living, and true God; +that he does not worship any strange God; but offers up his most earnest +supplications to the only one and true God, whose commands, like an +obedient child, he ought to obey, and show forth the praises of his +Creator, Father, and Saviour. + +2. He that prays does not despise the promises of God, but testifies by +his prayers that he sets a just value upon them, acknowledging that God is +true, and that he neither can nor will lie. + +3. Prayer is the life of faith, causing it to flourish and prosper like a +tree by the river side, and faith is the root of all that is good in us. +Faith is our power, our spiritual consolation, our strength against all +our enemies and temptations, yea, faith is our "victory that overcometh +the world" (1 John 5:4); and consequently everything else that opposes and +hinders us in our spiritual warfare. + +4. By prayer, we receive the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13; Zech. 12:10. By +prayer, we make room for the Holy Spirit to work and exert his power in +us, and by this means to come and make his abode with us. John 14:23. By +prayer, we obtain the true light and knowledge of God, so as perfectly to +understand his will; and, by prayer, we abide in his kingdom, and are +partakers of the blessings of heaven. + +5. By prayer, we shake off carnal security, resist sin, and, by +vanquishing flesh and blood, "fight the good fight, and hold faith and a +good conscience." 1 Tim. 1:19; 6:12. + +6. By prayer, we oppose temptations, dangers, afflictions, the devil, and +wicked men. For prayer is a strong tower of defence against our enemies, +and the holy fortress to which we must have recourse (Eph. 6:18; Prov. +18:10; Ps. 31:3); and though the devil and wicked men raise the greatest +opposition, yet "all things work together for good to them that love God." +Rom. 8:28. + +7. Lastly, he that continually watches unto prayer may always thankfully +rejoice in the Holy Ghost; according to the doctrine of St. Paul, "Rejoice +evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks." 1 Thess. +5:16-18. For the comfortable addresses made to God, the eternal King, by +prayer, are an effectual remedy against sorrow, trouble, misery, and +affliction; and produce joy, peace, and tranquillity in the hearts of the +faithful; and when our prayers are right, we are assured that all our +righteous designs shall prosper in our hands "whilst we cast our care upon +God." 1 Pet. 5:7. "The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing." Phil. +4:5, 6. "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall +bring it to pass." Ps. 37:5. For all solicitude arises from a distrust of +God, which naturally proceeds from the neglect of prayer. On the contrary, +faith and prayer give us confidence towards God, and are the proper +antidote against all anxiety and trouble of mind. + +A PRAYER. + +Help me, O Lord my God, that I may continually call to mind, that it is +for my own sake that thou invitest and urgest me to the exercise of +prayer. Do thou rouse me, and I shall arise; awaken thou me, and I shall +awake, and follow Christ alone. Amen. + + + +Section IV. + + +The True Christian Chooses The Narrow Way In Christ, Rather Than The Broad + Way In Adam. + + + _We glory in tribulations._--ROM. 5:3. + + +1. The Scripture teaches us that when Adam was placed in Paradise, God +showed him the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and forbade him to +eat of it (Gen. 2:9, 17); so that Adam was thus placed between time and +eternity. Life and death, light and darkness (Deut. 30:15), were set +before him, that he might qualify himself for eternal glory in the narrow +way. Our case is just the same. For since the fall of Adam, Christ comes +to us, and endeavors to draw us from the broad way in Adam, to the narrow +way, which is himself; and this he does gently and without violence, +resolving to force no man either to his salvation or his condemnation. He +shows us the way by his prevenient grace, which is bestowed on all men +without exception. Christ now says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for +wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction; and +many there be that go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow +is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. +7:13, 14. + +2. Here we plainly see two paths set before us: the one is the way of the +world, in which many walk, because they continue in Adam, and refuse +Christ; the other is the way of God, in which few walk, because they +prefer the broad way in Adam. Many are the difficulties which attend both +these paths. If you conform yourself to the world, you will meet with many +troubles and vexations; and, not being established in the truth of God, +your lot finally is eternal damnation. But if you enter into the way of +God through Christ, and persevere in prayer, you must expect to suffer +with Christ, from the opposition of this evil world: but, at the same +time, your heart shall be constantly filled with the refreshing +consolations of the Spirit of truth, and in the end, you shall obtain +everlasting life. 2 Tim. 2:11, 12; 3:12. + +3. He that prays, fights against the devil and his own corrupt nature; +overcomes himself, the devil, and all the enemies of his salvation; and +shall at last with Christ, the Captain of his salvation (Heb. 2:10), enter +into everlasting rest. + +4. But he that lives in the neglect of prayer, makes no progress in the +conquest of his spiritual enemies; but is a miserable slave of the world, +and shall at last, with the prince of darkness, be condemned to +everlasting misery. + +5. It is better to fight now, and to enter triumphantly into everlasting +glory, than not to fight, and yet endure many afflictions, and at last be +doomed to everlasting destruction. + +A PRAYER. + +Oh that men would but consider these things! They would then loathe and +despise this present world; would hate and deny themselves, and would +follow Christ alone, in the narrow way of the cross. That we may, +therefore, seriously lay these things to heart; that we may renounce the +old Adam within us, and put on the new man, Christ Jesus: and at last, +through the narrow way, enter into everlasting life, may God of his +infinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. + + + +Section V. + + +Considerations Which Should Move The Heart To Commune With God In Prayer. + + + _Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off_?--JER. + 23:23. + + +1. It is of great use to us, to have before us certain heads which may +serve as encouragements to the exercise of earnest prayer, which is that +worship in spirit and in truth, which God requires of all his servants. + +2. I. First, then, we must consider that "God knows what things we have +need of, before we ask him." Matt. 6:8. + +3. II. That God draws, invites, and encourages us to the exercise of +prayer, and assuredly promises that he will hear our prayers. Ps. 50:15. + +4. III. That God is no respecter of persons, but has an equal regard for +all mankind. Acts 10:34. + +5. IV. That he is as sinful who presumes to pray upon the opinion of his +own righteousness, merit, and holiness, as he that is afraid to pray out +of a sense of his own sins and unworthiness. Luke 18:11, 14. + +6. V. That God is not confined to any certain place, where only we ought +to worship him; but that he is everywhere to be found, and is always "nigh +to them that call upon him." John 4:21, 22; Ps. 145:18. + +7. VI. That God is, in his own eternity, unchangeable, and not confined to +any certain time; but is always attentive to the prayers of his servants. +1 Thess. 5:17. + +8. VII. That God anticipates our prayers, and gives us both natural and +supernatural blessings, which yet, without prayer, nobody can truly enjoy. + +9. These considerations will renew and awaken every soul that shall duly +attend to them (Eph. 5:14): they will cleanse them from darkness and +error; establish them on the foundation of truth; elevate them towards +God; and inflame them with a lively devotion. For from them flow the +following lessons: + +10. I. That God commands and encourages us to pray, not for His own sake, +as if He were ignorant of our wants, but for our sakes, that being +quickened by prayer we might know and acknowledge them ourselves. + +11. II. That God does not stand in need of any minute declarations of our +necessities, but knows, even before we ask him, what things we have need +of. Isa. 65:24; Ps. 139:2. + +12. III. That God, who never slumbereth nor sleepeth, needs not to be +awakened by our cries, fastings, and watchings; but that these exercises +are profitable for man, to awaken and rouse him from the sleep of sin. Ps. +33:18; 34:15. + +13. IV. That God is a thousand times more ready to give, than man is to +receive. Jer. 32:41. + +14. V. That the goodness and mercy of God towards mankind are infinite +(Ps. 103:12), but that the negligence and sloth of men in praying, +seeking, and knocking, are excessive. Matt. 7:7. + +15. VI. That God is impartial and just in all his works, and is by no +means the cause of our blindness, infirmities, ignorance, or miseries; but +that wretched man himself is in fault, by neglecting to pray or to seek. +Deut. 32:4; Ps. 92:15. + +16. VII. That the true worshipper may at all times and in all places, +offer up his prayers in spirit and in truth to God the Father, through +Christ, provided he do not hinder himself. John 4:21, 23; Luke 18:1, etc. + +17. VIII. That whosoever neglects prayer, deprives himself of the blessed +opportunities of speaking to God. Ps. 19:14. Thus the sinner inflicts +punishment on himself. + +18. IX. That the diligent worshipper doeth good to himself; not of himself +but by the prevenient grace of God, which is freely given to all men +without exception. + +19. Let him that is unacquainted with the preceding heads of meditation, +know that he is still far from Christ, and has tasted but little of the +truth. He who knows them, and believes them not, is guilty of a very great +sin; and, lastly, he that believes them and yet is inactive, and does not +stir up himself to the practice of them, but, on the other hand, lives on +from day to day, in a state of doubt and indifference, is a great sinner, +and shall be beaten with many more stripes than he who knew not his Lord's +will, and therefore did it not. Luke 12:47. Let the one last mentioned +look carefully to himself, that he may be seriously converted, and not +perish in his sins. + +A PRAYER. + +O Lord, and merciful Father, awaken me by thy Holy Spirit, that I may not +only know those things, but may practise them by a lively faith, and +become a true worshipper in spirit and in truth. Amen. + + + +Section VI. + + + The Omniscient God Knows What We Stand In Need Of, Before We Ask Him. + + + _Thou understandest my thought afar off._--PS. 139:2. + + +1. The truth of these words is confirmed by our blessed Saviour: "Your +Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him" (Matt. +6:8); and by David: "He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?" (Ps. +94:9); and by St. Paul: "He is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of +the heart." Heb. 4:12. For our God is not as man, who stands in need of a +long account of our necessities. All the possible successions of time are +in his sight but as one single moment, in which all things, both past and +to come, are beheld as actually present. Therefore, he numbered the hairs +of our heads before we were born, and understands all our thoughts before +we pray. In a word, all things are naked and open in his sight. Heb. 4: +13. These and similar meditations may be of use, for the encouragement of +those who begin the exercise of prayer; so that they may always have +certain sentences of Scripture ready at hand, upon which they may +meditate, and which they may apply to themselves, by comprising the sense +of them in a short prayer. This will be easily understood by those that +are exercised herein. + +2. A man that walks abroad in an open spacious field, and in a clear day, +finds himself encompassed with light; which light, if it were spiritual, +instead of being natural, would even penetrate the spirit itself. Just so +are all creatures, visible and invisible, in the sight of God. He discerns +and comprehends all things, and nothing can be hidden from him. "The +darkness hideth not from him; but the night shineth as the day." Ps. +139:12. He himself is the all-seeing eye, to whom all things are as clear +as a mote in transparent crystal would be to our bodily eyes. + +3. This consideration is of great use to the inexperienced, in order to +purge their hearts from the thick clouds of darkness and error, and to +quicken them in prayer; by which, when truly roused and awakened, we +discover many great and noble truths that had hitherto been hidden from +our eyes. Many are apt to think, that God knows and sees no more than they +themselves do; which is the effect of egregious blindness and ignorance, +and will merit a proportionable punishment. Ps. 7:9. + +A PRAYER. + +Almighty and everlasting God and Father, the Searcher of hearts, and the +Judge of all our secret thoughts, who seest, knowest, and hearest all our +designs and purposes before they are brought to pass! Behold, I appear +before thee, to confess my necessities, not with any design to awaken thee +by my cries, as if thou wert ignorant of me, or of my concerns; but to +stir up myself to know and consider, that thou knowest all my necessities, +and that the very hairs of my head are numbered by thee. Assist me, Holy +Father, that I may truly know and consider these things, that my soul may +joyfully submit to thy good pleasure, and that I may wait upon thee in +true resignation and obedience. Amen. + + + +Section VII. + + + That God Invites And Engages All Men To The Exercise Of Prayer, And + Promises To Hear Their Petitions. + + + _Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be + delivered._--JOEL 2:32. + + +1. These words ought to be carefully considered; for it is not sufficient +to believe that God knows all things; we must also remember that God +commands us to pray, and promises to hear us. Thus, "Whatsoever ye shall +ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." John 16:23. "Everyone +that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that +knocketh, it shall be opened." Matt. 7:8. "Men ought always to pray, and +not to faint." Luke 18:1. "If any one lack wisdom, let him ask of God, +that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be +given him." James 1:5. "If we ask any thing according to his will, he +heareth us." 1 John 5:14. "All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, +believing, ye shall receive." Matt. 21:22. In all these places, both a +command and a promise are expressed; which must needs make an impression +upon every man that has not a heart of stone; and he that does not believe +them, is in a desperate state, and deserves not the name of a man. But if +these things are true, and acknowledged to be so, why do we not believe +them? Why do we not pray? Why are not our prayers heard? Why do we not +receive the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit? Verily, because we do not +pray _with faith_, nor wait upon God with _constancy and patience_. For +the property of true faith is to submit ourselves to God, in a quiet and +peaceful resignation of mind; but he that wavers, is unfaithful and +inconstant, and makes his own prayers void. Moreover, he denies the truth +and power of God, making him either unable or unwilling to supply our +wants. Both these are signs of a perverse spirit. + +2. On the other hand, faith gives quietness to the soul, and makes it +capable of divine grace. God requires nothing from man but that he should +be quiet, and rest from all his works, and especially from himself. The +spirit and mind of man are like waters, upon which the Spirit of God is +perpetually moving. Gen. 1:2. So soon as our spirit is quiet, and at rest +from the impetuous motions of worldly thoughts, then God rests upon it, +and speaks forth the word of his power into such quiet and still waters; +and the moment of this divine influx is of more value than the whole +world. Still waters are easily warmed by the sun, but violent and rapid +streams seldom or never. Unbelief sacrilegiously robs God of his honor, +destroying the very names of faith and truth. This changes the Christian +into a heathen and atheist, and, unless repented of, will lead to his +everlasting destruction. + +A PRAYER. + +O Eternal, faithful, and righteous God, who canst not lie; I know that +thou dost graciously invite, encourage, and impel all men, for their own +infinite advantage, to pray unto thee; and dost offer thy grace and mercy +equally to them all, without distinction or partiality. Grant, I beseech +thee, Holy Father, that I may seriously lay these things to heart, and +attain a true, firm, and upright faith, and not be deaf to the invitations +of thy infinite mercy; but may constantly and cheerfully submit myself to +thee, and expect with patience thy light within my soul. Amen. + + + +Section VIII. + + + God Is No Respecter Of Persons, But Has An Impartial Love For All His + Creatures. + + + _The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his + works._--PS. 145:9. + + +1. I am now indeed convinced (some one may say), that God knows my +necessities better than I can discover them to him; that he has commanded +prayer, and promised to hear it: but I am not yet fully satisfied, whether +I in particular am not excluded from the benefit of these promises?--Come, +then, and let us now show that God is no respecter of persons, in +opposition to those blind guides, who, by their false interpretations of +some places of Holy Scripture, particularly Rom. 9:13, Mal. 1:2, and the +like, have endeavored to prove that God has an aversion to some particular +persons, and a partial fondness for others; contrary to the plain and +indisputable testimonies of Holy Scripture, which we ought firmly to fix +in our minds, that we may not be perverted by the false glosses of +unreasonable men. + +"Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every +nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with +him." Acts 10:34, 35. + +"The Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a +mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He +doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the +stranger, in giving him food and raiment." Deut. 10:17, 18. + +"God accepteth no man's person." Gal. 2:6. + +"There is no respect of persons with God." Col. 3:25. + +"As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the +wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.--As for the +wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he +turneth from his wickedness.--None of his sins that he hath committed shall +be mentioned unto him." Ezek. 33:11, 12, 16. + +"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ +Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit, +for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show +forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter +believe on him to life everlasting." 1 Tim. 1:15, 16. + +"God will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the +truth." 1 Tim. 2:4. + +"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to +repentance." 2 Pet. 3:9. + +These and such testimonies of Scripture ought to be deeply imprinted on +our minds, that every one may know, that all men are equally dear to God; +that all men were created by him according to his image, and redeemed by +Jesus Christ. Moreover, God has sworn by himself, that he desires not the +death of a sinner. Hence God assists us all by his prevenient grace, not +waiting till we are worthy to receive it. He comes to us, before we come +to him; he knew us, before we knew him; he loveth us, before we love him; +he loved us while we were yet his enemies. Rom. 5:10. He, therefore, is +blind and impious, who dares assert that God does not love all men alike. +Such a one scorns the God of heaven, accuses him of injustice, and makes +him a respecter of persons. + +2. But when it is said that God loved Jacob, and hated Esau (Rom. 9:13), +such language is not to be understood of them personally, or as indicating +only hatred, but refers to the exclusion from the inheritance in the land +of promise--not to a hatred which refuses salvation, but to the refusal of +temporal blessings. And though we are all sinners, yet God has a greater +regard for those that love him than for those that continue in their sins +and blindness, neither acknowledging God for their Father, nor bringing +forth the fruits of repentance. God takes no pleasure in the wickedness of +these men; but rather desires that all should be saved. And whereas it is +said that "he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he +hardeneth" (Rom. 9:18); we must know that he hardeneth none but those who +by their unbelief and impenitence have hardened themselves. These, indeed, +he does at length, with reluctance, leave to themselves; and being thus +forsaken, they naturally fall into a state of entire obduracy. And whereas +it is said, that "it is not of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth +mercy" (Rom. 9:16); it is plain that God doth elect and anticipate us by +his grace, and not we ourselves, and that he is the Author and Giver of +all our graces; so that whatsoever good we do, is owing to him, and not to +ourselves. + +3. This is the true interpretation of those places, which some perverse +minds have interpreted, as if God had decreed to damn a great part of +mankind (as the poets feigned of Saturn, who hated and devoured his own +children). This is a doctrine that tends directly to subvert our faith, +and to precipitate men into despair, or into a rude, lawless and Epicurean +mode of life, as appears by woful experience. From all which snares, and +deceits of the devil, may the Lord deliver us! Amen. + +A PRAYER. + +O Eternal and most righteous God, who acceptest not the persons of men; +but art so just in thy dispensations towards us all, as to anticipate us +with thy grace and favor, not waiting till we are already worthy, but +bestowing thy prevenient grace to make us so; teach me, by thy Holy +Spirit, gratefully to acknowledge thy boundless mercy towards us. Let thy +light arise in my heart, that I may not, with the wicked world, disown +that grace which thou hast already bestowed upon me, which is that +treasure hidden in the field, the earnest of the inheritance of the +saints; but may diligently search after it, find it, taste it, and enjoy +it. Amen. + + + +Section IX. + + + Showing That It Is Equally Sinful To Pray To God Upon The Presumption Of + Our Own Merit, And To Forbear On Account Of Our Unworthiness. + + + _Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no + more worthy to be called thy son._--LUKE 15:21. + + +1. He that prays upon the presumption of his own holiness and piety, +walketh not in the direct and plain path of the children of God; but turns +to the right hand, outruns his Saviour, and, like a sacrilegious robber, +deprives him of the honor due unto him (since He alone is our +righteousness, our holiness, and our sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30), and +depends entirely upon his own unprofitable works; not acknowledging the +merit of Christ alone, but depending upon human righteousness, and +believing that God hears our prayers, not for the sake of Jesus Christ, +but for the sake of man's good works. But this is directly contrary to +Scripture. "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall +stand?--But with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous +redemption." Ps. 130:3, 7. A man may as well say, that the operation of +his eyes causes the light of the sun, as that his own righteousness is the +cause of his receiving the grace of God. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elias, +&c., were all saved by grace; all joining in that petition, "Enter not +into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, &c." Ps. 143:2. + +2. He, on the other hand, that neglects to pray from a sense of his +manifold transgressions, judging himself upon that account unworthy to +speak to God, turns to the left hand, and sinks in his own misery and +unworthiness, affronting the Son of God, and (without repentance) running +into despair; whilst he thinks that the passion and death of Christ are +not sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world. Against this +temptation, let us call to mind, that "where sin abounded, there grace did +much more abound." Rom. 5:20. For our misery appeals to the mercy of God, +our weakness to his power, our unworthiness to his majesty, our +unrighteousness to his righteousness. + +"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ +Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 1 Tim. +1:15. + +"As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the +wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Ezek. 33:11. + +"There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." Rom. 8:1. + +"As for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day +that he turneth from his wickedness." Ezek. 18:21; 33:12. + +"For this (the remission of sins) shall every one that is godly pray." Ps. +32:6. + +"Be not righteous overmuch, neither make thyself over wise." Eccles. 7:16. + +"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, +and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. + +"Righteousness shall look down from heaven." Ps. 85:11. + +3. If I resolve not to pray till I know myself to be worthy, I shall +certainly never do it at all. And if I should not desire God to bestow +upon me his grace and favor, till by my own strength I became just and +holy, I should never obtain anything. Alas, poor man, what canst thou +bestow upon him who standeth not in need of thy gifts? Rom. 11:35. Or what +canst thou obtain by the workings of thy corrupt nature, which, however +specious in thine own eyes, are of no value in the sight of God? Rom. +3:24. Verily, nothing at all. Away, then, with all those who glory in +their own righteousness, and pretend to justify themselves; yea, let all +creatures keep silence before God. Thine own worthiness will here avail +thee nothing, and thine unworthiness shall do thee no harm; for the Lord +Jesus Christ, thy Saviour, is he that "forgiveth thy unrighteousness, and +covereth all thy sin." Ps. 32:1. But rather conclude with thyself, that as +a drop of water is swallowed up in the sea, so are all thy transgressions +in the boundless and incomprehensible mercies of Jesus Christ. + +A PRAYER. + +O Merciful and compassionate Father! who teachest me in thy holy word how +I ought, in thy Son Jesus Christ, to walk in the narrow way, turning +neither to the right hand nor to the left; that I may neither fall through +a vain presumption of my own piety, nor be cast into despair by the gloomy +prospect of my guilt, and so die in my sins; grant that I may seriously +consider that neither my good works can merit, nor my sins hinder, the +grace of Christ, my Redeemer; that so I may continue firm and steadfast +amidst all my temptations; that I may neither be misled by the evil spirit +of presumption and spiritual pride that walketh at noonday, nor be afraid +of the destroying angel of despair that walketh in darkness; but that, +having conquered the weakness of my nature, I may continue steadfast in +the faith, filled with spiritual joy and consolation. Let thy grace, +blessed Lord Jesus, begin, carry on, and perfect this good work in me. +Amen. + + + +Section X. + + + The True Worshipper Ought Not To Seek After God In Any Particular Place; + For He Finds Him Everywhere In Spirit And In Truth. + + + _The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet + at Jerusalem, worship the Father. The true worshippers shall + worship the Father in spirit and in truth._--JOHN 4:21, 23. + + +1. Where shall we find God? Jer. 23:23. Must we look for him in +consecrated temples? Must we seek him in the ends of the earth? Must we +search for him in the stars, or at Jerusalem, or upon the top of Mount +Tabor? No! but "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23) seek and find him. We +are, indeed, sometimes forced to the fatigue of long journeys, in order to +make our complaints, and beg the protection of the princes of this world; +but God is everywhere; "He filleth heaven and earth" (Jer. 23:24), and is +nearer to all creatures than they are to themselves. "He is above all, and +through all, and in us all." Eph. 4:6. The utmost dimensions of space, and +even the boundless extent of eternity, appear to him as but a single +point. Ps. 139:7. As a man that walks at noonday, in an open field, is +environed with light, whether he discern it or be blind, so are all +creatures surrounded with the presence of God. These are the waters upon +which the Spirit of God moves, penetrating through all beings and all +spirits, though ever so pure and glorious. God is always near to us, +though many are not so to him, having no more perception of the +communications of his presence than a blind man has of the light, which he +sees not, though surrounded by it. God never turns away from us; but we, +being turned away from him, fall into that degree of blindness, as to say, +that God has withdrawn himself from us, and is become unkind to us; +whereas, the change is only in ourselves, and in our own hearts, by which +we are tempted to charge God foolishly. Thus the sinner, by turning away +from God, becomes his own tormentor; whilst God continues unchangeably +just and good in all his works (Ps. 145:8); however often man, being +blinded and turned away from God, may represent him as an angry, unjust, +and unmerciful being. + +2. Hence, then, we may gather the genuine sense of those passages of +Scripture, which say that "the kingdom of God is within us," and not +without us (Luke 17:21), and that we have nothing to do with "them that +are without." 1 Cor. 5:12. These, without all dispute, are not to be +understood of any external place, but of the spirit or inward man, +according to the faith. To confine the kingdom of God to any certain +place, is antichristian, even as our blessed Lord has told us that men +will say, "Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there." Matt. 24:23. But if any +place could save or condemn a man, then Lucifer himself could never have +become a devil in heaven; nor would Adam ever have sinned in paradise. So +if any place would condemn a man, then should no man living be saved; +since this whole world lieth in darkness, and all the inhabitants thereof +are under the dominion of the devil, who is the prince of it. John 12:31. +He therefore that has faith, though with Jonah he were in the depths of +the sea, yet would be in the kingdom of God; and he that has it not, +though he were in the church, heard sermons, and would join in acts of +communion, yet in the sight of God he is _without_, and has no part in, or +title to, the kingdom of God. + +A PRAYER. + +O Lord Jesus Christ, who art the only way, light, and gate of heaven, I +praise thee from the bottom of my heart, that by this meditation, thou +teachest me how I am in thee, and thou in me, in whatsoever place I am; +how thou, my true and only High Priest, art with me, and deliverest me +from my sins, whensoever I lift up my heart to thee. Though I walk through +the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with +me. Teach me, O Lord, always to acknowledge this, and not after the manner +of this ungrateful world, to undervalue or despise this hidden treasure; +but that I may in true faith seek, find, taste, and enjoy it. Amen. + + + +Section XI. + + + The Worshipper Is Not Restricted To Certain Times Of Prayer, But May At +Any Hour Address God In Prayer, Provided That He Does Not Hinder Himself. + + + _In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of + salvation have I helped thee.--Seek ye the Lord while he may be + found, call ye upon him while he is near._--ISA. 49:8; 55:6. + _Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of + salvation._--2 COR. 6:2. + + +1. From what has been already said concerning _the place_, and what we are +now observing further upon that head, it is plain, that he is truly happy +who is in the kingdom of God. The reason of this is, because he has the +treasure within him, wheresoever he is; and that he, who, through +unbelief, is not in the kingdom of God, is truly a stranger and foreigner, +however he may with other Christians, hear sermons and receive the +Sacrament. The _place_ will neither save us nor condemn us; that can be +done by nothing but _faith_ or _unbelief_ existing in the heart and spirit +of man. The true Christian, in whatever place he lives, as he has the +Spirit of Christ within him, so he has, by consequence, a principle of +grace, pardon, and remission of sins; for Christ is in him. I speak not +this to discourage the external exercise of preaching; but for the comfort +of all sincere souls under necessities, sickness, or in strange lands; +when they are assured that they are truly in Christ, that Christ is in +them, and that they are not "without" but "within." This should also alarm +the sinner, who, though living among Christians, yet, in the sight of God +is excluded. For every unbeliever cuts himself off from the body of +Christ, and from the most valuable privileges of his communion; so that a +wicked man, under the agonies of sickness, would receive no benefit by +having the Holy Sacrament, though the priest, or even the pope himself +stood by him; or by being brought and laid in the midst of the church. But +if a man has within him a true and living faith, it could do him no harm, +though he should die in a heathen country, or on the sea, without the +comfort of the Holy Sacrament, or a priest; because Jesus Christ, the true +High Priest, is in him, and even the kingdom of God, as our blessed Lord +abundantly testifies John 4:21; Luke 17:21; Matt. 24:23. How blind then +and miserable are those men who seek for blessedness from man, confining +it to a certain place, and look to external things. This, however, is the +case with many thousands who thus lose the internal treasure. Externals +are but means, which though not to be despised, yet are not to be valued +as the end itself, to which they are intended to lead. Christ is the great +treasure of man, who can bestow himself without the use of means, where +they cannot be had. We come together in the church, that with one accord +we may exhort and admonish one another in the divine Presence, call upon +God to avert public evils and calamities, and exercise one another in +divine matters, that so we, who are otherwise totally blind in spiritual +things, being excited by these means, may at length understand and see +that God is not contained "in the heaven of heavens" (1 Kings 8:27), nor +confined to any place; being, as Job witnesseth, "high as heaven, deeper +than hell, longer than the earth, and broader than the sea." Job 11:8, 9. + +2. What we have observed of place, may be also applied to _time_, to which +the eternal and unchangeable God is by no means confined, so as not to be +always at liberty to hear our prayers. Great men and princes of this world +are not always to be spoken with, and frequently refuse admittance to +their petitioners; being engaged either by the necessities or diversions +of life. But our God cannot be thus separated from his creatures; at one +view, He sees, and hears, and considers all things that are done upon the +earth, and "understandeth our thoughts afar off." Ps. 139:2. He numbereth +"the very hairs of our heads" (Matt. 10:30); and "a thousand years in his +sight are but as one day." Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8. God is not capable of +alteration or change; is confined to no time, limited by no place, always +ready to hear and to help us; yea, he is continually "standing at the +door, and knocking, that we may open to him." Rev. 3:20. So that he is +always ready, but we are not. Whereas if we would constantly and without +ceasing wait for Him, we should never fail to receive a ready answer to +all our prayers. + +3. But alas! the concerns of this lower world have so great an influence +upon our minds, distracting our thoughts, and withholding us from devout +retirement, that we must endeavor to purify our minds from all thoughts of +the creature, according to a devout writer, who advises us, "to lay aside +all thoughts of this or that thing, time or place, and bring all the +powers of our souls into profound repose." And in this sabbath or rest of +the soul, in this quiet cessation from the cares and labors of corrupt +nature, when we pray, God descends with his living word, and the soul of +man perceives and tastes the truth and love of God; of which, before this +patient preparation, it was wholly ignorant and insensible. So that the +soul cannot forbear crying out in the words: "The Lord, the Lord God, +merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and +truth!" (Exod. 34:6.) "Now, I find thy prevenient grace helping my +infirmities, and assisting me to pray as I ought." Then thou wilt be +amazed at the blindness of thy own heart, which gave thee so imperfect a +notion of God, as to believe that God was to be persuaded with external +ceremonies, and clamorous prayers, and that he stood in need of a long +relation of thy wants and necessities; whereas He sees to the very bottom +of thy soul, and "understandeth all thy thoughts afar off." + +A PRAYER. + +Almighty, eternal, and most merciful God and Father! Thy goodness and +truth are higher than the heavens, deeper than the sea, wider than the +earth; all places are to Thee the same, and in thy sight all times are +alike. Thou art above all places and all times, and yet dost penetrate and +fill all things. Thou art nearer to me than I am to myself; thou +anticipatest me with thy grace, and embracest me with thy mercy, which, +through my blindness and misery, I could neither know nor hope for. Grant, +that by thy Holy Spirit, I may seriously lay these things to heart, and +for the future, look up to thee as my merciful Father, who knowest all +things, and art present at all times, and in all places, that I may no +more presume to judge of Thee by any natural blindness, and no more +persuade myself that Thou art to be awakened, or prevailed upon by my +crying; that thou needest any long discourses of mine, or requirest any +certain time for prayer. But give me grace to consider, that the true +worshipper may have access to Thee at all times, and in all places, and +that thy goodness is always and everywhere present with us; but that no +man can enjoy it, or taste of thy sweetness, unless he be first awakened +and encouraged by Thee to engage in devout prayer. That I may worthily and +effectually perform this, give me thy Holy Spirit, who may work in me to +will and to do according to thy good pleasure. Amen. + + + +Section XII. + + + The Considerations Stated Above, Not Only Dispose The Heart To True + Prayer, But Also Furnish Various Useful Lessons. + + + _It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and + while they are yet speaking, I will hear._--ISA. 65:24. + + +1. The _first_ lesson which we learn is, that God has not commanded us to +pray for his own sake, for he knoweth all things; but that we, being +excited by these means, may be led to understand that he does know all +things. God has so tender a concern for us, that he seems not to know +anything, till we reflect within ourselves, that he does indeed know it. +Hence it comes to pass, that when men do not diligently pray, they seem to +think that God does not know. And, on the contrary, when we exercise +ourselves in prayer, we soon learn that God knoweth all our necessities, +and hath numbered the very hairs of our heads before we were born. These +are thoughts that cannot enter into the hearts of those who despise the +duty of prayer. + +2. _Secondly._ We need not apply to God, as we do to one another, with a +long account of our wants: all that we have to do is, daily to exercise +ourselves in prayer, so that the inner man may enter into the kingdom of +God. + +3. _Thirdly._ God is (as Dr. Tauler says) a thousand times more ready to +give, than we are to receive, through prayer and hope. + +4. _Fourthly._ God stands in no need of any external ceremonies of ours, +our watchings, fastings, or cryings, to awaken him, who "neither +slumbereth nor sleepeth." Ps. 121:4. He not only foreknows our desires and +prayers, but even our existence (Jer. 1:5); yet, on the other hand, the +dulness and stupidity of men may by these exercises be excited, +encouraged, and instructed to consider and understand the tender mercies +of God towards all mankind. + +5. _Fifthly._ Hence we discover the goodness, truth, and loving-kindness +of God towards all men; and, on the other hand, the blindness and +unbelief, the stupidity and unspeakable dulness of mankind towards God, +who have so great a contempt of the mercies of God, and are so backward in +their prayers and endeavors to obtain his grace. + +6. _Sixthly._ God is righteous in all his works; and so far from his being +the author of our miseries, blindness, and ignorance, we are indeed the +cause of it ourselves; whilst, in contempt of his commands, we neglect to +implore his mercies, and beg the blessings which he has promised to bestow +on all that ask him. This is sufficient to vindicate the justice and +impartiality of God in all his dealings towards us, and to lay the blame +of all our sins and punishments upon ourselves, who are indeed the authors +of both. + +7. _Seventhly._ God is not confined to any certain time and place, but +desires to be worshipped at _all times_, and in _all places_, in spirit +and in truth. + +8. These observations will rectify many mistakes, and open a man's eyes to +discover things, of which he would otherwise have been ignorant. But +though it is a shameful thing for a Christian to be ignorant of these +matters, yet it is much more so to know, and not to reduce them to +practice. + +A PRAYER. + +Awaken us, O God, that we may watch; draw us to Thee, and we will run in +the true way, which conducts to the kingdom of God; through Jesus Christ +our Lord. Amen. + + + + +Chapter XXXV. + + +Prayer Is The Sign Of A True Christian, That Is, Of One Who Is Anointed Of + The Lord. + + + _Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and + needy._--PS. 86:1. + + +These words give us an admirable account of the grounds and reasons of +prayer; that it is quickened by affliction and a sense of misery, and is a +mark of a true Christian. + +2. I. For, first, every Christian is anointed and baptized with the Holy +Spirit (1 John 2:20), who, when he is not resisted nor grieved, but +obeyed, is continually groaning (Rom. 8:26) in the heart of man, raising +and exalting the devout soul from earth to heaven. For as spirituous +liquor extracts the strength and virtue of the herbs and flowers on which +it is poured; so man, who is the flower of God, planted by the Lord +himself, "a plant in the house of God" (Isa. 61:3; Ps. 92:13), must +receive the preparation of the Holy Spirit, that his odor and sweet smell +may therewith ascend up to God. Whosoever will faithfully attend to the +workings of the Holy Spirit, and not resist his operations, will soon be +convinced of the truth of these observations; he will perceive a devout +sigh springing up from his heart, and breaking forth into these or the +like words: "Great God, Holy Father, have mercy upon me!" As myrrh, +frankincense, or other sweet perfumes, by being thrown upon burning coals, +send forth a smoke and delicious fragrance, which they would not do +without the help of fire; so whenever the fire of the Holy Spirit touches +our hearts, and He is not hindered, there immediately arises a most +fragrant perfume of sighs and prayers. And these are "golden vials full of +odors, which are the prayers of saints." Rev. 5:8. Whence it appears, that +devout sighs and prayers are the truest sign or indication of the Holy +Spirit in the heart of man. + +3. II. The soul of man is also called the temple or habitation of the Holy +Ghost; and what is more likely to be heard there, than the prayers of its +divine Inhabitant, who is emphatically called, "The Spirit of grace and of +supplication"? Zech. 12:10. Hence prayer, when it proceeds from the very +bottom of the heart, is a certain sign of the indwelling of the Holy +Spirit. I do not here refer to the prayers of hypocrites, of whom God +speaketh by the mouth of his prophet, saying: "This people draw near me +with their mouth, but have removed their heart far from me" (Isa. 29:13); +but the true prayer, which is of the operation of the Holy Spirit, arises +from the depth of the soul; and is like plentiful springs of water, for +which the more deeply you dig, the higher you may raise them. Christ is +the pure and beautiful fountain of salvation. Let every one, therefore, +that thirsteth, come and drink. Isa. 55:1. His spring is very deep, +namely, his eternal Divinity. "He that believeth on him, out of his belly +shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38); that is, prayers and the +gifts of the Holy Ghost. + +4. III. This is confirmed by the office of the Holy Spirit, which is, "to +teach and to comfort" (John 16:7-13), neither of which he can do, unless +He speaks; and that He cannot do, unless He have a church and a temple to +speak in. This temple is the heart of man; and his language consists of +the devout aspirations of the souls in which He operates; he has a secret +and heavenly voice, which our heart hears, for he beareth witness with our +spirit, that we are the children of God,--whereby we cry, Abba, Father. +Rom. 8:15, 16. Man cannot receive comfort, unless his heart, by being +broken and contrite, be made capable of consolation. Ps. 51:17. This is a +very significant figure taken from human bodies. For when the arm, or any +other part, is broken, or bruised by some accident, what pleasure the +broken and bruised part feels when soothed with some healing ointment! How +does it assuage the throbbing pains of the limb, and, as it were, lull it +into soft repose! So when the heart is wounded with affliction and sorrow, +is broken and bruised with a lively sense of its misery, then the Holy +Spirit shows himself truly a Comforter, shedding forth the oil of heavenly +consolation into our afflicted breasts. For "he healeth the broken in +heart, and bindeth up their wounds." Ps. 147:3. "Heal me, O Lord, and I +shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise." +Jer. 17:14. + +5. IV. Hence then we may learn the advantage of afflictions, and the +benefit of the cross. Our blessed Lord has told us, "They that be whole +need not a physician, but they that are sick." Matt. 9:12. Come, +therefore, thou divine Physician of souls; for we all have need of thee! +"Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy" (Ps. +86:1),--poor in righteousness and true holiness. So great is the poverty of +man, that unless he be covered with the mercy of God, and clothed with the +righteousness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 61:10), he must appear with shame and +nakedness before the judgment of God and all his holy angels; and in this +respect, man is by nature reduced so very low, that there is not a more +indigent creature in the world. We may here apply that which was spoken to +the church of Laodicea, "Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and +miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Rev. 3:17. + +6. Moreover, the misery of which the Psalmist complains, is the effect of +poverty. He that is poor, may easily be conceived to be miserable. He +certainly is so, who is forsaken by all, has none to help him, wanders +about, having neither house nor home, nor a place where to lay his head. +And now, what state can we conceive to be more wretched, than that of a +man by nature? He has no place where to rest himself, and knows not +whither to fly for refuge! "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, +we are of all men most miserable." 1 Cor. 15:19. Let us then acknowledge +our poverty and spiritual misery in this life; we shall then receive the +instructions and consolations of the Holy Spirit. He will teach us in our +poverty, to sigh earnestly after the riches of divine grace and mercy; and +in our spiritual misery and banishment, to lift up our eyes to God that +dwelleth in the heavens. For our blessed Lord has assured us, that "in his +Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2); and the Psalmist, that +"when our fathers and mothers forsake us, the Lord will take us up." Ps. +27:10. Come then, ye that are in want and banishment, think upon your +heavenly country. Ye that are poor, naked, and destitute, remember that +the righteousness of Christ is your clothing, and the garment of salvation +(Isa. 61:10); therefore, take ye care to preserve this clothing, "lest ye +walk naked, and men see your shame." Rev. 16:15. + + + + +Chapter XXXVI. + + +On The Benefits And Power Of Prayer, And On Its True Ground Or Foundation. + + + _Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we + may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need._--HEB. + 4:16. + + +"Hear my voice according to thy lovingkindness, O Lord" (Ps. 119:149), +saith David; pointing out thereby the foundation of our prayer, namely, +the grace of God; and this is conveyed to us through our Lord Jesus +Christ, who is "full of grace and truth," and of whose fulness we ought +all to receive. John 1:14, 16. For this reason he is also called the +_Throne of Grace_ (Heb. 4:16; Rom. 3:25), upon which the eye of faith in +prayer ought continually to be fixed, according to the example of the +children of Israel, who always offered up their prayers with their faces +towards the mercy-seat. For in his name, and for his sake alone it is, +that God has promised to hear our prayers (John 16:23); and thus even the +holy prophets of old prayed: "O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, +for the Lord's sake." Dan. 9:17. + +2. I. _First_, the benefit of our prayers is well expressed by holy David +in the latter part of the above-mentioned verse (Ps. 119:149): "Quicken me +according to thy judgments." For life proceeds from the grace of God. But +what is our life without divine grace? Therefore says the holy Psalmist, +"Thy lovingkindness is better than life." Ps. 63:4. This quickening virtue +is also derived to us through Christ Jesus. It was for this purpose that +he took our flesh and blood, that by the quickening virtue of his body, we +also might be quickened. And this we receive only by the means of prayer, +which draws down a quickening power into our souls, to heal all our +spiritual infirmities; like that which flowed from His body whilst on +earth, to cure and heal the diseases and distempers of all those that +touched him. Luke 6:19. Thus when we are afflicted and sorrowful, and can +lay hold on Jesus Christ by the prayer of faith, we immediately find, as +it were, new life and vigor flowing into our souls from that inexhaustible +fountain of divine grace. This may be attested by the experience of many +languishing and afflicted souls. + +3. Whence we may learn: 1. That an afflicted soul cannot be refreshed or +comforted without prayer; as appears from the example of Christ, in the +history of his passion (Matt. 26:39), who has himself also for that reason +given us a form of prayer. Matt. 6:9, etc. And we have, indeed, great +reason to be thankful to God, who has given us prayer to be as an +universal remedy to all afflicted souls. 2. Where the prophet says, "Hear +me according to thy lovingkindness" (Ps. 119:149), he shows us that prayer +is the proper means of obtaining mercy and the graces of the Holy Spirit, +such as the increase of faith, charity, patience, the knowledge of God, +devotion, inward peace and joy. These are such gifts, such graces, such +heavenly treasures, as are better than heaven and earth. Moreover, hence +we obtain strength and victory against the world, the devil, and all our +enemies; which spiritual strength consists only in prayer. That was the +power by which David and all the saints conquered their enemies, as +appears by the example of Moses, Elias, Jehoshaphat, and others, who +always prevailed by faith and prayer. 3. Every man has need of prayer in +respect to his office, condition, and employment, in which no man can act +either prudently or successfully without prayer. We are, indeed, in this +miserable world, like people sailing amidst rocks and quicksands, and +exposed to innumerable dangers; for which reason we ought the more +fervently to implore the guidance and protection of the Holy Spirit. + +4. II. Therefore, holy David adds, "They draw nigh that follow after +mischief; they are far from thy law." Ps. 119:150. And this is a proper +season for prayer. For what the devil cannot do himself, he leaves to be +accomplished by wicked men, who are as so many executioners of his malice, +and who make it their continual employment to disturb and injure good men. +From these no man is secure; but here the most effectual help is prayer. +Thus, "I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised; so shall I +be saved from mine enemies." Ps. 18:2. "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my +soul. O my God, I trust in thee; let me not be ashamed; let not mine +enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed; but +let them be ashamed which transgress without cause." Ps. 25:1-3. + +5. But it ought to be carefully noticed that David says, his enemies are +far from the law of God. These are all they that persecute others, +forsaking the word of God, and being far from his fear; whence it follows, +that as they are far from God, so God is far from them, and nothing but +destruction hangs over their heads. On the other hand, the faithful, +pious, and devout soul approaches God through prayer. + +6. When, therefore, we are daily lifting up our hearts to God, and learn +to converse with him, we approach continually nearer and nearer to him, +and by degrees, forgetting this lower world, from earthly we become +heavenly and spiritual; like Moses, whose face, when he had conversed +forty days and forty nights with God, shone like the sun. Exod. 34:29. For +as we easily learn the customs and manners of those with whom we converse, +and are not so well pleased with any company as that to which we are +accustomed, so by continual and daily prayer, we grow daily more and more +acquainted with the manners and language of our heavenly country, and are +more and more inflamed with divine love. Moreover, prayer is a +preservative against sins, temptations, and all kinds of evils; according +to that saying of Christ: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into +temptation." Matt. 26:41. But if even then anything befall us, we know +that it is by the immediate permission of God; and from it with all due +submission and resignation to his will, we may lawfully pray to be +delivered. + +7. III. David proceeds: "Thou art near, O Lord: and all thy commandments +are truth." Ps. 119:151. Here he assures us, that the second and the third +foundation of prayer, are the presence and the truth of God. + +8. How great soever our calamities may be, there is no one consideration +that gives us so much ease and comfort, as that of the presence of God +with us: according to that Scripture: "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: +be not dismayed, for I am thy God." Isa. 41:10. In consideration of his +presence, we may with assurance call upon him in all places, and upon all +occasions. For though our Saviour tells us, "Thou, when thou prayest, +enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy +Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall +reward thee openly" (Matt. 6:6): yet we are to consider, that these words +were spoken against the hypocrites of those times, who, from a vain +ostentation, used to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners +of the street; but they are by no means binding on any man to pray in any +one particular place. + +9. We read of the patriarch Isaac (Gen. 24:63), that he went out at the +eventide into the field to meditate. And it is plain (Luke 6:12), that our +blessed Lord went alone "into a mountain to pray, and continued all night +in prayer to God." We may, therefore, in all places, and at any time, pray +to God; but more especially when we are alone, and not disturbed by the +conversation of others. Let us continually stir ourselves up to this +divine conversation with God, remembering the words of the Psalmist, "Thou +art near, O Lord." Now if this be true, as it most certainly is, we cannot +do better than to be often conversing with him; according to that +Scripture, "Call ye upon him while he is near." Isa. 55:6. "The Lord is +nigh unto all them that call upon him." Ps. 145:18. + +10. IV. So, too, the veracity of God is a strong obligation upon us to +pray, because we know, 1. That he has commanded it; "Call upon me." Ps. +50:15. 2. That he has promised to hear us; "Before they call, I will +answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isa. 65:24. 3. That +he has not only promised to hear, but has actually heard the prayers of +the faithful. This is plain, from the examples of Moses, David, Samuel, +Joshua, and of Cornelius in the Acts, whose "prayers and alms ascended up +for a memorial before God." Acts 10:4. + +11. Many other examples are to be found in the Holy Scriptures. And that +thou mayest not think that, because thou art not such a one as Moses, +David, Elias, or Joshua, therefore thou shalt not be heard as easily as +they were, thou art to consider that they all were men "subject to like +passions as we are." James 5:17. + +12. Who was Cornelius? Acts, ch. 10. He was a heathen. Who was Manasseh? 2 +Chron. 33:12, 13. A most grievous sinner. Yet God has promised that he +will hear the miserable. Ps. 34:7. "This poor man cried, and the Lord +heard him." And "He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not +despise their prayer." Ps. 102:17. "The expectation of the poor shall not +perish for ever." Ps. 9:18. The cases just mentioned illustrate these +promises. + +13. V. But as the Psalmist adds: "Concerning thy testimonies, I have known +of old, that thou hast founded them for ever" (Ps. 119:152), this +consideration exceedingly encourages our prayers and strengthens our +faith, and is another immovable foundation of prayer. The word and promise +of God are built upon an eternal foundation, being nothing else but God +himself and his Son Jesus Christ; in him the Word of God, and the +salvation of man were founded "before the foundation of the world." Eph. +1:4. Whatsoever is built upon an eternal basis, no temporal thing can +overturn. It is this that St. Paul had in his eye when he tells us that +neither height, nor depth, nor things present, nor things to come, nor +angels, nor principalities shall be able to separate us from the love of +God. Rom. 8:38. + +14. And what greater consolation can we wish? Or who can refrain from +rejoicing, when he considers that our faith and prayer are founded upon +that which is eternal? Hence it is said, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a +foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure +foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16); or, as +St. Peter explains it, "shall not be confounded" (1 Peter 2:6): and St. +Paul, "Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus +Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11); and again, "The foundation of God standeth sure, +having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." 2 Tim. 2:19. + +15. Against this foundation even the gates of hell shall not prevail. +Matt. 16:18. This, in short, is the foundation of our salvation, our faith +and blessedness, which is more secure than heaven and earth. + +16. For prayer is a conversation with God--a key of heaven--a free access to +God--a familiarity with God--an opener of his mysteries--a spiritual +banquet--a heavenly enjoyment--a nurse of virtues--a conqueror of vices--a +medicine of the soul--a remedy against infirmities--an antidote against +sin--a pillar of the world--a seed of blessing--an increase of faith--a +support of hope--a parent of charity--a path of righteousness--a preserver of +constancy--an ornament of holiness--a fire of devotion--a light of +knowledge--a repository of wisdom--the strength of the soul--a remedy against +faint-heartedness--a foundation of peace--the joy of the heart--a jubilee of +the soul--a faithful companion in this earthly pilgrimage--the shield of a +Christian soldier--a rule of humility--a forerunner of honor--a nurse of +patience--a guardian of obedience--a fountain of quietness--the conquest of +devils--a comfort of the sorrowful--a triumph of the just--the joy of the +saints--a helper of the oppressed--the ease of the afflicted--the rest of the +weary--an ornament of the conscience--an advancement of graces--an acceptable +sacrifice--an encourager of mutual goodwill--the refreshment of this +miserable life--the sweetening of death--a foretaste of the heavenly +life--the earnest desire of everlasting salvation. + + + + +Chapter XXXVII. + + + Reasons Why God Certainly Hears Our Prayers. + + + _Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in + mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O Lord, unto my + prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of + my trouble I will call upon thee; for thou wilt answer me._--PS. + 86:5-7. + + +Thus saith the prophet Jeremiah, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are +not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every +morning; great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; +therefore will I hope in him." Lam. 3:22-24. + +2. In these words the Holy Spirit gives us strong consolation in our +afflictions, drawn from the goodness and lovingkindness of God; without +which we should immediately be consumed. As in the natural world light and +darkness, by the appointment of God, alternately succeed each other, so do +light and darkness, joy and sorrow, in the spiritual world. Hence there is +a necessity that the light should spring up after darkness, and joy after +sorrow, in the souls of the righteous. Ps. 97:11. For both our life and +our well-being depend entirely upon the loving-kindness of God: "For in +him we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28. He is the +never-failing fountain and spring of life and happiness. His works testify +this, for by the effects we judge of the cause. Since, therefore, God is +the Maker and Creator of all things that have life, it follows that He is +LIFE itself; and as He is the original of all that is good, it follows, +that He himself is the Supreme GOOD and LOVE itself. For this reason He is +called the Living God, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" +(Matt. 16:16); not only from his essence, as being an original, necessary +Being, but also from the effects which he produces; because he giveth and +preserveth breath, and life, and motion to all things. Acts 17:25; Ps. +104:27. "Thou (O Belshazzar), hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of +brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the +God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not +glorified." Dan. 5:23. "They have forsaken me, the fountain of living +waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no +water." Jer. 2:13. "The Lord is thy life, and the length of thy days." +Deut. 30:20. "The Lord is the strength of my life." Ps. 27:1. Whence it +follows, that God is in effect the life of every living creature, and +produces and preserves life in all, according to the words of St. Paul, +"Of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for +ever." Amen. Rom. 11:36. "Christ is all in all." Col. 3:11. + +3. Now though all creatures derive their life from God, yet man has +received it from his Maker in a more eminent degree; for as he is endowed +with a rational soul, it follows that he enjoys a more noble life than the +rest of the creatures. The life of angels again is more noble and glorious +than that of men, because the glory and majesty of God manifest themselves +more illustriously in them. Hence also, angels are described in 2 Thess. +1:7, as "mighty," because they are not subject to vanity and change like +man. But the most noble life is that of Jesus Christ our Lord, because he +is _God_ and _Life_ itself; according to St. John, "This is the true God, +and eternal life" (1 John 5:20); that is, He is God of God, Light of +Light, very God of very God. (Nicene Creed.) + +4. And as God is the fountain and principle of life, so he is also of all +good. For he is the supreme and eternal GOOD, and whatsoever bears the +marks and characters of good, is derived from this original. Thus, every +creature has received a small portion of the divine goodness, by which it +bears witness of its Maker, and in some manner calls upon man to do the +same. Thus the vine speaks to us, "Consider, O man, that the sweetness of +my juice, with which I cheer thy heart (Ps. 104:15), is the gift of my +Maker." And so the bread: "That virtue, O man, by which I satisfy thy +hunger, is bestowed on me by my Creator and thine." This is the meaning of +that saying of St. Augustine: "That God has, as it were, shed some drops +of his divine goodness upon all the creatures, that they might thereby +contribute to the happiness of man." And the Psalmist says: "Thou crownest +the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness." Ps. 65:11. + +5. That which, in nature, we call the _goodness_ of God, is, by the +Scriptures, called the _grace_ of God; this bearing relation to the soul, +and that to the body. And as God has, by a thousand ways, discovered his +goodness in the great Book of nature, so he has, in innumerable instances, +discovered his grace and mercy in the Book of his word, all which are +completed in Christ, who is the great centre of all the treasures of +divine goodness and love that are distributed in heaven and earth. + +6. Now, as it is the nature of every good being to be communicative, and +otherwise it ceases to be good (for who can tell what is good, unless it +thus discover itself?); so no man could know whether God were good and +gracious unless he had communicated his grace and goodness to others. Who +could have known the inestimable benefits of Christ as a Saviour, if he +had not so abundantly manifested his love towards us? + +7. But why was God pleased to manifest his goodness, grace, and mercy to +mankind? It was for this reason: that we might believe in him, love him +above all things, and call upon him in all our troubles; and he was +pleased to make this manifestation of himself, that it might be, as it +were, the first incentive to kindle the flames of devotion in our hearts. +For how should we call on him of whom we have not heard? Rom. 10:14. As +Almighty God discovered himself to Moses, when he passed by, and he, upon +the sense of his goodness, grace, and mercy, immediately began to pray +(Exod. 34:8, 9), so has He, in like manner, manifested himself to us, and +made all his goodness pass before us, that we also might learn to praise +him. + +8. But you will say, How has God manifested himself to me? If he would +show himself to me, as he did to Moses, why should I not praise him as he +did? To which I answer: This is done in Christ Jesus, in whom he +manifested all his goodness after a visible manner. "We beheld his glory, +the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." +John 1:14. And did we but seriously consider all that our blessed Saviour +has done for us, we should, doubtless, exclaim: "The Lord, the Lord God, +merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and in +truth." + +10. And thus we see in what sense the type, which may be discerned in this +narrative of Moses, was fulfilled by the incarnation of Christ. For God, +descending from heaven in him, was pleased to make his glory pass before +us. + +11. When Paul and Barnabas wrought great miracles at Athens, the heathens +cried out, "The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men." Acts +14:11. This was their judgment of the matter; but we may in a very proper +sense say, that all the goodness and grace of God did, by Christ, come +down to us upon earth, in order that we might thereby be drawn to God, and +that the spirit of faith and prayer might be bestowed on us. For by prayer +only we obtain the grace and favor of God. + +12. Let us now produce some reasons which may convince us, that God hears +our prayers. + +13. And _first_, such is the power of prayer and entreaty, that they often +pacify and prevail upon, not only the compassionate and kind, but even +morose and harsh tempers; of which we have an instance in the case of the +widow, who by her continual prayers, prevailed even upon that unjust +judge, who neither feared God, nor regarded man. Luke 18:4, 5. For prayer, +as it proceeds from the spirit, and is, as it were, the strength of the +soul, has a marvellous power and influence upon the minds of others, so as +to be able to soften and mould them into any form of benevolence. Now as +God is not a harsh Being, but merciful in the highest degree, the most +sincere love, the most perfect patience, the most generous compassion, the +most ardent love itself, and in a word, the most absolute perfection; so +he cannot but be tenderly moved by the ardent and devout prayers of his +servants. Were it otherwise, it would follow, that God is not supremely +good, loving, and merciful. Now, as true as it is that he is all this; so +true it is that he is easy to be entreated by devout and humble prayer. + +14. Tauler says: "God is moved with so vehement a love towards us, as if +his divinity itself depended on us, and his only aim and design were, to +discover to us the abyss of his divinity, and the fulness of his essence +and nature; so that all may belong to us, even as it belongs to him." And +again, "We were created, and are called and invited to things immeasurably +great, and eternal; wherefore God is exceedingly displeased with us, when +we prefer the empty and trifling vanities of the world before him, who is +ready, not only to bestow all things else, but even Himself upon us." +Again, "So great is the love of God towards us, that he will deny us +nothing: yea, he anticipates our prayers, meets us (as it were) half-way, +and courts our friendship, being a thousand times more ready to give, than +we are to receive." + +15. The _second_ argument is found in the _truth and promise of God_. +"Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee." Ps. 50:15. +"Thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto +all them that call upon thee." Ps. 86:5. The Lord, we see, is _good_; and +if this be not sufficient, he is also _ready to forgive_; and if this do +not satisfy us, he is also _plenteous in mercy_. But to whom? Even _to all +those that call upon him_. Hence, it is said, "The Lord is nigh unto all +them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will +fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and +will save them." Ps. 145:18, 19; Isa. 65:24; John 16:23; Matt. 7:7, 8. +_Ask_, but rest not there; _seek_ also; neither think this sufficient, but +_knock_. "For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, +findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." "What things +soever ye desire, when you pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye +shall have them." Mark 11:24. Compare this with Luke 11:9. And that God +will keep his promise, is as certain, as that he really is what he, in his +holy word, has declared himself to be. And that he may hear us, and pour +his abundant goodness upon us, he has commanded us to pray often, to pray +earnestly, and without ceasing. Luke 18:1; 1 Thess. 5:17. + +16. A _third_ argument for our prayer, is God's paternal tenderness, which +is thus illustrated. "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a +father, will he give him a stone?--If ye, then, being evil, know how to +give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly +Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" Luke 11:11, 13. And is +not God this Father, "of whom the whole family in heaven and in earth is +named"? (Eph. 3:15) whom St. Paul calls, "The Father of mercies, and God +of all comfort?" 2 Cor. 1:3. Shall man then be merciful, and shall God, +that created that merciful heart, be unmerciful? Shall he that gave to +parents such tender affection, be without compassion himself? Why should +God call himself a Father, if he be not of a paternal disposition? So +that, in short, we must conclude, either that God is unjustly styled our +Father, or else he will hear the prayers of his children that call upon +him. Hence, it is said, "Thou, O Lord, art our Father." Isa. 63:16. And, +"I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." Jer. 31:9. But if +the affections of a mother be so great, that she cannot but have +"compassion on the son of her womb" (Isa. 49:15), why should we think God +so void of mercy? Why should we question God's compassions toward us, if +we approach him with penitent and contrite hearts? How do the mother's +bowels yearn over her beloved son, when she sees him laboring under any +dangerous disease? So the Almighty God says of himself: "Therefore, my +bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the +Lord." Jer. 31:20. + +17. A _fourth_ argument is, the _intercession of Christ_. With what ardent +prayer did he, in the time of his humiliation upon earth, recommend his +Church to his Father, and intercede for all believers! + +18. Thus, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name, those whom thou hast +given me; that they may be one, as we are. Sanctify them through thy +truth; thy word is truth. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of +the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Neither pray I +for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their +word. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me +where I am; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, +and I in them." John 17:11, 17, 15, 20, 24, 26. Nor did he pray so for us +only upon earth; for even now he continues his intercessions for us at the +right hand of God. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is +passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God;--let us come boldly unto the +throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time +of need." Heb. 4:14, 16; 7:26; 9:11; Rom. 8:34. + +19. A _fifth_ argument is, _the testimony of the Holy Spirit_, who +"beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. +8:16), and this witness in our hearts cannot deceive us. For if this +testimony be in us of a truth, we shall have a demonstrative evidence that +we are God's children, and that he hears us in Christ when we pray unto +him. + +20. _Sixthly_, because God and Christ are with us, and dwell in us _by +faith_, how can we suppose that God will not hear our sighs and groans? +"Thou understandest my thought afar off. There is not a word in my tongue, +but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." Ps. 139:2, 4. Think not, +therefore, that God is separated from thee by any distance of place, that +may hinder thy prayers from coming to him, "for he is in thee, and thou in +him." Acts 17:28; John 17:23. Since, therefore, he lives and works in +thee, why should he not hear thy prayers? "Lord, all my desire is before +thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee?" Ps. 38:10. "Let the words of +my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight." Ps. +19:14. + +21. _Seventhly_, because the Holy Spirit, who is truly God, is also the +Spirit of prayer, and himself maketh intercession in us with sighs and +groanings unutterable. Zech. 12:10; Rom. 8:26. Why then shouldest thou +imagine that God will not see, hear, and regard that which he himself +works in thee? Therefore it is impossible that even the feeblest sigh +proceeding from the Holy Spirit in us, and tending towards God, can be +lost or come to nought. For as it proceeds from God, so it goes to him; +and whatsoever is in him cannot perish. The deeds are wrought in God, and +will be made manifest. John 3:21. + +22. _Eighthly_, God is not forgetful like men, as "a book of remembrance +is written before him, for them that fear the Lord, and that think upon +his name" (Mal. 3:16): so that he cannot be forgetful of our prayers. God +cannot forget that which is good, nor will he call the sins of the +penitent to remembrance. So mighty and so abundant is the grace of God, +that he blots out our sins, and calls not our transgressions to mind. But +the good which he himself has wrought in us, he can never forget; for then +he must forget himself and his own works. It is therefore impossible that +God should disregard those prayers which his own Holy Spirit works in us; +any more than he can forget his word, or be unmindful of his promise. +"Since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still," saith God +by the prophet. Jer. 31:20. And again, "Thou tellest my wanderings; put +thou my tears into thy bottle." Ps. 56:8. So he assures us that "He will +ever be mindful of his covenant." Ps. 111:5. And what is this covenant? +Nothing else but the remission of our sins, confirmed to us by the death +of Christ, and sealed by his Holy Spirit. Eph. 1:13. + +23. And now, perhaps, thou wilt say, If these things are so, how comes it +to pass that God does not hear and grant my petitions? I have often +prayed, and called, and sighed, and all to no purpose. + +24. Thus much, indeed, must be granted, that many a man prays a great +while for that which he does not obtain; and thence we judge that his +prayers are not heard. What then becomes of these our reasons for +believing that prayer will assuredly be heard? This is a very great trial, +and has given much disturbance to many sincere and well-disposed souls. + +25. But here we must observe, that the certainty of God's hearing our +prayers, is incontestably proved by the arguments already produced, which +are built upon an immovable foundation; whence it appears, that God does +as certainly hear our prayers, as He is (1.) merciful, and a lover of +mankind. (2.) As he is true in all his promises, yea, eternal truth +itself. (3.) As he has a fatherly tenderness for us. (4.) As Jesus Christ +is our mediator. (5.) As God and Christ dwell in us; which are all truths +so certain and evident, that no believing heart ought to question them. + +26. But we complain that God does not presently give us what we ask for, +and, therefore, that our prayers are not heard. For this two reasons may +be given: 1. That God hears our prayers, regarding more our happiness than +our desires. 2. That he reserves to himself the liberty of bestowing the +blessings which we ask, either upon our bodies or our souls, as he shall +think most proper. Thus, perhaps, we ask of God some temporal blessings, +who seeing them to be unfit for us, gives us spiritual ones; by which +means we not only receive what we prayed for, but so much the more, as the +good of the soul is to be preferred to that of the body. For as the soul +is much more noble than the body, and spiritual blessings are more +excellent than earthly; so much better is it for us, that God should give +us his eternal and spiritual blessings rather than those transitory and +fading enjoyments in which we are generally most delighted. He hears our +prayers, not always with respect to our bodies, but to our souls; which is +of far greater importance. If it should please God to visit you with some +bodily disease, and you pray for health, doubt not; your prayers will be +heard, and you shall certainly enjoy, if not the health of your body, yet +the health of your soul, which is much to be preferred. Every man in his +sound senses must think so. What advantage would it be to have the body in +health, but a sinful, distempered soul, liable to eternal death? When it +is well with the soul, a man may say with David, "Whom have I in heaven +but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My +flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my +portion forever." Ps. 73:25, 26. And with the suffering Job, "I know that +my Redeemer liveth." Job 19:25. And from Him the soul may derive life. +Therefore David, comparing spiritual blessings with earthly, tells us: +"The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and +silver." Ps. 119:72. + +27. But, perhaps, you will say that you pray for both; the health of your +soul as well as of your body; and for spiritual blessings, as well as +temporal. To this the Lord himself answers thee, "My grace is sufficient +for thee" (2 Cor. 12:9); which was the reply given to St. Paul, though he +had desired to be answered in his own way. And thus it appears, that God +always hears our prayers, if not with regard to our bodies, yet certainly +to our souls. + +28. Besides, God has reserved to himself the liberty of accomplishing our +desires either in this world, or the next, as he shall deem most proper. +Wherefore if thou dost not receive the blessings for which thou prayest, +consider that it is not good for thee to enjoy them here, but that the +answer to thy prayers is reserved for the other life, which is more noble +and durable, and more capable of pure enjoyments than this. There the Lord +will bestow on thee a thousandfold, for all that He seemed to deny thee +here. As He cannot forget our prayers, so He cannot fail to answer them +graciously; if not in this life, yet certainly in that which is to come. +As many prayers as thou offerest up here, so many blessings shalt thou +receive hereafter; for then "we shall reap if we faint not." Gal. 6:9. +Then will the Lord say to the believing soul, "Behold thy prayer which +thou offeredst to me. See, here is that for which thou didst pray, and a +thousand times more than thou didst desire." And for this time of +retribution we must patiently wait. + +29. That man would be a very foolish husbandman, who would expect to reap +as soon as he had sown; and who, when he had done this, would cry out with +tears, that he had sown much seed, but could see no sign of harvest. Thou +fool! wait till the season of harvest arrives, and then thou shalt receive +the fruits of thy labor with a blessed increase. These are the complaints +which many people make: "I have prayed," says one, "so often; I have so +often sighed from the bottom of my soul; but I see no prospect of being +heard, so that all my prayers, and sighs, and tears, are in vain." Ah, +impatient soul! Thou hast scarcely sowed, and dost thou already talk of +harvest? Wait for the precious harvest of eternal life, and thou shalt +reap an abundant crop of glory! "For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall +he also reap." Gal. 6:7. There thou shalt gather with joy the fruit of the +numerous prayers, which, as so many precious seeds, thou hast sown in +tears. Psalm 126:5. This is the word and promise of God, which shall +certainly be fulfilled, either here or in the other world. Thus, when thou +art taking thy last sad farewell of a dying child, husband, wife, or +friend, thou must consider that this is the season in which the bodies of +thy friends, and thine own also, are, as it were, to be sown and committed +to the earth; but that the harvest of the resurrection is at hand, when +"the angels, the reapers, shall gather the sheaves, and put them into +barns." Matt. 13:30, 39. There we shall find that our prayers, sighs, and +tears were not lost, but only sent beforehand, to be received again with +usury, finding all things in God that ever our souls could conceive or +desire. So the promises of God, and the arguments produced to sustain +them, shall stand firm and unshaken in Christ Jesus, to be eternally +fulfilled to all believing souls, to their everlasting joy and salvation, +for which we shall render eternal thanks and praises to God. + + + + +Chapter XXXVIII. + + + Seven Helps Or Aids For Our Infirmities In Prayer. + + + _Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not + what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh + intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he + that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, + because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the + will of God._--ROM. 8:26, 27. + + +Since our prayers are, alas! very weak and imperfect, let us see what +assistance God has given us in his holy word, in order to help us in that +duty. + +2. The _first_ help is our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ, the +Son of God. 1 John 2:2. He is our advocate, and pleads our cause before +God, when we are hardly able to express what we want. He is therefore +called the _Logos_, or the eternal _Word_ of the Father, because God by +him has discovered his will to us; as He is also called the Mediator, +because He pleads our cause before God. A type of Him we have in Moses, +the mediator of the Old Testament; to whom the people, flying from the +face of God in Mount Sinai, said, "Speak thou with us" (Exod. 20:19). And +when Moses complained that he was slow of speech, and of a slow tongue, +when he was commanded to appear before Pharaoh; God tells him, "Aaron, thy +brother, can speak well. He shall be to thee instead of a mouth." Exod. +4:10, 14, 16. So we also, when we should pray, are dull and slow of +speech, and therefore we must fly to Christ, our heavenly Aaron, who is to +us instead of a mouth. The same thing is expressed to us by the +mercy-seat. Exod. 25:17, 21. Therefore Christ commands us to pray in his +name (John 16:23), who is our eternal High Priest, having an everlasting +priesthood (Heb. 7:16), interceding for us (Rom. 8:34), "in whom we have +boldness, and access with confidence by the faith of him." Eph. 3:12. + +3. The _second_ help is God the Holy Ghost. "I will pour upon the house of +David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of +supplication." Zech. 12:10. This spirit is given us as a testimony of the +divine grace, and of our adoption. Hence St. John says, "Hereby know we +that we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his Spirit." 1 John +4:13. And St. Paul, "Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but the +Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself +beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom. +8:15, 16. He was also typified by the anointing of the priests under the +law. Exod. 28:41; 29:7. Thus God has anointed us with the Spirit of Christ +(1 John 2:20); that we should offer to him daily the fruit of our lips. +Ps. 69:30, 31; Heb. 13:15. This Spirit of God is the author of all those +devout aspirations which we meet with, such as: "O Lord, hear; O Lord, +forgive; O Lord, hearken and do." Dan. 9:19. + +4. The _third_ help to strengthen us in prayer, is found in _the promises +of God_. "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." +Ps. 50:15. "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him." Ps. 91:15. See +also Ps. 145:19; Luke 11:11, 13, and 18. "Before they call, I will hear." +Isa. 60:24. "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are +open to their prayers." Ps. 34:16. "Whosoever shall call on the name of +the Lord shall be delivered." Joel 2:32. "Ask, seek, knock." Matt. 7:7. +"The Lord is rich (in mercy, Eph. 2:4) to all that call upon him." Rom. +10:12. See also Luke 11:11-13; 18:6, 7. + +5. The _fourth_ help in prayer, is _the remembrance of the saints_, whose +prayers God has heard. Look at the examples of the ancients, and be +strengthened. And, indeed, we must needs be so, when we seasonably call to +mind instances of God's providence and divine assistance. Upon this +foundation all the prophets of old built their prayers. Thus, when God was +angry with Israel for the sin of the golden calf, and said to Moses: "Let +me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume +them" (Ex. 32:10); "then Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach," +as the Psalmist expresses it (Ps. 106:23), putting God in mind of his +former mercies, saying, "Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy +people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great +power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and +say, For mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the mountains, and +to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, +and repent of this evil against thy people, etc. And the Lord repented of +the evil which he thought to do unto his people." Exod. 32:11-14. + +6. David had recourse to the same remedy in almost all his Psalms; putting +God in mind, as it were, of his former mercies, goodness, and +faithfulness. So Ps. 25:6, "Remember thy tender mercies." Ps. 77:5, etc., +"I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times," etc. Ps. +85:1-6, "Lord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land: thou hast brought +back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy +people; thou hast covered all their sin. Thou hast taken away all thy +wrath; thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Turn +us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt +thou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all +generations? Wilt thou not revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in +thee?" + +7. How admirably does the prophet Isaiah use the same form of supplication +(chap. 63:10-16), putting God in mind of his former mercies, and opening, +as it were, by this key, the immense treasures of his compassion. "Where +is he that brought them up out of the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? +where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him? That led them by the +right hand of Moses, with his glorious arm, dividing the water before +them, to make himself an everlasting name? That led them through the deep, +as a horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? As a beast +goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so +didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name. Look down +from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy +glory; where is thy zeal, and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, +and of thy mercies towards me? Are they restrained? Doubtless thou art our +Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: +thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting." + +8. This prayer of the prophet is founded upon these arguments: (1.) +Because the love of God is _eternal_, therefore it will not be withheld +from _me_. (2.) I acknowledge myself to be a sinner but, at the same time, +I remember that thy grace has been extended to sinners who repented. +"Remember not the sins of my youth." Ps. 25:7. (3.) My sins have been very +great, but let thy mercy also be great. (4.) Remember that I am the work +of thine own hands. "Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as +the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? Thy visitation hath +preserved my spirit." Job 10:9, 12. + +9. The _fifth_ comfort in prayer is, _the tender love of God_ to mankind, +and his promises to help the afflicted. "Look upon mine affliction and my +pain; and forgive all my sins." Ps. 25:18. Again, "This poor man cried, +and the Lord heard him." Ps. 34:6. Thus we are assured that God does not +despise the miseries of the distressed, although proud men may do it. For +God judges not as corrupt man judges; he has not eyes of flesh, nor doth +he see as man seeth. Job 10:4. And as it generally happens among us, that +the more need a man has of friends, the fewer he finds; so, on the other +hand, God has a more tender and particular regard for him that is +destitute and afflicted. "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken +heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Ps. 34:18. "Thou hast +seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy +hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the +fatherless." Ps. 10:14. And, indeed, such are the proper objects of divine +mercy. To enhance the comfort and certainty of these promises, the +Psalmist mentions various classes of the afflicted; so that none who are +in distress may despair: "The Lord executeth judgment for the oppressed; +which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners; the Lord +openeth the eyes of the blind; the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down; +the Lord loveth the righteous; the Lord preserveth the strangers; he +relieveth the fatherless and widows." Ps. 146:7-9. To this may be referred +what the prophet Isaiah says, "To this man will I look, even to him that +is poor, and of contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word." Isa. +66:2. And "The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever." Ps. +9:18. And "He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise +their prayer." Ps. 102:17. + +10. The _sixth_ help is, the consideration of _God's unspeakable +compassion_. He puts a better construction upon our prayers than we +intended, and understands our necessities more perfectly than we can +express them. He makes merciful allowance for our infirmities in prayer; +according to the words of Abraham, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will +speak." Gen. 18:30. Hence St. Paul says, "Blessed be God, even the Father +of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all +comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation." 2 Cor. 1:3. Compare +this with Ps. 103:8. By virtue of this compassion of God, none of our +prayers are in vain. God keeps an exact account of all our sighs and tears +(Ps. 56:8), for the sake of those tears which Christ our blessed Saviour +shed, who, in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications +with strong crying and tears. Heb. 5:7. + +11. The _seventh_ help in prayer, is the remembrance of the _covenant of +grace_, which God has made with us. "This shall be the covenant," etc. +Jer. 31:33. And, "The covenant of my peace shall not be removed, saith the +Lord, that hath mercy on thee." Isa. 54:10. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, +come! I will make an everlasting covenant with you." Isa. 55:1, 3. In this +covenant of grace the assurance that our prayers shall be heard is +contained. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while +he is near." Isa. 55:6. + +12. What we have said upon this head, is most happily exemplified in the +prayer of Daniel. "O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the +covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his +commandments.--And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth +out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, +as at this day." (Here is the putting God in mind of his former mercies.) +"Hear, O our God, the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and +cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the +Lord's sake." (This is pleading the name and merits of Jesus the Messiah.) +"O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do." (These are the +groans of the Holy Spirit.) "O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open +thine eyes, and behold our desolations" (in regard of his promise); +"because for our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and +thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us." (Here is a +confession of sin, and an acknowledgment of misery.) "For we do not +present our supplications before thee, for our righteousnesses, but for +thy great mercies" (this is an acknowledgment of man's unworthiness, and +of God's mercy, which is followed with a remembrance of the covenant); +"For thy city and thy people are called by thy name." Dan. 9:4, 15, 17, +18, 19, 16. + + + + +Chapter XXXIX. + + + The Conversation Of A Believing Soul With God. + + + _Wilt thou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thine + anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy + people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant + us thy salvation._--PS. 85:5-7. + + +These words contain the familiar discourse of the devout and faithful soul +with God. Who would venture to talk so freely to an offended prince? But +so indulgent is God to a believing soul, that he gives liberty to come +freely and without restraint into his presence. As soon as the believer +enters, God asks, "What is thy desire? come near, and be not afraid." This +is represented to us in the case of Bathsheba (1 Kings 1:16), going into +the presence-chamber of king David, and making her petition. Upon which, +the king sware unto her with an oath. So also in that of Esther, whom, so +soon as she came into his presence, the king touched with his golden +sceptre. Est. 5:1. + +2. It is held to be an act of singular grace and favor, if a king +vouchsafe to talk familiarly with his subjects. It was upon this account +that the Roman emperor Titus was called _The delight of mankind_, for his +gracious treatment of all who were near him, filled them with joy. But how +much greater favor and happiness is it, that God, the Lord of lords, and +King of kings (whom the Psalmist calls, "The most high and terrible Lord, +a great King over all the earth"), (Ps. 47:2), should not only talk with +miserable men, who, as Abraham says, "are but dust and ashes" (Gen. +18:27); but should even converse kindly with rebellious sinners, who are +at enmity with him through sin. Isa. 59:2. So that when a Christian +considers, on the one hand, the greatness and majesty of God; and the +impurity, corruption, misery, and vileness of human nature on the other +hand, he cannot but cry out with David, "What is man that thou art mindful +of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Ps. 8:4. The most +righteous man living must acknowledge himself to be unworthy to converse +with God. This was the sentiment of the devout Abraham, who therefore +excuses his presuming to intercede with God for the Sodomites, saying, +"Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak" (Gen. 18:30, 32): and yet +every time that Abraham speaks, God vouchsafes to answer. And as he is the +father of "them which are of faith" (Gal. 3:7), he gives us a notable +example of the devout soul's conversation with God. + +3. It is therefore a most certain and undoubted truth, that whensoever the +faithful soul calls upon God by prayer, he never fails to answer by the +divine consolations of his Spirit. An instance of this we have, where the +Psalmist calls upon God in these words: "Lord, thou hast been favorable +unto thy land. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people; thou hast +turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Wilt thou not revive us +again? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear +what God the Lord will speak." Ps. 85:1, etc. The answer he received in +his heart; therefore he says: "His salvation is nigh them that fear him." +Ver. 9. And as he here prays, that he may hear what the Lord God will say +concerning him; God answers him, "Hear, O my people, and I will testify +unto thee." Ps. 50:7. The afflicted soul prays, "O Lord, rebuke me not in +thine anger." Ps. 6:1. To which God answers, "The Lord is merciful and +gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." Ps. 103:8. The soul +says, "Whither shall I flee from thy presence?" Ps. 139:7. To which the +Lord answers, "Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I +will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. The soul says, "I know, O Lord, that the +way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh, to direct his +steps." Jer. 10:23. To which it is answered, "I will instruct thee, and +teach thee in the way in which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine +eye." Ps. 32:8. The believing soul prays, "Teach me thy way, O Lord; I +will walk in thy truth." Ps. 86:11. To which the Lord answers, "I am the +way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6); the _way_, if thou wouldest not +wander; the _truth_, if thou wouldest not be deceived; the _life_, if thou +wouldest avoid eternal death. The believing soul complains, "There is no +soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger; neither is there any rest +in my bones, because of my sin. My wounds stink and are corrupt, because +of my foolishness." Ps. 38:3, 5. To which it is answered, "The +chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are +healed." Isa. 53:5. The devout soul says, "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be +healed: save me, and I shall be saved." Jer. 17:14. It is answered, "Who +forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." Ps. 103:3. +The soul complains, and cries out: I have sinned above the number of the +sands of the sea. To which God answers by the prophet Isaiah, "I have +blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy +sins." Isa. 43:25; 44:22. The soul cries out, Alas! I am a grievous +sinner. And Jesus Christ answers, "I am not come to call the righteous, +but sinners to repentance." Matt. 9:13. The soul prays, "Remember not the +sins of my youth, nor my transgressions." Ps. 25:7. To which God answers, +"If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and +keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall +surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath +committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him." Ezek. 18:21, 22. The +soul cries out, "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me +from my sin." Ps. 51:3. To which God answers, "Though your sins be red +like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa. 1:18. "Lord, enter not into +judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be +justified." Ps. 143:2. To which it is answered, "God sent not his Son into +the world, to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be +saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned." John 3:17, 18. The soul +prays, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within +me." Ps. 51:10. To which it is answered, "A new heart also will I give +you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and cause you to walk in my +statutes." Ezek. 36:26, 27. The soul says, "I am bowed down greatly; I go +mourning all the day long." Ps. 38:6. To which it is answered, "The Lord +hath sent me to comfort all that mourn." Isa. 61:2. It is said, "Look upon +mine affliction and my pain." Ps. 25:18. And it is answered, "To him will +I look, that is poor, and of a contrite spirit." Isa. 66:2. "Thou tellest +my wanderings." Ps. 56:8. To which the Lord answers, "The very hairs of +your head are all numbered." Matt. 10:30. The soul cries out, "When shall +I come and appear before God?" Ps. 42:2. To which is answered, "Where I +am, there shall also my servant be." John 12:26. The soul complains, "How +long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me? forever? How long wilt thou hide thy +face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in +my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?" Ps. 13:1, +2. To which is answered, "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but +with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee." Isa. 54:7, 8. +Compare thy present suffering with God's eternal grace. Wait for the +promise, which, though late, will surely be fulfilled at last. Hab. 2:3. +The soul says, "Thou art my God; be not far from me; for trouble is near; +for there is none to help." Ps. 22:10, 11. To which it is answered, "I +will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him." Ps. +91:15. The soul prays, "Lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death." +Ps. 13:3. To which it is answered, "I will ransom them from the power of +the grave; I will redeem them from death." Hosea, 13: 14. The soul says, +"I have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ." Phil. 1:23. To which +Christ answers, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43. + +4. In a word, the Holy Scripture is nothing else but a conversation of the +devout soul with God. Whenever the soul raises itself to God, and spreads +its misery and complaints before him, then God answers it by some internal +comfort, or by the words and promises of the Holy Scriptures. + + + + +Chapter XL. + + + A Conversation Between Faith And The Mercy Of God. + + + _Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have + kissed each other._--PS. 85:10. + + +The goodness of God comes forth to meet us, and gives merciful answers to +the prayers of faith; "for mercy shall compass us about." Ps. 32:10. It +calls to us: "Return, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to +fall upon you: for I am merciful, and I will not keep anger forever. Only +acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord +thy God." Jer. 3:12, 13. To which faith answers, "Have mercy upon me, O +God, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of thy +tender mercies, blot out my transgressions." Ps. 51:1. Mercy calls, "Him +that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. Faith answers, +"Draw me; we will run after thee." Cant. 1:4. Mercy says, "The Lord hath +sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all that mourn." Isa. +61:1, 2. Faith answers out of Psalm 51:12: "Restore unto me the joy of thy +salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit." Mercy says, out of Isaiah +43:25 and 44:22, "I have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, +and, as a cloud, thy sins." Faith answers out of Psalm 25:18, "Look upon +mine affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins." Mercy comforts us +and says, out of Psalm 103:13, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so +the Lord pitieth them that fear him." To which faith answers, out of +Isaiah 64:8, "But now, O Lord, thou art our Father." Mercy says, "Come +unto me." Matt. 11:28. Faith answers, "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my +soul." Ps. 25:1. Mercy says, "Thou hast played the harlot with many +lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord." Jer. 3:1. Faith answers, +"I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him: Father, I have +sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called +thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants." Luke 15:18, 19. Mercy +says, "This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is +found." Luke 15:24. To which faith answers, "I have trusted in thy mercy; +my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation." Ps. 13:5. Mercy proclaims, out +of Isaiah 55:1, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." To +which faith answers, "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so +panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the +living God; when shall I come and appear before God?" Ps. 42:1, 2. Mercy +says, "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." +Ps. 103:3. Faith exclaims, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant." Ps. +143:2. Mercy says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 14:6. +Faith answers, "Shew me thy way, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in +thy truth, and teach me." Ps. 25:4, 5. Mercy promises, "I will ransom them +from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death: O death, I +will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction." Hosea 13:14. +Faith answers, "He that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God +the Lord belong the issues from death." Ps. 68:20. Mercy says, "I am the +resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, +yet shall he live." John 11:25. To which faith answers, "I know that my +Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: +and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I +see God." Job 19:25, 26. Mercy says, "Fear thou not; behold, I have graven +thee upon the palms of my hands." Isa. 41:10; 49:16. "Thou art mine; +neither shall any man pluck thee out of my hand." John 10:28. To which +faith answers, "Into thine hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, +O Lord God of truth." Ps. 31:5. + + + + +Chapter XLI. + + + The Great Benefits, And The Great Efficacy Of Praise Offered To God. + + + _In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. I call to remembrance + my song in the night; I commune with mine own heart._--PS. 77:2. + + +This passage is an excellent rule of life, teaching every man how to +conduct himself under the cross. As the word of God is the rule of our +life in prosperity, according to the Psalmist: "I will instruct thee and +teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine +eye" (Ps. 32:8); and "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward +receive me to glory" (Ps. 73:24): yea, moreover, as the word of God ought +to be the rule of our faith, as the Psalmist tells us, "Thy word is a lamp +unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105): and "Hold up my +goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not" (Ps. 17:5)--so also ought +it to be our rule and direction in bearing the cross, as David teaches us, +saying, "In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;" that is, I will look +up to God, who has laid this cross upon me, and beg of him comfort and +assistance in the day of my trouble. + +2. Hence may every Christian learn, when he is in affliction, not to fix +his thoughts too much upon the immediate causes or instruments of his +sufferings; but to lift up his heart to God; to apply to himself the +divine promises; to pray and sing praises to his God: and these are the +true and certain consolations of an afflicted soul. David says, "In the +day of my trouble I sought the Lord." As a mind oppressed with grief eases +itself by communicating its troubles to a faithful friend, so is our +afflicted spirit refreshed and comforted when we offer prayer and +thanksgiving to God. Thus David "called to remembrance his song in the +night, and communed with his own heart" (Ps. 77:6); that is, when it was +night he longed earnestly for the morning, that he might rise and comfort +his weary soul by prayers and thanksgiving unto God his Comforter: in the +mean time, he communed with his own heart, and poured out his soul in +secret; and God, who saw and heard in secret, who understood even the most +secret sighs and breathings of his dejected spirit, comforted, +strengthened, and refreshed him. + +3. Amongst other things that may be learned from this beautiful passage of +the Psalmist, this is one, that the singing of holy hymns and praises to +God, proceeding from a truly devout soul, are attended with great +advantages and spiritual blessings. + +4. The truth of this appears, 1. From nature itself. 2. From the efficacy +of prayer. 3. From the examples found in the Old Testament. 4. From the +examples in the New. 5. From the examples of holy men in both, who were by +this means filled with the Holy Ghost. 6. From the nature and properties +of the Psalms. 7. From the frequent use of the blessed Psalms among the +ancients, whenever they were under any adversity. All these considerations +prove that there is a great virtue or efficacy in psalms and hymns of +praise. By this I would not be understood to mean nothing but bare words +and empty sounds, void of faith and devotion; but rather such a vigorous +faith, such an ardent devotion, as may break forth into holy hymns and +spiritual songs, singing and making melody in the heart unto the Lord. Let +us briefly describe this subject. + +5. As to the first, namely, the book of the world, or nature, it is clear +that the praise of God is the great end of the whole creation. That this +is the grand employment of the angelical choirs, appears from many +passages in the Revelation of St. John, as also from Isaiah 6:3 and the +148th Psalm; which, inviting all creatures to praise God, for whose glory +they were created, begins with the angels (ver. 2), "Praise ye him, all +his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts." From the angelical he descends +to the sidereal world, saying, "Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, +all ye stars of light." To which may be referred the words of Job (chap. +38:7): "When the morning stars sang together." Thence he descends to the +sea, calling on the waters, and all the numerous inhabitants of the +waters, to praise the God that made them. Thence looking up to the regions +of the air, he calls to "the fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind +fulfilling his word." Thence he passes to the earth: "mountains and all +hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars." Thence to the living creatures: +"beasts, and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl." Thence to men, +beginning with the rulers of the world: "kings of the earth, and all +people; princes, and all judges of the earth. Both young men and maidens, +old men and children, praise the name of the Lord." And lastly, to the +church of God, "his saints, a people near unto him--praise ye the Lord." + +6. The second argument was the efficacy of the prayer of faith. This is +attested by the word of God, the examples of holy men, and daily +experience. For we are assured by all the promises of God, that not one +devout prayer, not one sigh or tear, comes from us in vain. "Put thou my +tears into thy bottle." Ps. 6:9; 56:8. "They that sow in tears shall reap +in joy." Ps. 126:5. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to +all that call upon him in truth." Ps. 145:18. Nothing, indeed, in this +world can be successful without prayer; forasmuch as every good and every +perfect gift cometh down from God, and must be asked of him. Without +constant prayer a man can neither live nor die in peace. Now, as the +offering of praise to God is nothing else but the prayer of a devout soul +overflowing with divine joy, in which holy men of God have celebrated and +conveyed to posterity the mercies and wonders of God their Creator; it is +plain that the singing of praises to God is an act of devotion, full of +spiritual comfort and advantage. + +7. Thirdly, this is confirmed by many examples found in the Old Testament. +Exod. 15; Deut. 32; 1 Sam. 2; Isa. 12; 26; 38; 64; Jon. 2; Hab. 3; and the +whole Book of Psalms. + +8. Fourthly, this is confirmed by the examples of the New Testament; +especially those two divine hymns of Mary and Zacharias (Luke 1:46, 68), +of which the Christian Church has appointed one to be sung in the morning, +and the other in the evening, as a morning and evening sacrifice unto God; +thereby instructing us, that singing psalms and praises unto God ought to +begin and end the day. Such, too, is the exhortation of the Psalmist, "It +is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy +name, O Most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and +thy faithfulness every night." Ps. 92:1, 2. But why such lovingkindness +"in the morning"? Because "it is new every morning." Lam. 3:23. And why +such "faithfulness every night"? Because "the Lord, that neither +slumbereth nor sleepeth," is our guardian by night. Ps. 121:3. To this we +may add what we are told by St. Matthew (chap. 26: 30), that Jesus Christ +himself at his last Supper, sung a hymn with his disciples. And St. Paul +says to the Ephesians (chap. 5:18, 19), "Be filled with the Spirit; +speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing +and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always, etc." +And again: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; +teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual +songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col. 3:16, 17. And +St. James says, "Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? +let him sing psalms." James 5:13. + +9. Fifthly, by the praises offered to God by the holy men of the Old +Testament and the New, who were filled with the Holy Ghost. Of this we +have two instances. First, when Samuel had anointed Saul to be king, he +gave him a sign, saying, "Thou shalt meet a company of prophets with a +psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they +shall prophesy. And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou +shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man." 1 Sam. +10:5, 6. The second is, when Saul had sent messengers to take David, they +met several companies of prophets, and both they and Saul himself began to +prophesy. 1 Sam. 19:19-24. Similar to this is that which we read +concerning Elisha (2 Kings 3:15), that when the minstrel began to play, +that holy man prophesied. + +10. In the Old Testament there were several kinds of divine music; some of +trumpets, some of psalteries and harps, some of cymbals, and other kinds +of musical instruments. From this some imagine that the _Songs of +Degrees_, as some of the Psalms are called, took their names. For they did +not sing all the Psalms to the same instrument, but adapted their +instruments to their subject, whether it were cheerful or sorrowful. All +these various kinds of music with which, under the Old Testament, they +sang praises unto God, being a part of the external ceremonial service, +have now ceased; and our spirit, soul, mind, and mouth are become the +trumpet, psaltery, harp, and cymbal of God. To which St. Paul alludes, +when he says, "Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col. 3:16. +By which expression we are by no means forbidden, either in public or +private, to praise God with voices or instruments of music; but it +requires that all this be done with true devotion, in the spirit, and from +the heart, lest religion should be thought to consist in empty sounds and +the external pomp of divine service. For the New Testament, see, for +example, Acts 4:24-31. + +11. Sixthly, the nature and properties of the Psalms prove the same thing. +Some of them are supplicatory, others consolatory; some penitential, +others doctrinal; and, lastly, others prophetical: from which variety of +style and intention the devout soul may reap a correspondent variety of +comforts and benefits. + +12. Seventhly, we are instructed by the examples of Moses and David that +songs of praise were used upon different occasions. As (1) _Against +enemies_. These may be called prayers for protection. Such is Psalm 68, +which the man of God sang when he was advancing against his enemies: "Let +God arise, let his enemies be scattered." Some think that Psalm 91 was +composed by David in the time of that great pestilence, which, in the +space of three days, swept away 70,000 men. 2 Sam. 24:15. And I doubt not +that many a man has been protected in national calamities by a proper use +of this Psalm. (2) _In time of victory over enemies._ These we may call +Psalms of victory. Thus David, when he had gained six victories, composed +the 18th Psalm, as may be gathered from 2 Sam. 22: 1. So Jehoshaphat +marched against the Moabites with singers going before him, who were to +bless and praise the Lord with a loud voice; and he conquered. 2 Chron. +20:21, etc. (3) _In great calamities._ Thus we read (1 Sam. 21:13) that +David, when he changed his behavior before Achish, composed the 34th +Psalm, as appears by the title. So he sang Psalm 3, when he fled from +Absalom. So when the apostles, in great difficulties, prayed in the words +of the 2d Psalm, "the place was shaken where they were assembled +together." Acts 4:31. And these are Psalms of mourning or lamentation. (4) +There are also eucharistical Psalms. So David sung the 105th Psalm before +the ark of the covenant. 1 Chron. 17:16. (5) There are complaining Psalms, +as the 102d appears to be by the inscription; also some against +calumniators, as the 4th, 7th, 52d; also against diseases, as the 30th. + +13. Thus much concerning the efficacy and admirable benefits of divine +hymns and thanksgivings. Whence it appears that it is the duty of a +Christian to praise God as well as to pray to him every day. For (1), it +being the constant employment of the holy angels to bless and praise God, +when the Church on earth does the same, there arises thence a divine and +heavenly communion betwixt the Church on earth and the Church in heaven; +fulfilling, in some measure, that petition of the Lord's prayer, "Thy will +be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matt. 6:10. Come, then, ye devout +souls, and when ye retire into your closets to pour out your souls before +God in secret, remember also to praise him with a Psalm of thanksgiving. +(2) Moreover, it would be quite proper, and becoming a Christian, to +accustom children, from their infancy, to sing psalms and praises unto +God, according to the Psalmist, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings +hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies" (Ps. 8:2): the +advantage of which, is expressed in the following words--"that thou +mightest still the enemy and the avenger." (3) We are encouraged to this +duty by God's gracious acceptance of it, and delight in it; upon which +account the Psalmist calls upon him, saying, "Thou art holy, O thou that +inhabitest the praises of Israel." Ps. 22:3. (4) Experience itself teaches +us that by divine hymns we kindle flames of devotion in our souls, and +receive rich returns of spiritual joy, lively comfort, solid peace, and +rest in God. + + + + +Chapter XLII. + + + The Reasons For Which We Ought Daily To Offer Praises To God. + + + _Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: + for his mercy endureth forever._ PS. 106:1; 107:1; 118:1. + + +Thus saith the devout David, "Seven times a day do I praise thee, because +of thy righteous judgments" (Ps. 119:164); that is, many times in a day do +I sing praises in honor of thy holy name. By this he teaches us, that a +man cannot spend his time better than by retiring at least once a day into +his closet, and praising God in secret. Yea, though his hands be employed +in labor and business, yet may he, in the quiet stillness of his heart, +offer up his praises unto God wheresoever he is. For the prayer of a true +Christian is not confined to any certain time or place, since he worships +"in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23); and the Spirit is not circumscribed +by any limits of time or place. To which also relates the admonition of +St. Paul, when he commands us "to sing with grace in our hearts to the +Lord" (Col. 3:16); that being, indeed, the fittest place wherein God may +be praised. + +2. But as we are by nature dull and inactive in the discharge of this +duty, therefore God has given us, in his Word, certain helps to quicken +us. + +3. The first of these is _his own command_. He made us, his servants and +creatures, for his own glory, as we ourselves appoint servants to manage +business for us. He, therefore, who does not daily praise God, was created +by him in vain, and cannot be his servant. Hence we are commanded, over +and over again, in Holy Scripture, above all things, to praise God. Thus, +"Praise ye the Lord. Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord." Ps. 113:1. "O +give thanks unto the Lord." Ps. 118:1. "Thou shalt glorify me." Ps. 50:15. +This is an argument to us, that the chief part of our religious worship, +our chief service in this world, and our happiness in the next, consist in +the exercise of praise and thanksgiving; upon which account we ought to +esteem it our greatest happiness and most honorable employment. So the +holy Psalmist says, "My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and +fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips." Ps. 63:4. And +again, "Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of +thine heart." Ps. 37:4. O how truly happy, then, and blessed is he who is +come to such perfection of divine worship as to delight in the Lord, and +to be continually offering praises and thanks! "He shall be satisfied with +the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple." Ps. 65:5. If we think +it an honorable thing to be employed in the service of any earthly prince, +how much more ought a man to rejoice when he considers that he may be +admitted to the service of the Lord of lords, and King of kings, being, in +his own nature, no better than dust and ashes, and a poor sinner! This +single consideration ought to be of sufficient weight to encourage him to +praise God daily. + +4. Secondly, _the advantages that a man derives from this exercise_, is +another argument. For since God has no need of our praises, and is neither +the better nor the worse for our obedience or neglect; and since the most +acceptable praise which we can offer him is, at best, but the fruit of +"unclean lips" (Isa. 6:5), as the prophet Isaiah speaks, it follows that +the advantage redounds only to ourselves, as being the means of drawing +down upon us the favor and blessings of heaven: a thankful heart being the +proper receptacle of divine grace. This, in short, is that which brings +God down into our souls, and makes us truly the living temples of the Holy +Ghost; and where God is, _there_ is the fulness of divine blessing. +Moreover, by the daily exercise of thanksgiving, we keep up communion with +the blessed choirs of triumphant saints and angels in heaven. They are +incessantly singing the praises of God above; whilst we below, by the same +exercise, are conquering, by degrees, the enemies of our salvation (Ps. +18:29), till at length, by a constant practice of this divine duty, we are +filled with an immovable assurance that we are united to God, and that we +shall be for ever happy with him in heaven, according to the promise of +our blessed Lord, "Where I am, there shall also my servant be." John +12:26. And now, would to God that wretched man would so lay these +considerations to heart, and so sincerely endeavor to practise them, that +every soul might become, in truth, a house of prayer! + +5. Thirdly, we are encouraged to the daily practice of thanksgiving, from +the consideration of _the compassion, the lovingkindness, and everlasting +goodness of God_. This is an argument continually inculcated in the Book +of Psalms, to teach us that the chief and fundamental reason why we ought +continually to bless and praise God, is, because he is good and gracious, +and "his mercy endureth for ever." No heart of man can conceive, nor +tongue express, the height and depth of that love which disposes the great +and mighty God to show himself thus loving and merciful to wretched +mankind, who are dust and ashes, laden with iniquities, and ungrateful to +God; and that he not only continues his wonted mercies to them, +notwithstanding their repeated provocations; but is also perpetually +dispensing fresh showers of blessings upon the whole rebellious race. And +this is what every man must needs experience in himself. Look into thine +own soul, whosoever thou art; what canst thou find there but misery and +sin? Yet God continues merciful and long-suffering, is slow to anger, and +not willing to punish thee as thy sins have deserved. This is a degree of +mercy which, as thy own heart must confess, no man living does or can +exercise towards his brethren. We cannot so long forbear to punish those +that have offended us; and when we punish, mercy seldom pleads for the +criminal, till we are satiated with vengeance; whereas the rod of God is +often lifted up, but his mercy averts the impending stroke, and rescues +the sinner from punishment. So that every man must confess that the +punishments of heaven are not only less than we deserve, but are always +qualified with a double portion of mercy. Whence it follows, that God is +essentially and truly LOVE, which every man daily experiences in himself. + +6. Read the Holy Scriptures and see how tenderly, yea, how affectionately +God vouchsafes to deal with mankind, so that no father or mother upon +earth can be more indulgent to their darling child. Thus, "Is Ephraim my +dear son? is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do +earnestly remember him still; therefore, my bowels are troubled for him; I +will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord." Jer. 31:20. + +7. God not only bestows his favors plentifully both on our souls and +bodies, but also does it with so much tenderness and good will, that, as +he himself says, "He rejoices over us to do us good" (Jer. 32:41); as if +he were glad to find men willing to be happy in the blessed manifestations +of his love; which is, indeed, the truest demonstration that it is +sincere. Were not God thus merciful, our very being would soon be at an +end, which nothing but his infinite mercy can sustain; yea, "His +lovingkindness is better than life itself" (Ps. 63:3), which "compasseth +us about" (Ps. 32:10), as tender mothers embrace their helpless infants. + +8. The same goodness of God discovers itself in all his creatures; in +which, as in a glass, we may contemplate the wonderful riches of divine +mercy: "The earth is full of the riches of God." Ps. 104:24. For whose +sake was all that is good, both in heaven and earth, created? Not for Him +certainly, who is Himself all-sufficient, and stands not in need of any +creature. The sun, moon, and stars serve not to enlighten him; the fire, +the air, the earth, and water do him no service, but us. And when he +"fills our hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:17), it is his goodness +that we taste, it is his bounty that feeds and nourishes us. He it is that +gives us healthy and sound bodies, which are more valuable to us than an +empire. If it should please God to turn the water into blood, as he did in +Egypt (Exod. 7:20), we could not, with all our boasted treasure, purchase +one single drop to relieve our greatest necessities. Or should he, as he +did once (Exod. 10:22), cover the earth with thick darkness, no prince +upon earth could, with all his riches, purchase one single gleam of light. +Or what would all the world signify to him that should but for one moment +be deprived of the benefit of the air? All these are very great blessings +of God, but because they are common, few are so sensible of them as to be +thankful for them. Reflect, moreover, on the mercies of redemption and +sanctification, in which the goodness and grace of God so transcendently +appear, that eternity itself would be too short to praise and magnify +these blessings as we ought. To redeem a lost world is much more glorious +than to create it at first; and to regenerate a man by a spiritual new +birth, more wondrous than at first to produce him by a natural birth. +Lastly, whosoever will carefully consider the works and providence of God, +may read the plain characters of his mercy and love in every part of the +creation. + +9. Dull, ungrateful creatures that we are, how apt are we to forget our +benefactor, and despise the hand that blesses us! God is thus led in mere +mercy to use the rod of discipline, and to take away our worldly comforts +from us, in order thereby to reduce us to a sober sense of ourselves, and +of our dependence on him, to whom all our thanks are due. Thus God speaks +by the prophet Hosea, "She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, +and oil, and multiplied her silver and her gold: therefore will I return, +and take them from her." Hosea 2:8. So that the _cross_ is, as it were, +the light by which we see and discover the true value of divine blessings, +and who it is that bestows them. For ingratitude is the greatest degree of +blindness, and the highest affront against God. And since the whole world +is full of the glory of God, much more ought the heart of man to be full +of it. + +10. Indeed the excellency of the divine love discovers itself chiefly in +this, that he bestows his favors even upon rebels and enemies. "For he +maketh his sun to rise, and sendeth his rain on the just and on the +unjust." Matt. 5:45. + +11. The goodness and mercy of God herein appear still more illustrious, +that though we continue ungrateful, and our hearts "cast forth wickedness +as a fountain casteth forth her waters" (Jer. 6:7), yet he still strives +to conquer our ingratitude by his goodness, and does not take his mercy +from us; as the Psalmist says, "His mercy endureth forever." Ps. 136:1. So +that as the heart of man is, as it were, an abyss of iniquity (Jer. 17:9), +so God is an abyss of mercy, an ever-flowing fountain of goodness, so much +superior in kind, as well as in degree, to that of any created being, that +he doeth nothing but good, and receives nothing in return but evil; which +the uncreated and infinite Good alone could do or suffer. And when, +provoked by our wickedness, he seems sometimes to lay aside his mercy, and +"in anger to shut up his tender mercies" (Ps. 77:10), yet even that is +nothing but paternal resentment, not tending to destruction, but so +tempered with compassion, that mercy triumphs over judgment. So, "If his +children forsake my law, I will visit their transgressions with the rod: +nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him." Ps. +89:30-33. And, "In wrath remember mercy." Hab. 3:2. So, too, we read, "He +doth not afflict willingly the children of men." Lam. 3:33. For punishment +is, as it were, contrary to his nature and essential goodness. For though +the Scriptures often speak of _God's being angry_, yet such expressions +are used, after the manner of men, only in compliance with the weakness of +human capacities. Yea, God is never angry with his faithful servants; but +only with wicked and obstinate sinners; and when he corrects the former in +mercy, he punishes the latter in his wrath; for "the wrath of God abideth +on them." John 3:36. Hence David prays, "O Lord, rebuke me not in thine +anger." Ps. 6:1. As if he had said, "Lord, chasten me with mercy, as a +tender father corrects his beloved child." Wherefore, it is as impossible +that the mercy and goodness of God should fail or cease towards mankind +(though he sometimes afflicts us), as that the sun should actually be +extinguished by a cloud, or the vast ocean be absorbed by a sponge. "For +his mercy endureth forever." Ps. 136:1. And this is the reason of God's +reconciliation and forgiveness, not once or twice, but as often as the +sinner begins to repent and sue for mercy. This mercy does not last for a +few hours, or a few days only, but forever; so that the entire nature and +essence of God, infinite as it is, is nothing else but LOVE. No sooner +does the sinner sincerely pray for pardon, but the merciful God freely +bestows it, yea, he is more willing and ready to pardon, than we to ask +it. + +12. Now if God pours his blessings upon us so plentifully in this life, +that we taste and enjoy them by all our senses; how much more fully shall +we be convinced, in the other world, by most blessed experience, that his +mercy endureth forever? If we receive so many mercies from him now in this +vale of sin and misery, as that "in him we live, and move, and have our +being" (Acts 17:28), how much more glorious will his mercy appear +hereafter, when we shall be cleansed from all sin, and rendered capable of +the purest enjoyments? + +13. Fourthly, the praises of God have been the special employment of all +holy men. Most of the prophets of the Old Testament composed holy hymns, +to the praise and honor of God. Thus did Moses (Exod. 15; Deut. 32), +Hannah (1 Sam. 2), Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20), Hezekiah (Isa. 38), and +Jeremiah (Lam. 3). David was, however, the most eminent, who is so fervent +in the praise of God, as to say, that "His praise shall continually be in +his mouth." Ps. 34:1. In the New Testament, the Virgin Mary (Luke +1:46-55), and Zacharias (Luke 1:68-79); also St. Paul and St. Peter, in +many places of their Epistles. These examples sufficiently show that they +believed acts of thanksgiving and praise to be the most noble services +which we can possibly perform in this valley of misery. And, therefore, if +we are desirous to be partakers with the saints in glory, it is necessary +that we should imitate their examples in praising and magnifying God. + +14. Fifthly, all creatures invite us to praise God. Thus David speaks to +them all, "Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion." +Ps. 103:22. And, indeed, every creature, in its way, gives glory to its +Creator; for he has stamped such illustrious characters of his glory and +goodness on them all, that they cannot conceal them. "The heavens declare +the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." Ps. 19:1. And +Job says, "Where wast thou, when the morning stars sang together?" Chap. +38:4, 7. For even the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven, when they +give their light, bear witness at the same time to the majesty and +goodness of Him that made them. The earth praises God when it is fruitful +and flourishing. The herbs and flowers, by their fragrance, beauty, and +variety of colors, show forth the might and wisdom of their Maker. The +birds with their songs; the trees with their fruits; the sea with its +inhabitants (Ps. 104:25); in short, all the creatures in their several +places, praise the God that made them, whilst they fulfil his will, and +answer the end for which they were created. Ps. 148:1, etc. And not only +so, but they call upon mankind, by the virtues and powers which God has +implanted in them, as witnesses of his wisdom and goodness, to praise and +glorify God. Whatever way we turn our eyes, we see so many marks of divine +goodness, that one would think that nature was nothing but one great +history of the glory of its Maker. But forasmuch as God has been more +gracious and bountiful unto man than to any other of his creatures, +mankind are certainly obliged to furnish larger and more frequent returns +of gratitude than they. + +15. Sixthly, we must know, that when we have done all that we can to set +forth the greatness and majesty of God, the best and most devout of men +must fall short of the dignity of a subject, which no tongue, either of +men or angels, can worthily express. For "Who can utter the mighty acts of +the Lord? who can show forth all his praise?" Ps. 106:2. The most exalted +praises of holy men are more properly acts of admiration and wonder, than +attempts to express to the full the infinite love and majesty of God. They +have the will, but not the ability, to praise God in adequate terms. Thus +holy David in many Psalms stirs up his soul, and all the powers thereof, +to praise his God with thanksgiving. So Moses, "The Lord is my strength +and song, and he is become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare +him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exod. 15:2. +Observe, he calls God _his strength_; and were not that strength with us, +in us, and above us, we should quickly be turned into dust, and vanish +like a shadow. Therefore it is said: "Every man at his best state is +altogether vanity." Ps. 39:5. Moses also calls God _his salvation_; for he +is our righteousness against sin; our strength against infirmities; our +refuge in persecution; our joy in sadness; and lastly our life in death. + +16. And now, what is there in heaven or in earth that may be compared unto +our God, with whom is such abundant salvation; who, by his power, sustains +the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein (Isa. 40:12); who is so +holy that all the angels adore him (Isa. 6:3), so "fearful in praises" +(Exod. 15:11) that the heaven, the earth, and all that is under the earth, +bow and tremble? He is so praiseworthy that all his works ought to be had +in honor, and every creature ought to praise his Maker: so wise, so +powerful, as to create all things out of nothing; to bring light out of +darkness; righteousness out of sin; and life out of death. Should we now +pass to the great work of our redemption, who can express it? He suffers +his only Son to become man, that we might become the children of God. He +suffers all pain as man, that we might enjoy everlasting felicity; he took +upon him the form of a servant, that we might be partakers of his heavenly +kingdom; lastly, he underwent death for us, that we, through him, might +have life eternal. Such works, such love, who can worthily celebrate? +Where is he that can explain how the infinite God, "whom the heaven of +heavens cannot contain" (1 Kings 8:27), can yet dwell in us, and we in +him? Or how he made our immortal souls, and will receive them to himself +after their separation from the body? Or how he shall raise our dead +bodies from the dust of the earth unto eternal life? It is, indeed, +wonderful and strange, that that which is "mortal should put on +immortality." 1 Cor. 15:53. Wherefore, praise the Lord, O my soul. + +17. If any man, then, desires to answer the end of his creation, and not +to be thought the only ingrate among all the works of God; if he desires +to walk worthy of his Christian calling, and after death to be partaker +with the saints of light and everlasting glory, let his soul praise the +Lord, and let him beseech God that He would never suffer his soul to be +unmindful or negligent of this duty. And those things which we cannot +sufficiently praise in this world shall be worthily celebrated in the +next, when "that which is in part shall be done away. For now we see +through a glass darkly, but then face to face." 1 Cor. 13:10, 12. Which +may God grant, for Jesus Christ's sake. + + + + +Chapter XLIII. + + + To Praise God Is The Highest And Most Honorable Employment Of Men. + + + _It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord--upon an + instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp + with a solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy + work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great + are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man + knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this._ PS. 92:1-6. + + +There are six Psalms which have been distinguished by the name of Golden +Songs, namely, 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, to show us that the praise of God +and prayer are the spiritual and heavenly treasure of a believing heart. +And that this is the greatest honor man is capable of, appears hence. (1.) +That a cheerful confidence in God is that which procures the soul the +greatest liberty of access to him. Hence it is said, "Honor and majesty +are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." Ps. 96:6. And +that this freedom of access is the highest honor of man, the very angels +themselves confess, who glory in that exalted privilege. "I am Gabriel, +that stand in the presence of God." Luke 1:19. + +2. The giving praise to God is a great honor and treasure of man, because +(2) thereby we become like the angels in heaven. Therefore our blessed +Saviour, pointing out the future glory of men, says, "They shall be as the +angels of God." Matt. 22:30; Luke 20:36. This, though it is ultimately to +be understood of the purity and other perfections of their glorified +bodies in another life; in which respect we shall not only be like the +angels, but also be conformed to the glorified body of our Lord Jesus +Christ (according to Phil. 3:21, and 1 John 3:2, "It doth not yet appear +what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like +him; for we shall see him as he is")--yet even as no man can be like him in +the other world, that has not been conformed to him in this; that is to +say, that has not believed in him, imitated his holy life, followed him in +his meekness and humility, and, in a word, perfectly clothed himself with +the image of the patient, humble, afflicted and crucified Jesus, that he +may be like him in his glorious, exalted, and perfect state in the other +world; so also shall no man be like the angels in heaven, that has not +endeavored to conform himself to their examples on earth. There is then no +instance in which we can better imitate them here, than by offering up +devout and incessant prayers and praises to God; for this is the +employment of the holy angels. Isa. 6:3; Ps. 103:20. Whosoever then does +this, imitates those blessed spirits, and maintains fellowship with them. +Hence it follows, that to be continually celebrating the praises of God is +the noblest and most honorable employment that man is capable of. And this +may be done at any time, and in any place by a devout soul, praising from +the ground of the heart. It is thence that the true praises of God +proceed, according to that expression, "singing with grace in your hearts +unto the Lord." Col. 3:16. + +3. That singing praises to God is the greatest glory and highest honor +that a man can receive, appears (3) hence; that by this a man becomes, as +it were, the harp or instrument on which the Holy Spirit is perpetually +sounding forth the praises of God. Of this we have a very beautiful +representation, where the Evangelist saw a great multitude clothed in +white, and following the Lamb of God; and "he heard the voice of harpers +harping with their harps." Rev. 14:2. This was also indicated under the +Old Testament by that admirable variety of musical instruments mentioned +by David in Ps. 150. All these instruments express nothing else but the +various gifts of the Holy Spirit, by which the name, the praise, the +honor, the wisdom, the mercies, and wonderful works of God were to be +published to the world; which instruments are now laid aside to make room +for the divine harmony of _spiritual_ music, even that of praise and +thanksgiving to God. For what the musical instrument is to man, that the +soul of man is to the Spirit of God, being attuned and rendered harmonious +by the hand that holds it. Thus it is said, "Out of the mouth of babes and +sucklings thou hast ordained strength." Ps. 8:2. But what greater glory +can the heart, mouth, or soul of man desire and enjoy, than to be as so +many organs or musical instruments of the Spirit of God? This is what +David means, "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my +tongue" (2 Sam. 23:2); and the apostle, "Be ye filled with the Spirit: +speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing +and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Eph. 5:18, 19. + +4. That the praising of God is a man's greatest privilege, and most +valuable treasure, appears (4) hence: because in that exercise is +contained the greatest spiritual joy. Hence it is said, "Thou, Lord, hast +made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands." +Ps. 92:4. And as in this divine joy consists the greatest part of the +happiness of eternal life, and the kingdom of God within us, which we are +told, "is peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:17); so whoever +desires a foretaste of the happiness of that blessed state, may obtain it +by the daily exercise of praise and thanksgiving. This, when it proceeds +from a sincere heart, gives life and divine joy both to the soul and body; +as we are told in Ps. 63, and Ps. 84. What is Paradise itself, but pure +joy and unmixed pleasures; where "we taste and see that the Lord is good"? +Ps. 34:8. And what is eternal life, but the abundance of this joy, "and +pleasures at God's right hand for evermore"? Ps. 16:11. + +5. The greatness and excellency of this duty appears (5) hence: that by it +we are led to the contemplation of all the wonderful works of God, whence +such rays of divine light and wisdom dart upon the soul, as scatter and +dissipate the clouds of error and darkness in which men are naturally +involved. Thus saith the Psalmist, "O Lord, how great are thy works! and +thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool +understand this." Ps. 92:5, 6. And St. Paul, "The Spirit searcheth all +things, yea, the deep things of God." 1 Cor. 2:10. Therefore, the more a +man knows of God, the more he praises him; and the more he praises him, +the more he increases in the knowledge of him. For the higher any one +rises in the praises of God, so much the more deeply he descends into the +contemplation of his nature and providence. I do not mean the presumptuous +inquiries of some curious searchers into forbidden mysteries, but those +riches of the divine wisdom which God often discovers to the soul that +loves and praises him, and which strike her dumb by the excess of glory +and sublime manifestations of Himself. If the queen of Sheba was so +astonished at the riches and magnificence of Solomon's court, as to break +out in these words, "Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I +heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand +continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom" (1 Kings 10:7, 8), how +much more should the devout soul be swallowed up in rapture and +astonishment, at those revelations of divine light and glory which God +frequently vouchsafes to them that love and praise him, causing them to +cry out with David, "O, Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts +are very deep"! Ps. 92:5. And again, "The secret of the Lord is with them +that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." Ps. 25:14. And again, +"Thou shalt make me to know wisdom in the hidden part." Ps. 51:6. +Therefore, as the queen of Sheba says, "Happy are thy men, happy are these +thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom;" +so those that continually praise God, are the servants of God, standing +continually about his table, believing in spirit the divine wisdom, and +hearkening to the word of God. This is the never-failing fountain of true +wisdom, which one of the ancient fathers treats of, calling it "the deep +ocean of divine wisdom." But sublime and glorious as it is, "a brutish man +knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this." In a word, the more +closely a man approaches God by praise and thanksgiving, the clearer +manifestations has he of the riches and treasures of the divine wisdom; +which at the same time are hidden, and as it were locked up from those +that are without understanding in the ways of God. + +6. We may conclude that praising God is the highest honor, the most +exalted privilege, and greatest benefit to man; because (6) by this man +gains the victory over all his enemies, both Satan and men. See Psalm 8:2; +18:3, etc.; 118:5-15. We have a plain instance of this in the case of +Jehoshaphat, who, with one divine hymn, routed a vast army of his enemies +without loss of blood; as we find, 2 Chron. 20:21, 22. Such songs of +victory are frequently to be met with in the Psalms: as Psalms, 18; 46; +47; 76, etc. + + + + +Chapter XLIV. + + + Of Patience, Which Triumphantly Endures The Cross, And Waits For The + Promised Glory. + + + _Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of + God, ye might receive the promise._--HEB. 10:36. + + +True Christian _patience_ is that virtue by which, in all afflictions that +cannot, by ordinary means, be avoided, we resign ourselves to the divine +will, and submit entirely to it; choosing rather to suffer the greatest +evils, than murmur against God, or let go our dependence on him. + +2. The first reason or ground of this virtue is, _the counsel and gracious +will of God_, by which we are appointed to sufferings and afflictions; +according to Rom. 8:29: "Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to +be conformed to the image of his Son." As, therefore, God appointed his +own beloved Son to the sufferings of the cross, that thereby he might +bring him to glory; so also has he appointed all the true members of +Christ to bear the cross, without which they cannot be his body. Eph. +5:30. To each of these he has marked, measured, and, as it were, weighed +out, his exact portion of affliction, which cannot be escaped, much less +shaken off by impatience; but may be alleviated by obedience and humble +submission, and overcome by the power of Jesus Christ. + +3. The second reason why we ought to be patient is _the approaching +consummation of all things_; at which time, as our blessed Lord has told +us, "iniquity shall abound, and love shall wax cold." Matt. 24:12. The +consequence of this must be that sincere Christians will be exposed to +various afflictions, crosses, injuries, and sundry kinds of death; for +"all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 +Tim. 3:12. Christ assures us that the righteous must expect tribulations +and persecutions for the testimony of a good conscience. John 15:20; 16:1. +And the whole Revelation of St. John testifies that Antichrist shall +persecute the Church of God till the last coming of the Lord; then the +conflict will at last end, and the dragon and false prophets be cast into +the lake of fire and brimstone. Do not, therefore, deceive thyself with +golden dreams of felicity, but possess thy soul in patience, and +strengthen thyself against the approaching calamities. + +4. Thirdly, the hope of the restitution of all things, and _the +expectation of everlasting happiness_, is another argument to support our +patience. For as "the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the +earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and +latter rain" (James 5:7), comforting himself under all his toils with the +hopes of a plentiful harvest, so should Christians also learn to "possess +their souls in patience" (Luke 21:19), and to persuade themselves that the +great and universal harvest of the long-expected day of the Lord shall +repair all our losses, and give to every one of us the fruit of our +labors. For as the husbandman by no means reckons his seed lost, though it +is for a while buried in the earth, but only sows it there in hopes of a +harvest, so when Providence is pleased to take from us our lives, our +friends, our estates, or honor, we must not look upon them as lost, but be +assured that they are sown in hope of the great day of harvest, when we +shall reap abundantly, "if we faint not." Gal. 6:9. So also afflictions +are compared to seed-time: "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He +that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come +again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps. 126:5, 6. + +5. Fourthly, another support of patience is the _coming of Jesus Christ_; +when all our sorrows shall be done away, yea, be turned into joy (John +16:20), and the just judgment of God shall fall upon our enemies; and then +"shall every man have praise of God." 1 Cor. 4:5. And this day is at hand: +"the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." James 5:8. "Vengeance is mine, +saith the Lord." Rom. 12:19. The time of the cross is short, but the glory +that follows it will be eternal. And that day of deliverance cannot be far +off. + +6. The fifth support of patience is _the truth and faithfulness of God_; +by the consideration of which "we ought to stablish our hearts," as St. +James says, so that they may not waver. James 5:8. For as we tie a tender +tree to a post, that it may not be broken by the winds; and as we cast +anchor in a storm, to hold the ship, that it may not be driven by the +tempest; so ought we to apply our faint and weak hearts to the firm pillar +of God's word, and hold the ship of our souls by the anchor of hope, that +it sink not. Heb. 6:19. For how many and great promises of divine +assistance have we in the Holy Scriptures! How many instances of strange +deliverances have we daily before our eyes! And what variety of methods +has God to deliver us! How many has he preserved in pestilence and famine +(2 Kings 6:25; 7:16), and delivered from the peril of the sword! 2 Chron. +20:22; 14:12. For God can turn the hearts of enemies to unity and peace, +or disappoint the designs of the adversary, as appears in the history of +the blessed Jesus: "for," says the angel, "they are dead which sought the +young child's life." Matt. 2:20. God can also convert an adversary, as he +did St. Paul. Acts 9: 3, etc. How often does he disappoint the bloody +intentions of wicked men! Saul had a design upon the life of David, and +thought he was so penned in that he could not escape; but God recalls him +by the message of a new incursion of the Philistines into his country. 1 +Sam. 23:27. And the chief priests having sent their officers to lay hold +on the blessed Jesus, the latter were so affected by our Lord's +discourses, that they could not find in their hearts to touch him. John +7:44. Sometimes God smites the enemies of his servants with blindness, as +in the cases of Elisha (2 Kings 6:18) and of Lot. Gen. 19:11. Consider, +too, the innumerable legions of angels that guarded the Christians of old +time, and miraculously preserved them from imminent dangers, as in the +case of St. Peter. Acts 5:19; 12:7-11. And how often was St. Paul +wonderfully preserved, and the designs laid against his life discovered! +Acts 23:16. At length, by a temporal death, God puts an end to the +miseries of his servants. + +7. Sixthly, how _glorious_ shall the _recompense_ of past afflictions be +to the faithful in the other world, which they would not exchange for all +the pleasures and glories of this! Rom. 8:18. "Blessed are they that +mourn; for they shall be comforted." Matt. 5:4. And in Rev. 21:4 and Isa. +25:8, it is said, that "God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of" +his saints. But how shall he wipe away the tears of those that never +sincerely wept? + +8. Seventhly, we must set before our eyes _the examples of holy men_, as +Abel, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Job, and especially +the man of God, Moses; who, as the Holy Scripture witnesses, was "very +meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." Num. 12:3. +The people were sometimes murmuring against him, sometimes chiding him, +and sometimes threatening to stone him; but he broke their stubborn hearts +by his meekness and patience, pacifying them with gentle words, praying to +God for them, and entreating rather to be blotted out of the book of life, +than that they should be cut off in His displeasure. Exod. 32:32. So also +Elijah, having been most cruelly persecuted, yet obtained rain from God +for his ungrateful country. 1 Kings 18:45. Micaiah, before the kings Ahab +and Jehoshaphat, was struck by the false prophets, and cast into prison, +only for dealing sincerely with the king, and giving him a salutary +warning. 1 Kings 22:24; 2 Chron. 18:23. Why should I mention Isaiah, sawn +asunder as a reward for his faithful services, or Jeremiah, bitterly +persecuted by his countrymen (Jer. 15:10), or Daniel, cast into the den of +lions (Dan. 6:6), or John the Baptist beheaded (Matt. 14:10), or St. Paul, +and all the afflictions which he endured (2 Cor. 11:23, etc.), or the +sufferings and trials of the rest of the Apostles, and all the holy +martyrs? See Heb. 11:35, etc. Should you inquire of all these, by what way +they entered into heaven, they will all with one voice answer: By the way +of the cross and tribulation. Acts 14:22. Neither did Christ himself enter +by any other way. So says St. Peter, "Christ suffered for us, leaving us +an example, that ye should follow his steps: who, when he was reviled, +reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed +himself to him that judgeth righteously." 1 Pet. 2:21, 23. So great was +the patience of our blessed Redeemer, that though the sun hid its head at +the time of his passion, being unwilling to witness indignities so great; +though the earth trembled, and the rocks rent (Luke 23:44; Matt. 27:51); +yet he, still hanging upon the cross, murmured not against his enemies, +nor by either word or gesture discovered the least impatience; but on the +other hand, prayed for his enemies, that they might be saved by that blood +which they so unjustly shed. Now if this be the lot of the children of +God, that he chasteneth every one whom he loveth and receiveth, it follows +that we must either suffer, or quit our title to be the sons of God. Heb. +12:6-8. If our heavenly Father spared not his own Son, though he was +without sin, but chastened him with the rod of affliction; canst thou, who +art an adopted son, and polluted with innumerable sins, expect to escape +it? Moreover, if God bear so patiently with our provocations, how much +more patient ought we to be, when we are punished for our good, with a +view to our amendment! "Let us rather rejoice," as St. Peter exhorts us (1 +Epistle 4:13), "inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that +when his glory shall be revealed, we may be glad also with exceeding joy." + +9. Eighthly, we shall bear our afflictions patiently, when we consider +that Christ Jesus has _sanctified and blessed our crosses by his own_, and +has taken away the sting of affliction, and made it to us the instrument +of blessing, life, and glory. For as the sufferings of Christ ended in +glory, so will the sufferings of every Christian be turned into +everlasting joy. + +10. Ninthly, behold _the glorious reward_ of those that bore their cross +_with patience_. Though many of the holy martyrs were most barbarously +treated, most inhumanly punished, and cruelly put to death, some thrown to +wild beasts, some boiled in oil, others in melted lead; yet there is no +man so impious or foolish, as to say, that he had not rather be in their +condition now, than that of their murderers. Who would not now prefer the +condition of the poor Lazarus, to that of the rich man? Luke 16:25. But if +thou wouldest obtain the glory of the saints, thou must also bear the same +crosses, and bear them with the same patience. To this we must refer those +words of our blessed Saviour: "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, +and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil of you falsely, for my +sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven." +Matt. 5:11, 12. As also those in Rom. 8:17, 18, "If we suffer with Christ, +we shall also be glorified with him." And again, "I reckon that the +sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the +glory which shall be revealed in us." + +11. Tenthly, let the deep _compassion_ of God be a support to our +patience, who can no more forget us, than a mother can forget her sucking +child. Isa. 49:15. He says, that "his bowels are troubled for Ephraim, and +that he will have mercy upon him." Jer. 31:20. Hence also he is said to be +"faithful, who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able" (1 +Cor. 10:13); not chastening us for our hurt, but that we may obtain +everlasting life, "and not be condemned with the world." 1 Cor. 11:32. +For, if the cross be nothing but a token of God's favor, wouldest thou +rather choose the pleasures and dainties of the rich man here, and have +his punishment hereafter, than enter into eternal life by the way of the +cross, and wear a crown of glory? + +12. All that has been said on this head, is admirably explained in the +Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb. 12:1-11) as follows: "Let us run with +patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author +and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him, +endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand +of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of +sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye +have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have +forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My +son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art +rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth +every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you +as with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye +be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, +and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which +corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in +subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few +days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we +might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present +seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth +the peaceable fruit of righteousness, unto them which are exercised +thereby." + + + + +Chapter XLV. + + + Divine Consolation Produces Patience Under Afflictions. + + + _Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is + tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has + promised to them that love him._--JAMES 1:12. + + +Even as God has provided healing remedies for the body in external nature; +so has he also for the soul in his holy Word. And as in this valley of +misery and tears, no man can be perfectly free from crosses, afflictions, +and troubles; so nothing can be more seasonable than to collect certain +heads out of the word of God, by a proper application of which we may find +help and comfort in the hour of temptation. + +2. The _first_ comfort is the consideration of the divine providence, +which lays the burden upon us. "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he +bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up." 1 Sam. 2:6. "The Lord gave, +and the Lord hath taken away." Job 1:21. "Are not two sparrows sold for a +farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your +Father." Matt. 10:29. "I form the light, and create darkness: I make +peace, and create evil." Isa. 45:7. "Happy is the man whom God correcteth; +therefore, despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for he maketh +sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole." Job 5:17, +18. It is, therefore, foolish to be angry with those whom God makes the +instruments of our correction. "Wherefore doth a living man complain, a +man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and +turn again to the Lord." Lam. 3:39, 40. This is the design of God, that we +should repent and turn from our sins, and not murmur against him that +afflicts us. + +3. The _second_ head of comfort is to consider the end and design of our +cross, namely, that God sends it, not out of wrath, but from pure love to +our souls. How dangerous it is to a man's soul to be always prosperous and +at ease, we may learn not only from the case of "the rich man" (Luke +16:25), but also from the example of our first parents, whose happiness in +paradise being greater than they could bear, they were, by the temptations +of Satan, seduced from their obedience and dependence upon God. Gen. 3. +And every day furnishes us with fresh instances of the danger of such a +state. Now, though God, in strict justice, might have condemned man to +everlasting punishment, yet he chose rather to have pity on him, and +devised means for recovering his lost happiness; and one of these is the +cross, or affliction. For this cause he drove him out of paradise, that in +the "sweat of his face he should eat bread" (Gen. 3:19), to the intent +that, by sufferings, he might be brought to repentance; and this is his +constant method even to this day. Though we offend him by innumerable +sins, yet, in his abundant mercy, he leaves nothing undone, no means +untried, that may lead to our conversion and amendment. And this is the +reason why Providence appoints every particular man his cross, that we may +all be kept in true penitence and the fear of God unto eternal life. Hence +it is that God is said to correct those whom he loves, that they may not +be condemned with the world. Prov. 3:11, 12; 13:24; Heb. 12:6; 1 Cor. +11:32. + +4. The _third_ argument is sin itself, by considering whether thou hast +not deserved thy punishments. If thou hast (which thou canst not deny), +then it is agreeable to the divine justice that thou shouldest suffer. +Now, a temporal suffering, attended with the divine mercy and comfort, is +certainly more desirable than an eternal one, without hopes of comfort or +expectation of redemption. Call to mind the rich man, in vain crying out: +"Father Abraham, have mercy on me" (Luke 16:24), and assure thyself that +it will be no small comfort to consider that God has changed the eternal +punishment threatened to our sins into a temporal correction that can be +endured. + +5. _Fourthly_, when thou art afflicted, consider how much Christ suffered +for thy sake! Think upon his poverty, "who had not where to lay his head!" +Matt. 8:20. Remember the indignities which he underwent, such as no man +ever did or will endure: being "despised and rejected of men" (Isa. 53:3, +4); yea, "a worm, and no man." Ps. 22:6. Moreover, as he took upon him the +miseries, pains, and diseases of all the world, hence it was that he +underwent such bitter sufferings, such dreadful torments, that even the +sun and moon were darkened at the sight, the earth quaked, and the rocks +rent; all which, though for the sake of his most cruel enemies, he bore +with a love so inexpressibly pure, with a meekness and patience so +sincere, that "as a lamb, he opened not his mouth." Moreover, though we +provoke him every day by innumerable transgressions, yet he continues, and +will still continue faithful, and ready to receive us to his favor upon +our repentance (Jer. 3:9); yea, and if the ransom he has already paid were +not sufficient, he would lay down his life again for our sakes. Therefore, +he bears patiently with us, and waits day and night to be gracious. For so +strong, so ardent, is his love towards us, that it cannot be quenched by +any sins, any ingratitude of ours, if we but sincerely repent of them. His +love is higher than heaven, deeper than the sea, and exceeding even our +most exalted thoughts and expressions. But there is one thing necessary on +our part, and that is, _repentance_. Therefore, he calls upon all without +distinction, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I +will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. And, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often +would I have gathered thy children together!" Matt. 23:37. "If any man +thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." John 7:37. By these words of +Holy Scripture, he continually invites every one to come to him that +stands in need of mercy. How then canst thou imagine that He will forsake +thee in the time of trouble, who endured so many and great miseries for +thy sake! It is for this that God calls himself our _Father_. Now we know +that a father is more compassionate and tender than a master: so that he +would not have us dread him, but love him as a dutiful child does an +indulgent father. When, therefore, any affliction befalls thee, receive it +cheerfully, and remember that thy Father sends it to thee for good, and +kiss the rod, and the hand that holds it. Consider the compassion of God +as thy greatest security, the firm foundation of all thy hopes; firmly +believing that thy heavenly Father will lay no more upon thee than he +knows to be absolutely necessary for the salvation of thy soul. + +6. _Fifthly_, we must call to mind the consolatory promise of our blessed +Saviour, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, +but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow +shall be turned into joy." John 16:20. As a little seed is multiplied into +a number of grains, so one affliction shall produce a large increase of +spiritual joy and glory. "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. He +that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come +again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps. 126:5, 6. If God +should promise to convert every pebble about thy house into a precious +stone, thou wouldest quickly make a large collection, and highly value +them. The case of crosses and afflictions is just the same. Learn to love +them, yea, court them, knowing that God will assuredly convert them into +treasures of blessings, and spiritual joys; according to the words: "I +reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be +compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Rom. 8:18. + +7. The _sixth_ ground of comfort is found in the examples of the saints, +none of whom were without their cross. Ask them one by one, and they will +answer you, "Through much tribulation we entered into the kingdom of God." +Acts 14:22. Ask the elders in the Revelation, "Who are these?" and they +will tell you, "These are they which came out of great tribulation." Rev. +7:14. Inquire of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, +Daniel, Elias, Job, and all the Prophets and Apostles; they will tell you +that they drank deep of the bitter cup of affliction, which was to them +"the cup of salvation." Ps. 116:13. If we consider only the holy martyrs, +whose tortures and sufferings were terrible and affrighting, we shall find +that nothing could seduce them from Christ. And what comparison is there +between their crosses and our light afflictions, who "have not yet +resisted unto blood"! Heb. 12:4. We cannot bear a trivial injury, or an +affronting expression for Christ's sake, for whom the blessed martyrs +underwent the most ignominious deaths. One was beheaded, another roasted +alive, a third crucified; some were drowned, some stoned, others hanged, +others struck through with darts, others forced to walk barefooted upon +red-hot plates of iron; the love of Christ so swallowing up all sense of +pain, that they cried out that "they were walking upon roses." + +8. The _seventh_ source of comfort is, the presence of God with us under +the cross. God has nowhere declared that he dwells with the merry, but +rather with the afflicted and sorrowful. "I dwell in the high and holy +place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive +the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." +Isa. 57:15. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am +thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold +thee with the right hand of my righteousness.--When thou passest through +the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not +overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be +burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Isa. 41:10; 43:2. +"Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I +will set him on high, because he hath known my name." Ps. 91:14. "The Lord +is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a +contrite spirit." Ps. 34:18. It was the comforting presence of God that +enabled the holy martyrs to bear up so boldly under the torments that were +laid upon them, and to disregard their tormentors, as did particularly St. +Laurence and St. Vincent, the latter of whom, walking upon burning coals, +told them, "he was walking upon fragrant roses." Babylas, the martyr, +desired that the chain with which he was bound might be buried with him, +that he might not be deprived of so great an ornament. Ignatius wished to +be a grain of wheat, and to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that +he might become clean bread unto his Saviour. These are such instances of +courage and joyfulness as utterly exceed the powers of nature, and are +only owing to the influences of that heavenly Comforter who supported St. +Stephen, and made his face shine before the council as it had been the +face of an angel. Acts 6:15. And in this sense is that saying of the +Psalmist verified, "Thy comforts delight my soul." Ps. 94:19. + + + + +Chapter XLVI. + + + Motives To Patience; And, The Benefits Of The Cross. + + + _Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the + husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath + long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter + rain._--JAMES 5:7. + + +Patience is that virtue by which we behave ourselves quietly before God +under any cross or tribulation, committing ourselves and all our concerns, +whether temporal or eternal, without any reserve, to be governed and +disposed of by the all-wise providence of God, entirely resigning all to +his will: to the practice of which the following arguments strongly +persuade us. + +2. _First_, because every cross and calamity of life, as sword, famine, +pestilence, and other punishments, proceed from God. Nothing happens in +this world at random or by chance, though, by the permission of +Providence, many evils are inflicted on us by the devil and his +instruments. For thus saith the Lord: "I form the light, and create +darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things." +Isa. 45:7. And "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to +the grave, and bringeth up." 1 Sam. 2:6. What canst thou reply to all +this? Wilt thou be impatient, and fight against God? + +3. _Secondly_, we must remember that our punishments are less than we +deserve. Our sins are always greater than our punishments, and our +sufferings less than our offences. Thou canst not but own that the mercies +thou hast enjoyed, from thy youth up unto this day, are more and greater +than the punishments thou hast suffered. Why then shouldest thou not, with +profound submission, receive cheerfully the corrections which he inflicts +for thy benefit, to save thee from destruction? + +4. _Thirdly_, if we have in many ways provoked God, and deserved +punishment, we must acknowledge with the prophet Daniel, that he is +righteous in all that is brought upon us. Dan. 9:7. Is it unreasonable +that God should punish thy sins, either in this world or the next? And if +this be allowed, why dost thou not submit to the divine chastisements +without murmuring or repining? For it is better to be punished now than +hereafter, as St. Paul tells us: "When we are judged, we are chastened of +the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." 1 Cor. 11:32. +Whosoever, therefore, is impatient, and murmurs against God, accuses him +of injustice, and calls his righteousness in question; and yet "the Lord +is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." Ps. 145:17. +"Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments." Ps. 119:137. + +5. _Fourthly_, doth it not discover a stubborn and untractable temper, to +fly in the face of God, who has so long borne with, and still continues to +bear with thee patiently, as St. Paul says, speaking of the goodness, +patience, and long-suffering of God, by which he endeavors to draw us to +repentance? See Rom. 2:4; 9:23; 11:33. + +6. _Fifthly_, set before thine eyes the patience of thy Saviour. He who +was spotless innocence and purity itself, though he could have destroyed +his enemies in a moment, yet bore their utmost cruelties with patience, +and prayed for his enemies. How much more reason then have we to be +patient, who have deserved the greatest punishment, even eternal +punishment. As Jacob served seven years for Rachel (Gen. 29:18), so +Christ, for our sakes, submitted to the greatest miseries of life, for +three and thirty years. And should we refuse to suffer a short affliction +for his sake? Consider the patience of all the saints, as Joseph, and +Moses, who offered to lay down his life for his people. Exod. 32:32. So +David says, "If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring +me again, and show me both it (the ark) and his habitation; but if he thus +say, I have no delight in thee; behold here am I, let him do to me as +seemeth good unto him." 2 Sam. 15:25. Consider also the cases of Job, and +the holy Apostles and Martyrs. + +7. _Sixthly_, the remembrance of God's great mercies should move us to +patience. For, first of all, thou art assured, that by Christ thou art +reconciled unto God, and that therefore no man can rob thee of this +transcendent mercy, though the whole world should league together against +thee: "for the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon +them that fear him." Ps. 103:17. What then can separate us from the love +of God? Rom. 8:38, 39. Moreover, thou art redeemed by Christ unto +everlasting life; a privilege which no creature can take from thee. Now, +if the case be so, that the love of God and thy eternal salvation are +firmly secured to thee; it will surely be easy for thee to despise the +threats and assaults of external enemies and persecutors, and, like the +blessed martyrs of old, to be wholly regardless of what man can do unto +thee. + +8. The _seventh_ support of patience is found in the truth and promise of +God. "Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and +therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy on you: for the Lord +is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him." Isa. 30:18. +See also Ps. 25:3; Lam. 3:25. "Blessed is the man that endureth +temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life." +Jam. 1:12. + +9. _Eighthly_, we ought to submit to anything for the sake of the glory of +God. Thus the three men in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:16, etc.); Daniel in +the lions' den; Joseph in prison; David in banishment; all gave glory to +God by their patient suffering. + +10. _Ninthly_, for the sake of our own advantage. For, first, we learn +many great and useful lessons under the discipline of the cross. "Patience +worketh experience" (Rom. 5:4), saith St. Paul. Secondly, patience breaks +the violence of our sufferings; upon which account our blessed Lord +promises _rest_ to those that bear his yoke. Matt. 11:29. On the other +hand, impatience disquiets the soul, adds grief to our trouble, and a +sting to our wounds, and sometimes casts us into destruction both of body +and soul; an instance of which we have in the Israelites, who, being +impatient, and murmuring against God, were destroyed by fiery serpents in +the wilderness. Num. 21:6. + +11. _Tenth_, great is the reward of patience. So Job, having been +despoiled of all his goods, was rewarded with a double portion. Job 42:10. +For, "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." Matt. 5:5. +And, by consequence, cursed are the impatient, for they shall be +disinherited. + +12. _Eleventh_, patience is a virtue of unspeakable advantage to all +orders of men. In the Church it is a virtue which enables men to bear the +opposition, contempt, and persecution to which they may be exposed by the +conscientious discharge of their duty. In the State it is a useful virtue, +enabling men to bear with patience the odium and reproach that generally +attends public stations. For history informs us, that impatience, and a +desire of revenge, have been the ruin of many flourishing states and +kingdoms. As to the concerns of private families, how necessary patience +is _there_, may be learned from everyone's experience, particularly from +those that have entered into the marriage-state; in which respect, these +words of Solomon are applicable, "He that is slow to anger, is better than +the mighty." Prov. 16:32. + +13. _Twelfth_, consider that Christ has taken out the sting of our +afflictions, so that they cannot hurt us with regard to our eternal +happiness; for by his cross and passion he has made an atonement for our +sins, and has taken away those punishments that were due to them. If then +our cross be sanctified by the cross of Christ, and is to us a remedy +against all our spiritual diseases, it follows that the cross itself is a +help to salvation; which made the Apostle say, "All things work together +for good to them that love God." Rom. 8:28. + +14. _Lastly_, consider how light thy afflictions are when compared with +"the glory that shall be revealed in us." Rom. 8:18. Upon which account +the love of God is still more illustrious, in that he is pleased to +afflict us in this world. For the duration of a temporal affliction, if +compared to eternity, is but for a moment; on the other hand, the joy that +it produces lasts to eternity. Hence we ought to wish and pray for +afflictions in this world, that we may have rest in the other. Therefore, +St. Peter says: "Though now for a season ye are in heaviness;--yet ye +rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 1 Pet. 1:6, 8. + +THE BENEFITS OF THE CROSS. + +15. The cross is the strait and narrow way leading to life,--a rod of +divine correction, to awaken us from the sleep of sin and death,--the +morning star that ushers in the sun of consolation,--a token of divine +favor, like the rainbow. It brings us to a conformity with Christ,--strips +us of the armor of darkness, and clothes us with the armor of light. It is +a plant of life,--a cup of salvation,--a trial of faith,--the edification of +our neighbor,--the parent of love,--a companion of hope,--a forerunner of +grace,--a medicine of the soul,--a preservative against sin,--a destroyer of +the carnal life,--a cherisher of the spiritual life,--a change of the +earthly mind,--a forsaking of the world,--an increase of heavenly gifts,--a +conqueror of pride,--a nurse of humility,--a teacher of patience,--a renewer +of the spirit,--a strengthener of virtue,--a discipline of the body,--an +enlivener of the mind,--a parent of wisdom,--a teacher of meekness,--an +encourager of prayer,--a mistress of patience,--a guardian of chastity,--the +peace of the conscience,--a source of inward joys,--a glittering jewel of +the faithful,--the crown of the martyrs,--the glory of the elect. + + + + +Chapter XLVII. + + + Sentences, And Examples Of Patience And Consolation. + + + _We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of + God._--ACTS 14:22. + + +As the life of a Christian consists of crosses and afflictions, through +which he must enter into the kingdom of God; so he must arm himself with +patience, and beg it earnestly of God. We must not think that we are born +for pastime and diversion, but for many afflictions and trials of +patience. And here we will consider three several arguments. The first +shall contain some select sentences and testimonies of Scripture. The +second, examples. And the third, encouragements. + + + +I. Some Sentences And Testimonies Of Scripture. + + +2. Patience submits itself with meekness, quietness, and humility, to the +cross; receiving all kinds of afflictions, calamities, and persecutions, +whether bodily or spiritual, as the cross and yoke of Christ. By this we +follow our blessed Saviour, not murmuring against God, but acknowledging +in faith, that God is reconciled to us through Christ, and comforting +ourselves under the severest trials, with the hopes of deliverance. This +is also called _meekness_ towards them that injure and persecute us, +leaving the avenging of our quarrel to God; not upon a principle of reason +or worldly policy, but arising from the grace of God, as the fruit and +effect of true faith. + +3. The parts of this description are--1. Obedience. 2. Imitation. 3. Not to +murmur. 4. To consider God as reconciled to us through Christ. 5. To +lessen our afflictions by hope. 6. To behave ourselves with meekness +towards our persecutors. 7. Not to exercise revenge. And so it contains in +it faith, hope, charity, humility, meekness, and obedience. + +4. These virtues are to be practised and exercised by all the disciples of +Christ, who are purchased for heaven and eternal life: for against such +the devil, that great dragon and old serpent (Rev. 12:7-9), yea, and the +whole world, are fighting continually. Hence it is said, "The dragon was +wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, +which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus +Christ." Rev. 12:17. To this also may be referred the following: "If any +man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and +follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever +will lose his life for my sake, shall find it" (Matt. 16:24, 25): that is, +Whosoever shall refuse to bear the cross for Christ's sake, and shall flee +from it, shall lose his soul. + +5. "Ye shall be hated of all men, for my name's sake." Mark 13:13. This is +indeed a heavy cross, to be hated of all men; but as it is for Christ's +sake, this affords great consolation. + +6. Concerning religious persecutions, our blessed Saviour prophesies, +"They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up +to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers +for my name's sake.--In your patience possess ye your souls." Luke 21:12, +19. + +7. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. +If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are +not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the +world hateth you." John 15:18, 19, 20. + +8. "They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh that +whosoever killeth you, will think that he doeth God service." John 16:2. + +9. When St. Paul had been stoned at Lystra, but encouraged by the +discourses of the disciples, "he confirmed the souls of the +disciples,--exhorting them to continue in the faith: and that we must, +through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22. + +10. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, +but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not +destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, +that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." 2 Cor. +4:8. + +11. "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. If +a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive +lawfully. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." 2 Tim. 2:3, 5, 12. +"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution." 2 +Tim. 3:12. + +12. "Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye +might receive the promise." Heb. 10: 36. + +13. "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto +Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set +before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the +right hand of the throne of God. For, consider him that endured such +contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in +your minds." Heb. 12:1-3. + +14. "Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold +temptations; that the trial of your faith might be found much more +precious than of gold that perisheth." 1 Peter 1:6, 7. + +15. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee +from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try +them that dwell upon the earth." Rev. 3:10. "Be thou faithful unto death, +and I will give thee a crown of life." Rev. 2:10. + + + +II. Examples Of Patience. + + +16. Abraham suffered many things from the Chaldeans, Canaanites, and +Egyptians. "Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in +Charran. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set +his foot on. And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a +strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat +them evil four hundred years." Acts 7:4-6. "By faith Abraham, when he was +called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an +inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By +faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, +dwelling in tabernacles. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, +whose builder and maker is God." Heb. 11:8, 9. "He delivered just Lot, +vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. The Lord knoweth how to +deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the +day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:7, 9. Isaac refused not to be +offered up for a burnt sacrifice. Gen. 22:9. Jacob also had a great share +of suffering. He fled from his brother Esau, passing over Jordan with his +staff. Gen. 32:10. "By his strength he had power with God; yea, he had +power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept and made supplication unto +him." Hosea 12:3, 4. He saith unto Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my +pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil." Gen. 47:9. "Ye +have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord." +Jam. 5:11. Moses was meek, and afflicted above all the men that were upon +the face of the earth. Numb. 12:3. He "chose rather to suffer affliction +with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." +Heb. 11:25. How many afflictions did David suffer, who was a type of +Christ! "O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust; save me from all them +that persecute me, and deliver me." Ps. 7:1. "Lord, thou hast heard the +desire of the humble." Ps. 10:17. Solomon's motto was, "The fear of the +Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before (the) honor (that is, of the +next world) is humility." Prov. 15:33. What patience had not the three men +in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:21), and the holy Apostles and Martyrs! The +patience of Christ exceeds all these examples. 1. Because he was most +obedient upon the cross. 2. Because he murmured not against God. 3. +Because he held fast his confidence in God, and called him his God, though +forsaken by him. Matt. 27:46. 4. Because he heartily prayed for his +enemies; and revenged not himself when it was in his power. + + + +III. Consolations. + + +17. "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." Matt. 5:4. +"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you +rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in +heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my +burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30. In these words there is a fivefold +consolation. 1. That the afflicted may come to Christ. 2. May be +refreshed. 3. May take up his yoke. 4. May find rest unto their souls. 5. +That his yoke is easy. For when it is borne for Christ's sake, it is not +burdensome, but refreshing. Hence St. Paul saith, "We glory in +tribulations; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, +experience, and experience, hope, and hope maketh not ashamed: because the +love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." Rom. 5:3, 4, +5. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he +shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that +love him." James 1:12. "Who shall separate us from the love of +Christ?"--"All things work together for good to them that love God." Rom. +8:35, 28. "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I +have overcome the world." John 16:23. "I have fought a good fight." 2 Tim. +4:7. + + + + +Chapter XLVIII. + + + There Is No Affliction For Which God Has Not Provided Appropriate + Consolation. The Consolation Which He Affords Is Always Greater Than Our + Misery; This Consideration Should Sustain And Confirm Our Patience. + + +The holy Apostle St. Paul, when meditating upon the tender mercies and +compassions of our Heavenly Father to all afflicted and contrite sinners, +breaks out into these words, full of the praise of God: "_Blessed be God, +even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the +God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may +be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith +we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound +in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ--knowing that as ye are +partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation._" 2 +Cor. 1:3-7. + +2. In these words, so full of grace, the holy Apostle gives thanks to God +for heavenly consolation; which is indeed the only remedy against all the +troubles and adversities that oppress us in this life; teaching, at the +same time, that no adversity befalls us, how great soever, but God +supports us under it by his divine comfort, which is more abundant than +our sufferings. This he confirms by seven weighty arguments, which he +repeats in regular order. + +3. The first is, because God is the _Father of mercies_, which is the most +cheering appellation that can be conceived: for he shows himself a Father, +not only in name, but in sincerity and truth to all afflicted souls. +Consider what are the properties of a father; for they all belong to God +our Heavenly Father. It is the part of a father, 1. To love his children. +2. To take care of them. 3. To feed them. 4. To defend them. 5. To correct +and instruct them. 6. To pity their infirmities. 7. To be tender of them. +8. To give them an inheritance. If a man will but thoroughly consider +these particulars, he must acknowledge that the very name of a _father_ +carries in it such a treasure of comfort, as abundantly outweighs all the +miseries of human life. And to illustrate this yet more perfectly, St. +Paul, by a most significant epithet, calls him, _the Father of mercies_; +that is, the eternal fountain of all that tenderness and affection that is +diffused through the hearts of so many thousands of fathers. Hence it +follows, that no cross can befall the children of God so great, as is the +comfort that arises from the Father of mercies. + +4. The second argument is contained in this expression, _the God of all +comfort_; that is, he overflows with eternal and infinite comforts. For as +God is the eternal, infinite, and chief Good; and on the other hand, our +crosses are finite and temporal; what can proceed from that eternal and +chief Good, but perpetual comfort, not only equal, but superior to our +greatest affliction? For as our miseries are finite, and the consolations +of God are infinite, it clearly follows that the latter must be superior +to the former. + +5. The third argument is, the example of St. Paul, and all the saints. +"God," saith he, "comforteth us in all our tribulation." If we but read +the histories of holy men of former times, and compare their trials and +afflictions with the divine consolations wherewith they were supported +under them, we shall easily perceive that our afflictions are but light in +comparison with their torments; and that no cross can befall us so great, +as to exceed those divine comforts and supports which the holy martyrs +enjoyed. Who will presume to compare his crosses with those of Job? Who +can say he has been afflicted like Jeremiah (Jer. 20:7, etc.)? or tried +like David? Ps. 88. And what is our cross compared with that of Christ? or +are our sufferings, compared with the torments of the holy martyrs? Their +examples, as they were the children of God, our Heavenly Father has set +before our eyes, to teach us, 1. That the cross is the sanctuary of the +true Christian. 2. His heavenly and spiritual glory. 3. His victory over +the world and the devil. 4. His preparation for the kingdom of heaven. 5. +That without the cross no man can enter into the kingdom of God. 6. That +the cross is the image of Christ. 7. That it is an exalted and sublime +mystery, in which lies hid the highest wisdom of God. But flesh and blood +cannot comprehend this, neither taste the heavenly manna hidden in the +word of God, except by the cross. Hence, the divine comforts are greater +than any human sufferings. + +6. The fourth is expressed in these words, "That we may be able to comfort +them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are +comforted of God." Now, how did God comfort the apostles? And how do they +comfort us again? Certainly, by the gracious promises in his holy Word. +Hence it is said, "Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written +for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, +might have hope." Rom. 15:4. Now, whosoever reads the Word of God as he +ought, must needs observe how kindly God vouchsafes to treat with us, what +abundance of grace, what spiritual and eternal blessings he promises to +bestow upon us; so that we must needs confess that such comfort outweighs +all the sufferings of human life. For though it is said of this +troublesome world, "that all the sons of Adam, from the day of their +birth, find it full of trouble and unquietness, fear, anger, and strife;" +yet, if to this state of trouble and misery we oppose the glories of the +eternal kingdom (2 Cor. 4:17), it will appear that the joys of the next +life, promised in the Word of God, are vastly superior to the miseries of +this. It is, indeed, true, that sin is a very great and dreadful evil, +daily encompassing us about, and involving us in innumerable miseries. +Yet, if we but call to mind, that Christ is our righteousness, it will +thence follow that the burden of sin which lies upon us is much less than +our spiritual consolation which is in Christ Jesus. For greater is the +righteousness which is in Christ than the sin which is in us. In short, +the Word of God so abounds and overflows with heavenly consolations, that +the heart of man is too narrow to receive them. It is like the poor +widow's pot of oil (2 Kings 4:6), which, by the blessing of Elisha, +produced more oil than there were vessels to receive. Yea, it often +happens that a word of Holy Scripture can comfort a man more than the +whole world, yea, than the devil himself can distress him. "The river of +God is full of water," saith David (Ps. 65:9), so full that no man can +empty it. Therefore, God calls himself "The fountain of living waters." +Jer. 2:13. And so in Ps. 36:9, "With thee is the fountain of life; in thy +light shall we see light." Who, then, can think that the fountain of sin +and death more abounds with affliction than the fountain of life with +comforts? + +7. The fifth ground of comfort is that the apostle calls the cross of the +faithful, "the sufferings of Christ." And that 1. Because all the faithful +are the spiritual members of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, as the head feels +all the pains of every member of the body, by a certain sympathy arising +from its union with them; so Christ, who is our Head, feels all the +crosses and sufferings of every member. 2. Because Christ dwells in his +faithful servants, and is vitally united to them; therefore, also, he +suffers in his members, sharing in all their sufferings, banishments, and +persecutions, as he witnessed by a voice from heaven, "Saul, Saul, why +persecutest thou me?" Acts 9:4. 3. Because we are born anew of Christ, and +he is our "everlasting Father." Isa. 9:6. Now we know, that the heart of a +father has a very tender sense of the sufferings of his child. Therefore, +the sufferings of all believers are the sufferings of the Lord Jesus +Christ. And if it be so, canst thou think any affliction so great that it +cannot be made easy and tolerable by this consideration, that Christ is +thy Head, and thou art his member; that he is united to thee, dwells in +thee, and suffers in thee, regarding all thy sufferings as his own; that +he is thy Father, and feels in himself all the crosses, pains, and +afflictions that are laid upon thee? + +8. The sixth ground of consolation, the Apostle deduces from Jesus Christ, +the spring and foundation of all comfort, in these words: "Our consolation +aboundeth by Christ." As sin is the fountain of all misery; so is Jesus +Christ, the Son of God, the spring and fountain of all joy and comfort. +Now as the power of Christ is greater than the power of sin; so is the +comfort that proceedeth from him greater and more powerful than any misery +that can arise from sin; according to the words of St. Paul, "Where sin +abounded grace did much more abound." Rom. 5:20. "For it pleased the +Father, that in Christ should all fulness dwell." Col. 1:19. Him, +therefore, the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 61:1) describes as sent from God to +comfort all that mourn. Whence it follows, that the comforts flowing from +Christ, are greater than any crosses and sorrows which we endure. + +9. The seventh comfort which the Apostle mentions, is the glory of Christ: +hence he says, "As ye are partakers of his sufferings, so shall ye be also +of the consolation." This glory we know to be so great, that he is +glorious, not only with respect to his own Person, in a manner +incommunicable to his body, which is the Church; but also that he, as the +Head of the Church, was exalted to glory for that very end, that all the +members of his body might be partakers with him. Hence St. Paul calls him, +"The head of the church which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth +all in all." Ephes. 1:22, 23. And now, what calamity, what cross, what +affliction can be so bitter, as not to be sweetened by the consolation +arising from such future glory? Wherefore St. Paul does not "reckon the +sufferings of this present time to be worthy to be compared with the glory +that shall be revealed in us." Rom. 8:18. + +10. It now remains that we speak of the five means, by which we may be +partakers of these comforts. + +11. The first is, _true repentance and knowledge of sin_. Without this, +the soul is not capable of comfort; according to that saying of Christ, +"They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Matt. +9:12. On the other hand, a soul that has a true sense of sin, understands +that sin has cast it into so many miseries and calamities, and therefore +murmurs not against God, but abhors itself and its own iniquities (Lam. +3:39); and confesses that God is just in all that he has brought upon it. +For as sin, like a general contagion, has infected the whole mass of +mankind; so also the sentence of misery and affliction in this moral +state, has passed upon all, for that all have sinned. And whoever, like +the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:7, 16), confesses his sin, shall find +consolation descending upon him from heaven like an angel, as in the case +of Daniel, ch. 9:21. + +12. The second means, is _faith_, which hangs upon Jesus Christ, as the +infant upon the mother's bosom. It rests entirely in the paternal +affection of the God of all consolation. It holds fast by Jesus Christ, as +Jacob did by the angel, saying, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless +me." Gen. 32:26. It is faith which in Christ Jesus overcometh sin, death, +the world, the devil, and all misery. For "all things are possible to him +that believeth." Mark 9:23. And he that believeth shall see the glory of +God. John 11:40. + +13. The third means, is _prayer_, which is a conversation with God. As it +is a relief and a refreshment to an afflicted soul, to communicate its +sorrows and troubles to a faithful friend: so are our hearts refreshed and +comforted, by conversing with God in prayer. "When I cried, thou +answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul." Psalm +138:3. Prayer offered up in the name of Jesus Christ, is like Jacob's +ladder (Gen. 28:12), on which the soul ascends from earth to heaven; as +soon as the prayer ascends, an angel, that is, divine consolation, +descends upon it. Thus it was in the agony of our blessed Lord; for when +he prayed more earnestly, lo! an angel descended from heaven to strengthen +him. Luke 22:43. And we may assure ourselves, that whensoever we pray +according to His will, we shall be strengthened according to His promise. + +14. The fourth means of obtaining divine consolation is, _praising God_, +which is always attended with comfort and spiritual joy. He that is daily +employed in the praises of God, lives the life of an angel; for they, we +know, continually "behold the face of the Father which is in heaven" +(Matt. 18:10), and sing his praises. This is their highest joy, this is +the bread of angels. Whence it appears, that praising and glorifying God +must afford the most exalted joy and comfort to a devout soul. Hence David +says, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be +in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall +hear thereof, and be glad." Psalm 34:1, 2. In this place David joins the +praise of God and spiritual joy together; teaching us thereby, that the +one is the fruit of the other, because they are most intimately connected. + +15. The last sure and certain means of receiving divine consolation, is a +diligent reading, hearing, and meditating on the Word of God. "For +whatsoever things were written, were written for our learning, that we +through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. +15:4. + +16. From the Word of God as the true fountain of consolation, are to be +drawn all the above-mentioned arguments and grounds of comfort; namely, +joy and quiet of mind under all kinds of crosses and afflictions. Hence +also we must learn how these comforts are to be obtained, namely, by true +repentance, a living faith, ardent prayer, and continually praising God. + + + + +Chapter XLIX. + + +The Truth Of God And The Certainty Of His Promises, Ought To Dispose Us To + Patience. + + + _I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my + salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine + enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the + Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the + Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, + and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, + and I shall behold his righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy + shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where + is the Lord thy God?_--MICAH 7:7-10. + + +We read in the prophet Jeremiah (chap. 9:4, etc.), that before the +Babylonish captivity and the destruction of the temple, besides the +idolatry that brought that desolation upon them, treachery, lying, +falsehood, hatred, and envy prevailed to a high degree; and that charity +was quite cold and dead amongst them. For wheresoever these abominations +prevail, there, it is plain, God is not; and that he has forsaken not only +the city or the kingdom, but also the hearts of those that dwell there; +and when God forsakes us, destruction quickly finds us. So says the +prophet (Jer. 9:4-8): "Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust +ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every +neighbor will walk with slanders. They weary themselves to commit +iniquity. Their tongue is as an arrow shot out, it speaketh deceit; one +speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he layeth +his wait." + +2. Here we may see the wretched state of Jerusalem, and what flagrant +iniquities they were which hastened its ruin. Treachery and iniquity did +so abound, that there was neither truth nor honesty left among the people. +Their only aim was to cheat and defraud one another; and their hearts +being thus set upon iniquity, they brought on themselves ruin and +destruction. + +3. Something similar to this, is the complaint of the prophet Micah: "Woe +is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape +gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; my soul desired the +first ripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth; and there is +none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood. They do evil with +both hands earnestly. Trust ye not in a friend." Micah 7:1, 2, 3, 5. When +a people or nation are come to this pass, they are industriously digging a +pit, into which they design to rush boldly, and with their eyes open. +Would to God this were not the case in our own times! We, too, deeply +share in their guilt, and we must expect to share in their punishments. +For our destruction is of ourselves. O that we could at last awake, +renounce our past errors, put off our carnal minds that are at enmity +against God, and love the truth and peace. If we do not so, we are +condemned already, and cannot receive help. + +4. But in order that upright and good men may not be too much discouraged +in this sad and dangerous state of things, we must consider by what means +the holy men of old supported themselves in such a state of universal +corruption. The prophet Micah (Micah 7:7, etc.), pointing out, as it were, +with his finger the fountain of true consolation, says, "Therefore I will +look unto the Lord: I will wait for the God of my salvation!" That is his +first comfort. The second is, "My God will hear me." The third is, +"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy. When I fall, I shall arise." The +fourth is, "When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me." +The fifth is, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have +sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me." +The sixth is, "He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his +righteousness." The seventh is, "Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, +and shame shall cover her." + +5. First, he says, "I will look unto the Lord: I will wait for the God of +my salvation." In these words is contained the doctrine of faith and hope, +which are, as it were, the two watchful, never-sleeping eyes of the soul, +by which it constantly looks towards God in the greatest dangers and +necessities; the greater the calamity, the stronger ought to be our faith, +the more vigorous our hope. Then it is that we should call to mind the +words which we repeat at the beginning of the Apostles' Creed: "I believe +in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;" that is, I believe +that there is no misery or calamity so great, but God can and will deliver +me out of it. Let us learn, therefore, to turn away our eyes from temporal +suffering, not regarding it, but God "who worketh salvation in the midst +of the earth" (Ps. 74:12), and who alone can and will deliver us according +to Psalm 123: "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the +heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their +masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our +eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Have +mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are exceedingly filled +with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those +that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud." + +6. Moreover, as it is the way of God to help us, not at the time appointed +by us, but in his own due time; so it is not enough for us to say, "I will +look unto the Lord;" but we must add, "and wait for the God of my +salvation." For faith, hope, and patience, have an entire relation to, and +mutual dependence upon each other; as we may see in Psalm 27; in the +beginning of which, David, looking up to God, says, "The Lord is my light +and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, +of whom shall I be afraid?" He concludes his prayer with these words: "I +believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait +on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: +wait, I say, on the Lord." Ps. 27:1, 14. So Psalm 130:5, 6: "I wait for +the Lord, my soul doth wait; and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth +for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning." "For the vision +is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: +though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not +tarry." Habak. 2:3. But if the sorrowing soul shall say: "Alas, I have +waited a great while!" let her know that it is necessary it should be so, +in order that her faith, hope, and patience, may be tried and approved in +the sight of God. We never please God more, than when with patience and +humility we wait for the accomplishment of his promises, and receive with +submission all his determinations concerning us.--Everything has a certain +beginning; so has everything an appointed end; and whosoever does not wait +for that, labors in vain. As the grain is exposed to all the vicissitudes +of wind and weather, before it comes to maturity, and, whenever it becomes +ripe, is the sweeter and better upon that account: so is it with the +cross. He that bears it with patience, and waits for the end of it, shall +reap "the peaceable fruit of righteousness." Heb. 12:11. For St. Paul +affirms, "that hope maketh not ashamed" (Rom. 5:5); for when it is founded +upon divine grace, as upon a firm rock, it continues immovable in +adversity. Hence it is said, "Let none that wait on thee be ashamed." +Psalm 25:3. "They looked unto him and were lightened; and their faces were +not ashamed." Ps. 34:5. "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never +be ashamed." Ps. 31:1. "The expectation of the poor shall not perish +forever." Ps. 9:18. + +7. The second consolation is, that God will certainly hear our prayers: +"The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my +supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer." Ps. 6:8, 9. "In my +distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice +out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears." Ps. +18:6. "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of +all his troubles. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his +ears are open unto their cry." Ps. 34:6, 15. "Because he hath set his love +upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he +hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will +be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him." Ps. 91:14, 15. +"O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. By terrible +things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who +art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar +off upon the sea." Ps. 65:2, 5. But if thou shalt say in thine heart, "All +these were men eminent for holiness, faith, and dependence upon God; but +as for me, I am not worthy to be compared with them," I answer, out of +Rom. 3:23--"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" but are +heard and accepted through grace, by repentance and faith. "The Lord is +nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. +He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their +cry, and will save them." Ps. 145:18, 19. "He will regard the prayer of +the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the +generations to come." Ps. 102:17, 18. + +8. The third consolation is contained in these words: "Rejoice not against +me, O mine enemy! when I fall, I shall arise." Though the world, according +to the perverse spirit that governs it, rejoice at the sufferings of good +men (John 16:20), yet shall they at last be confounded, and the righteous +be comforted. Hence we are told, "The Lord will not cast off forever: but +though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the +multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve +the children of men." Lam. 3:31, 32, 33. "God is faithful, who will not +suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the +temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 +Cor. 10:13. The same God that laid the burden on you, will in due time +take it off, comfort you, and deliver you from death. "Thou hast turned +for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and +girded me with gladness." Ps. 30:11. "The Lord upholdeth all that fall; +and raiseth up all those that be bowed down." Psalm 145:14. "In a little +wrath, I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness +will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." Isa. 54:8. "It is +of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions +fail not. They are new every morning." Lam. 3:22, 23. + +9. The fourth consolation is contained in these words: "When I sit in +darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me." By _darkness_, he means a +state of affliction; which is darkness, indeed, wherein a man can neither +see nor be seen by his friends with the least glimpse of worldly comfort. +The sufferer sits in the very region of shame and sorrow, the valley of +the shadow of death, exposed to the violence and assaults of evil spirits +and wicked men. But dark and dismal as it is, the Lord himself will +enlighten it; the light of whose countenance shines most of all in the +dismal darkness of worldly affliction. There he appears to comfort the +disconsolate, and cheer, with the brightness of his presence, the desolate +and desponding soul. Thus it is said, "Light is sown for the righteous, +and gladness for the upright in heart." Ps. 97:11. "Unto the upright there +ariseth light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and +righteous." Ps. 112:4. + +10. The fifth consolation is this: "I will bear the indignation of the +Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and +execute judgment for me." Let the afflicted person think on this, and +remember that though from those that afflict him he may have deserved +better usage; yet from the hand of God, he has deserved a great deal +worse. Whatever befalls us, is by the permission of God. Upon this +account, the evils that we suffer from wicked men, are called in this +verse, "the indignation of the Lord." Blessed is he that beareth this +affliction with patience, and receiveth it no otherwise than as coming +from God himself. "Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and +teachest him out of thy law; that thou mayest give him rest from the days +of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked." Ps. 94:12, 13. "It +is good for a man that he sit alone and keep silence, because he hath +borne the yoke upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there +may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled +full with reproach." Lam. 3:27-30. This was truly the case of David, who +might properly say, "I will bear the anger of the Lord, because I have +sinned against him." For thus he speaks, when he commanded Zadok to carry +back the ark of God. "If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he +will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation. But if he +thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold here am I, let him do to me as +seemeth good unto him." 2 Sam. 15:25, 26. And when Shimei cursed him, he +humbly acknowledges the appointment and permission of God, saying, "Let +him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him." 2 Sam. 16:11. +"Fret not (therefore) thyself because of evil-doers. Put thy trust in +God." Psalm 37:1, 5. + +11. The sixth consolation is, "He will bring me forth to the light, and I +shall behold his righteousness." This is a figure of speech taken from the +condition of a man that has long lain in darkness, and been as a dead man +out of mind; or of one taken out of a dark and deep prison into the light +and open air. For as these, having been long confined to darkness and +misery, are exceedingly refreshed with the cheerful light of the sun and +the splendor of the heavens; so after the patient bearing of the cross, +the light of God's countenance breaks forth, and the beams of divine +consolation strike powerfully upon the soul, filling it with glory and joy +unspeakable. Ps. 50:2. Did not Joseph thus break through the shades of +darkness and misery, like the bright sun out of a cloud? Gen. 41:38. And +did not God bring king David out of the region of misery into a state of +joy and happiness? So also at the resurrection of the dead shall our +bodies be brought out of their dark prisons, and we shall rejoice in the +everlasting light and glory of God. + +12. The seventh consolation is, "Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, +and shame shall cover her." This is the proper punishment of wicked men +who rejoice at the affliction of others, that they shall be covered with +confusion. The time will certainly come, when the mockers shall be struck +with unavoidable shame, and shall be convinced by their own consciences, +of the wrong which they have done to others. This was Shimei's case, who +could not but blush and be confounded in the presence of David and +Solomon. 2 Sam. 19:19; 1 Kings 2:44. "It is a righteous thing with God to +recompense tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are +troubled, rest." 2 Thess. 1:6, 7. "I rejoiced not at the destruction of +him that hated me, nor lifted up myself when evil found him. Neither have +I suffered my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul." Job 31:29, +30. "Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that +hate you; and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you: +that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he +maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain upon +the just and the unjust." Matt. 5:44, 45. + + + + +Chapter L. + + +Showing How Hope Is Tested In Seasons Of Adversity; It Maketh Not Ashamed. + + + _Thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed + that wait for me._--ISA. 49:23. + + +As _faith_ is nothing else but a fixed and steady assurance by which the +devout Christian depends perfectly and entirely on the favor and mercy of +God promised in Christ Jesus (Heb. 11:1), so _hope_ is a continued and +patient waiting for the accomplishment of that promise which is the object +of faith, and is nothing else but a patient, constant, and persevering +faith. + +2. Of this hope St. Paul says, that it "maketh not ashamed" (Rom. 5:5): +being, as well as faith itself, founded upon a firm, immovable, and +eternal basis. And this is God himself, who never faileth those that wait +for him; and for the same reason, the peace, joy, rest, glory, and +confidence imparted by hope are eternal. On this foundation, he who hopes +stands fixed and secure amidst all the crosses and calamities of life; and +though the rains descend, the floods come, and the boisterous winds blow +upon him, he is fearless and unmoved, knowing that "his house is built +upon a rock." Matt. 7:25. + +3. And as hope is built upon an immovable foundation, and the things of +this world are fleeting and uncertain; therefore its rest, its joy, its +entire dependence, are in God alone, despising the riches, pleasures, +honors, and glories of the world. "They that trust in the Lord, shall be +as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the +mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his +people." Ps. 125:1, 2. + +4. On the other hand, they whose hopes are founded on the transitory +riches, honors, and pleasures of this world, are perpetually exposed to +all the fears, cares, and calamities of life; lie at the mercy of every +blast of inconstant fortune, by which they are tossed to and fro; and +depend upon the uncertain will of the world for every quiet moment they +enjoy. + +5. This can never be learned but under the discipline of the cross. For +such is the nature of affliction, that it searches and discovers the +inmost recesses of the soul; and shows us whether the hope that is in us +be true or false. By this touchstone, we often find that our hopes have +not been so much fixed upon God himself, as upon the favors and blessings +he bestows; that we have built upon the sand, and idolized the creature, +instead of worshipping the Creator. For so great is the blindness of our +nature, that we often rest in the creatures, instead of raising our minds +from them to the Creator, as he designed. For with this intent God bestows +on man so many and great blessings, that by the gifts he may be drawn to +the Giver; and learn to know, love, fear, reverence, and hope in God +alone. But so great is the corruption of our nature, that we are not +disposed to serve God for nought; and we worship him not for his own sake, +but for the sake of what he bestows. + +6. Upon this account, it is necessary that God should sometimes visit us +with crosses and afflictions, and deprive us of his good things which we +have abused; that so we may learn to praise, and glorify, and depend on +him alone. Nay, we sometimes proceed so far, as to trust in ourselves, and +entirely depend on our own power and abilities; then it is that God in +mere mercy interposes; and, that we may not grow too proud, breaks us in +pieces, humbles, and confounds us, and so empties us of ourselves, that we +may be filled with all the fulness of God. This we cannot be, without +being first emptied of all that arrogance, pride, and self-conceit, which +stand in perfect opposition to the grace of God. + +7. Hence hope is a _militant_ virtue, fighting against all that confidence +in ourselves, all that self-exaltation upon the score of our own gifts, +merit, righteousness, prosperity, honors, and riches, in which the natural +man places all his confidence. The business of hope is to oppose and +conquer all these delusions of the devil, and to seek rest and peace in +God alone. + +8. Hence it follows, that hope, like faith and charity, has God only for +its object. Whosoever aims at any other mark, or places his hope on any +other being, is destitute of any well-founded hope. As all created beings +when out of God are nothing; it follows that the hope reposed in them is +also nothing. So then, these three virtues, faith, hope, and charity, are +in the highest sense spiritual, admitting of no earthly mixture, but are +fixed entirely on God, who is their eternal and invisible basis. To this +refers that passage of St. Paul, "Hope that is seen, is not hope; for what +a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" Rom. 8:24. Whosoever, therefore, +places his hope upon anything that is visible, has not the invisible God +for his support, but rests upon a shadow; and when the visible world, +which is his basis, shall sink into nothing, by consequence his hope, that +was built upon it, must sink and perish with it. + +9. Consider this, O man, and by carefully comparing time with eternity, +persuade thyself to entertain a true and saving hope, and to be led into a +state of firm and lasting peace. Eternity is unchangeable, ever constant, +always the same; but time is nothing but change and revolution. The +brightest day declines and ends in darkness, weeks are swallowed up in +months, and months in years; the opening spring and fruitful summer sink, +by degrees, into a desolate winter; and not only so, but all the +elementary bodies are in a state of change, always shifting from one +appearance to another; not to mention the continual motions of the +heavens. So that this world cannot be the region of rest. For whatsoever +is subject to time, is continually passing, and vanishing; in a word, "All +is vanity" (Eccles. 1:2), and we shall never rest but in eternity. And +though all men, both good and bad, long for peace and tranquillity; yet +they, and they only, shall find it, who have learned to lose and resign +themselves in Christ, the eternal rest of the soul. And this is not so +much the work of labor and study, as of quietness and hope. Isa. 30:15. + +10. Moreover, the Christian's hope must be tried, not only by the loss of +temporal things, but also by the withholding of the communications of +divine grace and favor (as commonly happens in great temptations); that +seeing ourselves deprived even of those most excellent and spiritual +blessings, on which we depend, our hope may arrive at the highest pitch of +purity and sincerity, and rest on God alone. In such a case "we must hope, +even against hope" (Rom. 4:18), as we read that Abraham did. Here a man +must, with his blessed Redeemer, be deserted and forsaken, not only by +man, but by God himself. And this is properly "to be conformed to the +image of the Son of God." Rom. 8:29. This is the truest test or probation +of the Christian's hope. + +11. For, whereas, in other afflictions, our patience, humility, devotion, +and charity, are principally exercised; in these spiritual trials of the +conscience, our hope is eminently proved and tried, whether it be sincere +or not. In this probation, though a man be perfectly despoiled of all his +grace, yet shall he at last triumph in that "hope which maketh not +ashamed." And though the soul that is thus tried, be sometimes ready to +fall into impatience, murmuring, blasphemy, or the like; yet there +remains, as it were, some gentle breath of hope, arising from the ground +of the heart, by the power of the divine Spirit, which contradicts and +opposes those unholy suggestions. When this combat is over, all his +transgressions are forgiven, and his sins are covered and he himself is +like "a brand plucked out of the fire" (Zech. 3:2); "or like a piece of an +ear taken out of the mouth of the lion." Amos 3:12. Now this impatience +being involuntary, and being opposed with sighs and groans unutterable, is +by no means to be called despair; considering withal, that this is the +sharpest conflict, the severest trial of the Christian's hope; and these +are the "unutterable groanings" which St. Paul mentions. Rom. 8:26. + +12. They that undergo these trials, are the greatest saints, and are +nearer to God than those who repose all their hope and confidence in +themselves. The pride of such men, in vainly arrogating any perfections to +themselves, makes them in the highest degree blasphemers against God; +whereas the disciples of the cross are his dearest children, as we may see +in the examples of Job and David: for by being thus stripped of +themselves, they are purified as gold in the refiner's fire; and being +thus cleansed from all their dross of pride and vainglory, they shine in +the glory of the divine image, like a beautiful jewel set in the purest +gold; so that nothing remains of which the proud man can boast. + +13. By such trials as these, a man is taught to put his trust in nothing +but in God alone. For when affliction has taken everything else from us, +God alone cannot be taken from us. Yea, affliction is so far from +separating us from God, that it rather brings us to God, restoring us to +God, and God to us. It is hope, therefore, that preserves us in +calamities, so that we are not consumed, and, therefore, it "maketh us not +ashamed." Rom. 5:5. But as the soul came out from God, so must she return +thither again, void of all love of the creatures; and when a man passes +out of himself and all the creatures, whither can he go, or where can he +rest, but in the hands of his God, who comprehendeth and upholdeth the +world, and all that is therein? Isaiah 40:12. Whosoever, therefore, bids +farewell to the world, and is divested of all love of himself and the +creatures, having his heart fixed on no earthly thing, but being perfectly +free and at liberty, resigning himself and all his concerns into the hands +of God, and being content under every dispensation of providence--he may be +truly said to rest in God. But those who are entangled in the love of +themselves and the creatures, being slaves to their own wills, resting in +them, and not submitting to the will of God, must perish in the end. + + + + +Chapter LI. + + + Comfort For Those That Are Weak In Faith. + + + _A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he + not quench._--ISAIAH 42:3. + + +In this verse the holy prophet comforts those that are weak in faith by +two beautiful similitudes, excellently adapted to the purpose. For as a +bruised reed (to which he first alludes) must be handled very gently, lest +it be entirely broken to pieces; and as the smoking flax, when once it has +taken fire, must be continually encouraged by a gentle breath, for fear of +blowing it out; so our blessed Redeemer, who knows our infirmities, treats +us with great gentleness, reviving from time to time the spark of faith +within us, with the soft and gentle breath of his Spirit, that we may not +be discouraged by our manifold infirmities, but be enlivened and +strengthened under them. Isaiah 57:15. And because this weakness of faith +is a very grievous temptation, to which all Christians are more or less +exposed; therefore has the Holy Spirit, in the Word of God, furnished us +with very strong consolations against it, which ought to be deeply rooted +in our mind, that we may have them in readiness, and apply them with +success in the sad hour of temptation. + +2. (1) We must carefully remember, that faith is not of ourselves, but is +the gift and work of God; "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him +whom he hath sent." "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath +sent me, draw him." John 6:29, 44. "Who believe, according to the working +of his mighty power." Ephes. 1:19. "By grace are ye saved through faith; +and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any +man should boast." Ephes. 2:8. "Let us run with patience the race that is +set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." +Heb. 12:1, 2. "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy +Ghost, which is given unto us." Rom. 5:5. "We have the first fruits of the +Spirit, which helpeth our infirmities." Rom. 8:23, 26. Now, since faith is +the work of God, and not our own, it follows, that it is not in our power +to have it in such measures and proportions as we please. And whereas he +has promised to save us by faith, it follows, that he knows how strong our +faith ought to be, for the obtaining that great end, and will strengthen +it accordingly. Therefore this was the answer of God to St. Paul: "My +grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor. 12:9. "A man can receive nothing, +except it be given him from heaven." John 3:27. + +3. (2) Whilst we are in this life, we must not expect to arrive at the +highest pitch of perfection. This God permits, with a design to cure that +natural pride and vanity of spirit to which the best of us are subject, by +the daily sense of our great and manifold infirmities. To this we may +refer the words addressed by St. Paul to the Philippians, "Not as though I +had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if +that I may apprehend that, for which also I am apprehended of Christ +Jesus." Phil. 3:12. As if he had said, "Though I am not yet so strong in +faith, as to be able to apprehend him as I ought, yet I am apprehended in +him; that is, I am in Christ Jesus by faith." Let us, considering these +things, bear patiently the infirmities of our nature, till we can attain +to perfection. + +4. (3) God does not despise or reject our weak faith, but cherishes, +strengthens, and improves it, and at last crowns it with a blessed +conclusion. In this sense we are to understand and apply those golden +passages that follow: "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking +flax shall he not quench." Isaiah 43:3. "Thou hast been a strength to the +poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a +shadow from the heat." Isaiah 25:4. "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and +confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be +strong, fear not; behold, your God will come and save you." Isaiah 35:3, +4. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might, he +increaseth strength." Isaiah 40:29. "The Lord God hath given me the tongue +of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him +that is weary." Isaiah 50:4. "I revive the spirit of the humble, and the +heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57:15. "The Lord hath sent me to +preach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted," and to +comfort all that mourn. Isaiah 61:1. In this sense we may understand that +passage in Exod. 34:26. "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's +milk;" that is, thou shalt not grieve the tender, weak faith of a babe in +Christ. A strong and vigorous faith can bear anything, can pass through +the flames of fire, and the floods of water; but a young, tender faith, +must be softly and gently treated, like a bruised reed, which is in +continual danger of being broken to pieces. "I have satiated the weary +soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." Jer. 31:25. They that +labor under the weakness of faith, are the poor in spirit, to whom the +blessing is promised, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Matt. 5:3. They +that feel the weakness of their faith, are sick in spirit: and to them +must be applied for their consolation, that passage in St. Matthew, "They +that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Matt. 9:12. +"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful +disputations." Rom. 14:1. "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain +the weak." 1 Cor. 9:22. "I will bind up that which was broken, and will +strengthen that which was sick." Ezek. 34:16. "Him that cometh to me, I +will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. On these promises, full of divine +consolation, let all who are weak in faith entirely depend, and satisfy +themselves that God is faithful and true (Psalm 33:4), and will not fail +in his promises. To this head also we refer the instances of those that +have been weak in faith. Such was the man (Mark 9:23, 24), who, when our +Lord said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that +believeth;" answered with tears, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine +unbelief!" The nobleman. John 4:47. The disciples in the ship. Matt. 8:24. +St. Peter sinking in the sea, when our Lord stretched out his hand and +supported him. Matt. 14:31. Therefore, says St. Paul, "Comfort the +feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men." 1 Thess. +5:14. + +5. (4) God has, indeed, the greatest concern for those that are weak in +faith. Our Lord himself tells us, "They that be (strong and) whole need +not a physician, but they that are sick (and weak)." Matt. 9:12. The +shepherd leaves his ninety and nine sheep in the wilderness, and goes +seeking that which was lost, until he find it (Luke 15:4); and as tender +mothers show the most attention to their weak and sickly children; so does +our Heavenly Father to those that are weak in faith. + +6. (5) But if thou say in thy heart that thou perceivest scarcely a grain +of faith in thyself, then I would ask, Dost thou sincerely desire to have +faith? If thou dost, all is well; fear not. For since it is God that +worketh in us "to will," it follows, that whosoever finds in himself that +good will and desire, finds in himself the work of God. Hence let him be +encouraged and assured that he who has given us _the will_, will also give +us the power _to do_. Phil. 1:6; 2:13. + +7. (6) God is so compassionate to devout prayers and desires, that he +never disappoints the hopes of those that trust in him. "Lord, thou hast +heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt +cause thine ear to hear." Ps. 10:17; 9:18. Wherefore, thy faith is as +great as thy desire of obtaining it. "For God trieth the hearts and +reins." Ps. 7:9. "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I +deliver him." Ps. 91:14. + +8. (7) It is therefore better to glory in the weakness, than in the +strength of our faith. For it is the will of God concerning us, that we +fall not into spiritual pride. "My strength is made perfect in weakness. +Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the +power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Cor. 12:9. Let this be thy comfort +when thou laborest under weakness of faith. + +9. (8) Faith, though it be ever so weak, is still faith. For our salvation +depends not upon the worthiness of our faith, whether it be strong or +weak, but upon Jesus Christ, on whom it lays hold. As, therefore, a +precious jewel may be held by the hands of a little infant as well as of a +strong man, so a weak faith may as well lay hold on the merits of Christ +Jesus (the true Christian's only hope and treasure), as that which is much +stronger, and by consequence, both be capable of the same righteousness +and blessedness. And as the apple of the eye, small and delicate as it is, +can perceive not only the light and splendor of the meridian sun, but even +the sun itself, though so many times larger than the earth, so does the +eye of faith, though weak and infirm, perceive and feel the Sun of +righteousness (Mal. 4:2), the Lord Jesus Christ, with all the bright rays +of his spiritual gifts and graces. + +10. (9) Such is the nature of faith, that it is sometimes stronger and +sometimes weaker; and sometimes the light thereof seems to be darkness. +This has been attested by the examples of almost all the saints, +particularly David, and Abraham, who is called "the father of the +faithful" (Rom. 4:11; Gal. 3:7); and yet (Gen. 12:11) he was afraid that +the Egyptians would put him to death on account of Sarah, his wife, and +this, too, after he had received the promise. Moses also, at the water of +Meribah, betrayed a want of faith. Numb. 20:10-13; Exod. 17:7. David's +faith was sometimes so strong as to raise him, as it were, up to heaven; +and then again so weak as to leave him to sink, as it were, into hell, and +make him complain to God that "he was cut off from before His eyes." Ps. +31:23. Whence it follows, that we must not conclude because a man's faith +is weak, that therefore he has none at all; or that they who are +contending against the weakness of faith, are therefore forsaken by God. +We know that fire is often hidden under ashes, though neither light nor +heat appear; we know that the trees are alive, though in winter they are +stripped of their leaves: so we may in like manner conclude, that those +people may have faith towards God, in whom we do not at all times discern +signs or tokens of it. For the Spirit of the Lord is like the wind, that +bloweth when and whither it pleases. John 3:8. + +11. (10) He that complains of the weakness of his faith, shows plainly, +that faith is striving and struggling within him, and a _striving faith_ +is a true faith; for there is a continual struggle in every man between +faith and unbelief. He is perpetually assaulted by temptations to +unbelief, so that his life is one continued combat; and he is obliged to +be as watchful, as though he were in the midst of drawn swords, and +expected every moment to be cut in pieces. Here is the trial of the +Christian's faith; here is the exercise of his patience, to unite his +earthly heart with Christ; to make the barren soil of his soul fit to +receive the heavenly seed; to make the darkness of corrupt nature capable +of the divine light. The flesh is continually inclining to the broad way +of the world, and endeavoring to tyrannize over the spirit; the darkness +is no sooner scattered, than it endeavors to recover its ground, and +spread itself again over the face of the soul. This is what all the saints +have confessed and lamented, and it is a most certain token of the +presence of true faith. On the other hand, where there is no faith at all, +there is no cause found for striving. Here let the languishing soul call +to mind that comfortable assurance given us, that "God will not suffer us +to be tempted above that we are able; but will with the temptation also +make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it." 1 Cor. 10:13. "God +giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth +strength." Isa. 40:29. + +12. (11) Let us be assured, that whensoever, in our greatest infirmities, +we can but think upon Jesus Christ, he will be with us, and dwell in us by +faith. Thus it is said, "In all places where I record my name, I will come +unto thee, and I will bless thee." Exod. 20:24. For we cannot so much as +think upon God, without his special presence and assistance. Moreover, +being engrafted into Christ, as branches into the living vine (John 15:1, +etc.), we truly live in him, and draw life and nourishment from him. "Our +life," and the strength of our faith, are "hid with Christ in God" (Col. +3:3); and the Holy Spirit witnesseth the same in our hearts, by the joy, +peace, and comfort, which he produces there. Rom. 8:16. As in the Old +Testament, there was no Prophet who heard not God speaking in him; so +under the Gospel, there is no Christian but hears Christ speaking in him, +and, from time to time tastes the unction of the Holy Spirit. And so +strong is this union of our faith with Christ, that all the power of death +and hell cannot dissolve it; because Christ, who is the life and root of +our faith, is immortal. Though thou hast not always so lively a perception +of this in thy heart, yet "greater is he that is in thee, than he that is +in the world." 1 John 4:4. + +13. (12) When we are weak in faith, let us look up unto Christ Jesus our +Redeemer, and merciful High Priest, who offered up himself for us on the +cross, and is praying that our faith may be strengthened; as he did for +St. Peter, "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32); +to whom also he stretched out his almighty and saving hand, when he +thought himself sinking into the sea. Matt. 14:31. And he saith, "Holy +Father, keep them through thine own name; neither pray I for these alone, +(the Apostles), but for them also which shall believe on me through their +word." John 17:11, 20. So also we are told, "We have not a high priest +which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in +all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Who is at the right +hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Heb. 2:17; 4:15; Rom. +8:34. This intercession ought to be our comfort when our faith is weak and +languishing; from whence we should, by a lively and steadfast faith, +expect a blessing. + +14. (13) Our next support is, the divine mercy, which is inexpressibly +great, as infinite as God himself. Of this let no man despair. This mercy +of his anticipates us, waits for us, supports us, and endures forever. And +this he never denies to any one. Come then, ye that complain of the +weakness of your faith, cast yourselves into the protecting arms of divine +love, which will never leave you nor forsake you. + +15. (14) God, who has wrought the beginning of faith in us, has graciously +promised, that he will "perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. +1:6); that he will "stablish, strengthen, settle us" (1 Pet. 5:10); and +that we shall be "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, +receiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls." 1 Pet. +1:5, 9. This is the end that God proposed to our faith, when he first gave +us the beginning of it. Faith being, therefore, the operation and work of +God, must be perfected by its divine Author. For this cause the Epistle to +the Hebrews (Heb. 12:2) calls the blessed Jesus, not only the _Author_, +but also, the _Finisher_ of our faith. And Christ himself tells us: "No +man shall pluck my sheep out of my hand." John 10:28. + +16. (15) To this end he has given us various means whereby our faith may +be strengthened and preserved, namely, the Word, the Sacraments, and +prayer. "Lord, increase our faith" (Luke 17:5), said the disciples. "Lord, +help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24. Moreover, God has promised "his Holy +Spirit to them that ask him." Luke 11:13. "The Spirit also helpeth our +infirmities." Rom. 5:5; 8:26. In a word, this is the end and design of +Christianity, that we may grow and be perfected in faith. + +17. (16) Lastly. Our faith is founded on God's eternal love to us, "Whom +he did predestinate, them he also justified." Rom. 8:30. But we are +justified by faith alone in Christ Jesus. Rom. 3:28. "God hath chosen us +to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the +truth." 2 Thess. 2:13. Come then, comfort thyself with these promises; +sink not under the weakness of thy faith! When thy faith seems to be at +its lowest ebb, then is thy Saviour nearer to thee than thou thinkest. +This was the case with the disciples; when they looked upon themselves as +lost in the tempest, then Christ was at hand to save them. Matt. 8:24-26. +Let us also be persuaded, that our Redeemer and Saviour is never so near +us, as when we think ourselves in most danger. + + + + +Chapter LII. + + + Comforting Instructions For Those That Are Laboring Under Great + Temptations In Spirit. + + + _I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction._--ISA. 48:10. + + +It is an undoubted truth that all spiritual sorrow proceeds from God. For +"the Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and +bringeth up." 1 Sam. 2:6, 7. By the "grave" in this place, is meant such a +state of spiritual afflictions as, like the grave, is void of all light +and comfort. The soul that is thrust down into this prison, looks upon +itself as dying and pining away; as hated, despised, and persecuted by +every creature of God. In this disconsolate state, the poor man cries out +with holy David, "My soul refused to be comforted." Ps. 77:2. And well it +might, when both the Scripture and God himself were withholden from him. +This is that "grave" into which God brings the soul. Here it finds no +comfort but in silence and resignation, in those unutterable sighs and +groans which proceed from the ground of the heart; for so great is its +distress, that it cannot so much as think upon God, or the promises +contained in his holy Word. Faith grows weak, hope languishes, and the +whole man is feeble, withered like grass (Ps. 38:8, 9; 102:3), and ready +to perish, were he not inwardly supported by the secret Word and power of +God. + +2. In this grave or shadow of death, we find our Lord Jesus Christ, when +"his soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death; and in his agony his +sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood." Matt. 26:38; Luke 22:44. In +this state a man undergoes greater afflictions than in death itself. Yea, +here a man wishes for death, and longs to find a grave where he may rest +from his unspeakable labors and sufferings. Job. 7:15. Thus we find Job +repeatedly wishing for death. And our blessed Lord himself, under the +agonies of death, cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" +Matt. 27:46. He complains that he was forsaken of God, though He was +continually present with him, and preserved him under all his trouble. But +now, what can be more wonderful than that Christ himself should complain +for want of comfort, considering his intimate union with God? For he was +both God and man. Yet God had so withdrawn his consolations from him, that +his _human nature_ was left desolate and comfortless. Now if the blessed +Jesus, who was united to the eternal Godhead and anointed with the +heavenly oil of gladness, endured a conflict so bitter, surely sinful man +has no reason to wonder, when he is brought under the same fiery trial, as +if some strange thing had happened unto him. 1 Pet. 4:12. + +3. We suffer nothing but what our blessed Master suffered before us; and +certainly nothing is more reasonable than that the members should suffer +with the Head. + +4. This, therefore, is a kind of trial whether thou art truly a member of +Christ, and a partaker of his sufferings. Rev. 1:9. Such seems to have +been Hezekiah's case when he complained--"Like a crane or a swallow, so did +I chatter: I did mourn as a dove." Isa. 38:14. And Job's--"I cry unto thee, +and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not." Job +7:3; 30:20. And so again, "If I had called, and he had answered me; yet +would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice." Job 9:16. Such +were the complaints of holy David (Ps. 6; 13; 38; 88). In these scriptures +we may see how wonderfully all the saints and servants of God have been +purified in this furnace of affliction. This was the ground of that warmth +of feeling which we meet with in the words of Job and the holy Psalmist. +Sometimes they are so much bereft of hope, that they could not think it +possible that God should ever show mercy to them; at other times, they are +full of hope and confidence, and believe that "their Redeemer liveth" (Job +19:25), as Job expresses it. Yet the carnal man has no understanding of +such sufferings, or of the complaints arising from them. This we find by +the example of Job's friends, who, not understanding what was the true +state of his distressed and afflicted soul, reproved him as one that had +lost patience, and that charged God foolishly. When a man is come into +this state, he falls into such a degree of unbelief that he is not +conscious of the least trace of faith remaining in his soul. All the +powers of faith being, as it were, collected in the centre of the soul, +seem to the man to be _lost_; though they still operate in secret, and +breathe in sighs and groanings unutterable. This absence of faith is a +kind of torture to the soul. Therefore the man cannot believe that God +will be merciful to him, but cries out, "O how willingly would I believe, +if it would but please God to give me the power!" And in the height of +this conflict, the Scriptures themselves afford him no comfort. This is +that crisis of the soul when God, by humbling us, shows us how unworthy +and vile we are in ourselves; yea, that of ourselves we are _nothing_, but +that all our sufficiency is of God; so that thence we may learn not to +trust in ourselves. Nevertheless, the poor soul occasionally perceives +some distant gleams of light breaking through the thick darkness, which +administer comfort and support, and preserve it from desperation. + +5. Now, though it may happen that a man in the bitterness of his soul +grows impatient, and is tempted to fret against God, yet let him remember +that God is merciful. He knows whereof we are made; he sees the struggle +of our souls under the fiery trial, when he sets his hand to cleanse us +from our impurities. In a word, the most holy and best beloved children of +God, are they that have passed through this furnace of affliction; as we +may see by the examples of Job (Job 42:2, etc.), of David, and Jeremiah. +Jer. 20:12, etc. These learned faith in the school, and under the +discipline of the cross; whilst the delicate Christian who flees from the +cross, and expects to learn it amidst the enjoyments of the world, will +find himself miserably deceived in the end. But further, + +6. (2) Let us call to mind that noble saying of Jeremiah, "The Lord will +not cast off forever; but though he cause grief, yet will he have +compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not +afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." Lam. 3:30, 31, 33. +Whence them mayest learn, that though the Lord suffer thee to be afflicted +for a season, yet he will not cast thee off forever. Perhaps, however, +thou wilt say, that the evil thoughts with which thou art troubled, are +not from God, but from Satan. Now, though it cannot be denied that they +are suggested to us by Satan; yet it is also true, that Satan can do +nothing but by God's permission. In this case, look unto Jesus, whom our +heavenly Father suffered to be tempted by the same adversary. The fiery +darts (Eph. 6:16) which the Evil One cast at our blessed Saviour, came +indeed from him, and not from God; but it was God that gave him permission +to assault as he did. And though our blessed Lord bore all this, yet he +still continued to be the dearly beloved Son of God, nor could the tempter +with all his art and power do him the least harm. Matt. 4:1, etc. Hear +this, O afflicted soul, and believe that thou also shalt be safe and +unhurt amid all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Remember the case of +Job, when, by God's permission, the devil so afflicted him internally and +externally, that he cursed the day of his birth; yet was God still with +him, and we find him thus expressing himself to God: "These things hast +thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee." Job 10:13. + +7. Having thus discovered the _origin_ of this spiritual affliction, let +us next inquire into the _reasons_ why God sends it upon us. + +8. First, then, it is certain that the true inward taste of the Word of +God, is accompanied with unspeakable joy, peace, and comfort, vastly +surpassing any enjoyments of this life. This is the true joy of our souls, +a foretaste of eternal life, arising from the true and living knowledge of +Christ Jesus; by which we discover the heart of God full of the most +tender compassions, and an ardent and eternal love towards lost mankind. +Now, so corrupt and perverse is human nature, that it is too apt to be +exalted above measure, by the abundance of these divine manifestations, +and to make them occasions of spiritual pride; and the man who is thus +visited and comforted from above, will be apt to think highly of himself, +to overvalue his sanctity, and to think meanly of the rest of the world, +who are strangers to these consolations; and thus, forsaking the fountain +of living waters, whence all the streams of blessing flow, and to which, +with all humility, they ought to be ascribed; the man grows vain and +arrogant, and sets himself up in the place of God. This perverseness of +soul, as it is directly contrary to true penitence, and to the appointed +way of salvation, so it is very hateful to God. This causes him to +withdraw his consolations from us, and to hide himself in thick darkness; +so that though we call and cry, and search ever so diligently, we shall +not be able to find Him. This is a deplorable state, when we are hanging, +as it were, between heaven and hell, oppressed and afflicted on every +side, not knowing whither to fly for relief or comfort; having no certain +evidence whether we believe or not, whether we hope or not, whether God be +angry with us or not, whether we are in a state of life or of death. This +is that darkness and desolation which we find described in Psalm 88; of +which the Psalmist speaks also in Ps. 31:22. "I said in my haste, I am cut +off from before thine eyes. Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my +supplications when I cried unto thee." + +9. Now, although nothing is more bitter to us than to be so long deprived +of the comforts of the divine presence; yet even this deprivation itself +is more profitable to the soul, than all the enjoyments and glories of the +world. By this, as by a fiery trial, we are taught humility, repentance, +contempt of the world, and the true value of all its favors and +enjoyments; that these are dangerous, transitory, and perishing, and can +give no solid comfort to the distressed soul. And though the soul in this +state is encompassed with perplexities and fears, so that it can hardly +lift up itself to God, yet there is left a kind of deep and secret sorrow, +venting itself in holy sighs, and devout aspirations towards God, and a +longing for his favor. Hence we may learn how great a good God is to the +soul, and that no true, solid, or constant peace can be found except in +Him. This cannot be learned any where but in this school of temptation; in +which alone the truest knowledge is to be acquired. And whosoever is +unacquainted with this, knows not God and Christ as they ought to be +known. + +10. And would to God, that for his glory, and our own unspeakable +advantage, we would readily submit to this visitation, which is designed +for the trial of our faith, even as gold in the furnace is tried! Then we +should quickly reap the amazing benefits of such a cleansing. For the +faithful soul that can hold out, and not faint under it, comes forth +glorious as gold out of the fire, cleansed from all its dross; so that +neither fire, nor water, nor the cross, nor death, nor Satan, can hurt it. +Such a one will learn how to behave himself ever afterwards with patience +and humility, both in prosperity and adversity; not to sink under the +cross; not to be presumptuous in prosperity; not to depend upon himself, +or be puffed up with his own fancied perfections; but to look up +steadfastly to God, the everlasting fountain and giver of all goodness; +and to embrace every dispensation of Providence, whether sweet or bitter, +as his only happiness; and, in every state or condition of soul or body, +to rejoice in God alone. + +11. Secondly, whensoever it shall please God to cast any of us, his +creatures, into this trying furnace, it will be much more consistent and +profitable for us to pray for patience under it, than for deliverance from +it. For when once the fire of temptation has purged away the dross of our +iniquities, our pride, luxury, covetousness, and envy, it will be much +easier for us to endure afterwards other fiery trials, by having our own +will swallowed up in the will and good pleasure of God. But when from an +excessive indulgence of the infirmities of our corrupt nature, we endeavor +to avoid this fiery trial, it often happens that before we can receive any +benefit from it, we are contriving to make our escape. So that if God did +not often keep us under the trial against our will, we should fly from it, +without considering whether we were sufficiently purified, according to +the will of God and the necessities of our corrupt nature: like children, +who, if their parents or physicians did not prevent, would throw away that +bitter cup which alone can cure their disorders. But God knows our case, +and what is proper for us, better than we ourselves; and therefore he has +appointed certain measures of affliction, to which he confines the soul, +till he sees it proper to release her. So that we ought not so much to +pray for deliverance from temptations, as for patience under them. + +12. Thirdly, our deliverance is so certain, that we have not the least +reason to doubt of it; for "though the Lord cause grief, yet will he have +compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies." Lam. 3:32. This is +the promise of God, who is truth itself, and it therefore ought diligently +to be weighed and considered by us. It is much better to know and digest +some few comfortable passages of Scripture, or even only one of this kind, +than to burden our memory with a great many without true spiritual relish. +For when a man has by a lively faith digested one, he will easily +understand and digest all the rest; and he that can derive comfort from +_one_ text, will thereby learn to do the same by all the rest. It will be +very useful to repeat frequently, with lively affection, the 88th Psalm, +where thou wilt see the state of thy soul described. There thou wilt find +that there have been others in the world before thee, who have been tried +and afflicted as thou art, and yet have afterwards been delivered and +comforted of God, as we find in Psalm 89, where the holy man, rejoicing in +the divine comfort, begins, as in a rapture, "I will sing of the mercies +of the Lord for ever." Be thou confident, therefore, and believe that God +will also in due time comfort thee with the same consolation. For the Evil +spirit, who always delights to afflict the souls of men, has, from the +beginning of the world, made it his business to gall and wound them with +his fiery darts. As in a tempestuous sea one wave is continually rolling +upon another, so do the various temptations of Satan pursue the afflicted +soul; sometimes oppressing it with fearful and melancholy thoughts; at +others, with impatience, unbelief, blasphemous and wicked thoughts. The +terrors and miseries of such a soul are sometimes so great, that no +creature can give it comfort; yea, those very things which give joy and +delight to others, are to such a man, not only joyless, but burdensome. +The whole world is to him but one bitter cross; yea, even God himself +appears dreadful to him. Thus Job bitterly complains (chap. 7:13, etc.); +and the agony is increased by the sting of his own conscience, which +terrifies him with this dreadful sentence, "There is no help for thee in +thy God." Ps. 3:2. + +13. Against these wiles of the devil there is no better remedy than to +endeavor to strengthen thyself after the examples of Job, David, and other +holy men. (1) By bearing thy affliction as long as it shall please God; +and waiting patiently till the clouds of darkness be driven away. Isa. 54: +11. "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned +against him, until he bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his +righteousness." Micah 7:9. Where God afflicteth, it is in no man's power +to comfort. "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the +grave, and bringeth up." 1 Sam. 2:6. + +14. (2) We must, in this case, stop our ears against the opinions of the +world, and, with Job, disregard the accusations of our friends, the +terrors of the devil, who is the enemy of all peace and comfort, the +reflections of our own hearts, the stings of our own consciences, and all +the objections of flesh and blood. For, "if our heart condemn us, God is +greater than our heart" (1 John 3:20), yea, than all the world, or the +devil himself. Rather call to mind what God himself has promised to such +afflicted souls. "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of +a contrite spirit." Isa. 66:2. "I have chosen thee in the furnace of +affliction." Isa. 48:10. + +15. (3) Consider also the examples of holy men. Did not they suffer as +thou dost, and were they not at last delivered? Does not David complain, +"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever?" Ps. 13:1. And did God +forsake him in his troubles? No; for he adds, "I have trusted in thy +mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation!" Ver. 5. He complains, +"Hath God forgotten to be gracious?" Ps. 77:9. But did God leave him in +this extremity? No, certainly, for after his deliverance he adds, "I will +remember the years of the right hand of the Most High." Ver. 10. Thus when +God discovered himself in terrors to Jeremiah, he prays, "Be not a terror +unto me!" (Jer. 17:17), but immediately adds, "Thou art my hope in the day +of evil." Did not Jesus Christ himself cry out, "My God, my God, why hast +thou forsaken me?" Ps. 22:1. But was he forsaken of God? No; for he adds, +"I will declare thy name unto my brethren" (Ps. 22:22): and "I shall not +die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord." Ps. 118:17. + +16. Thou also, after this example of thy Saviour, must be content to drink +the wine mingled with gall and myrrh (Matt. 27:34), that thou mayest +hereafter sit down with him at his royal supper in the kingdom of heaven. +Isa. 65:13. Learn, therefore, to bear his reproach (Heb. 13:13); and thou +shalt be a partaker of his glory. Learn to be conformed to Christ +crucified, that thou mayest be conformed to Christ glorified. Rom. 8:29; +Phil. 3:21. + + + + +Chapter LIII. + + + Consolations For Those Who Labor Under Great Spiritual Temptations. + + + _When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their + tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them; I the God of + Israel will not forsake them._--ISA. 41:17. + + +In these words, the Holy Spirit comforts all those that are broken in +heart, miserable, tempted, and thirsting after God; by whom they look upon +themselves as forsaken and rejected, so that they cry out, "My soul is +full of troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the grave." Ps. 88:3. For +the sake of such as these, I shall touch upon some few heads, by way of +comfort and advice under these spiritual temptations. + +2. (1) We are to remember, that no kinds of spiritual temptations, +melancholy thoughts, terrors of soul, and stings of conscience, can happen +to us without the particular permission and gracious will of God our +heavenly Father, notwithstanding all the malice and fury of the Evil +Spirit. For God has expressly told us in his Word, that the devil has not +the least power over any creature; nor can he hurt even a hair of our +heads. Matt. 10:30. All creatures are in the hand of God, and not in the +power of the devil. Heb. 1: 3. Much less has he any power over man, unless +by the permission of God, for a certain season, as in the case of the +Gergesenes (Matt. 8:32), and Job. Job 1:12. + +3. Now, if he has no power of himself over a hair of our heads, or the +least part of our bodies; much less can he of himself afflict, disquiet, +or torment our souls. Hence David says, "The angel of the Lord encampeth +round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Ps. 34:7. And +Zechariah, "I, the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about." +Zech. 2:5. So David prays, "Keep me as the apple of the eye." Ps. 17:8. +And he acknowledges God to be the author of all the heavy trials of his +spirit: "Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. +Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy +waves." Ps. 88:6, 7. So likewise, "Thou which hast shewed me great and +sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from +the depths of the earth." Ps. 71:20. Agreeable to which is the song of +Hannah, "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the +grave, and bringeth up." 1 Sam. 2:6. For as the Son of God himself +descended first into hell, before he ascended up into heaven; so likewise +must the true members of his body experience the same, in the following +manner. When a man's conscience is so awakened and enlightened by the +Lord, as to feel in himself the strength of sin, the sting of death, the +curse of the law, and the fiery darts of the devil; then is his wretched +soul so oppressed with grief and horror, that with David (Ps. 77:3), it +refuses to be comforted, and looks upon itself as rejected and persecuted +by every creature of God. The man who is in this state, does not enjoy the +least glimpse of comfort, believing that he deserves it not; he struggles +with despair, he contends with hell, and has already a taste of its agony. +This is the sting of hell, yea, hell itself, full of terror and amazement, +darkness and despair. He that suffers this, is not indeed corporeally, but +spiritually, and in his soul, brought down into hell; so that with his +blessed Saviour at the mount of Olives, he is in an agony, is very heavy +and sorrowful, even unto death. Luke 22:44. + +4. But you will say, Is it not strange, that God should suffer his +believing children, who have been baptized into Christ, who through him +obtained remission of their sins, being justified through faith, and +redeemed to eternal life--to be thus miserably tempted and afflicted by the +devil, oppressed with dreadful thoughts, and to undergo this spiritual +martyrdom? In answer to this, we must consider, that it is not our +business to inquire into the secret reasons of God's ways, but to rest +satisfied with what he has told us, namely, that all these kinds of +affliction proceed from him. Now we may rest assured, that whatsoever +comes from him, promotes our spiritual welfare, according to what we are +told, that "all things work together for good, to them that love God." +Rom. 8:28. There are, however, some reasons revealed, why God suffers his +beloved children to fall into temptations so bitter. + +5. The first may be to bring us to a true sense of the strength of sin, +which is the sting of death (1 Cor. 15:56); of the curse of the law; of +the wrath and justice of God; and of the cruel tyranny of Satan. These +hang together, as it were, in a chain, as Hezekiah complains (Isaiah +38:14), when he chattered as a crane or a swallow, and mourned as a dove. + +6. Secondly, That we may have worthy conceptions of the value and +greatness of our blessed Saviour's passion, and of all the merits of our +redemption; and hence learn that by the agony of his own soul, he has +delivered us from the punishments of hell. Ps. 22:2. + +7. Thirdly, That we may be conformed to the image of Christ. Rom. 8:29. + +8. Fourthly, That we may learn to taste the efficacy of God's Holy Word, +and the comforts that flow from it. Thus we are told, "by vexation (or +temptation) only we shall understand the report" (or word). Isa. 28:19. + +9. Fifthly, That we may learn to exercise faith, hope, charity, humility, +and patience, that so "the trial of our faith may be found much more +precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire." 1 Pet. +1:7. + +10. Sixthly, That we may afterwards have a more lively perception of the +divine comforts, even as St. Paul says, "As the sufferings of Christ +abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ." 2 Cor. 1:5. + +11. Seventhly, That we may obtain greater degrees of glory in the life to +come, according to Rom. 8:17: "If so be that we suffer with him, that we +may be also glorified together." + +12. Though we even did not know that God intended these particular +advantages by our sufferings; yet we ought to be satisfied with this one +consideration, that our sufferings are ordered by the will of God. For if +"the very hairs of our head are all numbered" (Matt. 10:30), how much more +care, may we suppose, will God take of our souls, that the devil may not +precipitate us into despair? Hence we may further learn, not to expect +deliverance from any but God himself, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who +has overcome the world and the devil. John 12:31; 16:11. He, therefore, +that labors under temptation, must fly unto Jesus Christ; and from him +alone expect that help, comfort, and peace, which nothing in this world +can give him. + +13. (2) These trials are not to be looked upon as tokens of God's _anger_, +but rather of his infinite _mercy_, since he is hereby fitting us to be +partakers with them who have through many temptations entered into glory. +Such was David, who complains, "The sorrows of death compassed me." Psalm +18:4. And the whole 88th Psalm is full of lamentations of the pains and +agony which he underwent in his soul. This, too, was the prophet +Jeremiah's case, when he wished that his mother's womb had been his grave +(Jer. 20:17); that he had never seen the light, that so he might have +avoided his many bitter sufferings. Thus it was with Job, when he cried +out: "O that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the +balances together. For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea." +Job 6:2, 3. And "My soul chooseth strangling, and death, rather than my +life." Job 7:15. Thus St. Paul was buffeted by "the messenger of Satan." 2 +Cor. 12:7. Nor, lastly, did the Son of God himself, escape severe trials, +when his holy body trembled, and his soul was exceeding sorrowful (Matt. +26:38), and when he cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken +me?" Matt. 27:46. + +14. From these examples we may learn that we are not the only persons who +have been so severely tempted; but that saints and servants of God before +us have been visited in the same manner. And as God forsook not them in +their extreme agony, so we may assure ourselves that he will in his own +time deliver us, as well as them. This is an argument full of consolation. +As bodily diseases and persecutions are marks of the divine favor, since +by them God endeavors to make us conformable to his Son (and on that +account we ought to bear them with patience), so it is a much greater +token of the divine favor, and of the glory that shall follow it, when he +sends affliction on our souls, as well as on our bodies, and by a variety +of crosses brings us to an entire conformity, both in body and soul, to +Christ our Head. For as the body of the blessed Jesus, at the time of his +passion, was overwhelmed with all kinds of pains, and sufferings, and his +soul was full of anguish, distress, and sorrow: so must his spiritual +body, in all its true and living members, be made partaker of the same +sufferings, whether internal or external, so that the whole spiritual +body, as well as the Head, may contribute, each member in its proportion, +to fill up the measure of sufferings. This is what St. Paul means, "I fill +up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh" (Col. +1:24): so that every living member of Christ must expect to bear his share +of Christ's cross, in order to perfect that which is yet lacking in such +sufferings. It ought, therefore, to make us rejoice in affliction, when we +consider that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be +compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Rom. 8:18. We +should, when these spiritual storms blow hard upon us, bear with patience +the paternal chastisement of God (Micah 7:9), expect his help, not faint +in prayer, but think thus with ourselves: This is a season of sufferings; +but when wrath has passed away, it will end in joy unspeakable and full of +glory. Isa. 54:7, 8. + +15. (3) We must support ourselves under this internal conflict, with the +comforting promises of Jesus Christ, that in due time we shall conquer if +we hold out and faint not. Gal. 6:9. Thus he tells us, "The prince of this +world cometh, and hath nothing in me." John 14:30. And, "Be of good cheer; +I have overcome the world." John 16:33. For as all the host of Israel +triumphed in the person of David, when he slew Goliath, and routed the +Philistines (1 Sam. 17:51); so the victory of our Lord is the victory of +all true believers. Hence we are told, "Now is come salvation, and +strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the +accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God +day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the +word of their testimony." Rev. 12:10, 11. Whenever, therefore, thou +findest thyself assaulted by the fiery darts of the Evil One, and thy soul +is afflicted with such suggestions as these: "Thou art damned;--thou art +undone;--God hath forsaken thee;--thou art mine;--it is in vain for thee to +hope, believe, or pray any longer," then take courage, and answer boldly: +"O thou enemy of mankind, thou hast no power to condemn me. God hath not +appointed thee to be my judge; but the faithful shall judge the world, and +thee, at the last great day" (1 Cor. 6:3), yea, prince of this world, thou +art judged already by the Son of God. John 16:11. + +16. (4) As the nature of this spirit of blasphemy is such, that a +Christian is forced to undergo it sorely against his will, and does all +that in him lies to resist and oppose it; hence let him comfort himself, +when he is tempted with the thought, that God will never lay it to his +charge; since it is not he that acts, but the devil; for the soul is +passive, and may, therefore, be assured that such thoughts shall never be +imputed for sin. As people in a besieged town, cannot hinder the enemy +from throwing fire into the town, though they may do what they can to +quench it, and prevent its spreading; and as Hezekiah (Isa. 36:11) could +not hinder the blasphemy of Rabshakeh; so we cannot hinder the devil from +shooting his envenomed arrows at us. All that we have to do is, to bear it +with penitential sorrow, and to take all the care we can, not to suffer +our thoughts to vent themselves in blasphemous words; but, on the other +hand, having set a guard upon our tongues, we should endeavor so to stifle +these murmurings, that they break not out into a flame, as we read of +Jeremiah. (Lam. 3:28.) Moreover, forasmuch as thou art assaulted against +thy will, it is plain, that thou hast yet a living and struggling faith. + +17. (5) We ought to be comforted, if we find but _one single aspiration of +our hearts towards God_, or any devout affection springing up in our souls +by the reading of any text of Holy Scripture. For this is that spark of +faith and divine grace, which, like the smoking of flax, God will not +quench, but preserve it in its weakest state, when it seems to be almost +dead. Isa. 42:3. One devout aspiration such as this, is a certain sign +that the Holy Spirit is still present with us, though in a manner almost +undiscernible in the deepest ground and centre of the soul. For as the +body is not looked upon as dead, whilst there is the least breath or pulse +remaining; so we must believe that the Spirit of God, and faith, are not +yet entirely gone, if only a feeble prayer and a word of God remain; for +then the soul retains a spiritual and internal life, and is not entirely +dead. And the soul ought to be content with the smallest spark of this +inward light and life, till the Spirit of joy and liberty return to him, +and comfort him with all the consolations of God. Let us suppose a man in +such a case, that he can neither pray, nor even think a good thought; and +that this inability is matter of the greatest grief to him; the anguish of +such a soul, because it cannot pray, is in itself a true and effectual +prayer. These are the unutterable sighs and groanings which St. Paul +mentions. Rom. 8:26. And to this belongs what the prophet says, "When the +poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for +thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake +them." Isa. 41:17. + +18. (6) Be the temptations and afflictions of the heart ever so great, yet +the Scripture assures us that it is the habitation of God, and not of the +devil. That Satan has no possession of it, appears from the furious +assaults he makes upon the afflicted soul, by which he endeavors to subdue +it; but "greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world." 1 +John 4:4. "Fear thou not, for I am with thee." Isa. 41:10. Therefore, +though this trial of the soul is the greatest affliction that can possibly +befall it in this life, yet, forasmuch as we are assured that God will +look unto those that are of contrite hearts, and will dwell with them +(Isa. 57:15), that he sent the blessed Jesus from heaven to comfort the +afflicted, and to preach glad tidings to the distressed (Isa. 61:2); and +that He himself invites weary souls to come unto him (Matt. 11:28), +therefore let no man despair when he finds himself plunged into this +furnace of affliction. These are they whom God commanded his prophet to +comfort: "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say +to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not." Isa. 35:3, 4. +And God tells us that "his strength is made perfect in weakness;" which +induced St. Paul to say, "When I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Cor. 12:10. +Yea, the grace of God is so far from forsaking a man, even when he is +buffeted (2 Cor. 12:7) by Satan: that it was at that time particularly, +that God told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor. 12:7-9. + +19. (7) There is not so much as one instance to be produced, of any man +forsaken of God under this spiritual conflict; but, on the contrary, He +has always restored his servants, "whom he has thus chosen in the furnace +of affliction" (Isa. 48:10), to the same and to higher degrees of grace, +than those whence they thought they had fallen. This ought to be matter of +great comfort to us, and persuade us that when the hour of trial is ended, +the season of joy and redemption will quickly follow. "Happy is the man +whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the +Almighty. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands +make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven there +shall no evil touch thee." Job 5:17-19; Micah 7:9. Let no man, therefore, +faint under tribulation, but bear "the indignation of the Lord" for a +little while (Ps. 112:4; 97:11), till the Sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2) +arise upon him again with healing and consolation in his wings, for "light +is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart!" + +20. (8) Tauler reckons these spiritual afflictions and trials among the +singular gifts and favors of God, speaking thus of them: "In these great +temptations, God deprives a man of all that he has given him, forcing him +to descend into himself and see his own poverty and weakness; and also +trying him, to discover how he will behave himself in this desolate state. +And this is done when a man is forsaken; so that he knows nothing of God, +his grace, his comforts, or the gifts which he once bestowed upon him; but +which are now taken away, and concealed from his eyes, so that he knows +not whither to fly or which way to turn. When a man is once brought into +this state, there is nothing better for him than cheerfully and willingly +to submit himself to the order and decree of God. It was, indeed, a great +thing in the holy martyrs to lay down their lives for God; but they were +so abundantly strengthened by the comforts of his Holy Spirit, that the +most exquisite torments were to them but trifling and contemptible, and +death itself had lost its terrors. But to have God hide his face, and +deprive us of his grace and comfort, is a martyrdom much greater than +theirs. This occurs when all the sins, all the infirmities and +temptations, which a man has long ago conquered, assault him afresh, with +greater violence than when he was the servant of sin. In this case, the +best way is to suffer with patience, and to be entirely resigned to the +all-wise providence of God." Such sufferers as these, Tauler calls +"spiritual martyrs," from the bitter trials they undergo whilst deprived +of the light of God's countenance, and the comfortable influences of his +Spirit, which are so severe that they know not which way to turn for +relief; and when they see and consider the gifts and graces bestowed upon +others, they fall into bitter dejection of spirit, reckoning that it is +their own fault that they are thus barren and destitute of spiritual joy. +And though they take ever so much pains, they still seem to labor in vain; +for they find their dryness and hardness of heart still increasing upon +them; so that at last, being quite void of comfort, and having lost all +patience, they fall into a secret distrust of God's mercy, and believe +that he is offended with everything they do. At length they submit in +patience, until God may make a change; for they themselves are utterly +helpless. This is that which brings them to a conformity, not only with +the saints, but with Christ, whose whole life was nothing but affliction. +These spiritual martyrs, though in the sight of the world they are of all +men most miserable, and seem to be forsaken and cast off by God; yet are, +in truth, the richest towards God. In their own opinion they are, indeed, +at the same time, the most unfaithful to him; though in reality they have +the firmest faith, and most ardent zeal for his honor and service, and +upon that account undergo these heavy sufferings. From this faith and love +towards God (of which they themselves are ignorant), it arises, that they +are tormented with divers temptations to which they will not consent, so +that even death itself would not be so bitter to them, as the anguish they +feel upon that account. They labor with their utmost strength to amend +their lives, and practise every Christian virtue; and when they find their +labor to be in vain, they relapse into the old sense of their infirmities, +attended with the most exquisite pain of mind. All this, they suffer from +a principle of love towards God; esteeming themselves the worst of all +men, though they are most precious in the sight of God. + +21. No wiser counsel can be given to these than that, with humble patience +and resignation they bear the troubles which they cannot help, and which +are but aggravated by impatience. After this dark night of unspeakable +affliction, the Sun of righteousness shall arise, refreshing and filling +their hearts with inexpressible light and glory. + + + + +Chapter LIV. + + + Comforts Under Secret And Spiritual Temptations Of The Devil. + + + _Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as + wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and + when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren._--LUKE 22:31, 32. + + +How great and implacable the enmity of the devil is to all mankind, we are +abundantly informed, not only by Scripture (as 1 Pet. 5:8, "Be sober, be +vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh +about, seeking whom he may devour." Eph. 6:12, and Rev. 12:12, "Woe to the +earth, and to the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great +wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time;" and from the +history of Job), but also more particularly by daily experience, and the +many grievous and dangerous temptations with which he assaults the souls +of good men in their spiritual warfare. At one time he assaults our faith, +at another time our Christian calling, and then interrupts and disturbs us +in the exercise of our devotions; all which is clearly expressed in the +history of our Lord's temptation. Matt. 4:3, etc. Hence we may learn that +no man is safe from his temptations. For if he spared not Christ our Head, +how can sinful men expect to escape him? For which reason our Lord himself +advises us, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." Matt. +26:41. + +2. Among the various temptations with which the devil afflicts the soul, +this is one, namely, the tormenting a man with blasphemous, profane, +impure, and troublesome thoughts, so as to sink him deep into melancholy +and wretchedness. And these abominable suggestions are so crafty, sudden, +and violent, that they will not give a man a moment's rest. Upon this +account St. Paul calls them, "the fiery darts of the wicked one." Eph. +6:16. As a public enemy is perpetually casting fire into a besieged town; +so the devil is continually vexing such souls with his hellish +suggestions. And as the wounds of an envenomed arrow are most exquisitely +painful; so the wounds caused by the fiery darts of Satan, are far more +sharp and intolerable than the severest bodily sufferings. Wherefore we +shall here present some select heads of comfort against these secret and +internal temptations, all drawn from the Word of God. _First_, as to the +words prefixed to this chapter, it is plain that they were uttered by our +blessed Saviour, with the utmost tenderness, and most ardent compassion. +Whence we may gather, that the being afflicted with these temptations, is +no mark of God's displeasure, much less that he designs to destroy us +thereby, and deliver us up into the hands of the enemy. On the contrary, +such a temptation is nothing but a chastising rod, whereby God intends to +humble a man, and to draw him to Himself. This appears from the example of +St. Peter, whose confidence and self-conceit opened a door to the most +grievous temptation, and to the sin which followed. And St. Paul tells us +of himself, "Lest I should be exalted (saith he) above measure through the +abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, +the messenger of Satan to buffet me. For this thing I besought the Lord +thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is +sufficient for thee." 2 Cor. 12:7-9. From which words we may learn three +things: 1. That St. Paul, and all others that are exercised with these +trials, are humbled thereby. 2. That all those sufferings come upon us by +the counsel of God. 3. That the utmost fury of the devil against a man who +is so tempted, cannot exclude him from God's favor, which is expressed in +these words, "My grace is sufficient for thee." + +3. The _second_ ground of comfort is contained in these words: "Satan hath +desired you." From these words we may learn, that though the devil is +always desirous and ready to cast his fiery darts at us, yet has he no +power without the particular leave and permission of God; who never gives +him more than a limited permission, beyond which he cannot go. To this +belongs that place of St. Paul, "God is faithful, who will not suffer you +to be tempted above that ye are able." 1 Cor. 10:13. To which we may add +the example of Job, against whom the devil dared not attempt anything, +till he had first obtained leave of God; and even that clogged with a +limitation. See chap. 1:12. + +4. The _third_ consolation arises from these words of our Lord: "I have +prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." In what manner, and with what +affection the blessed Jesus prayed for us to his Heavenly Father, we are +told in John (chapter 17), namely, that He would be pleased to keep his +faithful servants from the evil of the world; that he would dwell in them, +and they in him; and that of those whom he had received of his Father, he +might lose none. This prayer, were it but heartily applied to the +distressed soul, would support it with a divine courage so as to abide in +Christ by faith, not doubting but that Christ in her, by the same faith, +would conquer and triumph over all her enemies. + +5. The _fourth_ comfort may be drawn from John 17:21, where our blessed +Lord prays for us, and begs of his heavenly Father, that we may abide in +Christ, and Christ in us. And St. John tells us, that "greater is he that +is in us, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4. Christ dwells in +every believing soul by faith; and all the assaults of the devil cannot +dispossess this illustrious guest. And as Christ himself, in whom God +himself, that is, all "the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily" and +personally (Col. 2:9), was tempted by Satan, thou must not, therefore, +think that Christ is not in thee, because thou thyself art likewise +tempted. And if Christ be in thee of a truth, thou needest not fear what +the devil can do unto thee: for Christ will certainly defend the place of +his own residence, against all opposers. Moreover, thou hast within thee +the Holy Spirit, who "helpeth thine infirmities, and maketh intercession +for thee with groanings that cannot be uttered." Rom. 8:26. Whensoever +thou findest these within thee, thou mayest assure thyself, that the Holy +Spirit dwelleth in thee, and he will not forsake thee, as our blessed Lord +assures us: "The Father shall give you another Comforter, that he may +abide with you forever." John 14:16. Lastly, God has promised, that he +will dwell in the humble and contrite heart: "I dwell with him that is of +a contrite and humble spirit." Isa. 57:15; 66:2. And such, undoubtedly, +are all those who are tormented with these temptations of Satan. + +6. The _fifth_ ground of comfort, is contained in our Saviour's promise: +"I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." O divine comfort! as if +our Lord had said: "Your infirmities shall never be so great, but that +there shall be some sparks of faith left. Yea, though you feel in +yourselves no comfort, and, on that account, are apt to think your faith +quite extinct, yet will I never suffer the smoking flax to be entirely +quenched." Isa. 42:3. But, now, if you ask, How shall I know this? I +answer, 1. By the earnest longing of your soul after faith. For, to desire +and pray for faith above all other things, arises from a living spark of +remaining faith. 2. By your resistance of temptation, which is a certain +token of the presence of faith; and this resistance and opposition appear +plainly in this, that all these wicked and blasphemous thoughts arise in +your soul sorely against your will, and that you bear them with more pain, +than you would any external violence offered to your body. Now whatsoever +a man suffers of this kind against his will, is resisted by faith, and +shall never be imputed to him as sin; for nothing but a voluntary +violation of the divine law, makes a man sinful in the sight of God. If +Adam had not yielded to the suggestions of Satan, he had not had sin; but +as soon as he submitted his will to that of the tempter, he fell into the +transgression. Whence it follows, that it cannot be sin, which is not +attended with the consent of the will. A besieged city cannot hinder the +enemy from throwing fire into it, but the inhabitants must endeavor to +prevent it from spreading, and burning the town to ashes. So we cannot +avoid the fiery darts of the devil, with which he delights to afflict the +heart; but as we do not consent to them, but rather resist, they must at +last be quenched, and can do us no harm. By such tokens as these we may +discover, that our faith, however weak, is not extinct. + +7. Being once assured of this, we may likewise certainly depend upon +victory; and this opens to us a _sixth_ fountain of comfort. To this, +therefore, refers that comfortable saying of our Saviour: "The prince of +this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." John 14:30. "Be of good cheer; +I have overcome the world." John 16:33. Whatsoever Christ did, he did for +our sakes; that he himself, with all his benefits and merits, might be +entirely ours. Since, therefore, he has conquered Satan, it follows that +he has conquered him not only for himself, but for us also: his conquest +is ours. All this was prefigured in the contest between David and Goliath. +1 Sam. 17:8, 9, 50-53. The conditions were, that if Goliath overcame +David, the people of Israel should be the servants of the Philistines; but +if David overcame Goliath, the Philistines should serve Israel. Now, even +as David's victory was counted as the victory of all Israel, so the +victory of Christ avails as the victory of all believers. Hence St. Paul +says: "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Eph. 6:10. +And, "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus +Christ." 1 Cor. 15:57. + +8. _Seventhly_, we ought to be comforted by the examples of the saints, +who have also been cruelly tempted. Of these our blessed Saviour speaks, +saying, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." By these +words, our Saviour plainly sends us to be instructed by the examples of +our brethren, who have been tempted and persecuted by the devil in like +manner with us. Hence St. Peter says: "Knowing that the same afflictions +are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." 1 Peter 5:9. + +9. _Lastly_, we ought to be comforted by the example of Jesus Christ +himself. Matt. 4:1, etc. Over him, though he was the beloved Son of God, +the devil had so much power, as to hurry him from place to place, and use +him with so much insolence, that it is wonderful the Son of God should +suffer it from that rebellious, apostate spirit. But this was the +condition of the humble Jesus, who emptied himself of all his glory and +majesty, that he might be tempted as man, and be made like unto his +brethren. + + + + +Chapter LV. + + + The Reasons For Which God Sometimes Delays His Comfort And Assistance. + + + _For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it + shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it + will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is + lifted up, is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his + faith._--HAB. 2:3, 4. + + +In these words the Holy Spirit comforts us, under the _delays_ of Divine +assistance: for so we are apt to call (1) those very methods by which God +hastens to help and save us. He has, in his unsearchable wisdom, appointed +to every man his cross in weight and measure. He delivers it out to him in +meet proportions, sending one affliction after another, till the measure +of his sufferings be accomplished; that so, by a gradual conquest, he may +at last obtain a complete victory. This dealing of God with us, we are apt +to call _his delaying_ to help us; not considering that this is the +quickest method of accomplishing the measure of our sufferings, and +completing our victory. That which to us seems to be delay, is in the +sight of God, _making haste to help us_. + +2. Now he that is refractory and impatient under the cross, has no peace +in his soul. For as patience renders the soul easy and quiet, so +impatience makes it restless and uneasy. Thus our Lord tells us, "Learn of +me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your +souls." Matt. 11:29. And, whereas, the prophet adds, that "the just shall +live by his faith;" this relates to the promises of divine grace and +assistance, which we lay hold on by faith. And from this consolation the +soul derives life and joy; as Hezekiah says: "O Lord, by these things men +live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit." Isa. 38:16. On +the other hand, unbelief produces impatience; impatience, disquiet; +disquiet, despair; and despair, everlasting death. So that we may most +truly say, that "the just lives by faith;" that is, by the grace of God, +which he patiently expects and waits for. + +3. (2) Solomon tells us: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to +every purpose under heaven." Eccles. 3:1. Whence we may learn, that +crosses and afflictions come not by chance; but that every season of +affliction is appointed to us by God. Wherefore, in our troubles let us +lift up our eyes unto Him, in whose hand are our happiness and misery, our +riches and poverty, our life and death; yea, and every moment of our +afflictions. This is illustrated in the case of Joseph, whom, for thirteen +years together, God visited with remarkable afflictions (Gen. 37:36; +41:1): "until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried +him," as the Psalmist tells us. Ps. 105:19. By his example we may learn +how useful and necessary it is for us that God should sometimes delay his +help. For when he was sold, he was seventeen years old; and when, by the +hand of God he was brought out of prison, he was thirty; and the bearing +of his cross all that season, was the very thing that qualified him for +the glorious advancement that followed. In that honorable post he +continued eighty years; whence we may observe, that his thirteen years of +suffering, were recompensed with many years of glory and honor: for he +lived a hundred and ten years. Therefore let the devout Christian that +suffers imprisonment or any kind of persecution for the testimony of a +good conscience, or shame, or sickness, call to mind the wonderful +providence of God to Joseph, and satisfy himself that the all-wise God, +who has appointed his season of affliction, has likewise determined the +set time of his deliverance. For as a skilful builder knows well by what +time his laborers will have finished their task, so has God measured out +the weight and duration of every man's cross, and appointed the season of +his deliverance. As soon as that comes, the light of divine grace will +immediately break forth, and will comfort the afflicted soul. + +4. (3) As God has determined the number of our crosses; so He has been +pleased to conceal from us the time of our deliverance, satisfying us with +that declaration of our blessed Lord, "It is not for you to know the times +or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts 1:7. +Agreeably to this are the words of God, who when he had threatened the +children of Israel with the Babylonish captivity, adds, "Is not this laid +up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?" Deut. 32:34. +Thence we may learn, with what great and unsearchable wisdom God governs +and corrects the children of men. To this also may be referred that saying +of St. Paul: "God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell +on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before +appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." Acts 17:26. In these words +we are instructed, that not only the period of every man's life, but even +the place and manner of it, are appointed by God. And this general +determination of time and place, includes in it the crosses and +afflictions appointed to every person. + +5. (4) And as God has appointed the period, time, and place, of the +sufferings of his servants; so has He also of the persecutions and +oppressions of the wicked. When these have for a season been breathing out +oppressions and slaughter, then that God to whom vengeance belongeth, +awaketh and riseth to judgment; according to Deut. 32:35: "To me belongeth +vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day +of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them, +make haste." This is abundantly confirmed by the examples of heretics and +tyrants that have most grievously persecuted the church of God; and when +the devil has raged long enough, and his time is expired, then has the +divine vengeance so confounded him and all his accomplices, that the whole +world has been amazed and astonished at the righteous judgments of God. +"Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord +draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be +condemned: behold the Judge standeth before the door." Jas. 5:8, 9. + + + + +Chapter LVI. + + +Showing That In Seasons Of Trial The Consideration Of The Exalted Patience +Of Christ, And Of The Future And Eternal Glory, Will Alleviate The Burden + Of The Cross. + + + _Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into + his glory?_--LUKE 24:26. + + +The eternal Son of God, by his most holy incarnation, took upon him all +the miseries and calamities of mankind: and this not of compulsion and +necessity, but of pure love, that by his example he might teach us +patience, and enable us to bear the cross, and overcome the calamities of +this mortal life. As he was to become man, so he willingly subjected +himself to all those miseries to which man is exposed; and as he came down +from heaven for the sake of all, so he took upon him the infirmities of +all; so that from the moment of his birth, to the hour of his death, he +was, as the prophet truly expresses it, "despised and rejected of men; a +man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Isa. 53:3. There was no +calamity incident to human nature, which he did not suffer, and, +particularly, extreme poverty. He says of himself, "The foxes have holes, +and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to +lay his head." Matt. 8:20. In the discharge of his office, he underwent +the most bitter persecutions, being exposed to hatred, calumnies, and +reproaches. In his last days he submitted to the most ignominious +sufferings, so that, as the prophet expresses it, "We did esteem him +stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Isa. 53:4. His transcendent love +met with the highest ingratitude, his illustrious miracles were rewarded +with revilings, and his heavenly doctrines with calumnies and lies. And +since our blessed Lord suffered all this, why shall we expect to be +exempted from sufferings and injuries? + +2. Thus the blessed Jesus, by his example, has shown us the true and only +path to heaven. 1 Pet. 2:21. Let us therefore tread in his steps, and +learn to imitate him in all the different scenes of his most holy and +afflicted life. He went before, that we might in holy patience follow him. +Whence we may learn, how far they are from the true and right way, who +never regard this blessed pattern, but refuse to follow it. If men will +still walk on in darkness and shut their eyes against this light, how +great must their darkness be! The blessed Jesus himself calls to them, +saying, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk +in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12. + +3. All the sufferings of true Christians in this life, are not worthy to +be compared with the eternal glories reserved for them in the world to +come; for their temporal afflictions are but for a moment, but their +glorious reward shall endure forever. 2 Cor. 4:17, 18. An everlasting +possession is well worth contending for. Couldest thou but for a moment +behold what eternal glories they enjoy, who in this life were exposed to +all torments and sufferings, thou wouldest cheerfully submit to them all, +and take up thy cross with joy; thinking all things but as dross, that +thou mightest win Christ and be a partaker of his glory. + +4. Lift up, therefore, the eyes of thy mind to heaven, and view, with St. +John, that vast company clothed in white garments, and following the Lamb, +concerning whom this account is given to the inquiring Evangelist: "These +are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, +and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before +the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple." Rev. 7:14, +15. Such are the proper meditations for devout souls. Thus we read of +Moses, "By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called +the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with +the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; +esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in +Egypt; for he had respect to the recompense of the reward." Heb. 11:24-26. + +5. Hence we learn that the saints in all ages have esteemed the reproach +of the cross of Christ as their greatest treasure. And we may depend upon +it, that no man can be admitted to the joys of the next world, who has not +fought manfully under the banner of the cross in this world. How can we +imagine that those blessed spirits will own us to be of their company in +heaven, if we did not bring with us the sign of the cross? They would not +know us, and we would be strangers among them. "He that overcometh," saith +the Lord, "the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot +out his name out of the book of life." Rev. 3:5. And what does St. Paul +say? "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept +the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, +which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to +me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim. 4:7, 8. + + + + +Chapter LVII. + + + Consolations Against The Fears Of Death. + + + _Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and + immortality to light through the gospel._--2 TIM. 1:10. + + +This sentence is full of divine comfort against the fears of temporal +death. For if "Christ hath abolished death," why should we fear it? And if +"life and immortality be brought to light," why should we not rejoice to +pass through the gates of death, to take possession of them? But since +there is no man so holy, but that at some time or other he is afraid of +death, I shall here subjoin the chief heads of consolation, which I shall +divide into two parts. The first contains those consolations which arise +from _Christ's sufferings and death, and the fruits of them_. The second, +those that arise from the consideration of _the vanity of the world_. Each +of these parts shall comprehend seven arguments of comfort. + +2. I. The first and most powerful remedy against the fear of death, is the +most holy and innocent death of Jesus Christ, by which he destroyed the +power of death. The power of death consists in the continual dread, +anxiety, terror, and trembling that arise from the thought of the severe +judgment that is to follow. With this the soul is oftentimes so afflicted, +that it is, as it were, continually dying, yet cannot die. This is the +power of death, yea, is even the second and eternal death: and this +terrible state the devil makes yet more dreadful by his suggestions. Upon +this account he is said "to have the power of death" (Heb. 2:14); that is, +to terrify and torment the conscience with hellish fears and terrors. This +was David's case, as he complains, "My heart is sore pained within me; and +the terrors of death are fallen upon me." Ps. 55:4. So again, "The sorrows +of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid." Ps. +18:3, 4. Now the blessed Jesus has taken away this power of death, +changing it into a calm sleep, a blessed rest of soul and body. When the +soul is at rest, the body sleeps peacefully, so that the peace of the soul +gives peace also to the body. Hence every true and faithful Christian may +be properly said not to taste of death; according to that promise of our +blessed Lord, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my sayings, +he shall never see death." John 8:51. + +3. The second ground of comfort is, the resurrection of our bodies. For +Christ has so far destroyed the power of death, that it not only cannot +torment our souls, but cannot even keep our bodies perpetually. As the +power of Christ's death in us protects us from tasting the bitterness of +it; so, by the power of his resurrection, our mortal bodies shall also be +raised again to a glorious immortality. + +4. For (1), the foundation of our resurrection is the resurrection of +Jesus Christ, as he himself says, "Because I live, ye shall live also." +John 14:19. "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, +though he were dead, yet shall he live." John 11:25. "I know that my +Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; +and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I +see God." Job 19:25. "For since by man came death, by man came also the +resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall +all be made alive." 1 Cor. 15:21, 22. + +5. (2) This is also founded upon God's veracity. "Thy dead men shall +live." Isa. 26:19. "Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones: Behold, I +will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. Behold, I will +open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my +people." Ezek. 37:5, 12. "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the +earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and +everlasting contempt." Dan. 12:2. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The +hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son +of God: and they that hear shall live. The hour is coming in the which all +that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they +that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have +done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:25, 28, 29. "And I +saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God." Rev. 20:12. + +6. (3) It is also founded upon the omnipotence and glory of Jesus Christ. +As in the resurrection of Lazarus, he was glorified, when he cried out, +"Lazarus, come forth" (John 11:43); so will he also, in the last great +day, manifest his power and glory, by showing himself to be the Lord of +the dead and living. Rom. 14:9. "I will ransom them from the power of the +grave; I will redeem them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues; O +grave, I will be thy destruction." Hosea 13:14. + +7. (4) The divine justice is also engaged for the confirmation of this +truth. As it has received fulfilment in that sentence, "Thou shalt surely +die" (Gen. 2:17); so also must it be fulfilled in our resurrection after a +complete satisfaction for sin. For when sin itself is at an end, the wages +of sin ought to have an end likewise. This is strictly agreeable to the +justice of God. + +8. (5) This is also further confirmed to us by the examples of those who +have been already raised from death unto life. Such was the case of the +widow's son (1 Kings 17:22); the Shunammite's son (2 Kings 4:35-37); the +dead body that was raised by touching the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21); +the daughter of Jairus (Matt. 9:25); the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:15); +Lazarus (John 11:43); and Tabitha (Acts 9:41). + +9. (6) Christ hath redeemed both soul and body to everlasting life. + +10. (7) The beautiful parables derived from nature, as the grain of wheat, +in John 12:24, claim attention. The apostle says: "Thou fool, that which +thou sowest is not quickened except it die," etc. 1 Cor. 15:36, etc. Upon +this account, burying-places are, in the German tongue, called _God's +fields_ (_Gottesacker_). + +11. A third comfort against the fears of death is, the fruit of Christ's +resurrection; that is, that eternal, incorruptible, and immortal state +purchased for us by Jesus Christ. For as by the transgression of the first +Adam, all his posterity were made subject to death; so by the obedience of +the second, all are restored to life and immortality. Upon which account +it is said, "Behold, I make all things new." Rev. 21:5. This renovation +consists in an entire freedom from sin, misery, and death, and is a state +of righteousness, joy, and eternal life. For this cause it is also called +Paradise: "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are +pleasures for evermore." Ps. 16:11. If it be Paradise, it follows, that no +grief, pain, sorrow, or sighing: no hunger, thirst, cold, heat, or any +other evil, can enter there. These all belong to this transitory life, but +that eternal life is "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and +that fadeth not away;" as we are told by St. Peter. (1 Peter 1:4.) This +is, indeed, the glorious fruit of Christ's resurrection: for by Christ all +things are renewed and restored; corruption is changed into incorruption; +that which was transitory, into that which is eternal; our filthiness, +into spotless purity; our grief, into joy; our sorrows, into triumphs; our +sins, into righteousness; the divine anger into mercy; the curse into +blessings; our poverty into riches; our diseases into health; our contempt +into honor; our reproach into glory; our disquiet into everlasting rest; +our miseries into pleasures; our death into life. Now death is the +entrance into this blessed state: so that temporal death is the gate to +everlasting life, and all these joys. + +12. The fourth consolation against the fear of death, is prayer. So we +read of the Son of God, that "being in an agony, he prayed more +earnestly." Luke 22:44. And "in the days of his flesh, he offered up +prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was +able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." Heb. 5:7. +Indeed, the prayers of dying people are strong and earnest; they proceed +from the bottom of the heart, ascend through the clouds, and reach the +ears of the Almighty. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, +to all that call upon him in truth." Ps. 145:18. "I will be with him in +trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him." Ps. 91:15. "Fear thou not, +for I am with thee; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I +will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isa. 41:10. + +13. The fifth consolation is, the glorification of our bodies. "Our +conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the +Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be +fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby +he is able to subdue all things unto himself." Phil. 3:20, 21. What +greater glory can we conceive, than that our bodies shall be, like the +glorified body of Jesus Christ? He showed us his glorified body upon Mount +Tabor (Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2, 3), that he might inflame us with a desire of +the same glory. Oh! what a glorious temple of God shall our body then be! +Of this, the royal and priestly garments under the law, were but a faint +shadow and resemblance. + +14. The sixth is, the presence of the holy angels, who carry our departing +souls into Abraham's bosom. Our soul enters into the regions of eternal +glory, and joins the society of blessed spirits. This is what is meant by +"Abraham's bosom." Luke 16:22. That rest of the soul consists entirely in +a freedom from the fears and terrors of death. So "Return unto thy rest, O +my soul. For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee: for thou hast +delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from +falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living." Ps. +116:7-9. For then the soul, being delivered from the yoke of the flesh, +will rejoice like a prisoner rescued from long captivity. + +15. The seventh comfort is, the eternal duration of our future glory. +"They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun +light on them, or any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the +throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of +waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev. 7:16, 17. +"My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, +and in quiet resting-places." Isa. 32:18. And "I will extend peace to her +like a river. And as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort +you." Isa. 66:12, 13. "My servants shall eat, and drink, and rejoice." +Isa. 65:13. Such eating and drinking, are to be understood of their +exalted pleasure, arising from their vision of God, "Now we see through a +glass darkly; but then face to face." 1 Cor. 13:12. "We shall see him as +he is." 1 John 3:2. "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I +shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." Ps. 17:15. O happy +day, when we shall see God face to face! How ardently did holy David long +for it, saying, "When shall I come and appear before God?" Ps. 42:2. + +16. In short, the joy of eternal life will consist: 1. In the beatific +vision of the face of God. 2. In the presence of Christ our Redeemer, in +all his glory and majesty: "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast +given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou +hast given me." John 17:24. 3. In the most exalted enjoyments of all the +gifts, graces, and pleasures of the Holy Ghost, "the fountain of life." +Ps. 36:9. 4. In the society of all the Elect, Patriarchs, Prophets, +Apostles, and Martyrs. "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and +come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall +obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isa. +35:10. + +17. II. Thus much for those consolations that arise from the nature, +offices, and promises of the blessed Jesus. I come now to consider those +that may be drawn from the consideration of the vanity of the world. Of +these there are also seven. + +18. First, this life, how great and glorious soever it may appear to some, +is made up of misery and sorrow. 1 Cor. 15:31. Every day steals away a +part of our life, and as our years increase, our life decreases; so that +every moment of our time is divided betwixt life and death. How many and +various diseases are there, which, like slow poisons, waste and consume +our bodies! How are we tormented with sorrow, broken with labors, and +distracted with care! So that the wise man truly pronounced that "the day +of death is better than the day of one's birth." Eccles. 7:1. "Is there +not an appointed time to man upon earth? Are not his days also like the +days of a hireling? As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as a +hireling looketh for the reward of his work: so am I made to possess +months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me." Job 7:1-3. +"Man that is born of a woman, is of few days and full of trouble." Job +14:1. But a holy and happy death puts an end to all these miseries. + +19. Secondly, we are exposed to many and very grievous sins, from which +nothing can deliver us but a happy death. Thus St. Paul complains, "I see +another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and +bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O +wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" +Rom. 7:23, 24. What is life but a continued course of sin? So that it was +a prayer of one of the ancients, "Lord, let me die, that I may cease from +sin." And if the whole creation is travailing in pain, and waiting to be +delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the +children of God (Rom. 8:21, 22), how much more ought we to sigh after it? +How full the world is of offences and stumbling-blocks, which we are +continually obliged to see and suffer, whether we will or not! And these +offences will so increase in the last days, that the souls of the +righteous shall be vexed like righteous Lot's in Sodom. 2 Pet. 2:8. "I +returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun; +and behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no +comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they +had no comforter. Wherefore, I praised the dead which are already dead, +more than the living which are yet alive." Eccles. 4:1, 2. How many +pestilent errors in matters of faith; how many heresies, superstitions, +false prophets and false Christs there are, so that, if it were possible, +even the elect might be deceived! Matt. 24:24. Upon this account God takes +his faithful people out of all these dangers and troubles. How many +dreadful mischiefs, and mournful events, how many wars, butcheries, +plagues, and famines occur! Such, and so great, are they, that indeed no +Christian would wish to see or endure them. + +20. Thirdly, all must die without distinction. "Death hath passed upon all +men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. Since so many holy and +excellent men, so many Patriarchs, Prophets, and so many other righteous +men are dead, who would not willingly follow them? "Take away my life, for +I am not better than my fathers" (1 Kings 19:4), said the prophet Elijah. +"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. +9:27. "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower +of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the spirit +of the Lord bloweth upon it." Isa. 40:6, 7. "I am a stranger with thee, +and a sojourner, as all my fathers were." Ps. 39:12. + +21. Fourthly, no man dies by chance; but God is the Lord of life, and he +has appointed the bounds of its duration. "His days are determined, the +number of his months are with thee." Job 14:5. "Thou turnest man to +destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men." Ps. 90:3. "In thy +book all my members were written." Ps. 139:16. "The very hairs of your +head are all numbered." Matt. 10:30. "God is thy life, and the length of +thy days." Deut. 30:20. + +22. Fifthly, "To die is gain." Phil. 1:21. We gain more than we lose by +dying; righteousness, instead of sin; glory, for misery; heavenly riches, +for earthly; instead of the short-lived friendships and relations of this +world, we gain an eternal fellowship and union with the saints in heaven; +instead of this mortal, diseased, and frail body, we gain a heavenly and +glorious one; we change banishment for our own country; misery, for peace; +and this world for heaven. In short, what is there in this world, that we +cannot have infinitely better in the next? If thou seekest riches, honors, +or glory; with friends, pleasures, peace, or enjoyments, all these thou +shalt enjoy in a far higher degree in the next world. + +23. Sixthly, Man would be the most miserable creature in the world, if he +were obliged to abide in it forever. "If in this life only," saith St. +Paul, "we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." 1 Cor. +15:19. It follows, therefore, that we are designed for a better world. So +that, in truth, it is a very affecting instance of divine mercy to take us +out of this valley of tears, and translate us to a better place. "The +righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace; +they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness." Isa. +57:1, 2. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; yea, saith the +Spirit, that they may rest from their labors." Rev. 14:13. + +24. Seventhly, since we cannot with these bodily and sinful eyes behold +the glory of God, nor enter with these mortal bodies into the "new heavens +and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13); let us +cheerfully put off this earthly tabernacle, that we may be clothed with a +heavenly and spiritual body. 1 Cor. 15:44. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit +the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." 1 Cor. +15:50. Great, therefore, is the mercy of God, who exchanges these filthy +rags for a shining garment, in which we may celebrate the eternal +marriage; a beautiful, festive garment, fit to be worn in the everlasting +rest; a priestly robe, with which we may enter into the very holy of +holies. + + + + +Conclusion Of The Second Book. + + +At the close of this Book, I desire to submit one or two points to the +consideration of the Christian reader. + +In writing these Books I have had no other object in view than that, in +connection with our pure religion and confession of faith, as set forth in +the Church of the Augsburg Confession, and repeated in the Formula of +Concord (which I publicly and sincerely adopt, and in accordance with +which I desire these writings of mine to be understood), purity and +holiness of the life might be promoted. For purity of doctrine is of no +benefit, when it is not adorned by a holy life. We ought to guard the +purity of doctrine with watchful eyes, but sustain holiness of life with +even greater earnestness. Of what advantage are great skill and learning +without godliness? It is much better, in the eyes of God, to train up a +devout man, than to make a learned man of him. There are many who teach +the _doctrine_ of Christ with great zeal, but there are few who in their +practice conform to his _life_. As to this point the Christian reader is +referred to the Preface of the First Book, and to the Conclusion of the +Fourth Book. + +2. If any one should allege that I have treated too diffusely of the +doctrine of Christian faith, I beg to give the following answer: Our evil +life is also very extensive--the evils under which we labor are very +serious--our redemption is a great work--and our crosses are manifold. But +let any one who desires greater brevity, read the several chapters in the +First, Second, and Third Books, which treat of Repentance, Faith, Love, +Humility, Meekness, Patience, and the Cross, and he will find the whole +Christian life described without prolixity. Nevertheless, if thou wilt +read the whole work, thou wilt be abundantly rewarded for the time and +labor which thou hast thus expended. + + + + + +BOOK III. + + + + +Preface To The Third Book. + + +As there are different degrees of age and maturity in the natural life; so +are there also in the spiritual. This life has its first foundation in +sincere repentance, by which a man sets himself heartily to amend his +life. This is succeeded by an increase of light, when by contemplation, +prayer, and bearing the cross, a man is daily improving in grace, and +growing up to perfection. The last and most perfect state is that which +consists in firm union, which is founded in, and cemented by, pure love. +This is the state which St. Paul calls the "perfect man," and "the measure +of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Eph. 4:13. + +2. To explain these three different states, is the design of these three +books; so that I think that (with my Book of Prayer), the whole body of +Christianity is contained and explained in them, as far as is essentially +necessary; though, perhaps, not so perfectly as might be wished. As for +the Fourth Book, I thought fit to add it to the rest, to show how +harmoniously the Holy Scriptures, Jesus Christ, human nature, and the +whole creation agree together; and how all things centre in the one +Eternal, which is God! + +3. That the reader may not mistake the design of this Third Book, I would +remark that it proposes to instruct him how to seek and find the kingdom +of heaven within himself (Luke 17:21); and that, in order to this, he must +devote and consecrate his whole heart and soul to God; that is, not only +his understanding, but his will and affections also. It is a notion too +prevalent at this day, that men are very good Christians, if by reading or +discourse they have attained to some kind of intellectual knowledge of +Jesus Christ. This is that which generally passes under the name of +Divinity, which the generality take to be nothing but a science, or a set +of doctrines or opinions to be learned only in theory, not regarding the +other most noble powers of the soul, namely, the will and the affections. +But _all_ these must be consecrated to God in Christ; and when thou hast +done this, thou mayest assure thyself that thou art entirely dedicated to +him. For there is a wide difference betwixt the understanding by which we +know, and the will or affections by which we love the Lord Jesus. Our love +may be perfect, though our knowledge be not so. To know Christ with our +understanding, and yet not to love him, is nothing worth; on the other +hand, it is infinitely better to love him, than merely to be able to +dispute and discourse about him. Eph. 3:19. Let us learn, therefore, so to +seek Christ with our understanding, that we may also love him with the +entire strength of our will. By this we may be assured that we know him +truly, if our knowledge be productive of love. Otherwise, we may be said, +indeed, to find him and know him, but it will be to our condemnation. So +our blessed Lord tells us, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, +shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 7:21. Moreover, there are +two ways of obtaining wisdom and knowledge. The one consists in reading +and discussion; the other in prayer and charity. The one makes us learned, +the other holy. And between these there is a great difference. If men be +learned, and not lovers of God, they breathe nothing but pride and +arrogance; but if holy, they are humble, and think meanly of themselves. +If thou take the first method, thou wilt never find thy internal treasure; +if thou take the latter, thou canst not be disappointed. Such is the +argument of the Third Book. + +4. And now, how glorious, how noble, and happy a thing is it, that our +chief and most valuable treasure, that is, the kingdom of God, is not to +be sought _without_, but to be found _within_ us, that we continually +carry it about with us, hidden from the world, and that neither the world +nor the devil can rob us of it; and that this is not to be obtained by +profound learning, skill in languages, or variety of books, but by a +devout and humble spirit. Here then let us exercise our greatest care and +diligence, and turn our thoughts inward to that hidden, celestial, and +eternal good, that divine, that incomparable treasure. Why do we spend our +time and pains in the pursuit of external comforts, whilst so great a +treasure as the kingdom of God, with all its blessings, lies within us? +For in our heart and soul is the true school of the Holy Spirit, the true +habitation of the Holy Trinity, the very temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19), the +true house of prayer, wherein he desires to be worshipped "in spirit and +in truth." John 4:23, 24. For though God by his universal presence is in +all things, though not included in them (Isa. 66:1), but after an +incomprehensible manner filling heaven and earth; yet in a particular and +proper sense, he dwells in the soul of the enlightened Christian, taking +up his seat and habitation there, as it were in his own image and +similitude. Here he operates in a way suitable to himself, answering and +aiding every groan and sigh of the devout soul. For how is it possible +that He should deny anything to him with whom, and in whom he lives? In a +word, there is nothing more pleasant and agreeable to divine love, than to +communicate itself to all that unfeignedly seek it. + +5. In order to this, however, the soul must be at rest, which it never can +be till disengaged from the world. This even some heathens were sensible +of, and accordingly one of them tells us, "that the soul is incapable of +wisdom till it is composed and at rest." There is a fine passage in St. +Cyprian to this purpose. "This," says he, "is the true rest and security +of the soul, when the man, being delivered from the storms and tempests of +the world, raises his heart and eyes unto God, and endeavors to be like +him. By this he comes to understand, that all which the world calls +beautiful and valuable, is truly hidden in his own soul, so that he +neither expects nor desires anything from without. O celestial treasure, +to be delivered from the chains and fetters of this world! O chief and +boundless good, not to be obtained by any labor of ours, nor by our +interest with the great men of this world; in short, not to be gained by +our industry and study; but solely and entirely, by the grace and favor of +God. For as the light of the sun proceeds from itself, the day breaks from +itself, the fountain flows from itself, the rain falls from itself, and +waters the earth; so the Holy Spirit descends freely into that soul, which +has raised itself from the world unto God." + +6. These words of St. Cyprian express a great truth, and are a sort of +epitome of this Book. In a word, this turning inwards of the soul, very +often gives us a view of the inward treasure of our souls, though but for +a moment. And one such moment is better than heaven and earth, and all the +creatures. Hence St. Bernard truly observed, "that he who has once learned +to descend into himself, to seek the face of God, and taste the sweetness +of his presence in the inmost recesses of the heart, will think it more +tolerable to suffer even the pains of hell for a season, than, after +having tasted the sweetness of this divine exercise, to return again to +the pleasures, or rather, to the lusts and wearisome gratifications of the +world and the flesh, arising from the insatiable cravings of the inferior +appetites." In short, such a soul not only feels the highest happiness, by +finding in itself the presence of God; but also the deepest misery, in +being deprived of it. By this the true Christian is fully instructed, that +by dying to the world, he lives in God, as the fountain of life; and, on +the other hand, that the more he lives to the world, the more he dies unto +God: that the soul which is dead to the world, truly lives unto God, and +is his joy, or, as the Song of Solomon expresses it, is better than the +taste of wine, or the smell of all spices (Cant. 4:10); while on the other +hand, the hearts of worldly men are but sour grapes, as the grapes of +Sodom, which are as gall, and their clusters are bitter. Deut. 32:32. The +soul that is dead to the world, may be discovered by these tokens. It +resigns its own will to the will of God in all things; it suppresses +self-love; it mortifies the desires of the flesh; it avoids worldly +pleasures; it esteems itself as the meanest of all, and is not apt to +judge or censure a neighbor. Such a one refers all his injuries and wrongs +to the God of righteousness, to whom vengeance belongeth; he is not puffed +up with the applause of men, nor grieved by their revilings; in a word, he +bears everything with patience and without repining. A noble instance of +this resigned temper we have in king David (2 Sam. 23:15-17), when he +poured out before the Lord the water of the well of Bethlehem, after which +he had so earnestly longed, and which three mighty men of his host had +brought for him at the hazard of their lives. This was an action of great +self-denial; for he would not gratify his desires by tasting that for +which three men had ventured their lives. + +7. Herein consists the true perfection of the Christian life. For +perfection is not, as some suppose, a sublime, spiritual kind of relish +for heavenly enjoyments; but it is the denying our own will, the contempt +of the pleasures and profits of this life, the acknowledging our own +vileness, constant resignation to the will of God, and unwearied love and +unfeigned compassion for our neighbor. In a word, it is that degree of +love, which, allowing for human infirmities, thinks of nothing, seeks +nothing, desires nothing but God. This is that true Christian virtue, true +liberty, and true peace, which consists in overcoming the flesh and +fleshly desires, as will appear in this Third Book, and as thou wilt learn +from thine own experience, if thou wilt apply the truth. For which great +end, I pray that divine grace may descend both upon the reader and writer, +that it may please God to begin, strengthen, and perfect his good work in +us, to the praise and glory of himself. Amen. + + + + +Chapter I. + + + Of The Great Internal Treasure Of An Enlightened Believer. + + + _Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which + is in you, which ye have of God?_ 1 COR. 6:19. + + +That the hearts of believers are the habitation of the Holy Trinity, is +largely attested in Scripture, as Lev. 26:11; Isa. 44:3; 57:15; Joel 2:27; +John 14:23; 17:23; Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 2:11, 12; 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; +Gal. 2:20; Ephes. 3:17; 4:24; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:13. But who is there +among Christians that understands, values, or inquires after this immense +and hidden treasure? I thought it desirable, therefore, to explain at +large the spiritual and heavenly dignity of the true Christian, and to +show every one how to seek and find this sublime treasure in himself. The +foundation of this doctrine has been already laid down in Book I, proving +how the Word of God, through faith, exerts its power in the heart of man. +And in Book II, it has been shown how God discovers himself to the devout +soul, as the highest love, goodness, beauty, holiness, and wisdom. + +2. But as this high treasure cannot be worthily perceived or understood, +except in the still and quiet sabbath of the soul, in which the Holy +Spirit teaches us inwardly by meditation on the Word, in which he +enlightens us, and "searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 +Cor. 2:10); upon this account, we must first of all learn, how to bring +the soul to that quiet state of internal rest. Something has been said by +way of foundation upon this head, in the chapters treating of Prayer, +inserted in Book II; which comes now more fully and perfectly to be +handled in this Third Book: namely, how this hidden treasure, this pearl +in the field of our hearts (Matt. 13:44, 45), is to be sought for by +entering into ourselves, or rather into God. And this is the inward +sabbath of a heart cleansed and purified by faith (Acts 15:9), and +enlightened by the Holy Ghost. From this treasure of the Spirit and +kingdom of God, hidden in the believing soul, sprang the wisdom of all the +enlightened, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and other men of God that +have ever existed. This pearl, then, is worth looking after, this field is +worth tilling, and this gift of the Spirit and divine grace must be +stirred up in us; even as a spark of fire, which by continual application +of breath, is blown up into a bright flame. 2 Tim. 1:6. + +3. But that thou mayest more fully and distinctly apprehend in the +commencement of this Third Book, which relates entirely to the inward man, +how the children of God are to be drawn from the exterior to the interior +man, or the ground of the heart; that they may search, know, purify, and +change it, and keep their spiritual eyes fixed upon God, and his kingdom +in the inmost recesses of the soul; that the reader, I say, may more fully +understand this, I shall first of all more generally in this chapter, and +then more particularly, touch upon and explain the several heads of this +doctrine, referring occasionally to the Theology of Dr. John Tauler, and +quoting him as often as possible in his own words. And here I may remark, +that as the Holy Scripture, great and sacred as it is, regards the heart +of man; so likewise, the whole divinity of Tauler aims at the inward man, +the ground of the heart, and deepest recesses of the soul. Hence it is, +that he again and again inculcates, "that God and the kingdom of God, are +purely to be enjoyed, sought for, and found in the ground of the heart:" +that is, whatsoever the Holy Scripture and its true interpretation, +discover outwardly, all that ought to be really, spiritually, and truly +felt and experienced in the ground of the soul. This cannot be without a +frequent entering into the centre of the heart; so that the more deeply a +man retires from the world, so much the more closely he is united to God; +and the oftener the devout Christian practises this exercise, the more +clearly will the kingdom of God, and this hidden treasure, be manifested +in his soul. He that does not perceive in himself these fruits of the +Spirit, or the new man, will never be one jot more acceptable in the sight +of God for all his great knowledge and science; but shall be reckoned +among those of whom Christ says, that they shall say in the last day, +"Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" Matt. 7:21. For it is +not the external appearance, but the internal reality, that will avail in +the sight of God; not that which consists in the letter, but that which +flows from the Spirit, and consists in the Spirit. This is the true ground +of the distinction mentioned in the Preface, betwixt one taught by the +world, and him that is taught of God; that is, betwixt a _learned_ man, +and a _holy_ man. The learned man is instructed outwardly by the letter; +but the holy man by God, inwardly by the Holy Ghost, by the "anointing" +which teacheth all things. 1 John 2:27. The wisdom of the learned consists +in words; the wisdom of the holy man, in power. For "the kingdom of God is +not in words, but in power." 1 Cor. 4:20. + +4. But as a general account of this will not be sufficient for the simple +and unlearned, to bring them to this fundamental knowledge of themselves, +I shall therefore descend to a more particular explication, asking them, +at the same time, to attend to the "Five Parts" of their Catechism, and to +understand how these are not to remain _without_ them, but must be +_within_ them. First, therefore, thou believest that God delivered his law +upon Mount Sinai, written upon two tables of stone; and that this law is +the will of God, which thou art obliged to obey. You do well to believe +this. But this faith profiteth not, unless God himself write his law in +your heart (Jer. 31:33), and accomplish his will in you. Now this can +never be effected, unless, having now become a Christian, you dedicate +your whole heart to God, and offer up your will to him, that His will may +be fulfilled in you. The royal prophet David, who well knew the dignity +and necessity of this divine operation, employs especially the whole 119th +Psalm in earnest prayers to God, that he would vouchsafe to guide and +govern him according to his law and testimonies, that so this heavenly +work might not by any means be hindered in him. Further, you believe that +Christ is your righteousness, your life and salvation. 1 Cor. 1:30. You do +well to believe this, "for other foundation can no man lay than that is +laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11): "Neither is there salvation in +any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, +whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. Yet, remember that you must have +Christ within you; that is, you must lay hold on him inwardly by faith, +and make him, both as to his Person and office, your own. For if Christ be +thine, it follows that all things which are God's are also yours; and that +if he had ten thousand worlds and kingdoms full of righteousness and +blessedness, yet by faith all are thine. For the righteousness of Christ +is greater than all these. So in like manner, though the guilt of ten +thousand worlds lay upon thee, yet should it not be able to hurt thee. +This then is the treasure which thou must have within thee, as our Lord +tells us, "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21): that is, +"righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Rom. 14:17.--Thou +believest that Christ is the eternal Word of the Father; that he is the +true life and light of man. John 1:4. Thou believest aright. But then, +thou must take care, that this Word speak in thee, that this light shine +in thee, that this life live in thee. For unless thou hast this inward +treasure in thy soul, and art united to Christ by a living faith, +everything else shall avail thee nothing. Again, thou thinkest thyself +obliged by duty and interest, to pray to God, to give him thanks, and to +praise his name (Psalm 92:1, 2), and in this thou judgest right. But take +care that Christ himself pray within thee, and the Holy Spirit groan +within thee (Rom. 8:26); for as he is "the Spirit of grace and of +supplications" (Zech. 12:10), so, in order to make thy prayers effectual, +it is necessary that he also pray in thy heart, the temple of spirit and +truth. John 4:23. If this be not done, thy prayers are all of little +avail.--Thou believest that in Baptism thou receivest remission of sins, +the new birth, and adoption as a child of God. Thou believest aright. But +unless thou find in thyself the fruit of baptism, the new birth, the +unction of the Spirit, and divine illumination, thy baptism shall avail +thee nothing.--Thou believest, according to the words of St. Matthew (Matt. +26:26), that in the external Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, thou +receivest the true, essential body and the blood of Christ. Thou believest +aright. But if thou dost not also eat it inwardly and spiritually, thou +wilt not only lose all the benefits of that institution, but dost also eat +and drink condemnation to thyself. 1 Cor. 11:29.--Thou believest that +Christ was the true Lamb of God offered for us upon the cross. John 1:29. +Yet consider: What good can this do thee, unless the same Lamb of God +become the daily food and nourishment of thy inward man? 1 Cor. 5:7. It +appears, therefore, that thy treasure ought to be _within_ thee, and that +unless thou seek it there, thou shalt never find it. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + True Faith, And Converse With The Soul, The Only Means Of Attaining To + This Inward Treasure. + + + _Bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors._--ISA. 46:8 + + +The true way of attaining this divine inward treasure is, by a true and +living faith. Though we have already in Books I and II treated largely of +faith, with all its powers and properties, how it cleaves unto Christ, +rests and depends upon him; yet we must here return to it, and show of +what use and advantage it is, in the matter before us. The property of a +true and living faith is, to cleave unto God with our whole heart; to put +our whole trust in him; to depend upon him; to dedicate and resign +ourselves entirely to his mercy and goodness; to be united to God; and to +enjoy him in the internal rest of the soul. True faith prefers nothing to +God; it makes him the true object of all its desires, by unfeigned +abstraction from all earthly comforts. In a word, it places its chief, +eternal, infinite, and perfect good in Him alone, who is the true fountain +of all good, whether in heaven or earth, in time or eternity, and all +through Jesus Christ, who is "the author and finisher of our faith." Heb. +12:2. This is that faith which leads us to our inward treasure, which is +our chief good. Of this the Psalmist was an instance: he was full of this +faith: "Whom," says he, "have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon +earth that I desire besides thee." Ps. 73:25. Such was the faith of Mary, +the sister of Lazarus, when she sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word +with eagerness. Luke 10:39. For faith, as has been observed, brings the +soul into the true sabbath of the heart, into a state of divine quiet and +heavenly rest, in which God delights to manifest himself. Therefore the +Lord said to Martha: "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about +many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good +part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41, 42. What is +"that good part" but God in Jesus Christ? For by this faith which opens +the heart, in order to receive God alone is that better part chosen. By +this faith it is, that the ever-blessed Trinity enters into the heart, and +takes possession of it. Eph. 3:17; John 14:23. This is "that good part" +which we ought all to choose; namely, eternal life and blessedness. + +2. In this one article is contained the whole sum of the Christian +religion; it is the fountain of charity and of all virtues. For faith +produceth love; love produceth hope; hope, patience; patience worketh +meekness; meekness, humility; humility produceth the fear of God; and the +fear of God teacheth us to pray to him, to "crucify the flesh" (Gal. +5:24), to deny ourselves, to hate our own life, and to despise the world. +Matt. 16:24. Upon this account St. John calls faith, "the victory that +overcometh the world." 1 John 5:4. This was that one thing to which our +Lord directed the attention of the rich young man in the Gospel (Luke +18:18), when he asked him, saying, "Good Master, what shall I do to +inherit eternal life?" When he had commanded him to keep the commandments +of God, he answered, "All these have I kept from my youth up." Jesus, +hearing him, said, "Yet lackest thou one thing; sell all that thou hast, +and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and +come follow me." In these words the Lord directs him to choose that one +thing, that better part, by faith; and, by forsaking himself and his +worldly possessions, to turn to God, the true fountain and centre of his +being and happiness. From this one thing proceeds the whole Christian +life, and all the commandments, as a stream from its fountain, not by +compulsion or law, but from love and freedom of the spirit. "For it is God +which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. +2:13); neither will he own anything in us as his, which he himself has not +wrought. Here, then, is no need of laws, no need of commands or +prohibitions. For faith, by its free motion and spirit, does everything in +us which is necessary to be done: that is, it surrenders itself freely and +entirely to God, and to the operations of his grace. And this is what the +prophet Isaiah means, when he invites us to come unto God, to "buy wine +and milk without money and without price." Isa. 55:1. + +3. Faith, then, is the means of attaining to this inward treasure, whilst +it keeps a sabbath of rest unto God in every soul that is collected into +itself. For as the motion of the heavens is therefore the most perfect, +because it terminates in itself, and returns to its beginning; so the life +of man may then be accounted most excellent and perfect when it returns to +its original, which is God. And this a man does, when he enters deeply +into himself, having collected all the powers of his understanding, will, +and memory, and emptied them of the world, and all the lusts of the flesh; +offering up his soul, with all its affections, to God, by the Holy Ghost, +and celebrating an eternal sabbath in his presence. Then God begins to +operate in him. He waits for such a frame of spirit, and rejoices to +finish his work within us. For so great is the love of God towards us, so +ardent is his affection, that it is as if his divinity itself could not +consist without us; as if he should himself cease to be, unless he could +discover the abyss of his divinity in us, and transfuse the overflowing +fulness of his essence into us. So that the most acceptable service a man +can do unto God, is to keep his heart so quiet and still that God may rest +and manifest himself in it. All that God requires, in order to accomplish +this work in us, is an humble and quiet spirit. Whenever he finds such a +habitation, he dwells there with a high manifestation of his wisdom and +power. The eternal wisdom of God cannot unite with the wisdom of man; but +when the human soul is entirely submitted to God, then God entirely rests +in her. But if thou wilt engage thy will, thy understanding, memory, and +affections in the service of thy own mind, then they are no longer proper +instruments for the work of God. For in every union of two beings as one, +the one must of necessity be active and the other passive. But God is an +infinite and eternally active power, an essential pure motion; perpetually +operating in thee, unless hindered by thee. This may be illustrated by the +following similitude: as the eye cannot fix upon any object, nor receive +any impressions from it, unless it be free from all other images (for +otherwise one will hinder the other); so the soul, with all her powers, +understanding, will, and memory, can receive no impressions or influences +from God, if it be not empty of, and disengaged from, the world. The ear +cannot receive or enjoy the sweetest music, whilst employed and filled +with other sounds: so neither can the soul receive the divine sweetness +whilst it listens to the voice of the world. The more, therefore, a soul +withdraws itself from the world, the nearer it approaches to God. The more +it renounces the pleasures of the flesh, the nearer it comes to the +participation of "the divine nature." 2 Pet. 1:4. + +4. Nature cannot admit a vacuum. So if a man will empty himself of the +love of the world and himself, with all his passions and affections for +worldly things, God will infallibly fill his soul with divine grace, love, +wisdom, and knowledge. But if thou art full of worldly things, thou canst +not at the same time be full of heavenly things. When Abraham, at the +command of God, went from his own country and kindred, then was he +enlightened from above. Gen. 12:1; 13:1. Our carnal affections, self-love, +self-will, and self-conceit, with all our inclinations to the profits and +pleasures of the world, are to us as so many near friends and relations; +and it is hard to flesh and blood to part with them. But how hard soever +it be, this is the first step that conducts to this hidden treasure, this +pearl of great price; of which our Lord says, that the merchant having +"found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought +it." Matt. 13:46. This is what the Lord says: "Verily, I say unto you, +There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, +or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, but shall receive +a hundredfold, and eternal life." Mark 10:29, 30. What are our brethren +and sisters but our carnal lusts and corrupt inclinations, of which we +must be emptied, if we expect to be filled with the fulness of God. As the +Virgin Mary was a pure, immaculate virgin (so remaining eternally), when +she conceived our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 1:27); so must every soul be +like a pure, immaculate virgin; that is, be unspotted, free from all the +pollutions of the world, in order to this _spiritual_ conception of him. A +soul thus pure and unspotted is, "as the king's daughter, all glorious +within" (Psalm 45:13); enriched with hidden treasure. But how can the soul +be betrothed to God, that is betrothed to the world? "I come," saith our +blessed Lord, "to send fire on the earth." Luke 12:49. Oh, that such a +fire of divine love would so burn in us as to consume all our dross of +worldly affections, that nothing might live and move in us but the pure +and holy love of God! He adds, "I came not to send peace, but a sword." +Luke 12:51; Matt. 10:34. And would to God that the Holy Spirit might so +mortify and destroy all our carnal concupiscence, that God alone might +move and operate in us! But if you will say, that you are so much taken up +with the business of the world, that you cannot be so collected as you +ought, then set apart some corner of your house, and some little portion +of your time, either by day or night, to retire into yourself, and to pour +out your soul to God, in the words of St. Augustine: "Lord, my God, be +pleased to enter into covenant with me, that I may die entirely to myself, +and that thou mayest live in me; let me keep silence in myself, and do +thou speak within me; let me rest from all things, that thou mayest +operate in me." + + + + +Chapter III. + + +The Whole Treasure Of The Inner Man Depends On Faith, Namely, God, Christ, + The Holy Spirit, And The Kingdom Of God. + + + _God grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be + strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that + Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted + and grounded in love, etc._--EPH. 3:16, 17. + + +A Christian ought to employ his greatest care and diligence, in learning +the true nature and practice of faith. It is faith that unites us to +Christ, and admits us into all the blessedness of the kingdom of God. Upon +this account it is called, "a substance;--the substance of things hoped +for." Heb. 11. For our whole Christian life consists in a living and +operative faith, not in mere knowledge, not in a shadow or pretext, but in +a living, active power. In a word, it is faith alone that can deliver us +from our bondage of corruption and misery, and bring us into the glorious +liberty of the sons of God. Whence, at our first admission into the +Christian Church by holy Baptism, through which, as through a gate, we +enter into the fold of Christ's sheep, faith stands at the head. "He that +believeth and is baptized, shall be saved." Mark 16:16. And St. Paul says, +"This is the word of faith which we preach, that if thou believe in thine +heart, etc., thou shalt be saved, etc." Rom. 10:8-10. But as the nature of +faith may be better known by its properties, I shall briefly speak of +eight of them in this chapter. + +2. The first of these is, spiritual freedom or a release from sin and +death, from the devil, from hell, the curse of the law, the Mosaic typical +ceremonies, and from all the commands and traditions of men. For as +nothing can cause greater agony to the soul, than to be compelled to bear +the fiery darts of Satan, and the tyranny of Antichrist, by which the +conscience is fettered and entangled with traditional precepts of men, as +with cords and chains: so nothing can give it greater quiet, peace, and +comfort, than to be delivered from this servitude of sin, Satan, and human +traditions, into a true freedom and liberty of conscience; which liberty +is nothing but a true and saving faith. For by this faith we apprehend +Jesus Christ, and all the treasures of his grace, particularly +reconciliation with God, remission of sins, the Holy Spirit, and eternal +life. He that has this faith cannot be hurt by sin, death, the devil, or +the world; for he has Christ dwelling in him, who is his righteousness +against sin; his life against death; his strength against the devil; his +heaven against hell; his victory over the world; his blessing against the +curse of all the world; his blessedness against all the miseries of this +world; his liberty, from all the vain traditions of men. This our blessed +Lord has briefly summed up in one sentence, "If the Son shall make you +free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36. Whence Christ is all in all +unto faith, and the sum and completion of all our hopes and all our +blessedness. So that faith gives quietness to the soul; peace and plenty +to the conscience; freeing it from all fears and terrors, and causing the +heart to rest joyfully and quietly in God. + +3. Secondly, by faith the soul is united to Christ, as a bride with her +bridegroom--"I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee +unto me in righteousness." Hosea 2:19. The consequence of this espousal, +is a communication of all good things, yea, and of the cross itself, so +that all that Christ has, belongs to the soul, and all that the soul has, +belongs to Christ. Now as Christ has all heavenly and eternal gifts, such +as wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, blessedness, and +eternal life (1 Cor. 1:30): yea, is himself all these; the soul therefore +receives them all. And, on the other hand, as our soul has nothing but +sin, uncleanness, calamity, misery, sin and death, Christ has taken to him +all these; bestowing his good things upon us, and taking our sins and +miseries upon himself. But as the good things of Christ are eternal and +omnipotent, so they root out, swallow up, and destroy all sin, death, and +misery that are in us. For the eternal and invincible righteousness of +Christ, is so superior to the power of sin in us, that it utterly destroys +it; and by this means, the soul is delivered from its own sins, and +clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Isa. 61:10. And surely +this is a blessed exchange, when a man changes sin for righteousness, +death for life, a curse for a blessing, and eternal misery for eternal +blessedness. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in +Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1); for their sins are swallowed up in his +righteousness. For if, as St. Paul says, "death is swallowed up in +victory" (1 Cor. 15:54), it follows that sin also must be swallowed up. + +4. Hence, thirdly, it follows, that by faith our souls are assured of +everlasting happiness. "I am persuaded," saith St. Paul, "that no creature +shall be able to separate us from the love of God." Rom. 8:38. "Behold, I +lay in Zion for a foundation a tried stone; he that believeth shall not +make haste." Isa. 28:16. And "I will make with you an everlasting +covenant." Isa. 55:3. "My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither +shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy +on thee." Isa. 54:10. + +5. Hence, fourthly, arises the victory of faith over sin, death, hell, and +the world. "Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world:--who is he +that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of +God?" 1 John 5, 4. In these words, the _original_ of faith is discovered; +that it proceeds not from the powers of man, but that it is the work and +gift of God (John 6:29); and that regeneration is a divine, and +supernatural work. And as this new birth is in all respects superior to +nature, therefore it cannot be hurt by any assaults from the world; for +though a Christian be ever so much despised and abused by the world, yet +is he in Christ a glorious and triumphant conqueror. "In all these things +we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us." Rom. 8:37. + +6. Hence also arises, fifthly, the glory of faith, which is twofold: the +one spiritual and hidden; the other, future, visible, and glorious in the +world to come. Now faith makes us partakers of both kinds of Christ's +glory. So then, as the majesty of Christ consists in his kingdom and +high-priesthood; so also he makes us kings and priests unto God; an honor +which, when St. Peter speaks of, he can hardly find words to express. "But +ye," says he, "are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, +a peculiar people." 1 Peter 2:9. Moreover, the glory of Christ's kingdom +consists in this, that it is _eternal_, and all the blessings and benefits +of it are eternal: eternal grace, everlasting righteousness, unfading +consolation, endless life, joy, peace, and blessedness. What good could we +expect from a temporal prince? All the world itself, and all its glories +decay and perish; and there is no trust to be put in princes, nor in any +child of man. But Christ is our _Eternal King_; and all his favors and +blessings endure to eternity. The spiritual kingdom, then, of a Christian +consists in this, that by faith he is spiritually exalted above all +things; that nothing can hurt or hinder him, in the great affair of his +salvation. Yea, all things are subject to him, and work together for his +good, as we are told (Rom. 8:28): even life and death, the world, hell, +and the devil himself. Hence it appears how glorious, how extensive this +spiritual dominion of a Christian is, since all things, whether good or +evil, are forced to contribute to his spiritual good, so soon as he is +possessed of Christ, and Christ of him. For the whole treasure and hope of +a Christian is--Christ apprehended by faith; Christ is all-sufficient. O +the precious liberty of a Christian! O the mighty power of the inward man! +As the liberty, righteousness, and blessedness of a Christian, as also his +slavery, sin and misery, are not external things; so it follows, that no +external thing, nothing but the mere grace and command of God, can +justify, sanctify, or glorify a man. What though the body enjoy liberty, +health, and strength, and eat and drink well, will the soul be the better +for this? If the body be imprisoned, sick, weak, hungry, and thirsty, will +the soul be the worse? Not at all. These things cannot make the soul +either happy or miserable, whilst she preserves her inward treasure, and +is true to her spiritual liberty. So also in respect of her spiritual +priesthood, the soul is out of danger from anything that may happen +without. Its sacrifices, prayers, and devotions, are spiritually performed +by faith, without any necessary dependence upon external things; as time, +place, food, garments, or temples. Again, the soul is not at all the +better for any external circumstance; such as images, saints' robes, +churches, external fasts, oral prayers, and other outward works. These are +not efficacious enough to lead the soul into the paths of righteousness +and liberty. All these things a hypocrite may do, without any benefit to +his soul. For there is nothing either in heaven or earth in which the soul +can live, nothing that can bestow upon her righteousness and liberty, +nothing in which she can rest with comfort, and joy, but CHRIST alone, on +whom by faith she comfortably and joyfully depends. This is what our Lord +himself tells us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 14:6. And, +"Come unto me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:28. The +soul that is by faith united unto Christ, stands in need of nothing (John +10:11); for in Christ she possesses all things: food, joy, peace, light, +knowledge, righteousness, truth, wisdom, liberty, comfort, blessedness, +life, answers to prayer, and all things. So that "Christ is all, and in +all" (Col. 3:11), as the Apostle tells us. And whatsoever external +ceremonies we may conform to for the sake of peace, order, and uniformity, +we may be satisfied that "unto the pure, all things are pure." Tit. 1:15. +"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." John +15:3. So that nothing can defile the soul, but unbelief, and its fruits. + +7. The sixth property of faith is, that it renews the whole man. It +kindles in him the fire of divine love, and furnishes him with all +Christian graces and works of mercy; not as if he merited thereby anything +from God, but only as it renders the soul grateful to Him. "Offer unto God +thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High." Ps. 50:14. So that +faith immediately begins a new life in man, and quickens him through the +Word of God: for all the Holy Scripture is contained in faith. As +therefore the Word of God is holy, true, just, living, spiritual, free, +and full of all good; so also it makes all those who receive it in faith, +holy, just, true, the children of God, "thoroughly furnished unto all good +works." 2 Tim. 3:17. + +8. Seventhly, though true and saving faith triumphs over the world and the +devil; yet is it of such a nature, that, in pure love, it makes itself +servant unto all. He who has it, considers seriously with himself, that +Jesus Christ and all the heavenly graces are freely given him by God, so +that he stands in need of no worldly thing in the concern of salvation: +and withal, that "nothing can separate him from the love of God" (Rom. +8:38), and that nothing in this world can hurt him. When a man, endued +with a lively faith, considers all this, he cannot but acknowledge, that +in mere gratitude to God, he is obliged to do for his neighbor, as Christ +hath done for him. He will say, "All my gifts and graces, my wisdom, my +understanding, my riches, my comfort, are all my neighbor's, as freely as +Jesus Christ, by his infinite mercy, has bestowed them on me." + +9. The eighth property of faith is, that it conquers and triumphs over +every cross, yea, glories in the cross. For we find more comforts in +Christ by faith, than we leave in forsaking the world for his sake; more +honor, than the united malice of the world can take from us. In him we +meet with so much love, that we shall not regard the hatred and enmities +of men; such blessings, that all the curses in the world cannot impair +them; so much joy, that all the world cannot make us sad. If it were +possible for us to be slain and murdered ten thousand times over, yet +Christ remains, and will forever continue to be our Lord, and our +everlasting Life, infinitely to be preferred before this short and +fleeting life. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + The Believing Soul Seeks God Internally, In Itself; Its Beauty And + Blessedness When It Is United With God. + + + _I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the + love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in + them._--JOHN 17:26. + + +There are two ways of seeking after God, the one external, and the other +internal. The first is the active way, when man seeks after God; the +second is the passive, when God seeks after man. In the outward way, we +seek God by various exercises of a Christian life; as fasting, prayer, +retirement, meekness, accordingly as we are moved by God, or led by devout +people. In the inward, we enter into the ground of our hearts, attending +upon the revelation of the kingdom of God which is within us. Luke 17:21. +For if the kingdom of God be in us, then God himself is in us, and more +intimately united to the soul than she is to herself: and such a treasure +as this within us, ought carefully to be attended to. The soul that +desires to enter into this inward way, must entirely resign and submit +itself to all the dispensations of Providence, both inward and outward; +must perfectly rest in God, and be content to be, as God shall appoint, +poor or rich, cheerful or sad, peaceful or joyless. For thus the soul is +cleansed from all created images that may crowd into it from without; and +when thus stripped of all rational, sensible, and created things, and +everything which is not God, she comes at last into her own ground and +centre, and there with a pure eye discovers the essential light and +presence of God. But before this treasure can be obtained, everything else +must be forsaken. Blessed and truly happy are they that find it: for being +entirely divested of all worldly affections, they live in a constant union +with God. + +2. And now, if a man could with his bodily eyes take a view of such a soul +as this, he would see the most beautiful creature in the world, shining +forth in all the transcendent beauties of holiness; for such a soul is +united to God, and by consequence is a partaker of His glory, not by +_nature_, but by _grace_. It desires nothing either in time or eternity +but God alone, seeking nothing for its own sake, either spiritually or +naturally. On the other hand, could we but see with our bodily eyes a soul +sunk in the love of itself and the creatures, wholly polluted with the +lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; and all +its corrupt thoughts and imaginations externally figured by visible +characters and impressions; neither earth nor hell could furnish a more +dreadful monster than this. But in the last great day, when the hearts and +consciences of all men shall be laid open (1 Cor. 4:5), and the inward eye +shall be unclosed, so that every one shall have a full view of himself, +then shall such an impure soul see its secret abominations, and find in +itself an eternal source of sorrow, misery, and torment. On the other +hand, the pure and divine soul shall forever contemplate in itself the +presence and kingdom of God, whom it shall forever see as He is, and by +virtue of its union with him, possess and enjoy him as its own forever. He +that rightly considers this union of the soul with God, shall +experimentally understand that expression of St. Paul, that "neither +height nor depth can separate us from the love of God." Rom. 8:39. For if +it were possible that such a soul should be in hell, yet could it not be +separated from the presence and kingdom of God, to which it is most +intimately united. On the other hand, should a damned spirit, or the devil +himself, be admitted into Paradise and heaven, yet could they not be +exempt from the torments of hell, which they continually carry about in +themselves. + + + + +Chapter V. + + + Showing How A Man May Be Drawn To God; Also, Wherein Spiritual Poverty + Consists; And, What The Degrees Of Humility Are. + + + _He that humbleth himself shall be exalted._--LUKE 18:14. + + +Many are the means which men make use of to come to a union with God; such +as reading, and other external exercises of religion. But in truth, next +to that true, living faith which purifies the soul from the love of the +creatures (as has already been shown, and will be further explained below, +chap. ix), there is no better or easier method than that of _true +humility_. This, however, does not consist in words, or in any external +behavior; but is seated in the bottom of the soul, so that the man upon +all accounts, both natural and spiritual, reckons and esteems himself as +nothing; and being thus truly poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3), he values +neither wealth nor honor, body nor soul, peace nor joy, nor anything in +the world, in comparison with his duty and the glory of God. Yea, should +it please God to inflict even the agony of hell upon him, he would +acknowledge that he deserved it; and he would most cheerfully and +contentedly submit, esteeming the will of God as the only measure and +standard of his duty and happiness, and continuing to offer praise. This +is that true poverty of spirit which disposes a man cheerfully to part +with, or submit to, anything, according to the will of God; after the +example of our blessed Saviour, who not only _did_, but also _suffered_ +the will of his Father (Matt. 26:39), and voluntarily chose the accursed +death of the cross, and therefore was highly exalted by God. Phil. 2:9. +Whosoever has this humility, is truly poor in spirit; and though he +possessed the greatest temporal riches, yet would they be no hindrance to +his union with God. This is that "poor man" of whom the Psalmist speaks: +"This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him." Ps. 34:6. And if we could +suppose such a one to be at ever so great a distance from God, yet would +the most merciful Father, out of his abundant mercy and goodness, +infallibly draw him to himself. For the fulness of divine grace chooses to +discover itself in the depth of human misery, and can no more forsake it, +than a tender father could leave his beloved son under the agonies of a +dangerous sickness. Of this we have an instance in the woman of Canaan, +who, looking upon herself as no more worthy than a dog, immediately +obtained help of Jesus. Matt. 15:27, 28. For no man ever yet came to the +fountain of living truth, but by the way of humility and poverty of +spirit, arising from a knowledge of his utter unworthiness. He that +understands this, will never think contempt, reproaches, poverty, or the +cross, either bitter or irksome to him. Yea, rather with the holy +apostles, he rejoices that God has thought him worthy to suffer shame for +His name (Acts 5:41), so that God in his glory may enter into his soul in +his misery. Hence the truest and safest way of coming to a union with God, +is that of deep humility and true poverty of spirit. + +2. There are six steps or degrees of humility, by which we may arrive at +the perfection of spiritual joy and peace. The first step is, that a man +reckon himself as inferior to all men, and have no desire for the honor +and esteem of men. The second is, to despise and judge no man, but have a +constant eye upon himself. The third is, to refuse and avoid honors that +are offered; and if they cannot be avoided, to receive them with regret. +The fourth, to bear reproaches with joy. The fifth, to converse willingly +with men of inferior condition, and be so far from thinking ourselves +better than they, as rather to think ourselves the most miserable of all +men, and the chief of sinners. The sixth is, to submit readily and +cheerfully, not only to our superiors, but even to the least and meanest. +By these steps we ascend to the last and highest of all, where is the +throne of peace. "The way is humble," says Augustine, "but the country to +which it leadeth is on high." King Solomon's throne had six steps +conducting to it (1 Kings 10: 19); on the top Solomon (that is, +_Peaceable_, 1 Chron. 22:9) sat enthroned. So when we have ascended the +six steps, we shall find the heavenly Prince of Peace--true _peace_ of +heart. There is no coming to the exalted felicity of the kingdom of God, +but by the low valley of humility and self-denial. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + + The Seat Of God In The Soul. + + + _Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women_?--CANT. + 6:1. + + +Though our "beloved" is always with us, yet he never discovers himself but +when the heart is quiet and composed, and all the senses are collected in +God. When nothing earthly appears in the understanding, but all its animal +and worldly wisdom is swallowed up in faith; then the divine light arises, +darting light and glory through the benighted soul. This is that darkness +which is the habitation of God; that night, in which the will rests in +union with the will of God; and in which the memory forgets all the +impressions of the creatures. Then, in a moment, the divine light strikes +the understanding, heavenly desires inflame the will, and eternal joys +possess and fill the memory; yet neither the understanding, the will, nor +the memory, can comprehend or retain the transcendent joys with which they +are visited of God. For this perception is not lodged in the faculties of +the soul, but lies hid in the very centre of it. Yea, it may sometimes be +awakened through the Word, and break forth in words, so that we may cry +out with St. Augustine's mother Monica, "Let us fly away, let us fly away +to the eternal joy." + +2. From this fountain spring all the unutterable groanings of holy souls. +This was the sweetness that St. Paul tasted, when he uttered these words, +"I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor any other creature, +shall be able to separate us from the love of God" (Rom. 8:38): meaning +_that_ love of God to us, which he had tasted in his own soul. Thus St. +Augustine witnesses of himself, "that he sometimes felt such exalted joy +in his inward soul, that if it were but lasting, it could be nothing else +but eternal life." This is that divine pleasure which would fill our +souls, and draw them to itself: and by these foretastes we know what +eternal life is; that it is a state in which our souls shall be fully +satisfied with heavenly joy and sweetness. Hence the devout soul says, "I +am sick of love." Cant. 5:8. That is: "This is the height of my wishes, +this is what I long and sigh after: that I may find my beloved, and be +satisfied with his love, and recover my heavenly nobility, which consists +in union with Christ; that I may nevermore delight in any worldly or +transitory things, much less in sins, or sinful pleasures." + +3. This nobility of the soul is but little known to the men of this world, +even those that are accounted wise and learned: and they that have written +volumes about the soul and its faculties, have never come to the +fundamental point. For Christ is the true strength of the soul, its +understanding, will, and memory; that is, light in its understanding; +pleasure in its will; and joy in its memory. So Christ is the true +sanctification, glory, and ornament of the soul; so that a man, for the +love of Christ, which he experiences in himself, does not desire to sin. +Thus we are told, "Whoso abideth in him, sinneth not. Whosoever is born of +God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot +sin." 1 John 3:6, 9. Yea, from this love of Christ arises often joy so +great as to make crosses and afflictions not only tolerable, but even +desirable for Christ's sake (Acts 5:41); so that the cross is turned into +joy, which is continually springing up from its eternal fountain in the +centre of the soul. There God has sanctified a place for himself, and made +it so peculiarly his own, that neither angel, nor man, nor any other +creature, can enter there. Here it is that God delights to dwell, and he +suffers no other being to dwell with him. God's delight is to dwell in a +pure soul. So he tells us, "My delights are with the sons of men." Prov. +8:31. But what this happiness is, or how great this delight is, no man +knows but he who has experienced it; nor can even he explain it fully in +words. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + Of The Dignity Of The Soul; Of True Repentance; And, Of Divine Mercy. + + + _My house is the house of prayer._--LUKE 19:46; MATT. 21:13; ISA. + 56:7. + + +The dignity of the soul consists in this, that it is the habitation and +temple of God, in which he takes more delight than in the whole compass of +heaven and earth. So the believing soul has more of the divine presence +than heaven, than all the temples made with hands, yea, than all the +creatures in the world. For God communicates his whole treasures of love +to such a soul; he rejoices and delights in it; yea, through all creatures +he seeks to make the soul of man happy and glorious. Wherefore, as God +shows so much love, and takes so much pleasure in the soul of man, he may +more properly be said to dwell in it than in any material buildings, yea, +than in heaven itself. Here he displays all the wonders of his providence +and love; yea, for this very end has he created it with nobler faculties +than he has given to the rest of his creatures, that it might be capable +of these exalted communications of the divine grace. And if God should +bestow upon the soul anything less than himself, she would reject it as +being too little. Now St. Paul tells us, "God hath chosen us in Christ +before the foundation of the world." Eph. 1:4. Let this then be our labor, +this our highest endeavor, to be really what we have been from the +beginning of the world. And as the soul ought to be the spouse of the Son +of God, it follows that it is beloved by God above other creatures. It was +this love that brought the blessed Jesus down from heaven to be united to +the beloved soul which the Father had betrothed to him from all eternity, +and to bring it back to the great original from which it at first +proceeded. + +2. Now as God has discovered this transcendent love to the soul, it +follows that the soul ought to rest in God alone, and not to waste its +love on any creature, at which it knows that God will be offended. So +great is the loveliness, so great the beauty that is in God, that if the +soul could take ever so remote, ever so obscure a view of it, she would +not be separated from him to gain the whole world. The soul, then, which +is so beloved of God, should be ashamed to fix its love upon any creature +which is offensive to God. She ought to be heartily ashamed and afflicted +if she has not preferred God before all creatures, proposed his glory in +all things, and loved him above all things; this is the true contrition +which is acceptable to God. The whole creation naturally loves God more +than itself, and spends itself in the execution of his commands; but the +miserable sinner loves himself better than his God. If thy sorrow, +therefore, proceed merely from a sense of thy own loss, and not of thy +sins and offences against God, thy contrition is not true, thy sorrow is +not acceptable before God. Though there were no heaven to reward thee, nor +hell to punish thee, yet thou oughtest to be grieved that thou hast +offended and provoked thy God. For the love of God is very heaven, and his +anger is hell. But if thou hast in thy heart that contrition which is here +described, and true faith in Christ, thy sins shall freely be forgiven +thee. For it is more agreeable to him to forgive sins, than to punish +them: not to mention, that as he is our Father, and we are his children, +he is obliged in justice to show mercy to us. For if he be our Father, it +follows that he has a fatherly affection towards us, which will upon all +occasions rejoice and triumph against the severity of his justice. To this +fatherly affection of God, let us perfectly resign ourselves. Whosoever +rests in this, will be well pleased both with the justice and the mercy of +God. For he that truly loves God, will bear patiently all the +determinations of His will, either towards himself or towards any other +creature. Let his will be thine; remember the saying of one of old: "I +would rather be in hell with God, than in heaven without him." + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + +The Calling Of God Is Earnest And Sincere, And Directs Us To Come To Him. + + + _He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that + he may judge his people._--PS. 50:4. _He hath called us with a holy + calling._--2 TIM. 1:9. + + +God, our heavenly Father, by all the methods and arguments of love, is +continually calling and drawing us to himself. So great is his love +towards us, that it is as if his own essence and blessedness were affected +by our wandering from him. Hence, all his works of creation, both in +heaven and earth, all the wonders of his providence, tend to this one +great end, namely, to recall and bring back fallen man to himself. All his +words and all his actions, call to the soul to return to the love of God +from which it fell, by hearkening to the tempting insinuations of Satan. + +2. God invites us to believe in his Son, and to follow the steps of his +meekness and patience, and by this means, to be reunited to himself, our +chief Good. For as when God called to Elijah, and the fire passed by, and +the strong wind that rent the mountains; yet God was not in them, but came +at last in the still small voice (1 Kings 19:11, 12); so at this day he +descends and manifests himself in humble, quiet, and peaceable souls. And +as Ahasuerus sustained Esther when she fell down at his feet, for fear of +his majesty (Esther 5:2; 8:3, 4); so God comforts and supports the humble +man, who has a true sense of his own nothingness, and trusts not in his +own strength. And were not God to support him with the everlasting arm of +his omnipotence, he would sink under the apprehensions of his own +unworthiness. Such a man is so humbled in his own eyes, that he would seem +to sink below the vilest of all creatures. But no sooner does the mighty +King of heaven cast a look upon such an humble soul, but it is +strengthened and refreshed with the divine consolation. This is the +consequence of true humility, when deeply rooted in the soul; the lower +the soul sinks in its own esteem, the higher it rises in the sight of God. +If to this there be added, external contempt and reproaches, they sink the +soul yet more deeply into self-abasement, and by consequence bring her so +much the nearer to God. This is the soil most fit to produce that peace of +spirit "which passeth all understanding." Phil. 4:7. This is the fruit of +trials, injuries, and afflictions. By these God prepares and purifies thee +for himself, that at length thou mayest return to him, and he return to +thee, and dwell in thee. And this consummation is not to be obtained by +fine words and airy speculations, but by manifold afflictions. It is not +talking or thinking of humility, that makes a man humble; but bearing the +cross with patience; without which thou hast only the appearance, and not +the reality of virtue. Upon this account the man that treats thee with +reproach and contempt, ought to be regarded as in truth thy benefactor. +For these two virtues, meekness and patience, are not to be gained except +by various conflicts and severe trials, which are very great and grievous +to human nature. For how canst thou exercise these virtues, unless in the +time of suffering? Meekness regards the ground of the soul, which is best +tried in the hour of adversity. And patience respects the inner man, who +is to go out with Christ, bearing his reproach. Heb. 13:13. And thus the +man is conformed to the most holy and innocent life of Christ; and Christ, +with his death and passion, lives and governs in him. + +3. There is also another, namely, an _inward_ calling of God: when he +kindles in the devout soul the fire of his love. By this means he conveys +himself to the soul, for he himself is love. For it is as impossible to +possess God without a true perception of his love, as for a man to live +without a soul. For that Christ doth "dwell in our hearts by faith" +(Ephes. 3:17), is only to be discovered by love ruling in us. 1 John 4:16. +And this divine love cannot rest in our hearts, until they are emptied of +the love of the world (1 John 2:15), and entirely and absolutely fixed +upon God. It will be, therefore, a very useful exercise for a man often to +examine his own heart, and see what is uppermost in his affections, God, +or himself, or any creature: whether he loves life or death: what it is +that principally engages his affections, and engrosses his thoughts. If +upon inquiry thou findest thy heart set upon anything but God, that thou +hast any affection that does not ultimately centre and terminate in him, +then God cannot enter into thy soul, though thou shed as many tears as +there are drops in the ocean, and thou must abide forever without him. +Unhappy mortals, what are you doing? Why do you suffer a deceitful world +to impose upon you by the love of the creatures, and insinuate itself into +the centre of your souls, which God requires to be consecrated to his own +use? It was for this end that we came into the world, that by +mortification of our own will, and contempt of the world and creatures, we +should return to God, and be reconciled to him; so that as the body is to +return to the earth again, the spirit should also return to God that gave +it. Eccl. 12:7. If thou returnest not in this life, thou art undone to all +eternity. By that in which thou hast placed thy joy and thy delight here, +shalt thou be judged hereafter. Let then this conviction be deeply fixed +in thy heart: Whensoever thy heart is emptied of the world and the +creatures, it shall forthwith be filled with all the fulness of God; yea, +assure thyself, that were it necessary to leave heaven and earth, God +would certainly do it, in order to take possession of a soul thus emptied +of the world, and prepared to receive him. On the other hand, if thou be +full of the world, God cannot enter. The more delight any man takes in the +creatures, the farther is he removed from God. How lamentable a case this +is, I need not stay to explain. This then is a certain conclusion, that +not through worldly joys and pleasures, but through many tribulations, we +must enter into the kingdom of heaven. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + The Purifying Influence Of True Faith. + + + _God purifies their hearts by faith._--ACTS 15:9. + + +The property of true faith, is to purify the heart from the world, and all +earthly, vain, and perishing desires; in a word, from all things in which +corrupt nature delights itself, whether riches, honors, or pleasures. +Faith fixes its eye upon those things only, that are invisible and +eternal; and when all impediments are removed, a union quickly follows; +and there can be no union of things, except they be alike. God is pure +action, and wheresoever he finds a soul empty of the world, there he +delights to operate, and manifest himself, as the spring of life and +comfort to the afflicted longing soul. Therefore the usual language of +Christ in the Gospel to the sick, whom he healed, was, "Thy faith hath +made thee whole." Matt. 9:22; 15:28. His meaning was not, that this was +the effect of the mere act of faith; but that faith had so cleansed, +purified, and humbled the soul, that it was now fit for the more exalted +manifestations of the divine power and presence. Hence, when our blessed +Lord could find no souls so qualified in Nazareth, he could do no mighty +works there. Mark 6:5. For where the creature is, God cannot enter; one +hinders the other. No man can more heartily desire the assistance of God, +than He desires to communicate it to a devout and well-disposed soul. For +as God fills such a soul with his light, consolation, and gracious +presence; so the longing soul rises as naturally towards God, as the fire +burns. When God has once taken possession of such a habitation, he +operates in it all the wonders of his grace, in which he rejoices as once +he did in our Lord Jesus Christ; because in him he accomplished his own +will, without any impediment. For no work or action can please him, which +does not begin and end in him. And as God delights thus to operate in man, +so he continually waits to see when we are fit to receive him; being more +ready to give, than we are either to ask or to receive. Take heed, +therefore, that thou neglect not the present opportunity. For after this +life is over, we shall all receive according to our works, and according +to the principle of love that ruled in our hearts, whether it be good or +bad, God or the creature. And this is so certain, that should all the +saints of God intercede with tears of blood for any one man, it would be +lost labor. For that which has possessed thy heart, and engrossed thy +affections here, shall be thy lot and portion to eternity. + +2. And as true faith purifies the heart from worldly love; so it does also +from inordinate affections, as anger and impatience; planting meekness and +patience in respect to our neighbor in their stead. For God works nothing +in the souls of believers, but that which is agreeable to his own nature. +Now what is He, but mere love, patience, and gentleness itself, as he has +manifested himself in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ? As then the love of +God overflows towards all men, having mercy upon all; so it produces the +same love in every Christian soul, a love free and universal; making no +difference either of friend or foe, but being equally united to God, and +to the whole race of mankind. Moreover, this love rejoices in all the good +things that God bestows upon man, and is pleased with that variety of +gifts which are bestowed upon the several members of Christ's body; to +each of which it pays a proper and proportionable respect. For as there is +a mutual agreement between the several members of the natural body, in +which the more ignoble parts, as the hands and feet, serve the more noble, +as the head, the eyes, and the heart; so ought there to be the same +agreement between the members of the spiritual body of Christ. Wherefore, +if we meet with any member of Christ, who is more worthy than ourselves, +we ought proportionably to love and esteem him more than ourselves. And +the greater the portion of divine grace and favor which he has received +from Jesus Christ, our supreme Head, is, the greater respect and love we +ought to pay him. For this good is common to all, as being derived from +our universal Head, Christ Jesus. But we cannot enjoy it without charity, +which makes all our neighbor's blessing our own; and whatsoever we love in +God, and for his sake, considered as a universal good, is properly ours. +And as by charity, all our neighbor's blessings are made our own, +therefore, how many, or how great favors soever God bestows upon a good +man, they are no less mine than his, if I love them as the gifts of God, +and for His sake. Yea, if any man receive the blessings of God with fear +and humility, not being exalted with pride and arrogance; and if I can +behold them in him, and love them for God's sake, and as proceeding from +Him, they are as properly mine as his. This is the way by which we become +spiritually rich in God, and are made partakers of all the blessings of +heaven and earth; yea, and of all the happiness that is laid up in store +for the children of God, by the mediation of our spiritual Head, Christ +Jesus. So deep, so close is this union, that I am actually and properly +possessed of all the blessings which our head Christ Jesus has diffused +through all his members, whether men, or angels, in heaven and earth. And +the effect of this inward love is patience, by which a man readily and +willingly takes up his cross, as a preparation for very exalted gifts of +God. For no cross comes without its special grace. This made one of the +holy men of old exclaim: "Hail, bitter cross, full of grace and glory." +And St. Peter says: "This is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward +God endure grief." 1 Pet. 2:19. + +3. And they, who from love to the cross of Christ, willingly bear their +own, are thereby made partakers of an eminent pleasure and of peace of +mind. He, then, that labors under any cross, external or internal, and +yet, although his heart may bleed, without complaining bears it patiently, +for the sake of his suffering Redeemer, may rest assured, that his +sufferings shall end in glory, and his sorrow shall be turned into joy. +The divine consolations are ever at hand to the resigned and patient soul; +which peace is that inestimable pearl, the riches of the inward man, which +no man can explain or comprehend but he that has it. In a word, this is +that "peace which passeth all understanding," of which St. Paul speaks in +Phil. 4:7. + + + + +Chapter X. + + +Showing How The Natural Light In Us Must Disappear, And The Light Of Grace + Shine Forth. + + + _God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath + shined in our hearts._--2 COR. 4:6. + + +Whosoever would have a just notion of the light of nature, and the light +of grace, must nicely distinguish between the faculties of the soul; that +is to say, the reason, the will, and the senses, and the pure essence of +the soul. (See below, Chap. XXI.) The light of nature resides in the +reason, will, and senses. These faculties, as long as they keep the soul +in subjection to them, hinder the divine light of grace from displaying +itself in the pure essence of the soul; so that before this can rise, the +other must set. For the light of grace is above all sense and reason; yea, +is hindered by them. Thou seest, then, how little the natural man can do +in divine things--even nothing at all. + +2. Let us now consider how the light of grace generally arises in the +soul. God has the word of grace, which he has commanded to be preached, +and by which he operates; and this word is spirit and life. John 6:63. And +though God by his power and providence is everywhere present, yet his +proper habitation, in which he peculiarly operates and kindles his divine +light, is the soul of man. So that the divine light in the soul proceeds +not from the senses, nor from reason, nor any natural faculty; but merely +and entirely from the operation of divine grace in the soul. And this is +the eternal fountain of comfort, peace, truth, wisdom, and life, the chief +and everlasting happiness of the soul. Thus the only happiness of the soul +is its union with God, and the operation of his grace: and of this, no +creature that has not the image of God, can partake. For nothing but God's +own image is capable of his light, his grace, and his wisdom. + +3. By this light the soul truly recovers its spiritual strength; that is, +understanding, wisdom, and knowledge in the hidden mysteries of God. +Hereby also is produced in the soul such a high relish of divine love, so +sweet and pleasant, that she has, as it were, an aversion and dislike of +everything that is not divine. Hence arise holy desires after goodness, +flowing from that inward spring in the soul, without the concurrence of +any creature. The creatures indeed can excite in us admiration and joy, +but all by external images and impressions; so that we ought carefully to +distinguish between these different motions. The light of grace affects +the very centre of the soul, beyond the comprehension of sense or reason. +So then, the more thou art purified from, and emptied of, the creatures, +the more frequently and plenteously shalt thou be refreshed with the +visits of divine light and truth. Now from this light arises the knowledge +of truth, from which, so soon as a man turns himself, he falls into error. +For the region of truth is not without the soul, but within it; and from +this light, are darted sometimes such flashes and streams of wisdom as +show a man more in an instant than all the men in the world could teach +him. Yea, the perception of this light but for a moment, will give the +attentive soul more joy, comfort, and happiness than all the creatures in +the world can afford. And this is transacted in the inmost recesses of the +soul. This is the fountain at which the royal prophet David drank, as he +tells us: "Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine +enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my +teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than +the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from +every evil way, that I might keep thy word." Ps. 119:98-101. Thus speaks +David, who, through that whole Psalm, makes it his prayer and request to +God that he would let the divine light shine, and the divine Word speak, +within him; that so, by the fear of God, and the diligent keeping of his +commandments, he might securely preserve this great internal treasure. +Upon which account he says that "the law of God was better unto him than +thousands of gold and silver." Ps. 119:72. In short, the soul that is +sensible of the value and sweetness of this inward and heavenly treasure, +can have no relish or esteem for the pomps and pleasures of this world; +but will say with Solomon, "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity." Eccles. +1:2. + +4. But as this light cannot shine in a wicked soul (for "what communion +hath light with darkness?" 2 Cor. 6:14), and yet is the greatest blessing +of the soul, therefore holy David prays (so ardently (Ps. 119), so +devoutly, yea, he falls into eloquence so copious as to astonish the +reader), that it would please God to protect him from the darkness of sin, +and keep him in his fear. Indeed, so exceedingly plentiful is this light, +so wonderful is its charity, that, like a flash of lightning, it often +strikes the hearts of wicked men, warning them of approaching ruin, and, +as it were, snatching them from the jaws of destruction; which is +undoubtedly the effect of this illumination. And in this sense, "the light +shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not." John 1:5. Now +this divine light is hindered from displaying itself in the bottom of the +soul by the restless activity of the external senses. For as the ear is +perpetually longing to hear, the eye always employed in seeing, and the +heart constantly taken up with external objects, this scatters and +distracts the powers of the soul. Whereas, the light of grace cannot shine +except in the most settled and composed frame of spirit; so that from this +inward principle of light, the senses, the reason, the understanding, the +will, and the memory, might be replenished with light and wisdom. For the +enlightened soul neither sees, nor hears, nor speaks as before. It speaks +no more the superficial language of the natural man, but words full of +spirit and life. And now the enlightened soul begins in spirit to +contemplate the glory of God, sighing after Him, and saying: "O God, who +art most beautiful to my eyes, most sweet to my mouth, most charming to my +ears, most dear to my heart!" The works that such a soul performs, are no +longer her own, but the works of God; and so much the more noble than her +own, as God is more noble than all creatures. Then also she comes to +understand, that blessedness cannot be the reward of her own works, but is +the gift of the grace of God. So likewise she finds more contentment when +she suffers God to act in her, than when she works and labors herself; for +by this means she has joy and comfort in all her actions, as knowing that +they are all wrought in God. John 3:21. + + + + +Chapter XI. + + + God, The Light Of The Soul, Directing Us Not To Judge Our Neighbors. + + + _God is light, and in him is no darkness at all_.--1 JOHN 1:5. + + +God is the supreme, most pure, and beauteous light; flaming with an ardent +desire of enlightening the souls of men, and uniting himself to them, if +not hindered by the darkness which men "love rather than light." John 1:5; +3:19. But the darkness of the soul is the love of itself, and the love of +the world, which obstruct the operations of God in us. Wherefore, if the +soul would be a partaker of this divine light, let her take care not to be +overcome by the love of the creatures, by covetousness, anger, self-love, +ambition, and the lust of the flesh; for all these are the darkness of the +world, in which the god of this world ruleth. 2 Cor. 4:4. A man must then +forsake himself and all creatures, yea, everything that is not God; this +is called the forsaking "all that he hath." Luke 14:33. Such a soul is +fixed entirely upon God, and is enlightened by his truth; and if by the +will of Providence he be required to engage in worldly affairs, he does it +with humility and fear, still keeping the centre of his soul free from the +creature and the world; so that the emanations of divine light are not +obstructed, but flow in perpetual streams from their fountain, which is +God. + +2. This inward light breaks forth into external actions, so that +whatsoever a man says, or does, or suffers, is no longer an act of his +own, but of God, to whom he has surrendered and dedicated himself. For how +can he act, who is merely passive? So then, whatsoever impression or +impulse thou findest in thyself, whether it be a devout desire, a good +intention, an inclination to prayer or thanksgiving, all is from God, and +not from thyself. Submit thyself, therefore, to the mighty hand of God, +and suffer him to accomplish his will in thee; for so whatsoever thou +doest, is in him, and through him, and he worketh in thee. For it is a +necessary condition of all good works that they ultimately regard God, and +be wrought in him. John 3:21. Hence we should live in him, pray in him, +and do everything in him. One such work wrought in God, however +insignificant it may be in the eye of the world, is of more value in the +sight of God, than all the actions wrought in human strength. This is the +spring of true virtue, the essence of which is, that it should begin and +end in God. But in proportion as the love of the world and the creature +prevails in thee, thou art farther removed from God: whilst the nearer God +is to the ground of thy heart, the more deeply and plentifully will he +shine forth, and manifest himself by works of charity and compassion +towards thy neighbor. For our blessed Saviour tells us, "I am the light of +the world." John 8:12. In him, therefore, let us act. Let us cleave to the +love of this our Head, that we may be enlightened in Christ. + +3. For of all our actions those only may be called "light," which proceed +from God and diffuse themselves through the darkness and miseries of our +neighbors, in patience, in meekness, in humility, in consolation, in +compassion, in gentle reproofs, and charitable censures. Whereas from an +arrogant love of censuring others arise self-esteem, a high mind, +contempt, and insolence toward our neighbors. This is the root of +innumerable sins. But as the light of the Holy Spirit cannot enter into +such souls, so where he inhabits, these vices have no place. The man of +God judges not his neighbor, unless compelled by necessity; and even then +he does it with great gentleness, and in the proper time and place; lest +while he attempt to cure one wound, he should make ten, by an unseasonable +and improper application. One thing ought carefully to be observed in +reproving our neighbor, namely, that we should not publish such +uncharitable reflections upon him, as may in any way injure his +reputation, either in his spiritual or temporal concerns; but on the +contrary, every one should keep himself within the bounds of meekness and +charity, lest he endanger his own humility and poverty of spirit. They +that delight in uncharitable censures and railing accusations, are like +the old serpent; their very breath is infected with his poison, whilst, +like him, they delight in being accusers of the brethren. Whilst they know +not themselves, they will dare to censure and judge their neighbors. +Consider, O man, thy perverse heart, and judge thyself, but no one else. +Luke 6:37. The false light of nature misleads thee, and draws thee blindly +into pride, self-love, and rash censures of others. But know that this is +not the light of God, but the very darkness of Satan. + +4. But the true and divine light always discovers itself in modesty and +humility. It hunts not after the empty applause of men, but seeks after +God, from whom it proceeded, and into whom it longs and labors to return. +Such a man thinks himself the weakest, vilest, and most ignorant of all +men; being fully persuaded that whatever good there is in him, it is not +his but God's. Above all things, therefore, endeavor to know thyself, and +trouble not thyself about thy neighbor, particularly his faults; lest in +the bitterness of thine heart thou be tempted to condemn him; for thereby +thou canst do great harm to thine own soul. Turn away, then, thy eyes, for +God's sake, from any vices of thy neighbor, and turn into thyself, and see +whether thou art not, or hast not been as deep in the mire as he. And if +this appear to be the case, consider it in the order of Providence as an +opportunity of reading thy own defects in the life of thy neighbor, and as +a means of bringing thee to the knowledge of thyself, to true repentance +and amendment of life. Then turn thine eyes upon thy neighbor, and pray to +God for him, that He would be pleased, of his fatherly compassion, to +grant unto him also the same knowledge and amendment of life. The man that +is thus disposed, profits by his neighbor's faults, and is preserved from +the sin of rashly judging or condemning him. + + + + +Chapter XII. + + +The Christian Ought Daily, Once At Least, Wholly To Abstract Himself From +All External Objects, And Retire Into His Own Soul; The Advantages Of This + Course. + + + _Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt + bountifully with thee._--PS. 116:7. + + +The soul of man, flowing out into worldly things, and cleaving entirely to +the creatures, is like a wandering sheep. Now, the great Shepherd of souls +tries, by all the methods of his mercy and wisdom, to bring him back to +the fold, by emptying him of the creatures, and filling him with all the +fulness of God. Thus the royal Psalmist concludes the 119th Psalm: "I have +gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant." This expression, how +oddly soever it may sound to carnal ears, discovers, nevertheless, to the +spiritual man, the whole work of illumination and divine wisdom. For as +the soul of man is placed between time and eternity, so soon as ever it +turns to time, it forgets eternity, and withdraws every day further and +further from divine things. But if it returns to eternity, then it forgets +the creatures, recovers its liberty, draws nearer to God, and is +thoroughly drawn unto him. For there is nothing dearer to God, than a soul +abstracted from the creatures, and resigned to him. Then, and not till +then, the soul enjoys true peace, tastes the food of life, and feels in +herself the true fruits of that divine _anointing_, which denominates us +truly Christians (the name "Christ" signifying: "The Anointed One.") + +2. And if these things are so, who can doubt that it is the duty of every +true Christian, if not oftener, yet once a day at least, to taste this +divine food of the soul, which is God himself, that thereby he may be +refreshed with true peace, and be replenished with the fulness of divine +life and grace? Wouldest thou, O man, but thoroughly consider this, thou +wouldest be much more in love with heaven, than with earth! Wert thou but +thus disposed, though the burden of a whole kingdom lay upon thy +shoulders, as it did upon David's, yet it should be no hindrance to thy +holy exercises. For the creatures are not in themselves hurtful, but are +only so to him whose soul is in captivity to them; or, as it is said, "who +sets his heart upon them" (Ps. 62:10), which ought to be entirely +consecrated and devoted to God. Upon this foundation stood the Psalmist, +when he cried out, "Lord, whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is +none upon earth that I desire besides thee." Ps. 73:25. For so great is +the sweetness of divine love, that the soul that has once tasted it, +despises sufferings, and looks upon the love or hatred of this world with +indifference. They that are admitted to these joys, have perpetual peace +in God with all creatures, whether friends or enemies. To these "the yoke +of Christ is easy" (Matt. 11:30); for they are in Christ, and Christ is in +them; and his presence makes their burden light, whilst he bears it in +them, and they bear it in him. Therefore, such a believer says with St. +Paul, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil. +4:13. + +3. From what has been said, it appears plainly, how necessary and +profitable an exercise it is for every Christian, once a day at least, to +retire into his own heart, into God, and into Christ, to draw thence true +peace of soul, and to learn there the true use of temporal blessings. For +God does not forbid us the use of these, provided we walk in humility, and +in his fear, and continue faithful in our attendance upon him. Our misery +requires this of us, which in such a soul God will not suffer to last +long; and so does, lastly, our daily cross, which Christ by this means +makes light and easy to us. Not to say, that thou, O Christian, art +continually admonished by the Spirit of God within thee, to sigh and pray +for the love of God, and of God alone, and to grieve within thyself, when +any worldly impediments draw and separate thee from it. This is the true +and inward calling of the Holy Ghost, this is the well-beloved's knocking +at the door of thy heart (Cant. 1:13; Rev. 3:20), as a living testimony +that our hearts ought to be the chamber of our heavenly bridegroom. + + + + +Chapter XIII. + + +Showing How The Love Of God Enters Into The Soul, When It Is Empty Of The + Love Of The Creatures. + + + _If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in + him._--1 JOHN 2:15. + + +He that desires to become the habitation of God, must first divest himself +of the love of the world, and then exercise himself in the love of God. No +man can receive the one, without quitting the other; or be filled with the +Spirit of God, before he be emptied of the spirit of the world. As the +magnet by a touch draws iron to it; so God first touches, with his divine +love, the soul which he intends to draw and unite to himself. + +2. Now this divine love is so great, that, like the sun, it shines upon +all; yea, it shines more universally than the sun itself, displaying +itself equally upon all men. So that it is not the fault of God, who is +pure light, and pure love, but of men, if they do not perceive or enjoy +it. For when God approaches men with the highest love, and most ardent +affection, he generally finds their hearts full of the love of the world, +and all uncleanness, that is, of covetousness, pride, lust, hatred, envy, +and evil thoughts, which force him to retire and to withdraw his graces +from them. Whence it appears, that since God is ready, like the sun in the +firmament, to communicate the rays of his light freely to every purified +soul, it is not His fault, but theirs, if they are not enlightened by it. +As, therefore, we know these things, let us keep ourselves from the love +of the world, and turn to the living God, watching diligently unto prayer; +let us labor earnestly for the love of God in Christ, by which we are +united to him. Let us knock at the door of his holy wounds, and from +thence expect salvation. If we do this, God will open to us, and give us +admission into that high state of uniting love, in which we shall be +refreshed with all the treasures of God. And who can doubt that the God of +mercy, the fountain of happiness, will fill the heart of man with greater +and more substantial joys, than any which this perishing world can afford? + +3. Whosoever, therefore, loves God, shall be loved by all the saints and +holy angels. If I love God, then I share in the love of all the +inhabitants of the city of God, a love that far surpasses the highest +degree of worldly affection. And as all the heavenly host have the highest +love of God, and rejoice in his honor, so is their joy proportionably +great at every step of our conversion, and their happiness is enhanced by +every advance which we make in the love of God. + +4. Now one evidence of divine love is this, that we use the creatures with +fear and humility. He that is endued with a habit of divine love, whether +he eat or drink, or whatever he doth, doth everything like a dutiful son, +with reverence and fear, having his eye constantly fixed upon the glory of +his Heavenly Father. 1 Cor. 10:31. From this fear of God flow the many +deep sighs and passionate groans of the devout soul, which, by degrees, +raise him from earth to heaven. For he discovers so many corruptions and +impurities in himself, obstructing the light and quenching the flames of +the Holy Spirit, that he is forced to cry out with St. Paul, "O wretched +man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. +7:24. And truly, these sighs and groanings must frequently ascend to the +mercy-seat of God, that by the assistance of divine grace we may bear up, +and not faint under the manifold miseries of this wretched state, and the +pressure of a vile earthly body. Thus did all the holy men of old time +when they labored under the sense of spiritual infirmities: they raised +their broken spirits unto God by devout sighs, penitential tears, and +humble acknowledgments of their misery, which reverted into their own +bosoms with a large increase of grace and spiritual strength. He that does +not sincerely seek after God, but has his soul intent on something else +besides him, shall never find him. On the other hand, he that seeks him +alone, in the integrity of his heart, shall surely find him, and be +admitted to all the blessings and happiness that are to be found in the +presence of God. He that seeks God in truth, finds God, and all things +that are God's; and whosoever seeks for nothing else, and looks for +nothing else but God only, unto him God manifests himself, and confers +upon him all whatsoever is laid up in his divine heart, that the same may +as properly be said to belong to man, as to God. + + + + +Chapter XIV. + + + Of The Exercise Of Patience And Love. + + + _He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter._--ISA. 53:7. + + +Whosoever would rightly prepare his soul for union with Jesus Christ, +must, like him, be clothed with the meekness and patience of the lamb. +Yea, he must have the very same mind that was in Christ, and become a lamb +even as he was. Let this be thy rule and thy guide in all thy actions. He +tells us himself, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of +wolves." Matt. 10:16. This is truly thy case; and whatever way thou +turnest thyself, remember that thou art in the midst of wolves, to whose +violence thou art continually exposed; and against this thou hast no other +remedy but patience, meekness, and submission, according to the example of +the Lamb of God, thy Saviour, Jesus Christ. And as this meekness of the +blessed Jesus was acceptable to his Heavenly Father, so also is thine, +when by patience thou dost triumph over persecution. So that it is thy +business to submit cheerfully to his will, whensoever he shall be pleased +to lay his afflicting hand upon thee, either more immediately from heaven, +or by any suffering which may fall upon thee by means of any creature. It +must all be borne with patience, as coming from the hand of God; and +assure thyself that the faithful Shepherd is at hand to seek and save the +lost sheep, and bring it home "upon his shoulders, rejoicing." Luke 15:5. +Thus the patient soul is, by every impetuous wave of affliction, wafted +nearer to God. But if thy blind carnal reason suggest to thee any excuses +or objections against thy submission, hearken not to them; but fix thine +eyes upon the exemplary patience of thy Redeemer; look steadfastly to thy +crucified Saviour, who did no evil, yet suffered all injuries without +thoughts of revenge. + +2. Endeavor to acquire more and more the meekness of the Lamb, and, above +all things, preserve the love of God, which cannot abide in a wrathful +soul. And here consider well with thyself what that love is. Do not fancy +it to be that inward joy, that unspeakable pleasure, which sometimes +elevates devout souls; that is not the essence of love, but the brightness +of it, differing from its root and cause as much as the light does from +the fire whence it proceeds. But the true essence of love to God is, to be +resigned to the will of God, to depend entirely upon him, and to submit to +every affliction as coming immediately from his hand. Thus did Job, who, +taking the loss of his children, his goods, his health, and his honor, as +coming from the hand of God, still "blessed the name of the Lord." Job +1:21. So, too, David humbly submitted to the curses of Shimei, as being +ordered by the Lord. 2 Sam. 16:10. By this means the essence, the root, +and spring of love, are preserved pure and unshaken; and by love we rest +in God, and rejoice in all his dispensations. So that if it should please +God to sink such a man with Christ to hell, he would not open his mouth, +but rest satisfied with the will of God, in which only he finds happiness +and rest. In this love true peace is to be found, when in God, and for +God's sake, we love everything, crosses and tribulations not excepted. +True love unites us to God, and to all the world: and the happiness of +such a state is inexpressibly great. + + + + +Chapter XV. + + + Showing How Christ, The Eternal Word Of The Father, Perfects His Work In + The Hearts Of The Faithful, By Love And Humility. + + + _Examine yourselves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus + Christ is in you?_--2 COR. 13:5. + + +As the faithful soul is often obliged to bear the temptations and +suggestions of the Evil Spirit; so, on the other hand, it receives the +divine consolations from the mouth of the eternal Word speaking in it. Of +this Tauler speaks: "We know," says he, "that the eternal Word is so very +near the ground of the human soul, that its own nature and being are not +more essential and familiar to it, than that Word is. This eternal Word is +continually speaking in man, though his perverse heart, deluded by the +devil, neither hearkens nor attends to it. For the great adversary makes +him deaf by his wicked insinuations, the love of the world, and carnal +inclinations." For the devil to this day tempts all men, as he did Eve +(Gen. 3:4), by those things which he knows to be most agreeable to our +tempers and inclinations,--by riches, honors, friendships, our own nature, +the love of the creatures, and infinite other ways, in which he influences +and affects our imaginations. For as he is industriously busy about us for +our destruction, so he narrowly observes the particular bias of our +affections, and knows all the secret arts of raising our passions; and +when by thus striking our imaginations, he has discomposed our spirits, we +immediately become deaf to the calls of the Holy Spirit and the Word. +These suggestions of Satan we must oppose; for so far as we attend to +them, we are the nearer to our ruin; but if thou stop thine ears to his +insinuations, and turn thyself unto God in the centre of thy soul, thou +hast already conquered him. And as true friends, united in affection, are +particularly delighted in mutual conversation; so if thou sincerely love +God, thou shalt frequently hear his voice within thee. "If a man love me," +saith Christ, "he will keep my words" (John 14:23): not only those which +he hears in the outward and visible temple and congregation of the +faithful; but those also which are heard in the true temple of the soul, +without which the outward hearing availeth little. And this inward voice +of God thou canst not hear, unless the love of God be in thee. + +2. "The most certain token of love to God," saith St. Gregory, "is this, +that we receive all the adversities which God shall think fit to lay upon +us, without any impatience in thought, word, or actions. If we do this, +without doubt we truly love God; if not, it is certain that we do not love +him sincerely, but prefer ourselves and our own things to him; though +nothing can be properly said to be a man's own but sin; everything else is +God's." Take heed, therefore, that thou prefer not even the gifts of God +before Himself; whom if thou love purely and above all things, then thou +shalt continually hear him speaking peace to thy soul, according to that +saying of our blessed Lord, "He that loveth me, to him will I manifest +myself." John 14:21. This manifestation is made by the opening of the +understanding, by the illumination of the heart, by the spirit of wisdom, +of understanding, of might, and of fear (Isa. 11:2), and especially by the +purifying and enlightening of the inward eyes (Eph. 1:18), to see and know +Jesus Christ. + +3. But as the devil is wont to stop the inward ears of men by his +suggestions; so he also blinds their eyes by self-love, by the love of the +world and the creatures, and by inward and outward pride. For as by true +and genuine love, we hear Christ; so by faith and profound humility, we +must see him; for that only can purify our hearts from vain pride. For it +is not without reason that our blessed Lord tells us, "Blessed are the +pure in heart; for they shall see God." Matt. 5:8. And for this cause it +is that God sends us so many crosses and afflictions, that we may thereby +be brought into the depths of profound humility, which is an exercise more +profitable to us than all the delights and glories of this world. And now, +though heaven, and earth, and hell itself, should unite their forces +against thee, yet bear up with constancy and patience, remembering that +all shall work together for thy good; as it serves to produce in thee true +humility, by which thou shalt see Christ. Look at him, O man, and consider +how he that is God (John 1:1; Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5), most high and +omnipotent, by whom were made the heavens and the earth, and who could +easily again have reduced all things into nothing; yet for the sake of +this wretched creature man, submitted himself to the most bitter +sufferings. Phil. 2:5-8. Be thou, therefore, O sinful and wretched +creature, ashamed of that pride, vainglory, and self-love, which have +taken possession of thy heart. Learn to submit thyself to every cross that +shall be laid upon thee, of what sort soever it be, whether inward or +outward; and so subject thy proud, swelling spirit to the thorny crown of +Christ, that thou mayest imitate thy humble and crucified Lord by a true +contempt of thyself; making this the great end and design of all thy +actions, to be conformed to the meek and suffering life of the blessed +Jesus, that so thou mayest come to an experimental knowledge of him. For +what avail a few cold, formal reflections upon the sufferings of our Lord, +whilst we are destitute of that meek and patient spirit with which he bore +them? Of what benefit is it to entertain our fancies with a few dead +speculations about his passion, whilst our hearts are full of pride, +ambition, and worldly love? This, surely, is not the way to the true +vision and experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus +operates most deeply in the valley of humility. And in this consists the +essence of humility, that a man look upon himself and all that he ever +has, or ever can do, as nothing. For if there be any good in thee, it is +not of thyself; it is the gift of God. + +4. And this humility thou must practise, if ever thou expect to see +Christ. For the hidden mysteries and wisdom of God are revealed to the +meek and humble, but are hidden from the wise men of this world. Ps. 51:6; +Matt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 1:20, 26. For in this humility alone consist the +knowledge and understanding of pure and divine truth, in which is the +essence of eternal blessedness. In this the greatness of the divine +majesty manifests itself, which the more clearly we discern, the deeper +root humility takes in our souls. And the most certain sign of divine +illumination is, that a man grow daily more and more humble, and be less +fond of himself. For self-love and pride are the fountains of all the +darkness, error, and iniquity that are in us. On the other hand, they that +are truly enlightened by God, glory in contempt and sufferings, and +rejoice to imitate their suffering Redeemer. This is the groundwork and +spirit of Psalm 119. The royal prophet well knew that without such a +thirst after godliness, no divine light and wisdom would enter the soul, +and no divine answer be given to it. And this is the real purport of that +long Psalm. + +5. In a word, this humble and resigned state of soul, is that in which God +particularly delights to operate. And he that has this, carries in his +soul the comfortable presence, and in his body the suffering marks of the +Lord Jesus; and considering himself as unworthy of the least of God's +mercies, he uses them all with reverence and fear, having his eye, like a +good servant, fixed on his Master; and therefore he is honored with His +more immediate conversation, and grace. + + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + Showing How The Holy Spirit Operates In Our Souls. + + + _I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the + dry ground._--ISA. 44:3. + + +If after a drought and dearth of three years and a half (such as happened +in the time of Elijah, 1 Kings 17:1; 18:45), it should please God to send +rain upon all the earth, one man's field only excepted; he would truly +have reason to think that God was angry with him, and that his case was +most deplorably miserable. But how much more miserable and unhappy is he, +who, though hungering and thirsting, like a parched ground, after faith, +charity, and all Christian graces, yet cannot receive one drop of +spiritual consolation in the inward ground of his soul! + +2. But if this ever happen, it is not God's fault, for he is ready "to +pour out his Spirit upon all flesh" (Joel 2:28), but man's, who prepareth +not his heart to receive it. The best preparation to receive this holy +guest, is to turn our hearts by faith and prayer from the world unto God, +as the Apostles did at Pentecost (Acts 2:4); and whensoever God shall find +us thus prepared, he will forthwith visit us with all the fulness of +spiritual blessings. On the other hand, if the heart be full of the world, +there will be no room for the Spirit of God to enter; for where the one +is, the other cannot be. As in nature there is no vacuum, so it is in the +spiritual world. Let this then be thy care, and this thy chief concern, +not to fix thy heart upon any creature, either inwardly or outwardly, not +on the love of thyself, nor upon thine own will, but upon God alone; +assuring thyself, that this is the most noble and useful exercise for +thee. As the finest work of the most skilful workman may be broken and +destroyed by a heedless child; so it often happens with the works and +gifts of God, which men destroy by their rash and unadvised management. +Thus they break and deface the most noble designs and operations of the +Spirit of God within them; they attribute that to themselves which is the +work of God, and patch their own vile rags upon the fine linen of Christ's +righteousness. For it is most certain that we are "unprofitable servants" +(Luke 17:10), and by consequence can do nothing but what is unprofitable. +And, in the same degree, as God is more noble than man, so the works of +the Divine Spirit are more noble and precious than those of the human +spirit. Hence it follows, that if thou wouldest have God to operate more +eminently in thee, thou must surrender all the passions, affections, and +powers of thy soul, to be possessed, governed, and directed by Him. For +unless the creature be entirely still, thou canst not hear the voice of +God. Think not then that every inward motion which thou perceivest, is the +work of God; whereas some are merely the product of thy own flesh and +blood. Take heed therefore to thyself, and learn to distinguish well, lest +thou ascribe to God the very operations of the devil. + +3. But in order to the more perfect operation of the Holy Ghost in thee, +there are two rules proper to be observed: first, that thou turn away +thine heart from the world, the creatures, thyself, and thine own will and +affections, that so this Holy Spirit may have room to act freely; +secondly, to receive all crosses and afflictions as coming from the hand +of God, without any respect or reference to the creatures, and to embrace +them as preparations for receiving more plentiful communications of divine +grace and blessing. Suppose, for instance, thou wert engaged in some good +work or act of devotion, and some intimate friend should break in upon +thee with abusive and reproachful language; if thou couldest bear this +with silence and patience, thou mightest be assured that that was the work +of the Holy Spirit, in order to prepare thee for greater blessings. But if +wicked thoughts be suggested to thee, by the devil, yet satisfy thyself +that they do thee no harm, because they are involuntary. Lastly, if thou +art engaged in any worldly calling or profession, see that thou perform +thy duty in it with thine eye fixed upon the glory of God, and the good of +thy neighbor. By this means all thy works shall be wrought in God, and his +Spirit. + + + + +Chapter XVII. + + + Signs Of The Presence Of The Holy Spirit In Us. + + + _The Comforter will reprove the world._--JOHN 16:8. + + +When the Holy Spirit enters into our soul; that is to say, manifests his +presence by his operations, in the first place, he forthwith reproves in +us everything that is not divine, such as the lust of the flesh, and the +lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16), giving us a sort of +loathing and abhorrence of them. Whosoever, therefore, lives a carnal +life, without such inward admonition of the Holy Spirit, may assure +himself that that Spirit is not in him; inasmuch as it is peculiarly his +office and character, at all times, to persuade, draw, and invite every +one that will give him room to act freely, to the duties of a Christian +life. Thus the Holy Spirit reproves sin. But everything is sin, that +opposes our obedience to the will of God. And every such act of +disobedience, or inclination to it, the Holy Spirit reproves wherever he +enters. + +2. Hence, in the second place, arise spiritual sadness, grief, and inward +terrors of mind. Of this the children of this world have little +experience, though it is one of the surest signs of the presence of the +Holy Spirit in the soul. But they that are utter strangers to this godly +sorrow, who run on with delight and satisfaction in the way of the world, +upon whom all things smile, and who find here their enjoyment, and never +meet with any cross; these men, I say, are in a very dangerous state, and, +being destitute of God's Spirit, are without God in the world. On the +contrary, they that are afflicted of God, and are reproved in their +consciences by the Spirit of God for every act of disobedience to his +will; and are led in the way of the cross, being brought under the +discipline and correction of wisdom, are those in whom the Spirit of God +prepareth himself an habitation. And this is the second sign of the +presence in us, of the Holy Spirit. + +3. The third sign is, that the Divine Spirit takes away from us all the +glory of our own merit and righteousness, so that before the righteousness +of God it falls as a flower of the field, and withers as grass, when the +spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. Isa. 40:6, 7. For the Spirit of Christ +shows us that we have no other solid and stable foundation upon which to +rest, but the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ. "Woe to our own +righteousness," saith St. Augustine, "if it were to be tried and judged +without mercy by God." For this reason Isaiah compares it to "filthy +rags." Isa. 64:6. + +4. The fourth token of the presence of God's Spirit, is when a man looks +upon his neighbor's faults with compassion, not rudely censuring or +condemning him. For a haughty desire to judge others is diabolical, +proceeding from nothing but pride, contempt of our neighbor, and +admiration of ourselves. And where these reign the Holy Spirit cannot +abide; but wheresoever He is, there a man is careful--1. Not to reprove his +neighbor but upon urgent necessity. 2. To do it in the proper time and +place, after the example of our blessed Lord. 3. Not to do it in severe +terms, but with meekness and humanity. 4. Not to despise his neighbor, nor +expose him to the scorn and contempt of others, but to do all from a pure +principle of charity. Let these things sink deeply into thy heart, that +thou mayest abide in humility, and in the grace of the Holy Spirit, and +that he may dwell in thee. + + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + + Showing How Worldly Pleasures Drive Away The Holy Spirit. + + + _Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul._--1 PETER + 2:11. + + +The children of this world earnestly follow the joys and pleasures of it, +which the children of God avoid with all diligence, as so many snares and +temptations of the devil, designed to draw them from God, their sovereign +Good. If thou, O Christian, resolve to preserve this most valuable +treasure, be careful to avoid all occasions of losing it. Of this sort are +all so-called sports, pastimes, and recreations, or those actions which do +not in some way tend to the glory of God, and the good of our neighbor. +And though thou art sometimes forced to be present at them, yet be then +careful to turn thy thoughts inward, by an elevation of thy heart to God; +and so thou shalt never lose the comfort and peace of the divine presence +wheresoever thou art. And whilst thou art faithful in this exercise, the +world and all its vanities shall not hurt thee. This was queen Esther's +case, who, though outwardly clothed with royal ornaments, yet was inwardly +clothed with profound humility. Thus David, in the midst of his glory and +riches, had nevertheless, humble thoughts of himself. 2 Sam. 6:22. And +Joseph, in his master's house, which was full of luxury, yet preserved a +chaste heart. Gen. 39:9. And this is that true fear of God which keeps his +faithful servants from the world and all its vanities, that they lose not +their inward joy and peace of conscience. This "fear of the Lord is the +beginning of wisdom." Ps. 111:10. He that is endued with it will not turn +himself to the world, but from the world to God, seeking contentment, joy, +and peace in Him. This, in short, is the fruit of true contrition; to turn +us away from all things which are not God, or do not tend to him; and to +turn us to that chief and true Good, which is God. If we are inwardly +conscious that we have hitherto neglected this useful exercise, and have +been immersed in the vanities of the world, let the remainder of our lives +be spent in bewailing and lamenting our past transgressions, and in +forsaking and guarding against every approach towards them. If we do this, +God will not remember how great sinners we have been, but will rejoice at +our repentance, not regarding our former iniquities, but our present faith +and earnest desires of serving God more faithfully than hitherto we have +done. But though God so earnestly desires our salvation, yet too many, by +turning from him to the world, resist his grace and force him out of their +hearts, notwithstanding all his gracious endeavors to continue there. + +2. Therefore it is necessary that every man should die to the world, that +would live to God; whence it appears that the major part of mankind are at +enmity with God. Alas! how many mortifications of the flesh must we +undergo before our corrupt nature, both externally and internally, is +perfectly slain in us, and the life of God succeed in its place. Now +crosses and trials are as so many remedies applied to our corruption, in +order to drive out of us the poison of sin, and restore us to the life of +God. Whence it appears, that the benefit of afflictions is very great, and +that we ought to meet them with contentment and joy, as the means of +purifying our corrupt nature, and bringing us to a participation of the +divine nature. This it is which brings us to the noblest exercise of +Christian duty, namely, dying to the world, in prosperity and adversity, +in silence and hope, secretly and inwardly, without the least murmur or +complaint. They who fret, repine, or complain, discover plainly that they +are unwilling to die to the world, and that they have but little of the +divine light in their souls. God cannot live in the soul which is not dead +to the world; for the more we live after the lusts of corrupt nature, the +less we live unto God and his holy will. On the other hand, the less we +live to the flesh, so much the more we live unto God. Let this, then, be +our certain rule, that he that would live to the Spirit, must die to the +flesh. Rom. 8:13. + + + + +Chapter XIX. + + + Of Inward Prayer, And Of The True Use Of The Lord's Prayer. + + + _Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, + Father._--ROM. 8:15. + + +As God operates eminently in humble souls; so the Holy Spirit particularly +works in them the gift of filial prayer. Without the Spirit of God there +is no true prayer; for he it is that cries and groans in the soul, being, +as it were, its life. Rom. 8:26; Gal. 4:6. For as the soul is the life of +our body, so is the Spirit of God the life of the soul, being the source +of all its spiritual life and strength. This Holy Spirit is also the +witness of our adoption and regeneration; and he who knows how to use +these as he ought, relying, by faith in Christ and love of the Holy +Spirit, upon the eternal love of his heavenly Father, will ask for, and +receive great and heavenly gifts. For so great is the love, so abundant +the goodness of God, that he can deny nothing to his children, who ask in +faith. But as even faith and prayer are the work and gift of God, so we +must daily apply ourselves to Him for the same. Hence arises the true +internal prayer of the heart, from a true conversion and inclination of +our souls and affections to God. This inward prayer pierces the heavens, +whilst a man walking in the steps of his Saviour, freely and cheerfully +takes up his cross and follows him; not like Simon the Cyrenian, who bore, +indeed, the cross, but it was because he was compelled to do it. Matt. +27:32. So great is the love of God, that he does not stay for our prayers; +but comes forth freely to meet us, and courts our friendship, entreating +us to ask pardon for our sins, and to practise the same love towards our +neighbors which he shows towards us. Happy is he, who truly knows, +understands, and meditates on this boundless love of God in Jesus Christ. +Such a man prays more effectually in his heart, than if he used the most +perfect form of words. One single meditation or devout sigh offered up to +God by Jesus Christ, in faith, love, and devotion, is more acceptable to +God, than all the parade of external worship. + +2. The whole life of a Christian ought to be spent in the exercise of +love, and in the imitation of his crucified Lord. He properly is a +Christian, who does all things from a principle of divine charity, and is +transformed by it into the nature of Christ. And can God deny anything to +so dutiful, loving, and obedient a child when he prays? No, surely. But +that we might know how and for what we ought to ask, Christ has taught us +the _Lord's Prayer_, a prayer full of petitions for the most exalted +blessings. Can there be a greater good than the kingdom of God? For he +himself is his own kingdom, extending to all rational creatures. So that +when we pray, "Thy kingdom come," we pray that God would please to bestow +Himself upon us, with all the riches and blessings of his presence. In +this kingdom, therefore, God is our Father, manifesting his paternal love +and faithfulness to his children, by erecting his kingdom in us, that +therein he may perfect his most noble work in us, expressed in this +petition, "Hallowed be thy name;" which is done when the dignity and +excellency of the divine name and nature are more deeply discovered in the +soul. + +3. In this kingdom, which is within us, he works his own will, without any +impediment. And so his "will is done in earth," namely, in us, "as it is +in heaven," that is, in God himself. Hence we understand, that what God +desires to bestow, and has commanded us to pray for, is nothing less than +Himself. This was the promise that he made to Abraham, "I am thy shield, +and thy exceeding great reward." Gen. 15:1. Moreover, our Heavenly Father +gives us "our daily bread;" that is, he appropriates all his creatures to +our use, testifying thereby the greatness of his love towards us. For the +heart that is truly devoted to God, and in which he freely executes his +own will, is capable of receiving the fulness of his grace and blessings. +So great are the goodness, love, and mercy of God, that he can deny us +nothing that is necessary either for the body or the soul; and he best +knows our necessities. For this end he is daily setting our sins and +miseries before our eyes, teaching us to abase ourselves before him, and +to pray: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass +against us." For so compassionate is God, that he freely offers us +forgiveness of sins, and teaches us how to ask it from the heart; that +thereby we may be assured, that he is more ready to forgive, than we are +to ask it; and that we may thence learn to exercise the same kindness +towards our neighbor, that He exercises towards us. For they that are +truly the children of God, exclude no man from their charity, or from the +love of God. They have nothing more at heart, than the glory of God, the +increase of his kingdom, and the salvation of all men. By this +acknowledgment of sin, and petition for pardon, the Christian is taught, +that in his natural state he is without God and his kingdom; void of +comfort, poor and miserable. And, therefore, he is taught to pray, "Lead +us not into temptation," by which the devil endeavors to draw us from the +will and kingdom of God; but that he would "deliver us from evil," that +is, from our own evil will and corrupt nature, which hinder the +accomplishment of God's will, and the erecting of his kingdom in us, and +deprive him of the honor due unto his name. "For thine is the kingdom, the +power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen." Whilst we receive these as +coming from him alone, they still continue to be his. But if we do not +ascribe them to Him alone, we exclude ourselves from his kingdom, his +power, and his glory, not worthily sanctifying his name, nor obeying his +will. And hence it follows, that we also are out of his kingdom, and so +have no title to remission of sins and deliverance from evil. + + + + +Chapter XX. + + +Showing That Humility Must First Be Laid As A Foundation In The Heart, And + All Our Works Must Rest On It; Its Blessed Influences. + + + _Be clothed with humility._--1 PETER 5:5. + + +If thou wouldst build for eternity, let thy foundation be humility; for no +man can of himself do anything. Wherefore, in all thine undertakings, +humble thyself before God, the overflowing fountain of grace and mercy, +and pray devoutly for his direction and assistance, that all thy labors +may be entirely directed to the praise, and honor, and glory of God; and +remember this, that whatsoever thou doest without the grace of God, can +tend to nothing but sin and destruction. He that carefully attends to +this, submitting himself entirely to the divine will, silently and humbly +deploring his own weakness and vileness, and by ardent love devoting +himself to God, shall experience in all the powers of his soul the +wonderful works of God; while, on the contrary, pride is that vice which +makes all our works vile and abominable in the sight of God. + +2. And alas! why are dust and ashes proud? If we look into our original, +we were created out of nothing; of ourselves we are nothing, more fleeting +than a vain shadow; so corrupt that nothing but the grace of God restrains +us from falling into the grossest sins, and sinking into the lowest pit of +destruction. We are perpetually exposed to the assaults of the devil, +against whom we have no security but in humility. For this evil spirit, +puffed up with pride, has all imaginable advantages over the proud man; +but flies from the meek and humble. Pride has its root in Satan; but so +long as thou canst preserve thy humility, turning thyself to God from all +thine iniquities, so long he can have no power over thee. How lamentable a +thing is it then, to see a Christian, furnished with the Word and Spirit +of God, so tamely give himself up to the devil. Such a one is like a +cowardly soldier, who, though armed from head to foot, should suffer +himself to be stung to death by a wasp. So powerful is the grace of God in +humble souls, that if they will be true to themselves the devil can have +no power over them. And if thou suffer thyself to be thus shamefully +foiled, notwithstanding all the assistance offered to thee, what canst +thou expect at the last day but the insults of those very evil spirits to +whom thou hast given so cheap a victory. Consider well, therefore, what a +grace and blessing humility is. + +3. There is, moreover, in humble souls, a perpetual hungering and +thirsting after the grace of God, which God never fails to reward by the +fulness of his blessings, that is, of Himself: for he alone can satisfy +the cravings of a thirsty soul. And on this humility is founded true +repentance; for when a man sees the vast impurity, the secret malice, the +deep corruption of his sinful heart, and bewails all this with sincere +sorrow, he gladly lays hold of the free grace of Christ by faith, and +entirely resigns and devotes himself to the will of God. Such a man's sins +God freely pardons, and, as it were, blots them out at once. For when a +man turns himself from his sins unto God, God immediately turns unto him +and remembers his transgressions no more. + +4. Another property of humility is, that it cheerfully receives every +cross sent from God as a preparation for greater gifts; it regards not the +immediate agents by which the man is afflicted, but looks up to God from +whom afflictions come. The humble man rejoices in the cross, saying: +"Hail, blessed cross, unexpected indeed, but not unwelcome. I know that it +is the will of God by thee to sanctify and consecrate me to Himself." And, +lastly, humility keeps a man in peace of mind, as well in adversity as in +prosperity, as well under the want, as in the abundance of the gifts and +blessings of God. So that the truly humble man is always easy, whether it +please God to give or take away, and nothing can happen to him, to exalt +or deject him above measure. In him the wonders of divine grace manifest +themselves. And whereas he before lived and acted by his own strength, he +is now supported by God, and in and through Him produces fruit abundantly. + + + + +Chapter XXI. + + + Showing That A Man Ought To Rest In God Alone, And Not In His Gifts; And + That He Must Deny Himself. + + + _Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous._--PS. 32:11. + + +The genuine love of God proposes God alone for its end. It delights not in +the creatures, but in that supreme, eternal, and uncreated Good, whence +they proceeded; and this not only outwardly, but even in the very bottom +of the soul. For the soul, besides its natural powers, by which it gives +life and motion to the body, has a deep and central essence, having no +relation to the creature. This is the seat and city of God, abstracted +from all external and earthly things; here the Holy Spirit pours out his +gifts through all the faculties of the soul, in the different +manifestations of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. But when corrupt +nature begins to delight itself inordinately with these visitations, +loving the gifts more than the Giver, it immediately pollutes them by +corrupt mixtures of self-love. All the love and joy which result thence, +are blind, vicious, and deceitful. For as the gifts of God are not God +himself, so we must not place the same love upon both. Most men rest in +the gifts of God, and upon the least perception of divine light in the +understanding, or warmth in the affections, imagine themselves at the +summit of perfection; not considering that they are yet far short of it. +Man was made for greater things, even to receive God into the soul; and +God is displeased if we stop short of this. There is nothing he so much +desires as to bestow himself upon us, and that after the most exalted and +glorious way; and certainly the least we can do in return is thankfully to +accept this divine love, and to delight in God alone. + +2. But so corrupt is human nature, and so addicted to self-love, that it +catches greedily at everything that may gratify its passions, placing its +happiness in those delights, which, like Jonah's gourd, perish in the +enjoyment. This satisfaction, though in the gifts of God, defiles them, +and hinders His operations in us. So great, and so deep, is the corruption +of our nature, introduced by Original Sin, that scarce one in a thousand +can know his secret faults. Ps. 19:12. Hence proceeds that inordinate love +which men have for themselves more than for God. This abyss of corruption, +the most learned men could never fully fathom nor explain: and yet much +more difficult is it to root it out of human nature. This rooting it out +is the denying of ourselves, required by our blessed Lord, if we will be +his disciples. Matt. 16:24. And yet it is much easier to forsake all +earthly things, gold, silver, houses, and estates, than to forsake one's +self: so deeply is this poison rooted in our nature! But as this +self-denial is absolutely necessary, so God disposes and prepares us for +it by various tribulations. This is the only end of all the crosses and +afflictions, inward or outward, spiritual or bodily, with which he is +pleased to visit us; namely, to bring us to the practice of self-denial. + + + + +Chapter XXII. + + + Showing How Our Works May Be Rendered Acceptable To God. + + + _Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires + of thine heart._--PS. 37:4. + + +As man in his natural state is obnoxious to the wrath of God (Eph. 2:3), +it follows, that all his natural works, how great and good soever they may +appear in the eye of the world, are subject to it likewise. For, without +the grace of God, we can do nothing that is acceptable in his sight; but +if a man be in a state of grace, then all his works are acceptable to God; +because it is the grace of God which works them in him. + +2. Whence it appears, that all manner of gifts whatsoever, as St. Paul +assures us, are to be ascribed to the grace of God, not to ourselves (1 +Cor. 15:10), and that by our own works we can never be justified or saved. +For though a man should suffer all the pains of martyrdom; though he +should perform all the good actions that were ever done by all the saints +from the beginning of the world, or that ever shall be done; though he +should feed upon nothing but thorns, and suffer death, not once, but every +day; yet could he not thereby, of himself, be able to procure the least +grace. Depend not then upon thine own works, but upon the infinite mercies +of God in Jesus Christ, with a resigned and humble spirit: and then be +confident, that the same Jesus will, of his free love and mercy, give thee +whatever he shall see expedient for thee. This is the meaning of the +saying of our Lord, "When ye shall have done all those things which are +commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants." Luke 17:10. O merciful +God! how poor, how worthless in thy sight is our righteousness; it is no +better than "filthy rags." Isa. 64:6. For all the works of good men would +be of no value for our justification. Enter then into thy purchased +inheritance by the surest gate, even the meritorious work of thy blessed +Saviour. Offer up to God his passion, for the punishments which thou hast +deserved; his holy thoughts, for thy polluted imaginations; his many +divine words, for thy vain speeches; in a word, all his works, his +poverty, his patience, his meekness and charity, for all thy defects and +omissions. Keep thine eyes fixed on the blessed Jesus, and thou shalt +obtain grace and favor with God. With the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:20), +return to thy offended Father, and he will receive and embrace thee. His +mercies are unchangeably the same, ready to be communicated to every +sincere penitent. This he freely offers to all, and nothing is more +agreeable to him, than to show mercy to him that asks it in faith. For +"his hand is not shortened, that it cannot save." Isa. 59:1. And the more +wretched and miserable thou appearest in his sight, the more welcome shalt +thou be to Him, who is desirous to enrich thee out of his own treasures. +The sins of the whole world, bear no more proportion to his infinite +mercies, than a single drop of water does to the vast ocean. But as soon +as thou art in a state of grace, all thy works wrought hence in thee, +shall be made acceptable to God, through his only begotten Son, by whom +alone we have access to his mercies. In this faith, in this union with the +Son of God, thou shalt live. He is that living fountain that purifies all +our uncleanness, and makes all our works acceptable in his sight. Zech. +13:1. + +3. But still take heed to thyself, and remember that thou rest not even in +thy spiritual privileges, which, as a child of God, are bestowed upon +thee, but in God alone, the author and giver of them. Hence we are +commanded, "to delight in the Lord" (Ps. 37:4); not in his gifts, but in +his glory; that his will may be perfected in us. We must then refer all +our gifts and graces to their munificent donor, even God. In order to use +them aright, let this rule be deeply fixed in our minds. If thou hadst all +the gifts and graces which God has bestowed, either in heaven, or on +earth, with the good works of all the saints that have ever lived; as soon +as thou beginnest to take an inordinate pleasure in them, and to delight +in them as a property of thine own, they are immediately defiled with the +stain and guilt of idolatry. For there is nothing either in heaven or +earth, in which we ought to rest, but God alone. And when we do this, then +God himself is our joy, our delight, our rest, our fulness, our treasure, +and our refuge; and in this consists the fulness of blessing; we then +become proper vessels of divine grace. For in proud spirits, which are the +organs of the devil, God cannot operate; but "he giveth grace to the +humble," as St. Peter tells us (1 Pet. 5:5), and filleth their souls with +his treasures. Inward pride is the fruitful root of all vices. By this the +devil keeps his strongholds in the soul, which God alone has a right to +inhabit. The vine, as to its outward form, seems to be but a useless +plant, fit for nothing but the fire; and yet, under that mean outside, +conceals veins of most generous juice. So it is with all those godly +persons, through whom the Spirit of God operates: they appear in the sight +of men as vile and contemptible persons; their appearance is humble, and +void of external grandeur; but within, they are full of invaluable +treasures, even living streams of blessing flowing incessantly from the +throne and presence of God. But they who are puffed up with their gifts, +who make a show of their alms, who build altars in churches at their own +cost, adorning them with their own names, arms, and titles of honor; +these, by displaying so industriously their good deeds to the world, have +indeed received their reward. In the same unhappy state also are they, +whose mouths are full of their own wants and unworthiness, continually +desiring others to pray for them; not considering that other alms, +proceeding from an humble, sincere, and devout heart, are a more effectual +prayer to God, than are all the intercessions of persons who know that +these alms are given only for display. + +4. If, then, thou wouldest have thy works to be sincere and acceptable +before God, observe carefully these four general rules: 1. Think humbly of +all thine actions, not respecting thyself, but God alone. 2. Let this +humility be deeply rooted in thy soul, humbling thyself not only under the +hand of God, but under every man, whether small or great, from a hearty +sense of thine own unworthiness. 3. Look upon all that thou doest as +unprofitable and worthless. 4. Have a profound dread of the secret +judgment of God, not, indeed, as proceeding from any doubts about the +mercies of God; but, regarding him as thy best friend, be careful to avoid +everything that may disoblige or offend him. He that despises these four +rules, renders even his best actions impure in the sight of God. But he +that carefully attends to them as the rules of action, shall be like a +green olive tree in the house of his God, bearing good fruit abundantly. +Ps. 52:8. + +5. And we must observe that even the most inconsiderable thing thou doest, +if it promote the good of thy neighbor, is acceptable to God; whilst he +that employs not his talent to that end, shall have a serious account to +give at the last day. This is the only use and end of God's gifts, that we +should readily and industriously employ them for the benefit of others. +Every action, art, employment, and profession, were given by God for this +only end. And these are the works which, as our Lord tells us, "are +wrought in God" (John 3:21); that is, in faith and charity, directed +solely to the glory of God and the benefit of our neighbor, without any +prospect of honor or advantage to ourselves, of which every man's own +conscience is the proper judge. Consider then carefully with thyself the +spring and motives of all thy actions, remembering that if thou neglect or +refuse to employ the blessings of God for thy neighbor's benefit, thou +must have the same punishment with the slothful servant, who was deprived +of his talent which he had hid in the ground, and not employed, and saw it +given to another that better knew how to use it. Matt. 25:26. Thus thou +losest both the gift and the grace. No less foolish are they who pretend +to things above their strength, who talk eloquently and fluently of what +they neither practise nor understand. Though these should confidently +pretend to speak by the authority of the blessed Trinity, yet is all this +nothing but empty boasting, unless they demonstrate that they +experimentally know what they so magisterially inculcate. + +6. Remember also, that no actions, how great and glorious soever in +appearance, which proceed only from ostentation and vainglory, can be well +pleasing to God. For as is the principle of our actions, such are also the +actions proceeding from it. Whence it follows, that such as regard +themselves only, are no better than impostors and hypocrites. Their best +works are no better than painted sepulchres, which appear beautiful +without, but within are full of nothing but corruption. There is in them +no pure love of God, no desire to promote his glory; but only a certain +carnal self-love and an insatiable thirst of vainglory. + +7. The sum of all is this, that all our works, how specious soever they +may appear, if they be directed to any other end but God, are nothing but +vanity and idolatry. For he is truly an idolater, who proposes to himself +any other end or aim but God. Wherefore, if thou hast any gifts, use them, +but take heed that thy heart rest not in them; if it so rest, thou art +guilty of idolatry. + + + + +Chapter XXIII. + + + Of The Mystery Of The Cross, By Which We Are Drawn To God. + + + _He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not + worthy of me._--MATT. 10:38. + + +Let all that desire to be the true disciples and followers of Jesus +Christ, bear their cross in this world, be it what it may; for if thou +flee from one, another will meet thee; and do what thou wilt, thou must +bear it. But under every cross the hand of God is with us, to lighten it +and make it easy, and by his assistance we may bear it with pleasure. But +when God withdraws his hand, then, indeed, it is a heavy burden. Now the +Son of God bore a very heavy burden, and in the most afflicting +circumstances; of which, in their proportion, all his true friends and +followers have been partakers. Words cannot express the many and great +advantages that are in the cross; forasmuch as God lays it upon us in mere +love, that he may thereby draw us to himself, and make us "conformable to +the image of his Son" (Rom. 8:29), and partakers of eternal happiness. The +wounds in Christ's sacred feet, should teach us abstinence and patience: +abstinence from carnal lusts and fleshly pleasures; and patience under all +afflictions and oppositions, whether from within or without. The wounds in +his sacred hands, should teach us silence and contempt of worldly things. +The wound in his side, should teach us to deny ourselves, and seek for +rest and joy in Christ alone. His naked body stretched on the cross, +should continually put us in mind, that we must be stripped and bare of +all created comforts. For as Christ was fixed naked to the cross, and his +garments were parted by lot before his blessed eyes (Ps. 22:18; Matt. +27:35), so, be assured, that if thou art desirous of perfection, thou must +be stripped of everything which is not of God. And as every cross, however +small, is laid upon thee by the particular order and direction of +Providence, so thou oughtest to receive it with thankfulness. For the +beloved friends of God have always the greatest share of afflictions. The +devil always makes use of our prosperity, as the best season and occasion +of our ruin; to prevent which, it pleases God, in mere compassion, to +visit his children with a variety of crosses and afflictions, thereby +withdrawing us from the love of the world, and disappointing the malicious +designs of the tempter. Did we but know how efficacious the cross is in +bringing us to God, driving away the devil from us, and entitling us to +future glories, we should not only expect it with patience, but run out +vigorously to meet it. For so great is the dignity, so transcendent are +the benefits of the cross, that God has allotted it as the inseparable +companion of all his chosen servants. + +2. Did we thoroughly consider the benefits and honor of the cross, we +should think ourselves unworthy of so great a blessing; for great is the +honor of being made like unto the Son of God! He was never acceptable to +the world, but was its scorn and derision. But now, scarcely one Christian +in a thousand is come to that perfection, as not to desire to please the +world. He that pleaseth the world, cannot, however, please God: and he +that is full of the world, is empty of God. But so far as a man dies to +himself and the world, so far is Christ, the true life, advanced in him. +No man can please God better than by fully submitting to his will. If my +prince should like to see me in one suit of clothes rather than in any +other, I should certainly esteem it better than the most gaudy dress. And +since my God is better pleased to see me under the cross, I ought +certainly to prefer it to all the affluence and glories of the world. But +perhaps thou art in doubt with thyself, whether the cross which thou +bearest, has come from God; if so, let this be the test: Whatsoever thou +sufferest for thine own sake, will be grievous and tedious, but if thou +suffer for God's sake, thy cross will be easy, for God himself will +lighten it. What matters it then, whether thy load be of the weight of a +hundred or of a thousand pounds, if He but lend a helping hand, and make +thy yoke easy and thy burden light. Matt. 11:30. Wherefore, O Lord, lay +upon me what burden thou pleasest; only assist me in my weakness with the +everlasting arms of thy omnipotence!--Observe, in the next place, that the +choicest blessings of God are bestowed upon us whilst we are under the +cross; and though they are sometimes bestowed beforehand, yet it is the +cross that confirms them in the soul; and as it is so very useful and +necessary to the soul, God has given a large share of it to his faithful +friends and servants, and particularly to his only begotten Son Jesus +Christ; the advantage it brings with it, making it tolerable and easy to +be borne. Devout men submit themselves entirely to God, keeping their +minds easy and cheerful under all the vicissitudes of life. Particularly, +they take care to preserve humility, as the best guard against the +assaults of their spiritual adversaries. Though God sent his only Son into +the world, in order to suffer in his human nature, yet we expect an +exemption from sufferings. But, be assured that if you would walk in the +same way, and rest upon a firm foundation, you must expect to suffer with +Christ, and in some degree at least, to have your lives conformable to +his. Every affliction, how small soever, is a token of divine love, +commissioned to visit us for our good. And the united malice of earth and +hell cannot do the least hurt to a devout man trained up in sufferings, +and in obedience to the discipline of the cross. The more his enemies +assault, the higher is he exalted by God. And though he should be thrust +down into hell, yet even there would he meet his God, and hell itself +should be a heaven and blessedness to him. + +3. When God sees a man too weak for a temptation, he refreshes him a +little with his consolations, that he may not entirely sink under it: but +he should know, that these intermissions are only allowed him in order to +recover his strength, that he may the better bear up against a fresh +assault. So it pleases the divine love to exercise men, that by various +trials and temptations, they may be brought to despise all worldly +enjoyments, and, like the panting hart (Ps. 42:1), may long for the +fountains of divine peace and joy, the refreshing streams of life and +glory. There the weary soul may drink and be satisfied, and quench its +thirst in those rivers of pleasure which are ever flowing from the tender +and paternal love of God. This is what the wise men of this world neither +know nor understand. For the natural man cannot discern the things of the +Spirit of God. If the children of a family should plunder the wine-cellar, +and be intoxicated, whilst the father is asleep in his bed, how would he +bear it when informed of the matter? Would he not correct their +extravagance by wholesome severities? Thus God deals with his children. He +allows them plentiful draughts of spiritual comfort, and refreshes them +with his mercies, as with new wine; but when he sees that they are +immoderately fond of it, he withdraws it from them, and corrects their +extravagant joy, by mixtures of gall and wormwood, bringing them thereby +to a sense of their fault, and of their necessary dependence upon him. +They then begin to think meanly of themselves, and to bewail their vain +presumption, which made them fancy that they could do and suffer anything +for God's sake, whereas now they are ready to sink under a very small +burden. We know that Christ led the way for us in misery, poverty, and +contempt, even unto death; and we must follow him in the same way if we +desire to enter into heaven with him. So great is our pride, that God +sometimes cannot break it, but by some exemplary shame, which quickly +brings us to our senses, and shows us our own unworthiness. This is the +only means of bringing us to a true knowledge of ourselves. Many a man has +gone astray for want of these wholesome trials. He that considers this as +he ought, will certainly rejoice in shame and reproaches for God's sake. +For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth in this manner, in order to cure +him of his arrogance and pride, and bring him to humble thoughts of +himself. + +4. Whosoever will follow the blessed Jesus, must "deny himself, and take +up his cross." Many would freely follow him, if they could do it without +difficulties and sufferings; but these, aiming chiefly at their own ease, +whilst they pretend to follow Christ, will find themselves deceived at the +last. For it behooved Christ to die, and to suffer, and to enter into his +kingdom (Luke 24:26, 46): and if we intend to share with him in the +glories of his kingdom, we must also be content to share in his +sufferings; for unless we suffer with him here, we shall never reign with +him hereafter. So, then, if we intend to follow him, we must cheerfully +and contentedly submit to every cross, whether inward or outward, and by +this means we shall at length arrive at the glories which he himself +attained by the cross. How many do we see every day drudging in the +service of the world; they venture body and soul; go into foreign +countries; rush through fire and sword; and all for the sake of a little +uncertain honor; and shall not we do as much to purchase the everlasting +glories of heaven, as they do for the trifling riches and glories of this +world? God manifests himself to us under the cross, as much as in the most +cheerful spiritual visitations; yea, we then receive greater +communications of heavenly joy, when we are most empty of worldly +comforts. For as salt preserves flesh from putrefaction; so afflictions +and temptations keep the soul from falling into sin and misery. And the +deeper a man sinks into the centre of humility by the cross, the deeper +does he penetrate into the heart of God, which is always open to receive +and embrace the mortified and humble soul. This is the great end proposed +by God, in all his various methods of humbling us; that, being sensible of +our own great corruption, we may die to ourselves, and live entirely unto +him. The saints of old, when under heavy tribulations, could no otherwise +possess their souls in patience and liberty, than by a total abandonment +and denial of themselves, being ready to submit to every cross which God +should lay upon them, even though it should last during their whole life. +By this humility, obedience, and self-denial, they were at last delivered. +For the end designed by God in sending crosses upon them, being answered, +he was pleased immediately to release them. + +5. The last comfort under the cross is, that thou canst not be hurt by it, +unless it be by thine own fault, by being fretful and impatient under it. +Thou art very much in the wrong, if thou thinkest thyself injured by this +or that man; they cannot hurt thee if thou keep thy mind steady and even +under its burden. Be assured, that so long as thou art master of thyself +and thy passions, the whole world can do thee no harm. If thou wouldst be +safe, then, against the assaults of thine enemy, answer not again; be +silent, even as a dead man, in his grave. Every calumny and reproach which +the world shall cast upon thee, shall be as rays of light, encircling thy +head with a crown of glory. How glorious are the three degrees of +patience, in which true victory consists! The first is, to suffer without +murmuring. The second is, not only to suffer patiently, but even to wish +for suffering for Christ's sake, from a pure love of him. The third is, to +rejoice in suffering; and this is the most powerful and the greatest +victory of all. + + + + + +BOOK IV. + + + + +Preface To The Fourth Book. + + + All Creatures Are Messengers Of God, Intended To Lead Us To God. + + + _By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are + in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or + dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created + by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all + things consist._--COL. 1:16, 17. + + +The eminent prophet Moses exhibits to us two powerful witnesses of God, in +the book of Creation. The first is the universe; the second is the +inferior world, that is, Man. Both of them, the universe and the heart of +man, furnish glorious testimony in the Scriptures, by which the Creator +and Preserver of all things is revealed, and also formed in our hearts. + +2. We shall, therefore, introduce in this Book the testimony of both, that +is, first, of the universe, and secondly, of the inferior world. Thus we +shall learn that all creatures are, as it were, the guides and messengers +of God, whereby we are to be brought to Christian knowledge, and also to +God in Christ. + +3. It is therefore unnecessary to attempt to prove that this Book also +belongs to True Christianity, although there are some who might entertain +a different opinion. If they desire additional evidence, they may find it +in the passage quoted above (Col. 1:16, 17), and also in the Introduction +of the Gospel according to St. John, and in very many passages of the Old +and the New Testaments. Let them consider specially Psalms 19; 104; 139; +and the words of St. Paul in Rom. 8: 22, concerning the groaning of the +whole creation, and in 1 Cor. 15:42-52, concerning the resurrection of the +dead; in that case they will judge me with more gentleness and favor. And +they will also assent to the Saviour's own method of teaching, who used to +explain and demonstrate to his disciples and followers the mysteries of +his kingdom and of true Christianity, by beautiful illustrations taken +from the book of nature. But if they oppose the very Sacraments +themselves, which are so many witnesses and seals of divine grace taken +from the great book of nature, then I refer them to St. Ambrose, Basil, +Theodoret, and others, who have written largely and learnedly upon the six +days' creation. + +4. Thus much may suffice in defence of my method and design; to which I +beg leave to subjoin only this admonition, as the great argument of the +whole, namely, that it is the duty of a true Christian to use God's +creatures to his honor and glory, so that God in all things may be +glorified, through Jesus Christ our Lord. + +5. Observe the method by which the creatures lead us unto God. An +indulgent father invites his children to come to him; and if they are +backward, offers them an apple or some other engaging present. This he +gives, not that the child should be in love with the present, but be +induced by it to be more fond of the giver. Just so God deals with us; he +invites us by all the engaging invitations and promises of the Gospel; and +not content with that, he offers us many great and noble gifts, "doing us +good, and giving us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our +hearts with food and gladness." Acts 14:17. All these blessings are so +many messengers sent from God to draw us to himself, and to instruct us +how to taste the goodness of the Giver and Creator in that of the +creature. + +6. But so perverse is man, that his heart is set upon his gold and silver, +his houses, estates, honors, and pleasures, which, however good in their +kind, are yet in the sight of God of no value; they are only given us by +God, to draw us to himself. For this reason it was, that God made man so +needy and helpless a creature, that by the variety of his blessings and +multitude of his benefits, he might draw him to himself, and teach him by +these various instances of his love and goodness, that all the comfort and +sweetness which he tastes in the creature, really proceeds from the +Creator; and that he alone is able to comfort, relieve, and support us, +when these perishing worldly comforts forsake and leave us. + +7. But the greatest of all God's messengers, the most excellent of all his +gifts, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, in whom are +all the fulness and perfection of divine love and goodness. His mercy is +over all his works, and "by him all things were made." John 1:3. "By him +all things consist." Col. 1:17. "He upholdeth all things by the word of +his power." Heb. 1:3. + +8. Having said thus much by way of preface, I begin the First Part of this +Book, treating in general of the six days of creation, to promote the +knowledge, glory, and praise of God. + +9. Of man, we shall speak more particularly in the Second Part; and I +intreat my readers to read the _Conclusion_ to my Second Book, before they +begin to judge me. For I again protest and declare that I desire my +writings to be understood in accordance with the Symbolical Books of the +Church of the Augsburg Confession, and in no other sense. + + + + +Part I. + + + Treating Of The Works Of The Six Days Of Creation, In General. + + + +Chapter I. + + + Of Light, The Work Of The First Day. + + + _God said, Let there be light; and there was light.--He covereth + himself with light as with a garment.--God is light, and in him is + no darkness at all._--GEN. 1:3; PS. 104:2; 1 JOHN 1:5. + + +In those words in Job 38:19--"Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as +for darkness, where is the place thereof?" it is intimated that the nature +of light is very difficult to be explained, and that its original is not +to be comprehended by finite understandings. For though we know something +of it by means of sight, yet it is but little; however, let us employ that +little to promote the glory of God. + +2. First, then, we say that light is a noble, subtle, and pure principle, +separated from the darkness in the morning of the creation, when God +"commanded the light to shine out of darkness." 2 Cor. 4:6. By this the +world is enlightened and comforted, and all its beautiful variety is +distinctly known and apprehended. By this, as some think, the light of +life was conveyed into the great world, incorporating itself with every +creature. From this pure brightness and glorious splendor, light and +beauty flowed into the sun, constituting it thereby the great luminary of +the day, which it governs and directs. Jer. 31:35. Whence, also, the +Creator himself calls the light _day_. Gen. 1:5, 14. + +3. But as it is the duty of a Christian to contemplate the works of God +with spiritual eyes, so as therein to see the Creator, and by the work be +led to praise the Maker; let us take a nearer view of this subject, and +see how the light and the sun bear witness of God and Christ. + +4. And the first conclusion that naturally presents itself is this: If God +created so beautiful, refreshing, enlivening, clear, and shining a light; +how much more lovely, comfortable, and refreshing a light must _He_ be +_himself_? Therefore, the commentator upon St. Dionysius, to the question, +"Why God first of all created light?" answers--Because from his own +essential light, the visible light almost naturally proceeds, as that +which bears the nearest resemblance to his own nature; and therefore he +calls light, a little after, "the image of the goodness of God;" adding, +that the light in God was transcendent and above comprehension; in angels +and men, intelligible; in the sun, visible. + +5. And, whereas God made the light, in order that the true external form +and beauty of the creatures might be distinctly seen and apprehended, it +follows that there is also another secret or concealed light, by which the +internal form of the creatures may be likewise known, and from which +nothing can be hidden. And this light is the eternal wisdom of God, which, +being compared with the natural and created light, has been fitly called +the brightness of the everlasting light. + +6. Of this St. Dionysius writes in these words. "As the visible light +directs, governs, and fills the visible world; so the incomprehensible and +heavenly light, fills and enlightens all heavenly spirits. It also +purifies the soul from darkness and error, and brings it into communion +with the light of God. It is at first no more than a twilight, or faint +glimmering of light; but when it is tasted, loved, and desired, then, in +proportion to our love, it increases more and more unto the perfect day. +Wherefore this transcendent light exceeds all lights, being, as it were, +the centre and fountain of them all. From its fulness it enlightens all +spirits; and, being the original of all light, it comprehends under it all +the degrees of spiritual, angelical, rational, and natural light. And as +ignorance separates deluded souls from the light; so the presence of this +divine light, collects, unites, perfects, and delivers from ignorance and +error, all that are enlightened by it: it converts them to the truth, +reducing their various imaginations to the standard of pure and simple +truth, and fills their souls with pure and uniform light." Thus far St. +Dionysius. + +7. In the light of the sun, also, shines forth the pure, deep, and ardent +love of God. For whom did he create the sun? Certainly not for himself, +for he needeth not the sun, nor any other created light, being himself a +light infinite and eternal. It was for our sakes, therefore, that he +created it; so that every ray of light proceeding from the sun, is indeed +a ray of divine love towards mankind. + +8. And as the eternal wisdom of God is likewise a bright sun, clearly +discovering his mercy and beneficence; therefore, according to the nature +and properties of the visible sun and light, it may also be called, an +image of the divine goodness. + +9. The created light determines the order, figures, and distinctions of +all created things; for without it, the whole world would be nothing but +darkness and confusion. So that upon this account also, the light is an +image of the divine wisdom. + +10. The created light, by its brightness and splendor, causes everything +to turn to it; so the goodness of God draws all things to itself, as the +centre and principle of all things. + +11. The light of the sun is pure and spotless; so is the love of God +towards mankind. Hence also the divine wisdom, being a spotless light, is, +agreeably to this property of the sun, the spotless mirror of the divine +majesty. + +12. As the light flows plentifully and freely from the sun; so the love of +God descends plentifully upon us. As the sun shines freely upon all, +without respect of persons; so the divine love overflows upon all mankind. +As the light proceeds from the nature and essence of the sun; so does the +love of God flow from his very nature and essence. + +13. Moreover, as God created the external light for the world and visible +bodies; so it is worth inquiring, whether he did not at the same time +provide an inward and spiritual light for the soul. For God took not less +care of the soul, than he did of the body. Now this light of the soul is +God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the ever blessed and +undivided Trinity, by whom our understandings are enlightened through +faith. "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is +risen upon thee." Isa. 60:1. + +14. Now as the sun enlightens the world, so does Christ enlighten the +soul. "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into +the world" (John 1:9); and is, therefore, called by the prophet Malachi, +"The Sun of righteousness." Mal. 4:2. St. James calls God, "the Father of +lights." James 1:17. The Holy Ghost appeared upon the Apostles in the form +of fiery tongues (Acts 2:3); and from this eternal light proceeds the +light of grace, the light of wisdom and divine knowledge, the light of +truth and life, the light of joy and consolation, the light of God's +countenance, the light of faith and all Christian virtues. + +15. This light is the chief beauty and glory of the creatures. God is said +to be clothed "with light as with a garment." Ps. 104:2. "The glory of the +Lord" (Luke 2:9), is also the beauty of the blessed saints and holy +angels. The highest majesty and glory of the elect in the other world, +will consist in light and splendor. "The righteous shall shine forth as +the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matt. 13:43; Dan. 12:3); which is +also expressed in the appearance of the woman clothed with the sun. Rev. +12:1. Lastly, as the light is the greatest ornament of this visible world; +so the everlasting light shall be the chief glory of the heavenly +Jerusalem. Rev. 21:11. + +16. The more light any creature has, the more noble it is. This appears +from the angels, the sun, moon, stars, and precious stones. So virtue +itself is a most glorious light, and all the redeemed in the next world, +shall be full of light and glory, and accordingly shall be distinguished, +as "one star differeth from another star in glory." 1 Cor. 15:41. + +17. Light is refreshing: and who can doubt but, when the day of eternal +light arrives, the blessed saints shall be refreshed with joy unspeakable? +Without question, the light of the everlasting Sun of righteousness shall +give us infinitely more delight and joy, than this created sun, which only +gives light to a world of misery and sorrow. + +18. The light awakens those that sleep; so Christ, our light, rouses us +from the sleep of sin. "Awake, thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give +thee light." Eph. 5:14. + +19. The light directs the traveller in his way: so saith Christ--"I am the +light of the world; he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but +shall have the light of life." John 8:12; 13:46. + +20. Moreover, as light has a vital power in it; so in Christ, our light, +"was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:4. "The Lord is my +light and my salvation; he is the strength of my life." Ps. 27:1. + +21. As the light cannot be seen but by itself; so God cannot be known but +by Himself: "In thy light shall we see light." Ps. 36:9. + +22. As the external light chases away the darkness, and the spirits of +darkness; so Christ, who is the light of God in us, chases away unbelief, +and all the works of darkness and Satan. God must speak the word in us, as +he did at the first creation, "Let there be light!" or we shall for ever +remain in darkness. This made the Psalmist say, "Thou wilt light my +candle; the Lord will enlighten my darkness." Ps. 18:28. "To give light to +them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death." Luke 1:79. "I saw +an angel come down from heaven; and the earth was lightened with his +glory." Rev. 18:1. + +23. When the daylight is gone, the moon, regent of the night, arises with +a pale lustre: so, without the light of Christ, man is nothing but +darkness; and the boasted light of reason is but dim obscurity. + +24. And as he would be called foolish, who preferred being enlightened by +the moon, rather than by the sun; so are they much more foolish, who +prefer the wisdom of this world, to the eternal wisdom of God in Christ +Jesus. And as none but a madman would make use of the light of a candle in +sunshine; so no man in his senses would think himself more enlightened by +worldly wisdom, than by the divine wisdom. Strange madness! that a man +should expect more light from the creature, than from the Creator, the +Father of lights, God blessed for ever! Whosoever duly apprehends my +meaning, has in him the beginning of the divine, eternal, and heavenly +wisdom, which is the subject of the whole 119th Psalm. + +25. As the sun is the ornament of heaven, so Christ is the ornament of his +church, and of the new heaven, and new earth in their future glory, where +it will be manifested to all the elect, that he is "the brightness of his +Father's glory, and the express image of his person." Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:15. + +26. As dwellings are pleasant, in proportion as they receive the light, so +"God dwelleth in light." 1 Tim. 6:16. And the heavenly Jerusalem is +described as full of sweet and refreshing light. "It hath no need of the +sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God enlightens +it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." Rev. 21:23. + +27. Ah the light makes all things clear and plain; so there is nothing in +heaven or in earth, no spirit, no being, nor the very thoughts of the +heart, that can be hidden from the light of divine wisdom. Heb. 4:12, 13. +Hence the Psalmist says, "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our +secret sins in the light of thy countenance." Ps. 90:8. And "Thou +understandest my thought afar off." Ps. 139:2. + +28. As the light communicates itself to all creatures, and diffuses itself +over the world; so God communicates himself to all creatures, particularly +to men, delighting most of all in doing them good. + +29. Lastly, the light and sun are a witness of the glorification of our +souls and bodies at the resurrection. The glorification of our souls is, +indeed, in some degree accomplished in this life by the Holy Spirit, +according to the words of St. Paul, "We all, with open face beholding as +in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from +glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18. These, +however, are but the imperfect beginnings, and first glimpses of eternal +happiness; but hereafter both soul and body shall be clothed with +everlasting light and glory. Hence St. Paul says, "There is one glory of +the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: so +also is the resurrection of the dead." 1 Cor. 15:41, 42. "They that be +wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn +many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever." Dan. 12:13. + +30. Of this we find an image in the transfiguration of our Lord, when "his +face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." Matt. +17:2. This was the heavenly brightness the splendor of the everlasting +Sun. So the face of Moses shone like the brightness of the sun, so that +the children of Israel could not look upon him. Exod. 34:29; 2 Cor. 3:7. +And this was the consequence of only a few days passed in the divine +presence. How great then must that glory be, which will be the result of +our eternal union and converse with him! The lustre of the face of Moses +was terrible to look on, but the glory of Christ was refreshing and +comfortable. + +31. Rev. 1:14, 16. The eyes of him that had the seven stars in his hand, +were "as a flame of fire." And the same Jesus Christ, who is the eternal +light, shall so glorify us at the last day, that our whole bodies shall +shine like lightning. Matt. 6:22; Luke 11:36. + + + +Chapter II. + + + Of Heaven, The Work Of The Second Day. + + + _See_ GEN. 1:6-8; PS. 104:6; PS. 19:1. + + +Who can doubt that the admirable and pure structure of heaven, with all +its wonderful properties, is a strong evidence and witness of God? "What +are heaven and all the beauty of nature" (says one of the ancients), "but +an illustrious mirror, in which we view the wonders of their Maker." For +if God created all so pure, so glorious, and so firm, that our weak +understandings cannot comprehend or explain it; how pure, how glorious, +eternal, spiritual, unutterable a Being must that God be who created all? +And if He has made so glorious a heaven over men, during their short abode +here; how much more illustrious a mansion has he not reserved for us +hereafter in the region of life and immortality? Hence St. Paul tells us, +"We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we +have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the +heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with +our house which is from heaven." 2 Cor. 5:1, 2. + +2. As to the stupendous height and compass of heaven, to which the earth +is in comparison no more than a single point; how does it suggest to us +the immense and unsearchable power and wisdom of God? "For as the heavens +are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my +thoughts, than your thoughts, saith the Lord." Isa. 55:8, 9. Does not its +circular roundness remind us of the eternity of God? For of both there is +neither beginning nor end. Does it not also tell us of his omnipresence? +For as the heaven surrounds and encompasses all things, so does the God of +heaven support and comprehend all his creatures. "Who hath measured the +waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and +comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains +in scales, and the hills in a balance?" Isa. 40:12. + +3. And as, in a circle, no part can be called upper and lower; so God +fills all things equally. Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of his +glory; "He is not far from every one of us; for in him we live, and move, +and have our being." Acts 17:27, 28. For though there are antipodes and +many other creatures under us, as is demonstrable from the figure of the +earth; yet by the wonderful power of God the heaven is everywhere over our +heads, and we look up directly towards it, by reason of its immensity. + +4. Does not also the firmament of heaven remind us of the constant, +eternal, and immutable truth of God and his Word? For who is it that +supports the heaven? Where are the pillars that sustain it? Or how does it +hang, but upon the word of God? "The pillars of heaven tremble," saith +Job, "and are astonished at his reproof. He holdeth back the face of his +throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it." Job 26:9, 11. And if by his word +he has so strongly fixed the heavens, who can doubt that he will keep his +word and promise to us forever and ever? If he support the heavens by the +word of his power, doubt not but he will also support, protect, and +preserve thee forever. + +5. But, from this created heaven, learn to raise thy thoughts to the +spiritual heaven (1 Kings 8:27), "where are fulness of joy and pleasures +forever more." Ps. 16:11. This St. Paul calls "paradise, and the third +heaven" (2 Cor. 12:2, 4); and "the glory into which Jesus Christ was +received." 1 Tim. 3:16. This our Lord himself calls "his Father's house, +where he prepares a place for us" (John 14:2); and lastly, it is called, +"the heaven of heavens." 1 Kings 8:27. + +6. Moreover, by meditation upon this external, transient heaven, thou +mayest learn to descend into thyself, into thine own heart and soul; for +there also is heaven, and the habitation of God. "For thus saith the high +and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, I dwell with him that is of a +contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to +revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57:15. + +7. Let this external heaven lead thee to the new heaven, of which St. +Peter speaks: "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a +new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13. For though this +visible heaven was created in such purity, by God, as not to be subject to +corruption; yet "the heavens are not clean in his sight." Job 15:15. +Therefore, "they shall pass away," as St. Peter tells us. 2 Pet. 3:10. And +"they shall perish, and wax old like a garment, and as a vesture shalt +thou change them, and they shall be changed." Ps. 102:27. "I saw a new +heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were +passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all +things new." Rev. 21:1, 5. "Behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth: +and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." Isa. 65:17. +How beautiful, how illustrious will be this city of God, this heavenly +Jerusalem, whose builder and maker is God! Or who can declare the glory of +that happy place? "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered +into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that +love him." 1 Cor. 2:9. Hence the Evangelist St. John describes the new and +heavenly city by all the precious and costly things in nature. See Rev. +21:11, 18-21. In a word, this is that heaven in which "God will be all in +all." 1 Cor. 15:28. + + + +Chapter III. + + + Of The Separation Of The Waters From The Dry Land, The Work Of The Third + Day. + + + _God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together + unto one place, and let the dry land appear. And God called the + dry land, earth._--GEN. 1:9, 10. _The earth is full of the goodness + of the Lord._--PS. 33:5; 104:24. + + +The earth is a heavy and gross substance, separated from the waters, and +fixed by the power of God to be the receptacle of all the heavenly +influences. This globe hangs in the air by the power of the Almighty, and +is replenished with the vital seeds of all trees, plants, and vegetables. + +2. The stupendous structure and foundation of the earth is a most +wonderful witness of the power of God. For by what pillars is the earth +supported? Or where are its foundations? + +3. Some have disputed whether the dry land be founded in the waters; or +whether, as being the heavier substance, it sink to the lowest place so as +to be the foundation of the waters. + +4. The patrons of the first opinion build upon these testimonies: "He hath +founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." Ps. 24:2. +And, "He stretched out the earth above the waters." Ps. 136:6. To which +may be added the testimony of St. Chrysostom, that "God laid the +foundation of the earth upon the water." + +5. Others assert the contrary, 1. Because the earth is heaviest, and +therefore sinks to the lowest place, where it naturally remains fixed and +immovable; for if the earth should move out of its place, it must move +upwards, which is contrary to nature. And for this they quote, "Who laid +the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever." Ps. +104:5. 2. They allege the experience of seamen, who sound the bottom of +the sea; and explain those passages of the Psalms which mention the +separation of the waters of the dry land, as Moses describes it. Gen. 1:9. + +6. But on what does this vast terraqueous globe depend? Who bears it up? +Where are the pillars of it? "He hangeth the earth upon nothing," (Job +26:7), saith Job. For it hangs in the midst of heaven, borne up in the +air, begirt with the waters, "Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a +garment." Ps. 104:6. The air and water support one another; the clouds, +though vast masses of water, are yet supported by the air from falling; +for the power of sustaining is a property of the air. "He bindeth up the +waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them." Job +26:8. + +7. The stability of the earth in the waters, and in the centre of the vast +expanse of air, is a very clear argument of the divine omnipotence; "Where +wast thou (saith the Lord to Job), when I laid the foundations of the +earth? Who hath laid the measures thereof? Who laid the corner-stone +thereof?" Job 38:4-6. Thence, we learn, that the foundation of the earth +could not be comprehended by human understanding, but must be counted +among the infinite wonders of Omnipotence. "Therefore," saith the +Psalmist, "will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the +mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof +roar and be troubled; though the mountains shake with the swelling +thereof?" Ps. 46:2, 3. And that this is an argument of the wisdom of God +is plain from Prov. 8: 29, 30; where wisdom says of herself, "When he +appointed the foundations of the earth, I was with him, etc." + +8. And this is the earth of which the Psalmist says, "God hath given it to +the children of men." Ps. 115:16. But though, as to its external form, it +appear to be a hard, dead, dry, and cold mass, yet is it in truth, +enriched by God with a wonderful variety of blessings, fruitful energy, +and seminal virtues. These never rest; but are always active to produce +fruits, adorned with agreeable forms, odors, tastes, and colors, with +external signatures of their inward virtues and qualities. + +9. So, then, from the earth proceed all the varieties of plants and +vegetables, having exchanged their old attire for a new and delicate +dress. The tattered garments of the preceding year being decayed and dead, +they come forth with exquisite beauty, odor, and color, and, as it were, +preach to mankind in words such as these: "Look upon us, ye unbelieving +sons of men; we were dead, and are now alive again. We have laid aside our +old garments and bodies, and are now renewed. Do ye also imitate us; 'put +off the old man, and put on the new' (Eph. 4:22-24); being renewed in your +eternal fountain and original, which is God, your Creator, in whose image +ye were created. If ye do this, then in the day of the righteous judgment +of God, when ye have lost your old bodies, ye shall, like us, come forth +out of the earth (1 Cor. 15:42), with new bodies, clothed with immortal +glory, of which our new-born beauty is but a faint resemblance. And whilst +ye are in this world, take not too much thought for the body. Matt. 6:25, +etc. Consider us, whom the God of nature has annually, for so many +thousands of years since the first creation to this time, provided with +beautiful clothing, as an argument of his bounty and goodness. Consider +our virtues and qualities, which are given not for our, but for your +benefit; we bloom and blossom, not for our good, but yours; yea, the +blessing of God blossoms through us." + +10. Among the vegetables, also, a man may discern many thousands of +witnesses of the goodness and omnipotence of God. Here we have a perfect +collection of drugs and simples, an admirable and complete herbal; yea, a +living one, not furnished with faint draughts and dead pictures; but +graved with living characters and impressions, to be read by every curious +spectator, but not to be fully understood by any, except by Him that made +them. And till we come fully to understand their divine signatures, we +cannot so perfectly know the wonders of Providence contained under them. + +11. Every herb and plant has its proper signature, which is nothing less +than the inscription and handwriting of God, whereby he has most +wonderfully and beautifully distinguished them all according to their +virtues and qualities; and in many of them, the outward form is a token of +their inward virtues. The turf we tread upon is furnished both with food +and medicine. Yea, in the smallest grain or seed is manifested the +unsearchable wisdom of God. He has created nothing in vain, and the +minutest part of the creation is not to be overlooked or despised, since +we know not the thousandth part of its virtues. + +12. But if from their external forms we descend to their internal, and +extract their spirit by chemical processes, separating that pure essence, +which being full of high medicinal virtue, is lodged by God in the outward +body, as a diamond in a casket, then, indeed, we shall truly taste the +goodness of God in the virtues of his creatures, and bless him with a +grateful heart, for the many comfortable medicines which he has provided +for miserable man. + +13. Consider, moreover, how the bountiful Creator has provided not only +for man, but also furnished "food for all flesh." Ps. 136:25; 145: 15. He +causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of men, +"that he may bring forth food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad +the heart of man." Ps. 104:14, 15. So that we may properly call the earth +the treasury or storehouse of God, in which are laid up a variety of +blessings both for man and beast: upon which account the Psalmist says, +"the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." Ps. 33:5. + +14. A very wonderful effect of this divine goodness is, that _bread_ +sustains the whole body, so that in one single morsel is contained the +nourishment of all the members of the body. And because of this nutritive +quality that is in bread, therefore, the eternal Son of God calls himself +the "bread of life" (John 6:35); denoting his power of nourishing and +sustaining the _whole man_, body, soul, and spirit. + +15. It is no less wonderful, that the greatest tree, with its root, trunk, +boughs, leaves, seed, flowers, and fruit, should be contained in a very +small seed; and that every year the same plants and trees, with their +respective fruits and seeds, should appear in their proper order and +season. All this must be resolved into the principle of the seed, +containing in it all those powers, which successively display themselves +in so great a variety of size, thickness, height, and breadth. + +16. Notice also, how the grass, upon which the cattle feed, becomes food +for man; being converted into the milk and flesh of the creatures that eat +them. Even our beds and clothes grow out of the earth, since both sheep +and birds live upon the fruits of it. + +17. I shall not in this place speak particularly of trees and plants: +otherwise, perhaps, I should have taken notice of the fig-tree which was +accursed by our blessed Saviour (Matt. 21:19); of the olive-tree, whose +leaf the dove brought into Noah's ark (Gen. 8:11); of the palm-tree, to +which the flourishing state of the righteous is compared (Ps. 92:12); of +the cedars, and of the spices, of which Moses made the holy ointment +(Exod. 30:23); of the generous spikenard, which is a type of the Holy +Spirit, and of the resurrection of the dead, being used in embalming +bodies, in order to preserve them from putrefaction; of the vine, and +various vegetables; from which the Holy Ghost draws beautiful similitudes, +designed to illustrate and explain to us the mysteries of the kingdom of +God. + +18. Of the fruitfulness of the earth, David speaks thus: "Thou visitest +the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of +God which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so +provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou +settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou +blessest the springing thereof: thou crownest the year with thy goodness, +and thy paths drop fatness." Ps. 65:9-11. That is, every month produces +its peculiar fruit out of its treasury, the bosom of the earth. + +19. This natural fertility of the earth has been very much restrained by +the curse of the Almighty; hence the tares which choke the good corn. +"Cursed is the ground," saith God, "thorns and thistles shall it bring +forth to thee." Gen. 3:17, 18. Fruitfulness, therefore, must be regarded +and prayed for, as the gift and blessing of God, without which, a man can +neither plough, sow, nor plant with success: "for it is God that giveth +the increase." 1 Cor. 3:6. Thus we are to understand the words, "A +fruitful land turneth he into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that +dwell therein." Ps. 107:34. + +20. Let our meditations on the fruitfulness of the earth, carry our +thoughts to that new earth which we expect, "wherein dwelleth +righteousness." 2 Pet. 3:13. There the curse, to which the present earth +is in bondage, shall have no place; it shall be the region of perfect +blessedness and life eternal. This is the new paradise, full of celestial +sweetness, joy, and pleasure: then shall we truly sing this song, "the +flowers appear on the earth." Cant. 2:12. + +21. I come next to the mountains, which by their height and beauty are no +small ornament to the earth. The mountains are, in a more particular +sense, the treasury of God, in which all kinds of metals are prepared. +They are, as it were, so many chemical furnaces, in which the matter of +all metals and minerals is separated and matured. It has been observed, +that the best simples grow upon high mountains; and whensoever they are +transplanted into gardens, they degenerate and lose their virtue. Hence it +was said of Hippocrates that the herbs which he used in the practice of +medicine, were generally gathered from hills and mountainous places. + +22. The mountains ought to remind us both of the protection of God (and so +the expression is used in Scripture--"I will lift up mine eyes unto the +hills, from whence cometh my help;" Ps. 121:1); and also of the Church of +God. "The mountains shall bring peace, and the little hills by +righteousness." Ps. 72:3. + +23. Under this head, also, we may consider the springs and rivers of +waters that run through the valleys, adorning, enriching, and beautifying +the earth. For though, in strict propriety, the fountains belong to the +work of the fifth day; yet the royal Prophet couples the mountains and +springs together, because the rivers arise from the hills. Ps. 104:10. + +24. Solomon tells us, "All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not +full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return +again." Eccles. 1:7. Though the waters, passing out of the sea through the +earth, are sweetened by percolation; yet they do not everywhere break +forth, nor form springs in all places, but according to the order and +appointment of God. So saith the Psalmist, "He sendeth the springs into +the valleys." Ps. 104:10. And their continual streams are not only a great +blessing, and a miracle of divine power, but are also an apt +representation of eternal life. + +25. If God take so much care of the beasts of the earth, shall he not much +more take care of us? If "the beasts of the field cry unto him, when the +rivers of waters are dried up" (Joel 1:20), how much more ought we to call +upon him in all our distresses? And, whereas, those places are generally +most pleasant, where there is the greatest plenty of springs and rivulets: +so thither the birds generally resort, and "sing among the branches." Ps. +104:12. It is as if God had taken care to fill even the forests with their +music, that so every place might resound with his praises, and that man +might learn, even from the animals, that not only himself, but all +creatures were made to praise and glorify God. + +26. Natural fountains, of which some are well known as possessing healing +virtues, should remind us of the fountain of grace and salvation, the +water of life, even Jesus Christ. "With joy shall ye draw water out of the +wells of salvation." Isa. 12:3. "With thee is the fountain of life; in thy +light shall we see light." Ps. 36:9. "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come +ye to the waters." Isa. 55:1. "The Lamb which is in the midst of the +throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of +waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev. 7:17. + +27. The 104th Psalm, which gives us a beautiful account of the work of the +third day, takes particular notice of seven illustrious creatures of God, +all proceeding from the earth, and all capable of a spiritual sense. +First, he speaks of the earth in general; that God laid its foundations, +divided it from the waters, adorned it with mountains, and watered it with +springs. Thence descending to particulars, he takes notice of its +remarkable productions. 1. The dew, wherewith He waters the mountains. 2. +The grass. 3. Bread. 4. Wine. 5. Oil, or balsam. 6. The fruits of trees. +7. Birds and beasts: all which are plainly expressed in the 104th Psalm. + +28. Thus he speaks: "He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is +satisfied with the fruit of thy works." Ps. 104:13. Thus we often see with +admiration, the clouds hovering upon the mountains, and dropping showers +of plenty upon the hills, as "the bottles of heaven" (Job 38:37); and then +God doth truly water the hills from above. Sometimes, also, he sends his +dew, refreshing them with great plenty. Thus were continually watered +little Hermon, in Judea, and the mountains of Gilboa, where Saul and +Jonathan, his son, were slain. Therefore David said, "Ye mountains of +Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you." 2 Sam. +1:21. + +29. It is the property of dew to make the ground rich and fruitful, and to +refresh the flowers scorched with excessive heat; whence, at last, the +bees by wonderful art draw their honey. Sometimes we see a sort of +honey-dew lying upon the leaves, as did the manna heretofore. Just so the +Gospel is like a spiritual honey, the dew of the Holy Spirit. + +30. It is not without reason that peace is compared to dew. Ps. 133:1, 3. +For as the dew is generated by the morning, so peace proceeds from Jesus +Christ, who is himself the morning star, and the Prince of peace. Where +Christ liveth, reigneth, and worketh, there is perpetual peace. "The +kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." +Rom. 14:17. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the +children of God." Matt. 5:9. Such are begotten of God, as the dew is of +the morning; and as the dew makes all things lively, fresh, and +flourishing, so also does peace; which, therefore, every good man ought to +beg of God, the Father of peace. + +31. And whereas, in the last place, it is said that "the earth is +satisfied with the fruit of God's works," it suggests that the Word of God +the Creator, is still as powerful and efficacious as formerly it was, when +he spake the word, saying, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb +yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit." So that all things, +from the beginning of the world to this day, spring from the Word of God, +as from an eternal root of divine blessing. + +32. Secondly, the Psalmist says, "He causeth the grass to grow for the +cattle." Verse 14. Nor is that the least of God's blessings; for how could +so many wild as well as tame beasts, that minister to the necessities of +man, subsist, were the grass to fail? And it is wonderful that when, in +very dry weather, one would not think there could be grass enough to +support the beasts that are to eat it, yet they still live upon it. Thus +it seems to grow as much by night as it is eaten by day. + +33. Hence, we learn how merciful God is to mankind, and how liberally he +provides for our necessities; and, though the grass may seem to be the +least and meanest of all the blessings of God, yet we cannot be +sufficiently thankful for it. So true is it that the least of God's +blessings exceeds our highest gratitude. + +34. The grass may also furnish us with proofs of the Divine Providence. 1. +He that considers that God takes care of the grass of the ground, cannot +question, but that he takes much more care of him and his affairs, +according to Matt. 6:30. 2. It may put us in mind of our own vanity. For +"all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of +the field." Isa. 40:6. 3. It may also minister comfort under afflictions +and persecutions, according to Psalm 37:1, 2. "Fret not thyself because of +evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity; for +they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb." + +35. Thirdly, "Herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food +out of the earth: and bread, which strengtheneth man's heart." Ps. 104:14, +15. Now the very notion of bread implies in it a great variety of divine +blessings. First, it reminds us of God's paternal affection towards us; +for a father naturally cares and provides for his children. So Matt. 7:9, +"What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread will he give him a +stone?" Let us remember, then, that God is our Father; and that we are +needy and indigent creatures, subject to infirmities and necessities. So +that our very hunger and thirst are so many monitors to lead us unto God; +and every morsel of bread we eat, should put us in mind of the paternal +affection and goodness of God. + +36. (2) Let us admire and reverence the wise dispensation of Providence, +which assigns to every man his convenient portion of bread, so that no man +has reason to complain that he is forgotten before God. Heb. 13:5. + +37. (3) From bread we may learn the wisdom of God. In Psalm 104:14, God is +said "to bring forth herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth +food (or bread) out of the earth." The bread which we eat is, at first, +nothing but grass, which, growing up into ears, and into the perfect +grain, supplies us with bread, which at last is converted into our body +and blood. This miraculous operation gives us an image of our creation; +forasmuch as even to this day he makes the flesh and blood of man out of +the earth; so that we may properly call it our mother, and say that "in +God we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28. The nutritive +virtue of bread is the Word of God. If God should withdraw it, then all +flesh and blood would wither and decay as a flower, or as the grass of the +field. Therefore, man doth not live by bread alone. Matt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3. + +38. The specific property of bread is indicated in these words; "Bread, +which strengtheneth man's heart." Ps. 104:17. Every other kind of food, by +being daily eaten, becomes unwelcome to us; but bread never does. So that +bread is a universal food, and seems to contain in it all the nutritive +qualities of every other sort of food, all of which borrow their virtues +from it; as the planets derive their light from the universal luminary, +the sun. And this we may conceive to be the reason of the great virtue +there is in bread, that, being the most common and ordinary food, every +man might find in it wherewithal to support life, though he should have +nothing else. In a word, whatever we eat or drink, ought to be looked upon +as a miracle of divine wisdom and goodness. + +39. Lastly, the strengthening faculty of bread, puts us in mind of "the +bread of life," which is Christ. So we read in John 6:35. "I am the bread +of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on +me shall never thirst." For in this bread of life, all the power of God is +contained; because "it pleased God that in him all fulness should dwell" +(Col. 1:19); "and that of his fulness have all we received, and grace for +grace" (John 1:16); and by him, "we might be filled with all the fulness +of God." Eph. 3:19. Blessed is he that eateth this bread! Earthly bread +cannot save us from death, but he that eateth of Christ, the bread of +life, shall never die. + +40. The fourth thing mentioned is "wine, that maketh glad the heart of +man." Ps. 104:15. How wonderful is the love of God towards us, who is so +far from desiring to have us oppressed with sorrow, that he has provided +even natural means to refresh and comfort us! And as for the dejected and +broken spirit, he refreshes that by the generous wine of the Holy Spirit, +drawn from the living vine, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the wine +mentioned in the Song of Solomon, "He brought me to the banqueting-house" +(Cant. 2:5); (or _house of wine_, as the margin reads it.) This was the +spiritual wine the holy prophets drank of (Isa. 12:2; 61:10; and Ps. 34:1; +63:11), which made them break forth into songs of joy and exultation. + +41. Wine again was given by God to strengthen the sick. For wine has a +spirit in it adapted to quicken the vital motions of the heart. This is +another instance of the wonderful love of God; yet it serves to put us in +mind of a greater; namely, of that most generous wine which was pressed +from the bloody wounds of the true vine, the Lord Jesus Christ, and which +is the only sovereign remedy for the diseased soul. "He washed his +garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes." Gen. 49:11. + +42. Lastly, it was also given that the aged, whose lamp of life is almost +spent, might invigorate the languid flame, and make it burn the brighter. +This may put us in mind of the spiritual old age of the Church. For as the +sight, hearing, and all the other powers of nature, are broken by age; so +now faith is extinguished, charity is cold, hope languishes, and the whole +spiritual body of Christ decays every day more and more. "When the Son of +man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. But God promises +the faithful, that he will "renew their strength, that they may mount up +as eagles" (Isa. 40:31): and he declares, that he will "carry them even to +old age." Isa. 46:4. To which also belongs that promise, "They shall still +bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." Ps. +92:14. + +43. The fifth thing is, "Oil to make his face to shine." Verse 15. By this +we are to understand, the precious ointment used among the Jews, and other +Eastern nations, when they were more than commonly joyful, or intended to +treat their guests after the best fashion; and which diffused a wonderful +vigor through their whole bodies. In this sense we are to understand Psalm +23:5. "Thou anointest my head with oil." So our blessed Saviour, when he +was entertained by Simon, was anointed with oil. Matt. 26:7. He upbraids +another of that name, a Pharisee, that he had not shown him the same +respect. "My head with oil (saith he) thou didst not anoint; but this +woman hath anointed my feet with ointment." Luke 7:46. + +44. So great was the virtue of these Eastern unguents, that they used them +in embalming the dead; and by that means preserved them many hundred years +from corruption; as appeared in the body of Alexander the Great, which was +found in the time of Augustus, as fresh as if it had been interred but +yesterday, though it had lain above three hundred years. And this balsam +is a proper representation of that oil, with which the Son of God, +according to his human nature, was anointed without measure. Hence the +Psalmist says, "Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of +gladness above thy fellows" (Ps. 45:7): and "Of his fulness have all we +received" (John 1:16); which is nothing else but that unction by which he +teacheth us all things (1 John 2:20), and by which our souls shall be +presented before God wholly beautiful, and adorned with the gifts of the +Holy Spirit: "when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this +mortal shall put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15:53. + +45. The sixth thing mentioned is this, "The trees of the Lord are full of +sap: the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted." Ps. 104:16. There are +many remarkable things to be considered in trees; of which, two are more +particularly noticed in Holy Scripture. The first is, that, whereas, they +seem to be dead all the winter, yet upon the return of the spring, they +are full of sap, and produce, first, leaves, and afterwards, fruit, in a +manner truly wonderful, and such as no art can imitate. For where is the +artist, who from the juice of any vine, can form a grape? The birch-trees +so overflow with sap in spring-time, that men can tap them like a cask. In +Ferro, one of the Canary Islands, as it is said, there is no spring, +river, or rain; but there are certain trees, from the leaves of which +there drops so great a quantity of water, as is sufficient for the +inhabitants. + +46. And whereas it is said that "the Lord hath planted them," we must +understand it of his creating word (Gen. 1:12), by the power of which new +trees daily arise to supply the place of those that die or are cut down. +This blessing will abide in the earth as long as it lasts, because the +power of the Lord is the universal source of all things that arise out of +the earth. Now the trees, with their fruits, may remind us of that divine +charity which ought to be in us. For as these freely bestow their several +fruits upon man; so ought we to be affected towards God and towards one +another; "that we may be trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, +that he may be glorified." Ps. 92:13. Lastly, they remind us of the tree +of life, with its fruits, even Jesus Christ crucified; of which, whosoever +eateth, shall live forever. Rev. 22:2. + +47. Seventhly, the birds are a very great ornament of the earth. They +build upon the trees and help to furnish our tables. "There the birds make +their nests; as for the stork, the fir-trees are her house." Psalm 104:17. +And "Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? +Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the +wild ass? Gavest thou wings and feathers unto the ostrich? what time she +lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider. Doth the +hawk fly by thy wisdom? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make +her nest on high?" Job 39:1, 5, 13, 18, 26, 27. + +48. From all this we may learn that God made not the earth to be desolate, +but has allotted its deserts and wildernesses to be inhabited by birds and +wild beasts, that his bounty to man, and his magnificence might be made +known by the multitude of his creatures; his omnipotence, by his works; +and his wisdom, by that infinite variety of distinct properties which he +has bestowed upon the creatures. "Every beast of the forest is mine, and +the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; +and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not +tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the +flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?" Ps. 50:10-13. What then is +the sacrifice that God expects? "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy +vows unto the Most High; and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will +deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Ver. 14, 15. + + + +Chapter IV. + + + Of The Sun, Moon, And Stars, The Work Of The Fourth Day. + + + _See_ GEN. 1:14; PS. 104:19. + + +The stars are bright heavenly bodies, fixed in the firmament of heaven by +the word of the Most High. They enlighten the earth, distinguish the night +from the day, and adorn the heavens; and they are signs and tokens of +nature, of judgment, of mercy, of seasons, days, and years. 1 Cor. 15:41; +Gen. 1:14. + +2. "Lift up your eyes on high," saith God, "and behold who hath created +these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all +by names." Isa. 41:26. We ought, therefore, according to his command, to +contemplate these glorious works of his hands, and learn thence to admire +and adore the power and wisdom of him who made them. For "the heavens +declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork." Ps. +19:1. + +3. With regard to the magnitude of the sun and moon, St. Basil thus speaks +in his sixth Homily upon the works of the six days: "I conceive that the +sun and moon are styled by Moses great lights, not only because they +exceed the lesser stars in magnitude; but because they are so exceedingly +large that they can fill not only the whole heaven, but even the earth and +seas with their light. And as they always appear equally large, both in +their rising and setting, it follows that they must be incredibly large; +because notwithstanding the whole breadth of the earth, they always appear +of equal size." + +4. If a man were to see a globe of fire as large as a vast mountain, or a +large city in flames, moving to and fro in the air, he would look upon it +with astonishment and terror. Now it is demonstrable that the globe of the +sun is many times greater than the earth; whence we may conjecture how +great and inconceivable a space in the heavens the sun must take up. Yea, +the least of the stars in the firmament of heaven are very vast in +compass, and are greater than the earth; and yet in the firmament there +are many thousands of these stars, which by reason of their vast distance +cannot be discerned by us with the naked eye. + +5. Here human reason is at a stand; for no created mind can conceive of +the dimensions of heaven. Hence it is that the Holy Scripture, speaking of +God's infinite compassion, compares it to the greatness of heaven. "For as +the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that +fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our +transgressions from us." Ps. 103:11, 12. For though "the earth is full of +the goodness of the Lord" (Ps. 33:5), yet is the compass of it too small +to be compared with the infinite goodness of God. Hence the Holy Spirit +bids us look up to the height of heaven, furnished with innumerable +glorious bodies, all full of the goodness of God, and vastly larger than +this lower world. + +6. Moreover, the incomprehensible greatness of the divine power is +manifested, not only in the bulk of the heavenly bodies, but also in their +constant and regular revolutions; for who can observe without wonder and +admiration, such prodigious bodies, not only pendent in the air, but +moving up and down in it with constant regularity? And how great and +incomprehensible a space must they have to perform their courses in, and +at the same time so determined and settled, that they never exceed their +appointed limits, nor interfere with each other in their revolutions? +David truly pronounces, that God "by wisdom made the heavens." Ps. 136:5. +How excellent, how transcendently excellent must that wisdom be, which can +guide and govern the infinite host of heaven with such admirable order, +and call them all by their names? + +7. It is wonderful also, that these vast shining bodies should have, as it +were, a motion in themselves, so that they cannot for one moment, stand +still in their courses; for the whole heavenly order would then be +disturbed, and the stars themselves, together with their motion, would +lose their vital power, even as men die, when the motion of their lungs +fails. The least star never stands still, but is perpetually in quick and +inconceivable motion. + +8. If the motion of one planet only be so stupendous, what shall we say of +that innumerable multitude of stars, each of which has its particular +course and revolution? And if any man could but for an hour take a view of +all their distinct motions, he would be able to unfold to us very +surprising things. + +9. The consideration of the motions and multitude of these stars may +remind us of those bright and invisible stars, the angels of God. This +seems to be hinted in the Revelation of St. John, where the Son of God +appears with seven stars in his hand (Rev. 1:16), which are the seven +spirits or angels sent forth into all the earth. To this the Book of Job +alludes, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God +shouted for joy" (Job 38:7): by which the writer leads us from the natural +stars to the holy angels. For if God has created so great a multitude of +stars, who can doubt that he has a much greater multitude of celestial +spirits, who praise him without ceasing?--"Praise ye him, sun and moon; +praise him, all ye stars of light." Ps. 148:3. + +10. The revolution of the heavens is, by the all-wise Creator, appointed +as the measure of time; in which appear the stupendous providence, +economy, and wisdom of God. To this head we are to refer the ages of the +world, and their distinct epochs, the ending of monarchies, the seventy +years of the Babylonish captivity, Daniel's seventy weeks, the periods of +kingdoms, and the times of Antichrist, both in the book of Daniel and the +Revelation, with other things of the same nature, which wonderfully +confirm and illustrate the providence and wisdom of God. And whereas our +Saviour tells us, that "it is not for us to know the times or the seasons +which the Father hath put in his own power" (Acts 1:7); this is to be +understood of such a knowledge only as was foreign to the duty of an +apostle, not serving either to the edification of the church, or the +propagation of the Gospel. The words also may mean that no time or place +ought to be prescribed to our blessed Lord for the erecting and +establishing of his kingdom; of which he himself is the only proper judge. +Our business is only to be witnesses of his kingdom, and to do our best to +promote it, leaving the times and seasons to God alone. Moreover, the +disciples at that time, had wrong views of the nature and design of his +kingdom, and those words may be looked upon as a proper rebuke of their +erroneous opinions about a temporal kingdom. + +11. And as for the times and seasons of our worldly affairs, even these +are under the disposal and direction of God, whensoever we devoutly submit +our concerns to him, begging his direction and assistance; as plainly +appears in the case of Abraham's servant, who prayed to God, that he would +"send him good speed that day." Gen. 24:12. + +12. Our blessed Saviour argues with the Jews from those signs in the +heavens, which the common experience of the times had remarked (Matt. +16:2, 3; Luke 12:54-56), thereby leading them to observations of a higher +nature, and putting them in mind of those signs which were to usher in and +attend the appearance of the Messiah. The words in St. Matthew are these: +"When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather; for the sky is red. +And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day, for the sky is red and +lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye +not discern the signs of the times?" So that our Saviour's conclusion runs +thus: If ye attend to the natural signs, and by the face of the sky can +judge rightly of the weather, why do ye not attend to the signs of the +present period, and conclude that the times of the Messiah are come? + +13. The words in St. Luke run thus: "When ye see a cloud rise out of the +west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye +see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to +pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; +but how is it that ye do not discern this time?" So that our Lord +concludes thus: As by the natural signs of heaven, ye judge rightly of the +weather, because ye see the effect follow; so by the signs and miracles +which ye see, ye ought to be convinced, that the Messiah is really come. +But, hypocrites as ye are, ye retain the one, and neglect the other, +though of the highest importance to you. + +14. As to the operations of heaven, we must first observe, that they have +nothing in their own nature hurtful to mankind, as some pretenders would +persuade us; but that our sins and wickedness are the true cause why God +arms the creatures unto vengeance, and makes use of them to punish a +rebellious world. Thus he punished the sins of the old world by a rain of +forty days, which caused the flood. Gen. 7:12. And thus the sin of Sodom +drew down fire and brimstone from heaven. Gen. 19:24. + +15. In the same manner we are punished even at this day; sometimes by +excessive heats; at other times by violent cold, rains, or drought; at +other times by thunder, hail, fire, insects, or infected air, which like +the fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, fall from heaven. But as the +Egyptian plagues had no power over the children of Israel (Exod. 8:22), so +these punishments never hurt the children of God, if they live in his +faith and fear. Thus it is said, "The Lord is thy shade upon thy right +hand; the sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night." Ps. +121:5, 6. The same Psalm advises us, to "lift up our eyes unto the hills, +from whence cometh our help," that by the grace and favor of God we may +escape these evils. + +16. And as God makes use of the heavens and heavenly bodies, as +instruments of vengeance against the wicked, so he employs them sometimes +as means of protection and blessing to the righteous. Thus we read, "They +fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera" +(Judg. 5:20): not unlike to which, is the story of the Emperor Theodosius, +whose enemies were routed by a sudden tempest of wind and rain. + +17. The productions of heaven God in his due time dispenses out of his +treasures, for the benefit and advantage of this lower world; God so +disposing and ordering things, that the inferior creatures receive of the +superior, and all nature hangs together, as it were, in one chain. And +this connection of nature and providence is finely described by the +prophet Hosea, "It shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, I will +hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear +the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel." Hosea +2:21, 22. In this place the prophet presents us with the entire order of +nature, beginning at the first cause, which is God. "I (saith he) will +hear the heavens," namely, when, in the great drought, the heaven shall +scorch with excessive heat, and the channel of the heavenly influences +shall, as it were, be dried up, so that they cannot convey fruitful +seasons to the earth: then I will hear the distress of the heavens, I will +cover them with clouds. + +18. And whereas the prophet adds, "The heavens shall hear the earth," that +has relation to the secondary causes. For as the earth depends on the +heavens, it follows, that when the operations of the heavens are, as it +were, hindered, the earth can produce nothing that is good. And when the +earth is broken or chapped by excessive heat, it, as it were, opens its +mouth and entreats for rain. "And the earth shall hear the corn, and wine, +and oil;" that is, forasmuch as the vegetables depend upon the earth for +their moisture; therefore, whensoever the earth is dry and cannot supply +them with nourishment, the vegetables solicit moisture of it, as a thirsty +infant would appeal to its mother. + +19. I proceed, next, to the benefits which God bestows upon us by the +light of the sun and moon. And these we must consider in the fear of God, +and show how we may enjoy and use them, both in a natural and spiritual +sense. "Tell me (saith God to Job), where is the way where light dwelleth? +and as for darkness, where is the place thereof? Canst thou bind the sweet +influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring +forth Mazzaroth in his season, or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? +Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? Canst thou set the dominion thereof +in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance +of waters may cover thee?" Job 38:19, 31-34. In these words God represents +to us his infinite power and wisdom, such as no mortal can search out or +account for, much less imitate. For so unable is the wisest man to form +light or darkness, that he cannot so much as produce a blade of grass. +"Not unto us (then), O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory" +(Ps. 115:1); for thou hast made all these things, and thy hand hath formed +them. "He appointed the moon for seasons; the sun knoweth his going down" +(Ps. 104:19); alluding to the work of the fourth day, when God said, "Let +there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from the +night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for +years. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, +and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also." Gen. +1:14-16. + +20. How wonderful is the increase and decrease of the moon; sometimes it +seems to be shut up in darkness, and again, in its season, to emerge by +degrees into a fulness of light. And these varieties God hath appointed +for a regular distinction of the times and seasons of the year, and of the +affairs and business of mankind. Without this distinction of the months +and other divisions of time, there could be no order in the church of God, +or in civil governments, or in the economy of private families; but all +would be disorder and confusion. + +21. And how abundantly is the wisdom of God displayed, even in this +certain course of the moon, and distinction of seasons! In all states and +conditions, the chief part of prudence is to preserve good order, and to +observe the proper opportunities of acting; these are the distinguishing +accomplishments of a wise ruler, and of a prudent head of a family. This, +indeed, is the principal thing to be regarded in every action; he that +acts unseasonably, acts to little or no purpose. God himself hath ordered +all things in measure, and number, and weight; and every season has its +proper opportunities and blessings attending it. "To every thing there is +a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Eccles. 3:1. And +as the choosing of the proper season is truly a happiness, so it is also a +blessing from God, of whom, therefore, we ought to ask it by prayer. + +22. By the words, "The sun knoweth his going down" (Ps. 104:19); the royal +prophet suggests to us the seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn, +winter, and the distinguishing of days, being some longer, and some +shorter; all which are of very great use to mankind. + +23. And who can consider these amazing acts of divine power and wisdom, +without admiration and praise to the Author of nature? This astonishing +order of nature appeared so glorious to the ancient heathens, that they +worshipped even the sun for their God, as being the greatest and most +splendid of all objects, and as enlightening all the world. This was a +conclusion for blind, corrupt reason to draw, though every part of the +creation, to pure and right reason, fully manifests and discovers the +being and excellencies of the Creator. A certain Indian king having heard +of Jesus Christ, and the necessity of believing in him, because he died +for us, gave this answer: "For my part, I had rather believe in the sun +that never dies, than in a mortal God." This was the effect of human +blindness, against the corrupt influences and prejudices of which, God has +taken particular care to warn us: "Lest thou lift up thine eyes unto +heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all +the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, +which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole +heaven." Deut. 4:19. + +24. As to the magnitude of the sun, moon, and stars, it is an error to +imagine that they are really no larger than they appear to us. For though +the moon and some of the planets are less than the earth, yet the sun may +be plainly and infallibly demonstrated to be many times larger; and that +it appears so small to us, is owing to the immensity of its distance. +Ocular demonstration convinces every man of this, that the more remote any +object is, the less it appears. A nice disquisition of these matters the +unlearned must leave to astronomers, and be content religiously to admire +what they do not understand. + +25. And, here, how ought we to magnify and adore the omnipotence and +wisdom of God, who appointed the sun to be the light and ornament of the +day, and the moon of the night. For light is the highest beauty of all +things. If we highly admire a well-built house with a fair prospect, +furnished with good statues and pictures, and painted with great variety +of colors, how much more ought we to look up with gratitude and +astonishment to heaven, adorned with lights so many, and so stupendous. + +26. How profound is the wisdom of God, who "telleth the number of the +stars, and calleth them all by their names" (Ps. 147:4, 5); to which is +immediately subjoined, "Great is our Lord, and of great power; his +understanding is infinite." How ought we then to depend upon this wisdom, +and be satisfied with all its determinations concerning us, and not charge +him with folly, by pretending to be wiser than He is! "For the foolishness +of God is wiser than men." 1 Cor. 1:25. + +27. The certain and regular course of the sun and moon, reminds us of the +truth of God, and the certainty of his promises: such are those of sending +the Messiah, of the revolutions of certain states and kingdoms, and other +deliverances of mankind; all which appeared in their time. Thus saith the +Lord by the prophet Jeremiah, "If my covenant be not with day and night, +and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; and if ye +can break my covenant, that there should not be day and night in their +season; then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant." Jer. +33:20, 21, 25. + +28. At our blessed Saviour's passion, the darkness that overspread the +world did, as it were, represent the terrors of his death, and all those +barbarous impieties that were acted against him (Matt. 27:45); for the sun +and moon were then as mirrors, in which might be read the sins and +iniquities of mankind; which, like the sin of Sodom, mounted up to heaven, +and drew down vengeance upon the world. Gen. 18:20. So every eclipse of +the sun points out to us that internal and spiritual blindness of heart +which reigns in every one of us; and that as plainly as if a voice should +call to us, saying, "Look upon me, for you yourselves are in the same +condition." And when the heaven is red as blood, and seems to be on fire, +it appears to speak to us in words like these: "Look up to me, and think +on that day when I shall burn with real flames." So, in short, we may +consider all things as upbraiding us with our iniquities, and warning us +to repent. What is the thunder, but the terrible voice of heaven, at which +the earth trembles, and by which God speaks to the impenitent world? What +is an earthquake, but a lecture of repentance? The same may be said of +storms and tempests at sea, and of all disorders in the inanimate +creation. + +29. The sun, moon, and stars, are witnesses of the divine goodness, and of +that eternal light which enlightens, comforts, and refreshes every man +that cometh into the world. For as God is in himself invisible and +incomprehensible, we should, by the direction of the natural light, aspire +to the knowledge of Him that made it; and by the beauty of the created, be +drawn to the love of the uncreated light. And as we naturally take +pleasure in the outward light, as the most beautiful object in the +creation; so ought we, with our whole hearts, to love Him who is light +eternal, and to walk and rejoice in his light, by withdrawing ourselves +from the darkness of sin. "For what fellowship hath righteousness with +unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what +concord hath Christ with Belial?" 2 Cor. 6:14, 15. + +30. Lastly, the visible sun should put us in mind of Jesus Christ, the +spiritual and eternal "Sun of righteousness." Mal. 4:2. For as that shines +equally upon all men; so Christ freely bestows himself, and the light of +his grace, upon all that will receive him. Thus he saith, "I am the light +of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall +have the light of life." John 8:12. + + + +Chapter V. + + + Of The Waters, And Their Productions, The Work Of The Fifth Day. + + + _See_ GEN. 1:20-22; PS. 104:25. + + +That is unquestionably the best philosophy which gives the best account of +the works of God. And this knowledge every true lover of God ought to +seek, that he may thereby know how many glorious creatures God has created +for our use and benefit. Let the pretenders to philosophy look to it, that +they spend not their time in inquiries, which, instead of teaching them +true knowledge, lead them into ignorance and forgetfulness of God and his +creatures. + +2. The first thing to be observed and admired, is the mutual relation +subsisting between the different parts of created nature. Thus the heavens +generate rains, dews, winds, and cooling breezes in the air; and then send +them down to us. So the earth produces its fruits in the air; and they +bud, blossom, and ripen, and are nourished by the air, without which they +would quickly languish and die. + +3. Among the productions of the watery element, are the rivers. In one +place springs up the Rhine, in another the Danube; here is the Elbe, there +the Nile. As from one bough of a great and fruitful tree, spring many +little branches, and much fruit; so one great branch of the world of +waters, as the Rhine or the Danube, is connected with rivulets, lakes, and +fountains, which all flow into it. + +4. As for the living creatures that arise from the sea, they are without +number, God having blessed it with so great fruitfulness, both for its +vast extent, and the use and benefit of mankind, that out of this vast +repository there arise, at certain seasons, prodigious quantities of fish, +varying in their kinds every month. For such is the nature of sea-fish, +that they are not to be caught except at certain seasons. + +5. And here it is observable, that the sea and all its productions, have +their proper order, time, and motion, appointed to them by God. So in the +heavens, the stars have their stated times, regular order, motion, rising, +and setting. The earth at certain seasons produces different fruits and +vegetables; and, in that sense, is in perpetual motion, and never rests +until it has brought forth all its fruits. So likewise the sea has its +laws of motion, flux and reflux, and produces all its fruits at such +appointed seasons as may best serve the use and benefit of man. + +6. Let us now take a survey of the wonderful power and wisdom of God in +the sea, and inquire what spiritual inferences may be drawn from it. "Who +hath shut up the sea with doors," saith God to Job, "when it brake forth, +as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment +thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, and brake up for it +my decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou +come, and no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? Hast thou +entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of +the depth?" Job 38:8-11, 16. In these words, God points out the great and +dreadful ocean as an obscure image and resemblance of his unsearchable and +incomprehensible power. For it is a very surprising miracle, that God +should by his word alone, as with bars and doors, inclose the sea so +strongly, that it should not be able to overflow its bounds. No less +wonderful is its ebbing and flowing; so that the sea, being, as it were, +conscious and mindful of the divine command, so soon as it touches the +earth, seems to fly back and retire in a fright, as at the presence of God +himself, like Jordan and the Red Sea. Josh. 3:16; Ps. 114:3. "He gathereth +the waters of the sea together, as a heap; he layeth up the deep in +storehouses." Ps. 33:7. + +7. God tells Job, that he has "made the clouds to be the garment thereof, +and thick darkness a swaddling band for it" (Job 38:9); which plainly +appears, when its waves roll and toss themselves up to the clouds, that, +as it were, receive them into their embraces, and cover them with darkness +and horror, so that they seem to be blended with each other. Then appear +the mighty wonders of God, which a man cannot behold without fear and +astonishment, as it is described in Psalm 107:25, etc. + +8. To this work of the fifth day, belongs also that passage of the +Psalmist: "So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping +innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships; there is +that leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein." Ps. 104:25, 26. + +9. As for the greatness of the sea, who can but admire the power of God, +which, notwithstanding that so much water flows into the sea every day, +and has, from the beginning, yet suffers not its waters to exceed their +appointed quantity? And though its waves sometimes rage and swell, and +lift themselves like mountains; yet are they quickly put at rest, and +settled within their proper bounds. These are clear demonstrations of the +mighty power of God. + +10. Here too we may not improperly speak of the islands. Who can behold, +without wonder, several large and populous countries, and entire kingdoms, +lying in the midst of the sea, as if they had been planted there? Who can +tell on what foundations they are built, and what it is that keeps them +immovable in the midst of violent storms and tempests? Some of them, +encompassed with vast rocks growing out of the sea, seem to be built and +founded on them. Upon the whole, their fruitfulness, tillage, and the +occasion and manner of their being peopled, are what we may rather admire +than understand. So that the sea is as populous as the earth. For as the +earth is much less than the sea, it is probable that God would not suffer +the greatest part of the globe to be uninhabited, and therefore he planted +it with islands: so that none of the miracles and blessings which he works +in the sea, might escape the observation of mankind. Therefore, to these +islanders also did he send the Gospel of truth, by his holy Apostles, +"shaking both the sea and the dry land, after the Desire of all nations +was come." Hag. 2:6, 7. + +11. No less wonderful is the vast multitude of creatures that inhabit the +sea; for some affirm that there is as great abundance and variety of them +in the sea, as on the land. Who can behold without astonishment, +prodigious shoals of fish rising from the depths of the sea, like a flock +of sheep, and offering themselves to the use and necessities of mankind? +So that the sea is a great storehouse of God, out of which he feeds the +greatest part of mankind, and out of which, too, he produces many other +excellent works, such as pearls, amber, and coral. + +12. I might here mention the many bold voyages that have been performed +within the memory of us and our fathers, to the most distant parts of the +East and West; and all this chiefly by the assistance of the magnet, which +seems to have nothing in it either of beauty or use, and yet the greatest +things are performed by it. By this the pilot steers his ship, and keeps +his way in the pathless waters; and by constantly pointing to the pole, it +guides the mariner to his intended port. Of these voyages, and of the +islands, countries, people, and other useful discoveries, there are many +volumes extant, to which I refer the reader. + +13. The huge whales, mentioned by David (Ps. 104:26), give us a great idea +of the mighty power of God. Of this God himself takes notice when he talks +with Job: "His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like +bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God. He drinketh up a river +and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. By +his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the +morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. +Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. When +he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid; by reason of breakings they +purify themselves. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the +sea like a pot of ointment." Job 40:18, 19, 23; 41:18-21, 25, 31. + +14. Thus much for the greatness of the sea; which is a very striking +illustration of the power of God. "Who hath measured the waters in the +hollow of his hand?" saith Isaiah. Isa. 40:12. To which the Psalmist +answers, "Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in the +earth, in the seas and all deep places." Ps. 135:6. All that remains is, +to praise, honor, and glorify the wisdom of God, which is so wonderfully +manifested in the deep; the riches of his goodness in that vast variety of +fishes, and other productions of the sea, for the use and benefit of man; +and in a word, to adore and magnify him in all his works. + +15. Let us consider how this doctrine of the sea may bring to our +remembrance that twofold sea mentioned in Scripture: the sea of affliction +and misery, and the sea of grace and comfort; the depths of misery, and +the abyss of divine mercy. For what is this life and world of ours but a +troublesome and tempestuous sea? As the sea is never at rest, but is +perpetually ruffled with winds and waves, so is the life of man. Sometimes +we fancy ourselves safe and out of danger, when suddenly a stormy wind +arises, and the floods swell, to the great danger both of body and soul. +As the sea has its ebb and flow, so has the life of man. Hence we read +that the Lord dries the sea, the waters of the great deep. Isa. 51:10; +Jer. 31:35; Ps. 107:25. Moreover, as the freshest waters when they come +into the sea grow salt, so all the pleasures, glories, honors, and riches +of this mortal life, however sweet and pleasant at first, soon grow bitter +and unsavory. And all that cleave to them, thereby forfeit the sweet +consolations of heaven, and are drowned and overwhelmed in bitter fears +and perplexing sorrows. + +16. As the sea has many rocks and quicksands, on which vessels split and +are lost, so in human life, many there are who split upon the rocks of +covetousness, and run foul of the quicksands of worldly pleasures, and are +lost to all eternity. As the sea, after some days, throws up the carcasses +that have been cast into it, so the world vomits us out, after it has +entertained us a little while; so that it is our highest wisdom to look +out betimes for a haven of salvation in the land of the living. As the +mariner sails at random without his compass, and has no certain guide but +his needle, which is continually pointing to the pole, so Jesus Christ is +our loadstone, continually drawing our hearts towards him and heaven, that +we may not float up and down at random, or be lost in the sea of this +world. As the depth of the sea is unsearchable, according to Job, "Hast +thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the +search of the depth?" (Job 38:16); so is our life an unsearchable abyss of +misery and sorrow. Whence the Psalmist says, "Out of the depths have I +cried unto thee, O Lord." Ps. 130:1. And, "Deep calleth unto deep at the +noise of thy waterspouts; all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me." +Ps. 42:7. So that our life is nothing but a vast sea of calamity and +sorrow. + +17. To this abyss of misery and sin we must oppose the abyss of grace and +consolation. And the first comfort is the boundless mercy of God, which is +higher than the heavens, and deeper than the sea. Of this the prophet +Micah speaks, "He will have compassion on us, and cast all our sins into +the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19. As the Egyptians were drowned in the +Red Sea (Exod. 14:28), so must all our sins be drowned and washed away in +the blood of Christ. And though the abyss of our misery be ever so great, +yet the merits of Jesus Christ are greater. + +18. A second comfort is, the consideration of the many wonders that God +has wrought in the water; and that the blessed Jesus assisted his +disciples when they were in danger by sea. Matt. 8:26. He stretched out +his hand to Peter when he was afraid of sinking. Matt. 14:31. So, at this +day, he is never nearer to us, than when we are sinking in the floods of +affliction; and we never so fully experience his presence and assistance, +as when we are under the cross. "When thou passest through the waters, I +will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." +Isa. 43:2. + +19. A third consolation is contained in these words of the prophet +Zechariah: "It shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from +Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the +hinder sea." Zech. 14:8. So also the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47:8) saw a +stream of water flowing out of the temple near the altar into the sea, +healing and quickening everything that was touched by it. This signifies +the fountain of grace and consolation opened by the Holy Spirit, by the +preaching of the Gospel, whereby the bitter waters of affliction are to be +refreshed and sweetened; so that the cross shall be no longer a Dead Sea, +but a water of life, and a well of salvation. According as it is said, "In +the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul." Ps. +94:19. + +20. A fourth consolation against the stormy sea of this world, is +contained in Psalm 65:7. "God stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of +their waves, and the tumult of the people." As if he had said, When all +things threaten ruin and destruction, when wars rage, and desolation seems +to be at hand; then can God easily still the waves. So did the blessed +Jesus, Matt. 8:26. "The lord on high is mightier than the noise of many +waters." Ps. 93:4. + + + +Chapter VI. + + + Of The Living Creatures, The Work Of The Sixth Day. + + + _And out of the ground the Lord formed every beast of the field, + and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam, to see what + he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living + creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all + cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the + field._--GEN. 1:24; 2:19, 20. + + +Here Adam gave an illustrious proof of the divine wisdom implanted in him +by God, to the honor and praise of Him that gave it. He beheld His wisdom +and goodness in the variety of his creatures; he considered the distinct +forms, figures, proportions, and colors of them all; he distinctly viewed, +and understood the nature of the living animals by the light of divine +wisdom; and, upon a full survey of the properties of every creature, he +gave them proper and significant names, expressing their several natures. +From this natural knowledge of all creatures, he called her that was made +out of his rib, _Woman_, because she was taken out of man; afterward, +_Eve_, as being "the mother of all living." Gen. 2:23; 3:20. + +2. So, even at this day, God shows to us the natures and properties of all +creatures in his holy Word, that we may thereby be led to praise and +magnify the wisdom and goodness of Him that made them. Thus Job says +(12:7, 8), "Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls +of the air, and they shall tell thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall +teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee." See also +Chap. 39. He leads us, as it were, into every part of the brute creation, +putting us in mind of the many wonders of divine power and mercy +manifested in every one of them. So Jeremiah sends us "to the stork and +the crane, the turtle, and the swallow, who know the appointed time of +their coming." Jer. 8:7. Isaiah sends us "to the ox and the ass, who know +their master's crib" (Isa. 1:3); David and Job, "to the young ravens that +call upon God" (Ps. 147:9; Job 38:41); David again, "to the deaf adder +that stoppeth her ear" (Ps. 58:4); Isaiah, "to the cockatrice' eggs and +vipers" (Isa. 59:5); Jeremiah, "to the sea monsters, that draw out the +breast, and give suck to their young ones;" adding, "the daughter of my +people is become cruel like the ostriches in the wilderness." Lam. 4:3. So +the Song of Solomon speaks of the "young hart, the dove, and the foxes" +(Song of Solomon 2:9, 14, 15); David, "of the hart panting after the +water-brooks" (Ps. 42:1); Solomon, "of the ant" (Prov. 6:6); David and +Isaiah, "of the eagles." Ps. 103:5. "They that wait upon the Lord shall +renew their strength," like the eagles. Isa. 40:31. Lastly, Habakkuk and +Jeremiah speak of the wolves, leopards, and lions, sent to be executioners +of divine vengeance. Hab. 1:8; Jer. 5:6. + +3. So also in the New Testament, the blessed Jesus speaks of the sparrows, +not one of which falleth to the ground without the knowledge of our +heavenly Father. Matt. 10:29. Thus he speaks "of the wisdom of serpents, +and the harmlessness of doves" (Matt. 10:16); of "the hen gathering her +chickens under her wings" (Matt. 23:37); of "the eagles' following the +carcass" (Matt. 24:28); of "the dogs that eat the crumbs that fall from +their masters' table." Matt. 15:27. So he describes his own sheep, with +their several properties. John 10:27, 28. Lastly, he talks of the scorpion +and serpent, which no father would give to his children when they ask for +an egg or a fish. Luke 11:11, 12. + +4. Here it may be considered why the blessed Jesus himself is compared to +a lamb (Isa. 53:7), to express his exemplary meekness and patience. Why +did the blessed Spirit light upon the Son of God in the form of a dove +(Matt. 3:16), but because the mourning of a dove (Isa. 38:14) resembles +the mourning of the spirit in the hearts of the faithful. Hence Hezekiah +says of himself: "I did mourn as a dove." Isa. 38:14. Why had "the four +living creatures the faces of a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle"? Ezek. +1:10; Rev. 4:7. They express to us the four mediatorial offices of Christ: +his incarnation, sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension. + +5. Here also we may consider the wonderful providence of God, whereby he +protects, sustains, and nourishes all his creatures. Thus in Psalm 65 +David celebrates the paternal mercies of God towards all creatures. Again, +"O Lord, thou preservest man and beast." Ps. 36:6. This consideration +should strengthen our faith and secure our perseverance in prayer, under +all the wants and necessities of soul and body. And whereas David mentions +the word _flesh_, "to thee shall all flesh come" (Ps. 65:2); this seems to +have a particular regard to our bodily wants and sufferings (as we are +flesh and blood), such as hunger, cold, nakedness, etc.; and should, at +the same time, put us in mind of our own vileness and corruption, which is +frequently in Scripture expressed by the word _flesh_. Isa. 40:6. The +prophet gives us further comfort, by adding, that there is no man so vile +and contemptible as to be despised or forgotten before God. This is +expressed to us in these words: "Thou who art the confidence of all the +ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea." Ps. 65:5. +As if he had said: So great is the love of God to mankind, that +wheresoever they are, whether by land or sea, he still takes care to +protect and defend them. And whereas he adds, "Thou makest the outgoings +of the morning and evening to rejoice" (ver. 8); his meaning is, that, as +God feeds and nourishes all creatures, so he comforts and refreshes them, +too, according to the words of St. Paul, "filling our hearts with food and +gladness." Acts 14:17. For it is no small blessing to feed upon his +creatures with a cheerful mind, to begin the labors of the day with devout +prayers and praises, and to conclude them with thanksgiving. Lastly, he +assigns the cause, in these words: "The river of God is full of water" +(ver. 9); that is, the fountain of divine bounty, mercy, and goodness, +overflows to all his creatures, upon which our being and comforts entirely +depend. + +6. To this also may be referred that passage of the Psalmist, "All wait +upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season." Ps. +104:27. And not only so, but he represents also the brute creatures as +sensible of this dependence upon God, "The young lions roar after their +prey, and seek their meat from God" (Ps. 104:21); intimating thereby, that +God, the Preserver of nature, is moved to pity and to assist the +distresses and sufferings of every creature; and that the wants of every +part of his creation, whether animate or inanimate, are a sort of silent +prayer to the great author and preserver of their being. And this is +called by St. Paul, "the earnest expectation of the creature." Rom. 8:19. +Here let us consider likewise what an infinite variety of creatures there +are contained in the air, earth, and sea, and that God has mercifully +provided for the comfortable subsistence of every one, in a way suitable +to their proper natures. And if God takes such care of the meanest of his +creatures, it would be wrong to imagine, that man, created in _his own +image_, should be neglected or forgotten by him. + +7. And since there are more creatures in the earth, air, and sea, than +there are men in the whole world; and the providence of God is extended to +the meanest and smallest of his creatures, how is it possible that man +should be forgotten,--_man_, that lives, moves, and has his being in him; +"for in him we live, and move, and have our being," saith St. Paul (Acts +17:28),--_man_, that is sustained by his power: for "he upholdeth all +things by the word of his power" (Heb. 1:3)--_man_, whom he has made with +his own hand; according to Isaiah 64:8. "O Lord, thou art our Father; we +are the clay, and thou art the potter, and we all are the work of thy +hand;"--_man_, whom he has redeemed by the blood of his only begotten Son, +and sealed with his Holy Spirit? In a word, God can no more forget man, +than he can forget Himself. So that we have all the reason in the world to +depend upon him, that he will give us meat in due season. + +8. The Psalmist goes on: "That thou givest them, they gather: thou openest +thy hand, they are filled with good." Ps. 104:28. In these words is +expressed that power, whereby the creatures are preserved. And this +consists in a certain natural sagacity or instinct implanted in them by +God, by which every one of them is prompted to look out, and procure such +things as are proper for the support of life and being. And the pleasure +which they receive in this exercise, is a sort of gratitude and +acknowledgment to God whom they seem to look upon and rejoice in, as their +Maker, Preserver, and Benefactor. + +9. Now if God takes so much care for the comfortable subsistence of all +his creatures, we cannot think that he made man for perpetual anguish and +sorrow, but must conclude that he is pleased to see us innocently cheerful +in the fear of God. So, in Psalm 90:15, we are directed to pray, that God +would make us glad according to the days wherein he afflicted us; and the +years in which we saw evil. He promises his servants that they shall eat, +drink, and rejoice (Isai. 65:13); and from the words of David, it plainly +appears that he intends to feed his servants, not sparingly, but +plentifully and bountifully; to which end, he maketh his paths drop +fatness. Ps. 65:11. Experience itself also teaches us, that all creatures +are so plentifully fed by God, that, at proper seasons, the birds of the +air, the wild beasts of the forest, the cattle in the fields, and the fish +of the sea, offer themselves, fattened and prepared, for the use and +nourishment of man; and in that sense also "his paths drop fatness." So +wonderful is the providence, so transcendent is the wisdom, so great is +the concern of God, to provide for all the necessities of his children. + +10. And then the Psalmist adds, "Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; +thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou +sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of +the earth." Ps. 104:29, 30. His meaning is, that the life of all creatures +is nothing else but the breath of God. This quickening virtue and power of +God, is that word by which all things were made. "By the word of the Lord +were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his +mouth." Ps. 33:6. And this word was not an empty sound, but became the +life of all creatures, resting upon them as a principle of life and power; +as St. Paul tells us, "the Lord upholdeth all things by the word of his +power." Heb. 1:3. So that the life and being of all things as much depend +on God, as the shadow of a tree does upon the substance. + +11. Thus when God withdraws this word of life, or vital power, from the +creatures, they immediately sink into their primitive nothingness. The +whole world is full of God, "of whom, and through whom, and to whom are +all things." Rom. 11:36. He is said to be "above all, and through all, and +in us all" (Eph. 4:6): so that "the Lord is the strength of our life." Ps. +27:1; Deut. 30:20. For as men of sorrowful and distressed spirits perceive +a true and vital power in the word of God; so there is in all creatures a +sort of natural and vital power, which is nothing else but the _Word_ of +Creation. By virtue of this Word also, all the creatures are blessed and +do multiply. By this, the face of the earth is every year renewed by a +succession of plants, fruits, and living creatures, as if there were a new +world every year. "While the earth remaineth," saith God to Noah, +"seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day +and night, shall not cease." Gen. 8:22. By the same blessing, the world is +preserved to this day. + +12. This wonderful and universal Providence of God, consists chiefly in +three things. First, in his _knowledge_. "Known unto God are all his works +from the beginning of the world." Acts 15:18. By this infinite and +incomprehensible wisdom, he knows, sees, and hears all things; therefore +he is called in Scripture, "the God that liveth and seeth." Gen. 16:14 +(margin). No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and +open in his sight. Heb. 4:13. And he is called "the Living," not only +because he himself liveth forever, but also because he is the life of all +things. + +13. The second head of divine Providence, is the fatherly _goodness_ of +God (Matt. 6:26), by which He taketh care of all things: "He maketh his +sun to rise on the evil, and on the good." Matt. 5:45. So, then, if his +mercy be not only extended to the least, but even to the undeserving parts +of his creation; how ungrateful are we, if we entertain any suspicions of +so indulgent a Father. And if nothing be done upon earth but by his +appointment and direction, we may hence learn to submit with patience to +everything that befalls us, without repining or murmuring against God; +firmly believing that he careth for us, and by his unsearchable wisdom +ordereth all things for our good and his own glory. On the other hand, if +he take from us our riches, honors, health, and other worldly blessings, +we must resign them with cheerfulness, and say with Job, "The Lord gave, +and the Lord hath taken away." Job 1:21. That good man gave thanks to God +for his adversity, as well as for his prosperity; and the former very +often proves the greater blessing of the two. + +14. The third head of God's universal providence over all his creatures +is, his _omnipotence_. By this he is always present to his creatures, +governing and preserving them; by this he governs the hearts of all men, +and turneth them which way he pleases. Ps. 33:15. Whence it follows, that +in all our thoughts, words, and actions, we ought to have a lively and +devout sense of the divine omnipresence, and dread to do anything that is +hateful in his sight. For as is the clay in the hand of the potter, so are +men in the hand of God, even as we read in Jeremiah, "Arise and go down to +the potter's house: and I went down, and behold, he wrought a work on the +wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the +potter; so he made it again another vessel, etc." Jer. 18:2. The prophet +intimates thereby that God, who afflicteth and breaketh us to pieces, can +also heal and restore us again. + +15. Moreover, as we are assured that God is everywhere present, and +preserves and governs everything, it follows that he is so careful of his +own servants, that not a hair of their heads can fall to the ground (Matt. +10:30; Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34) without his permission; and that he +preserveth and keepeth us in the midst of our enemies, as we have it +frequently expressed in the Psalms. Ps. 23:4; 27:1; 121:5. So when we are +in distress, and there are no apparent hopes of relief, we should support +ourselves with this consideration: that the Lord himself, "great in +counsel, and mighty in work" (Jer. 32:19), who laid our cross upon us, can +easily lighten it, or strengthen us to bear it. Let us "commit our way +unto the Lord" (Ps. 37:5), like Abraham, who was ready to offer up his +only son, without questioning how God could perform his promise to him, +but cast all his care upon God. Gen. 22:8; Rom. 4:18; Heb. 11:19. + +16. And then, the consideration of God's providence raises in us faith, +hope, and patience, of which we have examples in Job, David, and Christ +himself. The blessed Jesus, knowing that he was appointed by God to die, +preserved his meekness and patience all the days of his life, yea, even in +the very agonies of death. Phil. 2:8. Thus David patiently endured +banishment for years, attended with injuries, reproaches, poverty, and +contempt; knowing assuredly that it was God that laid it upon him. This +makes him cry out, "Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the +lifter up of mine head." Ps. 3:3. To which may be referred that passage, +"The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and +bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and +lifteth up." 1 Sam. 2:6, 7. + +17. But before we conclude this subject, we must say something +particularly of man, the crown and masterpiece of the creation, of his +excellence and prerogatives, which must be very great, forasmuch as God +himself has declared, that "his delights are with the sons of men." Prov. +8:31. For if all things were created for the use of man, and he is the end +of this visible creation, it follows that he is the perfection of it. +Reason itself convinces us, that whatsoever is the end and perfection of +all things, must be more excellent than all others. So, then, all the +beauty of fountains, fields, flowers, trees, fruits, and woods, yea, and +all the glittering brightness of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars, are not +to be compared with, the native and original excellence of man, for whose +sake and benefit they were all created. For as Solomon in all his glory +was not to be compared with the flowers of the field (Matt. 6:29); so the +excellence of man, especially as to his soul, far transcends not only the +external glory of Solomon, but all the beauties of this lower world, yea, +and of the sun itself. + +18. And as for the soul, we may judge of its excellency and beauty by the +form and comeliness of the body which God has prepared for its reception +and residence. He provided a comely mansion for so excellent a guest. So, +if we should see the spotless beauty of the original human body, we should +easily judge of the beauty of its divine inhabitant. Even now, in this +corrupt and depraved state of nature, we see what attractive charms there +are in beauty. Moreover, we may judge yet farther of the beauty of human +nature, by the glories of the place in which God at first placed man; +which was _Paradise_ itself, a garden full of joy and celestial pleasures, +infinitely exceeding all the glory and beauty of the present world. For if +the place were so glorious, what must the owner of it be, for whose sake +it was created? + +19. Another great argument of the dignity of human nature is, that the +angels themselves are appointed to minister unto us (Heb. 1:14); and that +we were created, as it were, by a particular decree of the ever-blessed +Trinity. "Let us make man," saith God, "in our image, after our likeness." +Gen. 1:26. So that how great soever our dignity may be, by that singular +decree and counsel by which we were made, yet that which arises from the +image of God, in which we were created, is much greater. Therefore, when +he created the sun, moon, and all the host of heaven, he but spake the +word, and they were made. But when he was about to make man, the greatest +and noblest of all his works, he ushers it in with a kind of solemnity, +saying, "Let us make man." How wonderful is that counsel! How solemn is +that decree! How transcendent is the dignity of human nature! + +20. For though the sun, moon, and stars, and all the lower world, were +made with wonderful wisdom and power; yet that deliberation does not seem +to have been used there as in the creation of _man_; forasmuch as in him, +the glory and majesty of God were more particularly and gloriously to be +manifested. All the other creatures bear upon them certain marks and +signatures of divine goodness and power, but man is the very image and +likeness of God. For it is not said, Let us make man in the image of the +sun, or of the moon, or of the angels; but "in our likeness," that our own +image may be clearly represented in him. + +21. Consider, therefore, the beauty and dignity of thy soul, which is +created in the image and likeness of God, so that the glories of the +divine majesty are, in a certain proportion, transferred to thee. How much +reason have we then to avoid all impurity and uncleanness, that we defile +not the beauty of the divine image. For if we are thereby exalted to the +highest glory and honor that our nature is capable of, how unworthy and +ungrateful would it be, to pollute it by any uncleanness, and so forfeit +that glory which God has bestowed on us. + +22. How highly is a picture or statue prized, that is well executed by an +eminent hand! Could such a picture or statue be endued with understanding, +how would it esteem its maker, and take all opportunities of showing its +own gratitude, and its maker's glory! How senseless then, how ungrateful +is man, to forget the hand that formed him! to despise that excellent +beauty with which his Maker endued him! to pollute it with all kinds of +impurity! Plato, himself, a pagan, has told us, that "the beauty of the +soul consists in virtue and piety." But did we only consider the union of +our souls with God and Christ, the righteousness of Christ wherewith our +souls are clothed, as with a garment of glory and immortality (Isa. +61:10), we should more easily understand what the true and inward beauty +of our souls is, which depends entirely upon that of Jesus Christ. And if +it be so, who can question but that the soul is most exquisitely +beautiful, since it derives its beauty from Him who is beauty itself? + +23. To this belongs that passage of the prophet Ezekiel, "Thy renown went +forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my +comeliness which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God." Ezek. 16: 14. +If children partake of the beauty of their parents according to the flesh; +it is reasonable to believe, that our souls, by spiritual regeneration, +receive a spiritual beauty from God. Moreover, it cannot be doubted that +they are the most beautiful of all creatures, since the Son of God himself +does not disdain to betroth himself unto them, and to adorn them with his +own light and beauty. Upon this account, the faithful soul is called, "a +king's daughter, all glorious within, whose clothing is of wrought gold." +Ps. 45:15. If a plebeian woman be ennobled by marriage with a husband of +quality, can we doubt but that the faithful soul, by being married to the +most noble and beautiful spouse, shall also partake, in a high degree, of +His beauty and glory. Upon this Irenæus has a fine thought. He says, that +"the glory of man is God, but the receptacle of all the operations of +divine wisdom and goodness, is man." + +24. Lastly, as it is beyond all controversy, that the most high God +particularly delights to dwell in the soul of man; that he has sanctified +it to be the temple of the Holy Ghost, the habitation of the Father, and +the bride-chamber of the most beautiful spouse, the Lord Jesus Christ, we +may therefore conclude that the soul is the most beautiful of all +creatures. And as Ezekiel tells us that "our soul is perfected by the +comeliness of God" (Ezek. 16:14); how great must that beauty, how rich +must that attire, how transcendent must those ornaments be, which so great +and noble a spouse can bestow upon the bride which he has prepared for +himself? O how wonderful is this grace! How incredible is the beauty which +God bestows upon human souls! Could it but be seen by mortal eyes, it must +charm the most stupid beholder. And this beauty increases every day by our +prayers, and devout approaches to God. So that "we are changed from glory +to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18. For if the face of +Moses, after conversing a few days with God, shone with the brightness of +divine glory (Exod. 34:35); how much more shall our souls, by the same +conversation, be enlightened and beautified with higher degrees of light +and glory?--Of this subject we shall speak more fully in Part II, of this +Fourth Book, which refers to man in particular. + + + + +Part II. + + + Treating Specially Of Man. + + + +Chapter I. + + + God, An Infinite And Eternal Being. + + + _Ah, Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by + thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too + hard for thee._--_The Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is + his name; great in counsel, and mighty in work._--JER. 32:17-19. + + +God is the origin of the life and being of all creatures: whence it +follows, that he was before all creatures, both an eternal Being, and +eternal Life itself; otherwise he could not have given life and being to +his creatures. But the infinity of God yet more plainly appears from the +mind and thoughts of man. For as the mind of man can in a moment run +through the whole circle of heaven, and comprehend in imagination all the +creatures of the universe; it follows, that God who made him, comprehends +all these things in a more perfect manner, and by consequence must be +infinite. + +2. All the attributes of God are essential to him. As therefore he is +infinite, so are his essence and life also infinite. For essence and life +are inseparable from him. Moreover, as he has endued the soul of man with +wisdom and understanding, it follows that the understanding and wisdom of +God must be infinite. For whatsoever is in God, is essentially and +eternally in him. And as the unity of the divine nature is so perfect that +his wisdom cannot be separated from his essence and life, it follows that +both are alike infinite and eternal. + +3. But if the wisdom of God be eternal and infinite, it will follow that +He knoweth all things from eternity. Moreover, as his essence is +unchangeable, equally filling all places; so his understanding does not +proceed by way of rational connection, or discursive operation from one +idea to another. He knoweth and understandeth all things in an instant, +and to him there is nothing past or to come, but the whole circle of +eternity is present to him. For as God stands in need of no creature to +add anything to the perfection of his being, so neither does he need any +creature with respect to his understanding. And as he is God, +independently of all creatures; so he penetrates and comprehends all +things in himself. So that the sands of the sea, and the drops of the +rain, and eternity, are alike known to him. And not so much as a bird of +the air, or a hair of our heads, can fall to the ground without him. Matt. +10:29, 30. He knoweth the days of the world, every hour and moment of +time, with its several periods and revolutions; nor is anything under the +heavens hidden from him. For as by his infinite power he created all +things, so by his infinite wisdom he understands and comprehends all +things; even the most secret thoughts of man. Ps. 139:2, &c. + +4. Moreover, as his essence, life, and wisdom, so also his power is +infinite, and all are equally incapable of any addition or diminution. +Lastly, forasmuch as no creature can oppose or set bounds to his power, +therefore, he is Almighty. All which must necessarily be, forasmuch as his +essence, life, wisdom, and power, are inseparable. + + + +Chapter II. + + + God, The Supreme Good. + + + _For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things._--ROM. + 11:36. + + +As He must be the chief and only good, in whom all good things are +contained; it follows that glory and praise belong to God alone, because +from him, and by him, and for him, are all things. + +2. All the goodness that is found scattered up and down among the +creatures, is in a most perfect and excellent manner and degree contained +in him. So that whosoever turns himself to the creatures, and cleaves unto +them, will always find himself poor, needy, and distressed: whilst he that +turneth unto God with his whole heart, pursues the chief and most perfect +good, and shall be blessed in the enjoyment of it: ever rich, ever at +ease, ever blessed in the fruition of his God. By this it appears that +perfect happiness is not to be found in the enjoyment of the creatures, +and that they who fix their hearts and desires on the world, can expect +nothing but anguish, disquiet, and disappointments, both in life and in +death; for they have not that chief good, which alone can satisfy and make +happy the soul of man. + + + +Chapter III. + + + Man, The Most Noble Of All Creatures, And Made For The Service Of God. + + + _Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and + not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his + pasture._--PS. 100:3. + + +All the creatures, in their several kinds and orders, were created by God +for the use and benefit of man. Thus we see corn and pasture produced, +these feeding the living creatures, and all serving for food to mankind. +One assists another, the higher wheel setting the lower in motion, and all +in a wonderful harmony concurring to one great end, which is the use and +benefit of man. + +2. Now, if all this be for his sake, he is certainly more noble than they +all; and hence he should learn what dependence he has upon God, and what +duty and service he owes to Him who has appointed all the creatures, in +their order, to minister to his necessities. + +3. And, as all the creatures seem to aim at no other end than the use and +service of man, and seem to rest and be satisfied in obtaining that end; +so ought man likewise to show the same diligence and faithfulness in the +service of God, that the creatures show to him. All his works and labors +ought to be directed to this one end, namely, to accomplish the will of +God, and do nothing but that which is well-pleasing in his sight. For as +all things are incessantly employed in serving man, the noblest of all +creatures, so there is all the reason in the world that he should be as +constant and assiduous in the service of God, who is perfection itself, +and to whom alone he is indebted for that superiority which he has over +the rest of the creatures. + + + +Chapter IV. + + + God Made Man In His Own Image, In Order That He Might Delight In Him. + + + _My delights were with the sons of men._--PROV. 8:31.--_The Lord + shall rejoice in his works._--PS. 104:31. + + +Every artist has a love for the works of his own hands, and that induces +him to take so much pains about them. "God saw every thing that he had +made, and, behold, it was very good." Gen. 1:31. But if he took so much +delight in the general survey of his works, how much greater pleasure must +he take in man, whom he created after his own image. + +2. For the more anything resembles ourselves, the more tenderly do we love +it. A father has a stronger affection for his son, who partakes of his own +nature, than for a house which he himself has builded, though ever so +exact and regular in itself. + +3. Moreover, as God takes pleasure in a creature made to resemble himself, +therefore, it was necessary, that after the other creatures were formed, +he should create man in his own image, in whom he might rest and delight +himself. And as similitude is the foundation of friendship and society, +and everything naturally associates with its like, it follows that God, in +making man after his own image, intended to delight and rejoice Himself in +him; so that man ought likewise to cleave unto his God, and to delight and +take pleasure in conversing with Him. + +4. Further, as God is the most perfect love, he could not but desire to +communicate himself, and all his blessings, to some other being. That +could not be done, however, without making some being like himself; and as +there was no such being then in nature, capable or worthy of such divine +communications, therefore he created man in his own image, which consists +chiefly in perfect love. + +5. And, lastly, as there is naturally a reciprocal love betwixt the giver +and the receiver of any benefit; hence it follows, that it is the duty of +man to worship with the highest affection and most ardent love, his +heavenly Benefactor, who so affectionately desires to communicate himself, +and all the riches of his goodness, to his unworthy creatures. + + + +Chapter V. + + + That God By His Love Bestows Himself Upon Us. + + + _God is love._--1 JOHN 4:16. + + +As man devotes himself entirely unto God by love, so God bestows himself +entirely upon man also by love. And as that love of his is in the highest +degree of perfection, he cannot but give us Himself: for the highest +instance of love is to bestow one's self upon the person we love. And as a +consequence of this perfect love, He bestowed himself upon us in his only +begotten Son. + +2. This is the true spring of the incarnation, passion, and death of the +Son of God. Thus our blessed Saviour pronounces these words of comfort, +"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16); +that is, God loved the world with an entire and perfect love, and +therefore gave us his Son. But as the eternal love of God is the fountain +of eternal life to the world; and that eternal love is manifested by +Christ Jesus, in and by whom we have everlasting life, therefore, our Lord +further adds: "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have +everlasting life." + + + +Chapter VI. + + + Showing How Much Man Is Indebted To God For His Everlasting Love. + + + _We love him, because he first loved us._--1 JOHN 4:19. + + +In every benefit or gift there are three things to be considered: the +giver, the receiver, and the gift itself. As, then, there is a natural +obligation upon the receiver to the giver, it is manifest, that since man +has received all that he has from God, so he owes all to him, and is under +the strictest obligations of love and obedience to his great benefactor. + +2. And as man consists of body and soul, so God has abundantly provided +for the comfort and happiness of both. + +3. As for his body, it is sustained and refreshed by the various +productions of nature, so that the whole creation seems to call upon him, +and put him in mind of his Creator: "Consider," it saith, "O man, the +benefits which thy Maker has bestowed upon thee, and what returns of +gratitude and service thou owest him for the same. I (saith the heaven), +give thee daylight to work in, and send darkness in which thou mayest +sleep and take thy rest. I give thee the pleasant spring, the warm summer, +the fruitful autumn, and the cold winter, in their proper seasons. I +(saith the air), supply thee with breath, and every kind of birds. By me +(saith the water), art thou washed, and thy thirst is quenched; by me thou +art supplied with all kinds of fish. I bear thee and sustain thee (saith +the earth), and satisfy thee with bread, wine, and flesh; by all which +thou mayest know how much thou art beloved by Him who made thee, and me +for thy use; all of whose favors are as so many bonds and obligations upon +thee." + + + +Chapter VII. + + + Of The Things That Instruct And Comfort The Soul. + + + _Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of + the air, and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth, and it + shall teach thee._--JOB 12:7, 8. + + +Let us now see what provision God has made for the comfort and instruction +of the _soul_ of man. Here we shall find every creature in one way or +another, subservient to this end. And, first, I shall speak of the +pleasure which man receives from the creatures. + +2. Man alone has the privilege of really enjoying what he possesses. Other +creatures, being void of understanding, have no relish of those blessings +from which man receives very great comfort; gold, silver, and precious +stones, have no intelligence. But man, being endowed with an understanding +mind, reflects with gratitude and pleasure upon the goodness of God, who +has provided so many beautiful creatures for his use and benefit. O the +wonderful goodness of God, who has made all the excellencies of the +creatures subservient to the happiness of man; so that they are the +channels of conveying that happiness to us, which they themselves are not +capable of enjoying! Thus the sweetness and goodness of the water, the +fragrance and beauty of flowers, the light and glory of the sun, moon, and +all the host of heaven, yield no pleasure to themselves, but all unite to +promote the happiness of man. Nay, without them, man would have no +enjoyment at all in this world; nor could he have any notion of the +dignity and pre-eminence of his nature above that of other creatures, but +by comparing his condition with theirs. This shows him the transcendent +goodness of God, manifested to him above all the rest of the creation; +this teaches him to be thankful for his beautiful form and stature, his +erect countenance, but above all, for his rational soul, created after the +image of God. From all which it appears, that the knowledge of a man's +self is his highest wisdom, and the want of it, the most deplorable folly. + +3. Moreover, the creatures were made, not only for the delight of man, but +also to be his monitors and instructors. For from them we may learn, that +our chief good consists not in worldly and outward enjoyments; such as +eating, drinking, and the gratifying the other bodily appetites, all which +are common to the beasts as well as to us; and this is a convincing +argument, that man, being of a more noble frame and nature than they, +ought to look for other meat and drink, and other pleasures suitable to +the higher nobility of his nature, which the inferior creatures cannot +share with him. I need not here mention, that the greatest part of human +wisdom arises from the contemplation of the creatures. Thus our music came +from the sound of metals; our skill in medicine, from other creatures; and +our astronomy, from the stars; which still farther illustrates my first +observation, that the whole world was created for the sake of man, for +which he owes never-ending thanks to his munificent Creator. + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + Of The Obligations Under Which Men Lie To God. + + + _O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. + A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand + this._--PS. 92:5, 6. + + +The obligations which man lies under to God, are as many and as great, as +are the favors which he has received from him, or the excellencies which +he has bestowed upon all the creatures. For as every creature was made for +his use and benefit, so ought his gratitude to rise in proportion for them +all. If a king should bestow great estates and honors upon a company of +children in the same family, and but one of the number had age and sense +enough to know the greatness of the favor and honor done to them, he alone +is certainly obliged to thank him in the name of all the rest, and would +be guilty of ingratitude if he did not. So in this world, the rest of the +creatures are like children, that know not the worth and value of God's +blessings, as man does; he is, therefore, alone obliged to adore and +praise him in the name and stead of all the rest, and is highly ungrateful +if he does not. + + + +Chapter IX. + + + Man Even More Indebted To God For Inward, Than For Outward Blessings. + + + _And the fear of you shall be upon every beast of the earth._--GEN. + 9:2. + + +As man knows himself to be the most excellent of all creatures, so ought +he to be more thankful to God for the perfections of his own being and +nature, than for those of all the rest of the world. For as all things +else were made for his sake, he must of necessity be more perfect and +excellent than they. The sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven, those +glorious bodies, all wait upon man, and do him service. This they do, not +on account of his body, which, considered in this corrupt state, is less +excellent than theirs; but on account of his soul, as to which he is in +every respect superior to them. For the very notion of servitude implies a +superiority in the person to whom the service is paid: so that it would be +unnatural for those glorious bodies to do that service to man, if he had +not an immortal soul, and by consequence, a more excellent nature than +they. + +2. And on account of the immortality of the soul, it is an unworthy thing +for a man to fix it upon anything that is mortal and perishing; because it +is incapable of uniting with anything but what is immortal, and +particularly with God himself. The body, indeed, is connected with +corporeal objects, and is capable of terrestrial enjoyments; but the soul +should be united solely with God; so that, as a king, he might be +enthroned and bear rule in her; and in this consists the excellency of man +above all other creatures, that his soul is the throne, the image, and +habitation of God. Greater honor than this no creature is capable of +receiving; therefore man is the most excellent of all, and is infinitely +indebted to the Author and Giver of such inestimable benefits. + + + +Chapter X. + + + Of The Wisdom Which God Has Shown In The Formation Of Man. + + + _O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them + all._--PS. 104:24. + + +There are three orders in the natural body. The first is to the body the +same that the husbandmen and laborers are to the state; being employed in +raising the appetite, digesting and concocting the food, separating the +juices, and in all the other inferior offices of the animal economy. This +lower faculty works night and day, for the security and preservation of +the others. For such is the constitution of human bodies, that if the +lower faculties be out of order, or cease to operate, the superior, which +depend upon them, cannot subsist. + +2. The next faculty is the sensitive, diversified by the five perceptions +of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling, which are all more or +less noble, the one than the other. The sight is more noble than the +hearing, because objects are seen at a much greater distance than they are +heard. The hearing is more noble than the taste, as being capable of +exerting itself at a greater distance. And for the same reason, the taste +and smelling are more noble than the feeling, which is the weakest and +lowest of all. + +3. The third order, which is the highest and most noble of all, answers to +the government in the state, and is divided into the reason, the will, and +the memory. These govern and command the faculties, having each a function +distinct from the rest. These are not corporeal, as the others, but +strictly mental faculties; and are, therefore, more noble and excellent. +Besides which, they are also endued with that perfect liberty, that they +cannot be compelled to anything. For who can force the will to desire that +for which it has no mind; or to hate that which it loves? The will is +altogether free, and cannot be forced. These are clothed with virtues +proper to each of them; as the will with righteousness; the understanding +with wisdom; the memory with eloquence, etc. This is the economy settled +by God in human nature. + + + +Chapter XI. + + + Of The Obligations Man Lies Under Towards God. + + + _What hast thou that thou didst not receive?_--1 COR. 4:7. + + +There are two very general and comprehensive favors, for which man is +exceedingly obliged to God; the one visible and corporeal, which is this +world; the other spiritual and invisible, which is the love of God. + +2. And though this latter is indeed the first, as being the foundation of +all his other blessings, which are no more than infinite rivulets flowing +from this universal fountain of divine love; yet, because it is invisible, +the folly of man hardly considers it as any mercy at all. So that man, +being delighted only with visible things, does not regard or consider that +the love which is concealed under them, is greater and better than the +things themselves. In a word, as smoke is a sign of fire, so are the +blessings of God a certain proof of his love towards us. + +3. Since, then, the gifts and blessings of God are, as it were, certain +steps by which to mount up to God himself, it follows, that his love is as +great as his gifts are; and as he made the whole world for the sake of +man, and formed all creatures for his use, and regards them only as they +serve and minister to his beloved creature, man; as he has exalted and +loved him above all creatures, and as this love of God is the most +sincere, pure, safe, and in a word, the highest good, which prompted him +to form and love man, not for any advantage which He was to reap from him, +but out of the overflowings of his free grace and boundless love; from all +these considerations, I say, it is plain that man is more indebted to God +for this love, than for all the particular gifts and favors that God can +bestow, and man receive. + +4. There are two things to be considered in every favor: the love that +precedes and influences the giver, and the gift itself, which is the +consequence of that love. The former is not only more noble and valuable +than the latter, but is in all respects equal to the person that shows it. +Hence, it follows, that the love of God is as infinitely good and great as +God himself. This confirms the position first laid down, that man is more +obliged to God for his love, than for any or all of his particular graces +and favors. And as man cannot subsist a moment without the favor and mercy +of God (for on Him his breath and life entirely depend), it is plain that +his obligations to God are greater than those of all the creatures +besides. + + + +Chapter XII. + + + Of Answering The Obligations Which Man Lies Under To God. + + + _I will love thee, O Lord, my strength._--PS. 18:1. + + +As God has freely and graciously bestowed all his gifts and blessings on +man, he thereby obliges him to make some satisfaction and return for all +these mercies. Now man can offer and dedicate nothing unto God, but what +is entirely in his own power; so that all his outward goods and riches, +are not a proper offering for God. + +2. But as God has bestowed on him his greatest blessing, which is his +love, so he expects to be requited with love again. And as the love of God +to man is in the highest degree of perfection, so the love that he +requires from us ought to be perfect, "with all our heart, with all our +soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength." Mark 12:30. And how +just this return is, both nature and reason may convince us. For nothing +is more natural and reasonable than to love them that love us, and to +proportion our love to theirs; whosoever does not this, is ungrateful and +unworthy of that love which he refuses to requite. And when God does not +meet with this reciprocal love from man, as he very seldom does, he has +then just reason to complain of injustice and ingratitude; for he requires +nothing from man but love, in return for all that infinite love and mercy +which he has shown to him. + +3. Moreover, such is the nature of love, so sweet, so pure, so free, and +so acceptable is it, that neither fear, nor honor, nor any other thing, is +good or desirable, but as it is sweetened with love. No man ever was so +great, as to despise the love of his inferiors; but the greater a man is, +the more does he court the love and esteem of those below him. Yea, so +true is this, that God himself, the most mighty and excellent of all +beings, is so far from despising the love of mankind, that he earnestly +courts and desires it. This then being certain, that love is the greatest +treasure any man has, he is obliged to offer it to God, who has bestowed +the fulness of his love upon man. + +4. By what I have here advanced I would not be understood to mean that +this perfect love, since the fall, is wholly in our own power, or that by +it we can make a perfect return to God for all his benefits. My only +design is to show that we are convinced in our own consciences, not only +from the Word of God, but also from the light of nature, that we ought to +love God as he has loved us. + + + +Chapter XIII. + + + Showing That God's Love Appears In All His Works, Even In His + Chastisements. + + + _He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us + according to our iniquities._--PS. 103:10. + + +As love is the root and principle of all the divine acts and operations, +it follows that even afflictions, which are the work of God, proceed from +love, and ought to be received by man as instances of God's favor. For +love is the root of all the operations of God. + +2. Hence no man ought to murmur against God when He corrects him, or +repine at His chastisements, or quarrel with His judgments. Our sufferings +are not chargeable upon God, but upon ourselves. It would become us much +better to bear his corrections without remitting our love towards him; +even as he punishes us, and yet tenderly loves us still. This would be a +true instance and proof of the sincerity of our love to God. + +3. And though there is no proportion between the love of God towards man, +and the love which the most perfect Christian bears to God, the one being +infinite and the other finite; yet is it our duty continually to aim at +the highest degrees attainable by us. We should endeavor that our love may +be holy, pure, sincere, and persevering, even in the midst of sufferings +and afflictions; as the love of God towards us is ardent, pure, +unchangeable, and everlasting, even whilst he punishes and afflicts us for +our sins. If we do not this, we are the most ungrateful of all his +creatures; every one of which, in its order and capacity, answers the +transcendent love of God with a pure love and obedience. + + + +Chapter XIV. + + + Showing How, And On What Account, Man Is Obliged To Love God. + + + _If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it + would utterly be contemned._--CANT. 8:7. + + +Hitherto we have distinctly considered the obligations that man lies under +to God; which is a doctrine founded upon that natural relation that is +between the giver and the receiver; and this is, as it were, a perpetual +light of nature, to direct us to the several branches of our duty to God. +For as God has bestowed freely upon man everything that he possesses +(whence the obligation arises), it plainly follows that man is obliged to +offer up and restore unto God all that he has received from him. On the +other hand, if God had given nothing, and man received nothing, there +would have then been no obligation, nor any rule or measure of duty. + +2. But as the love of God is the first and chief benefit which he has +bestowed on man; so it is but just and reasonable that he who has so loved +us should be loved by us again. Man, then, has nothing from himself, nor +from others originally, but all things from God; and by consequence, is +obliged solely to God. And this obligation cannot otherwise be discharged +than by loving him entirely with all our hearts and with all our strength. + +3. Lastly, as man continually depends upon God for his life and being; as +he continually enjoys His favors and blessings, and, by His command and +order, the service and assistance of the creatures; nothing less can be +expected from so dependent a being, than love to Him who has so generously +and bountifully blessed him. + + + +Chapter XV. + + +Showing That All The Creatures Continually Remind Us Of The Love Which We + Owe To God. + + + _Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her + voice?_--PROV. 8:1. + + +As God has loved man above all the creatures, or, to speak more properly, +has loved him only, having created them all for his sake; so this +perpetual love of God calls upon us, and exhorts us to love him with all +our hearts; yea, all the creatures of the universe, whilst by God's +command they serve us, and minister to our necessities, do, as it were, +with united voices call aloud, and put us in mind of the natural +obligations we are under to magnify and adore, to serve and love so +gracious a Benefactor, and that freely and willingly; even as they, by +God's command, freely and cheerfully assist and minister to us. + +2. And as their love and service to us are not false and hypocritical, but +sincere and faithful; so ought ours to be to our Creator. As they employ +their whole strength night and day to serve us; so ought we night and day +to be diligent and earnest in the service of God. As all the creatures, in +their order, serve and minister to man alone; so ought all the powers of +our souls and bodies to be employed solely in the service of God. And as +the greatest natural pleasure which man has in this world, arises from the +use and enjoyment of the creatures; so nothing is more acceptable to God +than the sincere services of a devout soul; nothing delights him more than +love, arising from a lively faith in Christ, operating in a free and +willing spirit. From what has been said, it is plain that the creatures +exhort and instruct mankind to love God: 1. With all their strength; 2. +Freely and willingly; 3. Heartily and sincerely; 4. Solely and entirely. + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + A General Rule, Teaching Us How To Answer Our Obligations To God. + + + _Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant + fruits._--CANT. 4:16. + + +As the creatures are appointed by God to obey man; so man is obliged to +love God, and in this the creatures are our monitors. Thus the trees +furnish us with ripe, sweet, perfect, and pleasant fruits; which, if they +were unripe, sour, or rotten, nobody would taste or care for. So it is not +sufficient for man to offer his service, his love, fear, and honor unto +God, unless they be genuine and perfect in their kind, being made +acceptable unto God through Christ and in Christ, by the Holy Ghost, who +produces in us all true and perfect fruits. This then is the great end for +which we must labor, by faith and prayer, that we may bring forth fruits +acceptable to God: like the trees which spend the whole twelve months of +the year in laboring to produce fruits wholesome and pleasant to the +eater; for God will no more accept our unripe, sour, or bitter works, than +we ourselves would relish sour and unripe fruits. + +2. Moreover, as the trees serve us, and naturally provide for our pleasure +and benefit; so is it our duty to serve God "out of a pure heart, and of a +good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (1 Tim. 1:5), without hypocrisy +and sinister designs, that both we and our works may be acceptable in his +sight. In a word, that universal rule which holds in nature, must +necessarily be transferred to our love and duty to God, namely, that a man +ought never to cease from laboring, till he has brought forth fruits +acceptable to God: on the other hand, that all superstition, will-worship, +and hypocrisy, are as hateful and abominable in the sight of God, as +unripe or rotten fruits are to us. + + + +Chapter XVII. + + + Showing That The Christian Who Loves Not God Is Without Excuse. + + + _This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his + commandments are not grievous._--1 JOHN 5:3. + + +As God has implanted in every man a faculty of willing or desiring, which +we call the will, which is also the seat of love, both which mutually +depend on each other; and as man knows that the chief Good is to be loved +by him, and that God is that chief Good; hence it follows, that he alone +has a natural knowledge both that he ought to love God, and also of the +reasons that oblige him to it. + +2. For as brute creatures are fond of their benefactors; so man is under +the highest obligations to love God, from whom he has received all that he +has; and if he do not, he is more stupid and ungrateful than the beasts +that perish. Rom. 12:9; Isa. 1:3. Moreover, as it is the nature of love to +exclude all weariness and sadness (which are the effects of hatred and +displeasure), and to sweeten and soften all the labors and difficulties +that may attend the service of the person beloved (1 Cor. 13:4, etc.); so +we are obliged to express our love to God, by all possible tokens of +satisfaction and joy; since love is the happiness and comfort of our +souls. And in this appear the kindness and love of God towards man, that +he does not exact of us a hard, severe, and painful service; but only the +sweet, the joyful, the comfortable exercise of love. Love casts out fear, +anguish, and torment; otherwise it ceases to be love. Love conquers all +difficulties, and drives away all sorrow, filling the soul with joy and +gladness; so that if we love not God, we are without excuse. + +3. By this I do not mean, that man, since the fall, can by his own +strength and power, perfectly love God as he ought; but to show that every +man is convinced in his own conscience, that he ought to love him as well +as he can; that he who does not, is worse than the beasts; and that both +nature and religion oblige us thereto. + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + + Showing That Our Duty To God Tends To Promote Our Own Happiness. + + + _By thy commandments is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them + there is great reward._--PS. 19:11. + + +Having sufficiently proved, in the first and second Chapters, that God is +an absolute, infinite, and superabundant Good, having all perfection in +and of himself, and receiving no benefit from the service and worship of +the creature; it follows, that all our religious services, as they cannot +be enjoined without a purpose, so they must tend directly to _our_ benefit +and advantage. All the time and pains, therefore, which we spend in the +service of God, are really and truly laid out in the service of ourselves. + +2. For so great are the kindness and love of God towards men, that He has +pointed out to them the path of love, that they might walk in it, and +drink plentifully of the waters of life. O the boundless love of God, who +has made even our duty to be our happiness! + +3. But here we must not think that we can merit anything by the services +which we pay to Him; for, in truth, all the blessings that we receive +either in this life or the next, are solely owing to the free grace and +favor of God. The sense and meaning of this Chapter then is this: that the +virtues or vices of men are neither profitable nor hurtful unto God, but +only unto themselves. + + + +Chapter XIX. + + + The Service Which The Creatures Render To Man, Compared With That Which + Man Renders To God. + + + _My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life + unto thy soul._--PROV. 3:21, 22. + + +As we have already shown that there are two sorts of services; one which +the creatures render to man, and the other which men render to God, both +tending to the sole happiness of man; it remains now that we show the +resemblance and relation that subsists between them. As for the service of +the creatures, it is not in the power of man to make any retribution for +the good they do us (for everything that we have is God's): nor indeed is +it fit to do this, because all the goodness of the creatures is no more +than a little stream of divine goodness, flowing to us through them; and +to Him alone, the Author and Fountain of all good, all our love and +gratitude are due. So then, though a man cannot subsist one moment without +the assistance of the creatures, yet are they not the proper objects of +our love, but God alone; who, by their services, endeavors to oblige and +draw us to a reciprocal love and service to himself. For what advantage is +it to us, to live by the help of the creatures, unless we live unto God. + +2. This then is the intention of God: to instruct us, by the cheerful +services which the creatures pay to us, how cheerfully we ought to love, +to serve, and obey him. For as man cannot live without the help of the +creatures, such as the air and universal nature; so he spiritually dies +unto God whenever he ceases to obey him and to live in Christ. Moreover, +as the life of man is nothing worth, if it be not godly and devout; so the +service of the creatures profits him nothing, if he also be not active and +cheerful in the service of God. And as the natural life is nothing, when +compared with a life of godliness and devotion; so the service we pay to +God, profits us much more than all the service the creatures pay to us. + +3. Nay, he that serveth not God, is not worthy of the service of the +creatures; for as they were made for the service of man, so man was made +for the service of God; and all the duty they pay to us, is only to +encourage us in our duty to our Maker. When this end is not answered, we +may not only be said to use the creatures in vain, but to abuse them. The +end of all that has been said, is this: that as God has commanded the +creatures to contribute to the support of our natural life, he thereby +instructs us to devote and dedicate that life entirely to His honor and +service. + + + +Chapter XX. + + + All Things Are Preserved By The Hand Of God. + + + _The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but + his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake + him._--EZRA 8:22. + + +As man, the noblest of the creatures, cannot subsist one moment without +the help of those that are much inferior to himself; it follows, that +their being, and the qualities by which they help and assist us, are +entirely owing to God. Whosoever denies this, must believe that they who +want not our help, must be more worthy than we, who cannot subsist without +theirs. + +2. But the more natural conclusion would be, that if man cannot subsist +without their help, they who are so much more ignoble than he, must +likewise depend on some superior being for their support and preservation. +But as He that supports the creatures, also supports mankind by their +means, it is plain, that he can be nothing less than the Creator and Maker +of all things. For nothing can preserve our being, but he that gave it, +and that is God, who ordained the creatures for our sakes, and man for his +own. + + + +Chapter XXI. + + + Showing That From The Service Of Man And The Creatures, A Union Takes + Place Between The Visible World, Man, And God. + + + _Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art + great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O + king of nations?_--JEREM. 10:6, 7.--_If then I be a father, where is + mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear?_--MAL. 1:6. + + +Let us now consider and admire the wonderful union of all the creatures +with God, by that double service of which we have spoken. For as all the +creatures were made for the use of man, thence arises a certain relation +or union between man and them; as there is by our duty and service to God, +between us and him. For as God intended to draw man to himself by the +cords of love, so he commanded all the creatures to do service unto man, +as being created for his use alone; and this is a strong obligation upon +us to love, serve, and honor _him_. + +2. Hence we may learn, that all the duty they pay to us, or we to God, +tends solely to the good and benefit of man. As for the other creatures, +they reap no benefit or advantage from their several labors and services, +but only that every one is looked upon to be more or less excellent, in +proportion to the service they respectively do to man. So likewise God +receives no advantage from our services to him; but the greater love any +man has for God, the more noble he is, and the greater benefit he +receives. Whence it appears, how wonderfully this twofold service unites +the creatures to man, and man to God, + +3. And would to God that the bond of union which is between God and man, +were as strong as that which is between man and the creatures! They are +incessantly employed in the service of man, and never act in a manner +contrary to this design of their creation; but man, on the other hand, +bursts the yoke, and breaks the bonds of duty which God has laid upon him, +debasing himself below the beasts, though so much more noble than they. +Now if the laws of nature and reason require the creatures to be obedient +to man, as their lord, how much more just and reasonable is it, that man +should be obedient unto God? For as the soul is much more noble than the +body, so is the inward and spiritual service of God much more excellent +than that external and bodily service of the creatures. And thus by the +duty and service of man to his Maker, are all the creatures united unto +God, and perfected in charity, that they may not be created in vain. + + + +Chapter XXII. + + + From The Love Which We Owe To God, Proceeds That Which We Owe To Our + Neighbor. + + + _This commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love + his brother also._--1 JOHN 4:21. + + +As we have already shown above, that our love is entirely due to God, and +that this is the first and chief obligation upon us; hence it follows, +that it would be highly unjust to alienate that love from him, and fix it +upon any other object. As God has appropriated all his love to us, so +ought we entirely to consecrate ours to him. For though the creatures +indeed do us good, yet they are only agents, and, in truth, _God_ does us +good by their means, forasmuch as he supports, enables, and commands them +to minister to our necessities. Whence it follows, that man also, being a +creature of God, appointed to minister to his neighbor, if he does him any +service, ought not to claim any honor or love for himself, which are due +to God alone. + +2. But as man is obliged to love God above all things, so he is thereby +bound to unite his will and love with the will and love of God, and to +love all mankind as created in the image of God, as freely and sincerely +as God himself loves them. And he that saith he loves God, and loves not +his brother, created in the image of God, is a liar, and the truth is not +in him; for every one that truly loveth God, will love his brother also. + + + +Chapter XXIII. + + + Man Is Made In The Image Of God. + + + _And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our + likeness._--GEN. 1:26. + + +All the creatures, in their different orders and degrees of subordination, +may be said to imitate their Maker. Those beings that are endued with life +and sense come nearer to him than the vegetable; the rational, than the +irrational. As, then, all the creatures in their order seem respectively +to approach nearer and nearer unto God, and man is the end and perfection +of them all, it follows, that he must be in the highest degree of +conformity and likeness unto God. + +2. For as the wax represents the perfect impression of the seal, so God +has fixed a stamp or impression of himself upon all creatures; but to man, +before his fall, he gave his own image and the brightness of that glory, +which the rest of the creatures partake of in lower degrees. Thus it +appears from the orders of created beings, that man was entirely created +after the image of God. And as God is a pure spirit, a holy, just, and +understanding mind, so there is in man a spiritual and understanding soul, +in which the brightness and glory of the divine image shone and manifested +itself. + + + +Chapter XXIV. + + + That Man Is Obliged To Love His Neighbor As Himself. + + + _He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love._--1 JOHN + 4:8. + + +As we were all originally created in the image of God, and he is +endeavoring to restore in us this lost image by the Holy Spirit, and to +save us in Jesus Christ, it follows, that we ought to love our neighbors, +and look upon them not as aliens and strangers, but as our kindred and +brethren, having all received from the same God and Father, our life, and +breath, and all things. We ought to regard them with the same affection +that we do ourselves, that so the image of God, renewed in us by Christ, +may not suffer by our fault. Since, then, there is but one image of God in +us all, and we have but one Redeemer and one Holy Spirit, how strong ought +the bond of love and unity to be betwixt those who represent but one great +body, and where all are members one of another? For as our Maker justly +claims the first place in our love, so the second is certainly due to them +that are created in his image. And because this image resides more +particularly in the soul, we are thereby obliged to wish as well to the +souls of our neighbors as to our own; so then every man is bound to love +his neighbor as to love his God, and that is a necessary consequence of +this. For as God has loved man from all eternity, and still continues to +love us, by providing plentifully for all the wants of soul and body; he +designs thereby, as with the cords of love, to draw us to himself, and to +teach us that as he loves us, so ought we also to love one another. + +2. Moreover, as religion or the worship of God regards chiefly the good +and benefit of the worshipper, it follows, that the love of our neighbor, +which arises from our love of God, necessarily tends to the same end. Or +shall we say that the image of God in man is profitable to the giver, and +not to the receiver? Lastly, as the love of God and of our neighbor is the +first and chief duty of man, it must of necessity be also his chief and +greatest good; yea, the root and fountain of all the blessings which he +can possibly enjoy; so that nothing can strictly be called good to him, +that proceeds from any other principle. The more, therefore, we increase +and improve in the love of God and of our neighbor, the more do we improve +in blessedness and happiness. + + + +Chapter XXV. + + + All Mankind Are To Be Considered As One Man, Or As Being Many Members Of + One Great Body. + + + _Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do + we deal treacherously every man against his brother?_--MAL. 2:10. + + +As all the creatures, the fire, air, earth, water, sun, moon, and stars, +equally and without any respect of persons, serve and minister to mankind, +doing the same service to the poor as to the rich; to the peasants as to +the citizens; to him that labors for his bread, as to him that sitteth on +the throne; by this God teaches us to look upon our neighbor as part of +ourselves, and all of us together as making up but one man. And as he has +commanded all the creatures to pay honor and obedience to man, he designs +thereby to instruct us that we are the image of God, and ought to live in +a constant imitation of him. + +2. If we do not this, and accept not the service of the creatures with +thanksgiving, we are unworthy of the least service from them. Now as the +creatures pay equal service to all men, solely on account of the image of +God which they bear, how much more incumbent is it upon us to love and +honor our neighbor, as bearing that divine image. So that the creatures +themselves instruct us by their example in the duties which we owe to one +another; for as they regard all mankind but as one man, so ought we to do +likewise. + +3. Lastly, forasmuch as all of us enjoy the love and favor of the same +God; are all equally created in the same image; as the love of God is +universal to us all, and his blessings equally bestowed on all; as we all +labor under the same necessities, and stand in need of the same mercies, +and are obliged to pay him the same duty and service; as we are all +partakers of the same nature, and bear the same name (for the poorest and +meanest is as truly a man as the greatest); as we all receive an equal +tribute of service from the creatures; and, as it is appointed for us all +once to die; upon all these accounts we are, each one, obliged to love our +neighbors as ourselves, and promote peace, unity, and charity among +ourselves. + +4. From all that has been said, it appears, that there is a twofold +brotherhood among men: First, as we are all the creatures of God, and owe +to him our being, and all the comforts and supports of it, as well as the +other creatures; and secondly, as we are distinguished from the rest of +the creatures, and have a closer and more heavenly relation one to +another, being all created in the image and likeness of God. But there is +yet a much more noble brotherhood discovered to us in the Gospel, by which +we are all brethren of, and in, the Lord Jesus Christ, and members of his +spiritual body under Him, our Head, of whose fulness we all receive our +different measures and proportions of grace. Ephes. 1:23. + + + +Chapter XXVI. + + + Charity, The Foundation Of The Greatest Strength. + + + _Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of + peace._--EPH. 4:3. + + +As the greatest strength arises from concord, and the greatest weakness +from discord; it follows, that the closer this concord is, the greater +will the strength be. But in order to be united among ourselves, it is +necessary that we begin first with being united unto God. The closer our +union is with God, the stronger will it be with our neighbors. For it is +impossible that he who is sincerely and heartily united to God by love, +should hate his neighbor, whom God so sincerely loves. Yea, the more +ardently any man loves God, the more tenderly will he love his neighbor; +and the more he loves him, the closer will he be united to him. + +2. Upon the diminution or increase of our charity, therefore, depends the +decay or increase of our union; and when both are perfect, the strength +arising from them is invincible. Whence it plainly appears, that when men +love God, they must of necessity love one another, and are thereby united +in a perfect bond of union and peace. But when once they come to forget +God, and to care for nobody but themselves, then faction and discord +arise, which end in ruin and confusion. Here we see the advantages of +concord, and the many public and private blessings that flow thence; and +how all the miseries that attend confusion and discord, rob us of those +blessings, which every single person may enjoy in the safety and peace of +the public. In a word, so great are the benefits of this universal love of +God and man, that so long as it is preserved, no power can destroy or hurt +us. + +3. Hitherto we have been ascending by gradual steps, from the lowest +creatures to God, our chief Good, being taught and convinced by the +creatures, of the obligations under which we are to love and worship God. +Hence we descend again from the Creator to the creature; that is, from the +love of our Creator, to the love of the creatures. + + + +Chapter XXVII. + + + Of The Nature, Properties, And Fruits Of Love. + + + _Take heed that the light which is in thee be not darkness._--LUKE + 11:35. + + +That nothing is properly our own but our love, is too plain to need any +proof. Hence, if our love be good, and rightly applied, our hearts and the +treasures that are in them, are good likewise; but if otherwise, then we +ourselves and all that we have, are evil. It is our love only that makes +us either good or bad. And as, when our love is right and duly placed, +there can be nothing better; so, when it is otherwise, there can be +nothing worse. + +2. And, since we can call nothing our own but our love, it follows, that +on whatsoever being we place our love, to that we dedicate ourselves and +all that we have. Whensoever we abuse or misapply our love, we throw away +and lose all that we have. So then, if all our goodness consist in the +rectitude of our love, and all our evil in the misapplying of it; it +follows, that virtue itself is nothing else but our love, truly and +properly placed; and vice nothing else but a perverse and irregular love. +Whosoever considers these properties of love, cannot be ignorant wherein +the greatest good, and the greatest evil of man, consist. + + + +Chapter XXVIII. + + + Love Unites Him Who Loves With The Person Loved, And Transforms Into The + Same Nature. + + + _God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and + God in him._--1 JOHN 4:16. + + +Love unites itself to the beloved object, because it is the nature of love +to communicate itself willingly and freely to every person or being that +is disposed to receive it. For love is a free gift, and cannot be obtained +by force. And as it is the nature of a gift, to be entirely in the power +of him to whom the last owner gave it; so our love is entirely +appropriated to him on whom we have bestowed it, so that we truly give up +ourselves to that thing on which we fix our love. Thus the beloved is +united with the lover, and they two become one, not by constraint or +force, but freely, willingly, and joyfully: and so he who loves is made +one with the thing beloved, and love takes its denomination from its +object. Hence we read of _carnal_ love, _earthly_ love, and _divine_ love, +each taking its name and character from the objects on which it is fixed. +Thus then every man has it in his power to be changed with freedom and +ease into a being more noble than himself. + +2. Moreover, as the will, without controversy, undergoes a change in love, +and every change ought to be from an ignoble to a more noble state of +being (as we see the elements are changed into plants and herbs, and these +into the flesh of living creatures, and they again into the substance of +human bodies), it would, therefore, be unnatural to fix our love upon, +and, consequently, to be united and changed into, anything that is meaner +than ourselves, but rather upon God, the best and supreme Being; to whom, +according to the order of nature, our love and will ought to be united. +Thus we hear, as it were, the whole creation calling to us, and putting us +in mind of the supreme excellency of God; upon which account He, and He +alone, is worthy of our love. + + + +Chapter XXIX. + + + Nothing Is Worthy Of Our Love, But That Which Can Make Us More Noble And + Pure. + + + _Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world._--1 + JOHN 2:15. + + +As our love is the most noble present we can make, and has a power of +changing our will into the nature of the thing beloved, so that we are +under the control of that which we heartily love; it follows, that we act +meanly and unworthily, when we give to anything that is vile and earthly, +the power of enslaving our will, which is a spiritual faculty, and, +consequently, more noble than anything corporeal: and that he is very +unhappy and foolish, who places his love on his body, and the +gratifications of sense, for instance, on his furniture, equipage, houses, +and estates; all which debase the soul, and can yield it no satisfaction +in trouble, no comfort in the hour of death, or in the day of judgment. +Nothing can do this but God, who is the highest and chief Good, and alone +is worthy of our love. + +2. We must not, therefore, waste our love on anything that is not sensible +of the honor we pay it, nor able to make us a worthy return for it, much +less on things that corrupt and debase it, making it earthly, sensual, and +unprofitable. On the other hand, as God loves us above all creatures, he +deserves a suitable love from us; and that not only as he raises and +ennobles our love, but as he requites us with his own, which is infinite, +uncreated and eternal. + + + +Chapter XXX. + + +Our Chief Love Is Due To God, As The First And Last, The Beginning And The + End Of All Things. + + + _He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are + judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is + he._--DEUT. 32:4. + + +Not only the universal voice of nature, but our own consciences also bear +witness that our chief and highest love is due to God. 1. Because he is +our chief and eternal Good. 2. Because not only man, but all other +creatures derive their being from him. 3. Because the love and goodness of +God are conveyed unto man by all the creatures. Whence it follows, that +God, who is the fountain of goodness and love, deserves to be loved by us +more than any creature, yea, than all the creatures put together; they +being no more than means or instruments of conveying to us the +transcendent and eternal love of God. So that our love is never true, +right, regular, or reasonable, but when it is fixed upon God; which may be +properly called the rectitude of our will. + +2. On the other hand, when self-love predominates, and a man makes all his +love centre upon himself, that love is unnatural, preposterous, unjust, +and irregular, a direct opposition to God, and the root and seed of all +sin and iniquity. For what can be more unjust and ungrateful than to +withdraw our love from God, who alone has a right to it, and to fix it +upon ourselves or upon any creature? This, in short, is the highest +injustice, and the highest violation of the laws of nature, as well as of +God. + + + +Chapter XXXI. + + +He Who Principally Loves Himself, Actually Sets Up Himself In God's Stead. + + + _O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion + of faces._--DAN. 9:7.--_Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto + thy name give glory._--PS. 115:1. + + +As God is the beginning and end of all things, so the first and chief love +of man is due to him. And whosoever transfers it to any other object, +really and truly makes that his god; which is the greatest affront that +can be offered to his divine Majesty. For as it is the nature of love to +unite the lover with the thing beloved, so the fixing of our love upon any +creature separates and alienates us from the Creator. Whosoever +principally loves himself, certainly loves everything else solely for his +own sake; which he ought to love purely for the sake of God; and so all +his love is founded in and upon himself, which ought to be fixed entirely +upon God. + +2. Hence he is employed in doing his own will instead of God's; he usurps +God's right; attempts to invade his kingdom; sets up an authority in +opposition to God's kingdom; and actually rebels against his Maker and his +God. + + + +Chapter XXXII. + + +Love To God, The Source Of All That Is Good; Self-Love, The Source Of All + Evil. + + + _O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine + help._--HOS. 13:9. + + +Love is the efficient cause of all things; and as there are two sorts of +love, the love of God and the love of ourselves, and as these are directly +opposite to each other, it follows, that the one must be extremely good, +and the other extremely evil. But forasmuch as it is plain that the +preference is to be given to divine love, it follows, that this alone is +good. For the love of God is a divine seed in us, from which no evil, but +all good things proceed. This love unites itself to its object, which is +God, its chief, its only Good, in whom it rests, triumphs, and rejoices, +even as God does in it. For joy and pleasure arise from love, as we learn +in Psalm 18:1, 2. This spreads itself over all the world, and, like God, +its author and object, communicates and bestows itself upon every worthy +receiver. And truly, as love finds all things in God, and is happy in the +enjoyment of him, it stands in need of no creature. + +2. But as from divine love proceeds nothing but good, so from self-love +proceeds nothing but evil. This is the root of all the iniquity, sin, +blindness, ignorance, and misery, of which human nature is capable. By +this a man makes his own will his god; and, as the true God is the +fountain of all good, so this false god, this vain idol, our self-will, is +the fountain of all evil. Moreover, as the creatures which we are so fond +of, are made out of nothing, and are so weak and uncertain that they are +always tending to their original state, and, in the meantime, are nothing +but poverty, misery, and sorrow; it follows, that as man is changed into +the nature of the thing which he loves, he must likewise partake of their +inconstancy, their poverty, and misery, and can have no rest in the +enjoyment of them. If the creature is vanity and sorrow, the heart that +cleaves to the creature enters into its vanity, and must be partaker of +its sorrow. + +3. Thus self-love, when it rules and is uppermost in men, makes them +enemies to God, fills them with all iniquity, and brings them into +subjection to the creatures. As the love of God dilates and enlarges the +soul, so the love of ourselves contracts and straitens it, making it +unjust, corrupt, proud, and covetous. As the love of God makes us quiet, +easy, peaceable, and benevolent; so the love of ourselves makes us +unquiet, turbulent, and ill-natured. As the love of God reinstates us in +the liberty of the sons of God; so self-love makes us slaves to the +creatures. The one gives us firmness and constancy of mind and will; the +other makes us inconstant and changeable. The one makes a man courteous, +courageous, generous, and obliging; the other makes him sour, timorous, +mean, and an enemy to everybody but himself. + + + +Chapter XXXIII. + + + Of The Love Of God, And The Love Of Self. + + + _The carnal mind is enmity against God._--ROM. 8:7. + + +As it is plain that by the love of God, or the love of self, all the +motions and operations of our will are governed and directed, and that all +other desires and inclinations have their birth and bias from them; it +follows, that upon them depends all our knowledge, either of good or evil. +For as the love of God is the principle by which we know and judge of all +the good that is in man; so self-love discovers to us all the evil. And +whosoever understands not what self-love is, knows not what evils there +are in man; just as he that understands not the love of God, cannot know +the good that is in Him. For no man can judge of either good or evil who +knows not the springs and fountains from which they flow. The love of God +is a shining light, discovering to us not only itself, but its enemy, +which is self-love; on the contrary, self-love is a thick darkness, +blinding the eyes of men, that they cannot see the good or evil that is in +them. These, then, are the two roots of good and evil, which, whosoever is +ignorant of, cannot rightly judge of either. + +2. For as man consists of two parts, namely, soul and body; so in respect +of one, he sets his heart upon honors, dignities, and preferments; whilst +the other tempts and draws him to fleshly and sensual pleasures. So that +whosoever thus loves himself, must be a slave either to honor or pleasure, +which he looks upon as his greatest happiness, as gratifying that +inclination to himself, which is uppermost in his heart. And from these +two kinds of self-love spring many others, as various as are the means and +instruments of obtaining the honors, or fulfilling the lusts, which have +taken possession of our hearts. And these are chiefly three: 1. Pride, or +an inclination to be eminent and popular in the world. 2. Pleasure and +luxury, by which we indulge and gratify the flesh. 3. Covetousness, or an +inordinate love of worldly things. Whosoever eagerly seeks honor, cannot +but hate everything and every person that stands in his way and hinders +his designs; whence proceed anger, revenge and envy of all those who are +possessed of any advantages which we want, or which seem to eclipse or +lessen the figure which we desire to make in the world. Hence also proceed +indolence and sloth, and a mean fear of laboring or sufferings, both of +which are ungrateful to flesh and blood. In a word, all sins and +iniquities proceed from this fruitful fountain of self-love. + + + +Chapter XXXIV. + + + Love To God, The Only Source Of Peace And Unity. + + + _Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of + perfectness._--COL. 3:14. + + +If all men had an equal love for God, the supreme Good, they would then +all be of one heart and of one mind, and the sincerity and unanimity which +they would manifest in the love of God, would cordially unite them to each +other. + +2. But instead of this, every man loves himself, and pursues the +inclinations of his own heart, so that hardly two can agree together. For +as he whose heart is set upon honor, cannot but hate and envy every one +that is preferred before him; so from these different interests and +inclinations, nothing can proceed but emulation, strife, and discord. +Moreover, as he that pursues his own will, and courts the esteem of men, +makes himself his own god, there must by consequence be as many of these +idols and false gods as there are proud, ambitious men in the world. Hence +arise envy, hatred, wars, and fightings, whilst every one is bent upon +increasing and defending his own grandeur, in opposition to that of his +neighbors. Hence it plainly appears that as the love of God is the bond of +peace and union; so self-love is the root and cause of all the discord and +contention that is in the world. + + + +Chapter XXXV. + + + Showing How We Ought To Love God. + + + _Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, + and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned._--1 TIM. 1:5. + + +There is no better way of convincing a man than by appealing to his own +conscience. There, as in a glass, we may read our duty much more plainly +than ten thousand teachers can instruct us. We have already shown that it +is a point of natural equity to love God above all things, and that he who +does otherwise, sets himself up as his own idol. And now, if any man +desire to know to what his duty to God obliges him, let him look into +himself, and examine his own heart, and conclude that whatsoever he would +have done for himself, _that_ he is obliged to do for God. Therefore, as +self-love is natural to us all, we must reverse that, and offer to God +that which we unjustly arrogate to ourselves, by loving him as we have +hitherto loved ourselves. + +2. Wherefore, as thou now lovest thine own will, and endeavorest to +gratify it in all things, so thou must, for the future, prefer the will of +God to thine own will, and think it better to submit to God's good +pleasure than to humor and gratify thyself. Thou art in love with honor +and esteem, and wouldest have everybody bow to thy superior merit and +character; turn now this inclination of thine, and apply it to promote the +glory of God, and pray that all men may unite to do the same. As thou hast +hitherto been angry with every one that has opposed thee in thy pursuits +of glory, so oughtest thou now to oppose those that oppose the glory of +God. + +3. Whilst thy heart is full of self-love, thou art greedy of praise, and +wouldest have everybody think and speak well of thee; do thou the same for +God; labor and pray that God may be glorified by all men, and that every +creature may praise and magnify His name. As thou art very industrious to +be thought a man of truth and honesty, and wouldest be very uneasy to be +counted a liar; so oughtest thou also cheerfully and industriously to +propagate and vindicate the truth and veracity of God. From all which it +appears that every man may read in the book of his own conscience the +obligation he is under to love and honor God rather than himself. + + + +Chapter XXXVI. + + + Divine Joy, The Fruit Of Divine Love. + + + _Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice._--PS. 5:11. + + +The end and perfection of everything is the fruit it bears, or the effects +it produces, which are as various as the seeds from whence they spring. +Therefore, as there are two different seeds or roots in man, namely, the +love of God and the love of ourselves, which are diametrically opposite to +each other; so likewise are the fruits which they produce. Now the end and +fruit of all human actions is either joy or sorrow. Joy, as it is a good +fruit, must necessarily proceed from a good root; and sorrow, being evil, +must proceed from an evil root; that is, in short, all true joy must +proceed from the love of God, and all sorrow and anguish of mind from the +love of ourselves. + +2. For as all joy arises from love, and depends upon it, such as is the +_love_, such also must be the _joy_. If the love be divine, the joy will +be divine; if earthly, the joy also will be earthly. Now so long as our +hearts are united to God by true love, they cannot but rejoice and be +happy in him. This is a foretaste of eternal life, in which both our love +and our joy shall be completed and perfected together. Therefore, as we +shall there live eternally unto God, so our love also shall be eternal; +and as our love shall be perfected, so it shall be united with a perfect, +absolute, infinite, and eternal good, being itself also perfect, +unchangeable, constant, and eternal. And from a love so pure, immaculate, +and heavenly, shall flow a river of joy, divine, pure, precious, full of +rapture, full of grace, glory, and immortality. + +3. For eternal life itself is nothing but this eternal joy, with some +drops of which, faithful souls, even in this life, have been often +refreshed and comforted. This is the meaning of that passage in Canticles +2:4, "He brought me to the banqueting-house: stay me with flagons, comfort +me with apples." And whosoever has tasted of this joy, can have no relish +for worldly pleasures. But as that proceeds from the true love of God, +arising from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, it follows, that if we desire +to obtain so great a good, and, by tasting some drops of this sweetness, +to enjoy this earnest and foretaste of everlasting life, it must be +obtained by a lively faith, operating by divine love. Whence St. Paul +tells us that "the love of Christ passeth knowledge." Eph. 3:19. + +4. And as this divine love is not a thing _without_ us, but _within_ us, +it follows that this does not depend upon our external goods or +possessions, such as riches, honors, learning, meat, or drink, or any +other outward blessing; but that all these things are contained _in it_. +And as this love shall attain its full perfection in the other life, so +the peace and joy that flow from it, shall be perfect and everlasting. +This treasure a man shall have in himself, and no one shall take it from +him; he shall have a river of living pleasure rising up in himself, +independent of all external blessings and comforts. And as no man knoweth +this treasure, but he that has it; so he that has it, is in perfect ease; +he envies nobody, covets nothing, thirsts after nothing but the fulness +and perfection of divine love. + +5. The first fruits of this treasure may be possessed by faithful souls +even in this life, without lessening the reversion in the next life; yea, +it rather increases and spreads itself to infinite degrees, so that though +all mankind should unite together in this divine love, they would be no +hinderance to each other, but would rather increase and improve their +united stock of love and joy. For the more earnestly any man loves God, +the greater is his joy. And if it be so in this world, how great shall our +joy be in the next, when God shall pour out the fulness of his joy and +love upon his elect, and He himself shall be "all in all." 1 Cor. 15:28. + + + +Chapter XXXVII. + + + Of The Evil Fruits Of Self-Love. + + + _Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: and let your laughter be + turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness._--JAMES 4:9. + + +As true and divine joy proceeds from true and divine love, so nothing can +proceed from false love but false joy. For as self-love aims at nothing, +delights in nothing but honors, riches, and sensual and worldly pleasures, +all which are fading, perishing, and subject to a thousand casualties; +therefore the man whose heart is set upon them, cannot but be always +fearful, apprehensive, and jealous of every accident that may deprive him +of his happiness; so that his joys are never solid or lasting, but false +and perishing, mixed with fears and cares, and ending in disappointment +and sorrow. For as the seed is, such is the fruit. + +2. Now we have already shown, that self-love is corrupt, impure, unjust, +abominable, and unnatural, the seed and root of all evil, the parent of +weakness, blindness, error, and death. And the fruit or joy arising from +it is of the same sort, unjust, impure, opposed to God, to our neighbor, +and to all righteousness; it rejoices in iniquity, and contempt of God. +And if it be a sin only to love anything which God hateth, how much more +grievous a sin must it be to delight and rejoice in it? Such a joy as +this, which is opposite to the nature of every creature, and contrary to +the nature and express will of God, cannot but end in everlasting sorrow, +death, and darkness. + +3. For as divine joy brings us nearer and nearer to God; so carnal joy +carries us farther and farther from him. Divine joy makes us the friends +of God; but worldly joy makes us his enemies. The former confirms and +strengthens the will in the love of God, makes the conscience easy, +cheerful, and happy; the latter disquiets and torments the soul, making it +turbulent, restless, and uneasy. That may be obtained without labor or +charge; this requires both, and all too little to support and secure it. +The one produces, improves, and preserves love, peace, and friendship +among men; the other creates discord, contentions and quarrels, wars, +violence, and bloodshed. From the one all good, from the other all evil +things proceed. The one is a lively, salutary, and sober joy, full of +virtue, full of pleasure, and acceptable to God; the other is fleshly, +vicious, dishonest, base, and hated of God. The one increases our devout +longings after God and goodness; the other inflames our corrupt desires. +That enlightens the understanding, filling it with divine light and +wisdom; this darkens and blinds it, and fills it with ignorance and error. +That is true and substantial; this treacherous, deceitful, and false. + + + +Chapter XXXVIII. + + + Everlasting Sorrow And Death, The End Of Self-Love And Carnal Joy. + + + _If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die._--ROM. 8:13. + + +As we have already shown everlasting joy to be the genuine fruit of divine +love; it follows, that without that love, we cannot be partakers of the +joy, but must sit down at the last in eternal anguish and distress. For +when the condemned sinner comes to reflect and consider, that by his own +fault, he has irrecoverably lost all the blessings of a happy eternity, +how great must his sorrow, how bitter must his grief be! Annihilation +itself would be to him a blessing; but alas! he wishes for it in vain, he +must bear his burden, and undergo his punishment to all eternity. + +2. This must raise in him an eternal hatred and abhorrence of himself, and +all his adherent impurities and sin; which, whether he will or not, will +forever stare him in the face, revenging, as it were, upon him the past +sacrilege of his self-love. + + + +Chapter XXXIX. + + + All That We Have Must Be Offered And Consecrated To God. + + + _O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord + our maker._--PS. 95:6. + + +As we are assured that God is our Creator, Preserver, and loving Father, +to whom can we more reasonably pay our honor, duty, and service, than to +him? Whom shall we rather implore and pray to, whom shall we rather praise +and glorify, than him that made us? Whom shall we rather trust? In whom +shall we rather hope? Whom shall we rather love? In whom shall we rather +rejoice and be happy? Shall we not love him, who hath created us in his +own image? Shall we not honor him, who has exalted us above all creatures? +Shall we not devote ourselves entirely to him, who has given himself +entirely unto us? Who created us for the end that we might live, abide, +and rejoice with him forever? Shall we not love and honor him, who has +adopted us for his children? + +2. Think, therefore, and consider with thyself, O man! that as God has +given thee a rational soul, so thou oughtest to consecrate all the powers +and faculties of it to his honor and service. He has given thee the +faculty of loving: therefore love him; he has given thee understanding: +endeavor to know him; he has given thee fear: therefore fear him; the +power of honoring: therefore honor him; the gift of prayer: therefore pray +to him; of praise and thanksgiving: therefore praise his name. He has +given thee the power of believing, hoping, and trusting: therefore depend, +and trust, and hope in him; of rejoicing: therefore rejoice and be glad in +him. Lastly, as all things are in him, and he has an infinite power of +doing all things, consider this with thyself, that if thou rest and +rejoice in him alone, thou shalt in him possess all things. + +3. And hence arises the true and genuine worship of God. He that loves +him, honors him; he that loves him not, affronts him. So likewise he that +fears him, honors him; he that fears not, despises him. And all the other +vices and virtues are of the same nature. By obedience, God is honored, +and he is dishonored by disobedience; the same may be said of faith, hope, +charity, and gratitude. + +4. From all this it appears, that there is nothing better, more honorable, +or more profitable for man, than to honor God; and nothing more base and +abominable than to dishonor him. + + + +Chapter XL. + + + He Can Never Praise And Glorify God, Who Seeks His Own Glory. + + + _Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give + glory._--PS. 115:1. + + +He that in all things seeks not the glory of God, and endeavors to promote +it, does not act like a creature of God, but directly opposes his Maker, +and all his designs, seeing he made all things for his own glory. And he +does even worse, who measures all things no otherwise than as they +contribute to the raising of his own glory and honor. Such a one usurps +the honor due to God alone, and, like the rebel Lucifer, sets himself in +God's throne. + +2. And this he does not only in his own soul, but endeavors to lead others +into the same guilt, by filling their hearts, which ought to be thrones +and temples of God, with the same notions of love and honor to himself, as +he has entertained in his own mind; endeavoring as much as in him lies, to +dispossess his Maker and settle himself in his room. But what greater sin +can there be than this? Now as the consequence of this irregular loving +and honoring a man's self is, that it makes him the enemy of God, and +casts him out of his presence into the pit of destruction, it follows, +that he who would be the friend of God, must hate and deny himself. + +3. Return, therefore, and repent, O man! believe in Christ and live in him +as a new creature, and he will receive thee and comfort thee. But to +others, who persist in their rebellion and continue in their corruptions, +he shall say at the last day: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that +work iniquity!" Matt. 7:23. Moreover, as the love of Christ is our chief +good, our highest wisdom, and the perfection of our knowledge, and +self-love is perfectly opposite to it: let us be persuaded to cast out the +love of ourselves and of the world, that the love of Christ may enter into +our hearts. This is that love which perfects and accomplishes our +Christianity, and with this do thou, O God, refresh and satisfy our souls +for ever and ever. Amen. + + + +Conclusion. + + +1. The title "True Christianity" is prefixed to these Four Books for the +reason that true faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the righteousness +which proceeds from faith, constitute the fountain from which the whole +Christian life must flow. I have, accordingly, written, not for heathens, +but for Christians; who have, it is true, adopted the Christian faith, but +whose life does not accord with it, and who deny, or will not understand, +the power of faith. 2 Tim. 3:5. I have written, not for unbelievers, but +for believers; not for those who are yet to be justified, but for those +who are already justified. Hence, this whole work on daily repentance and +Christian love, ought to be understood in no other sense, than that faith +must go before as a light in our path, and that it is the foundation of +all. Let no one, by any means, suppose that anything is here ascribed to +our carnal free will or to good works; our sole object is to persuade you, +as you are a Christian, and are anointed with the Spirit of God, to let +Christ live in you, and rule in you, and to let the Holy Spirit govern +you, in order that your Christianity may not be hypocrisy. + +2. Hence, too, Part II. of this Fourth Book is not to be so understood, as +if we could love God from our own carnal will; for love is a fruit of the +Holy Spirit. This Part II. is, on the contrary, only intended to show +that, besides the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, even our own heart and +conscience may teach us, from the book of nature, and the light of nature, +that we are bound to love God on account of his great love bestowed upon +us, and manifested through the means of all his creatures. Such an +argument, derived from nature, ought to convince every man, whether he be +a heathen or a Christian, a believer or an unbeliever; and no one can +refute it. For, granting that God has bestowed so many mercies on us, who +can deny that we are in gratitude obliged to so gracious a benefactor? And +as he calls and invites us to love him, by all the creatures which are +bestowed in common upon all mankind, who can deny that the love of God is +discovered to us in the book of nature, and that the heathens themselves +may be convinced by arguments drawn thence? "The works of the Lord are +great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein." Ps. 111:2. And, +"Thou Lord, hast made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the +works of thy hands." Ps. 92:4. How can these works be more effectually +praised, than in this manner? The Lord God give us understanding and +wisdom, that we may know him and praise him for all his works, both here +and forevermore. Amen. + + + + + +INDEX. + + +The Roman Numerals indicate, respectively, the Four Books; the first +Arabic numeral which follows, designates, in every case, the _Chapter_; +the second, with any that may follow, refers to one or more _Sections_ of +a chapter. The references to the INTRODUCTION, the PREFACES, the two PARTS +of BOOK IV., etc., will be readily understood. + +A. + +ABRAHAM--an example of patience, II. 47. 16. +---- the time when the promise was given to him, I. 12. 7. + +ABSOLUTION FROM SIN, I. 21. 13. + +AGRICOLA, INTROD. § 15. + +ADAM--his fall, I. Chap. 2; II. 17. 9; II. 34. Sect. 4. 1. + +ADAM AND CHRIST, contrasted, II. 7. 1-6. + +AFFLICTION--its uses, II. 5. 3; II. 35. 5. +---- none for which God has not provided consolation, II. Chap. 48. + +AHAB--his delusion, I. 38. 13. + +ANGER of GOD--what is meant by the expression, II. 42. 11. + +ANTINOMISTIC CONTROVERSY, INTROD. § 15. + +APOLOGY of Augsburg Confession, INTROD. § 25. + +APOSTASY--when man is guilty of it, II. 23. 4. + +ARNDT--account of his life, INTROD. § 1, etc. +---- his motives in writing the "True Christianity," PREF. to Book I. 1; + INTROD. §§ 20, 21, 24, 31. +---- his orthodoxy, INTROD. §§ 22, 24, 25, 40. +---- his religious character, INTROD. § 26. +---- popularity of his "True Christianity," INTROD. § 31. +---- translations of it, INTROD. § 33, and Note. +---- his death, INTROD. § 22. + +ASCENSION of Christ (see CHRIST, etc.), II. XXV. 11. + +ASPIRATIONS of the believer, I. 11. 11. + +AUGSBURG, CONFESSION OF--Conclusion of Book II., p. 374. +----, INTROD. §§ 24, 25. +----, PREF. to Book I. 8. + +AUGSBURG INTERIM, INTROD. §§ 12, 15. + +AUGSBURG, PEACE OF, INTROD. § 12. + +AUGUSTINE--quoted, III. 6. 2. + +B. + +BABYLAS, II. 45. 8. + +BAPTISM--a means to attain the new birth, I. 3. 12. +---- a renewal of the covenant with God, II. 2. 6. +---- what is received therein, III. 1. 4. + +BELIEVING SOUL, a--its beauty, III. 4. 2. + +BIRTH (see NEW BIRTH; REGENERATION)--twofold, I. 3. 2, etc. + +BLESSEDNESS of the true believer, I. 8. 7; I. 11. 10; I. 12. 5; I. 13. 6; + I. 22. 10; I. 34. 17; I. 36. 7. + +BOEHM, INTROD. §§ 32, 34, 35. + +BONAVENTURA--a saying of his, II. 6. 6. + +BOOK OF LIFE, I. 11. 1. + +BREAD, IV. Part I., Chap. 3. 14. 35-39. + +C. + +CÆSAR, JULIUS, I. 27. 5. + +CALLING OF GOD--inward, III. 8. 3. +---- outward, III. 8. 1. + +CALUMNY--consolations, II. 17. 4, etc. +---- consolatory Scripture passages, II. 17. 13, etc. +---- how to be overcome, II. Ch. 17. +---- why the Lord permits it, II. 17. 9. + +CATECHISM, Five Parts of Luther's, III. 1. 4. + +CATECHISMS, LUTHER'S TWO, INTROD. § 25. + +CHADDOCK, REV. C., INTROD. § 36. + +CHARITY (see LOVE, etc.)--the foundation of strength, IV. Part 2, Ch. 26. + +CHRIST (see ASCENSION; DEATH; INCARNATION; MERIT; RESURRECTION, etc.)--all + recovered in him, that was lost in Adam, II. 34., Sect. I. +---- denied and crucified again, I. 9. 1, etc. +---- encouragements derived from his sufferings, II. 18. 9; II. 45. 5. +---- furnishes a pattern of prayer, II. 20. 10. +---- his complaint, continued, II. 15. 1-6. +---- his humiliation, II. 13. 5, etc.; Ch. 14. +---- his humility, and its lessons, II. 12. 3. +---- his kindness, II. 8. 8; II. Ch. 26. +---- his life, a mirror for us, II. 11. 3; II. 14. 3. +---- his patience, the consideration of which alleviates the burden of the + cross, II. Ch. 56. +---- his perfect obedience, II. 19. 1. +---- his Person is indivisible, II. 10. 15. +---- his poverty, II. 13. 2, etc.; II. 14. 1, etc. +---- his righteousness, III. 1. 4. +---- his sufferings, foreknown to him, II. 18. 2. +---- his three kinds of trouble, II. 15. 3. +---- how he humbled himself, II. 13. 8, etc. +---- how he perfects his work in the hearts of the faithful, III. Ch. 15. +---- how he manifests himself to the soul, II. Ch. 27. +---- our example, I. 1. 7; I. 3. 10; I. 11. 2; I. 15. 6; I. 37. 11; I. 39. + 7; II. 13. 1; II. 44. 8. +---- our help in prayer, II. 38. 2. +---- teaches us how to bear the cross, II. 15. 1, etc. +---- the image of God, I. 1. 7. +---- the only Head of the Church, II. 16. 7. +---- the only Saviour, I. 12. 2. +---- the true Book of Life, II. Ch. 13; II. 19, 1-9. +---- the two Natures of, in one Person, II. 6. 1; II. 52. 2. +---- the union of the two Natures of, indissoluble and eternal, II. 6. 2. +---- washing the feet of his disciples, II. 21. 3. + +CHRIST, what an excellent gift he is, II. 1. 5. (a)--(b). +---- what he is to the soul, II. 1. 4, (b); III. 6. 3. +---- wherein his highest glory consisted, II. 16. 3, etc. +---- why he took upon himself our nature, I. 3. 6; I. 11. 9. +---- why his sufferings were so severe, II. 18. 2-8. + +CHRIST CRUCIFIED--benefits of the contemplation of, II. 20. 15. +---- what he teaches us, II. 19. 2, etc. + +CHRISTIAN, THE--a stranger and pilgrim, I. 17. 4, 7. +---- demonstrated by practising the word of God, II. 5. 4, 5. +---- his manner of using temporal things, I. 17. 5. +---- is anointed and baptized with the Holy Spirit, II. 35. 2. +---- the false, condemned, I. 7. 4. +---- value of the name, II. 11. 2. + +CHRISTIANITY--wherein it consists, PREF. to Book I. 5; I. 39. 7. + +CITIES OF REFUGE, I. 21. 15, 16. + +COMFORT, HEAVENLY--how to taste it, I. 36. 13. +---- why God sometimes delays to afford it, II. Ch. 55. + +COMMANDMENTS, TEN--a test, II. 4. 3. + +CONCLUSION of Book II. page 374. +---- of Book IV. page 488. + +CONSCIENCE--pangs of, II. 10. 9. +---- three qualities impressed on it, I. 7. 1. +---- _see also_ I. 23. 9; IV. Part 2. 35. 1. + +CONSOLATION--in affliction, II. Ch. 48. +---- means of obtaining it, II. 48. 10, etc. + +CONTEMPT of the world--how to bear it, II. 15. 7-16. + +CONVERSATION of a believing soul with God, II. Ch. 39; II. 48. 13. + +CONVERSATION between faith and the mercy of God, II. Ch. 40. + +CONVERSION (see REPENTANCE, etc.)--pardon bestowed after it, I. 37. 21. +---- a work of divine grace, II. 9. 9. + +CORRUPTION of human nature (see ORIGINAL SIN)--early and later + manifestations, I. 2. 5, 6. +---- its ultimate result, I. 2. 10. +---- its greatness, I. 8. 8; I. 11. 5, etc. +---- the knowledge of the, I. 42. 3. + +COVENANT of grace--a source of consolation, II. 2. 6. +---- the remembrance of the, a help in prayer, II. 38. 11. + +COVETOUSNESS--its folly, I. 17. 7. + +CREATION--work of the First Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 1. +---- work of the Second Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 2. +---- work of the Third Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 3. +---- work of the Fourth Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 4. +---- work of the Fifth Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 5. +---- work of the Sixth Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. + +CREATURES of God--how they furnish evidence of divine love, II. 26. 7, + etc.; II. 29. 5, etc. +---- how they invite us to praise God, II. 42. 14. +---- when converted into idols, I. 18. 9. + +CREATURES, The living--all remind us of the love which we owe to God, IV. + Part II. Ch. 15. +---- the work of the Sixth Day, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. + +CROSS, The--how to bear it, I. 40. V. +---- taking it up, II, 10. 4. +---- the benefits of it, II. 46, 15. +---- the mystery of it, III. Ch. 23. + +Cross of Christ--I. 4. 4-6; I. 15. 8. +---- a branch of it, II. 18. 1. + +CRYPTOCALVINISTIC Controversy, INTROD. § 15. + +CYPRIAN--quoted, PREF. to Book III. 5. + +D. + +DARKNESS, Spiritual, I. 11. 3. + +DAVID, King, I. 17. 11. +---- his example, II. 5. 2. +---- reason of his desire to lead a holy life, II. 5. 6. + +DEATH, II. 8. 11; II. 57. 20, etc. +---- consolations, and remedies against the fear of, II. Ch. 57. +---- persons raised from, II. 57. 8. +---- Spiritual, I. 41. 11, 12. +---- three kinds of, I. 12. 2. +---- why the time of it is concealed from us, II. 8. 11. + +DEATH of CHRIST (see Christ), II. 2. 7; II. 25. 9; II. 26. 3; II. 57. 2. + +DEVIL; see SATAN. + +DEPENDENCE on self--a grievous sin, II. 23. 2, etc. + +DEPRAVITY, Human; see CORRUPTION; ORIGINAL SIN. + +DESPAIR, I. 40. VIII. + +DEVOTIONS, Private, III. Ch. 12. + +DIONYSIUS, ST.--quoted, IV. Part I. 1. 6. + +DOCTRINE of Christ, II. 25. 8. + +DOCTRINE, Purity of--declared by Arndt to be "the foremost point of true + Christianity," INTROD. § 24. +---- how preserved, I. 38. 11; I. 39. 1, etc. +---- its necessity, I. 39. 3. +---- maintained by Paul and others, I. 39. 2. +---- the example of Christ, of the prophets, and of the apostles in this + respect, I. 39. 4. + +DUTY to our neighbor (see LOVE), I. 31. 4. + +DYING--daily, to the world, II. 10. 14. +---- to the flesh and sin, I. 12. 8, etc. +---- unto self, I. 13. 1, etc. + +E. + +EATING of Christ, The--what it is, I. 36, 10. + +EISLEBEN, INTROD. § 22. + +ELECTION of grace, I. 38. 6, 7. + +ENEMIES--how to be treated, I. 40. X. + +ENLIGHTENED, To be, I. 37. 3. +---- when impossible, I. 37. 7-9. + +ENVY, I. 40. XI. + +ETERNITY of future punishments, I. 7. 5; II. 8. 13. + +EXAMPLE of Christ (see CHRIST; SAINTS)--advantage of following it, I. 38. + 9. + +EXAMPLES--of Moses and David, in praising God, II. 41. 12. +---- of pardoned sinners, II. 2. 10. +---- of persons raised from death, II. 57. 8. + +EXISTENCE of God--taught by the conscience, I. 7. 2. + +EXORCISM, INTROD. §§ 6-8. + +EXPOSITION of the consolation given in 1 Cor. 1:3-7--II. Ch. 48. + +F. + +FAITH--as distinguished from hope, II. 50. 1. +---- a weak faith, I. 5. 9. +---- a weak faith is, nevertheless, _faith_, II. 51. 9, etc. +---- by it, the soul is united to Christ, III. 3. 3. + +FAITH, comfort for those who are weak in, II. Ch. 51. +---- examples confirming it, I. 13. 3-5. +---- gives quietness to the soul, II. 34. Sect. 7. 2. +---- it renews the whole man, III. 3. 7. +---- its glory, III. 3. 6. +---- its influence, I. 5. 2; I. 5. 9; I. 6. 6; I. 11. 4; I. 39. 10; I. 5. 9; + II. 4. 1. +---- its purifying influence, III. Ch. 9. +---- its strength varies, II. 51. 10. +---- its victory, III. 3. 5, 9. +---- means for strengthening it, II. 51. 16. +---- the source of all the Christian virtues, PREF. to Book I. 6. 7. +---- the true source of religion, II. 4. 6. +---- the true way of obtaining the believer's inward treasure, III. 2. 1, + etc. +---- the work of God, I. 34. 14; II. 51. 2, 15. +---- what it is, I. 5. 1; I. 21. 9; I. 34. 12. +---- working by love, I. 24. 12; I. 32. 1. + +FALL of Adam--how it was occasioned, I. 2. 2. +---- its consequences, I. 2. 1, 3, 4. + +FASTING, II. 9. 15, etc. + +FEDDERSON, INTROD. § 36. + +FLESH--its conflict with the Spirit, I. 16. 2, etc. + +FLOURISHING like a palm tree--explained, I. 22. 4. + +FOLLOWING Christ--I. 37. 14. +---- the sum of Christianity, I. 18. 2. + +FORMULA of Concord, INTROD. §§ 15, 24, 25; PREF. to Book I. 8; Conclusion + of Book II. p. 374. + +FRUITS--the marks of true and false Christians, I. 39. 9. + +FUTURE punishments, Eternity of, I. 7. 5. + +G. + +GLORIFICATION of our bodies, II. 57. 13. + +GLORY, Eternal--the consideration of it alleviates the burden of the cross, + II. 56. 3, etc. + +GOD (see LOVE to)--all things preserved by his hand, IV. Part II. Ch. 20. +---- as infinite Omnipotence, II. Ch. 31; IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 14. +---- described by the prophet Joel, II. 9. 22-27. +---- his calling is earnest and decisive, III. Ch. 8. +---- his goodness or grace, II. 37. 5; IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 13. + +GOD, his incomparable glory, II. 42. 16. +---- his infinity and eternity, IV. Part. II. Ch. 1. +---- his knowledge, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 13. +---- his love a help in prayer, II. 38. 9. +---- his love appears in all his works, IV. Part II. Ch. 13. +---- his mercy, II. 8. 7. +---- his omnipresence, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 15. +---- his omniscience, II. 34. Sect. 6; IV. Part II. 1. 3. +---- his seat in the soul, III. Ch. 6. +---- his veracity, II. 57. 5. +---- his wisdom, shown in the formation of man, IV. Part II. Ch. 10. +---- how illustrious, II. 42. 11. +---- how manifested, II. 37. 8. +---- invites all men to pray, II. 34. Sect. 8. +---- is love, II. Ch. 26. +---- manifestations of his wisdom, II. Ch. 33. +---- manifested as the Supreme Beauty, II. Ch. 30. +---- must be distinguished from his creatures and his gifts, III. Ch. 21; + III. 22. 3. +---- not to be sought in any particular place, for he is everywhere, II. 34. + Sect. 8. +---- operations of his righteousness, II. 32. 3, etc. +---- reasons, convincing us that he hears our prayers, II. 37. 12, etc. +---- the amiableness of his Being, II. 26. 10. +---- the eternal Wisdom, II. Ch. 33. +---- the folly of rejecting him, I. 36. 18. +---- the fountain of life and all good, II. 37. 4. +---- the highest righteousness and holiness, II. Ch. 32. +---- the light of the soul, III. Ch. 11. +---- the Omniscient, knows what we need before we ask him, II. 34. Sect. 6. +---- the only source of true happiness, I. 36. 9. +---- the Supreme Good, II. Ch. 28; IV. Part II. Ch. 2. +---- the temporal and spiritual benefits which he has bestowed, considered, + II. Ch. 29. +---- what he is, I. 1. 6; I. 37. 2. + +GODLINESS--two motives recommending the study of it, I. 40. 1. + +GODLY Sorrow (see SORROW for Sin), I. 8. 7; I. 11. 4; I. 20. 20. + +GRACE--indispensable, I. 41. 28; II. 9. 11. + +---- its influence and blessed results, I. 34. 7, etc. + +GREGORY, ST.--quoted, III. 15. 2. + +GROWING in grace, I. 23. 4; I. 37. 19. + +H. + +HARDNESS of heart, I. 38. 3, etc. + +HATRED--of self, I. 14. 1; I. 14. 14. +---- of vices, but not of men, I. 40. XII. + +HEART, Paternal, of God, II. 8. 5. + +HEART, Purity of--watching over it, I. 40. II. + +HEART, Blindness of--its results, I. 41. 19. + +HEART--its state, II. 4. 3; II. 7. 5. +---- must be changed, II. 9. 13. +---- regarded by God, II. 4. 4. + +HELL, Eternal pains of, I. 7. 5; II. 8. 13. + +HEAVEN, the work of the Second Day, IV. Part I. Ch. 2. + +HOLY SPIRIT--how he is driven away by worldly pleasures, III. Ch. 18. +---- how he operates in our souls, III. Ch. 16. +---- office of the, II. 35. 4. +---- our help in prayer, II. 38. 3. +---- signs of his presence in us, III. Ch. 17. +---- truly God, II. 37. 21. + +HOPE--Christ its object, II. 12. 2; II. 50. 8. +---- how tested in seasons of affliction, II. Ch. 50. +---- what it is, II. 50. 1. +HONOR, Worldly--how to be received, II. 22. 7, 8. + +HUMAN nature--one argument of its dignity, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 19. + +HUMILITY (see PRIDE)--a means of union with God, III. 5. 1. +---- exemplified by Jesus, II. 21. 3. +---- explained; its happy influence, etc., I. 19. 1-16. +---- how we are taught to practise it, II. 21. 2. +---- it must be laid as a foundation in the heart, III. Ch. 20. +---- its necessity, III. 15. 4, 5. +---- its power, II. Ch. 21. +---- six steps or degrees of it, III. 5. 2. +---- what constitutes it, III. 8. 2. +---- without it, all prayer is in vain, II. 21. 4. + +HYPOCRISY, I. 12. 11. + +I. + +IDOLATRY, II. 22. 3-6. + +IGNATIUS, II. 45. 8. + +IMAGE of God in man--how man lost it, I. 1. 8; I. 41. 11. + +IMAGE of God,--originally shone forth in man's soul, I. 41. 7. +---- the different modes in which it appears in man, I. 1. 4. +---- what it is, I. 1. 1; I. 41. 10. +---- what it was intended to teach, I. 1. 5, 9. +---- why it was impressed on man, I. 1. 2. + +IMAGE of Satan, I. 41. 23. + +IMPUTATION (see MERIT)--of the merit of Christ, I. 8. 17. +---- of the righteousness of Christ, I. 4. 7. + +INABILITY of man, I. 34. 2, 7; II. 6. 4, 8. + +INCARNATION of Christ (see CHRIST, etc.), I. 11. 9; I. 31. 9; I. 34. 4; I. + 37. 11; II. 25. 7; II. 26. 2; II. 34. 2; IV. Part II. Ch. 5. + 2. + +INDWELLING of Christ in man, I. 5. 9. + +INHERITANCE from Adam, I. 3. 5. + +INJURIES--viewed as trials of the heart, I. 40. IX. + +INTERIM, AUGSBURG, INTROD. §§ 12, 15. + +J. + +JACQUES, INTROD. §§ 32, 37, 38. + +JOY--divine and worldly, incompatible with one another, I. 20. 11. +---- Divine, the fruit of divine love, IV. Part II. Ch. 36. +---- Heavenly, how to be accepted, I. 40. VI. +---- in God, originally perfect, I. 41. 8. +---- of eternal life, II. 8. 14. + +JUDGMENT, Last, II. 8. 12. + +JULIAN the Apostate, I. 38. 2. + +JUSTIFICATION, I. 5. 1. +---- derived from God alone, II. 6. 8. + +K. + +KNOWLEDGE of Christ, etc.--its excellence, I. 40. XV. +---- what is comprehended in it, I. 41. 1. +---- wherein it consists, I. 39. 5. + +KNOWLEDGE of God--his knowledge, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 12. +---- wherein it consists, I. 11. 18; I. 21. 6, etc. + +KNOWLEDGE--of grace, I. 21. 5, 16, 17. +---- of sin, I. 21. 11. +---- of the Scriptures--vain, without a holy life, I. 35. 1, etc. + +L. + +LAURENTIUS VALLA--a saying of his, II. 5. 4. + +LAW, Inward--its lessons, I. 7. 1-3. + +LAZARUS, the friend of Christ, II. 13. 4. + +LEARNING, Human--is distinct from godliness, I. 36. 14. + +LEYSER, P., INTROD. § 2. + +LIFE, Holy--proceeds from a renewed heart, I. 22. 2. +---- rules for leading it, I. 40. 1, etc. + +LIFE of Christ (see EXAMPLE), I. 10. 2; I. 11. 16; I. 14. 8, etc.; I. 37. + 8. + +LIFE of the Christian--a continual renewing of the image of God, I. 41. 2. + +LIFE, Spiritual, I. 11. 12. +---- abolished in the carnal man, I. 41. 18. +---- different degrees of, PREF. to Book I. 1. + +LIFE, Unholy, I. 10. 1, 3. +---- its effects, I. 38. 1, etc.; I. 39. 6. + +LIGHT--Natural, in the understanding, I. 41. 17, 26; III. Ch. 10. +----of grace, III. Ch. 10. +---- of nature, I. 7. 3. +---- of the sun and moon; its benefits, IV. Part I. Ch. 4. 19. +---- the work of the First Day, IV. Part I. Ch. 1. + +LIVING in Christ, I. 6. 2-5; I. 36. 1, etc. + +LORD'S Prayer--its true use, III. Ch. 19. + +LORD'S Supper--therein Christ's true body and blood are received, III. 1. + 4. + +LOVE (see SELF-LOVE)--a bond of union, IV. Part II. Ch. 28. +---- evils proceeding from the want of it, I. 31. 5; I. 35. 3. +---- four particulars concerning it, I. 24. 1. +---- four properties of it, II. 24. 17. +---- how it is to be guided, II. 24. 11. +---- in it are contained all the duties of a Christian, I. 35. 1. +---- its distinguishing feature, I. 35. 2. +---- its fruits, I. 30. 1-14; I. 32. 6; II. 24. 12. +---- its nature, properties, and fruits, IV. Part II. Ch. 27. +---- its necessity, I. 30. 1; I. 32. 7; I. 35. 7-9. +---- its noble character, II. Ch. 24. +---- its pleasantness, I. 24. 8; I. 29. 11, 12. +---- misguided, II. 24. 10. +---- mistakes made in reference to it, II. 24. 2, etc. +---- never faints, I. 24. 9. +---- the sure test of a Christian, I. 24. 7. + +LOVE, Our--is not a hard work, I. 24. 6. +---- is the end of the Commandment, I. 24. 5; I. 26. 4. +---- reasons why it is due to God alone, I. 18. 12; II. Ch. 24; II. 29. 13; + IV. Part II. Ch. 30. + +LOVE,--what alone is worthy of it, IV. Part II. Ch. 29. + +LOVE of Christ--the blessedness which it confers, II. Ch. 27. + +LOVE to Christ, I. 14. 12. +---- signs of its existence, II. Ch. 25. + +LOVE to God, I. 24. 2; I. 29. 3. +---- a remedy against profane love, I. 28. 5; III. 13. 4. +---- how it enters into the soul, III. Ch. 13. +---- is due to him, I. 28. 1, 4. +---- its influence, I. 24. 16; I. 28. 2; I. 28. 7; II. 24. 12, etc. +---- its nature, I. 28. 8; IV. Part II. Ch. 35. +---- no excuse for the want of it, IV. Part II. Ch. 17. +---- obtained by prayer, I. 24. 17. +---- out of a pure heart, I. 24. 14. +---- Pure, teaches how to pray, II. 24. 16. +---- the source of all that is good, IV. Part II. Ch. 32. +---- unchanged, I. 24. 23. +LOVE of God to man, I. 25. 1-6. +---- how manifested. II. Ch. 26. + +LOVE, False, I. 28. 3; I. 35. 6; II. 24. 4, etc. + +LOVE to our enemies--why they should be loved, I. 27. 1-9. + +LOVE to our neighbor, I. 24. 3; I. 24. 18-21; I. 29. 3-10. +---- a duty, I. 25. 2; IV. Part II. Ch. 24. +---- its source, I. 26. 5; I. 28. 10. +---- motives to practise it, I. 26. 6-16. +---- proceeds from the love which we owe to God, IV. Part II. Ch. 22. + +LOVERS of the world--how they are deceived, II. 26. 11. +---- their conduct, I. 36. 11. +---- their punishment, I. 18. 10, 11. +---- their spiritual state, I. 17. 9; I. 36. 2. + +LUSTS of the flesh--how to be subdued, II. Ch. 18. + +LUTHER--his successful opposition to the papacy and other sects, I. 39. 2. + +M. + +MAJORISTIC Controversy, INTROD. §§ 15, 19. + +MAN--general rule on the subject, IV. Part II. Ch. 16. +---- his liberty of choice, I. 17. 2. +---- his natural state, II. 5. 4. +---- how much he owes to God, IV. Part II. Ch. 6; Ch. 8; Ch. 9; Ch. 11; Ch. + 12. +---- like a shadow, is nothing, II. 10. 13, 14. +---- only a pilgrim on earth, I. 13. 16. +---- the image of God, I. 1. 6; IV. Part II. Ch. 23. +---- what, and why made, IV. Part II. Ch. 3. +---- why he should love God, IV. Part II. Ch. 14. +---- why made in the image of God, IV. Part II. Ch. 4. + +MAN, The Inward--Outward, I. 16. 1. + +MAN, The Natural, II. 5. 5. + +MAN, The Old--New, I. 15. 1, etc.; I. 16. 11; II. 7. 1. + +MARKS of love to Christ, II. Ch. 25. + +MARTYRS--false, I. 35. 7. +---- spiritual, II. 53. 20. +---- their fidelity, II. 45. 7. + +MEEKNESS, II. 47. 2. + +MEPHIBOSHETH, II. 10. 6. + +MERIT of Christ (see IMPUTATION), I. 14. 7; I. 31. 8; I. 34. 1; II. 2. 8. +---- an infinite satisfaction, II. 2. 11, 12. + +MICAH, the prophet--pointing out the fountain of consolation, II. 49. 4. + +MUHLENBERG, INTROD. §§ 34. 41. + +MUSIC--its origin, IV. Part II. Ch. 7. 3. + +MUSIC, Divine--several kinds, in the Old Testament, II. 41. 10. + +MUENZER, Thomas, INTROD. § 15. + +N. + +NAME of God--doing all things in it, I. 18. 5. + +NARROW way in Christ--chosen by the Christian, II. 34. Sect. 4. + +NEIGHBORS (see LOVE)--judging them, III. Ch. 11. + +NEW BIRTH (see BIRTH; REGENERATION)--how effected, I. 3. 1. +---- it alone renders our works acceptable to God, I. 31. 10. +---- its fruits, I. 11. 17. +---- its necessity, I. 3. 8; I. 41. 16. +---- what it is, I. 5. 2, 4. + +O. + +OATH, Divine--a source of consolation, II. 2. 2-5. + +OBEDIENCE of Christ, II. 2. 13. + +OFFERINGS brought to God, I. 40. VII. + +OIL, IV. Part I. Ch. 3. 43, 44. + +OLD MAN, The (see MAN)--encouragement derived from the strife with, I. 16. + 11. + +OMNIPRESENCE, Omnipotence, etc.; see GOD. + +ORIGINAL Sin (see CORRUPTION), I. 2. 8; I. 41. 13, etc.; I. 42. 2. +---- its nature set forth in Book I.; PREF. to Book II. 2. + +OSIANDRIAN Controversy, INTROD. § 15. + +P. + +PALATINATE, The, INTROD. § 17. + +PARACELSUS, INTROD. § 28. + +PATIENCE, Christian--consolations, II. 47, 17. +---- examples of, II. 47. 16. +---- motives to, II. Ch. 46. +---- produced by divine consolations, II. Ch. 45. +---- reasons for exercising it, II. Ch. 44. +---- Scriptural sentences respecting it, II. 47. 4-15. +---- sustained by the truth and promises of God, II. Ch. 49. +---- what it is, II. 44. 1; II. 45. 1; II. 47. 2, 3; III. Ch. 14. + +PERFECTION, Absolute--not attainable, I. 11. 11; II. 51. 3. +---- not found in this world, II. 4. 2. + +PERFECTION of the Christian life--wherein it consists, PREF. to Book III. + 7. + +PERICLES, I. 27. 5. + +PETER and Paul--their religious character, I. 17. 12. + +PHOCION, I. 27. 5. + +PILGRIMAGE, Our--its nature, I. 17. 10. + +PLATO, II. 30. 4. + +POOR and contrite, The--acceptable to God, I. 19. 11-16. + +POVERTY of spirit, III. 5. 1. + +PRÆTORIUS, INTROD. § 1. + +PRAISE to God--benefits and efficacy of, II. Ch. 41. +---- offered by holy men, II. 42. 13. +---- reasons for offering it daily, II. Ch. 42. +---- to offer it, man's greatest privilege, II. 43. 4. +---- to offer it, the most honorable employment of men, II. Ch. 43. +---- when offered, a source of consolation, II. 48. 14. + +PRAY, To--sinful, whether in dependence on our own merit, or to forbear on + account of our unworthiness, II. 34. Sect. 9. + +PRAYER--a consolation against the fear of death, II. 57. 12. +---- all men invited to it, by God, II. 34. Sect. 7. + +PRAYER--a means of obtaining consolation in affliction, II. 48. 13. +---- a protection against calumny, II. 17. 6. +---- benefits of continual, II. 34. Sect. 3. +---- certainty that it will be heard, II. 49. 7. +---- conversation of a believing soul with God, in, II. Ch. 39. +---- efficacy of the prayer of faith, II. 41. 6. +---- encouragements to, II. 20. 11, etc. +---- encouragements to, and lessons on, II. 34. Sect. 12. +---- evils which follow the neglect of, II. 34. Sect. 2. +---- in Psalm 109:1, etc., explained, II. 16. 1, etc. +---- its necessity, I. 42. 4 (e); II. 5. 4; II. Ch. 20. +---- internal, II. 20. 4; III. Ch. 19. +---- its benefits, power, and ground, II. Ch. 36. +---- its numerous qualities, offices, etc., II. 36. 16. +---- mental, II. 20. 7. +---- oral, II. 20. 3. +---- pattern of, furnished by Christ, II. 20. 10. +---- reasons why God certainly hears it, II. Ch. 37. +---- seven helps for our infirmities in, II. Ch. 38. +---- strengthens faith, II. 51. 16. +---- secret, II. 36. 9. +---- supernatural, II. 20. 4. +---- taught by love to God, II. 24. 16. +---- temptations, when we pray, II. 20. 16, 17. +---- the sign of a true Christian, II. Ch. 35. +---- the worshipper not restricted to any certain times of, II. 34. Sect. + 11. +---- vain, without humility, II. 21. 4. +---- when acceptable to God, II. 20. 9. +---- when not heard, II. 37. 23, etc. +---- wherein it consists, II. 20. 1. +---- why it is enjoined, II. 20. 8. +---- why we should commune with God in prayer, II. 34. Sect. 5. + +PREFACE (Author's) to Book I. p. xxxix. +---- Book II. p. 157. +---- Book III. p. 375. +---- Book IV. p. 423. + +PRIDE (see HUMILITY), I. 31. 1, etc.; I. 39. 8; III. 20. 2. +---- influence of, II. 22. 2, etc. +---- its properties, III. 20. 1-4. + +PRIDE--remedy against spiritual, II. 7. 7. +---- spiritual, I. 42. 4. + +PRIESTHOOD of Christ, II. 2. 15. + +PRODIGAL Son, Parable of, II. 8. 2, etc.; II. 10. 7. + +PROMISES, Divine--the chief source of the Christian's consolation, II. 2. + 1; II. 45. 6. + +PROVIDENCE--a source of comfort, II. 45. 2; IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 16. +---- of God; three things wherein it consists, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 12. etc. + +PSALMS--six, called Golden Songs, II. 43. 1. +---- suited to various circumstances, II. 41. 12. +---- the Penitential, I. 4. 9, note. + +PUNISHMENTS, Future--eternity of, I. 7. 5. + +PUNISHMENTS, Temporal, II. 8. 9; II. 8. 13. + +R. + +RATIONALISTS, INTROD. § 40. + +RECONCILIATION to our neighbor, I. 29. 1, 2. +---- enforced by three arguments, II. 4. 4. a. b. c. +---- the terms of, I. 29. 14. + +REFUGE, Cities of, I. 21. 15, 16. + +REGENERATION (see NEW BIRTH)--by divine goodness, II. 9. 3. +---- how effected, I. 3. 4. +---- in what it consists, I. 3. 7; II. 9. 1, etc. +---- its necessity, I. 41. 27. +---- men invited to, II. 9. 4. +---- produced by divine threatenings, II. 9. 2. +---- whence it proceeds, I. 3. 11, 12. + +REMISSION of Sins--follows repentance, I. 8. 12, 16. +---- is not granted without repentance, I. 34. 12. + +RENEWAL in Christ, I. 3. 5. +---- continued, I. 22. 4, etc. + +REPENTANCE (see CONVERSION)--a quality of it, I. 29. 16. +---- daily, I. 20. 10. +---- founded on humility, III. 20. 3. +---- four properties of, II. 10. 1, etc. +---- illustrations of, I. 21. 12; II. 8. 1, etc. +---- its fruits, I. 42. 2; II. 9. 28. +---- its necessity, I. 8. 1-15; I. 37. 10; I. 37. 22, 23. +---- manner of, II. 9. 14. +---- motives to, II. 9. 22, etc. +---- the source of the Christian's life, PREF. to Book I. 1. + +REPENTANCE--what it is, I. 4. 1-11; I. 8. 2; I. 21. 10; II. 3. 1, etc. +---- when it is unfeigned, II. 10. 14. +---- without reconciliation and restitution, not acceptable to God, I. 29. + 19. + +RESURRECTION of Christ (see CHRIST), II. 25. 10; II. 57. 4. +---- its fruit, II. 57. 11. + +RESURRECTION of our bodies--a ground of comfort, II. 57. 3. + +REVELATION--punishment of those who reject it, I. 7. 7, 8. + +RIGHTEOUSNESS--by faith, II. 3. 8. +---- whence it proceeds, I. 5. 8; II. 3. 4. + +RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ--made our own, II. 3. 6. + +RIGHTEOUSNESS, Our--its foundation, I. 3. 9. +---- whence it proceeds, II. 3. 1, etc. + +S. + +SAINTS--example given by them, II. 17. 4, 5; II. 17. 10; II. 44. 8; II. 52. + 15; II. 54. 8. +---- their constant practice, I. 20. 18. +---- their example, a help in prayer, II. 38. 5-8. +---- their example, a source of comfort, II. 45. 8. +---- their temptations, II. 52. 2, etc. + +SATAN--his character, I. 41. 22. +---- his fall, I. 31. 7; II. 17. 9. +---- his fiery darts, II. 52. 6. +---- his image in man, I. 2. 3. +---- his want of power, II. 53. 2, 3. + +SCHWENKFELDT, INTROD. §§ 14, 24. + +SCRIPTURES (see WORD)--their purpose, I. 6. 8, 9. + +SEA, The--lessons taught by it, Ch. 5. 15. + +SEEKING after God--two ways, III. 4. 1. + +SELF-DENIAL, I. 4. 3; I. 14. 6; I. 15. 4, etc.; II. 7. 2; II. 10. 2; III. + 23. 4. + +SELF-LOVE, I. 31. 1, etc.; IV. Part II. Ch. 33. +---- its actual result, IV. Part II. Ch. 31. +---- its dangers, I. 14. 2, etc.; I. 31. 3; I. 31. 7; I. 14. 10. +---- its evil fruits, IV. Part II. Ch. 37; Ch. 38; Ch. 40. +---- its remedy, I. 31. 8. +---- its source, I. 31. 6. +---- the source of all evil, IV. Part II. 32. 2, 3. +SELF--worship of, II. 23. + +SERVETUS, INTROD. §§ 15, 16. + +SIN (see ORIGINAL SIN; REMISSION)--never comes alone, I. 37. 18. + +SLANDER, see CALUMNY. + +SLOTH--to be shaken off, II. 5. 7. + +SMALCALD Articles, INTROD. § 25. + +SOLOMON'S throne, III. 5. 2. + +SORROW for Sin (see GODLY sorrow)--its happy influence, I. 20. 7. + +SORROW--worldly, and, godly, I. 40. + +SOUL--its dignity, III. 7. 1; IV. Part I. 6. 18-24. +---- its image shining forth originally in the body, I. 41. 7. +---- its original holy nature, I. 41. 5. +---- the habitation of the Holy Ghost, II. 35. 3. +---- the things that instruct and comfort it, IV. Part II. Ch. 7. + +SPIRIT and flesh (see HOLY SPIRIT)--conflict between them, I. 16. 2, etc. + +STARS, The, IV. Part I. Ch. 4. + +STRASBURG, INTROD. § 2. + +SUBSTANCE of the Christian religion--is faith and love, I. 30. 1. + +SUPPER, The Lord's--wherein Christ gives us his body and blood, II. 10. 6; + III. 1. 4. + +SYMBOL, what--INTROD. § 41, Note. + +SYMBOLICAL Books, INTROD. §§ 22, 24, 25, 40, 41, 42; PREF. to Book I. 8; + Conclusion of Book II. + +SYNERGISTIC Controversy, INTROD. §§ 15, 19. + +T. + +TALENTS--not they, but faith and love required, I. 32. 1, etc. +---- why bestowed, I. 32. 4. + +TAULER,--PREF. to Book I. 8; INTROD. § 29. +---- quotations from, II. 53. 20; III. 1. 3. +---- subject of his Sermons, I. 37. 16. + +TEMPORAL things--design of their creation, I. 17. 1. +---- loss of, I. 20, 21, 22. +---- preference of, offensive to God, I. 18. 1, etc. + +TEMPTATIONS, Spiritual--comforting instructions for those who labor under + them, II. Ch. 52; II. Ch. 53; II. Ch. 54. +---- God refreshes the weak in, III. 23. 3. +---- not tokens of God's anger, II. 53. 13. +---- origin of, II. 52. 4-7. +---- reasons why they are sent, II. 52. 7, etc.; II. 53. 4, etc. + +TESTIMONY of the Spirit, II. 2. 9. + +THEOLOGY--what it is, PREF. to Book I. 2. + +THIRST--ours, and Christ's, I. 36. 24. + +THIRTY Years' War, INTROD. § 22. + +THOMAS á Kempis, PREF. to Book I. 8; INTROD. § 29. + +TITUS, the Roman emperor, I. 27. 5. + +TRINITY, Holy--benefits conferred by, II. 29. 10. +---- dwelling in the hearts of believers, III. 1. 1. + +TREASURE, Internal--means of attaining it, III. Ch. 1. +---- of the believer, III. Ch. 1. +---- what it is, and on what it depends, III. Ch. 3. + +U. + +UNBELIEF--its fruits, I. 37. 4. + +UNION with Christ--of the highest necessity, II. 6. 3. + +UNION with God, II. 6. 1. +---- a property of true repentance, II. 10. 15. +---- its necessity, II. 28. 4. + +V. + +VANITY and emptiness of man, II. 23. 1. + +VENGEANCE of God--set forth by Moses, II. 32. 7, 8. + +VICE--abounding among Christians, I. 7. 6. + +VINCENT, ST., II. 45. 8. + +VIRTUE--false love of, II. 24. 9. + +W. + +WARFARE, Spiritual--an encouraging evidence, I. 16. 11. +---- even in the godly, I. 16. 7. + +WATERS--separated from the land, the work of the Third Day, IV. Part I. Ch. + 3. +---- they, and their productions, IV. Part I. Ch. 5. + +WEIGEL, INTROD. § 28. + +WILDENHAHN, INTROD. §§ 10, 26, 30. + +WILL of man--originally conformed to the will of God, I. 41. 6. +---- what it now is, II. 6. 7. + +WINE, IV. Part I. Ch. 3. 40-42. + +WISDOM--how to be acquired, II. 5. 1. + +WOMAN of Canaan, The, III, 5. 1. + +WORD of God (see SCRIPTURES)--its graciousness and efficacy, I. 36. 20, 21. +---- not a dead letter, I. 6. 2. +---- reading, etc., it, a protection against calumny, II. 17. 7. +---- who reject it, I. 38. 8. + +WORD and Sacraments--means of grace, II. 9. 7. +---- strengthen faith, II. 51. 16. +---- their design, I. 38. 1. + +WORKS--how judged, I. 33. 1; II. 5. 6. +---- how they may be rendered acceptable to God, III. Ch. 22. +---- their source must be faith, I. 33. 4; II. 22. 1. +---- they cannot justify, I. 5. 6. +---- worth, their, how to be judged, II. 4. 5. + +WORKS, Good--God alone the Author, I. 21. 21. + +WORLD--its vanity, II. 57. 17, etc. +---- necessity of withdrawing from it, I. 23. 2. +---- relinquishing it, I. 20. 25. + +WORLDLY pleasures--drive away the Holy Spirit, III. Ch. 18. + +WORLDLY society, I. 23. 5, etc. + +WORSHIP, True--of God, I. 21. 3, etc. +---- required, on our own account, I. 21. 21, 22. +---- seated in the heart, I. 21. 19; I. 26. 3. +---- three things belonging to it, I. 21. 5. +---- wherein it consists, I. 26. 2. + +Y. + +YOKE of Christ, I. 4. 6; I. 11. 13. + + + + + + +FOOTNOTES + + + 1 A very accurate and interesting "Life of John Arndt," was published + in English by Rev. Dr. J. G. Morris, of Baltimore, in 1853, which + presents the principal events that belong to Arndt's history, and + furnishes a faithful portraiture of his personal character. + Wildenhahn's work, admirably translated by Rev. G. A. Wenzel, now of + Pittsburg, Pa., was published as a serial in the "Lutheran and + Missionary," about three years ago. This work, in a permanent form, + would be a rich addition to our English religious literature. + + 2 The first Latin translation, published at Leipsic in 1704, was + prepared by the joint labors of Dr. J. G. Dorscheus and Dr. J. G. + Pritius. (The latter published about the same time his _Introductio + in lectionem N. T._, etc., which was highly valued, and passed + through several editions; our own copy is dated 1737.) An extended + Preface was furnished by Pritius. The whole is presented in a single + and very clumsy volume.--The Latin translation published by Mr. Boehm + in London, 1708, and dedicated to his patron, Prince George, + appeared in two neat and convenient volumes, and is far superior to + the continental edition. Copies of these editions, which are now + rarely to be found, were obtained by us from the very rich + collection of such works, belonging to Rev. Dr. C. P. Krauth, of + West Philadelphia. + + 3 The term "Symbol"--a word derived from the Greek--was applied, at a + very early period of the Christian Church, by Greek-speaking + Christians, to the "Apostles' Creed," in the sense of a "token or + mark of recognition." He who knew and adopted that Creed, viewed + thus as _a symbol_, was recognized as a Christian; he who knew it + not, or who rejected it, was not a Christian, but a Jew or heathen. + After diverse creeds had been formed and adopted in the course of + time, the word SYMBOL was retained, as applicable to a particular + _creed_ or _confession of faith_. Hence the term "Symbols," or its + equivalent, "Symbolical Books," was gradually applied to the several + Lutheran Creeds which Arndt mentions with such reverence and love, + as we have seen above. + + 4 [These are Psalms, 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143.] + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE CHRISTIANITY*** + + + +CREDITS + + +December 23, 2010 + + Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1 + Produced by Greg Weeks, Anna C. 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