{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_34736/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_34736","id":"gutenberg_34736","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/34736","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Christian life","Christianity"],"text":"</pre>\n\n\n\n\n                            True Christianity\n\n                                A Treatise\n\n On Sincere Repentance, True Faith, The Holy Walk of the True Christian,\n                                   Etc.\n\n                             By the Venerable\n\n                               Johann Arndt\n\n General Superintendant of Ecclesiastical Affairs in the Principality of\n                                 L\u00fcneberg\n\nOriginally Translated Into English By Rev. A. W. Boehm, German Chaplain at\n       the Court of St. James, and Published in London, A.D. 1712.\n\n                         A New American Edition,\n\nRevised, Corrected, and Furnished with Additional Matter From The Original\n                                 German,\n\n                             Together With A\n\n                          General Introduction,\n\n                      By Charles F. Schaeffer, D.D.,\n\n   Professor of Theology in the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical\n                     Lutheran Church, at Philadelphia\n\n                               Philadelphia\n\n                         The Lutheran Book Store,\n\n                           No. 807 Vine Street.\n\n              Smith, English & Co., No. 23 N. Sixth Street.\n\n                                   1868\n\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\nIntroduction By The American Editor.\nBook I.\n   The Author\u2019s Preface To The First Book.\n   Chapter I.\n   Chapter II.\n   Chapter III.\n   Chapter IV.\n   Chapter V.\n   Chapter VI.\n   Chapter VII.\n   Chapter VIII.\n   Chapter IX.\n   Chapter X.\n   Chapter XI.\n   Chapter XII.\n   Chapter XIII.\n   Chapter XIV.\n   Chapter XV.\n   Chapter XVI.\n   Chapter XVII.\n   Chapter XVIII.\n   Chapter XIX.\n   Chapter XX.\n   Chapter XXI.\n   Chapter XXII.\n   Chapter XXIII.\n   Chapter XXIV.\n   Chapter XXV.\n   Chapter XXVI.\n   Chapter XXVII.\n   Chapter XXVIII.\n   Chapter XXIX.\n   Chapter XXX.\n   Chapter XXXI.\n   Chapter XXXII.\n   Chapter XXXIII.\n   Chapter XXXIV.\n   Chapter XXXV.\n   Chapter XXXVI.\n   Chapter XXXVII.\n   Chapter XXXVIII.\n   Chapter XXXIX.\n   Chapter XL.\n   Chapter XLI.\n   Chapter XLII.\nBook II.\n   Preface To The Second Book.\n   Chapter I.\n   Chapter II.\n   Chapter III.\n   Chapter IV.\n   Chapter V.\n   Chapter VI.\n   Chapter VII.\n   Chapter VIII.\n   Chapter IX.\n   Chapter X.\n   Chapter XI.\n   Chapter XII.\n   Chapter XIII.\n   Chapter XIV.\n   Chapter XV.\n   Chapter XVI.\n   Chapter XVII.\n   Chapter XVIII.\n   Chapter XIX.\n   Chapter XX.\n   Chapter XXI.\n   Chapter XXII.\n   Chapter XXIII.\n   Chapter XXIV.\n   Chapter XXV.\n   Chapter XXVI.\n   Chapter XXVII.\n   Chapter XXVIII.\n   Chapter XXIX.\n   Chapter XXX.\n   Chapter XXXI.\n   Chapter XXXII.\n   Chapter XXXIII.\n   Chapter XXXIV.\n   Chapter XXXV.\n   Chapter XXXVI.\n   Chapter XXXVII.\n   Chapter XXXVIII.\n   Chapter XXXIX.\n   Chapter XL.\n   Chapter XLI.\n   Chapter XLII.\n   Chapter XLIII.\n   Chapter XLIV.\n   Chapter XLV.\n   Chapter XLVI.\n   Chapter XLVII.\n   Chapter XLVIII.\n   Chapter XLIX.\n   Chapter L.\n   Chapter LI.\n   Chapter LII.\n   Chapter LIII.\n   Chapter LIV.\n   Chapter LV.\n   Chapter LVI.\n   Chapter LVII.\n   Conclusion Of The Second Book.\nBook III.\n   Preface To The Third Book.\n   Chapter I.\n   Chapter II.\n   Chapter III.\n   Chapter IV.\n   Chapter V.\n   Chapter VI.\n   Chapter VII.\n   Chapter VIII.\n   Chapter IX.\n   Chapter X.\n   Chapter XI.\n   Chapter XII.\n   Chapter XIII.\n   Chapter XIV.\n   Chapter XV.\n   Chapter XVI.\n   Chapter XVII.\n   Chapter XVIII.\n   Chapter XIX.\n   Chapter XX.\n   Chapter XXI.\n   Chapter XXII.\n   Chapter XXIII.\nBook IV.\n   Preface To The Fourth Book.\n   Part I.\n      Chapter I.\n      Chapter II.\n      Chapter III.\n      Chapter IV.\n      Chapter V.\n      Chapter VI.\n   Part II.\n      Chapter I.\n      Chapter II.\n      Chapter III.\n      Chapter IV.\n      Chapter V.\n      Chapter VI.\n      Chapter VII.\n      Chapter VIII.\n      Chapter IX.\n      Chapter X.\n      Chapter XI.\n      Chapter XII.\n      Chapter XIII.\n      Chapter XIV.\n      Chapter XV.\n      Chapter XVI.\n      Chapter XVII.\n      Chapter XVIII.\n      Chapter XIX.\n      Chapter XX.\n      Chapter XXI.\n      Chapter XXII.\n      Chapter XXIII.\n      Chapter XXIV.\n      Chapter XXV.\n      Chapter XXVI.\n      Chapter XXVII.\n      Chapter XXVIII.\n      Chapter XXIX.\n      Chapter XXX.\n      Chapter XXXI.\n      Chapter XXXII.\n      Chapter XXXIII.\n      Chapter XXXIV.\n      Chapter XXXV.\n      Chapter XXXVI.\n      Chapter XXXVII.\n      Chapter XXXVIII.\n      Chapter XXXIX.\n      Chapter XL.\n      Conclusion.\nIndex.\nFootnotes\n\n\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR.\n\n\nBoth the general purpose of the venerable Johann Arndt in writing his\n\u201cTRUE CHRISTIANITY,\u201d and also his own character and spirit, will be best\nexhibited by submitting to the reader a statement referring to his\npersonal history. He was born, December 27th, 1555, in Ballenst\u00e4dt, a town\nin the Duchy of Anhalt, where his father, Rev. Jacob Arndt, long labored\nas the chaplain of Duke Wolfgang, and the pastor of one of the Evangelical\nLutheran congregations of the place. The latter was a devout and faithful\nminister of the Gospel, and a wise and affectionate father. He had, from\nthe earliest period, devoted much attention to the religious education of\nhis son, in the performance of which holy duty he was faithfully sustained\nby his excellent wife. Their efforts were abundantly blessed. The son,\neven in his early years, took great pleasure in reading the writings of\nLuther, and also acquired a fondness for those of Thomas \u00e1 Kempis, of\nTauler, and of others who breathed the same spirit of devotion. That this\nfeature of his religious character did not undergo any essential change in\nhis riper years, appears from the circumstance that he was one of the\nfirst who collected, arranged, and republished the religious tracts of\nStephen Pr\u00e6torius, a Lutheran divine of an eminently devout spirit. These\nwere subsequently re-edited by Martin Statius, who prefixed the title:\n_Spiritual Treasury_ (Geistliche Schatzkammer), to the collection. This\nbook of devotion was highly prized by Spener, has often been reprinted, is\nfound in many German households, and well deserves to be translated, and\nthus made accessible to the English religious public.\n\n\u00a7 2. In his tenth year Arndt lost his father, but the orphan soon found\nfriends who, in the good providence of God, enabled him to continue the\nstudies which he had commenced with distinguished success under the\nguidance of his father. After completing his preparatory education in the\nschools of Halberstadt and Magdeburg, he proceeded, in the year 1576, to\nthe university of Helmstedt, which had recently been established. In the\ncourse of the following year, 1577, he went as a student to the university\nof Wittenberg, soon after the official recognition of the principles\nembodied in the Formula of Concord (published in 1580), by which that\ninstitution received a strictly Lutheran character, and every tendency to\nany other doctrinal system was successfully arrested. It was here that he\nformed a very close union, first as a student, and then as a personal\nfriend, with the eminent Polycarp Leyser, the elder of that name, whose\nfirmness and devotion in sustaining the distinctive features of\nLutheranism have assigned to him a high position in the history of his\nChurch.\u2014After Arndt had, even at this early age, acquired distinction as\nan accomplished private lecturer on Natural Philosophy, etc., as well as\non the Epistle to the Romans, Leyser furnished him with an unusually\nfavorable recommendation to the professors in Strasburg. This city, the\ngovernment and population of which were exclusively Lutheran, had not yet\nbeen subjected to that great calamity which afterwards befell it, when the\ndespot and bigot, Louis XIV., incorporated it with the French monarchy,\nand by assigning undue privileges to papists, and adopting other\ntyrannical measures, opened an avenue for the introduction, not merely of\nan inferior Romanic language, but also of the errors and superstitions of\nthe Church of Rome.\n\n\u00a7 3. Arndt continued his theological studies in Strasburg, under the\ndirection of Prof. Pappus, who was also distinguished for his devotion to\nthe genuine Lutheran faith. In the year 1579 he proceeded to Basel, where,\nunder the gentle sway of Sulcer, the Lutheran faith had acquired influence\nand authority. In this city he was temporarily engaged as the tutor of a\nyoung Polish nobleman; the latter, on one of their excursions, when Arndt\nhad accidentally fallen into the Rhine, succeeded in seizing his sinking\npreceptor by the hair of his head, and thus became the means, in the hands\nof God, of saving a life of incalculable value, designed to prove an\never-flowing source of blessings to the Church.\n\n\u00a7 4. During this whole period Arndt occupied himself with the study of\nmedicine, in connection with his strictly theological studies; it is\npossible that he would have ultimately chosen the practice of medicine as\nthe business of his life, if a severe illness had not intervened. After\nhis recovery, he believed it to be his duty to renounce his personal\ntastes, and he thenceforth consecrated himself entirely to the service of\nthe Church. His medical and chemical occupations, although not abandoned,\nwere afterwards regarded by him only as a recreation.\n\n\u00a7 5. He returned, in 1581 or 1582, to his native place, and labored for\nsome time as a teacher, until he was called by his prince, Joachim Ernest,\nto be the pastor of the congregation in Badeborn, a village in the Duchy\nof Anhalt; he was, accordingly, ordained in the month of October of the\nsame year. It was here, too, that he was married, October 31, 1583, to\nAnna Wagner, the daughter of an eminent jurist, with whom he passed the\nremaining thirty-eight years of his life in unclouded domestic happiness.\nShe was a devout Christian woman, who cheered and encouraged Arndt amid\nhis many cares, alleviated every burden to the extent of her ability, and\nwas always regarded by him with tenderness and gratitude. They were\nchildless; but many an orphan found that their hearts could overflow with\nlove towards the young and destitute\u2014a love as full of warmth as beloved\nchildren have ever experienced parental love to be.\n\n\u00a7 6. In this first pastoral charge of Arndt, the unhappy state of affairs\nsubjected him, particularly during the latter part of the seven years\nwhich he spent in it, to a \u201cLutheran martyrdom,\u201d as Tholuck expresses\nhimself (Herzog. Encyk. I., 536). The duke, John George, who now reigned\n(a relative of the palsgrave, or count palatine, Casimir, a zealous\nCalvinist), after various inward struggles, abandoned the Lutheran faith,\nand, in the year 1596, publicly adopted the Reformed faith, a few years\nafter the transactions to which we now refer. Even Protestant rulers, who\nhad not yet learned the theory that a union of church and state can\noperate only perniciously, perpetually interfered in the internal affairs\nof the church.\u2014At this period it was the custom of Lutheran pastors, when\nthey administered the rite of Baptism, to follow the liturgical form which\nprescribed \u201cexorcism.\u201d This feature of the whole baptismal form, which was\nintroduced as early as the third century, or even earlier (before the days\nof Tertullian and Origen), consisted simply in a sentence adjuring the\nevil spirit to depart from the subject of Baptism. The early practice had,\nlike others, been gradually associated, after the rise and development of\npopery, with superstitious ideas, such as was also the case with the\nLord\u2019s Supper, until it assumed an absurd and even revolting form. At the\nperiod of the Reformation, Zwingli and Calvin (Inst. IV., c. 15, 19; c.\n19, 24) rejected the whole form of exorcism. Luther and Melanchthon, on\nthe other hand, after discarding the popish excrescences, believed that\nthe scriptural doctrine which the early form involved or suggested,\nauthorized the retention of the practice, when restricted to a very plain\nand simple formula, expressive of a scriptural truth.\u2014Now, at that period,\nas it is well known, unfriendly feelings, engendered by various causes,\nexisted to a certain extent, between the heads respectively of the\nReformed and the Lutheran churches, in consequence of which even harmless\ncustoms which none would, under ordinary circumstances, either advocate or\ncondemn with partisan feeling, assumed a confessional character. Such was\nthe case with the purified and simple Lutheran baptismal sentence\ncontaining the \u201cexorcism.\u201d\n\n\u00a7 7. Arndt\u2019s course in this matter has often been misunderstood; as it,\nhowever, demonstrates him to have been alike a very firm and conscientious\nman, and also an uncompromising supporter of the distinctive doctrines and\nusages of the Lutheran Church, the following details may be appropriately\nfurnished.\u2014The language which Luther retained in his form for Baptism\n(_Taufb\u00fcchlein_), after omitting all popish and superstitious practices,\nwas the following. Between the prayer and the reading of Mark 10:13-16,\nthe pastor says: \u201cI adjure thee, thou unclean spirit, in the name of the\nFather, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, that thou go out and depart\nfrom this servant of Jesus Christ, Amen.\u201d\u2014Luther understood the form to be\na declaration or distinct confession of the doctrine of Original Sin, and\na renunciation of Satan. Still, the Lutheran Church, as such, never\nrecognized the _necessity_ of this ancient form, and its confessional\nwritings never allude to it. After the excitement of feeling peculiar to\nArndt\u2019s age, had been allayed by time, the Lutheran Church regarded the\nwhole as a mere _adiaphoron_, that is, a \u201cthing indifferent,\u201d not\nessentially involving any principle whatever, inasmuch as the doctrine of\nOriginal Sin had already been very explicitly set forth and confessed in\nher Symbolical Books. Such was the opinion of the eminent Lutheran\ndogmatical writers, Gerhard, Quenstedt, Hollaz, etc.; and men like Baier\nand Baumgarten even advocated the discontinuance of the practice. It is no\nlonger retained in any prominent manner in the Lutheran Church.\u2014But in the\nage in which Arndt lived, who was not a man that would obstinately cling\nto a mere form, the _rejection_ of the formula of Exorcism _did_ involve a\nprinciple; for, under the peculiar circumstances, that rejection might be\nunderstood to be, first, a rejection of the doctrine of Original Sin, and,\nsecondly, an affirmation that the children of believing parents were in\nthe kingdom of heaven, even before they had received Baptism. But all this\nseemed to conflict with the Pauline doctrine that all are \u201cby nature the\nchildren of wrath.\u201d Eph. 2:3. While, then, J. Ben. Carpzov, the\ndistinguished interpreter of the Symbolical Books, who died in 1557,\ndecides that the \u201cExorcism\u201d is in itself a matter of indifference, and may\nwithout scruple be dropped, he nevertheless holds that if the omission of\nit should be understood as a denial of the Scripture doctrine of the\ncorruption of human nature (Original Sin), it becomes, in such a case, a\nmatter of principle to retain the formula. (_Isagoge_, etc., p. 1122\n_ff._; 1608.) Walch, the other eminent interpreter of the Symbolical Books\n(_Introductio_, etc.), does not refer to the matter at all, as it is no\nessential part of the Lutheran Creed. But Arndt, who was a calm,\nsagacious, and conscientious observer, and who may justly be considered as\nclaiming that, in forming a judgment respecting him, we should not\noverlook the spirit of his times, apprehended that the suppression of the\n\u201cexorcism\u201d was secretly designed to be the forerunner of the suppression\nof the entire Lutheran faith, which constituted the life of his soul; he\ncould not, under such circumstances, consent to endanger his most precious\ntreasure.\n\n\u00a7 8. Now the duke, John George, after his virtual adoption of the Reformed\nfaith and practice, issued a peremptory order that the formula of Exorcism\nshould no longer be employed in his dominions at the baptism of any\ninfant. Arndt, who was characterized by a childlike submission to those in\nauthority, as long as matters of principle were not involved, could not\nrenounce his faith in God\u2019s word, and, especially, his personal conviction\nof the natural depravity of the human heart. He might have consented to\ndrop a mere form; but he saw here an entering wedge, which justly alarmed\nhim. His apprehensions were subsequently proved to have been only too well\nfounded, when, soon afterwards, Luther\u2019s Catechism was suppressed, and\nanother substituted in its place. Hence, as he could not renounce a\nprominent feature of the Lutheran creed, he firmly and positively refused\nto obey the ducal command. He remarked, in the written statement which\nembodied his reasons for refusing to obey, and which was submitted to the\ncivil authorities, that his conscience would not allow him to comply with\nsuch a demand of the secular authority\u2014that the orthodox fathers, who had,\nduring thirteen centuries, connected \u201cexorcism\u201d with Baptism, understood\nit in accordance with the mind and true sense of the Scriptures (_ex mente\net vero sensu Scriptur\u00e6_)\u2014that it was, therefore, by no means \u201can impious\nceremony\u201d (as the civil ruler, a layman, had thought proper to designate\nit),\u2014that he must necessarily abide by the decision of his conscience\u2014and,\nthat he would humbly submit to any sentence which his prince might\npronounce in the case. The date which he affixed to the document, is Sept.\n10, 1590. That sentence, which was soon afterwards proclaimed, deposed\nArndt from his office, and banished him from the ducal territories. The\nreader of Book I. of the \u201cTrue Christianity,\u201d will now understand, after\nobserving the earnestness with which the author insists on the doctrine of\nOriginal Sin, or the depravity of human nature, that he could not\nconscientiously take any step which would, even indirectly, involve a\ndenial of that sad truth of the Bible,\u2014a truth to which his knowledge of\nhis own heart daily testified.\n\n\u00a7 9. But the Divine Head of the Church did not depose this faithful\nminister. At the very time when Arndt seemed to be homeless and\nfriendless, two important posts were offered to him\u2014one in Mansfeld, the\nother in Quedlinburg, an important city, which, after belonging to various\nrulers, has at last been incorporated with the monarchy of Prussia. The\ncity adopted the Lutheran faith in 1539. Arndt decided to make this place\nhis home, and he labored here with eminent success, during a period of\nseven years, as the pastor of the church of St. Nicholas. However, he also\nendured much affliction in this new charge, and his holy zeal and devout\nspirit, while fully appreciated by intelligent and enlightened believers,\nwere misunderstood and even hated by others, so that he longed to be\ntransferred to another field of labor.\n\n\u00a7 10. He was at length permitted to depart, and removed to the city of\nBrunswick, situated in the territory of the duke of Brunswick; it aspired\nat that time to become a \u201cfree city,\u201d subject directly to the German\nemperor. The warfare between the duke and the city, during Arndt\u2019s\nresidence in the latter, subjected him to many sore trials. His abode in\nit, extending from 1590 to 1608, is specially interesting, as he then\npresented to the religious community Book I. of his \u201cTrue Christianity.\u201d\nDr. A. Wildenhahn, who has, in recent times, furnished us with various\ncharming volumes, descriptive of the times, respectively, of Luther,\nSpener, Paul Gerhardt, etc., in which he combines \u201cfiction and truth,\u201d has\nselected this period of Arndt\u2019s history, as the one to which he dedicates\nhis two delightful volumes, entitled \u201cJohannes Arndt\u201d (Leipzig, 1861).\nThis author complains that he found it a difficult task to collect full\nand authentic accounts of Arndt\u2019s life. Still, he obtained access to\nvarious documents in the archives of the city of Brunswick, and in the\nroyal library in Dresden, which had not been previously examined even by\nArndt\u2019s best biographer, the Rev. Frederick Arndt, of Berlin; and these\nmaterially assisted him in preparing his own work.(1)\n\n\u00a7 11. During the earlier years of Arndt\u2019s residence in Brunswick, as a\nco-pastor of the church of St. Martin, his life was comparatively peaceful\nand happy. The purity of his character, the soundness and power of his\ndoctrine, and the diligence and fidelity manifested in his pastoral\nlabors, could not fail to command the respect, and attract the love of all\ncandid persons. But he was at length subjected to trials of a new and\npainful character, and became the victim of the hostile and persecuting\nspirit of men from whom a very different course of conduct might have\nreasonably been expected. The origin of these new difficulties has not\nalways been clearly understood; while some have regarded Arndt as worthy\nof the censures of those who assailed him, others are disposed to condemn\nthose assailants in unqualified terms. It is strange that, even at this\ncomparatively remote period, such judgments are sometimes expressed in\nlanguage which betrays personal feeling rather than it announces the calm\njudgment of a later and disinterested generation.\n\n\u00a7 12. It is here necessary to cast a glance at the history of the times\nwhich preceded and followed the eventful year 1555, in which Arndt was\nborn, a year ever memorable as the one in which the signing of the\narticles of the Peace of Augsburg secured a temporary external repose for\nthe Lutheran Church. This \u201cPeace\u201d terminated at least the horrors which\nhad followed the introduction, in 1548, of the _Augsburg Interim_, by\nwhich the newly-established Protestant doctrine was seriously endangered.\nThe provisions of this _Interim_ were enforced with such merciless tyranny\nby popish authorities, that in South Germany alone about four hundred\nfaithful Lutheran pastors, who could not conscientiously accede to an\narrangement which might possibly restore the full authority of the errors\nand superstitions of Rome, were driven, as exiles, with their families,\nfrom their homes. The spirit of the Christian martyrs of the early ages of\nthe Church revived in these heroic men, and they clung with undying\ntenacity to their holy faith.\n\n\u00a7 13. That faith now encountered new enemies, who did not resort to fire\nand the sword, but who adopted more insidious means for corrupting divine\ntruth; and again, assaults like theirs, only increased the jealousy with\nwhich the genuine Lutherans guarded the purity of their doctrinal system.\nIt was the only gift of heaven, which sin and Satan could not touch, and\nwhich retained all its unsullied holiness. The soul of man had become\ncorrupt; the body was subject to disease and death; the world, fair as it\nwas, and rich in the gifts of God, had nevertheless been made by sin to\nbring forth thorns and thistles. But the Gospel truth, which conducted men\nto Christ and heaven, remained in all its purity and power. These men were\nwilling to suffer and die, but while they did live, they could not relax\nthe grasp with which they held fast to evangelical truth. Now, amid the\npolitical and religious commotions of that stormy age, could we expect\nthat devout men should say, \u201cPeace, peace;\u201d when there was no peace?\n(Jerem. 6:14.)\n\n\u00a7 14. Let us illustrate this subject. Schwenkfeldt, for instance (born in\n1490; died, 1561), an opponent of both the Lutherans and the Reformed, as\nwell as of the Papists, and, accordingly, constantly engaged in\ncontroversies with all parties, declared that Luther\u2019s uncompromising\ndetermination to maintain the authority of the written word of revelation,\nthe Bible, was equivalent to a worship of the letter. He assigned, in his\nfanaticism and morbid mysticism, a rank to an inner and direct word of the\nDivine Spirit, which he asserted that he received, far above that of the\nwritten word of God. He refused to make any distinction between the divine\nact of the justification of the believer, on the one hand, and the\nprogressive sanctification of the believer, on the other. He taught that\nthe two natures of Christ, the divine and the human, were so fused\ntogether, or, rather, that the flesh of Christ was so absolutely deified\nor converted into God himself, that no distinction between them\nremained,\u2014that the regenerate could live without sin, etc. He succeeded,\nin spite of the crudeness, one-sidedness, and unsoundness of his\ndoctrines, in attracting many disciples. His death, which occurred in\n1561, a few years after Arndt\u2019s birth, did not terminate the widespread\nconfusion which he had created in the Protestant Church; the dread of that\nsickly form of mysticism which he attempted to establish, long remained.\nThe fear was naturally entertained that it might lead many astray, who,\nwhile they did not otherwise fraternize with Schwenkfeldt in his wild and\nabsurd course, might be deluded by his claims to superior religious\nintelligence and holiness.\n\n\u00a7 15. The disastrous influences of the demagogue Thomas M\u00fcnzer (born in\n1490), and of his fanatical party, the Zwickau prophets, on sound doctrine\nand sound morals, as well as the blood which they had shed, were still\nvividly remembered.\u2014Servetus, the Unitarian, had perished, but he left a\nseed behind; the doctrine of Christ\u2019s deity still remained a point of\nattack. And besides these false teachers, several others, who were\noriginally connected in various modes with the Lutheran Church,\npromulgated at various times opinions which seemed to be subversive of all\nScripture doctrine.\u2014Agricola, who had originally been an active adherent\nof Luther, gradually departed from the faith. He unquestionably betrayed\nthe interests of Protestantism by sanctioning the Augsburg Interim of\n1548. He engaged in a controversy, at first with Melanchthon, and then\nwith Luther himself, on the subject of the proper \u201cUse of the law\u201d\u2014the\nAntinomistic controversy\u2014maintaining that the law was no longer of\nimportance to the believer, and that the Gospel alone should be preached.\nHe died in 1566, when Arndt was about eleven years old. The confusion in\nthe church, which he created by his dangerous sentiments on several\npoints, was long painfully felt.\u2014The Osiandrian controversy, respecting\nJustification, and its relation to Sanctification, began in 1549, and\nclosed only when Arndt was already a student.\u2014The Majoristic controversy\noriginated in the public declaration made by G. Major, that \u201cgood works\nare _necessary to salvation_.\u201d The fears which such a doctrine, that\nsavored of popery, produced among orthodox and devout Lutherans, were\nexcessive. Those who opposed Major, were alarmed by his unguarded\nexpressions, and apprehended that the Gospel doctrine of _Justification by\nfaith in Christ alone, without human works or merit_, would be endangered,\nunless they silenced him. The controversy, in its most energetic form,\nterminated about seven years after Arndt\u2019s birth, but the indirect effects\nof the misconceptions connected with the great topic of this controversy,\nwere deeply felt by him.\u2014The Synergistic controversy, relating to the\nquestion whether man could co-operate with the Holy Spirit in the work of\nhis conversion, began in the year in which Arndt was born, and was\nmaintained with great energy during several years.\u2014The so-called\nCryptocalvinistic controversy, referring mainly to the doctrine of the\nLord\u2019s Supper, and involving certain important questions respecting the\nPerson of Christ, commenced about three years before Arndt\u2019s birth, and\nagitated the church during many years.\u2014These, and other subjects on which\nalso controversies had arisen, were, in the good providence of God, at\nlength calmly considered by learned and devout Lutheran theologians,\nconscientiously examined in the light of the divine Word, impartially\ndecided, and set forth, in the year 1580, in the FORMULA OF CONCORD, the\nlast of the special Lutheran creeds, all the doctrines of which Arndt\ncordially received, as he repeatedly declared in an official manner on\nvarious occasions, in his writings, in his last will and testament, and on\nhis death-bed. (See below \u00a7\u00a7 24, 25.) The very great reverence with which\nhe regarded this noble creed, and his attachment to it, are to be ascribed\nnot only to the spotless purity of the doctrines which it sets forth, but\nalso to the good work which it performed in successfully and permanently\ndeciding several very important questions which had latterly arisen, and\non which the preceding creeds had not authoritatively and fully\npronounced. It is, however, obvious, that even after these storms\nsubsided, the waves would long remain in commotion, and it was precisely\nin these troublous times that Arndt labored in the ministry.\n\n\u00a7 16. The catalogue of the difficulties which awaited him, is not yet\nexhausted. We have to add, as a part of the history of the times, when an\nextraordinary number of political and ecclesiastical contentions\nprevailed, the excitement of feeling which certain differences of doctrine\nbetween the Lutherans and the Reformed engendered, and which would never\nhave risen to the fearful height in which history now exhibits it to us,\nif political power, controlled alternately by the two religious parties in\nsome of the German principalities, had not been invoked by them. The awful\ndeath by fire, which terminated the career of Servetus (Oct. 27, 1553, two\nyears before the birth of Arndt, and more than six years after the death\nof Luther), was decreed by the civil authorities of Geneva, but was\nsanctioned by Calvin and even the gentle Melanchthon\u2014a sad example of the\nclouded views of men at that time respecting religious liberty and the\nright of civil rulers to punish men for their errors in the faith.\n\n\u00a7 17. In the Palatinate (the ancient _Pfalz_, the territories of which are\nnow distributed among Bavaria, Prussia, etc.) the Lutheran Church had been\nestablished, and popery ceased to exist. But in 1560, a few years after\nArndt\u2019s birth, the Elector, Frederick III., withdrew from the church, and\nadopted the Reformed faith and usages. His successor, Lewis VI.,\nendeavored to restore the ascendency of Lutheranism; but after his brief\nreign, the authorities which succeeded, established \u201cCalvinism\u201d (the term\nemployed in Church History) on a permanent basis. A similar\necclesiastico-civil revolution occurred in Bremen in 1562; fourteen\nLutheran pastors and the Lutheran members of the City Council were\nexpelled, and the city became Reformed. Such changes occurred elsewhere.\nBoth parties were undoubtedly more or less honest in adhering to their\ndoctrinal views; and both claimed the right to depose and exile those of\nan opposite faith, whenever the civil and political power was, in either\ncase, directed by them.\n\n\u00a7 18. Let it now be remembered that these contending Protestants, Lutheran\nand Reformed or Calvinistic, were led by men respectively, who were\nconfessedly intelligent, learned, and endowed with great abilities, many\nof whom were not only honest in expressing their convictions, but also\nconscientious in their conduct, whether they were governed by an erring or\nan enlightened conscience. That the latter is historically true, is\ndemonstrated by their readiness, when they lost power, to submit to\nimprisonment or exile, rather than to renounce their respective creeds.\nThey were all too well acquainted with Bible truth to look with other\nfeelings than with horror on the popish creed. But while their own\nProtestant creed was very precious to their souls, they could not tolerate\nany departure from it, even if that departure was _not_ in the direction\n\u201ctowards Rome.\u201d That departure must, as they judged, necessarily be\nequivalent to a denial of God\u2019s truth, as they believed that they had\nfound it in the Bible. Thus all were alike sensitive\u2014all seemed to feel\nthat if they tolerated any error, _that_ error could not be trivial\u2014it\nwas, as far as it extended, a denial of God\u2019s truth. Could they safely\nassume the shame and guilt of such a sin? We may add, that we are here\nspeaking only of the _honest_ leaders of the Lutherans and the Reformed,\nof whom each man judged and acted for himself, as one who was accountable\nto God. No honest Reformed theologian would have screened a Reformed\nheretic from condemnation; and no honest Lutheran would, for a moment,\nhave tolerated a nominal Lutheran, who rejected any part of the creed of\nthe church.\n\n\u00a7 19. At the same time, all these men were fallible creatures, subject to\nall the errors of judgment, and to all the passions and infirmities\nincident to fallen man. They often supposed that their intentions were\npure, when selfish motives governed them, and their jealous guardianship\nof God\u2019s truth was combined with a jealous love for their personal\nopinions. It was under these circumstances, when each party watched with\nextreme jealousy over the purity of the faith, as adopted by it, and when,\nbesides, many private interests\u2014personal, political, and\npecuniary\u2014exercised vast influence, that Arndt entered on his labors.\u2014We\nhave introduced the above details, in order to explain his declarations in\nthe preface to Book I. \u00a7 8, that he rejects the Synergistic, Majoristic,\netc., errors, and entertains no other views except those which are set\nforth in the Lutheran Symbolical Books.\n\n\u00a7 20. When he commenced his labors in Brunswick, he was the youngest\nmember of the \u201cministerium\u201d of the city, that is, of the college composed\nof the pastors of the several city churches, all of which at that time\nstrictly adhered to the Lutheran creed. He had long lamented that, in\nconsequence of the infelicity of the times, which caused endless doctrinal\ncontroversies, the parties of which were many, Papists, Mystics,\nUnitarians, Reformed, Lutherans, etc., the attention of many persons was\ndiverted from the practical duties of a Christian life, and directed\nexclusively to controversies on points of doctrine; the result was, that\nthe understanding was actively exercised, but the heart was not properly\naffected. Such considerations induced him to write Book I. of his \u201cTrue\nChristianity.\u201d It was his object to show that God demands a holy life,\nproceeding from faith in Christ, and that no jealousy concerning the\npurity of the creed will atone for the absence of the fruits of the\nSpirit, as exhibited in the life and conduct of the individual. Hence he\ninsists with a warmth unusual in that excited and controversial age, on\nrepentance, on faith in Christ, and on a holy life. Possibly, the\napparently sweeping assertions which occasionally occur in his writings,\nto the effect that the majority of his contemporaries lacked a heavenly\nspirit, acquired their sombre hue in consequence of the publicity given to\nhuman frailties, and the retirement and shade in which vast numbers of\nholy men preferred to dwell. His Book I., which constitutes the principal\npart of the work, was first published in Jena, in the year 1605; a second\nand improved edition appeared in 1607.\n\n\u00a7 21. It consisted principally of the matter which he had introduced in a\ncourse of practical sermons previously delivered by him on week-days. It\nattracted great attention, and was rapidly circulated throughout Germany.\nThe modest and retiring author, without expecting such a result, at once\nbecame a celebrity. Nevertheless, new trials now commenced. An envious\nfeeling seems to have been engendered in the hearts of several of his\ncolleagues in the \u201cministerium\u201d of the city, when they noticed the honor\nwhich the author had undesignedly gained. Perhaps, too, the controversial\nspirit of the times, and the jealousy of good men respecting the faith,\nwhich was assailed on all sides\u2014by Papists, Calvinists, Unitarians,\nfanatics, etc.,\u2014may have led them to scrutinize the book with too\nsuspicious eyes. All held firmly to the Gospel doctrine of Justification\nby faith alone, without works. Now, when they found that Arndt insisted\nwith such earnestness on the evidences of faith, as furnished by a holy\nlife, they were morbidly affected, and apprehended that the doctrine of\njustification by faith _alone_, which their bitter enemies, the Papists,\ndenounced, had not been guarded with sufficient care by Arndt. Other\nexpressions, again, which they did not interpret impartially, led them to\nfear that he was introducing mysticism and other morbid religious systems\ninto the Church. The reproaches which he was compelled to hear, deterred\nhim for some time from fulfilling his promise of adding three other\n\u201cBooks\u201d to Book I. The complete work may be regarded as consisting of\n_Four_ Books, as published in 1609. At a considerably later period a\nfifth, and then a sixth book, were added. The former was designed as an\nexplanation and recapitulation of the Four Books, and the latter,\nconsisting in part of letters addressed to various eminent theologians,\nbesides having the same object in view, was intended also to defend the\ndoctrinal and ethical positions assumed in the Four Books. As they partake\nof the nature of an appendix, and refer, to some extent, to\nmisunderstandings belonging to an earlier age, the Latin versions omit\nthem, and this example was followed by the English translator.\n\n\u00a7 22. Arndt was freed from the unpleasant relations in which he stood to\nhis colleagues in Brunswick, in which city he had spent about ten years,\nby a call which he received in 1608 to enter a new field of labor in\nEisleben. This city, which, as in the days of Luther (who was born and\nbaptized, and who also died there), still belonged to the territory of the\nCounts of Mansfeld, is at present incorporated with the kingdom of Prussia\n(Province of Saxony). It was here that Arndt ventured to publish the whole\nof the Four Books of his \u201cTrue Christianity.\u201d In this new position, his\nadmirable character and spirit were justly appreciated alike by his\npatrons, the Counts of Mansfeld, by his colleagues, and by the people. The\nfidelity with which he remained at his post during the prevalence of an\nepidemic that carried off many of the inhabitants, his self-sacrificing\nspirit in the discharge of his pastoral duties, and his judicious course\nas an assessor of the local consistory, demonstrated the true nobility of\nhis soul\u2014the spirit of the divine Redeemer. However, even though his\nrelations with all who surrounded him were of the most friendly character,\nhe did not remain longer than about two years and a half in Eisleben. He\nhad been repeatedly invited to assume important charges, which he declined\nto accept; for while he had often found opponents, his great personal\nmerit, his eminent services, both as a preacher of the Gospel and as an\nauthor of devotional works, and his godly spirit, had secured for him the\nrespect, confidence, and love of the whole religious public. Duke George\nof Brunswick-L\u00fcneburg, who at that time resided in Celle (Zelle), invited\nhim, in the year 1611, to accept the two offices of court-preacher and of\nGeneral Superintendent of ecclesiastical affairs in the principalities of\nBrunswick and L\u00fcneburg. (Celle was subsequently attached to the kingdom of\nHanover, but has, in the most recent times, been absorbed, with the\ncontiguous territories, by Prussia.) The Count of Mansfeld very\nreluctantly consented to Arndt\u2019s removal; the latter, however, believed\nthat it had become his duty to enter the wide and inviting field of labor\nwhich Providence had opened to him. The reigning duke, who was deeply\ninterested in the welfare of the Lutheran Church, judiciously and\nvigorously sustained his new court-preacher in all his labors. The latter,\nin addition to his ordinary pastoral duties, visited the congregations of\nthe whole territory, introduced various ecclesiastical reforms, and\ncontinued till his death, which occurred May 11, 1621, to enjoy the divine\nblessing himself, and to be a blessing to all whom his influence reached.\nIf he was born during a stormy period, and lived in an age of\ncontroversies which wounded his soul, he was, nevertheless, like Luther,\nvery happy in being permitted to terminate his labors precisely at the\ntime when he was called away. For, as Luther closed his eyes in peace\nduring the year which preceded the disastrous battle of M\u00fchlberg (April\n24, 1547), so Arndt fell asleep soon after the Thirty Years\u2019 War began,\nbefore the world saw those horrors which language fails to describe in\ntheir awful extent. He had contracted a disease of the throat, which was\nsubsequently aggravated by a violent fever; and his exhausted frame at\nlength yielded to the assault of disease. He sent for his friend and\nbrother, the Rev. William Storch, early in the morning of May 9. After\nbeing placed on a chair, he humbly made a general confession of his sins,\ndeclared once more that he adhered as heretofore to the pure doctrine of\nGod\u2019s word and rejected every error, and then, with all the cheerfulness\nof Christian faith, received the Lord\u2019s Supper. Dr. Morris, in the work\nreferred to, in a note above, quotes from his authorities the following:\n\u201cMr. Storch then addressed him (in language similar to that which Dr.\nJonas used in speaking to the dying Luther) as follows: \u2018I do not doubt,\nthat as you have never entertained any doctrine contrary to God\u2019s word,\nbut have always continued firm and steadfast in the pure, unadulterated\nword, the Scriptures of the prophets and apostles, the Augsburg\nConfession, and other Symbolical Books of the Lutheran Church, and most\nheartily and sincerely despised and rejected all contrary doctrines, so\nyou will also by God\u2019s grace maintain to the end the same doctrines and\nfaith which you have publicly preached and professed.\u2019 Arndt replied\nseveral times, in a weak but intelligible voice, most decisively, \u2018Yes,\nyes, that I will, even to the end.\u2019 \u201d On the 11th of May he began to sink\nrapidly, but was still able to repeat many of his favorite texts, such as\nPs. 143:2, and John 5:24. After having slept a short time, he awoke,\nlooked upward, and exclaimed with a comparatively loud voice: \u201cWe beheld\nhis glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace\nand truth.\u201d John 1:14. His wife asked him when he had seen that \u201cglory.\u201d\nHe replied: \u201cI saw it just now. O what a glory it is! It is the glory\nwhich eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the\nheart of man to conceive of. This is the glory which I saw.\u201d\u2014When he heard\nthe clock striking at eight in the evening, he asked what the hour was.\nWhen it struck again, he repeated the question. On being told that it was\nstriking nine, he said: \u201cNow I have overcome all.\u201d These were the last\nwords of this \u201cgood soldier of Jesus Christ.\u201d 2 Tim. 2:3. He lay perfectly\nstill until after midnight, when he breathed his last. God had given him a\npeaceful death. The serenity of his soul in his last hours seemed to\nlinger on his features, even after the spirit had departed.\n\n\u00a7 23. Two dukes of Brunswick-L\u00fcneburg followed him to the grave (May\n15th), as a testimony of their sense of the great worth of their revered\nspiritual guide. The text of the funeral sermon, delivered by Rev. Mr.\nStorch, consisted of the words, \u201cI have fought a good fight,\u201d etc. 2 Tim.\n4:7, 8. His remains were deposited in the church at Celle. The tomb\nexhibits the following inscription:\n\n\n    Qui Jesum vidit, qui mundum et daemona vicit,\n        Arndius in scriptis vivit ovatque suis.\n\n\n(That is: _Arndt, who saw Jesus, and conquered the world and the devil,\nlives and triumphs in his writings_.)\n\n\u00a7 24. Nothing could be more unjust than any charge affecting the purity of\nthe faith of Arndt as a Lutheran Christian. His general orthodoxy was\nalways readily admitted; a few unreasonable and prejudiced men, however,\nwho suspected that mysticism and other errors were concealed in the \u201cTrue\nChristianity,\u201d although the existence of such matter could not be\nestablished, nevertheless alleged, with a certain morbid feeling, that\nArndt did not adopt the entire creed of the Lutheran Church, as set forth\nin \u201call her symbolical books.\u201d This circumstance accounts for the\nfrequency and earnestness with which he declares his _unconditional_\nacceptance of, and hearty belief in, _all_ the details of the Lutheran\nfaith. Thus the reader will find, at the close of the Preface to Book I.,\nan emphatic declaration of his recognition of the doctrines of _all the\nSymbolical Books_, the names of which he enumerates in full. See, also,\nthe conclusion of Book II., and the conclusion of the Preface to Book IV.,\nwhere similar declarations occur. He repeats them in his Preface to Book\nVI., where he employs the following language: \u201cMy dear reader, inasmuch as\nour holy Christian faith, the pure evangelical doctrine, has, for about\none hundred years, been elucidated, purified, and sufficiently explained,\nin accordance with the rule of the holy Word of God, and also been\ncleansed from many errors through the means of two glorious and\npraiseworthy confessions of faith, namely, the Augsburg Confession, and\nthe Formula of Concord, which have hitherto been, and still continue to\nbe, my own confession of faith; and, inasmuch as some have, at the same\ntime, uttered complaints respecting the ungodly manner of life of the\npresent world, with which the Christian faith cannot coexist; therefore, I\nwrote, some years ago, Four Books on TRUE CHRISTIANITY, in which I have\ndepicted the internal, and, also, the external Christian life. For\nalthough the pure _doctrine is the foremost point of true Christianity_, I\nhave, nevertheless, not wished to treat of it in a special manner, as this\nhas been copiously and superabundantly done by others, and is still daily\ndone; and I have taken only the Christian _life_ as my subject.\u201d This Book\nVI. appeared somewhat less than a year before his death, and gives special\nprominence to the last of the Lutheran confessions of faith\u2014the FORMULA OF\nCONCORD\u2014in which the doctrines concerning the Person of Christ, the Lord\u2019s\nSupper, etc., are set forth in all their details; he thus repeats anew his\ncordial acceptance of the doctrines contained therein. In a letter of\nthanks addressed to Dr. Mentzer, of Giessen (Book VI., Part II., Letter\n7), he expressly rejects the serious doctrinal errors of Schwenkfeldt\nrespecting the Scriptures, the Person of Christ, the two Sacraments, etc.,\nand adds: \u201cThese errors have been publicly condemned and rejected, partly\nin the Augsburg Confession, and partly in the Formula of Concord, after\nthe pure doctrine was firmly established.\u201d He concurs, of course, in the\ncondemnation of such errors.\u2014In Letter 8, of the same Book, addressed to\nDr. Piscator, of Jena, he says: \u201cI call on the great God, the Searcher of\nhearts, as my witness, that it was not in my mind, in anything which I\nhave written, to depart from the true religion of the Augsburg Confession\nand the Formula of Concord, and that I had no intention to disseminate\nerroneous opinions, much less to defend any which conflicted with the\nSymbolical Books of our Church.\u201d\n\n\u00a7 25. On his death-bed he repeated anew, as we have seen, that he\ncontinued, as heretofore, to adhere faithfully to the pure evangelical\ndoctrine. In the two copies of his last will and testament, of the years\n1610 and 1616, he solemnly declares that he had always held with full\nconsciousness and understanding the doctrines of the Augsburg Confession\nand the Formula of Concord, and never departed from their contents either\nin his public teaching or his private views, that he never would adopt any\nother faith, and that he prayed that the grace of God might sustain him in\nthis frame of mind until his last hour should come. The singularly\nemphatic manner in which, on every appropriate occasion\u2014and many of such\noccurred\u2014he declared his sincere belief in the peculiar and distinctive\ndoctrines of the Lutheran Church, in all their details, as set forth in\nher SYMBOLICAL BOOKS, by no means proceeded from a narrow-minded sectarian\nfeeling. \u201cChrist is all, and in all\u201d (Col. 3:11)\u2014these apostolic words\nindicate the spirit of Arndt\u2019s religion. He could not sympathize with the\nPapist, who robs Christ of the glory which belongs exclusively to his\natoning work\u2014not with the Unitarian, who attempts to dethrone Him\u2014not with\nthe fanatic, who, even when honest, is misguided by passion and spiritual\npride\u2014not with the unbeliever, who flees from the shame of the cross\u2014not\neven with his Reformed fellow-Christians, whose merits he readily\nacknowledged, but whose rejection of the Lutheran doctrine respecting the\nPerson of Christ and the Lord\u2019s Supper, as set forth especially in the\nFormula of Concord, grieved his soul. He had found the precious Gospel\ntruth, which constituted his life, to be identical with the creed of his\nChurch, and with _that_ creed alone, in all its glorious fulness. He could\nnot consent to sacrifice one jot or one tittle of the Augsburg Confession,\nnor could he assign to it an isolated position, even though Zwingli and\nhis associates readily adopted it, with the single exception of Article X.\nNor did his heart or his conscience allow him to ignore the other Lutheran\nSymbols. The _Augsburg Confession_ undoubtedly contained the pure truth of\nthe Gospel, without any admixture of errors; but, owing to the\ncircumstances and the times in which it originated, when it was the great\nobject of Luther and his associates to justify their course in withdrawing\nfrom antichristian Rome, it confined itself to those principles which were\nthen specially debated. Hence Calvin, who differed so widely on some\npoints from the fully developed Lutheran creed, readily adopted and\nsubscribed it at Strasburg.\u2014The _Apology_, or Vindication of the Augsburg\nConfession, set forth, among others, the cardinal doctrine of the Lutheran\nfaith, namely, Justification by faith alone, with extraordinary power and\npurity. Its full, lucid, and strictly scriptural character has never been\nsuccessfully controverted. For this very reason the Apology was rejected\nby Papists, as it now is practically by Rationalists and others who depend\non human merit, and are unwilling to give all honor to the Saviour\nalone.\u2014The _Smalcald Articles_, which Luther prepared in order to set\nforth the points on which no Protestant or Bible Christian could make any\nconcession to Popery, are also offensive to Papists, to Rationalists, and\nto the unbelieving and impenitent generally, as they contain the pure\nevangelical truth, which humbles man, while it exalts God.\u2014_The Two\nCatechisms (the Large and the Small)_ furnish materials for popular\ninstruction in revealed truth, which have never been equalled by other\nmanuals, in their adaptation to the object, their fulness, and their\npurity. Hence, a friend of divine truth, like Arndt, who took so deep an\ninterest in the religious education of the young, could not do otherwise\nthan regard them as of inestimable value. An enemy of the truth would\nnaturally disavow them.\u2014The _Formula of Concord_\u2014the last of the series of\nLutheran Confessions of Faith, and the one which Arndt appears to have\nprized most highly\u2014was intended, as we have shown above, to determine\nvarious important points involved in the controversies which had arisen in\nthe bosom of the Lutheran Church before or at the time when he was born.\nThe very circumstance that this Symbol was demanded by the exigencies of\nthe Church, demonstrates that the Augsburg Confession was _not originally\ndesigned to be a full and complete confession of faith_, but only a\nstatement of points discussed during the infancy of the Reformation. While\nit excludes every error which might dishonor God, and confirm the\nimpenitent sinner in his evil course, it completes the previous Symbols,\nand forms with them an undivided and harmonious whole, exhibiting with\nbrilliancy, power, and spotless purity the Person of the God-Man, Jesus\nChrist, and glorifies God alone. A confession of faith which so\nunreservedly unveils the fearful character of Original Sin, while it so\nfully explains and establishes the true doctrine of the Lord\u2019s Supper,\nwould naturally be unwelcome to an impenitent heart; whereas, the devout\nArndt found nothing in it but animating and heavenly truth. Hence he\ndesired to be regarded as simply an Evangelical Lutheran Christian,\u2014an\nadherent of the Formula of Concord.\n\n\u00a7 26. Religion assumed an unusually attractive and beautiful form in\nArndt, and is strikingly shadowed forth in his \u201cTrue Christianity;\u201d this\nwork is an admirable portraiture of his inner man. He was naturally of a\ngrave, but not by any means of an unsocial or gloomy disposition; he would\nnot otherwise have been styled \u201cthe Fenelon of Protestantism.\u201d Dr.\nWildenhahn, whose charming work (entitled _Johannes Arndt_) embodies\nstrictly accurate historical notices, and derives only subordinate matter,\nsuch as incidents in domestic life, conversations, etc., from analogy and\na fruitful imagination, exhibits him in the true light, as an affectionate\nhusband, a cheerful companion, a generous and self-sacrificing friend of\nthe sick and the poor\u2014in short, as a model in all the relations of life.\nThere is no exaggeration in this language. He possessed great firmness of\ncharacter; indeed, a truly heroic spirit dwelt in him. He manifested this\ntrait on many trying occasions\u2014not only when he preferred poverty and\nexile to a denial of a single Gospel truth or Lutheran usage, but also in\nmany other scenes of conflict. The ravages of the pestilence could not\nalarm his heroic soul; the open and violent denunciations of enemies he\nalways encountered in the spirit of Him who said: \u201cIf I have spoken evil,\nbear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?\u201d (John 18:23.)\nThere was a certain calmness or gentleness in his manner of treating his\nenemies, which, combined with his earnestness and candor in repelling\ntheir calumnies, invariably subdued them. Love\u2014love, not to the amiable\nand good, or to the poor and sorrowing alone, but also to his enemies\u2014was\ntoo often and too variously manifested, to leave the spectator in doubt\nrespecting its true source\u2014a genuine faith in Christ, and deep, ardent\nlove to Him. In truth, it is here that the peculiar type of his religion\nis seen; he lived more in heaven than on earth. The sacerdotal prayer of\nChrist (John, Chap. 17) was an unfailing source of light, of hope, of\npeace and joy to his soul. Expressions like these, \u201cAs thou, Father, art\nin me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us\u201d (ver. 21)\u2014\u201cI in\nthem, and thou in me, etc.\u201d (ver. 23), and language like that of Paul:\n\u201cChrist in you, etc.\u201d (Col. 1:27), furnished him virtually with the\nformula: \u201cChrist in me, and I in Christ.\u201d Such was his faith in Christ,\nand such was his love to Him, that he was always calm and hopeful. Hence\nfeatures appeared in his religious character which his worldly-minded\ncontemporaries could not fully appreciate; they were formed by two\ndifferent series of Gospel doctrines, which cannot come in conflict, but\nwhich relate to two entirely different objects\u2014Christ, the Saviour, and\nfallen man. No one more sincerely embraced the doctrine of Original Sin,\nas held by the Lutheran Church, than Arndt did; of this his writings\nfurnish the evidence. His own searching self-examination, constantly\nmaintained in the light of Scripture, revealed to him the utter corruption\nof his own heart by nature; he found nothing in himself but sin. He was\nconscious that he could do nothing without Christ, and deeply felt that\ngrace\u2014nothing but grace\u2014could renew his nature, and save him. These\nconvictions induced him to insist with such earnestness, in his Four\nBooks, on the true and genuine repentance of the sinner. At the same time,\nthere was nothing like sternness, gloom, or despondency connected with his\nsincere and profound self-abasement. For he received with equal strength\nof faith another series of truths\u2014he believed with all his heart that\n\u201cafter the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not\nby works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy\nhe saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy\nGhost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;\nthat being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to\nthe hope of eternal life.\u201d Tit. 3:4-7. Here a new tide of emotions flowed\nthrough his soul. Wonder, joy, gratitude, love, took possession of him.\nHis large heart was full of happiness that the lost could be found and\nsaved\u2014that \u201cwhere sin abounded, grace did much more abound.\u201d Rom. 5:20.\nAnd now, when these two distinct principles appear in him in their\npractical union, the type of his religion is clearly developed. He was\ngrave and earnest, humble, and free from all confidence in himself, for he\nwas \u201cby nature a child of wrath.\u201d Eph. 2:3. But, on the other hand, God\nhad, in pity and in love, given him a Saviour, engrafted him in that\nSaviour through Holy Baptism, bestowed on him the fulness of grace, and\ninvited him, as a repentant, believing, pardoned child of Adam, to enter\nheaven. If sin abounded through the first Adam, grace did, through the\nsecond Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), much more abound. His writings, therefore, now\nassume a very cheerful character\u2014_love_ is the prevailing theme. Nothing\nmorose appears in them\u2014sorrow for sin and repentance\u2014faith in Christ and\nlove to him, are his soul-inspiring themes, and a cheerful spirit, a sense\nof fervent, joyful gratitude to God, a heavenly calm, pervade alike his\nheart and its language as uttered in the \u201cTrue Christianity.\u201d\n\n\u00a7 27. The essential features of vital godliness are always the same; yet\n\u201cthere are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.\u201d 1 Cor. 12:4. Paul\ninsists on faith; John, on love. Luther\u2019s religion was, like that of\nArndt, earnest, and yet cheerful. Both were enabled by their personal\nexperience to understand the nature of these Christian virtues, and also\nthe distinction between them. Luther dwells with wonderful power on\n_faith_. Arndt delights to speak of God\u2019s _love_. There is something very\nbeautiful in these different developments of true godliness in the\nservants of Christ, while the influences of the same divine Spirit\ncontrols them alike.\n\n\u00a7 28. It would be an error to suppose that the whole world had risen up in\narms against Arndt, after he had assumed his position as an humble and\ndevout Christian. Vast numbers received his First Book on True\nChristianity with gratitude and joy. It enlightened their minds; it\ncontrolled the conscience; it diffused the warmth of life through their\nsouls; and they thanked God that such a book, so full of love, had been\ngiven to the world. A comparatively small number of men rose up against\nhim. Certain individuals, such as his colleague, Denecke, a co-pastor of\nthe same congregation in Brunswick, were, no doubt, influenced by envy and\npersonal dislike. But others who opposed him, were by no means governed\nsolely by unworthy personal considerations. Some of them were so much\nconcerned about \u201cquestions and strifes of words\u201d (1 Tim. 6:4), that they\noverlooked and misconceived the heavenly-mindedness of Arndt. Others, who\ndid him injustice, were led astray by the infelicity of the times. We have\nalready referred to the disastrous influences of the mysticism and\nfanaticism which, in addition to other corruptions of the true faith, had\nappeared about, and after, the period of the birth of Arndt. For instance,\nthe Swiss physician, Paracelsus (who died as a Roman Catholic in 1541),\nhad published various fantastic and mystical writings, in which he\nprofessed that he understood both mundane and supermundane mysteries. Now\na certain Lutheran pastor in Saxony, named Weigel, who died in 1588, and\nwho had been confessedly a man of an upright walk and conversation, had\nyielded to a tendency to the mysticism and theosophy of Paracelsus. He was\nthus led theoretically to undervalue the doctrines of the church, and to\nrepresent them as merely allegorical forms, involving truths not known to\nordinary men. The natural results of his theory, if its folly had not been\nexposed, would unquestionably have seriously affected the authority of the\nwritten Word. Before his writings were published, a friend had\ncommunicated to Arndt a short extract from them, which contained none of\nhis errors; the author\u2019s name had been withheld. Arndt, in his innocence,\ninserted the passage in his book, and was thus burdened with the odium of\nall the Weigelian errors; but he was subsequently released from all\ncensure, and his freedom from anything like the mysticism of Weigel was\ngenerally conceded.\n\n\u00a7 29. Another ground of the charge of mysticism which his opponents\nadvanced, was found in his repeated references in the \u201cTrue Christianity\u201d\nto Tauler. Here, too, Arndt made a brilliant defence, by quoting the great\nLuther as his authority. The latter had obtained possession of a\nmanuscript without a title or an author\u2019s name, which deeply interested\nhim. It dwelt entirely on the communion of the soul with God, and on\nkindred topics. Luther, whose godliness was healthy and sound, was so much\ncharmed with the work, that he published a part of it at Wittenberg in\n1516, and prefixed the title: \u201cA spiritual, noble little work, explaining\nthe distinction between the old and the new man; showing, also, who are\nthe children of Adam and the children of God, and how Adam must die in us,\nand Christ live in us.\u201d During the course of the next year he published\nthe whole work, with an extended Preface of his own, and adopted the\ntitle: \u201cA German Theology\u201d; this general title it has since retained. It\nwas received with unbounded favor, and circulated rapidly throughout\nEurope, for instance, in three English, seven Latin, four French, etc.,\ntranslations, besides numerous editions of the original German. It was\nsupposed to have been written by Tauler, a very devout man, who was born\nin the year 1290. His religious tendencies led him, like Luther, to enter\na monastery. The sermons and other writings which he left behind, while\ntheir general character assign to him a place among those who are\ndenominated \u201cMystics,\u201d nevertheless abound in holy and devout aspirations,\nand were dictated by a spirit that sought and found peace in the grace of\nGod alone.\u2014Arndt entertained the opinion that the \u201cGerman Theology\u201d was a\nproduction of his pen, and so represents the case in his \u201cTrue\nChristianity.\u201d It is now, however, generally conceded, in consequence of\nan allusion in the work itself to Tauler as a religious teacher of an\nearlier day, that another person, belonging to a later period, was the\nwriter; his name is still involved in impenetrable darkness.\u2014So, too, it\nis by no means certain that Thomas \u00e1 Kempis (born in 1380), was the author\nof the popular book \u201cOn the Imitation of Christ,\u201d of which more than two\nthousand editions in the original language, more than one thousand in\nFrench, besides innumerable others in German, English, etc., have been\npublished. The historical arguments, adduced chiefly by French writers,\nintended to support the claims of the eminent Gerson (born in 1363), as\nthe author, although not entirely conclusive, are still possessed of great\nweight.\u2014Arndt incidentally remarks in a brief statement respecting the\n\u201cGerman Theology,\u201d that his copy, printed at Wittenberg in 1520, contained\nsimply the remark that the book had been written by a devout priest of the\ncity of Frankfort, for devotional purposes, but the author\u2019s name was\nwithheld. If Luther sanctioned the publication of the \u201cGerman Theology,\u201d\nArndt could calmly listen to those who censured him for adopting a similar\ncourse. Those extracts at least, which he furnishes in the \u201cTrue\nChristianity,\u201d are, unquestionably, evangelical and truly edifying.\n\n\u00a7 30. It will, perhaps, gratify the reader to observe the skill with which\nWildenhahn, to whom we have already referred, illustrates the childlike\nsimplicity of Arndt\u2019s character, by combining fiction with truth. During\nhis Brunswick pastorate, the City Council of Halberstadt sent him an\nurgent call to become the successor of the deceased Rev. D. Sachse, as\npastor of the church of St. Martin in that city. After he had consulted\nwith his intelligent wife, who, like himself, was anxious to withdraw to\nany spot where peace could be found, he resolved to accept the call; and,\nin accordance with custom and law, applied to the Brunswick City Council\nfor letters of honorable dismission. When the question was to be decided,\nArndt appeared in the presence of the burgomaster, Kale, the syndic, Dr.\nRoerhand, and other members of the Council, and renewed his request. These\ndetails are historically true. Wildenhahn now subjoins the following:\n\u201cTell me honestly,\u201d said the syndic to him, \u201chave you really, as you\nallege, taken no steps whatever, in order to obtain this call from\nHalberstadt?\u201d \u201cNot a single step,\u201d said Arndt, in a solemn manner, with\nhis right hand on his heart, \u201cthe whole is altogether and exclusively a\nwork of God.\u201d But at the moment when he pronounced this solemn\ndeclaration, it became evident to those who were present, that a sudden\nthought had startled him; he changed color; he began to tremble; he\nsuddenly covered his eyes with his left hand. Then, with a voice betraying\ndeep emotion, he added: \u201cGentlemen, I have borne false witness! I really\ndid do something to obtain this call.\u201d \u201cAh!\u201d said Kale quickly, delighted,\nas it seemed, to find an opportunity for displaying his official dignity,\n\u201cYou did? Pray, tell us what it was.\u201d \u201cI prayed to the blessed Lord with\ntears, that he would assign to me some other spot in his vineyard, no\nmatter how insignificant, if I could only there preach his word in peace.\u201d\n\u201cAnd was _that_ all?\u201d inquired the burgomaster, much surprised, and\nspeaking in more gentle tones. \u201cThat was all,\u201d replied Arndt, \u201cand this is\ntrue, as God lives! But, doubtless, I erred here, in impatiently\nattempting to dictate to God, etc.\u201d Such simplicity of character, such\nperfect ingenuousness, such a wonderful freedom from artifice and\ndisguise, completely disarmed the members of the Council. They now\nunderstood better than previously the artlessness and spirituality of the\nman before them, and, after that scene, they accorded to him entire esteem\nand confidence.\n\n\u00a7 31. The great work of Arndt\u2014the \u201cTrue Christianity,\u201d has probably never\nhad its equal as a popular book of devotion. Tholuck relates the following\nanecdote as an illustration of the manner in which even Papists could\nappreciate the merits of the work. When Prof. Anton, of Halle, visited\nMadrid in 1687, he examined the library of the Jesuits, and incidentally\ninquired of the librarian respecting the ascetic writer whom they esteemed\nmore than other authors of devotional works. The latter exhibited a Latin\nbook, the title-page and last leaves of which were wanting, and declared\nthat it was the most edifying work which they possessed. When Anton\nexamined it, he discovered that it was a translation of Arndt\u2019s \u201c_True\nChristianity_\u201d! It is only common justice to allow the author to state the\nobjects which he had in view, in preparing the work. The following passage\noccurs in a letter which he addressed in the last year of his life to Duke\nAugustus the Younger, of Brunswick: \u201cIn the first place, I wished to\nwithdraw the minds of students and preachers from an inordinate\ncontroversial and polemic theology, which has well-nigh assumed the form\nof an earlier scholastic theology. Secondly, I purposed to conduct\nChristian believers from lifeless thoughts to such as might bring forth\nfruit. Thirdly, I wished to guide them onward from mere science and\ntheory, to the actual practice of faith and godliness; and, fourthly, to\nshow them wherein a truly Christian life consists, which accords with the\ntrue faith, as well as to explain the apostle\u2019s meaning when he says: \u2018I\nlive; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me,\u2019 etc.\u201d (Gal. 2:20.)\n\n\u00a7 32. The Rev. Dr. Seiss, the author of \u201cEcclesia Lutherana, etc.,\u201d to\nwhose endeavors the religious public is mainly indebted for the appearance\nof the present edition, remarks in a recent notice of the work: \u201cThis is\none of the very greatest and most useful practical books produced by\nProtestantism. Though written more than two hundred and fifty years ago,\nit is still unsurpassed in its department. It stands out with marked and\nsuperior distinction in the modern ages. Next to the Bible and Luther\u2019s\nSmall Catechism, it has been more frequently printed, more widely read,\nand more influential for good, than any other book, perhaps, that has ever\nbeen written. Boehm has not exaggerated, when he says that its effects, in\nthe conversion of souls, has been such, that an account of them would make\na history in itself. Nor can any one candidly read it, without finding on\nevery page, scintillations of the sunlike splendors of a mind bathed in\nthe purity, wisdom, and love of heaven.\u201d Mr. Boehm, in the Preface to his\ntranslation (which is the basis both of the revision of Mr. Jacques, and\nof the present edition), remarks, that among the learned men in Great\nBritain, who had read the Latin translation, the distinguished Dr.\nWorthington had assigned the first rank among devotional writers to Arndt,\nand quotes the enthusiastic terms in which he extols that \u201cfaithful\nservant of God, John Arndt.\u201d And Mr. Jacques closes the Preface to his\nrevision with the following words: \u201cDivines of all communions and\npersuasions, have united in their admiration of this delightful\nproduction. The late learned Dr. Edward Williams has inserted it in his\nvaluable Appendix to the Christian Preacher: and the Rev. John Wesley made\na most copious extract from it, comprised in Vol. I. and II. of his\nChristian Library.\u201d\n\n\u00a7 33. And truly God did not design this great work solely for the comfort\nand aid of the German nation during the Thirty Years\u2019 War (1618-1648), but\nfor all nations and all times. It has been translated into the Latin,\nDanish, Swedish, Bohemian, Polish, Low Dutch, English, French, Turkish,\nRussian, Malabar, Tamul, etc., languages. At least two editions of the\nwork in a Latin translation were published in England; the last appeared\nin 1708, with the following title: \u201cJoannis Arndtii, Theologici, etc.: De\nvero Christianismo. Libri IV. Cura et studio A. W. Boemi. Lond. 1708.\u201d 2\nvols. 8vo.\u2014Another Latin edition was published in Germany in 1624. The\nTamul translation had the following Latin title: \u201cDe vero Christianismo,\nin Tamulicum convertit Benjamin Schulzius, Missionarius Evangelicus.\u201d(2)\n\n\u00a7 34. The work had made so deep an impression on learned British\nChristians, who read it in Latin, that the wish was repeatedly and\nearnestly expressed that it might be made accessible to English readers.\nAt this period, that is, during the reign of Queen Anne of England (who\ndied in 1714), large numbers of German emigrants from the Palatinate\npassed through England on their way to the provinces of New York and\nPennsylvania. The Rev. Anthony William Boehm, a German Lutheran clergyman,\nhad previously been appointed as the court chaplain of Prince George of\nDenmark, the consort of Queen Anne. His enlightened zeal and devout heart\nled him to take a deep interest, not only in the temporal, but also in the\nspiritual welfare of these pilgrims, who were on their way to the wilds of\nNorth America. He accordingly supplied them, by the aid of certain\nlike-minded friends, with German Bibles and Hymn Books, and also with\nGerman copies of Arndt\u2019s \u201cTrue Christianity,\u201d as well as with other books\nof devotion. This interesting fact is mentioned in the letters of Dr.\nMuhlenberg, published in the well-known _Halle Reports_ (_Hallische\nNachrichten_, pp. 665, 793). But Mr. Boehm also resolved to furnish the\npeople, in the midst of whom he lived, with the great work of his favorite\nauthor, in their own language, and accordingly prepared an English\ntranslation, which was first printed in London in 1712.\n\n\u00a7 35. It would be unjust to the memory of this excellent man, if we should\nfail to refer to his literary labors. His high office at the royal court\nof England, is an evidence of his personal merit. He was not only a devout\nand faithful preacher of the Gospel, but also an author who acquired\ndistinction. In 1734 he published a very valuable work in the German\nlanguage, entitled: \u201cEight Books, on the Reformation of the Church in\nEngland, extending from the year 1526, under Henry VIII., to the reign of\nCharles II.\u201d In a very beautiful eulogy, in manuscript, found in the\nvolume before us, the writer refers to the successful efforts of Mr. Boehm\nto provide for the education of the children of the poor in his vicinity.\nHe died May 27, 1722, in his fiftieth year, after having faithfully\nlabored in the service of Christ. He sustained, with eminent success, the\nDanish Lutheran missionaries in Tranquebar, by sending pecuniary aid\nobtained in London, as well as religious publications. Besides his great\nGerman historical work, which is the complement of Burnet\u2019s \u201cHistory of\nthe Reformation of the Church of England,\u201d he also published several\nEnglish compositions, such as a \u201cSermon on the doctrine of Original Sin,\nEph. 4:22,\u201d printed in London, 1711, and a \u201cSermon on the Duty of the\nReformation (Jubilee), Rev. 18:4,\u201d London, 1718, besides various religious\nworks in the German language.\n\n\u00a7 36. About the beginning of the present century, the Rev. Calvin\nChaddock, who resided in Hanover, Massachusetts, obtained a copy of Mr.\nBoehm\u2019s translation, \u201caccidentally,\u201d as he says, and found it to be so\nvaluable, that he resolved to issue an American edition, which accordingly\nappeared in 1809, Boston. In his short Preface he remarks, with great\ntruth, that the language of the translation \u201cappears to be somewhat\nancient, and the sentiments in some few instances obscure.\u201d He adds, in\nreference to his own agency: \u201cThe only alterations which have been made,\nare such as respect redundant and obsolete words, orthography, the\naddition of some words, and the transposition of some sentences; that the\nideas of the translator might appear more conspicuous.\u201d He might have,\nwith great advantage, been even more liberal than he was, in correcting\nthe style; it still remained in numerous passages heavy and obscure. As\nthe style, even of the original German, is somewhat antiquated, and as,\nbesides, occasional obscurities and repetitions occur, a later successor\nin one of Arndt\u2019s pastoral charges, the Rev. J. F. Fedderson, assumed the\ntask of revising and abridging the whole of the original German, improving\nor modernizing the style, and occasionally adding new matter. The result\nof his labors does not appear to have received the entire approbation of\nthe German religious world; the original and unaltered work continues so\npopular, that no permanent place has been secured for the substitute. A\nportion of Fedderson\u2019s production was translated and published in\nChambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1834, by the Rev. John N. Hoffman, Pastor\nof the Evangelical Lutheran congregation of that place. The translation\nwas never completed. The part which was given, consisting mainly of Book\nI., has long since been out of print.\n\n\u00a7 37. In the year 1815, a new edition of Mr. Boehm\u2019s English translation\nwas issued in London (evidently without any reference to Mr. Chaddock\u2019s\nAmerican edition), by William Jacques, A.M., who had already distinguished\nhimself by his translation, from the Latin, of A. H. Francke\u2019s \u201cGuide to\nthe Reading and Study of the Holy Scriptures,\u201d of which a reprint, in a\nvery unattractive form, and with omissions, appeared in Philadelphia, in\n1823. He took Mr. Boehm\u2019s translation as the \u201cground-work,\u201d which, as he\nstates in his Preface, he did not \u201cedit either hastily or negligently.\nThere is not a single page, nor a single paragraph,\u201d he continues, \u201cwhich\nhas not been subjected to scrutiny,\u201d etc. Nevertheless, Mr. Jacques, who\ndoes not appear to have compared the translation with the original German,\nmade only verbal changes, which, as it is evident, materially improve the\nstyle. But he allowed all the additions of Mr. Boehm, which are generally\nquite tautological, and various inaccuracies in thought and expression to\nremain. So many antiquated expressions were retained, that it would have\nbeen inexpedient to reprint the work precisely as Mr. Jacques allowed the\ntext to remain. Besides, he curtailed the full titles of the several\nchapters, and, with very few exceptions, omitted the important and\nappropriate texts which Arndt had prefixed respectively to the latter.\nThese circumstances, in connection with others, such as numerous\ntypographical errors, especially in the Scripture references, plainly\nindicated that a revision of the whole was necessary, before the present\nedition could be presented to the public.\n\n\u00a7 38. The editor of the present American edition took that of Mr. Jacques\nas the basis of the translation, but compared every sentence with the\noriginal German. He found some cases in which valuable matter had been\nomitted, and was occasionally required to supply sentences that had been\nmutilated or suppressed. But he erased all the verbal additions, and the\nclauses, or sentences, inserted by Mr. Boehm, where it seemed to have been\nthe object of the latter only to explain remarks that were already\nperfectly lucid, or to add emphasis by the insertion of adjectives, etc.,\nor else to impart beauty by the adoption of poetical terms or phrases,\nwhich were inconsistent with the severe simplicity of Arndt\u2019s style. He\neven represents the author, on one occasion, as quoting from the\n\u201cHomilies\u201d of the Church of England, which Arndt undoubtedly never read,\nand certainly does not mention in the original. The American editor has,\nalso, at the request of several friends, who took an interest in securing\nthe publication of the present edition, prepared a somewhat copious INDEX.\nOne of the Latin editions (London, 1708) contains an index, adapted only\nto its own pages. Another, in German, is found in some of the German\neditions, for instance, in that of Nuremberg, 1762, also adapted to the\npages of the particular edition only. As the American editor found none in\nEnglish, and preferred to adapt the new Index, prepared by him, to the\nwork itself (specifying the Book, Chapter, and Section), he accordingly\ncompleted his task on this plan, after a considerable expenditure of time\nand labor. It is somewhat difficult to prepare an Index for a work which\nis so exclusively devotional in its character as the present, and in which\nthe author does not intend to discuss subjects in a strictly scientific\nmanner. Arndt, for instance, employs terms which, when defined with\nprecision, indicate different shades of thought, almost as if they were\nsynonymous (_e. g._, the _grace_, _mercy_, _goodness_, _love_, etc., of\nGod), and often repeats the same thought in different language. For this\nwe can easily account, when we recollect that the materials of the work\nwere taken from a series of popular sermons of the author, delivered at\nintervals. The editor allows himself to hope that the Index which he has\nprepared, may occasionally be of service to the reader.\n\n\u00a7 39. But even after having made numerous changes on _every page_ of the\nold translation before him, the American editor is conscious that a\ncritical eye will discover many imperfections in the style. It is often\nantiquated and heavy, and sometimes even quaint. Nevertheless, in all\nthese instances he allowed the English text to remain as he found it,\ncontenting himself with the correction of orthographical and syntactical\ninaccuracies, the rectification of Scripture references, the errors in\nwhich he found to be unusually numerous, the correction of quotations in\naccordance with the authorized English version of the Bible, in the many\ncases in which Mr. Boehm, or one of his assistants, translated from\nLuther\u2019s German version, or quoted the English version from memory, etc.,\netc.\n\n\u00a7 40. It is eminently proper that a new edition of Arndt\u2019s \u201cTrue\nChristianity\u201d should appear during the present Jubilee year of the\nEvangelical Lutheran Church, and that it should be undertaken and\nconducted to a successful issue by members of the Evangelical Lutheran\nSynod of Pennsylvania. The deep spirituality of Arndt, and his active and\npure faith, can be fully understood and appreciated only when we reflect\non the doctrinal system to which he had given his heart, and to which we\nhave referred above. This orthodox system found no favor, at a later\nperiod, among the Rationalists; they rejected the doctrines of the Bible\nrespecting the depravity of human nature, the divinity of Christ, the\nefficacy of the divinely appointed means of grace, and similar truths, and\ngrievously complained of the violence which, as they treacherously\nalleged, was offered to their conscience, when the demand was made, that\nif they claimed to belong to the Lutheran Church, to occupy its pulpits,\nand to receive their support from it, they ought also to adopt its faith.\nTheir influence is happily decaying in Europe, and the restoration of the\ndoctrines of the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church to\nauthority, is coincident with the new and healthy religious life of the\nLutheran Church in Germany, Hungary, Scandinavia, and Russia. The sincere\nChristian, John Arndt, whom we heard protesting before God, with his last\nbreath, as described above, that he believed only the doctrines of the\nSymbolical Books of the Lutheran Church, and _all_ those doctrines, little\nthought that more than two centuries afterwards, in the remote Western\ncontinent of America, men would arise who would not only reject with scorn\n\u201call the other Symbolical Books,\u201d which he revered, but also speak\ncontemptuously of the Augsburg Confession and its holy doctrines.\n\n\u00a7 41. The doctrinal system which Arndt so sincerely revered, was brought\nto this country by the Lutheran pastors who visited our shores at a very\nearly period. Dr. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, an eminently enlightened and\nholy man, was enabled, by his well-disciplined mind and great\nadministrative powers, to create order among the scattered Lutherans whom\nhe found in this country. He was exceedingly zealous in maintaining the\npurity of the Lutheran faith, to which he owed all his peace and his\nhopes. He gave unusual prominence to the Symbolical Books\u2014to _all_ of\nthem, mentioned by name\u2014in the various constitutions of congregations\norganized or influenced by him, and very properly claimed that none who\nrejected them could honestly bear the name of _Lutherans_. We will give\nonly one illustration, of many which might be adduced, to show the\nfidelity with which he held to the Lutheran Symbolical Books, as\nenumerated by Arndt in the last paragraph of his Preface to Book I., in\nthis volume. Dr. Muhlenberg states in an official Report for the year\n1747, which he transmitted to Halle (_Hall. Nachr._, pp. 234, 235), that\nhe had visited a congregation in Maryland, in which great dissensions\nprevailed at the time, occasioned by efforts made by certain individuals\nto alienate the Lutherans from their faith and church. He says, \u201cBefore we\ncommenced public worship, I asked for the Church Record, and wrote certain\npropositions and articles in it in the English language, and among other\nstatements, made the following: That our German Lutherans held to the holy\nWord of God, in the prophetic and apostolical writings; further, to the\nunaltered Augsburg Confession, and the other Symbolical Books, etc.(3) I\nthen read the same publicly to the congregation, and explained it to them\nin the German language, and added, that every one who desired to be, and\nto remain, _such_ a Lutheran, should subscribe his name.\u201d He informs us\nthat the genuine Lutherans readily subscribed; the rest, who had\nunlutheran sympathies, withheld their names.\n\n\u00a7 42. An unhappy change occurred after Dr. Muhlenberg\u2019s day. The\nSymbolical Books, which he and his contemporaries received, believed, and\nsustained in their whole extent, with religious veneration, existed at\nthat time only in Latin and German. They gradually receded from the view\nof many pastors of the church; individuals were received into the ranks of\nthe ministry, who had never studied them; doctrines and usages, hitherto\nunknown to the church, were introduced into many Lutheran congregations.\nAt one period several of the most intelligent pastors yielded, to a\ncertain extent, to rationalistic influences; then, the opposite extreme,\nof fanaticism, gained adherents; both rationalism and fanaticism were\nalike hostile to \u201cthe unaltered Augsburg Confession and the other\nSymbolical Books,\u201d and a strange combination of elements, derived partly\nfrom rationalism, and partly from fanaticism, temporarily held sway.\nDependence was now placed on human measures and inventions, designed for\nthe conversion of sinners and the edification of believers, rather than on\nthe divinely appointed means of grace, which men like Arndt and Muhlenberg\nrecognized as the only channels through which the Divine Spirit exercises\nhis influence. If they had lived among us during the second, third, and\nfourth decades of this century, when their doctrines, and their mode of\npreaching, were regarded by many as antiquated, or unsuited to a supposed\nhigher grade of religious development, they would have readily predicted\nthe results\u2014fanaticism, latitudinarianism in doctrine, an evanescent\nemotional religion, and, by consequence, the rejection, in whole or in\npart, of the Augsburg Confession and the other Symbolical Books.\n\n\u00a7 43. God, in his mercy, has interposed. The doctrines which Arndt,\nMuhlenberg, and men of the old faith, regarded as the life-blood of a\nhealthy, scriptural religion, are regaining their authority. Many still\nreject them; the old faith of the church\u2014Bible truth, is unwelcome to an\nignorant, rationalistic, and unconverted heart. But others have been\ntaught by observation and experience that mere human measures and\ninventions cannot conduct to a healthy and permanent religion, and that\ndivine truth, as taught in the Scriptures, and set forth in our Symbolical\nBooks, and the other means of grace given to the Church by its divine\nHead, are the only sources from which such a healthy religion can proceed.\nIn this spirit Arndt wrote the \u201cTrue Christianity,\u201d and by this spirit the\nSynod of Pennsylvania is animated. This ecclesiastical body desires to\ntake away all glory from man, and to give it all to Christ. One of the\nresults of its attachment to our ancient and holy faith, is the\npublication of the present volume, in which the author so eloquently and\naffectionately urges all men to repent, to believe in Christ, and to lead\na holy life.\n\n\u00a7 44. The divine blessing has so remarkably attended the use of Arndt\u2019s\n\u201cTrue Christianity,\u201d in the original language, and in its various\ntranslations, that the present editor humbly entertains the hope that the\ntime and labor expended by him in preparing this new edition, may also be\nof avail. And he prays that the \u201cTrue Christianity\u201d may continue the work\nwhich it has already performed, and instruct, guide, and comfort anew the\nsouls of its readers, to the praise and glory of God.\n\nC. F. S.\n\nPHILADELPHIA, August, 1868.\n\n\n\n\n\nBOOK I.\n\n\nWherein True Christianity, Sincere Sorrow For Sin, Repentance, Faith, And\n           The Holy Life Of The True Christian, Are Considered.\n\n\n\n\nThe Author\u2019s Preface To The First Book.\n\n\nChristian Reader! That the holy Gospel is subjected, in our age, to a\ngreat and shameful abuse, is fully proved by the ungodly and impenitent\nlife of those who loudly boast of Christ and of his word, while their\nunchristian life resembles that of persons who dwell in a land of heathens\nand not of Christians. Such an ungodly course of conduct furnished me with\nan occasion for writing this Treatise; it was my object to show to plain\nreaders wherein true Christianity consists, namely, in the exhibition of a\ntrue, living, and active faith, which manifests itself in genuine\ngodliness and the fruits of righteousness. I desired to show that we bear\nthe name of _Christians_, not only because we ought to believe in Christ,\nbut also because the name implies that we live in Christ, and that He\nlives in us. I further desired to show that true repentance proceeds from\nthe inmost centre of the heart; that the heart, mind, and affections must\nbe changed; that we must be conformed to Christ and His holy Gospel; and\nthat we must be renewed by the word of God, and become new creatures. For\neven as every seed produces fruit of a like nature, so the word of God\nmust daily produce in us new spiritual fruits. If we become new creatures\nby faith, we must live in accordance with our new birth. In a word, Adam\nmust die, and Christ must live, in us. It is not sufficient to acquire a\nknowledge of the word of God; it is also our duty to obey it practically,\nwith life and power.\n\n2. There are many who suppose that Theology is merely a science, or an art\nof words, whereas it is a living experience and practical exercise.\u2014Every\none now aims at acquiring eminence and distinction in the world; but no\none is willing to learn how to be devout. Every one now seeks out men of\ngreat learning, who can teach arts, languages, and wisdom; but no one is\nwilling to learn from our only Teacher, Jesus Christ, how to become meek\nand sincerely humble; and yet His holy and living example is the true rule\nfor our life and conduct, and, indeed, constitutes the highest wisdom and\nknowledge; so that we can with truth declare, \u201cThe pure life of Christ\nopens all knowledge to us.\u201d\n\n3. Every one is very willing to be a servant of Christ; but no one will\nconsent to be His follower. And yet He says: \u201cIf any man serve me, let him\nfollow me.\u201d John 12:26. Hence, he who truly serves and loves Christ, will\nalso follow him; and he who loves Christ, will also love the example of\nHis holy life, His humility, meekness, patience, as well as the cross,\nshame, and contempt which He endured, although the flesh may thereby\nsuffer pain. And although we cannot, in our present weakness, perfectly\nimitate the holy and exalted life of Christ (which, indeed, is not\nintended in my Book), nevertheless, we ought to love it, and long to\nimitate it more fully; for thus we live in Christ, and Christ lives in us,\naccording to the words of St. John: \u201cHe that saith he abideth in him ought\nhimself also so to walk, even as he walked.\u201d 1 John 2:6. It is now the\ndisposition of the world to acquire a knowledge of all things; but that\nwhich is better than all other knowledge, namely, \u201cto know the love of\nChrist\u201d (Eph. 3:19), no one desires to acquire. But no man can love\nChrist, who does not imitate his holy life. There are many\u2014a majority,\nindeed, of men in this world\u2014who are ashamed of the holy example of\nChrist, namely, of his humility and lowly condition; that is, they are\nashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ; of them he says: \u201cWhosoever shall be\nashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation,\nof him also shall the Son of man be ashamed,\u201d etc. Mark 8:38. Christians\nnow desire a Christ of imposing appearance, who is magnificent, rich, and\nconformed to the world; but no one desires to receive, to confess, and to\nfollow the poor, meek, despised, and lowly Christ. He will, therefore,\nhereafter say: \u201cI never knew you\u201d (Matt. 7:23); ye were not willing to\nknow me in my humility, and therefore I do not know you in your pride.\n\n4. Not only, however, is ungodliness, in all its forms, at variance with\nChrist and true Christianity, but it is also the cause of the daily\naccumulation of the displeasure of God, and of the penalties which he\ninflicts; insomuch that he fits all creatures to be avengers, and that\nheaven and earth, fire and water, are made to contend against us; so that\nall nature is thereby sorely distressed, and well-nigh overwhelmed. Hence,\na season of affliction must be expected; war, famine, and pestilence; yea,\nthe last plagues are coming in with such violence, that we are exposed to\nthe assaults of nearly every creature. For even as the terrible plagues of\nthe Egyptians overtook them before the redemption and departure of the\nchildren of Israel from Egypt, so, too, before the redemption of the\nchildren of God occurs, dreadful and unheard-of plagues will overtake the\nungodly and impenitent. It is therefore high time to repent, to begin\nanother course of life, to turn from the world to Christ, to believe truly\nin him, and to lead a Christian life in him, so that we may securely\n\u201cdwell in the secret place of the Most High, and abide under the shadow of\nthe Almighty.\u201d Ps. 91:1. Such is also the exhortation of the Lord: \u201cWatch\nye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape\nall these things.\u201d Luke 21:36. The same is also testified in Ps. 112:7.\n\n5. Now, to this end, my Christian reader, this book may, to a certain\nextent, serve thee as a guide, showing thee not only how thou mayest,\nthrough faith in Christ, obtain the remission of thy sins, but also how\nthou mayest avail thyself of the grace of God, in order to lead a holy\nlife; and how thou mayest demonstrate and adorn thy faith by a Christian\nwalk and conversation. For true Christianity consists, not in words, nor\nin any external show, but in a living faith, from which proceed fruits\nmeet for repentance, and all manner of Christian virtues, as from Christ\nhimself. For as faith is hidden from human view, and is invisible, it must\nbe manifested by its fruits; inasmuch as faith derives from Christ all\nthat is good, righteous, and blessed.\n\n6. Now, when faith waits for the blessings which are promised to it, the\noffspring of this faith is _hope_. For what else is hope but a constant\nand persevering expectation, in faith, of the blessings which are\npromised? But when faith communicates to a neighbor the blessings which it\nhas itself received, _love_ is the offspring of such a faith, imparting to\nthe neighbor that which it has itself received from God; and when faith\nendures the trial of the cross, and submits to the will of God, it brings\nforth _patience_. But when it sighs under the burden of the cross, or\noffers thanks to God for mercies which it has received, it gives birth to\n_prayer_. When it compares the power of God, on the one hand, with the\nmisery of man, on the other, and submits unresistingly to the will of God,\n_humility_ is the fruit. And when this faith diligently labors that it may\nnot lose the grace of God, or, as St. Paul says: \u201cworketh out salvation\nwith fear and trembling\u201d (Phil. 2:12), then the _fear of God_ is the\nresult.\n\n7. Thus thou seest that all the Christian virtues are the offspring of\nfaith, proceed from faith, and cannot be separated from faith, their\ncommon source, if they are indeed genuine, living, and Christian virtues,\nproceeding ultimately from God, from Christ, and from the Holy Spirit.\nHence no work can be acceptable to God without faith in Christ. For how\ncan true hope, sincere love, persevering patience, earnest prayer,\nChristian humility, and a childlike fear of God, exist without faith? All\nmust be drawn from Christ, the well of salvation (Isa. 12:3), through\nfaith, as well righteousness, as all the fruits of righteousness. But take\ngreat care, my reader, that thou do not connect thy works, the virtues\nwhich thou hast commenced to practise, or the gifts of the new life, with\nthy justification before God. For in this matter, man\u2019s works, merit,\ngifts, and virtue, however lovely these may appear to be, have no\nefficacy; our justification depends solely on the exalted and perfect\nmerit of Jesus Christ, apprehended by faith, even as it is set forth in\nchap. V, XIX, XXXIV, and XLI, of this book, and in the first three\nchapters of Book II. Take great care, therefore, not to confound the\nrighteousness of faith, on the one hand, and the righteousness of a\nChristian life, on the other; but rather to make a clear distinction\nbetween them; for here the whole foundation of our Christian religion is\ninvolved. Still, thy repentance must be the great concern of thy life, for\notherwise thou hast no true faith, such as daily purifies, changes, and\namends the heart. Thou must, moreover, know that the consolations of the\nGospel cannot be effectually applied, unless they have been preceded by a\ngenuine godly sorrow, the result of which is a bruised and contrite heart;\nfor we read that \u201cto the poor the gospel is preached.\u201d Luke 7:22. How,\nindeed, can faith give life to the heart, unless that heart has been\npreviously put to death by sincere sorrow and a thorough knowledge of sin?\nDo not, therefore, imagine that repentance is a slight and easy work.\nRemember the solemn and severe language of the Apostle Paul, when he\ncommands us to mortify and crucify the flesh, with the affections and\nlusts, to offer the body as a sacrifice, to die unto sin, to be crucified\nunto the world. Col. 3:5; Rom. 6:6; 12:1; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 5:24; 6:14.\nTruly, none of these things can result, when we gratify the flesh. Nor do\nthe holy prophets employ cheerful terms when they call for a contrite and\nbroken heart, and say: \u201cRend your heart\u2014weep and lament.\u201d Joel 2:13, 17;\nJer. 4:8. But where is such repentance now exhibited? The Lord Jesus\nChrist, when alluding to it, demands that we should deny ourselves, and\nrenounce all that we have, if we desire to be his disciples. Luke 9:23;\nMatt. 16:24. Verily, all this can never proceed from a gay, trifling, and\nlight mind; of this the evidence may be found in the seven Penitential\nPsalms of David. The Scriptures abound in illustrations of the jealousy of\nGod, who demands both repentance and its fruits, without which eternal\nsalvation cannot be obtained. But afterwards the consolations of the\nGospel manifest their power. And both such repentance, and such\nconsolation, are solely the work of the Spirit of God, through the Word.\n\n8. Now this Book which I have written, specially treats of such sincere\nand earnest repentance of the heart, of the exhibition of faith in the\nlife and conduct, and of the spirit of love which should animate all the\nacts of the Christian; for that which proceeds from Christian love, is, at\nthe same time, the fruit of faith. It is true that I have referred to some\nearlier writers, such as Tauler, Thomas \u00e1 Kempis, and others, who may seem\nto ascribe more than is due to human ability and works; but my whole Book\nis designed to counteract such an error. I would, therefore, kindly\nrequest the Christian reader to remember the great object for which I\nwrote this Book. He will find that its main purpose is this: To teach the\nreader how to perceive the hidden and connate abomination of Original Sin;\nto set forth distinctly our misery and helplessness; to teach us to put no\ntrust in ourselves or our ability; to take away everything from ourselves,\nand to ascribe all to Christ, so that He alone may dwell in us, work all\nthings in us, alone live in us, and create all things in us, because he is\nthe beginning, middle, and end, of our conversion and salvation. All this\nhas been plainly and abundantly explained in many passages of this Book;\nand, at the same time, the doctrines of the Papists, Synergists, and\nMajorists, have been expressly refuted and rejected. The doctrine,\nmoreover, of justification by faith, has been set forth in this Book, and\nespecially in Book II., in the most pointed and explicit manner. In order,\nhowever, to obviate all misapprehensions, I have subjected the present\nedition to a very careful revision, and I beg the reader to receive the\neditions which have appeared in Frankfort and other places, in the sense\nin which the present Magdeburg edition is to be received. I also affirm,\nthat this Book, as well in all other articles and points, as also in the\narticles of Free Will, and of the Justification of a poor sinner before\nGod, is not to be understood in any other manner than in accordance with\nthe Symbolical Books of the churches of the Augsburg Confession, namely,\nthe first UNALTERED AUGSBURG CONFESSION, the APOLOGY, the SMALCALD\nARTICLES, the TWO CATECHISMS of Luther, and the FORMULA OF CONCORD.\n\nMay God enlighten us all by his Holy Spirit, so that we may be sincere and\nwithout offence, both in our faith and in our life, till the day of Christ\n(which is near at hand), being filled with the fruits of righteousness,\nunto the glory and praise of God! Amen.\n\n\n\n\nChapter I.\n\n\n                 Showing What The Image Of God In Man Is.\n\n\n    _Be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and ... put on the new\n    man, which after God is created in righteousness and true\n    holiness._\u2014EPH. 4:23, 24.\n\n\nThe image of God in man, is the conformity of the soul of man, of his\nspirit and mind, of his understanding and will, and of all his faculties\nand powers, both bodily and mental, to God and the Holy Trinity. For the\ndecree of the Holy Trinity was thus expressed: \u201c_Let us_ make man in our\nimage, after our likeness,\u201d etc. Gen., 1:26.\n\n2. It is evident, therefore, that, when man was created, the image of the\nTrinity was impressed on him, in order that the holiness, righteousness,\nand goodness of God, might shine forth in his soul; diffuse abundant light\nthrough his understanding, will, and affections; and visibly appear even\nin his life and conversation: that, consequently, all his actions, both\ninward and outward, might breathe nothing but divine love, purity, and\npower, and, in short, that the life of man upon earth might resemble that\nof the angels in heaven, who are always engaged in doing the will of their\nHeavenly Father. In thus impressing his image on man, God designed to\ndelight and rejoice in him, just as a father rejoices in a child born\nafter his own image: for as a parent, beholding himself, or _another\nself_, in his offspring, cannot but feel the greatest complacency and\ndelight; so, when God beheld the express character of his own Person\nreflected in an image of himself, his \u201cdelights were with the sons of\nmen.\u201d Prov. 8:31. Thus it was God\u2019s chief pleasure to look on man, in whom\nhe rejoiced, and rested, as it were, from all his labor; considering him\nas the great _masterpiece_ of his creation, and knowing that in the\nperfect innocence and beauty of man, the excellency of his own glory would\nbe fully set forth. And this blessed communion our first parents and their\nposterity were always to have enjoyed, had they continued in the likeness\nof God, and rested in him and in his will; who, as he was their author,\nwas also to be their end.\n\n3. It undoubtedly is the essential property of every image, that it be a\njust representation of the object which it is intended to express; and as\nthe reflection in a mirror is vivid in a degree proportioned to the\nclearness of the mirror itself, so the image of God becomes more or less\nvisible, according to the purity of the soul in which it is beheld.\n\n4. Hence God originally created man perfectly pure and undefiled; that so\nthe divine image might be beheld in him, not as an empty, lifeless shadow\nin a glass, but as a true and living image of the invisible God, and as\nthe likeness of his inward, hidden, and unutterable beauty. There was an\nimage of the wisdom of God, in the _understanding_ of man; of his\ngoodness, gentleness, and patience, in the _spirit_ of man; of his divine\nlove and mercy, in the _affections_ of man\u2019s heart. There was an image of\nthe righteousness and holiness, the justice and purity of God, in the\n_will_ of man; of his kindness, clemency, and truth, in all the _words_\nand _actions_ of man; of his almighty power, in man\u2019s _dominion_ over the\nearth, and inferior creatures; and lastly, there was an image of God\u2019s\neternity, in the _immortality_ of the human soul.\n\n5. From the divine image thus implanted in him, man should have acquired\nthe knowledge both of _God_ and of _himself_. Hence he might have learned,\nthat God, his Creator, is all in all, the Being of beings, and the chief\nand only BEING, from whom all created beings derive their existence, and\nin whom, and by whom, all things that are, subsist. Hence, also, he might\nhave known, that God, as the Original of man\u2019s nature, is all that\n_essentially_, of which he himself was but the image and representation.\nFor since man was to bear the image of the divine goodness, it follows\nthat God is the sovereign and universal goodness _essentially_ (Matt.\n19:17); and, consequently, that God is essential love, essential life, and\nessential holiness, to whom alone (because he is all this _essentially_),\nworship and praise, honor and glory, might, majesty, dominion, and virtue,\nare to be ascribed: whereas these do not appertain to the creature, nor\nbelong to anything but God alone.\n\n6. From this image of the Divine Being, man should further have acquired\nthe knowledge of _himself_. He should have considered what a vast\ndifference there was between God and himself. Man is not God, but God\u2019s\n_image_; and the image of God ought to represent nothing but God. He is a\nportraiture of the Divine Being; a character, an image, in which God alone\nshould be seen and glorified. Nothing therefore ought to live in man,\nbesides God. Nothing but the Divinity should stir, will, love, think,\nspeak, act, or rejoice in him. For if anything besides God live or work in\nman, he ceases to be the image of God; and becomes the image of that which\nthus lives and acts within him. If therefore a man would become, and\ncontinue to be, the image of God, he must wholly surrender himself to the\nDivine Being, and submit entirely to his will; he must suffer God to work\nin him whatsoever he pleases; so that, by denying his own will, he may do\nthe will of his Heavenly Father without reserve, being entirely resigned\nto God, and willing to become a holy instrument in his hands, to do his\nwill and his work. Such a man follows not his _own_ will, but the will of\nGod; he loves not himself, but God; seeks not his own honor, but the honor\nof God. He covets no estates nor affluence for himself, but refers all to\nthe Supreme Good; and so being contented to possess him, rises above the\nlove of the creature and the world. And thus ought man to divest himself\nof all love of himself and the world, that God alone may be all in him,\nand work all in him, by his Holy Spirit. Herein consisted the perfect\ninnocence, purity, and holiness of man. For, what greater innocence can\nthere be, than that a man should do, not his own will, but the will of his\nHeavenly Father? Or what greater purity, than that man should suffer God\nto work in him, and to do everything according to His pleasure? Or, what\ngreater holiness, than to become an instrument in the hands of the Spirit\nof God? To resemble a child, in whose breast self-love and self-honor do\nnot yet prevail, is, in truth, the highest simplicity.\n\n7. Of this entire devotedness to the Divine will, our Lord Jesus Christ,\nwhile he sojourned in our world, was a _perfect_ example. He sacrificed\nhis own will to God his Father, in blameless obedience, humility, and\nmeekness; readily depriving himself of all honor and esteem, of all\nself-interest and self-love, of all pleasure and joy; and leaving God\nalone, to think, speak, and act, in him, and by him. In short, he\ninvariably made the will and pleasure of God his own, as the Father\nhimself testified by a voice from Heaven: \u201cThis is my beloved Son, in whom\nI am well pleased.\u201d Matt. 3:17. The Lord Jesus Christ, blessed forever, is\nthe true Image of God, in whom nothing appears but God himself, and such\nmanifestations as are agreeable to his nature; namely, love, mercy,\nlong-suffering, patience, meekness, gentleness, righteousness, holiness,\nconsolation, life, and everlasting blessedness: for by him, the invisible\nGod was willing to be discovered and made known to man. He is indeed the\nimage of God in a more sublime sense; that is, according to his\n_Divinity_, by virtue of which, he is himself very God, the express and\nessential image of his Father\u2019s glory, in the infinite splendor of the\nuncreated light. Heb. 1:3. But of this point no more can at present be\nsaid: our design being to speak of him only as he lived and conversed in\nhis holy _humanity_, while he tabernacled upon the earth.\n\n8. It was in such a holy innocence as this, that the image of God was, in\nthe beginning, conferred on Adam, which he should have preserved in true\nhumility and obedience. Sufficient it surely was for him, that he was made\ncapable of all the benefits of the divine image; of sincere and unmixed\nlove and delight; of undisturbed and solid tranquillity of mind; of power,\nfortitude, peace, light, and life. But not duly reflecting that he himself\nwas not the _chief good_, but merely a mirror of the Godhead, formed\npurposely to receive the reflection of the divine nature, he erected\nhimself into a _God_; and thus choosing to be the highest _good_ to\nhimself, he was precipitated into the greatest of all evils, being\ndeprived of this inestimable image, and alienated from that communion with\nGod, which, by virtue of it, he before enjoyed.\n\n9. Had self-will, self-love, and self-honor, been excluded, the image of\nGod could not have departed from man; but the Divine Being would have\ncontinued to be his sole glory, honor, and praise. As everything is\ncapable of its like and not of its contrary, and in its like acquiesces\nand delights, so man, being in the similitude of God, was thereby prepared\nto receive God into himself, who was also ready to communicate himself to\nman, with all the treasures of his goodness; goodness being of all things\nthe most communicative of itself.\n\n10. Finally, man ought to have learned from the image of God, that by\nmeans of it he is united to God; and that in this union, his true and\neverlasting tranquillity, his rest, peace, joy, life, and happiness alone\nconsist. He should have learned that all restlessness of mind and vexation\nof spirit, arise from nothing but a breach of this union, by which he\nceases to be the image of God; for man no sooner turns to the creature,\nthan he is deprived of that eternal good which is to be derived from God\nalone.\n\n\n\n\nChapter II.\n\n\n                           Of The Fall Of Adam.\n\n\n    _As by one man\u2019s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the\n    obedience of one shall many be made righteous._\u2014ROM. 5:19.\n\n\nThe fall of Adam was disobedience to God, by which man turned away from\nthe Divine Being to himself, and robbed God of the honor due to him alone,\nin that he _himself_ thought to be _as God_. But while he thus labored to\nadvance himself, he was stripped of that divine image, which the Creator\nhad so freely conferred on him; divested of hereditary righteousness; and\nbereaved of that holiness with which he was originally adorned; becoming,\nas it regards his _understanding_, dark and blind; as to his _will_,\nstubborn and perverse; and as to all the powers and faculties of the soul,\nentirely alienated from God. This evil has infected the whole mass of\nmankind, by means of a fleshly generation; and has been inherited by all\nmen. The obvious consequence arising from this is, that man is become\nspiritually dead and the child of wrath and damnation, until redeemed from\nthis miserable state by Jesus Christ. Let not then any who are called\nChristians deceive themselves with regard to Adam\u2019s fall. Let them be\ncautious, how they attempt to extenuate or lessen the transgression of\nAdam, as though it were a small sin, a thing of little consequence, and,\nat the worst, but the eating of an apple. Let them rather be assured, that\nthe guilt of Adam was that of Lucifer, namely, _he would be as God_: and\nthat it was the same most grievous, heinous, and hateful sin in both.\n\n2. This apostasy (for it was nothing less), was, at first, generated in\nthe heart, and then made manifest by the eating of the forbidden fruit.\nThough man was numbered with the sons of God; though he came forth from\nthe hands of the Almighty spotless both in body and in soul, and was the\nmost glorious object in the creation; though, to crown all, he was not\nonly a son, but the _delight_ of God; yet not knowing how to rest\nsatisfied with these high privileges, he attempted to invade Heaven, that\nhe might be yet higher; and nothing less would suffice him, than to exalt\nhimself like unto God. Hence, he conceived in his heart enmity and hatred\nagainst the Divine Being, his Creator and Father, whom, had it been in his\npower, he was disposed utterly to undo. Who could commit a sin more\ndetestable than this? or what greater abomination is there, that it was\npossible to meditate?\n\n3. Hence it was, that man became inwardly like Satan himself, bearing his\nlikeness in the heart; since both had now committed the same sin, both\nhaving rebelled against the majesty of Heaven. Man no more exhibits an\nimage of God, but rather that of the Devil; he no longer is an instrument\nin the hands of God, but is become an organ of Satan, and is thereby\nrendered capable of every species of diabolical wickedness: so that,\nhaving lost that image which was heavenly, spiritual, and divine, he is\naltogether earthly, sensual, and brutish. For the devil, designing to\nimprint his own image upon man, fascinated him so entirely by a train of\nenticing and deceitful words, that man permitted him to sow that hateful\nseed in his soul, which is hence termed the seed of the serpent; and by\nwhich is chiefly meant, self-love, self-will, and the ambition of being as\nGod. On this account it is, that the Scriptures term those who are\nintoxicated with self-love, \u201ca generation of vipers.\u201d Matt. 3:7. And all\nthose who are of a proud and devilish nature, \u201cthe seed (progeny) of the\nserpent.\u201d So the Almighty, addressing the serpent, says, \u201cI will put\nenmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.\u201d\nGen. 3:15.\n\n4. From this seed of the serpent nothing but deadly and horrible fruit can\npossibly proceed; namely, Satan\u2019s image, the children of Belial, the\nchildren of the devil. John 8:44. As in every natural seed, how minute\nsoever it may be, are contained, in a most wonderful and hidden manner,\nthe nature and properties of the future plant, all its parts and\nproportions, its branches, leaves, and flowers, in miniature; so in that\nseed of the serpent, Adam\u2019s self-love and disobedience (which has passed\nunto all his posterity by a fleshly generation), there lies, as it were in\nembryo, the tree of death, with its branches, leaves, and flowers, and\nthose innumerable fruits of unrighteousness which grow upon it. In short,\nthe whole image of Satan is secretly traced out there, with all its marks,\ncharacters, and properties.\n\n5. If we observe a little child with attention, we shall see how this\nnatural corruption displays itself from its very birth; and how self-will\nand disobedience especially discover themselves, and break forth into\nactions that effectually witness to the hidden root from which they\nspring. Let us consider the child further, as it grows up to maturer\nyears. Observe the natural selfishness of the youth, his inbred ambition,\nhis thirst after worldly glory, his love of applause, his pursuit of\nrevenge, and his proneness to deceit and falsehood. And now these evils\nmultiply. Soon may be discovered in him vanity, arrogance, pride,\nblasphemy, vain oaths, awful curses, frauds, skepticism, infidelity,\ncontempt of God and his holy Word, and disobedience to parents and\nmagistrates: wrath and contentiousness; hatred and envy; revenge and\nmurder, and all kinds of cruelty; especially if outward occasions offer\nthemselves, and call forth into action this latent and deadly seed, and\nthe various evils of Adam\u2019s depraved nature. In proportion as such\noccasions continue to present themselves, we shall observe the appearance\nof other vices; wantonness, adulterous thoughts, lewd imaginations,\nobscene discourses, lascivious gestures, and all \u201cthe works of the flesh:\u201d\nwe shall behold drunkenness, rioting, and every species of intemperance;\nfickleness, excessive wantonness, and all that can please the appetite,\nthe lust of the eye, and the pride of life. And besides these, there may\nsoon be discovered, covetousness, extortion, chicanery, sophistry,\nimposture, and every description of sinister practice; together with\nknavery, overreaching in trade, and, in short, the whole troop, or rather\narmy of sins, iniquities, and crimes, which are so various and so many,\nthat it is impossible to recount or declare the number of them; according\nto the words of the prophet Jeremiah, \u201cthe heart is deceitful above all\nthings, and desperately wicked; who can know it?\u201d Ch. 17:9. And if to\nthose already enumerated there be added, in the last place, the seducing\nand false spirits; then may be observed schisms in the church, wicked and\ndangerous heresies, yea, the abjuring of God and Christ, idolatry, the\ndenial of the faith, hatred and persecution of the truth, the sin against\nthe Holy Ghost, with every kind of corruption in doctrine, perversion of\nthe Scriptures, and strong delusion. Now, what are all these but the image\nof Satan, and the fruits of the serpent\u2019s seed sown in man?\n\n6. Who could ever have supposed that such a depth of wickedness and\ndepravity could be found in such a weak and helpless child; that so\nvenomous a principle, so corrupt a heart, lay hid in a babe apparently so\nharmless? Who could possibly have believed this, had not man himself, by\nhis sinful and abominable life, by the imaginations of his thoughts (being\n\u201conly evil continually,\u201d and desperately bent on what is bad), of his own\nwill brought it to light, and expressed, from his childhood, what was\nbefore concealed as in a seed? Gen. 6:5; 8:21.\n\n7. Oh! most vile and most accursed root! from which springs the poisonous\ntree that is so fruitful in the production of every kind of plague. Oh,\nseed of the serpent, most hateful, most dreadful! from which an image at\nonce so deformed and foul is generated; and which continually enlarges\nitself, as it is excited by outward temptations and by the scandals of the\nworld. Full well might the blessed Jesus so solemnly and strictly forbid,\nthat any, by bad example, should offend little children; knowing that the\nseed of the serpent lurks in them, as the deadly poison in the venomous\nworm, ready to break forth into open acts of sin, whenever an occasion\npresents itself.\n\n8. Learn, then, O man! to know the fall of Adam, and the true nature of\nOriginal Sin. Learn, if thou art wise, to discern it in thyself. Examine\nit, not slightly and carelessly, but deeply, and as the importance of the\nmatter deserves; for this infection is greater, this depravation deeper\nand more deadly, than can possibly be expressed by words, or even be\nconceived in idea. \u201cKnow thyself!\u201d and deeply consider what thou art, O\nman! since the fall of thy first father; how thou, who wast in the image\nof God, art become the image of Satan, an epitome of all his wicked\ntendencies, and art conformed to Satan in all malice and ungodliness. For\nas in the image of God all the divine virtues and properties are\ncontained, so in the image of the Devil, which man, by turning himself\nfrom God, has contracted, all the vices and properties are to be found,\nand the very nature of the Devil himself. For, as man, before the fall,\nbore the image of the heavenly Adam, that is, was altogether heavenly,\nspiritual, and divine; so, since the first apostasy, he carries about with\nhim the image of the earthly Adam, being inwardly earthly, carnal, and\ncorrupt.\n\n9. Lo! he is become as one of the beasts of the field. For what, O fallen\nman! is thy wrathfulness? and to whom does it more properly belong, to the\nlion, or to man? And do not thine envy and thy greediness betray in thee\nthe nature of the dog and of the wolf? And with regard to thy uncleanness\nand gluttony, are not these evidences of a swinish nature? Didst thou,\nindeed, but rightly examine thine own breast, thou wouldst there discover\na world of unclean and noxious beasts. Even in the tongue, that \u201clittle\nmember,\u201d there may be found, according to St. James, a lake of\npestilential and creeping things, a hold of every foul spirit, the cage of\nevery filthy and hateful bird (Isaiah 13:21; Rev. 18:2), and, in a word, a\n\u201cworld of iniquity.\u201d James 3:6. Often, alas! do we make such progress in\nwickedness as to surpass in wrath and fury the beasts of prey; in\nravenousness and violence, the wolf; in subtilty and cunning, the fox; in\nmalice and virulence, the serpent; and in filthiness and obscenity, the\nswine. Hence it was, that our Lord termed Herod a fox, and the unholy, in\ngeneral, dogs and swine; to whom that which is holy should not be given.\nLuke 13:32; Matt. 7:6.\n\n10. Whosoever, therefore, fails to correct this corruption of nature, by\nbeing truly converted and _renewed_ in Christ Jesus, but dies in the state\nwhich has been described, must retain, forever, this bestial and Satanical\nnature. He must be arrogant, haughty, proud, and devilish, throughout\neternity. And when he shall have neglected the time of his purification\nhere, he shall bear about with him the image of Satan in the blackness of\ndarkness forever; as a testimony, that while he was in the world, he did\nnot live in Christ, nor was renewed after the image of God. \u201cFor without\nare dogs and sorcerers, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.\u201d Rev. 21:8;\n22:15.\n\n\n\n\nChapter III.\n\n\n         Showing How Man Is Renewed In Christ Unto Eternal Life.\n\n\n    _In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor\n    uncircumcision, but a new creature._\u2014GAL. 6:15.\n\n\nThe _New Birth_ is a work of the Holy Ghost, by which man, of a sinner, is\nmade righteous; and from being a child of damnation and wrath, is made a\nchild of grace and salvation. This change is effected through faith, the\nword of God and the Sacraments; and by it, the heart, and all the powers\nand faculties of the soul (more particularly the understanding, will, and\naffections), are renewed, enlightened, and sanctified in Christ Jesus, and\nare fashioned after his express likeness. The new birth comprehends two\nchief blessings, namely, justification, and sanctification, or the renewal\nof man. Tit. 3:5.\n\n2. The birth of every real Christian is twofold. The first is \u201cafter the\nflesh,\u201d the second, \u201cafter the spirit;\u201d the first is from beneath, the\nsecond from above; the first is earthly, but the second heavenly. The one\nis carnal, sinful, and accursed, as descending from the first Adam by the\nseed of the serpent, after the similitude and image of the Devil; and by\nthis, the earthly and carnal nature is propagated. The other, on the\ncontrary, is spiritual, holy, and blessed, as derived from the second\nAdam; after the likeness of the Son of God: and by this is propagated the\nheavenly and spiritual man, the seed and image of God.\n\n3. There is therefore in the Christian a _twofold_ line of descent; and,\nconsequently, _two_ men, as it were, exist in one and the same person. The\nfleshly lineage is derived from Adam, and the spiritual lineage from\nChrist, through faith: for as the old birth of Adam is in man by nature,\neven so must the new birth of Christ be in him by grace. This is the old\nand new man, the old and new birth, the old and new Adam, the earthly and\nheavenly image, the flesh and the Spirit, Adam and Christ in us, and also,\nthe outward and inward man.\n\n4. Let us now proceed to notice how we are regenerated by Christ. As the\nold birth is propagated carnally from Adam, so the new birth is\nspiritually propagated from Christ, through the word of God. This word is\nthe seed of the new creature: for we are \u201cborn again, not of corruptible\nseed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth\nforever.\u201d 1 Peter 1:23. And, again, \u201cOf his own will begat he us with the\nword of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.\u201d\nJames 1:18. The word of God produces faith; and faith again apprehends the\nword of God, and in that word embraces Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, by\nwhose spiritual efficacy and virtue man is regenerated or born anew. In\nother words, regeneration is effected, in the first place, by the _Holy\nGhost_; and this is what Christ means by being \u201cborn of the Spirit\u201d (John\n3:5); secondly, by _faith_; whence it is said,\u2014\u201cwhosoever believeth that\nJesus is the Christ, is born of God\u201d (1 John 5:1); and thirdly, by holy\n_Baptism_; according to that passage of Scripture, \u201cExcept a man be born\nof water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.\u201d John\n3:5.\n\n5. In Adam, man has inherited the chief evils; as sin, divine wrath,\ndeath, Satan, hell, and damnation; but in Christ, he is restored to the\npossession of the chief blessings, as righteousness, grace, blessing,\npower, a heavenly life, and eternal salvation. From Adam, man inherits a\ncarnal spirit, and is subjected to the rule and tyranny of the evil\nspirit; but from Christ, he obtains the Holy Spirit, with his gifts,\ntogether with his comforting guidance. From Adam, man has derived an\narrogant, proud, and haughty spirit; but if he would be born again and\nrenewed in his mind, he must receive from Christ, by faith, an humble,\nmeek, and upright spirit. From Adam, man inherits an unbelieving,\nblasphemous, and most ungrateful spirit; and it is his duty to obtain from\nChrist a believing spirit, that will prove faithful, acceptable, and\nwell-pleasing to God. From Adam, a disobedient, violent and rash spirit is\ninherited; but from Christ, we imbibe, through faith, the spirit of\nobedience, gentleness, and modesty, and the spirit of meekness and\nmoderation. From Adam, we, by _nature_, inherit a spirit of wrath, enmity,\nrevenge, and murder; but from Christ, we, by faith, acquire the spirit of\nlong-suffering, love, mercy, forgiveness, and universal goodness and\nbenignity. From Adam, man, by nature, inherits a covetous heart, a\nchurlish, merciless spirit, that seeks only to profit self, and grasp at\nthat which is the right of another; but from Christ, is obtained, by\n_faith_, the spirit of mercy, compassion, generosity, and mildness. From\nAdam proceeds an unchaste, unclean, and intemperate spirit; but from\nChrist, a spirit of chastity, purity, and temperance, may be obtained.\nFrom Adam, there is communicated to man a spirit full of calumny and\nfalsehood; while on the other hand, he acquires from Christ the spirit of\ntruth, of constancy, and of integrity. Lastly, we receive from Adam a\nbrutish and earthly spirit; and from Christ, a spirit from above, which is\naltogether heavenly and divine.\n\n6. Hence, it behooved Christ to take upon himself our nature, and to be\nconceived and anointed by the Holy Ghost, in order that we might all\nreceive of his fulness. It was requisite that \u201cthe Spirit of the Lord\nshould rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit\nof counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord\u201d\n(Isa. 11:2), that so human nature might in him, and by him, be restored\nand renewed, and that we, in him, by him, and through him, might become\nnew creatures. This is accomplished by receiving from Christ, the spirit\nof wisdom and understanding, for the spirit of folly; the spirit of\ncounsel, for that of madness; the spirit of might, for that of cowardice\nand fear; the spirit of knowledge, instead of our natural blindness; and\nthe spirit of the fear of the Lord, instead of the spirit of impiety and\ninfidelity.\n\n7. It is in this heavenly change that the new life and the new creation\nwithin us consist. For as, in Adam we are all spiritually dead, and\nincapable of performing any works, except those of death and darkness; so,\nin Christ, we must be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22) and do the works of light\nand life. As, by a _carnal generation_, we have inherited sin from Adam;\nso, by _faith_, we must inherit righteousness from Christ. As, by a\nfleshly descent from Adam, pride, covetousness, lust, and all kinds of\nimpurity, are entailed upon us; so by the spirit of Christ, our nature\nought to be renewed, and all pride, covetousness, lust, and envy, be\nmortified within us. And thus is it necessary that we should, from Christ,\nderive a new spirit, heart, and mind; even as we derived from Adam our\nsinful flesh.\n\n8. With reference to this great work of regeneration, Christ is called\n\u201cthe everlasting Father\u201d (Isa. 9:6), and we are renewed in him to life\neternal, being here regenerated into his likeness, and made in him new\ncreatures. And if our works ever prove acceptable in the sight of God,\nthey must spring from this principle of the new birth; that is, from\nChrist, his Spirit, and an unfeigned faith.\n\n9. Henceforth we must live in the new birth, and the new birth in us; we\nmust be in Christ, and Christ in us: we must live in the spirit of Christ,\nand the spirit of Christ in us. Gal. 2:20. This regeneration with its\nattendant fruits, is described by St. Paul, as the being \u201crenewed in the\nspirit of our mind,\u201d \u201cputting off the old man,\u201d and the being \u201ctransformed\ninto the image of God.\u201d He likewise considers it as the being \u201crenewed in\nknowledge after the image of him that created us,\u201d and \u201cthe renewing of\nthe Holy Ghost.\u201d Eph. 4:23; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10; Tit. 3:5. It is termed\nby Ezekiel, \u201ctaking away the stony heart, and giving a heart of flesh.\u201d\nCh. 11:19. Hence it appears how the regeneration of man proceeds from the\nincarnation of Jesus Christ. As man, by ambition, pride, and disobedience,\nturned himself from God; so his apostasy could not be expiated and\nremoved, except by the extreme humility, lowliness, and obedience of the\nSon of God. And as Christ, when upon earth, was most humble in his\nconversation among men, so it is necessary, O man! that he should be the\nsame in thee; that he should dwell in thy soul, and restore the image of\nGod in thee.\n\n10. And now, O man! contemplate the perfectly amiable, lowly, obedient,\nand patient Jesus, and learn of him; live as he lived, yea, live in him,\nand tread in his steps. For what was the cause of his living upon earth?\nIt was that he might become thy example, thy mirror, and the rule of thy\nlife. He, _he_ only, is the rule of life, and the pattern which every\nChristian should strive to imitate. It is not the rule of any _man_\nwhatsoever. There is but one example,\u2014Christ; and him the Apostles have,\nwith one consent, set before us for our imitation. And in the same manner\nare we called to view his passion, death, and resurrection: even that\nthou, O man! shouldest with him, die unto sin; and in him, with him, and\nby him, spiritually rise again, and walk in newness of life, \u201ceven as he\nalso walked.\u201d Rom. 6:4.\n\n11. Thus may we see, how our regeneration arises from the passion, death,\nand resurrection, of our gracious Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Hence,\nSt. Peter saith, \u201cGod hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the\nresurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.\u201d 1 Pet. 1:3. And all the\napostles will everywhere be found to lay the foundation of repentance and\nof a new life, in the passion of Christ. St. Peter, indeed, gives this\nexpress charge: \u201cPass the time of your sojourning here in fear; forasmuch\nas ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver\nand gold; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without\nblemish and without spot\u201d (1 Pet. 1:17-19); in which we may observe, that\nthe ransom paid for our redemption is urged as the motive to a holy\nconversation. The same apostle tells us, likewise, that \u201cChrist his own\nself bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to\nsins, should live unto righteousness\u201d (1 Peter 2:24); and Jesus himself\nhas said: \u201cThus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead\nthe third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be\npreached in his name.\u201d Luke 24:46, 47.\n\n12. It is evident, therefore, that from the passion and death of Christ,\nproceed both the satisfaction made for our sins, and the renewing of our\nnature by faith; and that they both are necessary to the restoration of\nfallen man. The latter, as well as the former, is the blessed effect of\nChrist\u2019s passion, which worketh our renewal and sanctification. 1 Cor.\n1:30. Thus the new birth in us proceeds from Christ. And as a means to\nattain this end, holy Baptism has been instituted, wherein we are baptized\ninto the death of Christ, in order that we might die with him unto sin by\nthe power of his death, and rise again from sin by the power of his\nresurrection.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IV.\n\n\n        Of True Repentance, And The True Yoke And Cross Of Christ.\n\n\n    _They that are Christ\u2019s have crucified the flesh with the\n    affections and lusts._\u2014GAL. 5:24.\n\n\nRepentance, or true conversion, is the work of the Holy Spirit, under the\ninfluence of which, man, through the _law_, acknowledges his sin, and the\nwrath of God provoked against it; and earnestly mourns over his offences;\nand then, understanding, through the _Gospel_, the grace of God, by faith\nin Christ Jesus, he obtains the remission of his sins. By this repentance,\nthe mortification or crucifying of the flesh, and of all carnal lusts and\npleasures, is carried on; together with the quickening of the spirit, or\nthe resurrection of the new man in Christ. Under the exercise of\nrepentance, therefore, the old Adam, with his corruptions, dies within us;\nand Christ lives in us, by faith (Gal. 2:20); for we must be aware that\nthese two are inseparably connected. The resurrection of the spirit\nfollows the mortification of the flesh; and the quickening of the new man,\ndestroys and annihilates the old man; the ruin of the one, is the life and\nresurrection of the other. \u201cThough our outward man perish, yet the inward\nman is renewed day by day.\u201d 2 Cor. 4:16. We are, therefore, enjoined to\n\u201cmortify our members which are upon the earth\u201d (Col. 3:5); and to \u201creckon\nourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus\nChrist our Lord.\u201d Rom. 6:11.\n\n2. Let us, however, inquire why the flesh is thus to be mortified; and why\nthe whole body of sin is at last to be destroyed. It has been remarked\n(Chap. II) that, by the fall of Adam, man became earthly, carnal, and\ndevilish; without God, and without love: for being without God, he was\nalso without love. Man was now turned from the love of God to the love of\nthe world, and especially of himself; so that in every situation, and\nunder all circumstances, he now studies, favors, flatters, counsels, and\napplauds himself; and provides only for his own interest, honor, and\nglory. All this is the consequence of Adam\u2019s fall; who, while meditating\nhow he might erect himself, as it were, into _a God_, was involved,\ntogether with all his posterity, in the same awful sin and perdition. This\ndepravation of human nature must of necessity be entirely removed; and\nthis can be effected only by serious repentance; by godly sorrow; by a\nfaith that apprehends the remission of sin; by the mortification of\nsensual pleasure; and by the crucifixion of pride and self-love. For true\nrepentance consists not in putting away gross and open sins only; but it\nrequires that a man should enter his heart, and search into its inmost\nrecesses. The secret parts, the windings and the turnings of iniquity are\nto be laid open; in order that the returning sinner may be thoroughly\nrenewed, and, at length, be converted from the love of himself, to the\nlove of God; from the love of the world, to a life of spirituality; and\nfrom a participation of earthly pomps and pleasures, to a participation,\nthrough faith, of the merits of Christ.\n\n3. Hence it follows, that a man must deny himself (Luke 9:23); that is, he\nmust mortify his own will, and suffer himself to be entirely led by the\nwill of God. He must no longer love, seek, and esteem himself; but he must\naccount himself to be the unworthiest and most miserable of all creatures.\nHe must renounce all he has for the love of Christ; and trample on the\nworld, its pomps, and its vanities. He must pass by his own wisdom and\nnatural endowments, as though he beheld them not; he must confide in no\ncreature, but in God alone; yea, he must \u201chate his own life\u201d (Luke 14:26),\nthat is, his carnal will and pleasures; his pride, covetousness, lust,\nwrath, and envy. He must not please, but rather displease himself; nor\nmust he attribute anything to his own strength or ability. In a word, he\nmust be crucified to the world (Gal. 6:14), to the lust of the eyes and\nthe flesh, and to the pride of life. This, and this alone, is that true\nrepentance and mortification of the flesh, without which no man can ever\nbe a disciple of Jesus Christ. This only is conversion from self, the\nworld, and the devil, unto God (Acts 26:18); without which no one can\nreceive remission of sins, nor be saved.\n\n4. This is the true cross and yoke of Christ; that of which the Saviour\nspoke when he said, \u201cTake my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek\nand lowly in heart.\u201d Matt. 11:29. As if he had said, \u201cThy self-love and\nambition must be removed by earnest and inward humility, of which thou\nhast an example in me; and by the example of my meekness, must thy wrath\nand desire of revenge be subdued.\u201d This, to the new man, is an easy yoke\nand a light burden; though, to the flesh, it may seem to be a most bitter\nand afflictive cross. This is to crucify our own flesh, with the\naffections and lusts. Gal. 5:24.\n\n5. They, therefore, who are acquainted with no other cross than the\ntribulations and afflictions of this life, greatly err; being ignorant of\nthat true cross, which we ought to bear after our Lord daily; namely,\ninward repentance, and the mortification of the flesh; submitting to our\nenemies with great patience; and overcoming the malice of slanderers by\nhumility and mildness, after the pattern which the Lamb of God has left\nus. For it becomes us to follow the example of Christ, who renounced all\nworldly splendor and glory, and everything that is commonly esteemed great\nand noble.\n\n6. This yoke of Christ is the real cross, which when a man bears he truly\ndies to the world. It is not to retire into monasteries and cloisters, nor\nto adopt a set of rules and orders for the regulation of life; for while\nthe heart remains disordered, and the love corrupt; while the man is\npuffed up with spiritual pride, and a pharisaical contempt of others;\nwhile he is devoted to lust, envy, hypocrisy, secret hatred and malice; he\ndoes not die to the world, but altogether lives to it. This is not the\nChristian yoke nor is it the cross of Christ; for these consist in\nmortifying the flesh, with its sinful propensities; in turning away from\nthe world to God; in an inward and constant secret sorrow for our sins; in\na daily dying to the world, and living to Christ by faith; in following\nhis steps with sincere lowliness and humility; and in confiding only in\nthe grace of God in Christ Jesus.\n\n7. To this unfeigned repentance, this true and inward conversion from the\nworld unto God, hath our blessed Lord called us. The imputation of his\nrighteousness and obedience, together with the remission of all our sins,\napprehended by faith, is promised to it alone. If we are destitute of\nrepentance, Christ profiteth us nothing; that is, we cannot then become\npartakers of his grace and favor, nor of the efficacy of his merits;\nbecause these can be applied only by a contrite, penitent, lowly, and\nbelieving heart. And truly this is the fruit of the passion of Christ in\nus, that we die to sin by a sincere repentance; as the fruit of his\nresurrection is, that Christ may live in us, and we in him.\n\n8. All this is necessary to render man that _new creature_ in Christ\nJesus, without which nothing availeth in the sight of God. 2 Cor. 5:17;\nGal. 6:15.\n\n9. Hence, therefore, let us be instructed in the nature of true\nrepentance; lest we be led away into that common error, that the mere\nrelinquishment of some gross enormity, as theft, fornication, profaneness,\nblasphemy, is the genuine and only repentance. It is certain, that this is\na kind of _external_ repentance; but it is no less so, that all the\nScriptures alike inculcate the necessity of an _inward_ repentance, which\ntakes possession of the whole soul. A man under the influence of this\nrepentance, not only supports a fair conversation in the world, but he\nalso denies and hates himself. Renouncing the world and all he calls his\nown, and crucifying the flesh, he commits himself by faith to God alone;\nand offers up to him a broken and contrite heart, as the sacrifice most\nacceptable in his sight. This character of inward repentance is eminently\nset forth in the Psalms of David, and particularly in those termed\nPenitential.(4)\n\n10. This is, therefore, the only true repentance, when the heart of the\nsinner is inwardly torn with grief, and weighed down by heaviness; and\nwhen, on the other hand, it is healed by faith and the remission of sin,\nquickened by the infusion of divine joy, provoked to good works, and\nthoroughly transformed and changed. Such a frame of mind cannot fail to be\nattended also with an _external_ reformation of life and manners.\n\n11. But, on the other hand, though a man be very serious in the\nperformance of bodily penances, and, from a dread of punishment, abstain\nfrom the commission of notorious sins; yet if he continue unreformed and\nunregenerate in his heart, and enter not upon that new and inward life\nwhich it has been our object to describe, he will prove but a _castaway_\n(1 Cor. 9:27) at last, notwithstanding the whole train of his external\nacts. It will avail him nothing to cry, \u201cLord, Lord!\u201d He will hear the\ntremendous declaration, \u201cI never knew you!\u201d For most certain it is, that\nnot every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of\nheaven, but those only who do the will of their Heavenly Father. Matt.\n7:21-23. And under this awful sentence of divine majesty, all men are\ncomprised, of what rank or order so-ever, who do not truly and inwardly\nrepent, and who are not new creatures in Christ, for \u201cif any man have not\nthe Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.\u201d Rom. 8:9.\n\n\n\n\nChapter V.\n\n\n                     Wherein Does True Faith Consist?\n\n\n    _Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God._\u20141\n    JOHN 5:1.\n\n\nFaith is a sincere confidence, and a firm persuasion of the grace of God\npromised to us in Christ Jesus, for the remission of sin and eternal life;\nand it is enkindled in the heart, by the word of God and the Holy Spirit.\nThrough this faith we obtain the forgiveness of our sins, without any\nmerits of our own, of mere grace (Eph. 2:8), and for the sake of the\nmerits of Christ alone; that so, our faith might rest on a firm and solid\nfoundation, and remain unmoved by perplexity and doubts. This forgiveness\nof sin constitutes our justification before God, which is true, solid, and\neternal; for this righteousness is purchased neither by men nor angels,\nbut by the obedience, merit, and the blood of the Son of God himself. We\nappropriate and apply it to ourselves by faith; and hence the\nimperfections which still adhere to us cannot condemn us, since, for the\nsake of Christ, who now lives and works within us, they are covered with a\nveil of grace. Ps. 32:1.\n\n2. By this cordial and unshaken faith, man wholly dedicates his heart to\nthe Almighty, in whom alone he seeks his rest. To him only is he now\nunited, and with him alone he enters into delightful fellowship. He\npartakes of all things that are of God and of Christ, and is made one\nspirit with the Lord. From him he receives divine power and strength;\ntogether with a new life, attended with new joys, new pleasures, new\nconsolations, in which are found peace, inward ease, and durable\nsatisfaction, together with righteousness and holiness. And thus man is\nborn anew of God by faith. For wherever there is true faith, _there_\nChrist is verily present with all his righteousness, holiness, and\nremission of sin; with all his merits, justification, grace, adoption, and\ninheritance of eternal life. This is the new birth and the new creature,\nspringing from faith in Christ. Hence, the apostle calls faith a\n_substance_ (Heb. 11:1); understanding by it, a sure, solid, and unshaken\nconfidence in \u201cthings hoped for,\u201d and a lively conviction of \u201cthings not\nseen.\u201d For the consolation conveyed by a vital faith is so powerful, as to\nconvince the heart of the divine truth by inward experience, and by the\ntasting of the heavenly goodness in the soul, and of the peace of God,\nthat passes all understanding; yea, it is so mighty as to enable its\npossessors to die with a joyful heart. In this consist that strength of\nthe spirit, that might of the inner man, that vigor of faith, that holy\nboldness; this is that confidence toward God, that exceeding and abounding\nassurance, which are so copiously set forth by the holy apostles. 2 Tim.\n2:1; Eph. 3:12, 16; Phil. 1:14; 1 John 3:21; 1 Thess. 1:5; 2:2.\n\n3. That for which a man will dare to die, must be rooted in the soul, and,\nby the operation of the Spirit of God, afford an inward assurance. It must\nbe a cordial, powerful, and eternal comfort, infusing heavenly and\nsupernatural strength into the soul, by which the fear of death and the\nlove of the world may both be subdued. Now all this begets so solid a\ntrust in Christ, and so close a union with him, as neither death nor life\nis able to dissolve. Rom. 8:38; 2 Tim. 1:12. Hence St. John says:\n\u201cWhatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.\u201d 1 John 5:4.\n\n4. _To be born of God_ is in truth no vain figure, no empty name; it must\nnecessarily be a lively and powerful change, worthy of the majesty of an\nomnipotent God. To believe that the living God could beget a dead\noffspring, that lifeless members and useless organs could proceed from\nhim, were very wickedness. It is sure and undoubted that God, being a\n_living_ God, cannot but beget a _living_ man, even the new man in Christ\nJesus. And our faith is the victory which overcomes the world. 1 John 5:4.\nWho can question whether it be endued with strength sufficient for the\nconquest? It is, it _must be_ a lively, vigorous, potent, divine, and\nvictorious principle; but all its power is derived from him who is\nembraced by it, even Christ. By means of faith, we return into God again,\nand become one with him; and from Adam, as from an accursed vine, we are\ntransplanted into Christ, the living and blessed vine. John 15:4. In\nChrist, we possess everything that is good, and in him, are justified.\n\n5. As a scion, when grafted on a good tree, grows, flourishes, and bears\nfruit, but, without it, withers away; so man, when out of Christ, is as an\naccursed vine, whose grapes are bitterness and gall; and all his works are\nsin. Deut. 32:32, 33; Rom. 14:23. But when he is _in_ Christ, he is\nrighteous and blessed; because \u201c_he_ was made to be sin for us, who knew\nno sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.\u201d 2 Cor.\n5:21.\n\n6. It is most evident, from what has been advanced, that works cannot\npossibly justify a sinner; because, before we can perform any good work,\nwe must be engrafted into Christ by faith: and it is equally clear, that\njustification is entirely the gift of God, freely conferred on man and\npreceding all human merit. How shall a dead man see, hear, stand, walk, or\ndo any good thing, unless he be first raised from the dead, and endued\nwith a new principle of life? So neither canst thou, O man, who art dead\nin sins, do any work that is good or acceptable, unless thou be first\nraised unto life by Jesus Christ. Thus righteousness proceeds only from\nfaith in Christ. Faith is like a new-born babe, weak and naked, poor and\ndestitute, and laid before the eyes of the Saviour; from whom, as from its\nauthor, it receives righteousness and sanctification, godliness, grace and\nthe Holy Ghost.\n\n7. The naked child is thus clothed with the mercy of God. He lifts up his\nhands, receives all from God, and is made a partaker of grace and health,\ntruth and holiness. It is, therefore, this receiving of Christ in the\nheart, that makes a man holy and happy.\n\n8. Righteousness proceeds therefore solely from faith, and not from works.\nIndeed, faith receives the whole Christ, and accepts him, together with\nall that he has. Then sin and death, the devil and hell, must flee, and\nare unable any longer to preserve their ground. Nay, so effectually and so\npowerfully do the merits of Christ justify the sinner, that if the sins of\nthe whole world were charged on one man, they would not avail to condemn\nhim, if he believed in Christ.\n\n9. Inasmuch, therefore, as Christ lives and dwells in thy heart by faith\n(Eph. 3:17), never, O believer! indulge the thought, that his indwelling\nin thee, is a dead work unattended with any vital power. Rather believe\nthat it is a quickening principle, a mighty work, and an effectual\ntransforming of thy mind. Faith effects two things: it first _engrafts_\nthee into Christ, and gives him freely to thee, with all that he has; and\nthen, it _renews_ thee in Christ, that thou mayest grow, flourish, and\nlive in him. The wild graft is introduced into the stock, for no other end\nthan that it may flourish and bear fruit. As by the apostasy of Adam and\nthe temptation of the devil, the seed of the serpent was sown in man,\ngrowing up into a tree and bearing the fruits of death; even so by the\ndivine word and the Holy Spirit, is faith sown in man, as the seed of God.\nSee Chap. II. In this seed all divine virtues and properties are, in a\nmost wonderful manner, comprehended; which gradually expand themselves\nfrom day to day. This tree is adorned with a profusion of heavenly fruit;\nas love, patience, humility, meekness, peace, chastity, righteousness. And\nthus the whole kingdom of God descends into man. For true and saving faith\nrenews the whole man, purifies the heart, sanctifies the soul, and\ndelivers from the love of the world. It unites with God; it hungers and\nthirsts after righteousness; it works love; and it brings peace, joy,\npatience, and comfort in adversity: it overcomes the world; it makes us\nsons of God, and heirs of the treasures of heaven; and it constitutes us\njoint-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. But if any one should not be\nconscious of that joyfulness which faith imparts and does not experience\nits consoling influences, let him not, on that account, despair; but\nrather let him trust in the grace which is promised in Christ: for this\npromise ever remains sure, immovable, and everlasting. And though, through\nthe infirmities incident to human nature, he should stumble and fall; yet,\nif the sinner return by unfeigned repentance, and more cautiously watch\nagainst the sin which so easily besets him, the grace of God will not be\nwithdrawn. For Christ is and will ever be _Christ_ and a Saviour, whether\nthe faith that embraces him be strong or weak. A weak faith has an equal\nshare in Christ with a strong faith, for faith, whether it be weak or\nstrong, possesses the whole Christ. The grace which is promised is common\nto all Christians, and is eternal, and on this grace faith must rely,\nwhether it be weak or strong. The Lord will revisit thy soul in his own\ntime, with a sense of his gracious favor, and of his abundant\nconsolations, although, at the present, he may think fit to put a veil\nover it in thy heart. Ps. 37:23, 24; 77:7-10. Upon this subject, see Book\nII.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VI.\n\n\nShowing How The Vital Power Of The Word Of God Should Be Manifested In Man\n                              Through Faith.\n\n\n    _Behold, the kingdom of God is within you._\u2014JOHN 17:21.\n\n\nInasmuch as man\u2019s whole welfare depends on his regeneration and renewal,\nit was the will of God that all those changes which ought to take place in\nman _spiritually_ and by faith, should be also _outwardly_ set forth in\nthe words of Holy Scripture. Since the Word is the seed of God (Luke 8:11)\nwithin us, it is necessary that it should also spring up and spiritually\nbear fruit. That must be accomplished _in us_ by faith, which is declared\n_without us_ in the letter of Scripture; and if this effect be not\nproduced, then the Word is evidently to us but a dead seed, destitute of\nlife and energy. Hence, we ought in faith and in spirit to learn by our\nown happy experience the truth of that which the Scriptures have outwardly\ndeclared.\n\n2. When God revealed his will in his Word, he never designed that the\nlatter should be a dead letter, but that it should grow up in us to a new\nand inward man; otherwise the Word is of no benefit to us. These truths\nmay be explained more clearly by a reference to some example, as that of\nCain and Abel. The nature, manners, and actions of these two persons, as\nthey are recorded in Scripture, clearly explain the motions and workings\nof the old and the new man in the breast of the believer. Cain perpetually\nendeavors to oppress and destroy Abel. What else is this but the daily\nstrife of the flesh and spirit, and the enmity subsisting between the\nserpent and the seed of the woman? With Abraham, the Christian is required\nto quit his own country, leaving all that he possesses, even life itself,\nin order that he may walk before God with a perfect heart, obtain the\nvictory, and enter into the land of promise and kingdom of heaven. Such is\nthe meaning of the Lord\u2019s words: \u201cIf any man come to me, and hate not his\nfather, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters,\nyea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple;\u201d that is, he must\nrenounce all these rather than renounce Christ. Luke 14:26. With Lot, he\nmust depart from Sodom and Gomorrah, forsaking the wicked course of the\nworld; not looking back with Lot\u2019s wife, but obeying Christ\u2019s injunction\n(Luke 17:32), in order that his deliverance may be completed. Hither are\nall the wars and battles of Israel against the heathen and infidel nations\nto be referred; for what is represented under this history but the\ncontinual strife between the flesh and the spirit? Whatsoever is recorded\nof the Mosaical priesthood, the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, or\nthe mercy-seat, with the sacrifices, etc.,\u2014all has relation to the\nChristian believer. For unto him it appertains to pray in spirit and in\ntruth; to burn spiritual incense; and to slay the sin-offering by\npresenting his body, through mortification, as a reasonable service and\nsacrifice, so that Christ may truly dwell in him by faith.\n\n3. And if we advert to the New Testament itself, what is this but an\noutward expression of those truths, which are to be inwardly fulfilled by\nfaith, in the experience of the believer? If I become a new creature in\nChrist, it is incumbent on me to live and walk in him; in him and with\nhim, to flee into exile, and to be a stranger upon the earth. The virtues\nthat resided in him I ought to practise; humility, contempt of the world,\nmeekness, and patience; and I am bound to be fervent in acts of benignity,\ncharity, and loving kindness. In and with Christ I should exercise mercy,\nand pardon and love my enemies, and, with him, do the Father\u2019s will. I\nmust be tempted by Satan with him; and, with him, I must obtain the\nvictory. I am to be derided, despised and vilified for the sake of the\ntruth that is in me; and, if called to it, I ought to die for and with\nhim, after the example of the saints, and in testimony that he, by faith,\nhath lived in me, and I in him.\n\n4. This is to be conformed to the image of Christ; this is to be born with\nand in Christ; to put on Christ; to grow up and be strong in Christ; to\nlive with Christ in banishment; to be baptized with his baptism; to be\nscoffed and crucified with him; to die with him; to be buried with him; to\nrise with him from the dead; and to reign with him to all eternity.\n\n5. If ever thou desirest to live in a constant union and conformity with\nthy Head and Saviour, thou art in this manner to die daily with him, and\nto crucify the flesh. Rom. 6:5, 6. Should this divine harmony not exist,\nand another way be devised more consonant to thy fancy, then Christ will\nnot be _within_ but _without_ thee; far from thy faith, thy heart, and thy\nspirit; and, in that case, he will profit thee nothing. But if thou permit\nhim to dwell in thy heart by faith, he will be thy strength, thy comfort,\nand thy salvation.\n\n6. All this, O man! doth faith in Christ effect within the heart; and thus\nthe Word of God becomes a living Word, and, as it were, a living witness\nin us of all those things which are externally declared in the Scriptures.\nHence, faith is termed by the apostle a substance and an evidence, Heb.\n11:1.\n\n7. It is therefore evident, that all the sermons, discourses, and\nepistles, contained in the Word of God, whether proceeding from Christ, or\nthe prophets, or the apostles; and, in a word, that all the Scriptures, in\ngeneral, as it regards their complete fulfilment, belong to man, and to\nevery man individually. Not only do the plain doctrines appertain to us;\nbut all the parables and miracles with which the history of Christ\nabounds, have their final reference to man.\n\n8. The purpose for which they were written was, that they might be\nspiritually fulfilled in our own experience. When, therefore, I read that\nChrist healed others, I promise myself the same relief; for we live in\nunity one with another, Christ with me, and I with Christ. When I read\nfurther, how he cured the blind, I am encouraged to believe that he will\nrestore me to the enjoyment of spiritual sight, who am blind by nature:\nand so, with regard to all his other miracles. Only own thyself to be\nblind, lame, deaf, or leprous; to be dead in trespasses and sins; and\nthen, he will surely heal thy maladies, and quicken that which is dead,\nthat so thou mayest have part in the first resurrection.\n\n9. The substance of all that has been advanced is this: the Holy Scripture\nbears _outward_ testimony to those things, which are to be _inwardly_\nfulfilled in man, by faith. It points out that image externally, which, by\nfaith, is to be formed within him. It describes the kingdom of God in the\n_letter_, which is to be established in the heart, by faith, after the\n_spirit_. It exhibits Christ outwardly, who is, by faith, to live within\nme; and it testifies of the new birth and of the new creature, which I\nmust experience in myself. All this I am to be made by faith, or the\nScripture will profit me nothing.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VII.\n\n\n The Law Of God, Written In The Hearts Of All Men, Convinces Them That On\n             The Day Of Judgment They Will Be Without Excuse.\n\n\n    _When the Gentiles ... do the things contained in the law ... they\n    shew the work of the law written in their hearts._\u2014ROM. 2:14, 15.\n\n\nWhen God created man in his own image, in righteousness and holiness, and\nendowed him with exalted virtues and gifts, he impressed three qualities\non the human conscience so deeply, that they can never be effaced: First,\nthe natural testimony that there is a God. Secondly, a testimony that a\nday of Judgment will come. Rom. 2:15. Thirdly, the law of nature, or\nnatural righteousness, by which man is enabled to distinguish between\nhonor and shame, and to experience joy and sorrow.\n\n2. For no nation has ever been discovered so wild and barbarous, as to\ndeny that a God exists, inasmuch as nature furnishes internal and external\nevidence of this fact. Indeed, men have not only acknowledged the _being_\nof a God, of which they were assured by their consciences; but they have\nalso been affected with a sense of his _justice_, as an avenger of evil,\nand a rewarder of good; and this persuasion arose from the consciousness,\nthat, on some occasions, they were harassed with fearful apprehensions;\nwhile, on others, they felt a certain measure of peace and joy. By this\nknowledge, they even proceeded farther, and discovered the doctrine of the\nimmortality of the soul, as appears from Plato, who most amply discussed\nthis subject. And, lastly, they gathered from this inward law, that God\nwas the author and source of all that was _good_ in nature, and therefore\nought to be worshipped by an assiduous attention to virtue, and with a\npure heart. Hence, they defined virtue to be man\u2019s chief good; and schools\nof moral virtue were accordingly instituted by Socrates, and by other\nheathen philosophers. This may be sufficient to convince us, that God,\neven since the fall, has allowed a spark of natural light to remain in\nmen, in order that they might be admonished of their heavenly origin, and\nbe assured, that it was only by following these footsteps of divinity,\nthat they could be restored to their former perfection. Some of the\nheathens themselves, have not been unacquainted with this truth; among\nwhom is Aratus, the poet, quoted by St. Paul, who declares that \u201cwe are\nGod\u2019s offspring.\u201d Acts 17:28.\n\n3. The Gentiles, however, stifling the testimony of conscience, contemned\nthe light of nature, and \u201cthe work of the law written in their hearts\u201d\n(Rom. 2:15); so that it cannot but be their own fault, that they are\ncondemned and lost; and they are, as St. Paul argues, left altogether\nwithout excuse. Rom. 1:19, 20. And as the Gentiles knew, by nature, the\njustice of God, and that such as did evil were worthy of death; and yet\nnot only committed evil but had pleasure in it; it follows, that they\nthereby condemned themselves, whilst \u201ctheir thoughts accusing or excusing\none another,\u201d convinced them of the certainty of the day of judgment. Rom.\n1:32; 2:15. But if the _Gentiles_ shall be \u201cinexcusable,\u201d because, though\nendued with the natural knowledge of God, they sought him not, as was\ntheir duty; what shall _they_ plead in their own behalf, to whom God hath\ngiven his Holy Word, and whom he hath so earnestly invited to repentance,\nby Jesus Christ his beloved Son; in order that, forsaking the corruptions\nof the world, they might, by faith, apprehend the merits of the Saviour,\nand obtain eternal life and salvation?\n\n4. Therefore, every false Christian shall, in the day of judgment, be\ncondemned by two mighty witnesses: by his own conscience or the law of\nnature, and likewise by the revealed Word of God, which will then judge\nhim. In that day, \u201cit shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom,\u201d than\nfor such false pretenders to religion. Matt. 11:24.\n\n5. Their anguish and torment shall be without end; since God has made the\nsoul immortal and planted the conscience in it, to be both a witness and a\njudge. The conscience can never throw off the recollection of God, and yet\ncannot of itself approach him; which must be attended with unutterable\npain to the soul, and expose it to the worm that dieth not, and to the\nfire that cannot be quenched. And the more the wicked have, through\nimpenitence of heart, treasured up to themselves \u201cwrath against the day of\nwrath\u201d (Rom. 2:5), the more severe will this inward and eternal suffering\nbe. For as God, in the exercise of his righteous judgment, gave up the\nGentiles to a reprobate mind, because they sinned against their own\nconsciences, and \u201cthe work of the law written in their hearts;\u201d so that\nthey became blind in their understandings, and rushed into every kind of\nfilthy and abominable pollution; thus drawing down upon themselves the\nwrath of God, denounced against all crimes that are committed against the\nlight of knowledge: so the same doom (yea, and a far heavier one) will be\ninflicted upon those who rest in the mere profession of the Christian\nfaith, and deny the life and the power of godliness. The reason of this is\nobvious: such persons have contemned the inward as well as the outward\nword and testimony of God, and have not only persevered in a state of\nimpenitence, but have resisted the Divine Spirit, and blasphemed Him who\nfavored them with the light of his Gospel. On this account, God gives them\nup to a reprobate mind, so that they become worse than heathens and\ninfidels. He sends them \u201cstrong delusion, that they should believe a lie;\nthat they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure\nin unrighteousness.\u201d 2 Thess. 2:11, 12.\n\n6. This is the true reason why vices of so detestable a nature universally\nabound among Christians; many of which were not so much as known among the\nPagan nations. What satanical pride, what insatiable covetousness, what\nunheard-of intemperance, what bestial lust; in a word, what inhuman\nwickedness, is not practised by those who call themselves Christians! And\nwhence does all this arise, but from that blindness and hardness of heart,\nwhich they have contracted by confirmed habits of iniquity. When those who\nare called Christians disdain to imitate the meek and lowly Jesus in their\nmanners and their conversation; when they are scandalized at him, and\nconsider it disgraceful to look to him whom God has appointed to be the\nlight of the world, and our great example (John 8:12); then the righteous\nGod gives them up to follow Satan; to take upon them the life of the\ndevil, his abominable impiety, wickedness, and lies; that they may execute\nwith him all the works of darkness, inasmuch as they refuse to walk in the\nlight. For thus saith the Lord, \u201cWalk while ye have the light, lest\ndarkness come upon you.\u201d John 12:35.\n\n7. Finally, if God gave up the heathen to so terrible a blindness and so\nreprobate a mind; and this because they proved disobedient to the\nglimmering light of nature; or, as St. Paul expresses it, \u201cbecause they\ndid not like to retain God in their knowledge,\u201d in order to be preserved\nby him (Rom. 1:28); how much more shall those be banished from life and\nsalvation, to whom the truth of God has come not only by natural light,\nbut by means of his revealed word, and the new covenant, and who yet\nhaughtily despise these special tenders of divine mercy! Of which new\ncovenant, God thus speaks: \u201cI will put my law in their inward parts, and\nwrite it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my\npeople. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man\nhis brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the\nleast of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will\nforgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.\u201d Jer.\n31:33, 34; John 6:45.\n\n8. And here, let us also attend to that which the Apostle says, concerning\nthose who offend wilfully. \u201cIf,\u201d says he, \u201cwe sin wilfully, after that we\nhave received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more\nsacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and\nfiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised\nMoses\u2019 law,\u201d continues the Apostle, \u201cdied without mercy under two or three\nwitnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought\nworthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the\nblood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and\nhath done despite unto the spirit of grace? For we know him that hath\nsaid, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. It\nis a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.\u201d Heb.\n10:26-31. These words, however, are not pronounced in reference to those\nwho fall through natural infirmity, but against them who sin wilfully and\nagainst knowledge, and who persevere to the end in a state of impenitence.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VIII.\n\n\n   No One Can Find Comfort In Christ And His Merits, Who Does Not Truly\n                                 Repent.\n\n\n    _No unclean person was permitted to eat of the passover._\u2014EXOD.\n    12:48.\n\n\nIt was the declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ, \u201cThey that be whole need\nnot a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the\nrighteous, but sinners to repentance.\u201d Matt. 9:12, 13. By this declaration\nthe Lord teaches us, that he indeed calls sinners, but that he calls them\nto _repentance_; whence it is evident, that no man can come to Christ\nwithout true repentance and conversion from sin, and without a true faith.\n\n2. Now repentance consists in dying unto sin through true sorrow for our\nsins, and in obtaining the remission of sins through faith and living unto\nrighteousness in Christ. There is no real repentance unless a genuine\ngodly sorrow is first experienced, by which the heart is broken and the\nflesh crucified. Hence it is termed \u201crepentance from dead works\u201d (Heb.\n6:1); or the renunciation of such works as issue in death. To abstain from\ndead works is, therefore, one of the principal parts of true repentance.\n\n3. If we be not the subjects of this repentance, the merit of Christ\nprofits us nothing; nor can we lay the smallest claim to the benefits\nwhich thence accrue; for Christ proffers his aid, as the physician of\nsouls, and his blood, as the only effectual medicine for our spiritual\nmaladies.\n\n4. But as not even the most precious remedy can effect a cure of a\ndisorder unless the patient refrain from things that are hurtful in their\ntendency, and that resist the operation of the medicine, so the blood and\ndeath of Christ will be of no avail to him who does not fully resolve to\nforsake his sins, and to live up to the requirements of the gospel; for\nSt. Paul says: \u201cThey who do such things (the works of the flesh), shall\nnot inherit the kingdom of God,\u201d and, of course, have not any part in the\nLord Jesus Christ. Gal. 5:21.\n\n5. Again, if Christ, by his most precious blood, is to become our\nmedicine, it cannot be doubted that we must be in a diseased state, and\nthat we must, for ourselves, _feel_ that we are so. The whole need not a\nphysician, but the sick only (Matt. 9:12); and none is spiritually sick\n(at least so as to be conscious of it) who does not experience unfeigned\ncontrition for the sins which he has committed, and who has not a sense of\nthe indignation of God which is excited against them. He is no proper\npatient for the physician of souls who avoids not worldly lusts and\nvanities, honors and riches; but goes on in a state of spiritual\nunconcern, without any regard to his past life or his final salvation.\nUpon a man of this character, no cure can possibly be wrought. He does not\nsee his distemper, and therefore needs no physician. In short, Christ\nprofits him nothing, and his merits leave no saving effect upon his soul.\n\n6. Remember, therefore, O man! that Christ is come to call _sinners to\nrepentance_; and that it is only such as are broken in heart and contrite\nin spirit; only such as fervently desire and thirst after this\nrighteousness that are in a condition to receive the saving influence of\nthe blood, death, and merits of the Lord Jesus.\n\n7. Happy is he who feels in his heart, and still more happy he who proves\nobedient to this holy calling, that is, the \u201cgodly sorrow for sin, which\nworketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of,\u201d and which is the\nwork of the Holy Spirit himself. It arises, first, from the _law_, and\nfrom serious meditation on the _passion_ of Christ, which abounds with\nloud invitations to unfeigned repentance. It exhibits, as in a mirror,\nboth the wrath of God against sin, and also his infinite grace in saving\nthe sinner. To make an atonement for our sins, Jesus shed his blood; and\nlove induced him to die for us while we were yet sinners. Rom. 5:8. Here\nthe divine justice and clemency combine for the salvation of souls.\n\n8. How is it possible that a man who believes in Christ, should continue\nin sins which the Lord expiated at no less a price than his own most\nprecious blood? When, therefore, O man! thou art tempted to pride and\nambition, reflect upon the contempt and humiliation to which Jesus\nsubmitted in order to atone for thy pride and thy ambition. When thou art\ncovetous after this world, think of the poverty which he underwent that he\nmight make satisfaction for thy cupidity; and, surely, this will\nextinguish in thee the love of money and of worldly estates. What anguish\nand agony did Christ suffer on account of thy lusts and sinful pleasures;\nand art thou yet in pursuit of these pleasures that will leave behind them\na mortal sting? Alas! how great must be the corruption of our nature when\nwe can delight in things for which our Redeemer and Lord was sorrowful\neven unto death! Christ died to expiate thy wrath, hatred, and enmity; to\natone for thy bitterness and rancor, for thy love of revenge, and the\nimplacableness of thy spirit. This he effected by his extreme mildness and\npatience, mercy and long-suffering. And wilt thou be angry on every\ntrifling occasion, and esteem revenge to be sweet, when, to atone for it,\nthy Redeemer drank to the very dregs the cup of bitterness and affliction?\n\n9. Truly as many as assume to themselves the name of Christians, and yet\ndo not forsake the pleasures of sin, \u201ccrucify Christ to themselves\n_afresh_, and put him to an open shame\u201d (Heb. 6:6); and it is, therefore,\nutterly impossible that they should partake of that merit which they tread\nunder foot. They pollute the blood of the everlasting covenant, and do not\nbelieve that their sins are expiated by it. They do \u201cdespite unto the\nSpirit of grace;\u201d they despise and resist him; and, by their ungodly\nlives, scorn and condemn the grace of God offered in Christ Jesus. Heb.\n10:29. Hence, the blood of the Saviour, which was shed for their sakes,\ncries aloud for vengeance against them; and this it does by the righteous\njudgment of God, which they thus draw down upon themselves,\u2014a\nconsideration that ought to strike a terror into every one that names the\nname of Christ. Indeed, \u201cit is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of\nthe living God\u201d (Heb. 10:31); for he is a _living_ God, and not a lifeless\nidol, incapable of punishing so scornful a contempt of his grace and\nmercy.\n\n10. With this divine wrath and vengeance, even their own consciences\nthreaten them, as inevitably following those who (though they know that it\nwas to atone for sin that the Son of God died so ignominious a death) are\nyet not careful to put away their sins.\n\n11. It was for this reason that, soon after the death of Christ,\nrepentance was preached over all the world; namely, both because he died\n\u201cfor the sins of the whole world\u201d (1 John 2:2); and because _in all\nplaces_ of the world men should repent. Acts 17:30. Thus it is said, \u201cGod\nnow commandeth all men _every where_ to repent,\u201d and to receive with a\ncontrite, penitent, and believing heart the sovereign medicine purchased\nby the death of Christ, in order that the grace of God be not frustrated,\nbut answer the end designed.\n\n12. Remission of sins immediately follows true repentance; but how shall a\nman have his sins remitted when he does not repent of them, nay, when he\nstill rejoices in them? Nothing surely could be more preposterous than to\nexpect that sins should be pardoned which a man has no design to renounce;\nand nothing can be more absurd than to seek consolation in the sufferings\nof Christ, and yet continue in the mire of sin which caused Christ\u2019s\ndeath.\n\n13. But certain and obvious as these truths are in themselves, there are\nmany that call themselves Christians who never repented, and who yet will\npresume to lay claim to a share in the merits of Christ, and in the\nremission of sins which he has purchased. They have not ceased to indulge\ntheir accustomed wrath, covetousness, pride, malice, envy, hypocrisy, and\nunrighteousness, but have rather become more and more enslaved by them;\nand yet, alas! they expect forgiveness of sin, and presumptuously apply to\nthemselves the merits of Christ as a defence against the impending\njudgment of Almighty God. And though this is one of the grossest and most\npalpable of errors, yet they do not hesitate to bestow upon it the\nspecious name of _faith_, by which they hope for salvation. These are they\nthat flatter themselves to their own destruction; fondly supposing that\nthey are true Christians because they have a speculative knowledge of the\nGospel, and because they believe that Jesus died for their sins. This,\nalas! is not _faith_, but _fancy_; and thou art an unhappy, and most\nawfully infatuated _false Christian_, if thou canst suffer thyself to be\ndeluded in this manner! Never did the Word of God teach such a doctrine;\nbut the unvarying language of the inspired writers is: \u201cIf thou earnestly\ndesirest the pardon of thy sins, _repent_ of them, and firmly resolve to\ngive up the practice of them; and thus, grieving from thy heart that thou\nhast so greatly offended God, and determining to lead a new life, believe\non Jesus Christ, the great propitiation for the sins of the whole world.\u201d\n\n14. But how should that man feel sorrow for his sins, who will not be\ninduced to quit them? and how should he quit them, while he remains\nunconcerned about committing them? Christ, and all his apostles and\nprophets, unite in teaching thee, O man! that thou must die to the world\nand to thy sins; die to thy pride, thy covetousness, thy lust, and thy\nwrath; and that thou must return to the Lord with all thy heart, and\nimplore his gracious pardon. And this being sincerely done, thou art\nabsolved, and thy sins are forgiven. _Then_, the heavenly physician looks\nupon thee graciously; for he is come to revive those that are of a\ncontrite spirit, and to bind up the broken in heart. Ps. 147:3. But if\nthou seekest for some other way to be saved, than that which is here\npointed out, then Christ will profit thee nothing, and the boasting of thy\nfaith is altogether vain. For _true_ faith renews him who possesses it; it\nmortifies sin, and raises the soul, with Christ, into a new life; for such\na man lives, by faith in Christ, in his love, his humility, his meekness,\nand his patience. It is thus, O man! that Jesus becomes unto thee the way\nof life, and thus thou becomest in him a \u201cnew creature.\u201d But if thou\ncontinuest to commit thy favorite sins, and remainest unwilling to die to\nthe corrupt bent of \u201cthe old man\u201d (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22), how wilt thou\npretend to be a new creature? How is it possible for thee to belong to\nChrist, when thou dost not \u201ccrucify the flesh, with its affections and\nlusts?\u201d Gal. 5:24.\n\n15. Even if thou shouldst listen to ten sermons in one day, shouldst\nconfess thy sins every month, and receive the Lord\u2019s Supper, thou wouldst\nderive no benefit from such exercises, nor obtain the remission of sins;\nthe reason is, that thou hast not a penitent, contrite, and believing\nheart, which can be reached by the healing influences of the medicine. The\nWord of God and the Sacraments are, indeed, salutary remedies; but they\nare such to those alone who unfeignedly repent and believe. What would it\nprofit, to anoint a stone with costly ointment? What harvest shalt thou\nreap, if thou sowest among briers and thorns? First pull up the thorns and\nthistles that choke the good seed, and, then, thou mayest reasonably\nexpect the precious fruit. Luke 8:7. And, in fine, Christ will never\nprofit thee at all, if thou continuest to love sin rather than Him. The\n_birth_ of the Saviour is of no advantage to a man whose aim it is not to\nbe _born_ with him; nor shall his _death_ avail for any, who are not\ndisposed to _die_ to sin, and to mortify the deeds of the flesh. Rom.\n6:11. So, the _resurrection_ of Christ will benefit none who will not\n_rise_ from sin, and live unto righteousness; nor will his _ascension_\nprove a blessing to any who refuse to _ascend_ with him, and to have their\nconversation in heaven.\n\n16. But when, on the contrary, a man, like the Prodigal Son, truly returns\nto his offended father, deploring, hating, and forsaking his sins; when he\nearnestly seeks forgiveness, and, with the eye of faith, beholds Christ\nand his bleeding wounds, as the Israelites beheld the serpent of brass,\nand lived (Numb. 21:9); when, at last, under a real sense of guilt, he\ncries out with the penitent publican, \u201cGod be merciful to me a sinner\u201d\n(Luke 18:13); then, _then_, the pardon is granted, the absolution is\nsealed, however great and many the sins be which he has committed against\nhis God.\n\n17. Such is the efficacy of the redemption which the blood of Christ has\neffected, and of so extensive a nature is his merit, that it is fully\nimputed, through faith, to every penitent soul. Thus is brought to pass\nthe scripture, \u201cHe giveth repentance and forgiveness of sins\u201d (Acts 5:31);\nthat is, he pardons the repentant sinner freely and wholly, for Christ\u2019s\nsake. For it is a pleasure with God to exercise mercy, and to forgive a\nsinner. \u201cMy bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon\nhim, saith the Lord.\u201d Jer. 31:20; Hosea 11:8. Then it is, that the death\nof Christ is rendered truly effectual; and then it is, that the angels of\nGod rejoice in heaven (Luke 15:7), because the blood of Christ was not\nshed in vain for the poor sinner for whom He had died. 1 Cor. 8:11.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IX.\n\n\n    The Unchristian Walk Of Many Persons In Our Day, Is A Cause Of The\n                Rejection Of Christ And Of The True Faith.\n\n\n    _Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof._\u20142.\n    TIM. 3:5.\n\n\nEvery one calls himself by the Christian name, even though he do not\nperform the least part of what he thereby professes; and, by this means,\nthe Saviour is denied, contemned, blasphemed, scourged, crucified, and, as\nit were, cast out of the sight of men, as dead. The Apostle expressly\ndeclares, that some persons \u201ccrucify the Son of God afresh.\u201d Heb. 6:6.\n\n2. Would to God that Christ were not, even in _our_ days, crucified again\nand again among those who call themselves after his name, and honor him\nwith their lips; and yet, by their anti-christian lives and actions,\nutterly reject and deny him. His most holy, humble, and exemplary life is,\nat this day, to be found among but few; and wherever there is not the\n_life_ of Christ, _there_ Christ is not himself, however loudly the faith\nand the doctrine may be commended. For the Christian faith without a\nChristian life is a tree without fruit. True faith works by love (Gal.\n5:6); and wherever it is found, there Christ dwells, with all his divine\ngraces and virtues. Eph. 3:17.\n\n3. But when these are not expressed in the lives of those who profess his\ndoctrine, there Christ himself is rooted up and denied; for it is only\nwhere true faith exists that Christ dwells.\n\n4. Now Christ hath said, \u201cWhosoever shall deny me before men, him will I\nalso deny before my Father and the angels.\u201d Matt. 10:33; Luke 12:9. This\ndenial of Christ is not only made in words (as by those who renounce\nChrist and Christianity), but it is also done when, by our lives and\nactions, we wilfully sin against the Saviour and resist the Holy Ghost.\nSt. Paul speaks of some who \u201cprofess that they know God, but _in works\ndeny him_\u201d (Tit. 1:16); and it is certain that Christ is no less denied by\na wicked and satanic life, than he is by a verbal abjuration. It is with\nhypocrisy and an empty profession of the faith as it is with open\nwickedness; and this is strikingly illustrated by our Lord\u2019s parable of\nthe two sons, who were commanded by their father to go and work in his\nvineyard. The one (_openly_ denying) said, \u201cI will not;\u201d while the other\n(_professing_ obedience) said, \u201cI go, sir,\u201d and went not. Matt. 21:28-30.\n\n5. This is a forcible representation of those Christians who make religion\nto consist in empty profession without obedience. They will cry \u201cYea,\nyea,\u201d and \u201cLord, Lord!\u201d (Matt. 7:21), and yet are worse than others,\nbecause they pretend to be children of the Father, and yet do not, in any\nrespect, obey his will. Their character is thus given by St. Paul: \u201cHaving\na form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.\u201d 2 Tim. 3:5. Now, what\nis it to deny the power of godliness but to deny Christ himself, and to\nshake off allegiance to him, and thus to act the part of a heathen under\nthe mask and name of a Christian? These are \u201cthe children of unbelief or\ndisobedience,\u201d in whom the spirit, not of Christ, but _of this world_,\nworketh. Eph. 2:2. They, therefore, who usurp a Christian\u2019s name, and yet\ndo not a Christian\u2019s work, shall be denied, in their turn, by the Saviour\nwhen he shall pronounce the sentence: \u201cI never knew you: depart from me,\nye that work iniquity.\u201d Matt. 7:23.\n\n\n\n\nChapter X.\n\n\n  The Children Of The World Are Against Christ, And, Consequently, Their\n            Life And Their Christianity Are Both Alike False.\n\n\n    _He that is not with me is against me._\u2014MATT. 12:30.\n\n\nIf the conduct of the generality of men in the present age be examined by\nthe standard of life and doctrine left us by Christ, we must soon come to\nthe conclusion that it is wholly _unchristian_, and totally repugnant to\nhis example. The lives of men in our day are, in too many cases, made up\nof insatiable avarice, sordid and self-seeking manners,\nworldly-mindedness, worldly cares, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the\neye, and the pride of life; disobedience, wrath, strife, hatred, malice,\ncontentions, and a violent thirst after human applause, pomps, and\ndignities. Add to these the jealousies, the revenge, the secret feuds and\nenvyings, the unforgiving spirit, the injustice and hypocrisy, the frauds\nand calumnies, the lies and perjuries, together with all the impurity and\nunrighteousness with which the world so exceedingly abounds. In short, the\nwhole life of the children of this generation consists of the love of the\nworld, self-love, self-honor, and self-seeking.\n\n2. To all this the life of Christ is entirely opposed; it can have no sort\nof communion with it. His life is nothing else but pure and sincere love\nto God and men. It is composed of humanity and kindness, of meekness and\npatience, of humility and obedience even unto death, of mercy and\nrighteousness, of truth and simplicity, of purity and holiness, of\ncontempt of the world, its honors, wealth, and pleasures; of self-denial;\nof the cross, tribulations, and afflictions; of fervent desires after the\nkingdom of God, and after the fulfilment of the divine will. This is the\nlife of Christ, to which the false Christianity of the present age is so\ngreatly opposed.\n\n3. If, then, it be the truth that he who is not _with_ Christ is accounted\nas one that is _against_ him; and he that _standeth_ not _in_ the will of\nGod, as he that _withstandeth_ it (and we know that this is the meaning of\nthe language of our Lord himself), it is most evident that the generality\nof those who make a public profession of the Christian faith, not being\nwith Christ, must be against him. They have no communion with him, but are\ncontrary to him; they are not led by a Christian, but by an antichristian\nspirit. Scarcely any, indeed, are to be found who are of one soul, one\nwill, one mind, and one spirit with him; and yet only these can be\nChrist\u2019s, or be accounted his disciples. It is in reference to the latter\nthat the apostle speaks when he says, they have \u201cthe mind of Christ\u201d (1\nCor. 2:16); and, in another place, \u201cLet this mind be in you which was also\nin Christ Jesus.\u201d Phil. 2:5. The children of the world have not this mind,\nand it is hence certain that they are not _with_ but _against_ Christ. Now\nwhatever any man\u2019s profession and doctrine be, he who is thus _against_\nChrist in his life and actions, is most undoubtedly an antichrist. 1 John\n2:18.\n\n4. Where, alas! shall we now find true Christians, in the midst of so many\n_unchristian_ disorders that universally abound? How justly may they be\ntermed \u201ca little flock!\u201d (Luke 12:32) as they were called by our Lord\nhimself. How justly has the prophet Isaiah compared the church to a\nsolitary cottage in a vineyard, and to a wasted city! Isa. 1:8. \u201cWoe is\nme!\u201d exclaims Micah, \u201cI am as when they have gathered the summer fruits,\nas the grape-gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul\ndesires the first ripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth;\nand there is none upright among men.\u201d Micah 7:1, 2. See also Ps. 74:19;\n102:7.\n\n5. God alone knows where and who these are: but be they where and who they\nmay, assuredly Christ is with them, yea, in them, \u201calway, even unto the\nend of the world.\u201d Matt. 28:20. Nor will he ever leave them without\nsufficient succor; \u201cI will not leave you comfortless,\u201d he says; \u201cI will\ncome unto you.\u201d John 14:18. For he knoweth them that are his, and those\nwhom he is said to _know_, he watches over with never-ceasing and\ndistinguishing care. \u201cThe foundation of God standeth sure, having this\nseal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.\u201d But who _are his_? The answer\nis immediately annexed: \u201cLet every one that nameth the name of Christ\ndepart from iniquity.\u201d 2 Tim. 2:19. But let those who are not disposed to\nobey this injunction, assume some _other_ name that shall better accord\nwith their conduct; and let them not name _His_ name, until they conform\nto His life by a living faith.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XI.\n\n\nShowing That He Does Not Truly Repent, Is Not A Christian, And Not A Child\n  Of God, Who Does Not, In _His Life And Conduct_, Follow Christ; Also,\n          Wherein The New Birth And The Yoke Of Christ Consist.\n\n\n    _Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye\n    should follow his steps._\u20141 PET. 2:21.\n\n\nGod has appointed our Lord Jesus Christ to be our prophet or teacher; and,\nby a voice from heaven, has commanded us to hear him; saying, \u201cThis is my\nbeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.\u201d Matt. 17:5. This\noffice was most faithfully executed by the Son of God, not only in words,\nbut (as became a teacher engaged in so sacred a function) by a most holy\nand unblemished life. In allusion to this, St. Luke thus prefaces his\naccount of the Acts of the Apostles: \u201cThe former treatise have I made, O\nTheophilus, of all that Jesus began both to _do_ and teach, etc.\u201d; where,\nit is to be remarked, that he places _doing_ before _teaching_; intimating\nthat these ought never to be separated. It certainly is the duty of every\ntrue teacher, first, to practise himself the duties which he purposes to\nteach others. Such a teacher was our Lord Jesus; and his conduct is the\npattern of teaching, and the book of life which we ought to study.\n\n2. It was for this cause, that the Son of God became man, and conversed\nwith men upon earth, that he might give us a visible example of an\ninnocent, perfect, and divine life; and that we might follow him as a\nlight that shineth in darkness, to lead us in the way in which we should\ngo. Hence he calls himself \u201cthe light of the world;\u201d and promises that \u201che\nwho followeth him shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of\nlife.\u201d John 8:12.\n\n3. Hence it clearly appears, that they who refuse to follow Christ in his\nlife, and to tread by faith in his steps, remain in darkness, and are not\nin the way to obtain \u201cthe light of life.\u201d But what is this _darkness_? It\nis an impenitent and depraved life, called by the apostle \u201cworks of\ndarkness,\u201d which are to be cast off, that so we may put on \u201cthe armor of\nlight\u201d (Rom. 13:12); and in genuine repentance both these duties are\ncomprised.\n\n4. It has been abundantly proved above, that godly sorrow and true faith\nthoroughly change a man; that they crucify the flesh, effect an entire\ntransformation in the soul, and beget, through the Holy Ghost, a new life.\nLest, however, this should be a mere theoretical knowledge, devoid of life\nand practice, God has been pleased to set before us his own Son, not only\nas a ransom and a Mediator, but also as a _mirror_ of perfect godliness,\nand as a most finished pattern of the new man, who is regenerated after\nthe image of God. In him, the fleshly Adam, the corrupt nature, never\nreigned; but the blessed God alone. Him it hath pleased God to set forth\nbefore our eyes, that, contemplating him and his righteous life, we might\nbe daily more and more renewed after his image. Let us explain this point\nmore fully.\n\n5. Sad experience teaches us continually, that our whole nature, body and\nsoul, is polluted with every kind of sin, vice, and corruption. These are\nthe works of the devil appearing in the carnal man; and it is principally\nin the depraved and perverted _will_, that these diabolical operations are\nmost visibly discerned. For the depraved will is the root of all sin: if\nthat were removed, there would be sin no more. With regard to the power\nand natural bias of this will, it consists chiefly in turning man away\nfrom God and from _His_ will. Now, whatever departs from that Being who is\nthe sovereign and supreme Good, cannot but be in itself evil; for it\npartakes of the nature of the supreme evil, and is a violation of the\noriginal constitution of our nature, as derived from God himself. It was\nthis _turning away_ from God that produced the fall both of Satan and of\nman; whence sin entered into the world, and has, by fleshly generation,\npassed upon all men.\n\n6. The nature of man is then inoculated with the nature of the devil\nhimself, and his will tainted with satanical wickedness, as with deadly\npoison. Hence Christ called the Pharisees \u201cchildren of the devil\u201d (John\n8:44); and even to one of his own disciples gave the name of Satan (John\n6:70); intimating as though the covetousness, lying, pride, and evil\nconcupiscence, by which the nature of all men is defiled, were Satan\nhimself.\n\n7. Hence it may, with all propriety, be affirmed, that they who lead a\nlife void of repentance, a life of pride, avarice, lust, and envy, live in\nthe devil, and partake of his nature. Such persons may assume the garb of\nhonesty; they may veil their real characters under a fair show of morality\nand correct deportment; yet, _inwardly_, according to the saying of Christ\nto the Jews, they are, nevertheless, devils. John 8:44. Such a declaration\nis dreadful to be made; but the truth of it is confirmed, both by the Word\nof God and by continual experience.\n\n8. Our nature, as fallen creatures, being thus miserably depraved, thus\ndesperately perverted, and vitiated in all its springs; there is an\nabsolute necessity that it should be purified and _renewed_. There must be\na _total renovation_ of the soul, in all its powers and all its faculties.\nBut how shall this be effected? We answer: As the _chief evil_ has made a\nbreach upon our nature, and has infused poison into its very springs; so\nmust the _chief Good_ revisit and renew our nature, that it may be\nassimilated to itself. That which the supreme evil has so radically\ncorrupted, can be corrected only by a thorough and vital _penetration_ of\nthe supreme Good, even of God himself; and, therefore, it was necessary\nthat the Word should be made flesh.\n\n9. The Son of God truly became man, not for his own sake, but for our\nsakes; that, by reconciling us to God by himself, he might make us\npartakers of the sovereign good, having cleansed and sanctified us, to\nthat end; for whatever is to be sanctified, must be sanctified by God and\nwith God. And as God is in Christ, so ought we to be united to him by\nfaith, that we may live in God, and God in us; we in Christ, and Christ in\nus (2 Cor. 5:19, 21); that the will of God be in us, and we in the will of\nGod, being made the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Cor. 5:21. This is\nthe only way in which Christ administers medicine to our corrupt nature;\nand the more powerfully he influences man, the more thoroughly will human\nnature be purified.\n\n10. Oh! how blessed is the man in whom Christ does all and is all; whose\nwill, thoughts, mind, and words, are the will, thoughts, mind, and words\nof Christ! It was thus the apostle said, \u201cWe have the mind of Christ.\u201d 1\nCor. 2:16. And so indeed it must be with the believer; because the life of\nChrist is the new life, yea, the new man in him; and whoever lives in\nChrist after the Spirit, hath really put on the new man, and all the\ngraces with which he is adorned. His meekness and obedience are the\nmeekness and obedience of Christ; his patience and humility are the\npatience and humility of Christ; and his life itself is the life of\nChrist, by whom and in whom he lives. This is the \u201cnew creature\u201d which is\ncreated after God (2 Cor. 5:17); and that life of Christ in us, of which\nSt. Paul experimentally says, \u201cI live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in\nme.\u201d Gal. 2:20. This is to follow Christ truly. This is to walk in the\nlight of his life, and to bring forth \u201cfruits meet for repentance;\u201d for,\nby this means, the \u201cold man\u201d is destroyed, the carnal life gradually\ndeclines, and the new and divine life is established in the soul. He who\nhas this life is not a _nominal_, but a _real_ Christian; a Christian not\nin word and in appearance only, but in deed and in truth. He is a true\nchild of God, begotten of Him, and quickened and renewed by faith after\nthe image of Jesus Christ.\n\n11. Although we cannot attain to a state of perfection, while encompassed\nwith so many infirmities that obstruct our progress in the divine life, we\nought not, therefore, to be discouraged, but rather to be inspired with\nmore fervor in seeking after a consummation so much to be desired. We\nought ardently to wish and pray, to endeavor and study, that the kingdom\nof Christ be established within us, and the kingdom of Satan destroyed. 1\nJohn 3:9; Eph. 2:5. The object of our cares and efforts, of our groans and\nprayers, should be\u2014how we may more and more mortify the old man by daily\nrepentance. For, the more a man dies to himself, the more Christ lives in\nhim; the more corruptions are removed by the good Spirit of God, the more\ndivine grace possesses the heart. In proportion as the flesh is crucified,\nthe spirit is quickened; as the works of darkness are put off, the armor\nof light from above is put on; and in the same degree as the _outward_ man\nperisheth, the _inward_ man is strengthened and renewed. 2 Cor. 4:16; Col.\n3:5. The decrease of the carnal life, is the increase of that which is\nspiritual and divine. As the affections of the former, self-love,\nambition, wrath, covetousness, and voluptuousness, are weakened and\nsubdued, so are opposite affections of the spiritual life invigorated and\nraised. The farther a man departs from the world, from \u201cthe lust of the\nflesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life\u201d (1 John 2:16); the\nmore do God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit enter into the heart and dwell\nthere. And, on the other hand, the more nature, flesh, darkness, and the\nworld, reign in man; the less of grace, light, the Holy Spirit, God, and\nChrist, is there to be found in him.\n\n12. This spiritual life is enmity to the flesh, because the latter is\nhereby restrained, subdued, and brought under the yoke, and crucified with\nits \u201caffections and lusts.\u201d In this, however, consist the power, efficacy,\nand fruit of true repentance. The nature of flesh and blood is to lead a\nlawless, dissolute, and voluptuous life, unshackled by restraint, and\nentirely agreeable to its own will and humor. It is this which it finds\nsweet, and in which it rejoices. To the flesh and the \u201cold man,\u201d the life\nof Christ is a most severe cross, and an intolerable burden; but to the\nnew and spiritual man, \u201cthis yoke is easy and this burden light\u201d (Matt.\n11:30), and attended with divine serenity and peace of mind. For the true\nrest of the soul will be sought for in vain, unless in faith in Christ; in\nhis meekness and humility, patience and love. Here he hath himself\npromised, \u201cYe shall find rest unto your souls.\u201d Yea, he that really loves\nthe Lord Jesus, will not deem it hard to suffer even death for his sake,\nbut account it a joy and a happiness. Such is the yoke of the Saviour,\nwhich we are invited to take upon us, that we may find \u201crest unto our\nsouls.\u201d\n\n13. It is necessary, therefore, that every one who is resolved to take\nupon himself the yoke of Christ, and to imitate His holy example, should,\nin the first place, shake off the yoke of Satan, and repress the carnal,\nselfish, and unruly propensities of his fallen nature, in order that the\nflesh may vex the spirit no more. All must be subjugated to the obedience\nof Christ, to the wise and righteous discipline of his law; that is, the\nwill, understanding, reason, and appetites, together with the sensual\ndesires of the old Adam, that before reigned in the mortal body, must\nhenceforth yield a free obedience to the government of the Lord. Rom.\n6:12.\n\n14. True it is that the flesh is highly gratified when honored, courted,\nand praised, and when abounding in the riches and pleasures of this life;\nbut the yoke of Christ, by which the flesh is mortified and subdued,\nrequires us to prefer ignominy, contempt, and poverty, to affluence and\nhonor; to account ourselves unworthy of these things, and freely to give\nup all that is great in the estimation of the world. It is here that the\nhumility and life of Christ are most striking and apparent. This is the\n\u201cyoke\u201d and this the \u201cburden,\u201d which are easy and light to the spirit; this\nis the law of love, the commandments of which are not grievous but\ndelightful. 1 John 5:3. What was the whole life of Christ but holy\npoverty, extreme contempt, and severe persecution? Is it not true that he\n\u201ccame not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a\nransom for many\u201d? Matt. 20:28.\n\n15. It is the tendency of the natural man to desire to excel others, and\nto be thought of importance; but the spiritual man loves the humility of\nthe Redeemer, and desires to be reputed as nothing in this world. The\ncarnal man, that follows the propensities of corrupt nature, and has never\nlearned of Christ\u2019s humility, meekness, and love, deems it folly to live\nas Jesus lived, and thinks those only are wise who indulge their appetites\nin security, and satiate themselves with every object which they desire;\nand when such a one most lives in the devil, he is so blinded by ignorance\nand darkness as to esteem his own life the happiest that can be desired,\nand to applaud himself in his own folly. And hence it is that these\ndeluded wretches, following the false light of carnal wisdom, are not only\ndeceived themselves, but are the means of involving others in the same\nruin. They, on the contrary, whose minds have been enlightened by the true\nand eternal light, are struck with horror and surprise whenever they cast\ntheir eyes upon the pomps and vanities of this world, upon the ambition\nand pride, the wrath and revenge, the intemperance and voluptuousness, and\nthe other fruits of the carnal life which universally abound. Their\nlanguage is: \u201cAlas! how far removed is all this from Christ! How far from\ntrue repentance and the knowledge of Jesus is the man that acts thus! How\nfar from the nature and disposition of a child of God! Alas! he is still\ndead in sins, and a slave of the devil.\u201d That man, therefore, who does not\nimitate the life of Christ, is an entire stranger to true repentance; he\nis not a Christian, nor a child of God; nay, he is wholly ignorant of\nJesus Christ; for he who desires to know Christ savingly, both as the\nSaviour of the world and as the great exemplar of life, must know him to\nbe pure meekness, gentleness, and love, and to be wholly composed of\npatience and humility. This living ensample of goodness and piety which\nthe Lord hath set before him, he must carry in his heart, and must labor\nto be transformed into its image. The virtues that resided in Christ he\nmust have within himself; and if he would ever effectually know him, he\nmust love and admire them in his inward soul. As a plant discovers its\nnature by the fragrance which it diffuses around, so the knowledge of\nChrist discovers itself by the sweet and sacred odors which proceed from\nit. Then is acquired an experimental knowledge of the life, power, rest,\nand consolation which flow from the Saviour; which circulate through all\nthe faculties of the soul, and quicken them by a kind of spiritual\nsweetness. Thus is man made to \u201ctaste how good the Lord is\u201d (Ps. 34:8);\nthus is the truth known, and the supreme and eternal good apprehended and\nenjoyed. And thus is it certainly ascertained that the life of Christ is\ninfinitely superior to every other life in goodness and sweetness, in\ndignity and in peace; yea, that it resembles life eternal itself, being\nindeed the foretaste of such a life upon _earth_.\n\n16. As there is nothing more excellent than the life of Christ, nothing\nmore delightful, more peaceful, or more satisfying to the soul, it ought\nto have no rival in our affections, but to be endeared to us above all\nthings else. He who is destitute of Christ and of his knowledge, can form\nno conception of the rest and quiet of eternal life; or of the sovereign\ngood; or of the everlasting truth; or of the imperishable word; or of the\njoy of the soul; or of the true light of love; for all these centre in\nChrist, and he who has him has them; because Christ is all these to the\nman who truly believes in his holy name. \u201cEvery one that loveth is born of\nGod, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is\nlove.\u201d 1 John 4:7, 8.\n\n17. It is, therefore, most evident that the fruits and effect of the new\nbirth do not consist in words, however sound, or in a _form_ of godliness,\nhowever specious, but in an _abiding substance_, even in that _love_ which\nis God himself. A son bears the image of him who begat him; and whoever is\nborn of God should evidence it by _love_, for God is love; and hence it is\nclear that \u201che that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.\u201d 1\nJohn 4:16.\n\n18. The _knowledge of God_, in like manner, does not consist in words, nor\nin merely speculative and superficial knowledge, but in a vital,\nconsolatory, and divine feeling, in a pure and unmixed pleasure, gently\ninfusing itself into the heart by faith, and penetrating it with an\nunutterable and heavenly sweetness. This is a true, living, and\nefficacious knowledge of God; such as that which the Psalmist means when\nhe says, \u201cMy heart and my flesh cry out for the living God\u201d (Ps. 84:2);\nand again, \u201cThy loving kindness (as experienced in the divine sensations\nof my soul) is better than life\u201d (Ps. 63:3); that is, this divine life\ninfinitely transcends every other life; in which it is evident that he\nmeans that unutterable joy which is produced by an _experimental_\nknowledge of God, and which is infused into a believing heart. Thus man\nliveth in God, and God in man; and thus man knoweth God in truth, and is\nknown of God.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XII.\n\n\n The True Christian Dies Unto Himself And The World, And Lives In Christ.\n\n\n    _Christ died for all, that they which live should not henceforth\n    live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose\n    again._\u20142 COR. 5:15.\n\n\n\u201cChrist,\u201d says the apostle, \u201cdied for all, that they which live should not\nhenceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and\nrose again.\u201d Besides that this sentence is replete with divine\nconsolation, declaring that Jesus died for all, it inculcates a lesson of\nthe most salutary nature, namely, that we should live not unto ourselves,\nbut unto him who died for us. To live to him, however, before we are dead\nto ourselves, is impossible. If, therefore, thy resolution be to live to\nChrist, thou must certainly die to the world and to thyself; but if thou\nrather inclinest to live to the world and to thyself, it follows that thou\nmust renounce thy communion with the Saviour. For what communion hath\nlight with darkness, Christ with the world, or the Spirit with the flesh?\n2 Cor. 6:14, 15.\n\n2. There are three kinds of death: the one _spiritual_, the second\n_natural_, and the third _eternal_. The first occurs when a man dies daily\nto himself; that is, to his own carnal desires, to his avarice, pride,\nlust, and wrath, and such other sins and passions as have their rise in a\ncorrupt nature.\n\n3. It is of the second kind of death that the apostle speaks, where he\nsays, \u201cTo me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.\u201d Phil. 1:21. As if he\nhad said, Christ is the life and death, the gain and advantage of the\nbeliever, even when he passes through _natural_ death, for, by it, he\nexchanges a short and miserable life for an eternal and blessed one; and\nearthly objects for possessions that are eternal and divine: an exchange\nwhich cannot but prove in the highest degree gainful to himself.\n\n4. If, however, any think that the apostle\u2019s language is also to be\nunderstood of the _spiritual_ death of sin, they will not commit an error.\nFor thrice happy is the soul to whom, in this sense, \u201cto live is Christ:\u201d\nthrice happy the soul in which Jesus lives by faith, and that imitates the\ngraces which manifested themselves in him, especially those of humility\nand meekness. But alas! by far the greater part of men have put on the\nlife of the devil rather than the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, by\nyielding to avarice, pride, anger, and other unholy passions.\n\n5. Awake, therefore, O man! and consider who it is that liveth in thee. If\nthou canst truly affirm, \u201cto me, to live is Christ,\u201d happy art thou, as it\nrespects both this world and the world to come. Here, even on earth, let\nChrist be thy life, that he may be thy life to all eternity: and in order\nto this, account it the greatest of gain, when thou art enabled to die to\nthe world and to thy own corruptions. Then, in both senses, for thee, to\nlive is Christ, and to die, gain. What, indeed, can be more profitable or\nadvantageous, than to die, in this respect, to all thy sinful desires and\naffections? Go on, then, in the Lord, and never faint, allowing Christ to\nlive in thee now, that thou mayest also live with him hereafter.\n\n6. No man is capable of settled peace and tranquillity, who is distracted\nand disturbed with earthly desires and designs; therefore, before thou\ncanst live unto Christ, thou must die to the flesh and to the world. This\ndying to self and living to Christ, may be illustrated by a reference to\nseveral types and histories in the Old Testament.\n\n7. Thus, as the promise relative to Christ, and the seal of it by\ncircumcision, were not given to Abraham, until he had quitted his father\u2019s\nhouse and relinquished his earthly inheritance (Gen. 12:1, and 17:10), so\nman, as long as his affections cleave to the world, is unprepared to\nreceive the promise which is by the Saviour; and as long as he refuses to\ndie to it, and deny himself, so long it is impossible that he should enjoy\nChrist, or the things which are His.\n\n8. Jesus can never live in thy soul, until thou art dead to the affections\nof carnal nature. St. Paul was thus dead; and hence he could say, \u201cI live,\nyet not I, but Christ liveth in me\u201d (Gal. 2:20); and writing to the church\nat Colosse, he says, \u201cYe are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in\nGod.\u201d Col. 3:3.\n\n9. A man may be considered as dead to sin, when sin dies in him, and he\nceases from the commission of it. The same apostle says, \u201cIf we live in\nthe Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.\u201d Gal. 5:25. If we live in\nChrist, we must walk even as he walked; for it is not sufficient to boast\nof the Spirit in words, while our words are not confirmed by our works; or\nof faith, while this is not evidenced by its fruits. Indeed it is said\nunto _all_,\u2014\u201cIf ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye, through\nthe Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.\u201d Rom. 8:13.\n\n10. Multitudes, however, may be compared to Saul, who, instead of slaying\nAgag (1 Sam. 15:8), according to the commandment of God, only cast him\ninto prison. They do not _destroy_ their lusts and sinful desires; but are\ncontented to conceal, and as it were imprison them, that at a future\nopportunity, they may indulge them with the greater secrecy. But let us\ncarefully avoid this trifling; and instead of subjecting our corrupt\npropensities to a temporary restraint, let us lay the axe of mortification\nto the very root: for unless this be effected, we shall, like Saul, be\ncast out from the kingdom, and lose the crown of everlasting life.\n\n11. Some professed friends of religion resemble trees, the leaves of which\nfall off when winter approaches, but their foliage appears again when the\nseason becomes more favorable and mild; for in the winter of adversity,\nthey conceal their lusts, and restrain their sinful propensities; but when\nprosperity smiles upon them, they break out again, as at the first, and\nreturn to their evil ways. This is an evidence of _hypocrisy_; whereas a\ntrue Christian is in all circumstances, and under every vicissitude,\nwhether public or private, always the same, and remains unalterably fixed\nin his God. He is the same both in prosperity and adversity, in poverty\nand in affluence, steadily cleaving to God, and meeting with resignation\nevery affliction that Providence lays upon him.\n\n12. The history of Ahab (1 Kings 20:42) furnishes us with another\ninstance, not much unlike the case of Saul; for, in opposition to the\ncommand of God, he spared the life of the king of Syria; and, in\nconsequence, sentence went forth against him, and his life was required\nfor that of the captive king. They who nourish in their breasts those\nlusts which are the enemies of God and of themselves, and which are\nappointed to destruction, voluntarily draw upon themselves everlasting\ndeath and damnation.\n\n13. Neither prayer nor a devout spirit can ever be perfected in man,\nwithout the mortification of the flesh. Thus God appointed that every\nbeast which approached the holy mount of Sinai should be destroyed. Exod.\n19:12, 13. How much more does it behoove us to slay our unholy lusts and\naffections, if we would ever ascend the mountain of the Lord\u2019s house\n(Isaiah 2:2, 3; Mic. 4:2), offer up the incense of prayer, or meditate\nupon the Word of God! If we neglect to do this, we are already judged, and\nshall be banished forever from the presence of the Lord.\n\n14. Jacob (Gen. ch. 29) served for his beloved Rachel twice seven years;\nand love so alleviated his toil, that the years seemed but as so many\ndays: thus, for the salvation of our souls, did Christ Jesus undergo\nthirty and three years\u2019 service, and what Jacob said of himself is, in an\neminent degree, applicable to Him: \u201cIn the day, the drought consumed me,\nand the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes\u201d (Gen.\n31:40): \u201cfor the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to\nminister, and to give his life a ransom for many.\u201d Matt. 20:28. Shall we,\nthen, scruple to love Christ again, and to fight under his banner against\nhis enemy, the world?\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIII.\n\n\n The Christian Ought Willingly To Die Unto Himself And The World, For The\n Sake Of The Love Of Christ, And For The Sake Of That Future And Eternal\n              Glory, For Which We Were Created And Redeemed.\n\n\n    _Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was\n    rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his\n    poverty might be rich._\u20142 COR. 8:9.\n\n\nThou art required, O man! to die to thyself, thy sin, and the world; and\nto lead a holy, harmless life, according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.\nThis thou art to do, not with a view to merit anything at the hands of\nGod, but from a principle of love to him, who performed and merited all\nfor thee, and died to save thee.\n\n2. Be not deceived: Jesus must be loved by thee, not in word and in\ntongue; but in deed and in truth. \u201cIf,\u201d says he (John 14:23), \u201ca man love\nme, he will keep my words;\u201d and so St. John speaks: \u201cThis is the love of\nGod, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not\ngrievous.\u201d 1 John 5:3. And, again, the Saviour says: \u201cMy yoke is easy, and\nmy burden is light.\u201d Matt. 11:30. To him, indeed, who loves Christ with\nall his heart, it cannot but be easy to sacrifice the pleasure which\nearthly vanities afford, and to do that which is good, without constraint.\nLove renders every burden light that is laid upon us by Jesus; whereas to\nhim that is devoid of this heavenly principle, every act which duty\nrequires is grievous and oppressive. To such a one, every religious\nexercise is painful and laborious; whereas the man who sincerely loves the\nLord Jesus Christ, esteems death itself to be in nowise terrible, when\nsubmitted to for his sake. And, therefore, the Apostle says: \u201cUnto you it\nis given, in the the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but\nalso to suffer for his sake\u201d (Phil. 1:29); nay, to lay down life itself,\nwhenever that sacrifice is required of us.\n\n3. In order to confirm thy faith, consider the example of Moses, who, \u201cby\nfaith, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of\nPharaoh\u2019s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people\nof God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the\nreproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.\u201d Heb.\n11:24-26.\n\n4. Consider Daniel, who refused the luxuries of a court, and desired to be\nfed with pulse and water, resolving \u201cthat he would not defile himself with\nthe portion of the king\u2019s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.\u201d Dan.\n1:8, 12. He contemned the pleasures of Babylon, that he might attain \u201cthe\nwisdom that is from above\u201d (James 3:17), which dwells only in a heart\npreserved pure from the pollutions of an unholy world. So, if thou\ndesirest that Christ, the eternal Wisdom, should enter into thy soul, thou\nmust abhor the pleasures of sin. For as Daniel and his companions were\nmade fairer by their sobriety and abstemious life, so be thou firmly\nassured, that thy soul will appear more beautiful and fair in the sight of\nGod, even as \u201cpartaking of the divine nature,\u201d if thou escape \u201cthe\ncorruption that is in the world through lust.\u201d 2 Pet. 1:4.\n\n5. Consider, further, the example of St. Paul, who says, \u201cThe world is\ncrucified unto me, and I unto the world\u201d (Gal. 6:14); that is, I am dead\nto the world, and the world is dead to me. Thus are all true Christians\n_in_ the world, yet not _of_ it. Though they live in it, they do not love\nit; for they view it as a transient shadow; and its pomps, dignities, and\nlusts, as vanity and deceit, vexation and disappointment. Hence, they are\ncrucified to the world, though they remain in it; and the world is\ncrucified to them; that is, they desire no mere worldly honor, wealth or\njoy.\n\n6. How happy is the man who is dead to earthly vanities, and alive to God;\nseparated from the world, and drawn into Christ! How blessed is he into\nwhose heart divine grace is so infused, as wholly to wean it from inferior\nobjects, and exalt it to the fruition of the light and glory of heaven.\nSuch a state is the effect of daily prayer and supplication, without which\na true Christian cannot possibly exist.\n\n7. Agur prayed to the Lord thus: \u201cTwo things, have I required of thee;\ndeny me them not before I die. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me\nwith food convenient for me.\u201d Prov. 30:7, 8. So let the Christian pray:\n\u201cTwo things I desire of thee, O Lord, even these two: that I may die to\nmyself, and to the world.\u201d For without this death, it is utterly\nimpossible to be a true Christian. If thou, O Man! thinkest otherwise,\nthou certainly deceivest thyself, and shalt at last hear from the mouth of\nChrist that awful sentence, \u201cI know you not.\u201d Matt. 7:23; 25:12.\n\n8. Though to die thus to self and to the world, is, to flesh and blood, a\ngrievous cross, yet will the spirit and the love of Christ eventually\ntriumph over every difficulty. So powerful indeed are these aids, that\nthey enable the true Christian to bear all things for the sake of the\nBeloved, as a pleasant yoke and easy burden. And although he who lives a\nlife thus mortified, will be hated by the world, yet shall he be loved of\nGod; for the enmity of the world is friendship with him (James 4:4). And\nthe Lord hath himself declared, \u201cIf ye were of the world, the world would\nlove his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you\nout of the world, therefore the world hateth you.\u201d John 15:19.\n\n9. Those who are dead to the world for the testimony of Jesus, it casts\nout; but it honors and applauds them who, living in the enjoyment of its\npomp and splendor, are its genuine offspring; because they live in the\nworld, and the world liveth in them.\n\n10. In short, that man is not received and commended by the world, but is,\non the contrary, cast out of it, in whose heart, pride, covetousness,\nlust, wrath, revenge, and the other corrupt passions of nature, are\nmortified and restrained. Unto him the world is dead; and he again is dead\nto the world: he begins to live in Christ, and Christ lives in him: and he\nwill be confessed by the Saviour, as one of his peculiar people, in whom\nthe great design of redemption has been effected. To others, on the\ncontrary, it will be said, \u201cI know you not, as ye, in like manner, knew me\nnot.\u201d You have not confessed me before men, but have been ashamed of my\nlife, my meekness, humility, and patience; and I will not confess you: you\nhave despised the shame of my cross; and you shall be with shame disowned\nby me. Mark 8:38. For whoever refuses to live with Christ in time, cannot\nexpect to live with him in eternity: whoever has not the life of Christ\nhere, shall never have it set forth in him hereafter: and whoever disdains\nto follow Jesus in the present world, shall never be glorified with him in\nthe world to come.\n\n11. Therefore, O Man! strictly scrutinize thy life, and see whether thou\nbearest a greater conformity to the life of Christ, or to the life of the\ndevil: for thou must inevitably be united to one or other of these\nthroughout all eternity.\n\n12. If thou art dead to thyself and to thy depraved desires within thee,\nthou wilt find it no hard task to die to the world and its vain\nallurements which are without thee: and whoever is thus dead to the world,\nwill not love it or the things which it contains; for, \u201cif any man love\nthe world, the love of the Father is not in him.\u201d 1 John 2:15. Again, how\nshall his desires any more go out after the world without him, when he is\ndead to it? Great indeed would be the loss sustained by a lover of the\nblessed God, were he, in any degree, to yield to the allurements of the\nworld, and allow it to obtain a share in that affection which should be\nfixed solely on the Supreme Good. A soul so undecided would soon be\nentirely vanquished by the blandishments of sin, as was Samson by the\ncharms of Delilah (Judg. 16:6); and would become subject to all that\nmisery and vexation of heart, which invariably attend the love of this\nworld.\n\n13. The love of the world appertains not to the _new_ creature, but to the\n_old_: for the world has nothing to bestow but honor and vainglory,\nriches, pleasures, and carnal desires; in these the \u201cold man\u201d delights.\nThe new man, on the other hand, has no peace except in Christ, who is his\nhonor and glory, his riches and his heaven.\n\n14. And as nothing can be conceived of that is greater or more exalted\nthan the image of God renewed in Christ Jesus, so it should be our only\nconcern and care, to render ourselves partakers of this exalted honor;\nremembering the words of Tauler, \u201cWhat man, who is possessed of reason,\ncan doubt for a moment, that God can infinitely more rejoice and delight\nthe heart, than the corrupt and indigent creature is capable of doing?\u201d\n\n15. In addition to this, the Scriptures assure us that man was not created\nfor the world\u2019s sake, but the world for man\u2019s. It was not to pamper his\nappetite, to heap up riches, or to extend his empire without limits, that\nman was formed; it was not that he might acquire large estates and\npossessions, erect palaces, or be gorgeously attired, that he was endued\nwith a soul intelligent and immortal: man was made to be _lord_ of the\nearth, and not its _slave_; to subdue, and not to be subdued. He was not\nto seek his pleasure and enjoyment on earth, however fair and fascinating\nit might be to a depraved taste: he was not destined to be an heir of this\ninferior world, nor the possessor of terrestrial, treasures, nor to be\nactuated by any worldly motive whatsoever. Man is to depart hence, as one\nthat dwells on earth as a _tenant at will_. He was not made for it, and\ncannot remain in it; he entered it naked, and naked he must quit it again.\nMany, indeed, are born into the world at the same time; but an equal\nnumber, on the other hand, are daily taken out by death; nor can any carry\nwith them even an atom of the treasures which they had accumulated upon\nearth.\n\n16. Man, then, is but a guest and a pilgrim below; and most obvious it is,\nthat he was not created for this temporal life, and that this world was\nnever designed to be the _end_ of his being. That _end_ is God, and the\nimage of God in Christ Jesus, unto which we are renewed by the Spirit; and\nwe are created for the kingdom of God and for eternal life. These our\nblessed Redeemer purchased for us, when they had been forfeited by us; and\nit is his Spirit that regenerates men who had been without God in the\nworld.\n\n17. How unreasonable, therefore, is it in man to fix his affections on\ntemporal objects, when we are assured that the soul is infinitely more\nnoble and more precious than the whole world! How preposterous is it, that\nhe should lavish his time in the pursuit of earthly things, when he is\nconscious that he was created to bear the image of God in Christ, through\nthe Holy Spirit! Therefore, let us now solemnly repeat what has been\nbefore affirmed, namely, that man was not made for the world, but the\nworld for man. The excellency of the image of God in Christ Jesus, is\ninconceivably great and glorious: so that were all mankind to unite their\nlabor and might, their wealth, their honors, and their all, they could not\nsucceed in restoring even _one_ soul to the possession of this image. It\nbecame requisite that Christ himself should die, in order that this divine\nimage which had been utterly defaced by sin, might, through His Spirit, be\nrevived; and that man might again become the temple and house of God\nthrough all eternity.\n\n18. This being duly considered, as certainly it ought to be, how is it\nthat man so thoroughly debases his soul as to seek after the things of\nthis world, its honors, its pleasures, lusts, and wealth? He should surely\nreason with himself, and say: \u201cShall I, for the sake of a little gold, or\nfor this fading world, or for all the honors and pleasures it can afford\nme,\u2014shall I, for the sake of _these_, sacrifice my _immortal soul_, which\nChrist has redeemed at so infinite a price? God forbid.\u201d \u201cWhat is a man\nprofited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what\nshall a man give in exchange for his soul?\u201d Matt. 16:26. Alas! the \u201cwhole\nworld,\u201d with all its power and glory, could not avail to rescue one soul\nfrom eternal destruction; for the soul is immortal, while the world\npasseth away with all that it contains. 1 Cor. 7:31; 1 John 2:17.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIV.\n\n\nThe True Christian, Who Imitates Christ, Hates His Own Life In This World,\n                         And Forsakes The World.\n\n\n    _If any man come to me, and hate not ... his own life also, he\n    cannot be my disciple._-LUKE 14:26. _He that loveth his life shall\n    lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it\n    unto life eternal._\u2014JOHN 12:25.\n\n\nIn order that a man may hate himself, he must, in the first place, cease\nto love himself; secondly, he must daily die to sin; and, thirdly,\nmaintain a continual warfare with his corrupt nature, or the flesh.\n\n2. There is nothing that more obstructs the everlasting salvation of\nmankind than _self-love_. This is not to be understood of that natural\nlove which excites to a due regard to self-preservation, but of that\ncarnal and inordinate affection which influences man to be wholly\nconcerned about himself, without any reference to the Supreme Being, the\ngreat Author of life. In this sense the term is used in the present Book.\nMan was created to love God alone; and since God only is to be loved, it\nfollows that he who loves himself is an idolater, and makes of himself a\ngod. The heart of man rejoices and rests in the object of his affection;\nand, whatever this be, he is brought by it into bondage, and is devoted to\nit. Man, in this state, is become a servant, and is deprived of that\ngenuine liberty in the enjoyment of which he was originally created; and\nin this lapsed and divided state he must serve as many masters as there\nare objects upon which his affections are placed. But if thy love, O man!\nbe sincerely and simply fixed on God, then thou art subject to no lord but\nHim; and thou preservest thy liberty with all the privileges appertaining\nto it. It becometh thee, therefore, to be very circumspect in thy life and\nconduct, lest thou shouldst in any degree obstruct the progress of divine\nlove in thy soul. If ever thou desirest to possess God alone, thou must\nmake a surrender of thyself solely to him. If thou lovest and pleasest\nthyself, instead of loving and pleasing God, then sorrow and fear, sadness\nand anxiety, will inevitably attend thee; whereas, if thou wholly yieldest\nthyself unto God, cleaving to him and delighting thyself in him alone,\nthen he will never leave thee nor forsake thee, but remove by his gracious\npresence all fear and anxiety from thy mind. He, on the other hand, who\nseeks himself in all situations and in every circumstance, and who\nincessantly pursues after profit, praise, and lust, can never attain to\nserenity and peace of mind; for some circumstance there always will be to\ncross his desires and to disturb his rest. Never, therefore, yield to the\nbelief that an accession of fame, wealth, or honor in this world, is\nalways good and profitable for thee; when, on the contrary, a righteous\ncontempt of all such transient objects, nay, an utter extirpation of our\nlove of them, would be attended with an infinite blessing and advantage.\n\n3. As then, on the one hand, the things of this life, such as praise,\nriches, and pleasure, are frail, and pass away with the world that\nsupplies them, while, on the other, the love of God endureth forever, it\nis evident that no satisfaction can be durable that is founded upon the\nlove of self and of earthly objects. Such peace would be interrupted by\nevery trivial circumstance that occurred; whereas, when the mind is firmly\nset upon God and upon his love, it cannot fail to be preserved in perfect\npeace and perpetual serenity amid all the changes of this life. Forsake\nthou, therefore, all things, and thou shalt, by faith, recover all things\nagain; for never can the lover of himself and of the world find the\nblessed God.\n\n4. Inordinate self-love is begotten of the world, and not of God; it is\nearthly, and the chief enemy to \u201cthe wisdom which is from above.\u201d James\n3:17. This wisdom does not seek the praise and applause of men; and though\nin itself \u201ca pearl of great price\u201d (Matt. 13:46), yet appearing with no\nother recommendation than its own native simplicity, it is but little\nvalued in the world, and, with but few exceptions, is entirely neglected\nand forgotten; and though there are many who make a boast of this wisdom,\nyet the gem conceals itself from all who do not desire to apply it in\ntheir practice. If, therefore, thou desirest to be possessed of it, O man!\nlay aside all that human wisdom which \u201cpuffeth up\u201d (1 Cor. 8:1), together\nwith thy self-love and self-applause, and then shalt thou exchange thy\nearthly wisdom, which the world admires, for that which is heavenly and\ndivine. Then, instead of the wisdom of this world, which in its nature is\nelevated and seeks the applause of men, thou shalt be put in possession of\na wisdom which, far from attracting the notice of the world, is despised\nand rejected by it, but which is, nevertheless, of a divine origin, and of\neverlasting continuance.\n\n5. It is impossible to love God, until thou abhorrest thyself; that is,\nuntil thou art heartily displeased with thyself and with thy sins; until\nthy own carnal nature is crucified, together with the evil propensities of\nthy self-will. For the more a man strives to love God, the more he labors\nto subdue the lusts of the flesh and his sensual appetites; and the more\nhe departs from self and from self-love, by the power of the Spirit of\nGod, the more nearly he approaches, by faith, unto God, and to his divine\nlove. For as inward peace depends on a freedom from desires after the\nthings of this world; so when this peace is once settled in the soul, and\nthe heart has disengaged itself from the ties which bound it to the\ncreature, it returns freely into God, and rests in him alone.\n\n6. Now he who is sincerely disposed to deny himself, must follow, not his\nown will, but the will of Christ, who has declared, \u201cI am the way, and the\ntruth, and the life.\u201d John 14:6. As though he had said: \u201cWithout the way,\nno man walketh; without the truth, nothing is known; and without life, no\nman liveth: therefore, look upon me, who am the way in which it is thy\nduty to walk, the truth in which thou art called to believe, and the life\nin which thou art bound to live. I am the unerring way, the infallible\ntruth, and the everlasting life: the way to immortality is through my\nmerit; the truth itself is in my word; and life is through the efficacy of\nmy death; and, therefore, if thou continuest in the _way_, the _truth_\nwill guide thee unto eternal _life_. If thou desirest not to go astray,\nfollow me; if thou wilt know the truth, believe in me; and if thou wouldst\npossess life everlasting, put thy whole trust in me, who for thy sake have\nendured the death of the cross.\u201d\n\n7. What, indeed, is the safe way, the infallible truth, and the endless\nlife? What, the way, truth, and life, that are more excellent than every\nother? Surely there is no way, but the holy and precious merits of Christ;\nno truth, but his eternal word; no life, but a blissful immortality in\nheaven. If, therefore, O Christian! thou desirest to be raised up into\nheaven with Christ Jesus, believe in him here, and tread in the footsteps\nof his humility; this is the safe Way to everlasting glory. If thou\nwouldst escape the snares of the world, take hold of his Word by faith,\nand follow the example which he has left for thy imitation; because this\nis the infallible Truth. And if it be thy wish to live with Christ, then\ndie thou with him and in him unto sin, and become a new creature; for this\nis Life. Thus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life; and he is so,\nboth by his example and by his merit.\n\n8. \u201cBe ye followers of God as dear children.\u201d Eph. 5:1. Let us labor and\nstrive after this one thing; that our lives may resemble the life of\nChrist. Were there nothing else to confound the false Christian, the\nexample of Christ might effectually and abundantly do it. When we consider\nthat Christ our Lord passed his life in grief and pain, we ought to be\nashamed to spend our lives in ease and pleasures. If the soldier forgets\nhis own ease and comfort when he beholds his captain fighting unto death,\nshalt thou pursue after worldly pleasures and honors, when thy Prince was\nso ignominiously treated, and, for thy sake, nailed to the cross? Is it\nnot a sign that then thou dost not, in fact, fight under his banner?\n\n9. It is true that, in our day, every one desires to be considered a\nChristian; but how few are they who imitate the life and deportment of\nChrist! Had it been the character of a follower of Christ, to aim at the\nacquisition of honors and possessions, our Lord would never have taught\nthat these are not worthy to be compared with heavenly treasures.\nContemplate the life and doctrine of the blessed Jesus, and thou shalt own\nthat nothing can be more opposed than he and the world. Behold that manger\nand that stable! do they not forcibly evidence a contempt of worldly\nthings? And will the example of Christ lead thee to err from the right\nway? No! he is the way, and he is the truth; and his life, compared with\nhis doctrine, is the only means to preserve thee from mistake, and to\nguard thee from the delusions and errors of the world. Since then the Lord\nhath chosen to enter into his glory by the way of suffering and reproach,\nwhy shouldst thou labor to make thy way to hell, through the pomps and\nvanities of the world? Return, then, O deluded soul! escape from the broad\nway that leadeth unto death, and in which thy only enjoyment is \u201cthe\npleasures of sin for a season\u201d (Heb. 11:25); enter into this safe Way, in\nwhich the wayfaring man shall not stray: cordially embrace that Truth\nwhich never can deceive: and live in Him who is Life itself. This way is\nthe truth, and this truth is the way. Awful blindness! a worm of the earth\nwould make himself great in the world, when the Lord of glory abased\nhimself to the very dust. O faithful soul! when thy bridegroom moves to\nmeet thee, clothed with humility, come down from the elevation of thy\npride and ambition, and descend into the vale of humiliation to meet him,\nand he will embrace and receive thee with joy.\n\n10. As Abraham quitted his father\u2019s house, to go into a land which the\nLord was to show him (Gen. 12:1), so quit thou, as a true child of\nAbraham, the pleasure-house of self-will and self-love, that thou mayest\nobtain the divine blessing. Self-love biases the judgment, blinds the\nunderstanding, disturbs the reason, seduces the will, corrupts the\nconscience, closes the gates of life, and acknowledges neither God nor\nneighbor. It banishes virtue; seeks after honors, riches, and pleasures;\nand, in a word, prefers earth to heaven. He, therefore, who thus \u201cloveth\nhis life, shall lose it; but he that hateth his life\u201d (that is, resists\nthis principle of self-love), \u201cshall keep it unto life eternal.\u201d John\n12:25. Self-love is the root of impenitence, and the cause of damnation.\nThey who are controlled by self-love and self-honor are destitute of\nhumility and a knowledge of sin; consequently, they never can obtain the\nremission of sin, though they seek it with tears; their tears not being\nshed because they have offended God, but merely on account of the personal\nloss which they have sustained.\n\n11. The kingdom of heaven is compared in Scripture to \u201ca pearl of great\nprice;\u201d in order to obtain which, a man sold _all_ that he had. Matt.\n13:45, 46. This pearl is God himself, and that eternal life which he has\npromised, and for the attainment of which every other object must be\nforsaken. We have an example of this in our Lord Jesus Christ, who\ndescended from heaven not for his own sake, but for thy sake; not for his\nown profit and advantage, but for thine. Luke 19:10. And wilt thou yet\ndelay to love him who gave himself up unto death for thee?\n\n12. It doubtless is the part of a faithful spouse, to please her husband\nalone: and art thou desirous of pleasing the world, when thou mayest be\nespoused unto Christ, the great lover of souls? Forsake therefore and\nsincerely despise all that is in the world, in order that thou mayest\nbecome worthy of the eminent dignity of this spiritual marriage: for if\nthy love cleave not solely to Christ, it is a corrupt and adulterous love,\nand not that which a Christian should bear to the Redeemer. For the\nChristian\u2019s love to the Redeemer must possess virgin purity.\n\n13. The law of Moses required that the priest should marry a virgin\n(Levit. 21:13, 14); and Christ, our High Priest, will espouse only a\n_virgin-soul_; one that is attached to nothing that the world can offer,\nbut solely to himself; nay, one that loves not even herself, in comparison\nwith Christ. \u201cIf any man come to me,\u201d he says, \u201cand hate not his _own\nlife_, he cannot be my disciple.\u201d Luke 14:26.\n\n14. In order to understand what is meant by hating ourselves, we are to\nremember that we carry about with us \u201cthe old man,\u201d and are indeed the old\nman himself; whose nature is to hasten from one sin to another, to love\nhimself, to pursue his own profit and honor, and to indulge his own will\nand carnal appetite. For the flesh is at all times the same; always\nconsidering itself, easily grieved, envious, bitter, covetous, and\nrevengeful. This, O Man! is what thou doest: these sinful motions proceed\nfrom thy heart; this is thy very life, even the life of the old man in\nthee: and therefore thou must of necessity hate thyself, and thine own\nnatural life, if ever thou desirest to be a disciple of Christ. Whoever\nloves himself, must love his own pride and avarice, his own wrath and\nhatred, envy and lying, perfidiousness and unrighteousness; and, in short,\nhe must love all the progeny of unholy desires, and a corrupt heart. But\nif thou desirest to be a Christian indeed, thou must not love, nor excuse,\nnor palliate thy sins, but thou must hate them, forsake them, and subdue\nthem.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XV.\n\n\nShowing How The \u201cOld Man\u201d Daily Dies, And The \u201cNew Man\u201d Is Daily Renewed,\nIn A True Christian; Also, Wherein Self-Denial Consists, And What Is Meant\n                        By The Christian\u2019s Cross.\n\n\n    _If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up\n    his cross daily, and follow me._\u2014LUKE 9:23.\n\n\nIt is the charge of the apostle Paul, \u201cPut off the _old man_, which is\ncorrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of\nyour mind; and put on the _new man_, which after God is created in\nrighteousness and true holiness.\u201d Eph. 4:22-24. And in another of his\nEpistles, he gives us a reason for doing so: \u201cYe are not your own; for ye\nare bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your\nspirit, which are God\u2019s.\u201d 1 Cor. 6:19, 20.\n\n2. We have already noticed what is meant by _the old man_; namely, pride,\ncovetousness, lasciviousness, unrighteousness, wrath, enmity, hatred,\netc.; all of which must die in the Christian, if ever the _new man_ arise\nin him again, and is day by day renewed.\n\n3. In proportion as the old man dies, the new man is quickened. As pride\nloses its influence, humility, by the grace of God the Holy Spirit,\nsucceeds; as wrath yields, meekness advances; as covetousness is done\naway, trust in God is increased; and as the love of the world is removed,\nthe love of God takes its place in the soul, and becomes more and more\nvigorous and ardent. In this consists the renovation of the new man. This\nis the fruit of the Spirit; this is practical and living faith (Gal.\n5:22); this is Christ in us; this is the new command of Christ and new\nobedience; this is the result of the new birth in us, in which thou must\nlive if thou desirest to be a child of God; for those only who so live\nhave a right to be so called.\n\n4. This is the reason why a man ought now to deny himself; to renounce his\nown honor and will, his own love and pleasure, and all his profit and\ninterest in the world; and why he ought freely to give up his own right\nand life, and consider himself unworthy of everything that Providence\nbestows upon him. A real Christian, who is endued with the humility of\nChrist, readily owns that no man can lay claim to even the least of those\nbenefits that descend from above, because they are all gifts, and freely\nproceed from the goodness of God. On this account he uses all as being\nreally the property of God, with fear and trembling; not to promote his\nown pleasure and satisfaction, his own profit and praise, but from\nnecessity alone, and because he cannot otherwise subsist.\n\n5. Let a true Christian who denies himself, and a false Christian who is\nfilled with inordinate self-love, be compared together. If an affront be\noffered to the latter, you may soon behold his anger rising, and visible\nmarks of passion and discontent; and these are, not unfrequently, followed\nup by reproachful language and actions, by a spirit of revenge, and\nsometimes by imprecations and curses. All this proceeds from the _old\nman_, whose proper character it is to be angry and bitter, and to exhibit\nrancor and asperity. On the contrary, he that is a Christian indeed, and\nhas sincerely begun to practice self-denial, is gentle, patient, and ready\nto forgive; free from a revengeful spirit; full of compassion and\ntenderness; and esteems himself worthy of all the sufferings which\nProvidence may be pleased to allot to him. These qualities are all\nincluded in _self-denial_.\n\n6. In the exercise of this patience, meekness, and lowliness of mind, our\nLord Jesus Christ has set us an example by willingly denying himself. \u201cThe\nSon of man,\u201d he says, \u201ccame not to be ministered unto, but to minister\u201d\n(Matt. 20:28); and again, \u201cI am among you as he that serveth\u201d (Luke\n22:27); and in another place, \u201cThe Son of man hath not where to lay his\nhead.\u201d Luke 9:58. David, when reviled by Shimei, practised the duty of\nself-denial, for his words were: \u201cThe Lord hath said unto him, Curse\nDavid.\u201d 2 Sam. 16:10. As if he had said: \u201cI am a worm in the sight of God,\nand deserve to suffer far worse things.\u201d And thus have all the saints and\nprophets of God freely denied their own will, and esteemed themselves\nunworthy of every blessing. They bore the burden of their day with\npatience (Acts 5:40, 41); they cursed not when they were cursed; they\nblessed their persecutors, and prayed for them by whom they were\nslaughtered (Acts 7:60); and thus, \u201cthrough much tribulation, entered into\nthe kingdom of God.\u201d Acts 14:22.\n\n7. This was true when they acknowledged themselves unworthy of any favor,\nbut worthy of all the evils that could befall them.\n\n8. Now, this self-denial is the cross of Christ, which he has encouraged\nus to bear, saying: \u201cIf any man will come after me, let him deny himself\nand take up his cross daily, and follow me.\u201d Luke 9:23. This self-denying\nlife is a severe cross to the flesh; the natural man desires a life free\nfrom restraint and contradiction, and would follow the inclination of his\nown will, and seek after his own ease and pleasure, rather than the\nhumility, patience, and meekness of Christ, with the other graces of his\nlife and example.\n\n9. But whatever opposition _the old man may_ raise for a time, he has\nreceived the sentence of death, and if thy soul be ever saved, he must\nsurely die. For never canst thou be clothed with the humility of Christ\nunless thy natural pride be first subdued; nor canst thou feel a love of\nhis poverty unless thy avarice and thy love of the world be first\novercome. Thou wilt not be able to follow Christ in the contempt of\nvainglory, nor to endure the reproach of his cross, until thine ambition\nbe rooted out; nor wilt thou ever express in thy life the meekness and\npatience of Jesus until thy revengeful spirit be inwardly mortified.\n\n10. These are the spiritual exercises which the Scriptures mean when they\nspeak of _denying ourselves_, of _bearing the cross of Christ_, and of\n_following him_,\u2014exercises that are submitted to, not with any expectation\nof profit, merit, reward, interest, or praise, but from pure love to the\nSaviour, and because Christ hath passed through all this before us, and\n\u201chath left us an example that we should follow his steps.\u201d Since the image\nof God is the greatest dignity of man, we ought the more earnestly to\npractise the duty of self-denial, by which that image, effaced by sin, is\nrevived within us. And as this is the highest honor of which our nature is\nsusceptible, so is it the strongest inducement that can possibly be\nsuggested to endear to us the practice of self-denial.\n\n11. Why, then, should man so eagerly desire the fading honors of this\nworld, which, however they may raise him in the estimation of his\nfellow-mortals, render him in no degree more acceptable in the sight of\nGod. The great and the wise have bodies composed of flesh and blood as the\nmeanest and the most despised; so that, in this respect, no man has the\nslightest superiority over another. One is born even as the other, and\ndies even as the other; for the beginning and end of all men, as to this\nworld, is alike. What folly then is it to covet worldly honors and the\npraise of men! Such desires spring from the root of self-love, that bane\nof the soul, that seed of all spiritual diseases, by which the heart of\nman is turned from God to the world, and from Christ to _self_. How\nincapable and how backward is the lover of himself to obey the words of\nthe blessed Redeemer, and to lose his life for His sake that he may save\nit. This is a paradox hostile to the inclinations of the \u201cold nature,\u201d and\ntherefore but little considered by the bulk of mankind.\n\n12. Alas! how small is the number of those who have a thorough knowledge\nof the depraved life of the old Adam, or who heartily strive against it!\nAnd yet, if ever we would rescue our souls from perdition, we must die to\nit and to all its restless workings. Whatever corruptions have been\nentailed on us by Adam, must be removed in Christ. In his humility, our\npride and ambition must expire; in beholding his poverty, our thirst after\nearthly things must die away. The contemplation of his bitter sufferings\nshould subdue our sensual lusts; the reproaches which he endured, and the\nentire resignation with which he submitted to the contempt of the world,\nshould restrain us from the pursuit of worldly honors, and from the\nindulgence of anger and passion.\n\n13. He who is thus dead to himself, will also readily die to the world,\nits pomps, and wealth, and honors, and pleasures, solacing himself with\nthose higher riches, dignities, and enjoyments, to which he is admitted by\nfaith in Christ. He becomes, indeed, \u201ca stranger upon the earth\u201d (Ps.\n39:12), but he is the friend of Christ, and Christ will comfort his heart\nwith the light of his countenance here, and with joy everlasting and\nunutterable in the world to come.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVI.\n\n\n A Conflict Is Constantly Maintained In The Christian Between The Spirit\n                              And The Flesh.\n\n\n    _I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my\n    mind._\u2014ROM. 7:23.\n\n\nThe two opposite principles in the heart of the real Christian, are spoken\nof by the apostle under different names, viz.: _the inward and outward\nman_ (2 Cor. 4:16), the _law of the mind_ and the law of the members (Rom.\n7:23), and the _flesh and spirit_. \u201cThe flesh,\u201d says he, \u201clusteth against\nthe Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.\u201d Gal. 5:17.\n\n2. When the Spirit conquers the flesh, then man lives in the new nature\nand is in God and in Christ: but when the flesh vanquishes the Spirit, and\nthus gains the ascendency, then man lives in the devil and in the old\nnature; he is under the dominion of the world, and without the kingdom of\nGod, and, consequently, is called _carnal_. And \u201cto be carnally minded is\ndeath.\u201d Rom. 8:6.\n\n3. It is according to the predominance of either of these principles (the\nflesh and the Spirit), that a man obtains his name in Scripture, and is\ncalled _carnal_ or _spiritual_. When the flesh and its sensual lusts are\nsubdued, it is an indication of the strength of the spirit, and of a man\u2019s\nproficiency in the inward life; but if a man be vanquished by the flesh,\nit betrays the weakness both of his faith and spirit.\n\n4. Solomon says, \u201cHe that ruleth his spirit (his mind), is better than he\nthat taketh a city.\u201d Prov. 16:32. If, then, thou desirest to be a valiant\nconqueror, and to gain an immortal victory, conquer thyself; subdue thy\npassions, mortify thy pride, quell thine ambition, and destroy every\ninordinate lust with which thou art assailed; and thus shalt thou\noverthrow the kingdom of Satan, who, by means of such sins, ruleth in the\nworld. Many have signalized themselves by the capture of towns and cities;\nbut, alas! how few are they who, in a higher sense, may be denominated\n_conquerors of the world_!\n\n5. If thou yieldest too far to the flesh, thou destroyest thy soul. It is\nsurely better that the soul overcome, and that the body also be preserved,\nthan that, the body overcoming, both body and soul should be destroyed\ntogether.\n\n6. This contest, though attended with various trials and difficulties,\nwill, however, issue in a glorious victory and a heavenly crown: \u201cBe thou\nfaithful unto death,\u201d saith the Captain of our salvation, \u201cand I will give\nthee a crown of life.\u201d Rev. 2:10. And the disciple that lay in his bosom\ntells us, \u201cThis is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.\u201d\n1 John 5:4. Thou wilt say, What is it to overcome the world? We answer, It\nis the world within us, which is here principally meant. Overcome thy\n_self_, and then the victory over the world is thine.\n\n7. Some may, perhaps, be here ready to inquire, \u201cWhat, if sin sometimes\nclosely beset me, and bear me away against my will; must I be excluded\nfrom the number of God\u2019s children, according to that saying of St. John,\n\u2018He that committeth sin is of the devil\u2019?\u201d 1 John 3:8. To this it must be\nreplied: If thou feelest the conflict of the Spirit against the flesh, and\nart grieved that thou sometimes doest things which thou wouldst not, it is\nan evidence that, amidst the infirmities which encompass thee, thy faith\nand thy spirit struggle against the flesh, and are opposed to it. St. Paul\nhimself teaches us that this warfare has place even in godly and believing\nsouls, when he says, \u201cI see another law in my members warring against the\nlaw of my mind (that is, against the new, inward man), and bringing me\ninto captivity to the law of sin which is in my members\u201d (Rom. 7:23); thus\ncausing him sometimes to do the things which he would not. To will, was\npresent with him; but to perform the good which he would, he was not\nalways able; inasmuch as he could not do of himself the good which he\nwould, while to do the evil which he would not, was always easy to him.\nHence he exclaims, \u201cO wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from\nthe body of this death?\u201d Rom. 7:24. And to this agrees what Christ himself\nsays: \u201cThe spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.\u201d Matt. 26:41;\nMark 14:38.\n\n8. As long, therefore, as this _conflict_ is felt in man, sin cannot be\nsaid to _rule_ in him; for he who is continually fighting against sin,\nresists its struggles for dominion; and sin cannot destroy the man who\nopposes the attempts which it makes upon the soul.\n\n9. It is the experience of all the saints, that they alike have sin,\naccording to the word of St. John: \u201cIf we say that we have no sin, we\ndeceive ourselves.\u201d 1 John 1:8. It is not, however, the _indwelling_ sin\nthat condemns a man, but the _reigning_ sin. The sin with which we\ncontend, and to the commission of which we do not consent, is not imputed\nto us; as St. Paul says: \u201cThere is therefore now no condemnation to them\nwhich are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the\nSpirit\u201d (Rom. 8:1); that is, who do not permit the flesh to rule. But as\nfor those who are altogether strangers to this spiritual strife, this\ncombat of the flesh and Spirit, they are not born again, but are under the\n_reigning_ influence of sin; they remain the servants of sin and Satan,\nand are, consequently, damned; for \u201cthe law of the Spirit of life\u201d hath\nnot made them \u201cfree from the law of sin and death\u201d (Rom. 8:2), so long as\nthey thus suffer sin to rule over them, and to \u201creign in their mortal\nbody.\u201d\n\n10. All this is illustrated in Josh. 16:10. The remnant of the Canaanites\nwere permitted to dwell amongst the children of Israel, but not to have\ndominion over them; and thus the Israel of God feel their remaining\nimperfections, but do not allow them to gain the pre-eminence. To preserve\nthis pre-eminence is the duty of the new man in Christ, whose name is\nIsrael (that is, _a prince of God_) (Gen. 32:28); and who, as a _prince_,\nhath power with God, and shall at last prevail.\n\n11. This daily strife with the old man, is an encouraging evidence of the\nexistence of the new man; for it plainly indicates that there are two\ncontending principles in him who is the subject of it. The strength of the\nspirit and the victory succeeding it, demonstrate the true Israelite; and\nthe warfare of the spirit indicates the real Christian. The land of Canaan\ncannot indeed be gained without war: but when the flesh, like the\nCanaanite of old, invades the territories of the spirit, it then becomes\nthe part of the spiritual and true Israel not to submit to such a master;\nbut, after true repentance and remission of sin, to collect new strength\nin Christ, and by the grace of God to rise again from his fall, and\nearnestly implore Jesus, our true Joshua, to vanquish for him and in him,\nthe spiritual Canaanite, the enemy of his soul. When this is accomplished,\nthe sinner is not only forgiven and restored to favor, but he is likewise\nrefreshed and strengthened in Christ, his great Captain in this spiritual\ncombat. With regard, therefore, to such as continue to feel many\ninfirmities in the flesh, and who cannot do the things which they would, I\nexhort them to cleave to Jesus as sincere penitents, and to cover their\nblemishes with his perfect obedience. It is in this order, and in this\norder alone, that the imputation of Christ\u2019s merits becomes salutary and\neffectual; that is, when a man forsakes his sin, and by daily repentance\nstrives against it; repairs his former losses, and guards against future\ntemptations. But while the sinner remains a stranger to brokenness of\nheart on account of transgression; while he continues to gratify the\nunholy propensities of the flesh, nothing can be more absurd than for him\nto suppose that the merits of Christ are imputed to him; for how can the\nblood of Christ benefit him who treads it under foot? Heb. 10:29.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVII.\n\n\nThe Inheritance And Possessions Of Christians Are Not Of This World; They\n Should, Therefore, Regard Themselves As Strangers In It, While They Make\n                          Use Of Earthly Things.\n\n\n    _We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can\n    carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be\n    therewith content._\u20141 TIM. 6:7, 8.\n\n\nThe design of the blessed God in creating temporal things, was that they\nmight supply man\u2019s bodily wants; and it is right that they should be used\nfor such a purpose, and be received at the hands of God with gratitude,\nattended with fear and trembling. In regard to those things which are not\nabsolutely necessary, whether gold and silver, food and raiment, etc.,\nthey are left to man in order to _prove_ him; so that from the manner in\nwhich he employs these objects, it may be discovered how he stands\naffected towards God, while possessed of the goods of this world: whether,\non the one hand, he will still cleave to God, and in the midst of earthly\npossessions, keep his eye constantly fixed on those which are to come; or\nwhether, withdrawing his love from God, he will attach himself to this\nfleeting world, and prefer a fading earthly paradise, to that which is\npermanent and heavenly.\n\n2. Man is therefore left to his own liberty and choice, in order that he\nmay be judged hereafter according to that which he has chosen here, and\nthus be without excuse in that day. Agreeably to this principle, it was\nthe solemn declaration of Moses to the people of Israel: \u201cI call heaven\nand earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life\nand death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and\nthy seed may live.\u201d Deut. 30:19.\n\n3. The things of this world are then designed, not to fill us with earthly\ndelight and pleasures, but to be tests and trials of our fidelity. In\nthese trials the fall is very easy, when once we begin to withdraw from\nGod. The pleasures of this world are the fruits of a forbidden tree; of\nwhich we are warned by God not to eat, lest our minds going out after them\nshould eventually take delight in them, after the manner of those who know\nno other pleasures, but such as are derived from earthly objects. These\npersons, by indulging the flesh, convert meat, drink, and apparel into\nsnares by which they are turned away from God.\n\n4. It certainly is the duty of every true Christian, to esteem himself a\nstranger and pilgrim in this world; and as bound to use earthly blessings,\nnot as means of satiating lust or gratifying wantonness, but of supplying\nhis absolute wants and necessities. We ought not to set our affections on\nthese inferior objects, but on Him alone who is able to satisfy them. To\ndo otherwise, is to expose ourselves to dangerous temptations, and with\nEve, to eat daily of the forbidden tree. The real Christian is not intent\nupon worldly concerns, or delicious fare; for his interior eye is directed\nto that bread which endureth unto eternal life. Nor is he solicitous about\nfine and fashionable apparel; aspiring rather after robes of divine light,\nand the raiment of glorified bodies. In short, all things that please the\nnatural man in this world, are, to a true Christian, only so many crosses\nand temptations, allurements of sin and snares of death, that continually\nexercise his virtue. Whatever man uses without the fear of God, whatever\nhe applies to the mere gratifying of his flesh, cannot fail to operate as\na poison to the soul, however pleasant and salutary it may appear to be to\nthe body. Yet, so far from laboring to know the forbidden tree of worldly\npleasures and its various fruits, man gives himself up to a careless and\nthoughtless state of life, and yields to the lust of the flesh, not\nconsidering that this lust is really _the forbidden tree_.\n\n5. The Christian, on the other hand, uses all things in the fear of God,\nand as a stranger and pilgrim on the earth; avoiding every kind of excess\nin meat, drink, apparel, houses, and the other things of this life, lest,\nby an improper use of them, he should offend both his Father in heaven,\nand his fellow-Christians upon earth. He will not so much as gaze on the\n_forbidden tree_, in order that he may not be ensnared; but with the eye\nof faith, he steadfastly beholds the future felicity of the soul, and for\nthe sake of this felicity, refuses to yield to the cravings of corrupt\nnature. What does it profit the body that in this world it swims in lusts\nand pleasures, when, after a short period, it must be devoured by worms,\nand stripped of all its enjoyments! \u201cNaked,\u201d says Job, \u201ccame I out of my\nmother\u2019s womb, and naked shall I return thither.\u201d Job 1:21. We bring into\nthe world a naked and infirm, a poor and indigent body; and even this is\nthe spoil of death; for when we pass out of this world we leave it behind\nus forever.\n\n6. Whatever we enjoy from the time of our birth to the period of our\ndissolution, is all the bread of mercy and affliction, and designed to\nsupply the bare wants of this mortal life. At the approach of death all is\ntaken from us again, and we depart out of the world poorer than when we\nentered it. When man enters the world, he brings with him life and a body,\nand finds the necessary shelter, meat, and drink provided for him; but,\nafter existing a short time, he is, in a moment, bereft of all, and leaves\nbehind him even his body and his life. Consider then, O man! whether there\ncan be anything more wretched and poor, more naked and miserable, than man\nwhen he dies, if he be not clothed with Christ\u2019s righteousness, and\nenriched in his God.\n\n7. As, therefore, we are confessedly strangers and pilgrims here, and at\nthe hour of dissolution must leave behind us every earthly enjoyment, let\nus, at least, cease to encumber our souls with things which we cannot\ncarry out of this world, and the use of which is restricted to this life\nonly. Is it not a species of madness to heap up riches for a frail body,\nfor a body which we must leave behind us, and which cannot possibly enjoy\nwealth hereafter? Luke 12:20, 21. Are we ignorant that there is another\nand a better world, another body and another life, and that, whatever we\nmay appear in the sight of men, we are in the eye of God only strangers\nand sojourners on the earth? Ps. 39:12; Lev. 25:23. \u201cYe are,\u201d saith the\nLord, \u201cstrangers and sojourners _with me_,\u201d that is, \u201c_before my eyes_,\nalthough ye may not remember it.\u201d\n\n8. If, then, we are strangers and sojourners, it follows that our country\nand our home must be elsewhere. This will be most evident to us, if we\ncompare time with eternity, the visible with the invisible world, the\nearthly tabernacle with the heavenly, and things that are frail and\nperishing, with those that are lasting and eternal. Such a comparison will\nafford us a due insight into time and eternity, and lead us to behold with\nthe eye of faith, such things as remain altogether unknown to the\nunthinking multitude. It is from the want of this consideration, that so\nmany become lax and disorderly in their manners, wallow in the mire of\nearthly pleasures, and drown themselves in avarice and worldly cares. It\nis from the want of this reflection, that the major part of mankind,\nhowever keen and shrewd in the pursuits of this world, are blind and\ninsensible to the concerns of the immortal soul. They addict themselves so\nmuch to this life, as to esteem it to be the most delightful, the best and\nnoblest of all; while the true Christian, on the contrary, accounts it an\nexile, a vale of tears, a place of misery, a deep and dark prison.\n\n9. Hence it is that those who love this world, and seek their happiness in\nit, do not excel even the brute creation in wisdom or understanding; and\nas they live, so they die like beasts. Ps. 49:12, 20. They are totally\nblind as it respects the inward man; they do not even think of heavenly\nand eternal things; they never rejoice in God, but only in the low and\nsordid pleasures afforded by this world. It is in earthly things that they\nseek their rest and their enjoyment; and having obtained their object\nafter much labor and toil, they sit quietly down and congratulate\nthemselves on their possessions. Wretched, miserable men! blind and\ninsensible to the tremendous concerns of their eternal salvation! here,\nthey lie contentedly in the darkness of ignorance, soon to remove hence to\nthat of death and damnation. Luke 1:79.\n\n10. In order to our better acquaintance with the nature of our pilgrimage\nhere, we should unceasingly consider the example left us by the Redeemer,\nand earnestly follow him both in his life and doctrine. He hath set us an\nunerring pattern of universal holiness. He is our captain and our guide;\nand to his life and manners, our lives and our manners should be\nconformed. Go thou, therefore, and look unto him; unto him who, when the\ngreatest of all men, voluntarily chose that life in which nothing of\ngreatness appeared; a life of meanness, poverty, and contempt of honor,\nwealth, and pleasure, the threefold deity of this world. All these things,\nto which the world offers sacrifice, the Lord contemned; for he himself\nsaid, \u201cHe had not where to lay his head.\u201d Matt. 8:20.\n\n11. Such, likewise, was the character of David; who, before his exaltation\nto the throne, was poor and despised; and who, when created king,\naccounted all his regal splendor as nothing compared with eternal life,\nand the kingdom of God, to which he was called. \u201cHow amiable,\u201d says he,\n\u201care thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth\nfor the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the\nliving God.\u201d\u2014\u201cA day in thy courts is better than a thousand.\u201d Ps. 84. As\nif he had said, I possess indeed a kingdom, and have people subject to my\nsway; I possess kingly palaces, and the strong hold of Zion; but what are\nall these in comparison of thy tabernacle, O Lord of hosts? So, too, Job\nfound comfort in his _Redeemer_. Job. 19:25.\n\n12. Neither Peter, nor Paul, nor any of the apostles, sought the riches of\nthis life, but directed their attention to those which were laid up in\nanother and better world. Hence they freely espoused the despised life of\nChrist, walking in his charity, lowliness, and patience; contemning the\nearth, and triumphing over the world, its snares, and its allurements.\nThey prayed for those who cursed them; they thanked those who reproached\nthem; they blessed those who reviled them. 1 Cor. 4:12; Acts 5:41. When\nthey were persecuted, they glorified God; when scourged, they were\nimmovably patient, professing that \u201cthrough much tribulation they must\nenter into the kingdom of God\u201d (Acts 14:22); and when slaughtered, they\nprayed (with Christ their Head), \u201cFather, forgive them\u201d (Luke 23:34); \u201clay\nnot this sin to their charge.\u201d Acts 7:60. Thus were they, on the one hand,\ndead to all wrath and revenge; to bitterness, ambition, and pride; to the\nlove of the world, and of their own life also; while, on the other, they\nlived in Christ and in his love, in his meekness and humility, his\npatience and his resignation. They are, indeed, made alive in Christ by\nfaith, who thus live.\n\n13. To a lover of the world, this excellent way of life is unknown; for\nwith regard to those who do not live in Christ, nor know that the _truth_\nis in him, these are still dead in their sins; dead in wrath and hatred,\nin envy and avarice, in pride and revenge; and as long as they so\ncontinue, they are in a state of impenitence, and have not been quickened\nby faith in Jesus, be their boasting what it may. But the genuine\ndisciples of Christ know it to be a duty to follow the steps of their\ndivine Master (1 Pet. 2:21), and to be conformed to his life, as the\nsupreme and original pattern of all virtue and goodness. In a word, the\nlife of Christ is their exemplar; he himself is their _book_, whence they\nderive all solid and substantial learning, as it respects both life and\ndoctrine. Such persons declare with the apostle, \u201cWe look not at the\nthings which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the\nthings which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are\neternal.\u201d 2 Cor. 4:8. And with holy men of old they unite in saying, \u201cHere\nhave we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.\u201d Heb. 13:14.\n\n14. If, then, from a review of all these considerations, it evidently\nappear, as it surely does, that in this world we are strangers and have no\nabiding place, it follows that we were not created for the sake of earthly\nthings as the ultimate end of our being; but that there remain for us\nanother country and other dwellings, to gain which we ought not to\nhesitate to sacrifice a hundred worlds, or even life itself. These are\nsubjects upon which the true Christian continually meditates with\npleasure; and it is his joy that here he has no continuing city, but is\ncreated for life eternal. But how sad is the state of those who, occupied\nwholly in pursuing the things of this life, lade their souls with a\ncrushing weight of worldly vanities, and thereby expose them to endless\nperdition.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVIII.\n\n\n  Showing How Greatly God Is Offended, When Man Prefers Things That Are\n Temporal To Those That Are Eternal; And How Great The Evil Is, When Our\n        Affections Cleave To The Creature And Not To The Creator.\n\n\n    _And the anger of the Lord was kindled; and the fire of the Lord\n    burnt among them, and consumed them, etc._\u2014NUMB. 11:1.\n\n\nMany there are, in our day, who, under cover of religion, seek after\nearthly and carnal things; who use more diligence to become great and\naffluent by the gospel, than to be good and happy. They love \u201cthe praise\nof men, more than the praise of God.\u201d John 12:43. They choose rather to\ngratify the flesh in its sinful propensities, than to bring it down into\ntrue repentance and brokenness of spirit. But the character of the true\nChristian is of an opposite kind. He is more concerned about eternal than\ntemporal things; he seeks the glory that endureth, more than that which\npasseth away; he thirsts after heavenly and invisible riches, and not\nafter those that are earthly and visible. In short, he mortifies and\ncrucifies the flesh, in order that the spirit may live.\n\n2. The sum of Christianity is _to follow Christ_. Hence, it should be our\nchief care to imitate the example which he has left us. Our thoughts and\nactions, our desires and labors, should all terminate in the attainment of\nthis _one thing needful_, how we may come to Christ; how be saved by, and\nunited with him to all eternity.\n\n3. Never should we cease to consider that endless felicity to which we are\ncalled; but cheerfully await the dissolution of our earthly bodies, and a\ntranslation to that inheritance which is reserved in heaven for us.\n\n4. By these means, which habituate the soul more and more to the presence\nof God, there is begotten in man a holy thirst after eternal things; while\na desire after earthly objects, which is insatiable in its nature, is at\nthe same time powerfully restrained. This is taught by St. Paul in that\nprecious saying: \u201cWhatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of\nthe Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.\u201d Col. 3:17.\n\n5. The _name_ of God, in which all things are to be done, is the honor,\npraise, and glory of God. Ps. 48:10. To this great end of human life, all\nour works should tend; for then it is that they are wrought in God (John\n3:21), and will follow us into a blessed eternity. Rev. 14:13.\n\n6. In a word, Almighty God, our chief and sovereign Good should be the\n_principle_ and _end_ of all our designs, if we would not fail of eternal\nsalvation. Hence St. Paul says, \u201cBut thou, O man of God, flee these\nthings\u201d (1 Tim. 6:11); namely, covetousness and the love of the world. He\ncalls the Christian, \u201ca man of God,\u201d because he is born of God, and lives\nin God, and therefore is the son and heir of God; as, on the other hand, a\nman of the world, is one who lives in conformity to the world, who \u201chas\nhis portion in this life, and whose belly is filled with the hid treasure\u201d\nof the earth. Psal. 17:14. From these snares the Christian is required\ncarefully to flee, and to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith,\nlove, patience, meekness; and to lay hold on eternal life, whereunto he is\ncalled.\n\n7. When a man refuses to be guided by these salutary maxims, he falls of\nnecessity into every kind of enormous and presumptuous sin, and will at\nlast be punished with eternal fire. See, for an illustration, Numb. 11:1.\n\n8. Inundations and war, famine, pestilence, and conflagrations, are, it\nshould be remembered, punishments inflicted by God, on account of our\npreferring things temporal to things eternal; and because we are more\ncareful of a weak and perishing body, than we are of an imperishable,\nimmortal soul. All this betrays the highest ingratitude, and an open\ncontempt of the blessed God, deserving to be visited with punishments,\nboth here and hereafter. For, does not man by such conduct set aside an\nalmighty, eternal Being, from whom he derives both his body and his soul;\nand convert an impotent creature into an idol, to which he surrenders his\nlove and affection? He who loves the creature more than the Creator, and\nthings transitory more than those which are eternal, offers surely the\nhighest possible affront to his Maker, and opposes the great design of the\nChristian religion.\n\n9. It is no doubt true, that all the creatures of God are good in\nthemselves; but when men begin to set their affections on them, and by\ntheir irregular love to convert them, as it were, into idols, they then\nbecome an abomination in the sight of God, and are justly ranked among the\nmost odious images of gold and silver.\n\n10. What else can result from a carnal love of the world but hell and\ndamnation! Consider the case of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24), and the\none in Numb. 11:1, already mentioned. These are illustrations of the\neternal fire and damnation which must follow a rejection of God.\n\n11. The love and joy, the wealth and honors of the true Christian, are\ncircumscribed only by eternity itself; for, \u201cwhere his _treasure_ is,\nthere will his _heart_ be also.\u201d Luke 12:34. From the lust and love of the\nworld, on the contrary, nothing can result but eternal damnation. \u201cThe\nworld passeth away and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God\nabideth forever\u201d (1 John 2:17): and hence, St. John calls upon the\nfaithful entirely to withdraw their affections from the world; saying,\n\u201cLove not the world, neither the things that are in the world.\u201d 1 John\n2:15. These and similar considerations powerfully convince us, that God\nwill not permit us to fix our affections on any creature whatsoever.\n\n12. But this will more fully appear from the following reflections:\n\nI. Love is the very _heart_ of a man, and the noblest of all his\naffections; hence, it is due to God only, as the supreme object, and\nsovereign Good.\n\nII. It is absolute folly to love temporal things, which cannot love us;\nwhereas the infinitely blessed God deserves to be loved alone, since from\na pure principle of love, he created us unto eternal life, and hath, to\nthe same purpose, redeemed and sanctified us.\n\nIII. _Like_ things are naturally loved by their _like_. Hence, God made us\nafter his own image, in order that we might love Him; and that, next to\nhimself, we might love our neighbor, created after the same image.\n\nIV. The human soul resembles a mirror, representing every object\nindifferently that is placed before it, whether it be of heaven or of\nearth. Therefore turn thy soul wholly and only to God, that this image may\nbe fully expressed in it.\n\nV. The patriarch Jacob, when dwelling in Mesopotamia, far removed from his\nnative soil, never abandoned his purpose to return, and, at length, after\ntwenty years\u2019 service, demanded his wives and wages; and, cheered by the\nrecollection of the place of his nativity, returned thither. So should thy\nsoul, amidst the various engagements of this life, and the hurry of\noutward employments, long without ceasing after thy heavenly fatherland.\n\nVI. Man is made either better or worse by that which he loves. He that\nloves God, partakes freely of the divine virtue and goodness that reside\nin Him; but he that loves the world, is defiled with all those sins and\nevils which attend it.\n\nVII. When King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:33) was too much controlled by the\nlove of the world, he lost the very form of a man, and degenerated into\nthat of a beast. So all men, blotting from their hearts the image and love\nof God, are transformed, as it respects their inward man, into the nature\nof brutes. For surely those who wholly surrender themselves to the love of\nthis world, are no better.\n\nVIII. Lastly, that which a man has loved here, and carried about in his\nheart, shall be manifested in him hereafter; and with this he shall\nassociate himself forever, whether it be God or the world. If the world\nhave been the object of his love in this life, it will never leave him\nhereafter, but will prove his death and his tormentor to all eternity.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIX.\n\n\n He Who Is Most Of All Conscious Of His Misery, Is Most Of All Acceptable\n To God; And His Christian Knowledge Of His Misery, Urges Him To Seek The\n                              Grace Of God.\n\n\n    _To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a\n    contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word._\u2014ISAIAH 66:2.\n\n\nThese comfortable words, our gracious and merciful God hath spoken by the\nprophet, in order to cheer our hearts, when they are most oppressed with\nmisery and sorrow. Be not thou therefore ashamed to be bruised in spirit,\nand abased in thine own eyes. Humble thyself in the dust, and deem thyself\nunworthy of all grace and favor; so shalt thou be raised out of thine own\nvileness, and obtain, in Christ, acceptance with Almighty God.\n\n2. He who is still _something_ in his own estimation, is not duly humbled\nand depressed in his heart; nor can he expect to be regarded by that Being\nwho looks upon the poor and contrite ones only. \u201cIf,\u201d says the apostle, \u201ca\nman think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth\nhimself\u201d (Gal. 6:3): and the reason of this is, that God is _all in all_,\nalone; and the creature must consequently become a bare and empty\n_nothing_. So great and so practical is this truth, that man is not only\nto believe it in his heart, but to express it in his life and conduct.\n\n3. If ever thou designest, then, to give all the glory and honor to God,\nthat HE may be ALL, alone, thou must surely thyself become _nothing_ in\nthine own eyes; and entertain a very low opinion of thyself, and of thy\nprofiting in spiritual things. For how is it possible that God should be\n_all in all_, whilst thou thyself continuest to be _something_? By this\nself-exaltation thou invadest the sovereignty of God, and appropriatest\nthat to thyself, which is his proper due and prerogative. \u201cIt was _before\nthe Lord_,\u201d said David to Michal, who had reproached him, \u201cand I will yet\nbe more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight.\u201d 2 Sam. 6:21,\n22.\n\n4. A man that will be _something_, is the matter out of which God is wont\nto make _nothing_; but he, on the contrary, who loves to be reputed as\nnothing, and who, in his own judgment, is so, is the matter out of which\nthe Almighty maketh _something_. He that will be wise in his own opinion,\nis the matter out of which God maketh a fool; and he who is truly sensible\nof his own folly and nothingness, is that of which God forms a wise and\ngreat man. He who, before the Lord, sincerely confesses himself to be the\ngreatest and most miserable of sinners, is, in the sight of God, the first\nand greatest of all men. He who believes himself to be the chief of\n_sinners_, shall be honored by the Lord as the chief of _saints_. Matt.\n23:12; Luke 1:52.\n\n5. This is that humility which God exalts; that misery which he regards;\nthat _nothing_ from which he createth _something_. And as, at the\ncreation, the glorious frame of heaven and earth was brought forth out of\n_nothing_, so must man be reduced to a deep sense of his vileness and\nnothingness, if ever he be exalted to glory and to dignity.\n\n6. Reflect upon the example of David, whose misery God beheld, and to whom\nhe granted the richest gifts of his grace. Consider, again, the example of\nJacob, who confessed, \u201cI am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies.\u201d\nGen. 32:10.\n\n7. But above all, lay to heart the example of Christ, the grand and\nblameless pattern of a Christian. He was abased below the meanest of men;\nwas made a worm and a curse for our sake (Ps. 22:6), despised and rejected\nof men. Isaiah 53:3. But the lower he sunk, the higher did he afterwards\nrise, when he received a name which is above every name.\n\n8. But who is that blessed and lowly one who is _nothing_ in his own eyes?\nIt is he who inwardly and in his heart esteems himself worthy of no divine\nbenefit, whether bodily or spiritual. For he that arrogates anything to\nhimself, esteems himself to be _something_; and is, therefore, the\nfarthest removed from divine grace and from this new creation. So\ndestructive is the spirit of self, that it renders even grace of no\neffect, and shuts out that which contains all things in it. For if a man\njudge himself worthy of anything, he then does not take all things as a\nfree gift from the hands of God. Whatever we are, however, is of _grace_\nand not _merit_; nor can we call anything our own, except our sins, our\nhelplessness, and our misery. All else belongs to God.\n\n9. A man considered in himself, that is, independently of God, by whom he\nsubsists, is no more than a shadow. And as the shadow of a tree constantly\nconforms to the tree on which it depends, so should man conform to the\nwill of God from whom he has his very life and being; as the apostle says:\n\u201cIn him we live, and move, and have our being.\u201d Acts 17:28. It is true,\nthe fruit will sometimes appear in the shadow of the tree; yet it does not\ntherefore belong to the shadow, but to the tree: so all the good fruits\nthat may appear in thy life and conduct, are not the produce of thy own\nself and thy ability, but of God alone, who is the original source whence\nall good fruits proceed. And as the apple grows not from that gross\nsubstance the wood, which is seen by the eye, but from the seminal virtue\nwhich the tree contains, and which is made active from above; so the new\nman, and the fruit he bears, spring not up from anything that is gross and\nvisible to the eye, but from a supernatural and invisible seed.\n\n10. Now, man is by nature a dry tree; but God is his strength, whereby\nlife is renewed in him, and he himself is made fat and green in the house\nof God. God is the \u201cstrength of our life\u201d (Psal. 27:1), says the Psalmist:\nand hence we \u201cshall bring forth much fruit whilst we abide in Christ.\u201d\nJohn 15:5.\n\n11. When a man is thus wretched and poor in his own eyes, and has nothing\nin the world in which to trust but the pure grace of God, manifested in\nChrist Jesus, then God graciously \u201clooks upon him.\u201d This divine regard\nmust be understood in a divine sense. The look or countenance of God, is\nnot as the countenance of men, destitute of life and virtue: but it is\naccompanied with a living power and influence that supports and revives\nthe faint and penitent sinner. And as none but the humble and contrite are\ncapable of this heavenly regard; so the more fully they receive the\nconsolation which God grants, the less do they think themselves worthy of\nit. Such a one deems himself unworthy of all blessings divine and\ntemporal. He says with Jacob, \u201cI am not worthy of the least of all the\nmercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant:\u201d\nfor behold, since thou gavest me thy Son Jesus Christ, I come with two\nbands, with the blessings of grace and of glory. Gen. 32:10. And truly, if\na man should weep a sea of tears, it were by no means sufficient to\npurchase or deserve the least part of heavenly comfort: the grace of God\ncannot be merited by men, who deserve nothing but wrath and eternal\ndamnation.\n\n12. Whoever thus acquaints himself in faith with his own misery, is truly\none of those poor and contrite men, to whom the Lord graciously looks.\nWithout this previous brokenness of heart, man cannot expect to enjoy this\nblessed aspect of God, nor indeed that grace and kindness which is\npromised to the poor in spirit only. In this weakness and poverty the\napostle glories, when he says: \u201cIf I must needs glory, I will glory of the\nthings which concern mine infirmities\u201d (2 Cor. 11:30): and he adds the\nreason: \u201cthat the power of Christ may rest upon me.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:9. For so\ngreat indeed is the mercy of God, that he will not see the work of his\nhands destroyed: but the weaker the creature is in itself, the more is it\nsustained by the power of an Almighty Being. For in the weakness of the\ncreature, the power of God is exalted, as the Lord declared unto Paul: \u201cMy\ngrace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in\nweakness.\u201d\n\n13. The more vile and miserable therefore a Christian is in his own\nopinion, the more freely God looks upon him, to the greater manifestation\nof the riches of his glory. And in bestowing this heavenly consolation, he\ndoes not look at all on man\u2019s merit, but barely on his want and poverty.\nAnd this comfort can in no degree be compared with any human comfort, all\nwhich it infinitely exceeds. In such a sense, then, God looks to the\ncontrite man and comforts his spirit.\n\n14. By \u201cthe poor and contrite man,\u201d is not to be understood, a man that is\npoor in the outward sense of the word, or who is altogether destitute of\nhuman help and relief; but _he_ is the poor man, who labors under the load\nof his sins, and is grieved for them. If sin were not in the world, there\ncould be no misery: but now so much misery cannot befall a man, but that\nhe is still worthy of much more. Ps. 103:10. Far be it therefore from us\nto grieve, because we have not many temporal benefits conferred upon us;\nsince we are not worthy even of the least of them, no, not of life itself.\nOur flesh and blood may think this a hard saying; yet every penitent\nsinner ought to be a severe judge in his own case, and ought not to make\nthe least allowance to his carnal propensities. This is the order in which\nwe are to obtain God\u2019s favor and mercy.\n\n15. And what has man now left to boast of, or what language shall he\nemploy when he opens his mouth? The best course he can take will be to say\nsimply, \u201cLord, I have sinned; have thou mercy upon me!\u201d And, truly, God\nhimself requires no more from a man than that he humbly deplore his sin,\nand in the unfeigned language of repentance pray for pardon. Whoever\nneglects this, may be said to have slighted the best and most needful part\nof his being, Weep not therefore, O Man! on account of thy _body_, that it\nis naked and sick, pinched with hunger and cold, insulted and persecuted;\nor because it is confined by bonds and a prison: but humble thyself before\nthe Lord, and bewail the woful condition of thy _soul_, which is\nconstrained to dwell in so wretched a house as thy body is, a house of sin\nand death. \u201cO wretched man,\u201d says the apostle, \u201cwho shall deliver me from\nthe body of this death?\u201d Rom. 7:24. This free and Christian acknowledgment\nof thine own inward misery, this godly sorrow, this thirst after divine\ngrace, this faith leaning on Christ alone, open, in Christ, the door of\ngrace, by which God enters into thy soul. \u201cBe zealous, therefore, and\nrepent. Behold, I stand,\u201d saith the Lord, \u201cat the door and knock; if any\nman hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with\nhim, and he with me\u201d (Rev. 3:20): which supper is nothing else than the\nremission of sin, attended with heavenly comfort, with life and\nblessedness. This is the door of faith (Acts 14:27), through which the\nLord, at the right time, enters into the soul; and after the day of toil\nand sorrow is over, refreshes her with the light of his countenance. Then\nit is, that \u201cmercy and truth meet together; righteousness and peace kiss\neach other; that truth springs out of the earth, and righteousness looks\ndown from heaven.\u201d Ps. 85:10, 11. Then it is that the woman, that poor\nsinner, but now a penitent, anoints the feet of her Lord, washes them with\ntears, and wipes them with the hairs of her head, expressing thereby all\nthe marks of an unfeigned and deep humility. Luke 7:37. Then it is, that\nthe spiritual priest (Rev. 1:6), in the holy ornaments of faith, offers up\nthe true sacrifice, even a broken and lowly spirit, with the incense of\ntrue contrition and prayer. Ps. 51:19. Then it is that the true sanctified\nwater of purifying (Numb. 8:7) is applied,\u2014the tears which grief for sin\ncaused to flow; and now, through faith and by the power of the blood of\nChrist, the spiritual Israelite is washed and cleansed.\n\n16. And thus, O Christian! is seen how by the sense of thy own misery, and\nby faith in Christ attending it, thou mayest attain the grace and favor of\nGod. To conclude, the more wretched and miserable any one is in his own\njudgment, the more dearly he is beloved of God, and the more gracious is\nthe regard which the Lord will bestow upon him.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XX.\n\n\nA Truly Christian Sorrow For Sin Promotes The Daily Amendment Of The Life\n    Of Man, Makes Him Meet For The Kingdom Of God, And Fits Him, In An\n                   Increasing Degree, For Eternal Life.\n\n\n    _Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented\n    of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death._\u20142 COR. 7:10.\n\n\nTrue Christianity consists solely in pure faith, love, and a holy life.\nThis holiness of life springs from true repentance, sorrow, and\nself-knowledge; so that a man not only more and more feels his failings\nand imperfections, but amends them also, and, in this order, partakes of\nthe righteousness and holiness of Christ by faith. 1 Cor. 1:30.\n\n2. But in order to regulate the grand work of salvation with the better\norder and care, thou oughtest now to walk in a submissive and filial fear\nof God, guarding against all that would gratify the flesh. \u201cAll things are\nlawful,\u201d says the apostle, \u201cbut all things are not expedient\u201d (1 Cor.\n6:12); that is, \u201call things edify not.\u201d 1 Cor. 10:23. As a dutiful child,\nconfined to the father\u2019s house, does not so much as attempt to follow his\nown humor in everything; but, unwilling to offend his parent, observes his\nwill and pleasure: so a true Christian and child of God will behave\nhimself in his Father\u2019s house, in so careful a manner, as not to allow his\nsenses any unlawful liberty. He will neither do nor speak anything without\nconsulting first his Father in heaven, under whose eye he constantly\nlives, knowing that He is everywhere present.\n\n3. Most men live without any fear of God, freely indulging themselves in\nworldly pleasures and satisfaction. They will not consider that it is far\nbetter to have a constant fear of God fixed in the heart, than a constant\njoy of the world. For as the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and\nbegets a serious frame of mind; so the joy of this world extinguishes all\ngood impressions, and banishes true wisdom out of the heart, together with\nall godly fear and devotion.\n\n4. By daily repentance and mortification of the flesh, man is daily\nrenewed in God\u2019s image; for \u201cthough our outward man perish, yet the inward\nman is renewed day by day\u201d (2 Cor. 4:16); and often, in the midst of his\nsorrows, is he visited with a taste of heavenly joy and sweetness.\nWhereas, the pleasure and joy of the world are always attended with\nheaviness of heart, and an inward sting of a wounded conscience. If the\npeople were but more sensible of the melancholy effects resulting from\nworldly pleasure, and particularly of that damp which it puts upon\nheavenly comfort, they would certainly dread all loose and worldly\nenjoyments: since thereby the grace of devotion is quenched, and the soul\ndiverted from those purer pleasures which the Gospel of Christ affords.\n\n5. There are two things which prevent those who seriously consider them\nfrom being influenced either by worldly pleasures or outward calamities.\nThe one is, the _eternal pain of the damned_; whoever earnestly ponders\nit, will almost find it impossible to be thoroughly merry after the way of\nthe world. The other is, _the eternal joy of the blessed in heaven_.\nWhoever has a sound apprehension of so happy a state, will never be\ngreatly moved with the calamities of the present life; and this arises\nfrom the consideration of the eternity of those divine enjoyments. But so\ngreat is the levity of our hearts, that it hinders us from any serious\nreflection on so important a subject. And hence it is no wonder that we\nare both without this wholesome contrition and sorrow, and ignorant of all\ncelestial joys and comforts.\n\n6. It is the prerogative of a true Christian to be, on the one hand, but\nsparingly, if at all, moved with earthly things, or temporal advantages;\nand, on the other, to be the more deeply impressed with the joys of God,\nand of life eternal. Neither is he immoderately dejected in the present\nadversities that may befall him; but the loss of the soul grieves him to\nhis very heart, and he counts it worthy of long lamentation. As for the\nperishing comfort of this life, he knows it cannot be called a loss, since\nhe shall receive a thousand-fold for it in the world to come. But when a\nsoul is once cast away, it can never be restored.\n\n7. Blessed is the man who is affected with godly sorrow, and tastes that\ncelestial consolation which succeeds it. But, alas! how much of our time\ndo we spend in worldly joy and merriment, when we have greater reason to\nbewail our own misery and that of others! There is no true liberty, no\nsolid delight, no substantial satisfaction, but in the fear of God, and in\na quiet, serene conscience. But this blessing can never exist without\nfaith, and without a holy life and conversation. This faith, attended with\ngodly sorrow, daily proceeds more and more to correct our faults and\nimperfections. Whoever neglects this daily reform of his life and manners,\nwastes the most precious part of his time, which he should employ to\nsecure the interest of his immortal soul. He is an adversary to the new\nlife; he hinders the kingdom of God in himself; and he can never be cured\nof the blindness and hardness of his heart, so long as he remains in that\nstate.\n\n8. It follows, therefore, that he only deserves the name of a prudent and\nwise man, who carefully avoids whatever he understands to be an obstacle\nto the reforming of his life, and to the improving of himself in heavenly\ngifts and graces. Happy is he who not only avoids such things as are\ndetrimental to his body and estate, but also detests those which hinder\nthe soul in her spiritual progress.\n\n9. Be therefore courageous, O Man, and endure hardness as a good soldier\nof Christ! 2 Tim. 2:3. An evil habit of mind must be overcome with a good\none. It is the apostle\u2019s exhortation: \u201cBe not overcome of evil, but\novercome evil with good.\u201d Rom. 12:21. The cure of thy soul is not\nimpossible. View, in the first place, thy own corruptions, and judge them\nseverely, before thou presumest to censure the faults of thy neighbor. Be\nnot too forward in admonishing and correcting others; but endeavor to heal\nfirst thy evils at home, before thou enterest upon the reforming of those\nthat are abroad.\n\n10. Go on, therefore, O Christian, and learn the lesson of daily\nrepentance, sorrow, and contrition of heart. If the world despise thee\nupon that account, and decry this wholesome exercise as error and as\nmelancholy, be not concerned at such poor and empty reflections. Grieve\nrather that thou art called indeed a Christian, but that thou hast not yet\narrived at that strictness of life and purity of manners, which the Gospel\nrequires. Bear the contempt of the world with Christian constancy, and\nconsider the singular benefit which thence accrues to the whole practice\nof true religion. For, if thou be scorned by the world, then God is ready\nto support thee by fresh supplies of life and comfort, according to his\nown declaration: \u201cI dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that\nis of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble,\nand to revive the heart of the contrite ones.\u201d Isa. 57:15.\n\n11. It is impossible that divine and worldly joy should, at one and the\nsame time, reside in the heart of man; so very contrary are they to each\nother, and so inconsistent in their natures, causes, and effects. The joy\nof the world is begotten in prosperity; but that which is from heaven,\nsprings up in the midst of crosses and adversities.\n\n12. It is true that it is against the bent of nature to rejoice in the\ntime of adversity, as the apostle himself seems to intimate: \u201cAs\nsorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having\nnothing, and yet possessing all things.\u201d 2 Cor. 6:10. But then it is no\nless true, that the grace of God cleanses our nature, and qualifies it for\nsuch spiritual exercises. And it was after this change that the apostles\nrejoiced, because they were \u201ccounted worthy to suffer shame for the name\nof Christ.\u201d Acts 5:41.\n\n13. A Christian is become by the grace of God, a new creature, and hence\nthe tribulations of this life are made easy to him. The apostle declared,\nthat he even \u201cgloried in tribulations.\u201d Rom. 5:3. As affliction is a\ngrievous burden to the old man, so it gives ease and joy to the new man in\nChrist. Again, that joy which is from above, infinitely surpasses that\nwhich is from below. Nay, the very reproach and contempt which a Christian\nundergoes for the sake of Christ, is attended with a secret satisfaction:\nand the reason we are so little affected with these heavenly visitations,\nis on account of the joy of the world, to which we are still too much\naddicted.\n\n14. A truly humble man thinks himself worthy of all manner of sufferings,\nand unworthy of any divine comfort: but the more unworthy he thinks\nhimself in true brokenness of spirit, the more is he visited with the\ngoodness of God. And the more he weeps over his sin, the more is he weaned\nfrom worldly enjoyments; for the whole world gradually becomes to him a\nburden and a bitter affliction.\n\n15. A man that seriously views himself and his inward condition, finds\nmore reason to mourn than to rejoice. And when he takes a survey of the\nlives of others, he will undoubtedly meet with abundance of objects worthy\nof pity, or of compassion, rather than of hatred and envy. Why did Christ\nweep over Jerusalem, even over that Jerusalem which persecuted and slew\nhim? Luke 19:41. Truly their sin and blindness was the evident cause of\nit. And in this he has also left us a pattern, and with deep feeling\ntaught us, that nothing in the world should more powerfully melt us into\ntears and compassion, than our own sins, and the impenitence and carnal\nsecurity which everywhere abound.\n\n16. Did a man as often revolve in his mind, that he must certainly die,\nand appear before the judgment-seat of God, as he thinks on the concerns\nof this life, and how to provide for them, surely he would be abundantly\nmore serious in his conversation, more diligent in the reformation of his\nlife, and more fervent in all the duties of repentance. Did he moreover\ncall to mind the unspeakable and eternal torments of hell, succeeding, as\nthey do, a short enjoyment of sin; this consideration would embitter to\nhim the sweets of this world, and in comparison, render all the\nafflictions of this life, pleasant and easy to him. But alas! the\nenticements of the flesh are so strong and prevalent, and our compliances\nin their favor, so forward, that we seldom yield to such serious\nreflections as these.\n\n17. Upon the whole, this should be a Christian\u2019s daily consideration: if\nhis body be pampered in lust and luxury; if the flesh be humored and\ngratified in its inordinate cravings; then the life of the spirit loses\nits vigor, and if not seasonably supported, will pine away into death and\ndestruction. Whereas, if the flesh be crucified with its lusts and\ndesires, the spirit lives and gathers strength. One is the death of the\nother. If, therefore, the spirit shall live in thee, then thy body must be\ncertainly made a spiritual sacrifice (Rom. 12:1), and must spiritually die\nto the world, and to all conformity with it.\n\n18. This has been the constant practice of all the saints, from the\nbeginning of the world until now. They have with thanksgiving eaten and\ndrunk the bread and cup of tears, according to that declaration of David:\n\u201cThou feedest us with the bread of tears, and thou givest us tears to\ndrink in great measure.\u201d Ps. 80:5. And in another Psalm: \u201cMy tears have\nbeen my meat day and night.\u201d Ps. 42:3. Again, \u201cI have eaten ashes like\nbread, and mingled my drink with weeping.\u201d Ps. 102:9.\n\n19. This has been the \u201cdaily bread\u201d of all the saints to this day; yet it\nhas, however, been sweetened to them, _faith_ being mixed with it. This is\nthat godly \u201csorrow which worketh repentance to salvation, not to be\nrepented of.\u201d 2 Cor. 7:10.\n\n20. But as this godly sorrow is attended with life and happiness, so the\n\u201csorrow of the world worketh death\u201d itself. 2 Cor. 7:10. This kind of\nsorrow arises from the loss of honor, of temporal goods and estates, and\nother things of that nature. This sorrow has proved so fatal to many, that\nthey have laid violent hands on themselves, and procured their own ruin\nand death by various contrivances. Of this there are not wanting many\nexamples in the history both of Pagans and Christians: though, indeed, the\nlatter ought better to understand the maxims and doctrines of Christ, who\nhas abundantly taught us, not to set our hearts on objects so frail and\nperishing. For what is the loss of a handful of fading things, to the life\nof a man, with which all the goods of this world cannot be compared?\n\n21. Be not, therefore, cast down by the loss of temporal goods, which, by\nthe very laws of nature, we can enjoy but a little while: but lay the more\nto heart those incorruptible riches, that are laid up in the world to\ncome; and do whatever thou canst to prevent the loss of _them_. Death will\nstrip thee at last of all worldly possessions. Here shall be an end of\npomp and greatness. This law of death is equally given to all, and the\npenalty of it attaches to all alike. The greatest king is seized on the\nthrone, and the meanest beggar on the dunghill (1 Sam. 2:8; Ps. 113:7);\nfor as the body of the one is, so is also the body of the other: both\nputrefy and turn alike to corruption. Nevertheless, the Lord will remove\nat length the veil of the shadow of death, which is spread over all\nnations, and will \u201cswallow up death in victory\u201d (Isa. 25:8), and \u201cwipe\naway all tears from our eyes.\u201d Rev. 7:17; Isa. 25:8.\n\n22. Let these and the like considerations, induce thee patiently to bear\nthe loss of earthly things; remembering that the whole world does not come\nup to the price of one soul, for which Christ vouchsafed to die. The more\nthou withdrawest thy heart from temporal goods and estates, the less will\nit affect thee, when thou shalt be obliged one way or other to leave them.\nThy grief will undoubtedly be the greater, the more thy love has been\nwrapped up with them. Thus does the \u201clabor of the foolish weary every one\nof them\u201d (Eccl. 10:15); as the wise man expresseth it.\n\n23. This is the unhappy state into which the children of this world plunge\nthemselves. They hoard and amass their goods with assiduous pain and\nlabor; they possess them with fear and anxiety of mind; and quit them at\nlast with grief and groans, when they can no longer enjoy them. This is\nthe \u201csorrow of this world,\u201d which begets no less an evil than _death_\nitself.\n\n24. We read, that such as adored the beast \u201chad no rest\u201d (Rev. 14:11): so\nthey that adore the great and toilsome beast of sordid and earthly Mammon,\nmay be said to have no rest, day nor night. This description of men, most\nwretched and most unquiet as they are, may be fitly compared to camels, or\nmules. These animals, traversing rocks and hills, and carrying gold and\nsilver, silken garments and pearls, spices and wines, draw many attendants\nwith them for their better security: but at night, when they are stabled,\nall their precious ornaments, their embroidered garments and vestments,\nare taken from them, and they, being weary and stripped, appear to be what\nindeed they are, poor and miserable beasts of burden. Nothing is now seen\nupon them but the prints of their stripes, and the marks of the blows\nwhich they received upon the road. So, in like manner, that man who in\nthis world shone in gold and silks, in \u201cpurple and fine linen\u201d (Luke\n16:19), when the day of his death is come, has nothing left but the prints\nand scars of a wounded conscience, contracted by the abuse of such riches\nas were committed to his trust.\n\n25. Therefore, O man! learn to relinquish this world, before it\nrelinquishes thee. If thou break not with the world, the world will break\nwith thee, and leave horror and anguish behind it. He who withdraws his\nsoul from the world, before he quits the world with his body, can joyfully\ndie: since he is loosed from the ties which bound him to these inferior\nobjects. As the Israelites, when they were about to leave the land of\nEgypt, were daily afflicted with greater burdens by Pharaoh, who designed\nto destroy them, and, if possible, utterly to extirpate their progeny\n(Exod. 5:9); so the infernal Pharaoh, who desires to hinder our eternal\nsalvation, when we are now upon the very borders of life everlasting,\nstill attempts to load us with more of the concerns of this life, and\nthereby to obstruct our passage into a better world.\n\n26. It is certain that we cannot carry with us the least dust of all our\nearthly possessions into the kingdom of heaven. Nay, our very body must be\nleft behind us until the day of resurrection. If we know anything, we know\nthat the way leading to life is so very _strait_, as to strip the soul\nentirely of anything that will hinder her passage. \u201cNarrow is the way\nwhich leadeth to life, and few there be that find it.\u201d Matt. 7:14. As the\nhusbandman separates the wheat from the chaff, so death frees the soul\nfrom all the chaff and dross of this world, from all riches, and\ngreatness, and worldly attire, which now, like the chaff, are driven away.\n\n27. Go therefore, O man, and seriously ponder in thy mind what the apostle\ndeclares: \u201cGodly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be\nrepented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.\u201d 2 Cor. 7:10.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXI.\n\n\n                       Of The True Worship Of God.\n\n\n    _The sons of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord, and there\n    went out fire from the Lord and devoured them._\u2014LEV. 10:1, 2.\n\n\nThis fire is called _strange_, because it was different from that which\ncontinually burned upon the altar, and with which, according to the\ncommand of God, the burnt-offerings were consumed. It is, therefore, a\ntype of false worship; and the sons of Aaron were destroyed with avenging\nflames, because they violated the divine precept.\n\n2. This marked displeasure of the jealous and righteous God, is in like\nmanner provoked by those who, from the motion of their own unregenerate\nmind, and from a singular presumption of devotion or religious sanctity,\nintroduce a new and peculiar worship of God; which, not being enjoined by\nhimself, provokes his indignation, anger, and vengeance; because \u201cGod is a\nconsuming fire.\u201d Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29.\n\n3. In order that _we_ may not incur the wrath of the divine majesty, let\nus consider wherein the true worship of God consists; for the punishment\nof temporal fire, inflicted on false worship under the _Old_ Testament, is\nto us a proof, that the Lord will also, under the _New_ dispensation, take\nthe severest vengeance on all strange worship, not only with everlasting,\nbut also with temporal fire, wars, desolations, and effusion of blood.\n\n4. Now, we can learn wherein the true worship of God consists, when we\ncompare the Old Testament with the New. The ceremonies which the former\nprescribed, referred typically to the Messiah. Devout Jews saw, as it\nwere, the Messiah from afar, believed on him, and, according to the\npromise, obtained deliverance from sin and death through him. But our\nworship, according to the _New_ Testament, does not consist in external\nceremonies; we are taught to worship God in spirit and in truth, that is,\nto believe in Christ, who fulfilled the Law. Thus he redeemed us from the\ncurse of the law (Gal. 3:13), and made us free from all Jewish ceremonies\n(Gal. 5:1); so that now, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we serve\nGod with a willing heart and mind (Jerem. 31:33; Rom. 8:14), and our\nconscience and faith are not bound by human ordinances.\n\n5. To true, spiritual, internal Christian worship, three things belong. 1.\nThe _true knowledge of God_. 2. The _knowledge of sin_, accompanied with\nunfeigned repentance. And 3. The _knowledge of grace_, attended with\nremission of sin.\n\n6. The _knowledge of God_ consists in faith, which apprehends Christ, and\nin him, and through him, knows God, his omnipotence, love, mercy,\nrighteousness, truth, wisdom; all which are God himself. For what is God?\nSurely no other than pure omnipotence, pure love and mercy, pure justice,\ntruth, and wisdom. And the same is to be said of Christ, and of the Holy\nSpirit.\n\n7. But whatever God is, he is not to himself only, but also to _me_, by\nhis gracious will, made manifest in Christ Jesus. Thus _to me_ is God\nomnipotent; _to me_ he is merciful; _to me_ eternal righteousness, through\nfaith and remission of sins. _To me_, also, he is everlasting truth and\nwisdom. Thus it is, also, with Christ. He is made _to me_ eternal\nomnipotence, the almighty Head, and Prince of my life, my most merciful\nSaviour, everlasting love, unchangeable righteousness, truth, and wisdom;\naccording to the words of the apostle: \u201cChrist is of God made unto us,\nwisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.\u201d 1 Cor.\n1:30. All of which is also true of the Holy Spirit, who is _my_ eternal\nlove, righteousness, truth, and wisdom.\n\n8. This is the true knowledge of God, which consists in faith. It is not\nsome empty and speculative science, as people imagine; but a cheerful,\nlively, and effectual reliance on God, in which I feel the rays and\ninfluences of the divine Omnipotence really descending upon me, so that I\nperceive how I am upheld and preserved by him; how \u201cin him I live, and\nmove, and have my being.\u201d Acts 17:28. I must also taste the riches of his\ngoodness and mercy. Is not that which the Father, Christ, and the Holy\nSpirit, have done for thee, for me, and for us all, the effect of pure\nlove? What more perfect and complete righteousness can there be than that,\nby which he rescues us from sin, hell, death, and the devil? And do not\nhis truth and wisdom most conspicuously appear in all that he has\naccomplished for us?\n\n9. This, therefore, is the true and substantial faith, which consists in a\nliving and effectual reliance on God, and not in empty words. In this\nknowledge of God, or faith, we must, as becomes the children of God, make\ndaily advances, and abound more and more. 1 Thess. 4:1. Hence the apostle\npours out most fervent prayers, \u201cthat we may know the love of Christ,\nwhich passeth knowledge.\u201d Eph. 3:19. As if he had said, \u201cThough it were\nthe sole care of our lives to learn the depth of the love of Christ, yet\nwould there still remain continual and never-failing matter for further\ninquiry.\u201d Neither is it to be supposed, that this knowledge consists in a\nbarren acquaintance with the universal love of Christ, extending itself\nover the whole world; but we must also taste it in our own hearts; we must\nexperience the sweetness and delight, the power and vital influx of this\nimmense kindness displayed in the Word, and embraced by faith. Can he say\nthat he knows the love of Christ, who never tasted its sweetness? Hence it\nis said of some that were endued with this experimental sense, that they\nhad \u201ctasted of the heavenly gift, and the good word of God, and the powers\nof the world to come.\u201d Heb. 6:4. All this is effected by faith through the\nWord. The same experience of the divine love is also intimated by the\n\u201cshedding abroad of the love of God in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.\u201d Rom.\n5:5. In this consist the fruit and efficacy of the Word of God. And this\nonly is the true knowledge of God, proceeding from experience, and founded\non a living faith. For this reason the Epistle to the Hebrews calls our\nfaith a _substance_, and a certain and well-grounded _evidence_. Heb.\n11:1. And this knowledge of God, that arises from a living faith, is one\npart of the inward and spiritual worship of God. In a word, _faith_ is a\nspiritual, living, and heavenly gift; yea, the very light and power of\nGod.\n\n10. When, therefore, this true knowledge of God is attained, by which God\noffers himself, as it were, to be touched and tasted by the soul,\naccording to that Psalm, \u201cO taste and see that the Lord is good\u201d (Ps.\n34:8); it is impossible that a sincere repentance should not immediately\nensue; that is, a real renovation of the mind, and reformation of the\nlife. For, from a sense and knowledge of the divine Omnipotence, proceeds\n_humility_; since he must necessarily submit himself unto the mighty hand\nof God, who has perceived its irresistible power and energy. From the\nexperience of the divine mercy arises _charity_ to our neighbor; for no\nman can be uncharitable who has ever been affected by a sense of the\ndivine compassion. Who can refuse to lend to his neighbor, that considers\nthat God, from pure mercy, has bestowed himself upon us? From the\nlong-suffering of God, proceeds great _patience_ towards our neighbor; so\nthat were it possible that a true Christian could be killed seven times a\nday, and as many times be restored to life again, yet would he always\nfreely forgive his murderer, and this on account of the boundless mercy of\nGod conferred upon himself. From the divine justice flows the _knowledge\nof sin_, as the prophet teaches us: \u201cRighteousness belongeth unto thee, O\nLord, but unto us confusion of faces.\u201d Dan. 9:7. \u201cEnter not into judgment\nwith thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.\u201d Ps.\n143:2. \u201cIf thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall\nstand?\u201d Ps. 130:3. From the knowledge of the truth of God, flow _fidelity_\nand candor towards our neighbor; and all fraud, deceit, lying, and other\nsuch sinister practices, are, in consequence, freely abandoned. The\nsincere Christian reasons thus with himself: \u201cGod forbid that I should\ndeal deceitfully with my neighbor; for then I should offend the truth of\nGod, which is God himself; since he has dealt so faithfully with me, it\nwould be the blackest impiety were I to act otherwise by my neighbor.\u201d The\nconsideration of the eternal divine wisdom produces the _fear of God_. For\nwhoever knows God to be the Searcher of hearts, viewing the most secret\nrecesses, must necessarily dread the eyes of the divine majesty. \u201cHe that\nplanted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not\nsee?\u201d Ps. 94:9. Therefore, \u201cWoe unto them that seek deep to hide their\ncounsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who\nseeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down\nshall be esteemed as the potter\u2019s clay: for shall the work say of him that\nmade it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed, say of him that framed\nit, He had no understanding?\u201d Isa. 29:15, 16; see also Jer. 23:24, and\n32:19.\n\n11. From the true _knowledge of God_, arise the _knowledge of sin_, and\nconsequent repentance. This repentance brings renovation of mind, and\nrenovation of mind is accompanied with amendment of life. And this\nknowledge, together with those things that attend it, makes up the other\npart of the inward worship of God; and it is that sacred fire which, by\nthe appointment of God, is to be used with the sacrifices, lest his wrath\nshould be kindled against us, and we be consumed by the fire of his\nvengeance.\n\n12. The injunction of God to the priests, not to drink wine or strong\ndrink when they were about to enter the tabernacle (Lev. 10:9), is an\nillustration of this repentance; and in a _spiritual_ sense, it extends\nitself to all Christians. For if we would enter into the tabernacle of\nGod, even into life everlasting, it is necessary that we should abstain\nfrom the lusts of the world and of the flesh, and from all that tends to\nbring the spirit in bondage to the body. For the love of the world, the\nlove of pleasure, pride, and other vices, are like palatable wine, by\nwhich the power of the soul and spirit is clouded, and at last brought\nunder subjection to the flesh. Man, so subjected, is restrained from\nentering into the tabernacle of God; that is, he cannot arrive at the\nknowledge and the sanctuary of God; consequently he is deprived of that\ndiscerning faculty, which distinguishes between things sacred and profane,\nclean and unclean; so that he understands nothing of divine and heavenly\noperations, and therefore is unfit to instruct those in sound doctrine who\nare committed to his care. His understanding and thoughts are not\nenlightened from above; but being overcome with the wine of worldly lust,\nare eventually involved in gross darkness. This repentance, contrition,\nand grief for sin, and this true faith in Christ, are followed by the\n_knowledge_ of _grace_ and _remission of sin_; which, as it proceeds from\nthe merit of Christ only, so the benefit of this merit can be claimed by\nno man without repentance. Repentance was therefore necessary, even to the\nthief upon the cross, that his sin being first remitted, he might\naccompany Christ into paradise. And that his repentance proceeded from a\nheart affected with a holy contrition, appears from the reproof which he\ngave his companion: \u201cDost not thou fear God? We receive the due reward of\nour deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss\u201d (Luke 23:40), and from\nthe request he addressed to Christ: \u201cLord, remember me when thou comest\ninto thy kingdom.\u201d Verse 24. These are most undeniable proofs of a\ncontrite heart, embracing Christ and his merits by faith.\n\n13. This gracious absolution from sin, which is apprehended in faith by a\npenitent heart, supplies all those defects under which we labor: but it is\nentirely the effect of the death and blood of Christ. All our offences are\nas completely annulled by his abundant satisfaction, as if they had never\nbeen committed. The merit of Christ is of that extent and power, that\nDavid exclaims: \u201cPurge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and\nI shall be (not only as white, but even) whiter than snow.\u201d Psal. 51:7.\n\n14. Hence also it is, that God is said to _mention_ the sin no more when\nthe sinner returns to his duty. Ezek. 18:22; 33:16. For whatever is fully\nand completely paid for, yea, blotted out too, must of necessity be buried\nin eternal oblivion. Isa. 43:25. But conversion must go before remission,\naccording to the order proposed by the prophet himself: \u201cWash ye, make you\nclean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do\nevil. Come now and let us reason together: Though your sins be as scarlet,\nthey shall be as white as snow.\u201d Isa. 1:16. As if he had said: \u201cYe who\nrequire your sins to be forgiven, according to my covenant and promise,\ncome forward and call me to an account. I do not indeed deny, that I\npromised you remission of sins; but it was on no other terms than that you\nshould first repent. Where is your repentance? where is your true and\nliving faith? If you have these, all is well! It shall not be my fault, if\nyour sins (though as crimson in grain, though so deeply dyed, that neither\nheaven nor earth can blot them out), be not wholly pardoned and made\nwhiter than snow.\u201d Repentance, therefore, is the true confession of sin;\nand if you have this in yourself, namely, sorrow for sin mixed with faith,\nbe assured, that Christ, by virtue of his death and blood, will entirely\nforgive you your sins. This blood, as it is shed for us, so it cries to\nGod in heaven, and procures a full remission of sin.\n\n15. When a man is thoroughly affected with this sense of sin, he hastens\nin spirit to those cities of refuge, of which three, Bezer, Ramoth, and\nGolan, were set apart on this side Jordan, by Moses, being appointed by\nhim, in order that he who had inadvertently killed his neighbor, might\nflee unto them and be preserved. Deut. 4:41-43.\n\n16. And, alas! O Lord, how often have we inadvertently slain our neighbor\nwith thoughts, words, hatred, envy, anger, revenge, and unmercifulness!\nLet us, therefore, fly upon the wings of faith and repentance, to the\nsanctuary of the grace of God, and to the merit and cross of Christ. No\nsooner do we arrive there, but we are safe; nor will the avenger measure\nto us again with that measure with which we served our neighbor. For by\nthose cities of refuge, Christ Jesus is signified and represented. He is\nthe true _Bezer_, that is, a _fenced tower_, according to that saying of\nSolomon: \u201cThe name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth\ninto it, and is safe.\u201d Prov. 18:10. He also is the true _Ramoth_, which\nsignifies _exalted_: for Christ is the Most High (Isa. 52:13; 57:15), \u201cAnd\nat the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and\nthings in earth, and things under the earth.\u201d Phil. 2:10. Nor have we any\nother _Golan_ besides him; which, as the word imports, is a _heap_ or\n_multitude_, a storehouse of all manner of celestial gifts. Hence, we read\nin the Psalms: \u201cWith the Lord there is mercy; and with him is plenteous\nredemption.\u201d Psal. 130:7. And in the epistle to the Romans: \u201cThe Lord is\nrich unto all that call upon him.\u201d Rom. 10:12.\n\n17. And this is the _third_ part of inward, spiritual, and true worship,\narising from the knowledge of God. This knowledge is also the source of\nrepentance, as repentance is of remission of sins, and each rests on an\nexperimental knowledge of God, as on a proper foundation to sustain it.\n\n18. Thus is the letter of the law of Moses changed into spirit, or into an\ninward, holy, and new life; and its sacrifices are converted into\nunfeigned repentance. Hereby we offer up unto God our body and soul,\ntogether with the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Hereby we ascribe\nunto him alone, our knowledge, conversion, justification and remission of\nsin, that God alone may be all in all, and his grace be worthily\nacknowledged, and celebrated with thankful hearts and tongues unto all\neternity. This, then, as hath been already mentioned, is the true worship\nof God, of which the prophet says: \u201cHe hath shewed thee, O man, what is\ngood; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to\nlove mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?\u201d Mic. 6:8. O when, therefore,\nshall we wretched mortals become truly penitent, that we may obtain this\ngracious pardon of sin? For without penitence it is impossible we should\nsecure unto ourselves so incomparable a mercy. For how can sin be\nremitted, when there is no sense of sin, no sorrow affecting the mind, no\nhunger after divine grace? And how can he grieve for sins, who utterly\nrefuses to abandon them, and to change his life for a better? May God, for\nChrist\u2019s sake, turn us, that so we may be truly turned! Lam. 5:21.\n\n19. From these considerations it abundantly appears, that the true worship\nof God is seated in the heart, and consists in the knowledge of God, and\nin true repentance, which mortifies the flesh; and, through grace, renews\nman after the divine image. In this order, man is made the holy temple of\nthe Lord, where, through the good Spirit of God, internal worship is\nperformed, in the exercise of faith, charity, hope, humility, patience,\nprayer, thanksgiving, and the praise of God.\n\n20. But though this worship has regard to God himself, and is offered to\nhim alone; yet far be it from us to believe, that God has any need of our\nadoration or service, or that he receives any advantage from it, or any\naddition to his perfection. Let us rather think, that such is the mercy of\nGod to miserable men, that he is willing to impart himself wholly to us\nwith all his benefits, to live, to operate, and to dwell in us, provided\nwe be but ready, by true knowledge, by faith and repentance, to entertain\nhim in the heart, that as in the school of the Spirit, he may teach us\ntrue wisdom, and carry on the work which he has so happily begun.\n\n21. For there is no work approved and accepted of God, but that of which\nhe himself is the author. Therefore has he commanded us to repent and to\nbelieve, to pray and to fast; not that the benefit in any way might return\nto him, but belong to us alone. For to God no man can give, and from him\nno man can take away; him none can profit, and none can injure. If we be\nfound devout and sincere in his sight, we shall reap the advantage of it\nourselves; but if we be found false and corrupt, the evil will return upon\nour own heads. But what harm, O man, canst thou do to God, if even thou\nshouldst wilfully persist in impiety and a dissolute course of life?\n\n22. God, therefore, commands that he should be served on thy account, not\non his own. He being Love itself, it pleases him that many be found in his\nservice, to whom he may freely impart the streams of his love, yea, even\nhimself too. For as a mother cannot but love the infant that reposes on\nher breast, so God takes a singular pleasure in a free and unconfined\ncommunication of his love and kindness.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXII.\n\n\n A True Christian Is Known Primarily By Love, And By A Daily Amendment Of\n                                  Life.\n\n\n    _The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow\n    like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the\n    Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still\n    bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;\n    to shew that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no\n    unrighteousness in him._\u2014PS. 92:12-15.\n\n\nNot a Christian name, but a Christian life, evidences a true Christian:\nlet this therefore be the care of the Christian, that in him Christ may be\nseen: and visibly appear unto others, in love, humility, and kindness! for\nhe in whom Christ does not live, cannot be a Christian. And this holy\nlife, having its roots within, in the spirit and heart of a man, must of\nnecessity proceed from this inward principle\u2014just as the fruit proceeds\nfrom the inherent virtue of the tree. For it is necessary that our life\nshould be influenced by the Spirit of Christ, and fashioned after his\nexample; according to that saying of the apostle: \u201cAs many as are led by\nthe Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.\u201d Rom. 8:14. \u201cNow if any man\nhave not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his\u201d (Rom. 8:9): for all life\nproceeds from spirit; and as is the spirit which inwardly acts, moves, and\ngoverns in a man, so will the man outwardly appear. Whence it is evident,\nhow necessary the Spirit of God is to a truly Christian life; and,\ntherefore, Christ has not only commanded us to pray for the Spirit, but\nhas also promised unto us this gift. Luke 11:13. This Spirit is the Spirit\nof regeneration (Tit. 3:5), by which we are quickened in Christ, into a\nnew, spiritual, and heavenly life, and from the life and never-dying power\nof this Spirit of God, every Christian virtue must be derived. It is then\nthat \u201cthe righteous man flourisheth as the palm tree, and groweth like a\ncedar in Lebanon.\u201d Ps. 92:12.\n\n2. Hence it follows, that a man must be first internally renewed in the\nspirit of his mind after the image of God; and that his inward desires and\naffections must first be conformed to Christ (which the Apostle terms \u201cthe\nnew man created after the image of God\u201d) (Eph. 4:24), before a suitable\nlife can proceed from the heart. But as soon as the heart is inwardly\nrenewed, the outward life proceeding from it is but a constant expression\nof that vital principle which prevails within the mind. Yea, since \u201cGod\ntrieth the heart and the reins\u201d (Ps. 7:9), it is reasonable that a man\nshould possess, in the more secret recesses of his heart, even much more\nthan outwardly appears in his life.\n\n3. Though, in our inward part, we attain not unto the purity of angels, it\nis but just that we should fervently sigh after it. And, indeed, God\napproves the desires of our spirit when it thirsts after a further\npurification: \u201cThe Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, and maketh\nintercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.\u201d Rom. 8:26.\nYea, the blood of Christ purifies us by faith (Acts 15:9), so that we are\n\u201cwithout spot or wrinkle\u201d (Eph. 5:27); and in this respect we possess, not\nthe purity, holiness, and righteousness of any angel, but that of Christ;\nyea, and Christ himself. 1 Cor. 1:30.\n\n4. This undeserved righteousness, freely applied to us, must renew our\nbody, soul, and spirit, and produce a true holiness of life and manners.\nAnd this life, though it is at first like a tender palm tree, must daily\nbecome more and more vigorous in us, and gather strength in Christ Jesus.\nAnd our growth in Christ will be in proportion as we advance in faith, in\nvirtue, and the practice of a Christian life and holiness. This is to\n\u201cflourish like a palm tree.\u201d\n\n5. As the palm tree, when depressed, mounts the higher, so ought a\nChristian to be renewed continually in his spiritual desires and\nexercises. Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10. He is to strengthen himself every day\nwith fresh purposes to walk suitably to his new name, and with unwearied\nendeavors to avoid the danger of being a false Christian. He is to proceed\nwith vigor and earnestness, as if he had but this day been initiated into\nthe principles of true religion. For as one that enters upon a new office\nshould have nothing more at heart than worthily to acquit himself in his\npost; so also should we act, who are called unto Christ, \u201cwith a holy\ncalling.\u201d 2 Tim. 1:9. If this holy purpose be not firmly rooted within, no\namendment of life will ensue, no vigor in piety, no increase in Christ;\nyea, the very quickening Spirit of Christ must be wanting. For such a\nresolution and holy firmness of doing good is the work of the Spirit of\nGod, and of that preventing or anticipating grace which allures, invites,\nand moves all men. Happy is the man, who with his ears and heart proves\nobedient to it, and hearkens to that heavenly wisdom which \u201cutters her\nvoice in the streets.\u201d Prov. 1:20. In a word, whatever a man views with\nhis eyes, is a manifestation of the Creator, by which he calls upon man,\nand endeavors to draw him to the love of himself.\n\n6. Whenever, therefore, we feel this heavenly call or impulse upon our\nminds, we should immediately set our hand to work, and take care that a\nmoment so invaluable do not slip away in a light and careless manner. This\nis an hour free from such obstacles as at other times closely beset us. If\nthis be slothfully neglected, other days and times may possibly succeed,\nin which we cannot think, hear, speak, or do any good. This being foreseen\nby eternal Wisdom, she everywhere lifts up her voice, and calls upon us,\nlest we should neglect the opportunity which is so freely offered.\n\n7. As a tree planted in the open air readily admits the light of the sun,\nand the benign influences of heaven; so the grace of God, with other\ncelestial influences, shines upon thee, O man, and would revive and\nnourish thee by its presence, if the affairs of this world did not hinder\nthee from receiving the benefit.\n\n8. Call to mind the shortness of the time appointed for life! Seriously\nconsider how many opportunities of doing good, and of reducing the\nChristian virtues into practice, thou hast already neglected. One half of\nthy life has possibly been consumed in sleeping, and the other in eating\nand drinking, and in other natural actions; so that when thou now comest\nto the grave, thou hast but just begun to enter upon a better life.\n\n9. If thou art afraid to die in wickedness, O lead a holy life whilst thou\nart in good health! If thou desirest to leave the world as a Christian,\nendeavor to be a good Christian whilst thou art in it. Now, he only lives\nas a Christian, who demeans himself as if he were every day to die; well\nknowing that a good servant will at all times be ready at the call of his\nmaster. And God, by death, as by his messenger, summons us all before his\ntribunal.\n\n10. \u201cBlessed,\u201d therefore, \u201cis that servant, whom the Lord, when he cometh,\nshall find watching. Of a truth, I say unto thee, that he will make him\nruler over all that he hath.\u201d Luke 12:37, 44. And who is it that watches,\nbut he who does not suffer himself to be carried away by the world, or its\nunhappy votaries? Let us, therefore, flee from both; knowing that the\nmanners of this corrupt age are like baneful excrescences, which consume\nthe vital sap of a tree, and, in a short time, cause it to wither.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIII.\n\n\n    He Who, In Christ, Desires To Grow In Grace, Is Often Compelled To\n                      Withdraw From Worldly Society.\n\n\n    _How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!\u2014My heart and my\n    flesh crieth out for the living God._\u2014PS. 84:1, 2.\n\n\nThou actest wisely, if thou avoidest too frequent an intercourse with\nworldly men. For as it is never better for our bodies than when they are\nat home; so it is ever best with the soul, when it is at rest in its own\nhabitation, which is God himself; from whom it derives life and being. To\nhim, therefore, the soul must return again, if ever she is to enjoy rest,\nand find safety.\n\n2. It is observed of all creatures, that they nowhere thrive so well, as\nwhere they drew their first life and origin. Thus the sea to the fishes,\nthe air to the birds, the earth to the plants, and God to the soul, is the\nplace of rest, according to the Psalmist, \u201cThe sparrow hath found a house,\nand the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young.\u201d Ps.\n84:2. As that man will bring trouble upon himself, who gives young people\ntoo much liberty to go abroad; so shall he suffer much, who yields up the\nreins of his tongue and thoughts, allowing them to wander through the\naffairs of the world, as so many circles of vanity. Be assured, that you\nwill escape many faults, if you study to confine your thoughts within the\nlimits of your heart.\n\n3. \u201cThose that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the\ncourts of our God.\u201d Ps. 92:13. What are these courts? They are the\ninternal and spiritual sabbaths of the heart; which, as Lebanon in the\ndesert, flourish best in a retirement of mind, and abstraction of spirit.\nLabor to attain this solitude of soul, and thou shalt become fit to search\nthine own heart, and to contemplate that variety of wonders and mercies\nwhich God has bestowed upon us.\n\n4. Nor are we to imitate those who admire subtle disputes and inventions,\nwho take pleasure in reading fine, pleasant, and witty productions; which,\nif rightly considered, deprave, rather than improve the mind of the\nreader. Whatever does not promote the repose of the heart, and the\ncontinual renovation of the mind, should neither be heard, spoken, read,\nnor even be entertained in thought, by a disciple of Jesus. True\nChristians are like the trees of God, which should daily grow stronger,\nand take deeper root _in Christ_. St. Paul testifies of himself, that\nbesides \u201cChrist and him crucified,\u201d he desired to know nothing. 1 Cor.\n2:2. And this has been the practice of all the saints of God, who have\nendeavored, to the utmost of their power, by carefully cherishing this\nblessed tranquillity of heart, to approach nearer and nearer to a life\nraised above the world, and to emulate those elevated minds that entirely\nrest in God, as the centre of all their happiness. One of them once said:\n\u201cAs often as I converse with men, I return less a man in some part or\nother.\u201d For since the dignity of human nature principally consists in the\nsimilitude of God, and therefore God hath described man to be the image\nand likeness of himself (Gen. 1:26); it follows, that the more unlike any\nman is to God, the less a man he is: and the more closely he unites\nhimself to God, the more conformed to HIM does he become. None can,\nhowever, turn himself to God, who does not first withdraw himself from the\nworld. It is the nature of every seed, to bring forth a plant of its own\nkind; so if the seed of God, the Holy Spirit and Word, be in thee, thou\nshalt become a \u201ctree of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he\nmay be glorified.\u201d Isa. 61:3.\n\n5. Nothing is more common, than that some word or other is dropped in the\nconversation of men, which being idle and vain, grievously wounds and\npollutes the soul. No man, therefore, has more security and peace, than he\nwho keeps at home, in the house of his heart, and restrains his thoughts,\nhis words, and his senses, from straying beyond their bounds.\n\n6. He that will speak well, must first learn to be silent; for to talk\nmuch is not eloquence, but prating. He who desires to command well, must\nfirst learn to obey; since it is impossible that he should be a good ruler\nover others, who knows not how to be subject and obedient to God. He that\ndesires peace and serenity of mind, must set a watch over his tongue, and\nmaintain a good conscience; for an evil conscience is like the troubled\nsea; yet shall it find rest if it return unto Christ in true repentance.\nThe dove which Noah sent out of the ark, not finding any place of rest,\nreturned to it. Gen. 8:9. This ark is Christ and the Church, having only\none door or window, which is that of repentance, through which we are to\ncome to Christ. And as the dove retired into the ark immediately when she\nfound no rest for her foot; so when thou art floating in a sea of worldly\naffairs, and art in danger of suffering shipwreck, retire immediately into\nthy heart to Christ; lest, being too much tossed on the floods of the\nworld, thy rest be broken, and the tranquillity of thy mind entirely\ndestroyed.\n\n7. While thou conversest with men, and art engaged in the affairs of this\nworld, be careful to manage everything with fear and humility. Avoid all\nself-confidence and rashness in acting. Remember that thou art as a tender\nshoot tied to a prop, in order that it may grow up with the more safety:\nso do thou constantly lean on the staff of humility, and the fear of God,\nlest a sudden tempest should arise, and lay thee level with the ground.\nAlas! how many a man is deceived when he, too unadvisedly, rushes into\nworldly affairs. Persuade thyself, therefore, that it is as unsafe to\ntrust to the world, as to the sea. The external joy of the world, though\nfor a time it soothe a man in his carnal security, and promise prosperous\nthings, yet may soon be disturbed by an unexpected tempest, leaving\nnothing behind but the sting of an evil conscience.\n\n8. If a man would, on the one hand, seek no pleasure in what is frail or\nperishing; and if, on the other, with a mind freed from secular joys and\naffairs, he would give himself up to those more heavenly concerns that\nbecome a true Christian, he would often be visited with a fervent\ndevotion, a profound peace, a sweet tranquillity, a serene conscience, and\nother divine comforts. But, alas! we will not be persuaded of these\nthings; and hence it follows, that our conversion, amendment, and devotion\nare, by our too free conversation with men, rather hindered than improved.\nWe may find within us, what we easily lose in an inconsiderate pursuit of\nthings without us. And as a tree nowhere prospers better than in its\nnatural soil; so the inward man grows nowhere more happily, than in the\ninward ground of the soul, where Christ resides.\n\n9. The conscience of man is possessed either with joy or sorrow. If the\nconscience be conversant with things internal and heavenly, it will\nrefresh us with inward delight and comfort; but if it be polluted with an\nexcessive cleaving to worldly concerns, it will be of necessity attended\nwith inward sorrow and perplexity. 2 Cor. 7:10.\n\n10. As often as the soul is affected with hearty remorse for sin, she\nbewails herself, and sends up secret groans to the throne of mercy. This\npenitential exercise is a wholesome fountain of tears, in which the soul,\nnight after night, cleanses and washes herself by the Spirit and by faith,\nthrough the name of _Jesus_ (1 Cor. 6:11), that so she may be duly\nprepared to enter into the inward sanctuary, and holy of holies, and there\nenjoy a secret intercourse with the Lord.\n\n11. And because the Lord is \u201ca God that hideth himself\u201d (Isa. 45:15), the\nsoul must approach him in a way remote from the noise of the world, that\nshe may the more freely partake of his divine communications. Hence the\nPsalmist says: \u201cI will hear what God the Lord will speak.\u201d Ps. 85:8. And\n\u201cI sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.\nThis poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his\ntroubles.\u201d Psalm 34:4, 6. \u201cUnto thee will I pray: my voice shalt thou hear\nin the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee,\nand will look up.\u201d Psalm 5:2, 3. Thus the farther the soul retires from\nthe world, the more intimately she converses with God; just as the\npatriarch Jacob conversed most familiarly with God and angels when he was\nfarthest removed from friends and children. Gen. 32:24-29. It cannot,\nindeed, be expressed in words, how much a soul sequestered from the\nfriendship and fellowship of the world, is loved by God and by angels.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIV.\n\n\n                   Of The Love Of God And Our Neighbor.\n\n\n    _Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart,\n    and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned._\u20141 TIM. 1:5.\n\n\nIn this verse, the apostle sets before us love, the highest and noblest\nvirtue; and acquaints us at the same time, with four particulars\nconcerning it. _First_, that Love is the summary of all the commandments:\nfor \u201clove,\u201d says the apostle, \u201cis the fulfilling of the law\u201d (Rom. 13:10);\nin which all the precepts are comprehended, and without which, all gifts\nand virtues are unprofitable and fruitless.\n\n2. What he says in the _second_ place, namely, that Charity must arise\nfrom a pure heart, relates to the love of _God_, which requires a heart\nvoid of worldly love and affection, according to that saying of St. John:\n\u201cLove not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For all\nthat is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the\npride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world\npasseth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God\nabideth forever.\u201d 1 John 2:15-17. Whosoever, therefore, has a heart\npurified from all love to the creature, so as to depend or acquiesce in no\ntransient good whatsoever, can cleave most intimately to God, saying with\nDavid, \u201cWhom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that\nI desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the\nstrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.\u201d Psal. 73:25, 26. The love\nof such a one, proceeds out of a \u201c_pure heart_.\u201d Of the same character\nalso, is that love which is attended with great delight, pleasure and joy\nin God; of which we have an illustration in David: \u201cI will love thee, O\nLord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;\nmy God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my\nsalvation, and my high tower.\u201d Psal. 18:1, 2.\n\n3. The apostle, in the _third_ place, teaches us, that love must be \u201cout\nof a good conscience.\u201d This properly concerns the love of _our neighbor_,\nwho is to be loved, not for the sake of interest or worldly advantage\n(which would be a false love out of a bad conscience); but for the sake of\nGod only, and of his commandments. Nor ought we to afflict our neighbor\neither by word or deed, either secretly or openly; nor on any account,\nbear envy, wrath, hatred, malice or rancor against him; that so our\nconscience may not accuse us when we address ourselves in prayer to God\nAlmighty.\n\n4. The _fourth_ requisite of Love is, a \u201cfaith unfeigned;\u201d so that nothing\nbe done that is contrary to the rule of faith, and to our Christian\nprofession, and that God be not denied publicly or privately, in\nprosperity or adversity. This is the substance of what is contained in\nthat sentence of the apostle. We shall now speak more particularly, with\nrespect to each of the several parts.\n\n5. In the _first_ place, then, _Love_, according to the apostle, \u201cis the\nend of the commandment;\u201d for that love which arises from a pure faith, is\nthe noblest among the fruits and effects of faith; than which a man can do\nnothing better or more acceptable to God. For God does not require at our\nhands great and difficult enterprises, no high performances that exceed\nour capacities; but he has changed the yoke of the Old Testament service,\nand its many commandments and ordinances into faith and love, and has\ngiven us for this end the Holy Ghost, who, \u201cshedding abroad in our hearts\nthe love of God\u201d (Rom. 5:5), renders everything sweet and easy, and proves\nthe original spring of this heavenly virtue.\n\n6. Love, therefore, is not a hard work, a labor attended with toil and\ndifficulty; on the contrary, it makes everything easy to a good man. \u201cHis\ncommandments are not grievous\u201d (1 John 5:3), that is to say, they are not\nso to an enlightened Christian; for wherever the Spirit of God comes, he\ncreates a free, willing and ready heart in the discharge of Christian\nvirtues. Nor does God require of his children great skill or learning: it\nis only love which he regards. If this be sincere and fervent, free from\ndisguise and dissimulation, God takes more pleasure and delight in it,\nthan in all the knowledge and wisdom, in all the art and talent that any\nman upon earth, in his best works, can possibly exhibit. Wherever this\ndivine love is wanting, there all wisdom and knowledge, all works and\ngifts, are altogether unprofitable. They are accounted vain and dead, as a\nmere body without life. 1 Cor. 13:1, 2.\n\n7. As for human learning and great abilities, they are common to heathens\nas well as to Christians; and great actions are performed as well by\ninfidels as by believers. It is _love_ only which proves the sure test of\na sound Christian, distinguishing between the false and the true. For\nwherever Charity is wanting, there can be no good thing, however it may\nclaim the admiration of men by its specious appearances. The reason is,\nbecause God is not there; for \u201cGod is love, and he that dwelleth in love,\ndwelleth in God, and God in him.\u201d 1 John 4:16.\n\n8. Love is also pleasant, not only to God who gives it, but also to man,\nwho exercises it: whereas, all arts and sciences, all the knowledge and\nwisdom which man grasps, are not attained but with great labor and study,\nwith much care and application, and even at the expense of bodily health.\nBut this heaven-born love cheers both the body and the mind. It\ninvigorates the spirits, confers new strength, and wonderfully improves\nand exalts the mind. Nor is it attended with any loss whatever, but on the\ncontrary, produces many good and noble effects in the soul. Love is itself\nthe reward of the lover, and virtue always carries its own recompense with\nit: as, on the contrary, the vicious man is punished by his own excesses,\nand vice is the constant tormentor of him that commits it.\n\n9. Again, when the other faculties of the body and mind are faint and\nwearied, love faints not. Love is never weary, never ceases. Prophecy may\npass away, tongues may cease, and sciences may be destroyed; arts may be\nlost, the knowledge of mysteries may vanish; yea, faith itself at last may\nfail also: but yet \u201clove never faileth,\u201d nor can fail: for when all that\nis imperfect is happily removed, then love alone abides forever, and\nattains its full perfection. 1 Cor. 13:8.\n\n10. To render anything pleasing to Almighty God, it is necessary that it\nproceed from him; since he approves of nothing but what he himself works\nin us. Now, God is love; it therefore follows, that all that we do, ought\nto proceed from a divine faith, in order that it may be pleasing to God;\nand from pure love, that it may prove profitable to men. This love must be\n_pure_, without any regard to self-honor, self-interest, and those mean\ndesigns which sometimes intrude into a Christian\u2019s actions. In like manner\nour _prayers_ should spring from a principle of love, that they may have\nthe more ready admittance to the God of love. Consider, therefore, how\nthat man\u2019s prayer can be acceptable to God, who is full of wrath and\nrancor, hatred and malice? Were such a one to repeat the whole Psalter\nevery day, it would be but an abomination before the Lord. True worship\nconsists in spirit (John 4:23, 24), in faith, in love, not in a long\nrecital of words. Remember the example of Christ, who, from a merciful\nheart, cried, \u201cFather, forgive them.\u201d Luke 33:34. A man that does not love\nGod, is also unwilling to pour out his heart in prayer and supplication:\nbut to him who is affected with a sense of divine love, the duty of prayer\nis easy and delightful. A man that has a cordial love to God, readily\nserves him; but he that is void of this love, does not serve him at all,\nthough he may submit to much toil and drudgery, and even heap one mountain\nupon another.\n\n11. Upon the whole, then, nothing is more agreeable to human nature,\nnothing better and more profitable, than this divine love, which,\ntherefore, should be stirred up in the heart of man, and when once raised\ninto a flame, should be carefully preserved from being ever quenched.\n\n12. Faith should work all things in a Christian through love; and love\nshould be the agent of faith, as the body is the agent of the soul. The\nsoul sees and hears, speaks and acts, through the body, to which she is\nunited; so, O man! should the love of God, springing from faith, do all\nthings in and through thee. Whether thou eat or drink, hear or speak,\ncommend or reprove, let all be done _in love_, after the example of\nChrist, in whom resided nothing but pure love. If thou beholdest thy\nneighbor, behold him with the eyes of a compassionate friend; if thou\nhearest him, hear him with love and tenderness; and if thou speakest with\nhim, let thy speech be seasoned with love and Christian affection.\n\n13. Carefully preserve the root of Christian love by faith, in order that\nnothing but that which is good may grow up in thy heart, and issue thence,\nas from its genuine centre. 1 Cor. 16:14. Thou shalt then be enabled to\nfulfil the commandments of God; since they are all comprehended in love.\nHence, a holy man has expressed himself after this manner: \u201cO love of God\nin the Holy Ghost! thou art the highest joy of souls, and the only divine\nlife of men. Whosoever enjoys not thee, is dead even while he lives; and\nwhosoever possesses thee, never dies in the sight of God. Where thou art\nnot, there the life of men is a continual death; but where thou art, there\nlife is made a foretaste of eternal happiness.\u201d Whence it appears that\nthis divine love is the sum and fulfilling of all the commandments of God.\n\n14. We consider now, in the _second_ place, that our love to God ought to\nproceed \u201cout of a pure heart.\u201d The heart of a man who is desirous to love\nGod, ought first to be cleansed from all worldly love and attachment to\nthe creature. It is then that God becomes the chief and sovereign Good to\nthe soul. She can then say, \u201cThe Lord is the portion of mine inheritance,\nand of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.\u201d Ps. 16:5. \u201cThe Lord knoweth the\ndays of the upright,\u201d that is, those that love him out of a disinterested\nheart; \u201cand their inheritance shall be forever.\u201d Ps. 37:18. \u201cDelight\nthyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.\u201d\nPs. 37:4. In a word, God is the only fountain whence all our joy ought\nconstantly to spring.\n\n15. God, therefore, should be the most beloved object of our souls, and\nour hearts should rest in him alone, because he is the highest good. He is\nnothing else than mercy and goodness, love and kindness, clemency and\npatience, truth, comfort, peace, joy, life, and happiness. All this he has\nlaid up in Jesus Christ. Whoever, therefore, has Christ, is thereby put\ninto the possession of all these heavenly virtues. And whoever loves God,\nmust also of necessity love God\u2019s truth and mercy, his goodness and\nkindness, and the whole train of divine virtues.\n\n16. For, a true lover of God has a love to all that God loves, and an\naversion to all that God hates. If any man loves God, he must love truth,\nmercy, and righteousness, because God is all this himself. He must also\ndelight in humility and meekness, since thereby he is rendered conformable\nto that meekness and lowly-mindedness which resided in Jesus. On the other\nhand, a true lover of God cannot but abhor all ungodliness, with all the\nworks of iniquity; because all manner of impiety is enmity against God,\nand is the work of the devil himself. A lover of God hates a lie, because\nthe devil is the father of lies, and was a liar from the beginning. And\nthis is the reason that every one who loves lies, injustice, and other\nvicious workings of nature, must needs, in that sense, be the offspring of\nthe devil (see John 8:44); and again, whoever loves Christ, his Lord and\nSaviour, loves also the example of his pure and holy life, his humility\nand meekness, his patience, and the other heavenly virtues that appeared\nin his conduct. And such a one must of necessity be adopted into the\nnumber of the children of God.\n\n17. This love, proceeding out of a \u201cpure heart,\u201d must be obtained from God\nby prayer and supplication. And truly, God is willing to enkindle in us\nthis heavenly flame through the love of Christ, if he be but earnestly\nsolicited, and if the heart be every day and every moment laid open to his\ndivine influence. If thy love should grow cold and weak at any time,\narouse thy heart, faint not, but stir up the grace of God within thee, and\nbe not too much discouraged at it. In the name of God arise again, set to\nwork, and renew the acts of thy first love. As thou art sensible of thy\ncoldness in love, thou mayest be assured from that circumstance, that the\neternal light of divine love is not _wholly_ extinguished, although it be\neclipsed, and at present give but little heat. Doubt not that thy Saviour\nwill enlighten thee again, and fire thy heart with his love; so that thou\nmayest sit once more under his shadow, and rejoice in the light of his\ncountenance. At the same time be earnest in prayer and supplications, lest\nhereafter the flame of this heavenly love should be again deadened in thy\nheart. Such is love \u201cout of a pure heart,\u201d unmixed with love of the world.\n\n18. Let us now consider, in the _third_ place, Love, as arising from a\n\u201cgood conscience,\u201d and as it respects our neighbor. The love of God and\nthe love of our neighbor are so closely united, that they can never be\nseparated. The true touchstone of our love to God, is the love which we\nbear to our neighbor. \u201cIf a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother,\nhe is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how\ncan he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from\nhim, That he who loveth God, love his brother also.\u201d 1 John 4:20, 21. For\nthe love of God cannot dwell in a man who is filled with hatred or malice,\nor divested of all bowels of love and compassion. If thou hast no pity on\nthy brother, who stands in need of thy help, how canst thou love God, who\nneeds not anything that is thine, and has commanded thee to express thy\nlove towards him, by bestowing marks of it upon thy brother?\n\n19. As faith unites to God, so love unites to our neighbor; and as a man\nis made up of body and soul, so faith and love (that is, the love both of\nGod and of our neighbor) make up a true Christian. Thus he that \u201cdwelleth\nin love, dwelleth in God.\u201d 1 John 4:16. And since God effectually desires\nthe good of all men, it follows, that he who loves in like manner is of\none heart with God; and that he who is otherwise affected is against God,\nand has not the mind of the Lord, but is the enemy of God as well as of\nhis neighbor. He is, unquestionably, an adversary to God who is an enemy\nto men.\n\n20. It is the property of this love to bewail and compassionate the\ninfirmities of others. Gal. 6:1. Indeed, the failings and weaknesses of\nour fellow-creatures represent to us, as in a mirror, our own\nimperfections, and remind us of the various defects that encumber our\nnature. Therefore, when thou seest another overtaken in a fault, consider\nthat thou also thyself art but a man; and learn from thy own infirmities,\nto bear those of others with patience, meekness, and humility. Rom. 15:7.\n\n21. Such especially as sin, not from, malice or determined wickedness, but\nwho are surprised into a fault by weakness and inadvertency; and who,\ncoming soon to themselves again, repent of that which they have done, and\nfirmly resolve to watch the more against the snares of Satan for the\nfuture; such souls as these are surely to be pitied and assisted. He that\ndoes otherwise, shows that he has nothing in him of the merciful and\nforbearing spirit of Christ. When a man hastily condemns the faults of his\nneighbor, without feeling any love or compassion, it is an evident sign\nthat he is altogether void of God, and of his merciful spirit. On the\ncontrary, a true Christian, being anointed with the spirit of Christ,\ntreats all men as one that has a fellow-feeling with them, and bears with\nthem in a sympathizing Christian love and tenderness, according to the\nexample of Christ, which he has left us to follow. Therefore, if any man,\nupon serious search into his inward condition, finds that he has not the\nlove of his neighbor abiding in him, let him know, assuredly, that the\nlove of God remains not in his soul, and that he himself is without God.\nThis should strike him with horror and indignation against himself; it\nshould influence him the more speedily (after repenting of his sin from\nthe bottom of his heart) to reconcile himself to his neighbor, that, in\nthis order, the love of God may also return to him again. Then all his\nactions, while he continues in this love and faith, are good, holy, and\ndivine; and this love, dwelling in his heart, will actuate him freely and\nwillingly to embrace all men, and with great affection and joy to do them\nall manner of kindnesses; so that he will \u201crejoice over them to do them\ngood,\u201d even as God himself. Jer. 32:41.\n\n22. Without this love, whatever is in man, is diabolical and altogether\nevil. Nor is there, indeed, any other cause why the devil can do no good,\nbut because he is utterly destitute of love both towards God and man.\nHence, all which he does is radically evil, and deprived of all intrinsic\ngoodness. In all that he sets about, he designs nothing but God\u2019s\ndishonor, and man\u2019s destruction. He cunningly contrives ways to vent his\nenmity both upon God and man; and, therefore, he seeks for such hearts as\nhe can fill with spite and envy, and then discharges through them his\nmalice and wrath. \u201cAnd hereby it is manifest who are the children of God,\nand the children of the devil.\u201d 1 John 3:10.\n\n23. _Lastly_, Love must be \u201cout of faith unfeigned,\u201d that is, we must love\nGod equally in prosperity and adversity. Whoever loves God sincerely,\naccepts with joy all the dispensations of his Providence, after the\nexample of Christ; who, with a cheerful and ready mind, took up the cross,\nwhich he knew that the will of his Father imposed on him. \u201cI have,\u201d says\nhe, \u201ca baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened (and in pain)\ntill it be accomplished!\u201d Luke 12:50. In the same manner have all the holy\nmartyrs carried with joy their cross after him.\n\n24. To those that unfeignedly love God, the cross, which Christ enjoins us\nto bear, does not prove grievous or burdensome; and this for no other\nreason, than because it is the _yoke of Christ_. Matt. 11:29. If the\nmagnet attracts the heavy iron, why should not that heavenly loadstone,\nthe love of God, attract the burden of our cross, and render it light and\nagreeable; especially after the heart is affected with a touch of the\ndivine love? If the sugar sweeten such herbs as are bitter by nature, why\nshould not the sweetness of the love of God make that pleasant and easy,\nwhich to the flesh is nothing but a cross and affliction? And truly it was\nfrom the fulness of this love, that the blessed martyrs bore the most\nexquisite pain with patience and joy; being transported with it to such a\ndegree, as to be almost insensible of their very torments.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXV.\n\n\n         The Love Of Our Neighbor, More Particularly Considered.\n\n\n    _Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in\n    bondage._\u20142 PETER 2:19.\n\n\nThere is no bondage more hard and grievous, than to be under the yoke of\nthe passions: but of all these, none is so cruel as _hatred_, which so\nweakens and depresses all the powers both of body and mind, as not to\nleave to the man one free thought. On the contrary, he who lives in _love_\nis _free_. He is no slave to anger, envy, covetousness, pride, lying, or\ncalumny; and being delivered from these by love, he suffers not himself to\nbe subdued by evil desires, but continues Christ\u2019s freeman (1 Cor. 7:22)\nin the liberty of the Spirit: for \u201cwhere the Spirit of the Lord is, there\nis liberty.\u201d 2 Cor. 3:17. Whosoever, therefore, walks in the love of\nChrist, is no longer a slave to sin, or a servant to carnal affections;\nfor the Spirit of God\u2019s love has freed and purified him from carnal\nconcupiscence. And we see that the love of God extends over all men; of\nwhich we not only find sufficient proofs in Scripture, but the footsteps\nof his universal benignity are also everywhere displayed in nature. We are\nall equally covered with the heavens, and have all the use of the sun, the\nair, the earth, and the water; as well they who are of high degree, as\nthey who are of the meanest condition. And the very same mind that is in\nGod towards us, ought also to be in us towards men; God himself having set\nus a pattern of universal kindness for our imitation. He regards not one\nmore than another, but loves all with an equal affection. With him there\nis no respect of persons, of dignity, or merit; but he beholds all alike\nin Christ. This is for our instruction. Now, as God acts towards us, so\nought we to act towards our neighbor. And truly, after the same manner as\nwe deal with man, so God will deal with us again. We need not go far to\ninquire what favor we have with God Almighty. If we but enter into our own\nconscience, it will impartially tell us, what mind and affection we bear\nto our neighbor; and as we have done to him, so will God certainly do to\nus again, and return our works into our own bosom. And in this sense it is\nsaid of God, that \u201cwith the pure he shews himself pure; and with the\nfroward, shews himself froward\u201d (Ps. 18:26); that is, if thou bearest an\nevil mind to thy neighbor, God will be thine adversary also.\n\n2. Since, therefore, God has no need of our service, he has substituted\nour neighbor in his place, to receive our charity, and has commanded us to\npay it as to himself. He has made this love of our neighbor the very\n_touch-stone_ by which we are to examine the sincerity of our love to God.\n\n3. And it is for this reason that he has enjoined the love of our neighbor\nwith so great earnestness, requiring us to show constantly the same love\nto him which God shows to us. For unless a man be fully reconciled to, and\nbe in perfect charity with his neighbor, he cannot have the favor or grace\nof God. And although all the sins of the world are atoned for by the death\nof Christ, and a full pardon obtained, yet all mankind may in some sense\nbe said to be in the same circumstances with the servant in the parable,\nwho had not wherewithal to pay; the king freely remitted him all his\ndebts: but when he afterwards behaved himself cruelly towards his\nfellow-servant, the king revoked his pardon, and condemned the servant, on\naccount of the hard usage with which he treated his neighbor. Matt. 18:23,\netc. This parable Christ concludes with the remarkable expression: \u201cSo\nlikewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts\nforgive not every one his brother, their trespasses.\u201d Verse 35. And, \u201cWith\nthe same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.\u201d\nLuke 6:38.\n\n4. Hence, it plainly appears, that man was not created for himself alone,\nbut for his neighbor\u2019s sake also. So strict is the commandment of loving\nour neighbor, that when it is broken, the very end of our creation is\ndestroyed, and the love of God is immediately withdrawn from the soul.\nNothing is left but the severest justice, judging and condemning all that\nare void of this charity.\n\n5. If we duly considered these things, we should never be angry with one\nanother; neither would \u201cthe sun ever go down upon our wrath.\u201d Eph. 4:26.\nIt is true, on the one hand, that Christ by his death on the cross has\noffered a full and complete atonement for all our trespasses, and in this\nrespect, has remitted all our sins at once; yet is it, on the other hand,\nan awful consideration, that the whole extent of the merits of Christ will\nbe of no avail at all to us, if we continue to hate our brother, and will\nneither pardon nor love him. We shall be entirely cut off from all the\nbenefits that flow from the atonement.\n\n6. Hence it appears how important the love of our neighbor must be in the\nsight of God, binding us even to such a degree, that God refuses to be\nloved by us, unless we love our neighbor also; so that if we fail in our\nbenevolence toward the latter, we fall at the same time from grace and\ndivine charity. And for this reason, we were created all equal and of the\nsame nature, that we might not despise one other; but, like children of\none common parent, live in peace and love, and endeavor to maintain a good\nand serene conscience.\n\n7. Now, whoever hates and despises his brother, hates and despises God\nalso, who has forbidden all such animosities in the severest terms. If\nthou contemnest thy brother, God also contemns thee; which hastens thy\njudgment and condemnation, and deprives thee of all interest in the merit\nand redemption of Christ, by which sin is forgiven.\n\n8. For it cannot be possible that a heart filled with wrath and\nbitterness, should in any degree reap a saving fruit from the blood of\nChrist, which was shed from a motive of pure love. Yea, the above parable\n(Matt. 18:35) plainly convinces us, that God was less offended at the debt\nof ten thousand talents, than at the barbarous cruelty of which the\nservant was guilty; he can overlook the debt, but he cannot overlook the\nwant of love. Let us, therefore, ponder the words with which the Lord\nconcludes the parable: \u201cSo likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto\nyou.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXVI.\n\n\n                  Wherefore Our Neighbor Is To Be Loved.\n\n\n    _Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth\n    another hath fulfilled the law._\u2014ROM. 13:8.\n\n\n\u201cWherewith shall I come before the Lord? Shall I come before him with\nburnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with\nthousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my\nfirst-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my\nsoul?\u2014He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord\nrequire of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly\nwith thy God.\u201d Micah 6:6-8.\n\n2. By this question, and the answer to it, the prophet teaches us, wherein\nthe true worship of God properly consists; not in ceremonies and\nsacrifices, since we are not able to give anything to God, because all is\nhis own already; not in offering up human sacrifices, which he does not\nrequire at our hands, but detests and abhors, because they are injurious\nto Jesus Christ, the great propitiatory oblation which God appointed to\ntake away the sins of the world (John 1:29): but the true worship of God\nconsists in pure faith, which, from the visible effect of it, the prophet\nhere describes, by \u201cdoing justly,\u201d that is by the exercise of faith in\nrighteousness, in charity and mercy, (which is more pleasing than all\nsacrifices); and in true humility and contrition, as it is said: \u201cThe\nsacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O\nGod, thou wilt not despise.\u201d Ps. 51:17.\n\n3. To this divine worship, founded within the heart, and proceeding from\nfaith, love, and humility, St. Paul powerfully exhorts us in Rom. 13:8-10.\nHis admonition contains in it both the praise of Christian love, and the\nperpetual duty in which we stand engaged to our neighbor, and without\nwhich it is impossible to serve God aright. For truly there is no other\nway of serving God, except by that which he himself works in our hearts:\nso that to serve God, is nothing else but to serve our neighbor, and to do\nhim all the offices of Christian love and humanity which we are able to\nperform.\n\n4. The apostle calls love a summary of all virtues, and the \u201cfulfilling of\nthe law.\u201d Rom. 13:10. Not that we are able by any acts of charity, to\nfulfil perfectly the divine law, or that consequently we can merit eternal\nlife thereby; (which cannot possibly be, except our love were complete in\nevery respect, and arrived to a consummate perfection): but the apostle\ndesires to suggest thereby the wonderful excellency of this virtue, and to\nincline us, at the same time, to an unfeigned love. As to our\nrighteousness, it is not grounded on any work of ours, but only on the\nmerits of Christ applied to us by faith.\n\n5. From this righteousness of Christ, apprehended by faith, springs love\nto our neighbor, together with the whole train of Christian virtues,\ncalled by the apostle \u201cfruits of righteousness, which are to the glory and\npraise of God.\u201d Phil. 1:11. But since the dignity of this virtue is so\nvery eminent, it will be proper to set forth further motives by which the\npractice of it may be endeared to us.\n\n6. The first and strongest of all motives, is that which St. John uses:\n\u201cGod is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in\nhim\u201d (1 John 4:16). For who would not wish to be in God, and to remain in\nHim; and that God should be and remain in him? And who, on the contrary,\nwould not abhor to be in Satan, and to have Satan dwelling in him? And yet\nthis is the ordinary consequence, as often as charity is repulsed, and\nunnatural animosities are admitted into the heart. For as God is a lover\nof men, ready to save them from eternal destruction, so the devil is a\nhater of men. This is further explained by St. John: \u201cHe that loveth, is\nborn of God, and knoweth God.\u201d 1 John 4:7. And again: \u201cIn this the\nchildren of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever\ndoeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his\nbrother.\u201d 1 John 3:10. Now, can there be anything more desirable than to\nbe ranked among the children of God, to be begotten of God, and to know\nGod truly and experimentally? But whoever has his heart void of this love,\nand has never felt its force and energy, nor tasted its goodness and\ngentleness, long suffering and patience, this man knows not God, who is\npure love. For the knowledge of God must proceed from enjoyment and\nexperience. And how is it possible that a man should know Christ, whilst\nhe is a stranger to love, and to that loving intercourse which subsists\nbetwixt Christ and the soul? Hence it follows, that he that is without\nlove, is without Christ also. But he who is earnest in the exercise of\nlove, shall not be left barren in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ:\n\u201cFor if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall\nneither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus\nChrist.\u201d 2 Pet. 1:8.\n\n7. The second motive is found in what our Lord himself says: \u201cBy this\nshall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to\nanother.\u201d John 13:35. Now, in order to be a disciple of Christ, it is not\nenough to be a Christian in name, or by a mere verbal profession; but to\nbe a disciple of Christ implies much more. Such a one must believe in his\nname; must love him, imitate him, live in him. He must, in a peculiar\nmanner, adhere to him; must feel the love of Christ infused into his soul,\nand freely partake of all the gifts and benefits purchased by him. Whoever\nhas not this love of Christ abiding in him, is not Christ\u2019s disciple, nor\ncan he pretend to have any share in his merits. For how is it possible\nthat Christ should know a man who has neither faith in, nor any love to\nhim? As a flower is known by its fragrance, and fruit by its flavor, so a\ntrue disciple of Christ is known by his love.\n\n8. Hence, St. Paul does not hesitate to affirm, that \u201call gifts without\ncharity are nothing\u201d (1 Cor. 13:2); which is a third motive why we should\ndesire this excellent gift. In truth, neither the knowledge of divers\ntongues, nor the gift of miracles, nor the understanding of high and\nsublime mysteries, nor any extraordinary endowments, are sufficient marks\nby which to know a Christian; this prerogative being entirely reserved to\n\u201cfaith, which worketh by love.\u201d Gal. 5:6. Nor does God require any hard\nthings at our hand (such as the working of miracles), but to exercise love\nand humility; virtues that may be apprehended by the meanest capacity. Nor\nwill it be demanded of thee in the day of judgment, whether thou hast been\nversed in arts, tongues, and sciences, or what great parts thou hast\npossessed in this world; but whether thou hast exercised thyself in faith\nand love. \u201cI was a hungered,\u201d saith our Saviour, \u201cand ye gave me meat,\netc.\u201d Matt. 25:35, etc. And St. Paul says to the Galatians: \u201cIn Christ\nJesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision (no\ngifts, no parts, no endowments, no respect of persons); but faith which\nworketh by love.\u201d Gal. 5:6.\n\n9. Add to these, as a fourth motive, that passage of St. John: \u201cIf a man\nsay, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth\nnot his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not\nseen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God, love\nhis brother also.\u201d 1 John 4:20, 21. This all the inspired writers teach,\nthat love towards God cannot possibly exist in the soul without love to\nour neighbor. For he that hates his neighbor must be an enemy to God;\nbecause God is a lover of men, and requires us to be of the same mind.\n\n10. A fifth motive is, that love is the great law of nature, and attended\nwith many things beneficial to mankind, without which we would not be able\nto live. When any good thing happens to man, it certainly proceeds from\ndivine love. Hence, St. Paul calls love, the \u201cbond of perfectness\u201d (Col.\n3:14); and describes, in Rom. 12:9, 10, the excellent fruits that grow\nupon this stock. And our Saviour himself teaches to the same effect: \u201cAll\nthings whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to\nthem: for this is the law and the prophets.\u201d Matt. 7:12. And this is so\nuniversal a truth, that the heathens themselves were, by the very law of\nnature written in their hearts, convinced of it. Hence they said: \u201cThat\nwhich you would not should be done to yourself, do not the same to\nanother.\u201d This excellent sentence, the Emperor Severus, a prince adorned\nwith many virtues, had daily in his mouth, and enacted it into a law for\nthe good of the country.\n\n11. A sixth motive is, that love is a beautiful image and a foretaste of\neternal life; when the saints shall love each other sincerely; when they\nshall delight in one another, and converse together with wonderful and\nineffable concord, in an inexpressible sweetness, in unfeigned affection,\ncheerfulness, and joy. Whoever, therefore, would conceive to himself an\nimage of that marvellous love and harmony, and obtain some foretaste of\nthe exquisite pleasures of the eternal beatitude, let him study this love,\nin which he will find a singular pleasure, with much peace and\ntranquillity of mind.\n\n12. The more pure and fervent our charity is, the nearer it approaches to\nthe divine nature. This is a seventh motive. In God, in Christ, and in the\nHoly Ghost, there resides the most pure, fervent, and transcendent love.\nIt is then that our love becomes pure, when we love one another, not for\nthe sake of private interest, but for the sake of the love of God, which\nis the great and unerring pattern which we ought carefully to follow. For\nGod loves us with a disinterested love: but if any man loves his neighbor\nfor his own private profit and interest, his love is not pure at all, nor\ndoes it, in any degree, come up to that sublime example which is set us by\nGod Almighty. This makes also the difference betwixt heathen and Christian\ncharity. A Christian loves his neighbor in God and in Christ,\ndisinterestedly and generously, without debasing himself by any ignoble or\nselfish design. Thus is his love preserved pure and sincere, free from\ndissimulation, falsehood, and any counterfeit. Whereas the heathens\npolluted their deeds with self-honor and interest, and other sinister\nends, which mingled with the best of their actions. This Christian love,\nwhen it becomes a habit in the mind, produces a true fervency of spirit,\nto perform still greater acts of love and benignity. And it is then that\nlove is truly fervent, when it inspires the lover with great mercy and\ntenderness towards his fellow-creatures, and prompts to vigorous efforts\nto relieve their necessity. When he has the affairs of his neighbor as\nmuch at heart as his own, then he is ready even to \u201clay down his very life\nfor the brethren\u201d (1 John 3:16), if need be, or, after the example of\nMoses and Paul, to be \u201caccursed\u201d for the brethren, and to be \u201cblotted out\nof the book of God,\u201d if this possibly could be done. Exod. 32:32; Rom.\n9:3.\n\n13. Hence it follows (which is the eighth motive), that we ought also to\nlove our enemies, according to the Lord\u2019s precept: \u201cLove your enemies,\nbless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for\nthem which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the\nchildren of your Father which is in heaven. For if ye love them which love\nyou, what reward have ye? do not the publicans the same?\u201d Matt. 5:44; Luke\n6:32, etc. Herein consist the excellency and prerogative of a true\nChristian; namely, to subject nature to this divine principle, to tame\nflesh and blood, and to overcome the world, and the _evil_ therein with\n_goodness_. Rom. 12:21. \u201cIf thine enemy hunger, feed him.\u201d Rom. 12:20. It\nis not enough for a Christian not to hurt his neighbor or enemy; but he is\ncommanded to _do_ him _good_, and to support him with such aids, as are\nconvenient for him (Exod. 23:4, etc.); whoever refuses to comply with\nthese terms, cannot be a child of God, or a disciple of Christ.\n\n14. The ninth motive is, that whoever does not practise Christian love and\ncharity, separates himself from the spiritual body of Christ, that is, the\nChurch; and forfeits all the privileges of this body, and even the merits\nof Christ; there being but \u201cone Lord, one faith, one baptism.\u201d Eph. 4:5.\nFor as the members when cut off from the body, no longer partake of the\nlife and power of the head, but are dead; so those that do not live in the\npractice of love and charity, are separate from Christ, the sole Head of\nthe Church, and can receive no power and vital influence out of his\nfulness. Therefore, St. John says, \u201cHe that loveth not his brother,\nabideth in death.\u201d 1 John 3:14.\n\n15. Lastly, we ought to love one another, because on the wings of this\nlove the prayer of a Christian ascends to heaven. By prayer, all good\ngifts are to be obtained; and without prayer, all helps and consolations\nare expected in vain. But then our prayer must spring from the evangelical\nprinciple of love; since God gives ear to no prayers, but to those that\nare grounded on faith and Christian charity: \u201cIf two of you agree on\nearth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them\nof my Father which is in heaven.\u201d Matt. 18:19.\n\n16. Come then, O man! let this sweet agreement and harmony be established\namong us upon earth. Let us live in the spirit of love, that peace and\nunion may dwell among us; for where peace is, there is the God of peace (2\nCor. 13:11; Rom. 15:33); and where He is, there \u201che hath also commanded\nhis blessing and life for evermore.\u201d Ps. 133:3.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXVII.\n\n\n                  Wherefore Our Enemies Are To Be Loved.\n\n\n    _Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them\n    that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and\n    persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is\n    in heaven._\u2014MATT. 5:44, 45.\n\n\nThe first cause why enemies ought to be loved, is the express commandment\nof God by his Son; for which he gives this reason, \u201cthat we may be the\nchildren of our Father in heaven,\u201d that is, \u201cof him that loved us when we\nwere yet his enemies.\u201d Rom. 5:10. As if he had said, \u201cUnless you love your\nenemies, you cannot be the children of the heavenly Father: and he that is\nnot God\u2019s son, what father shall he have?\u201d This commandment of the Lord is\nlittle practised; alas! how backward we are in bringing forth such fruits\nas become the children of God! If we be his children, truly we ought to\nstudy the great lesson of loving our enemies, that so, in some degree, we\nmay express the character of our Father in heaven.\n\n2. The Scripture says, \u201cHe that loveth not his brother, abideth in death.\u201d\n1 John 3:14. And why does he abide in death? Because he has not yet\nreceived that vital principle which is to be derived from Christ. The\nspiritual and heavenly life consists in faith towards God, and in love to\nour neighbor. Thus, St. John says, \u201cWe know that we have passed from death\nunto life, because we love the brethren.\u201d 1 John 3:14. Whence it is\nmanifest, that love is an undoubted sign and effect of spiritual life or\nrestoration to life in Christ; as hatred to men is an infallible proof of\nspiritual death and separation from God. And this spiritual death here,\nwill end in eternal death hereafter; of which our Lord faithfully warns\nus.\n\n3. Whoever, therefore, suffers his heart to be filled with wrath and\nbitterness against his neighbor, ought to know assuredly, that even his\nbest performances, his prayer and attendance on divine worship, and other\nworks of that nature, are altogether vain, and of no account before God.\nSt. Paul says, \u201cThough I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though\nI give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me\nnothing.\u201d 1 Cor. 13:3.\n\n4. It is, on the other hand, the property of a noble and divine mind, to\npardon injuries. Behold how long-suffering God is, and how easily he is\nreconciled. Ps. 103:8. Consider the example of Christ, the Son of God,\nwho, in the midst of his exquisite torments, like a patient lamb, did not\nso much as \u201copen his mouth.\u201d Isa. 53:7. Contemplate the nature of the\ndivine Spirit, who appeared in the form of a dove (Matt. 3:16), with a\nview that by such a representation he might teach us a dove-like meekness\nof mind, and recommend to us that tender simplicity of manners, which\nbecomes a true Christian. With what patience did Moses bear the reproaches\nof the people, thus deserving to be called \u201cvery meek, above all the men\nwhich were upon the face of the earth.\u201d Numb. 12:3. Remember also the\nconduct of David, and with what lenity of mind he heard the curses of\nShimei. 2 Sam. 16:10.\n\n5. True love teaches us to be angry with none but ourselves. True peace\nconsists not in having much wealth, but in bearing patiently whatever goes\nagainst our nature. Should a madman rail at the sun, and curse it for\nbeing nothing but darkness, the sun would never be darkened by his\nreproachful language, but continue his course, and enlighten the world as\nbefore. So do thou also, and remember that there is no sweeter or better\nrevenge than to forgive. Such wise and excellent rules were practised by\nmany of the heathens themselves. Pericles, the Grecian orator, having\npatiently heard a man revile him for the space of a whole day, when night\ncame on, kindly invited him to his house, and entertained him in a\nfriendly manner, saying, \u201cIt is easier to speak evil of virtue than to\npossess it.\u201d Thus Phocion, general of the Athenians, when he had deserved\nwell of his country, but through envy was adjudged to death, and was now\nabout to undergo the sentence, being asked if he had any commands for his\nson, generously made answer: \u201cNone, except that he never take measures to\nrevenge this injury, which I suffer of my country.\u201d The Emperor Titus\nbeing told that two brothers had conspired to cause his death, scrupled\nnot to invite them both to sup with him; and in the morning went with them\nto the theatre, and placed himself betwixt them, to behold the play. Thus\nwith marvellous clemency he overcame, at last, their baseness. And when\nCato had committed suicide, Julius C\u00e6sar said: \u201cI have lost a glorious\nvictory; for I had intended to forgive Cato all the evil that he has done\nto me.\u201d\n\n6. But after all, as to the man who cannot be influenced by the\nunspeakable patience and meekness of the Son of God himself, to forgive\nand to love his enemies, him neither the example of the saints, nor of\nheathens, will ever be able to melt into love and forbearance. For what\ngreater injustice and barbarity can be conceived, than that the Son of God\nshould be so shamefully treated by the children of men, be scourged with\nstripes, crowned with thorns, spit upon, and loaded with all the marks of\nscorn and derision; and lastly, be nailed on the cross? Nevertheless, he\nwas able to bear, with an unshaken firmness, all the affronts and\nindignities which the malice of men was able to contrive; nay, and freely\nto pardon all this barbarous usage, and to pray, \u201cFather, forgive them!\u201d\nLuke 23:34.\n\n7. And, truly, it was to this very end that our blessed Redeemer set his\nexample before our eyes, that it might be an all-healing medicine for such\nspiritual diseases as have seized upon us; particularly, that it might\nabase all pride and loftiness, strengthen what is weak, supply what is\ndefective, and correct what is evil and out of order. Can the distemper of\npride be so violent, as not to be healed by the profound humility and\nlowliness of Christ? Heb. 5:8. Can avarice and covetousness prove so\nstubborn, as to baffle a remedy derived from that sacred poverty which\nappeared in Jesus Christ? What wrath is so fierce and vehement, that his\nmeekness and lenity cannot mollify it? What desire of revenge so bitter\nand barbarous, which his patience cannot assuage and compose? What\ninhumanity so great and cruel, which the love of Christ cannot warm into a\nsweet and compassionate temper? And what heart can be so hard and\nobdurate, as not to be melted with the tears of Jesus Christ himself?\n\n8. Who would not heartily wish to be made like God the Father, his Son,\nand the Holy Ghost, and to carry within him the excellent image of the\nsacred Trinity, which chiefly consists in love and forgiveness? For it is\nthe highest of all the divine properties, to show compassion and mercy, to\nspare and to pardon, to be kind and gracious: and that must be undoubtedly\none of the sublimest virtues, which makes us bear the nearest resemblance\nto the Most High God, and to all such persons as are the most conspicuous\nfor goodness and virtue.\n\n9. Lastly, the highest degree of virtue is, when a man, overcoming\nhimself, is ready at any time to forget injuries, to pardon offences, and\nto show acts of favor and clemency. \u201cHe that is slow to anger,\u201d says\nSolomon, \u201cis better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his spirit, than\nhe that taketh a city.\u201d Prov. 16:32. This is the highest step of the\nsoul\u2019s ascension in her spiritual exercise; and when she has attained it,\nshe rests in God, and is perfect in him.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXVIII.\n\n\n  Showing How The Love Of The Creator Should Be Preferred To That Of All\n          Creatures; And How Our Neighbor Is To Be Loved In God.\n\n\n    _If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in\n    him._\u20141 JOHN 2:15.\n\n\nThe heart of man is so constituted, that it cannot exist without love; it\nmust love God, or the world, or self. If, therefore, man be under so\nstrong a compulsion to love, let him direct his love to God, the supreme\nGood, and give up that affection to Him, who originally planted it in man,\nand kindled it by his good Spirit; and who is still ready, at our fervent\nrequest, to rekindle this flame in the soul. His love to us is still the\ngreat principle that produces our love to him: and if his love to us meet\nwith a suitable return on our side, then his love will, day by day, more\nardently embrace us. For love begets love, according to the words of the\nLord: \u201cHe that loveth me shall be loved of my Father.\u201d John 14:21.\n\n2. Wherever the love of God resides, it disposes the soul freely to love\nall men, and not only to wish them well, but to do them all proper acts of\nlove and beneficence; this being the property of that love which is\ngrounded in God, and derived from him. Such a lover of God and of his\nneighbor, will never hurt or defraud any man in word or deed.\n\n3. But the generality of the people are engrossed so much with the love of\nthe world, that they never even admit the love of God into their hearts.\nThis is plain from that false love with which they treat their neighbor,\nand which, under a show of friendship, seeks nothing but temporal\nadvantage. Nothing in the world should be loved to such a degree, as to\ninjure the love of God, or to come in competition with it; especially\nsince there is so great a vanity and vileness in the world, and so great a\nworth and majesty in God, as that no comparison can ever be made betwixt\nthem. As God infinitely excels all his creatures, so the love of God\ninfinitely excels in holiness and dignity all the love we can bear to the\ncreature, and is in no wise to be compared with it. No love to the\ncreature ought to have sufficient weight with us, to make us offend the\nlove of God, or to act in opposition to the same.\n\n4. St. Paul says: \u201cWho planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit\nthereof?\u201d 1 Cor. 9:7. These words may not improperly be applied to this\ncase. Who is more worthy of our love, than he that hath planted it in our\nhearts, and to whose love we owe our life and being? And as we all live by\nthe love of God in Christ, so we should all adhere to this love, and make\nit our constant support even in the time of adversity. As a pilot in\ntempestuous weather, does not leave the ship to the mercy of the billows,\nbut secures it by the anchor as well as he can, and stays its unruly\nmotions; so in like manner, when the ship of our faith is tossed about in\nthe sea of this world, and beset on all sides with the temptations of sin\nand vanity, of wrath and pride, of lust and avarice, we should hold to the\nlove of Christ, and not suffer our hearts to be removed from that\nspiritual steadfastness, which is to carry us safe through all the\ntempests of this perverse and boisterous world. Romans 8:38, 39. Thus,\nwhen sin and death, the devil and hell, tribulation and persecution, and\nother miseries, threaten to overwhelm us, we are then to hold fast the\nlove of God manifested in Christ Jesus. This divine love is like that\nmountain of salvation which was showed to Lot when he went out of Sodom,\nto escape the fire of that accursed place. Gen. 19:17.\n\n5. The fire of lust, attended with everlasting flames and torments, is\nworse than that of Sodom. But the love and fear of God are a sovereign\nremedy against this profane love, and against any motion contrary to its\npure and heavenly nature. It was this divine fear and love which preserved\nJoseph from the enticements of Potiphar\u2019s wife, and it still guards us\nagainst the snares of an evil world. Gen. 39:9.\n\n6. No man can love the world, but he who has never tasted the love of God;\nnor can any man hate, defraud, or circumvent his neighbor in anything, but\nhe that does not love God from his heart. Whence arise all the anxious\ncares of this life, that grief and vexation of spirit with which poor\nmortals are disturbed? Surely, from nothing but from a want of the love of\nGod. For the sweetness of divine love is so strong and effectual, that it\nmitigates the sense of all the miseries that are incident to this life.\nThis love renders a man happy even in death itself.\n\n7. Again, such is the nature of love, that it influences a man to lay\naside all thoughts about anything else, and to fix his attention entirely\non the beloved object, in order to possess and enjoy that alone. Why then\nare the children of men so much besotted with the things of this world?\nWhy do they not entirely forget all wealth and honor, lust and riches,\nthat they may enjoy him alone, whom they profess to love? This was in\nformer times the constant practice of the holy men of God; whom the\nexquisite sweetness of this divine love had so much overpowered, as to\nmake them forget the whole world, and even themselves also. Hence they\nwere accounted fools in the world, when at the same time they were the\nwisest of all men; and their despisers most deserved the name of fools and\nmadmen, as preferring a handful of frail and transient things, to\neverlasting and never-fading prosperity. Those are the greatest fools, who\ncall the godly by that name, who, setting their love on things above, are\ndeeply concerned to obtain and eternally enjoy them. 1 Cor. 3:19; 4:10.\n\n8. A true lover of God, loves God as if there were nothing in the whole\nuniverse to love but God alone. And for this reason, he finds all that in\nGod, which he sought before in the world. For God hath in himself all\nthings _essentially_, whatever we can desire. He is true honor and joy; he\nis peace and pleasure; he is wealth and magnificence. With him are light\nand life, glory and majesty, and all those delights that the heart of man\ncan desire. All is found in a more substantial and transcendent manner in\nGod, than it is in the world. If, therefore, thou lovest any creature, for\nthe sake of _beauty_, transfer thy love to God, who is the fountain of all\nbeauty. If thou wouldst love that which is _good_, fix thy love upon God,\nwho is the eternal source of all goodness, nay, the essential _Good_\nitself, and without whom there is no goodness at all. Matt. 19:17. For\nwhatever goodness the creature may seem to possess, it is but an\ninconsiderable drop derived out of the ocean of the infinite goodness of\nGod, and which is besides impaired by many frailties and imperfections\nthat adhere to it.\n\n9. To conclude\u2014is it not far better to set thy love and affections on God\nalone, the unexhausted fountain and well-spring of all perfection and\ngoodness? The less a thing has of earthly gravity in it, the lighter it\nis, and the more easily is it carried upwards. So it is with the soul; the\nmore it cleaves to earthly things, and is pressed down by them to the\nground, the less ability has it to raise itself to God, and rejoice in its\nMaker. In a word, the less a man loves this world, the more will the love\nof God and of his neighbor prevail in the soul.\n\n10. Hence it follows that he that loveth God, cannot but love his neighbor\nalso, and he that dares to offend God, will not forbear to offend his\nneighbor.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIX.\n\n\n Of That Reconciliation To Our Neighbor, Without Which God Withdraws His\n                                  Grace.\n\n\n    _First be reconciled to thy brother._\u2014MATT. 5:24.\n\n\nEvery one who desires to be reconciled to God, must of necessity endeavor\nto reconcile himself to his neighbor; because God takes the injury which\nis offered to man, as offered to himself, and the evil done to man, as\ndone to himself.\n\n2. When, therefore, any one offends both God and man, he cannot be\nrestored to the favor of God before he is reconciled to man his neighbor;\nfor having offended them both, he must also be reconciled to both, which\nis expressly attested by Christ himself: \u201cIf thou bring thy gift to the\naltar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,\nleave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled\nto thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.\u201d Matt. 5:23, 24.\n\n3. It will be needful, therefore, to say something further of the love of\nGod and of our neighbor, and to show how impossible it is to separate the\none from the other: and again, that this reconciliation, so joined\ntogether, proves the true source of brotherly love and affection.\n\n4. This the beloved disciple has expressed as follows: \u201cIf a man say, I\nlove God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his\nbrother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And\nthis commandment have we from him, that he that loveth God love his\nbrother also.\u201d 1 John 4:20, 21. So utterly impossible is it, that the love\nof God should subsist without the love of our neighbor. Hence, also, it\nfollows, that he who truly and unfeignedly loves God, will also embrace\nhis neighbor with the same sincere affection. And again, if the love which\nwe profess to bear to God be hypocritical and false, then the love with\nwhich we seem to love our neighbor, will rise no higher than its\nprinciple, but prove false likewise. Therefore, the love of our neighbor\nis the test of our love of God, by the right application of which, the\ntruth or falsehood of that love will easily be discovered.\n\n5. This consideration gives us a true insight into the love of our\nneighbor, and that brotherly reconciliation which ought to attend it.\nThere is a twofold object given by God to man, to which all the actions of\nhis life are constantly to tend; namely, the love of God, and of our\nneighbor. Into this, all our endeavors ought finally to be resolved, and\nwe ought to make a daily progress in this holy exercise; since we are to\nthis very end, created, redeemed, and sanctified. In a word, Christ\nhimself is the one and only scope in which all our actions ought to\ncentre. Now, the more we approach to love, the more we approach to Christ,\nand the better we imitate his unblamable life.\n\n6. For this end God was made man, or, the Word was made flesh, that he\nmight set before our eyes a most lovely and living image of his infinite\nlove and kindness, and that from hence it might appear, that God was LOVE\nitself; love in His own immense, incomprehensible, and unsearchable\nessence; and that man, by viewing so amiable an object of love as is\ndisplayed in Christ Jesus, might be transformed into the same image day by\nday.\n\n7. Furthermore, as, in Christ, God and man are united together by an\nindissoluble tie, so the love of God is so closely connected with the love\nof our neighbor, that the former cannot exist without the latter. Nay, the\nlove of God and of our neighbor can be no more disjoined or put asunder,\nthan the divine and human natures in Christ. And as he who injures the\nhumanity of Christ cannot but affront his divinity also; so he who offends\nman, is in like manner guilty of offending the infinite God himself. We\ncannot be angry with our neighbor, without being, at the same time, angry\nwith God!\n\n8. We will illustrate what has been said, by the following comparison.\nWhen a circle is made, and from its centre a number of lines are drawn to\nthe circumference, all these lines, though ever so distant in the\ncircumference, meet together in the point, which is in the middle. Here\nthey are all united in one, and all flow into one, be they ever so wide\nasunder, yea, even directly opposite one to the other. Not one of all the\nlines, let their number be ever so great, can be broken from the rest,\nwithout losing its communication with the centre itself, wherein they all\nmeet. So God is a point, or a centre, whose circumference is everywhere,\nextending in a manner, to all men upon earth. Whoever presumes to break\noff the lines of his love from his neighbor, must, in like manner, disjoin\nand break them off from God at the same time. And as all these lines\ncohere and concur in the centre, and therein mutually affect one another,\nso is there a sort of central sympathy, and a fellow-feeling, as it were,\nof the sufferings of our neighbor, provided we be but all united in God,\nthe great centre of all good Christians.\n\n9. The truth of what has been said, is forcibly illustrated in the history\nof Job. When the tidings were brought him, that his temporal goods were\ndestroyed, it appears that he quietly bore the loss of them, without\ngiving any great sign of discontent at the appointments of Providence. He\nstill continued to bless the Lord, and freely to own, that he who had\ngiven him his property, had also a right to take it away whenever he\npleased. But when he was told, that he had also lost his children, then\nindeed it went to his heart: then he \u201carose, and rent his mantle, and\nshaved his head, and fell down upon the ground.\u201d Job. 1:20. So let every\ntrue Christian act when he hears of the calamity of his neighbor (here\nrepresented by the children of Job); knowing that he ought more to be\naffected with the misery of his neighbor, than with the loss of all his\nworldly substance. For it is the property of true love, to be moved with\nthe miseries of other men more than with our own losses. O, happy men! if\nthey would live together in mutual love and affection! Then frauds would\ncease; then injuries would be known no more, nor would there be any\ncomplaint of unjust ways, or of underhand dealings.\n\n10. In order that this might be the more deeply impressed on the heart,\nGod was pleased to create but _one_ man in the beginning, together with\nEve, who was soon afterwards made. Gen. 2:21, 22. This was done, that all\nmankind, springing up from one original stock, and, as it were, from one\nroot, might all unite in mutual kindness and brotherly affection with one\nanother. This is the reason why God did not create a multitude of men in\nthe beginning, but one only; whereas he created many beasts, trees and\nherbs at once.\n\n11. The love which God commands us to pursue, is of that agreeable nature,\nand of that incomparable sweetness, that it does not in the least burden\neither a man\u2019s soul or body. Nay, it renders the mind easy under every\nevent, is most agreeable to our very nature, and in every respect attended\nwith a quiet and blessed life. But if the same God who has enjoined thee\nto love thy neighbor, had commanded thee to hate him, thou wouldest then\nhave had cause to complain of hard usage, and of a far heavier burden than\nthat which love can possibly impose upon thee. For the spirit of hatred\nand revenge is a tormentor of the soul, and a daily grief and vexation to\nthose that are enslaved by it. On the contrary, love refreshes the whole\nman; and is so far from weakening or destroying body or soul (which is the\ncommon effect of hatred and envy), that it is a great preserver of both,\nand exhilarates them by the healing influence which it carries with it. In\na word, to those that love God, it is a pleasure to love their neighbor\nalso; but those who do not love God think it a hard and difficult task to\nembrace their neighbor with brotherly love.\n\n12. But if thy depraved nature should still find it a hard task to love\nthy neighbor, then consider how much harder it will be to be banished\nforever from the presence of God, and to endure the pangs of hell to all\neternity. Wretched is the man, who makes so sad a choice as to prefer\nhell-torments to a friendly reconciliation. Our own experience would soon\nconvince us, if we made the trial, that as by faith we enjoy solid peace\nwith God (as the apostle assures us, Rom. 5:1); so by Christian love and\nreconciliation we enjoy peace with men, together with much ease and\ntranquillity of heart: whereas, on the contrary, a mind full of rancor and\nmalice frets itself, and has no other reward to expect than the lashes of\nan unruly conscience.\n\n13. The sum of all this is: Every virtue rewards its followers with peace\nof conscience; and every vice punishes those that commit it with the\nrecompense which they deserve. Every virtue exalts those that practise it;\nand every vice covers its slaves with shame.\n\n14. With regard to the order and method by which we are to proceed in\nworking out a sound reconciliation with our offended neighbor, the\nScripture is explicit. The terms of reconciliation are these: 1. The\noffender is to confess his sin to his neighbor whom he has offended. 2. He\nis faithfully to restore that of which he has defrauded his neighbor; that\nis, he ought to return not only the _principal_, but also the _fifth_ part\nover and above it. 3. If there be none to receive it, he is then to offer\nit unto the Lord himself. Numb. 5:7, 8.\n\n15. This restitution of things unlawfully taken away, is commanded in such\nstrong and expressive words, as to show that it is absolutely a necessary\npart of unfeigned repentance. St. Augustine has thus expressed his mind on\nthis subject: \u201cThe sin is not remitted, unless the thing unlawfully taken\naway be restored.\u201d\u2014\u201cWhen the thing that is taken away may be restored, and\nis not restored, there is no true, but a feigned repentance.\u201d\n\n16. And truly it is the property of unfeigned repentance to contemn all\nearthly things, and count them as loss (Phil. 3:8), in respect of that\nabounding grace which is bestowed upon a penitent sinner. Of this we have\na glorious instance in Zaccheus, and in his conversion to God (Luke 19:8);\nwho has had, however, comparatively few followers in this age. Sound\nconversion to God cleanses the heart, and purifies the conscience, by\nfaith in Christ; it breaks the power of sin, and by influencing a man to\nrestore such things as are wrongfully detained, not only clears the heart\nbefore God, but also the outward conduct in the eye of the world. For in\nthe heart and conscience a man is a thief before God, as long as he keeps\nany thing back that is taken away, however he may cease to steal\nhereafter. Therefore, in order that repentance may prove true, and the\nconscience be freed from guilt, all possible restitution is to be made: or\nif a man be not able to make full restitution, he ought fervently to\nimplore the Lord, that he himself, in his stead, would restore the things\ntaken from his neighbor, and thus do justice.\n\n17. Since a sinner is thus bound in a twofold respect to God and to his\nneighbor, in order that his repentance may be full and efficacious, it is\nrequired that both be satisfied. God does not accept any man\u2019s repentance,\nunless he be first reconciled to his neighbor. Therefore, it is to no\npurpose if thou shouldest say unto God: \u201cMerciful God, I confess that I\nhave offended and injured my neighbor; I have damaged him by wicked usury\nand fraud; and have dealt so with him, as I would not that another should\ndeal with me: which iniquity I humbly entreat thee, O Lord, to pardon for\nthy dear Son\u2019s sake.\u201d Be not deceived; God will not be mocked! He repels\nthy prayer, and saith: \u201cRestore first that which with fraud and usury thou\nhast taken from thy neighbor, and then thy pardon shall be ready.\u201d Not as\nif a man merited the pardon of God by this restitution; this is a debt due\nto his neighbor, and how can he pretend to merit any thing by that\nrestitution which he is so engaged to make, and which the law of God\nexpressly enjoins? For thus hath the Lord commanded: \u201cAll things\nwhatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.\u201d\nMatt. 7:12. \u201cFor with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be\nmeasured to you again.\u201d Luke 6:38.\n\n18. The same truth is confirmed by the following Scriptures: \u201cLeave thy\ngift (oblation or sacrifice) before the altar and go thy way; first be\nreconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.\u201d Matt. 5:24.\n\u201cCease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed,\njudge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason\ntogether, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as\nwhite as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.\u201d\nIsa. 1:16-18. And again, by the same prophet the Lord thus reasons: \u201cIs\nnot this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to\nundo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye\nbreak every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou\nbring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked\nthat thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?\nThen shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall\nspring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the\nglory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.\u201d Isa. 58:6-8.\n\n19. All these Scriptures, with one consent, proclaim this great\ntruth,\u2014that God will not accept the repentance of any man, or hear his\nprayer, or regard his alms and oblations, unless he be first reconciled to\nhis neighbor, and make him all the restitution that is in his power.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXX.\n\n\n                          Of The Fruits Of Love.\n\n\n    _Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity\n    vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself\n    unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no\n    evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;\n    beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,\n    endureth all things._\u20141 COR. 13:4-7.\n\n\nEven as the tree of life stood in the midst of Paradise (Gen. 2:9); so\nJesus Christ stands in the Paradise of the Christian Church, in order that\nall believers might derive life and strength from him. The whole substance\nof the Christian religion consists in _faith_ and _love_. As by _faith_ in\nChrist, the life of a Christian is rendered acceptable to God (the life\nwhich he lives being not so much his own, as the life of Christ in him);\nso LOVE proves the fruitful principle of all such charitable acts as\nrelate to his neighbor. And so true is it, that all virtues, how shining\nsoever they may be, are of no account without charity; that even faith\nitself is counted dead if it be without love. James 2:17. For although\nfaith, as it respects justification, has no regard to works, either\npreceding, accompanying, or following it, but to JESUS CHRIST only, on\nwhom it lays hold; yet is that faith but mere show and pretence which is\nnot attended with love, though it should even work miracles. For as a body\ndestitute of a soul is dead; so the inward spiritual man, if he have not\nlove, is dead in all his members. Therefore hath the apostle declared,\nthat faith should work by love. Gal. 5:6. It is true that faith justifies\na sinner without works (Rom. 4:6); yet when it performs the functions of\nmutual love among men, it will necessarily be accompanied with a train of\ngood works; this being the true test by which genuine faith can be\ndistinguished from all counterfeits. This is that faith which works by\nlove; this is the tree which bears abundance of fruits, as from the\nfollowing considerations will farther appear.\n\n2. The _first_ of these fruits is long-suffering. \u201cCharity suffereth\nlong.\u201d The nature and constitution of this virtue no one ever more fully\nexpressed than Christ himself, the true tree of life, whose goodly and\nsalutary fruits we ought to eat, and to convert into our own substance and\nnature. As he by his wonderful long-suffering bore the malice of the\nworld, that thereby sinners might be brought to repentance (Rom. 2:4); so\ndo thou also, O man, order thy life and manners, that it may appear\nevident, that the meek and gentle Christ lives in thee, and that thou\nmayest continue in him, as a member firmly united to its head.\n\n3. The _second_ fruit is kindness. \u201cCharity is kind.\u201d This virtue was also\nmost eminently seen in Christ Jesus, and in that example which he hath set\nus. David says: \u201cGrace is poured into thy lips.\u201d Ps. 45:2. And the\nEvangelist tells us, that \u201cthey wondered at the gracious words which\nproceeded out of his mouth.\u201d Luke 4:22. To these words do thou give\nattention, O man, and follow this great pattern of love and benignity,\nthat so Christ may also speak by thy mouth, and that thou mayest remain\nunited to him in perpetual charity.\n\n4. The _third_ fruit is, not to be envious and revengeful, but to be ready\nto remit any offence whatsoever. \u201cCharity envieth not.\u201d Nothing is more\nagreeable to the nature of God, than to forgive. \u201cThe Lord is merciful and\ngracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide,\nneither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after\nour sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.\u201d Ps. 103:8-10. \u201cIf\nthe wicked will turn from all his sins that he committed, and keep all my\nstatutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he\nshall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall\nnot be mentioned unto him; in his righteousness that he hath done, he\nshall live.\u201d Ezek. 18:21, 22. \u201cIs Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant\nchild? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still;\ntherefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon\nhim, saith the Lord.\u201d Jer. 31:20. And lastly, this divine goodness is most\nclearly expressed by Isaiah, and represented as the very character of God:\n\u201cI, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for my own sake,\nand will not remember thy sins.\u201d Isa. 43:25. Therefore be thou in this\nrespect also like unto the merciful God. Forgive, I say, and forget the\ntrespasses of thy neighbor, that so, in like manner, Christ may also\nforgive thine offences and transgressions. It is then that the same mind\nis in thee which was also in Christ. And in this order alone thou shalt\nobtain fellowship with him.\n\n5. The _fourth_ fruit is candor. \u201cCharity vaunteth not itself.\u201d A kind and\ncharitable man does not misjudge his neighbor, vaunt it over him, rashly\ncensure him, or disingenuously deride him before others. True love is\naltogether averse to these unfair proceedings. Whoever sincerely loves his\nneighbor, shows his heart in his countenance, and does all things\ningenuously, and without guile. A visible example hereof Christ himself\nhath left us, whose deportment was equal both to friends and enemies, and\nwho from the bottom of his heart endeavored most earnestly to promote the\nsalvation of mankind. Let this be an example to thee, O man, and follow in\nthy Master\u2019s footsteps, that so the candor which was in Christ, may also\nshine forth in thy life and conduct. As the Lord has most heartily\nespoused our good and interest, so ought we in like manner, to do the same\namong ourselves also; if we wish to partake of the nature of Christ, and\nto be united to him, as living members to their Head and Saviour.\n\n6. The _fifth_ fruit is, not to be \u201cpuffed up.\u201d Charity is not of a\nhaughty and supercilious temper. It is not swelled with high conceit on\naccount of its own deeds and performances. Behold again thy Lord Jesus!\nWhen a woman, in a great concourse of people, lifted up her voice and\nsaid: \u201cBlessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast\nsucked,\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d replied he, \u201crather blessed are they that hear the word of\nGod and keep it\u201d (Luke 11:27, 28); humbly removing from himself that\npraise which was entirely due to him, and resigning it to those that truly\nloved the Lord. If thou also resolvest to do this, then verily the humble\nJesus lives in thee, and thou livest in him; it being the constant\ncharacter of true charity, to transfer the praises of men to another whom\nit esteems more worthy of them.\n\n7. The _sixth_ effect of charity is, \u201cnot to behave itself unseemly.\u201d A\nman endued with love, is not easily soured with discontent, or with any\nmorose humor. His conversation is easy, obliging, and so concordant with\nall the offices of love and humanity, that the kindness residing within\nmay even be read in his countenance. Of this sweetness of temper, the Lord\nJesus hath left us a most bright and holy pattern. He did all with a\nspirit of mildness; and when he conversed with sinners, then pity and\ncompassion visibly appeared in his very mien and aspect. This sweet temper\nof Christ ought also to be transfused into our souls, so that our life may\nprove a transcript of this most blessed original.\n\n8. The _seventh_ fruit of true love is, \u201cnot to seek her own.\u201d A true\nChristian has by love obtained such enlargement and liberty of soul, as to\nserve his fellow-creatures freely, without any view to self-interest.\nNothing is more pleasing to him than to do good to all without the least\nexpectation of gain. This pure and disinterested love originally dwells in\nGod Almighty. He gives all things freely, without receiving any profit at\nall. He commands us to fear and worship him, for no other reason than to\nmake us proper objects of his divine love and benignity. And, lo! what a\nglorious pattern of disinterested love Christ has set before us! Matt.\n20:28. As a tree, without respect of persons, imparts its fruit to all in\nthe most ample and universal manner; so has Christ, and God in Christ,\ngiven himself unto us as the greatest and most excellent Good. Go now, O\nman! and practise the same virtue; that so Christ, the ever-living _vine_,\nmay bud in thee, and that thou mayest become a fruitful plantation of the\nLord. Isaiah 61:3.\n\n9. The _eighth_ fruit of true love is, \u201cnot to be easily provoked.\u201d A man\nthat has tasted of true love, is not apt to entertain any bitterness, much\nless to vent it by cursing and railing words. Contemplate again the life\nof Jesus, who did not so much as open his mouth against his enemies, nor\npour forth any bitter and vehement speeches, but gave blessing and life to\nthose that hated him. Isaiah 11:3; 42:2. And though he, indeed, denounced\nwrath against Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida, and uttered many woes\nagainst the Pharisees (Luke 10:13; 11:42); yet this did not proceed from a\nbitter or revengeful temper; but was no more than a serious and earnest\nexhortation to true and unfeigned repentance, that so the offenders might\nat last be saved. Therefore, let us be cautious, lest any root of\nbitterness should at any time spring up in us, and so hinder our charity,\nand thus many be offended. Heb. 12:15.\n\n10. The _ninth_ fruit of charity is, \u201cto think no evil.\u201d This is also the\nproperty of God Almighty, as he himself testifies: \u201cFor I know the\nthoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and\nnot of evil, to give you an expected end. And ye shall seek me, and find\nme, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.\u201d Jer. 29:11, 13.\nWhence it follows that whosoever has thoughts of peace towards his\nneighbor, has the mind of Christ, and is animated and influenced by his\nSpirit.\n\n11. The _tenth_ fruit is, \u201cLove rejoiceth not in iniquity,\u201d nor has it\npleasure in the injury or oppression of good men, as Shimei had when David\nfled before Absalom. 2 Sam. 16:5, 6. On the contrary, true love imitates\nChrist Jesus, who, with a tender compassion, beholding with a mournful\ncountenance, the fall of Peter (Luke 22:61), raised and reclaimed him, and\nthereby fulfilled the words of the Psalmist: \u201cGod raises them that are\nbowed down.\u201d Ps. 146:8. And how did he deplore the evil which was hanging\nover the men of Judea, and the destruction of their temple and city! Luke\n19:41; 15:4. With what fervency, with what a hearty desire, did he bring\nhis wandering sheep into the right way; and with what a sweet and gentle\nvoice did he allure them home! Let us imitate so great a master of love;\nand if any one be overtaken in a fault, let us bewail his case, instruct\nhim in the spirit of meekness, and bear his burden, that so we may fulfil\nthe law of Christ. Gal. 6:2. For he did first bear himself the burden of\nour sins, that we, being made his living members, might be formed to the\nsame temper by him, who is the Head of the Church.\n\n12. The _eleventh_ property of charity is, that it \u201crejoiceth in the\ntruth,\u201d and is exceedingly pleased with a Christian order of things. Of\nthis we have an example in Christ Jesus, who, at the return of the seventy\ndisciples, rejoiced in spirit and praised his Father for the success which\nhad attended their function. Luke 10:21. Thus also the angels in heaven\nrejoice (as Christ himself teaches us), over the conversion of a sinner.\nLuke 15:10. Whoever, therefore, seriously lays to heart the practice of so\nChristian a virtue, manifests thereby an angelical temper of mind: nay, it\nis a proof that the very mind of Christ, yea, of God himself, resides in\nthat soul.\n\n13. The _twelfth_ fruit of charity is, to \u201cbear all things,\u201d in order to\npreserve the bond of peace and of mutual friendship. Love patiently bears\nthe infirmities of others, after the example of St. Paul, who was made\nweak with the weak, that he might profit the weak: nay, he was made all\nthings, if by any means he might be an instrument to save some. 1 Cor.\n9:22. The same heavenly love _believeth_ all things, and suspects no evil\nof its neighbor; _hopeth_ all things, praying and desiring that peace and\nhappiness may constantly accompany our fellow-creatures. And, lastly, true\nlove _endureth all things_ for the sake of benefiting a neighbor; all\nwhich our blessed Redeemer, by his own example, has most feelingly taught\nus. He bore all manner of reproaches and injuries for our sins; he\nunderwent most inhuman scourgings and buffetings, with extreme poverty,\nthat in him, and by him, we might obtain everlasting joy and honor.\n\n14. The _thirteenth_ fruit of love is, \u201cnot to faint or be weary,\u201d in\ndoing good. Herein it is like God, whose mercy is from everlasting to\neverlasting upon those that fear him. Ps. 103:17; Luke 1:50. God expects\nand waits that he may be gracious unto us. Isa. 30:18. In order that he\nmight have mercy on us, he rose up to spare us, and he loves to be exalted\nin showing mercy. His love is stronger than death, which many waters are\nnot able to quench, and from which nothing can ever separate us. Cant.\n8:7. He hath mercy on us with everlasting mercies. And though he declares,\non a certain occasion, that he is \u201cweary with repenting\u201d (Jer. 15:6); yet\nis this confined to those only who wilfully reject the tender of his\nmercy, who despise his grace, and abuse his goodness: and in no wise\naffects those that heartily fear him. \u201cThe mountains shall depart, and the\nhills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither\nshall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy\non thee.\u201d Isa. 54:10. After this standard of divine mercy, we ought also\nto regulate the love we bear to our neighbor, so that it may never fail or\nfaint in acts of humanity and kindness; no, not even in those which we are\nbound to bestow on our very enemies. As Christ did, so ought we, from a\ncompassionate and never-failing love, to pray, \u201cFather, forgive them.\u201d\nLuke 23:34.\n\n15. In a word, Love is the greatest, the best, and the noblest of all\nvirtues. First, because God himself is love. 1 John 4:16. Secondly,\nbecause it is the fulfilling and the summary or comprehension of the whole\nlaw. Rom. 13:10. Thirdly, because it is eternal and never-failing, so that\nit is not like faith and hope, which vanish away when that happiness\nappears which is the end of faith. 1 Cor. 13:8. Fourthly, because all good\nworks and services done to our neighbor without it, are vain and of no\naccount before God. And lastly, because love gives us an assurance here,\nthat by faith in Christ we shall inherit life eternal hereafter. Hence it\nfollows, that Christian love must excel all other gifts and graces\nwhatsoever, and that our main concern ought to centre in so divine a\nvirtue. Nothing, certainly, can be greater than experimentally to know\nthat love of Christ which \u201cpasseth all knowledge,\u201d that we may be filled\nwith all the fulness of God, and the fruits of love. Eph. 3:19.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXI.\n\n\n Pride And Self-Love Corrupt And Destroy Even The Best And Noblest Gifts.\n\n\n    _Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have\n    not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal,\n    etc._\u20141 COR. 13:1, etc.\n\n\nLest any should wonder why St. Paul sets forth the virtue of charity with\nso many high and eminent praises; we are to consider that God is LOVE; and\nthat, consequently, the same praise belongs to both: nor can there be a\ngreater virtue in God or man, than love.\n\n2. But our love is twofold: the one true, living, sincere, and undefiled;\nthe other false, polluted, hypocritical, and selfish. The former of these\nSt. Paul has most amply described, and exhibited all the fruits and\nproperties that attend it, of which we have already spoken. The latter\nkind, which is false and polluted, may sometimes seem, indeed, to promote\nthe glory of God, and the profit of mankind; yet inwardly, and in the\nheart, it seeks nothing either in word or deed, but private honor and\ninterest only. Now whatever flows from this fountain of false love,\nproceeds not from God, but from the devil; for it is a poison infecting\nthe very best of works, and the most excellent gifts conferred on man.\n\n3. As a flower, that in sight, taste, and smell, is sweet and beautiful,\nis rejected with disgust, if it contain secret venom, because it is\nhurtful to man; so, though a man be adorned with the most exquisite parts,\nand the very gifts of angels themselves, if he be void of charity, and\nfull of avarice, pride, self-love, and self-honor, then all those gifts\nnot only prove of no value, but become pernicious to him that possesses\nthem. For whatever is really good, always proceeds from God himself, so as\nto begin and end in him. Whatever deviates from this _beginning_ and\n_end_, can never be really good, nor acceptable to the Lord. That which\nthis good God works in thy heart, is truly good, and only good: but it is\nquite otherwise if self-love, self-honor, and self-interest, bear the sway\nin thy soul, and influence the actions of thy life. All that springs from\nso depraved a principle, must be of the same nature with the principle\nwhence it flows, corrupt and defiled, since it does not proceed from God\nas from its original cause and moving principle; God alone is good. Matt.\n19:17.\n\n4. It is said that it was the wish of a certain saint of old, that he\nmight be of no other use to God, than his own right hand was to himself;\nan _instrument_, ready to give and to receive what was fit, and this in\nthe manner directed by the soul; arrogating neither honor nor profit to\nitself. And, indeed, it is right that we all should be of the same temper.\nFor as all things come freely from God to us, so we should return all\nthings freely to our neighbor, from a principle of pure love, and in true\nsingleness of heart, without any desire of glory or self-interest. For as\nGod alone is the author of all that is good; so it is but just that all\nhonor and glory should be given to him alone. Man is but an instrument,\nmade fit to receive and to deliver what God bestows upon him.\n\n5. Now if a man be without this sincere and pure love, he is,\nnotwithstanding all his gifts and endowments, a mere nothing, and of no\naccount in the sight of God. Though he speak with the tongues of angels;\nthough he prophesy, and know all mysteries, and have such faith as even to\nremove mountains; and though he should moreover bestow all that he has\namong the poor, and give his body to be burned; all this will avail him\nnothing at last, and stand him in no stead when he is to have his trial. 1\nCor. 13:1-3.\n\n6. The reason is plain. Self-love, self-honor, and self-interest, are of\nthe devil, who thereby procured his own downfall from heaven. For after\nGod had created Lucifer a most glorious angel, and adorned him with the\nmost excellent gifts of wisdom, light, and glory, he began to pride\nhimself in his gifts, and to love, honor, and exalt himself. This\nself-complacency proved the very first step to his ruin. He turned his\nlove from God to himself, and was deservedly driven from his principality,\ntogether with all such as adhered to him, and whom he had infected with\nthe same pride and self-love. Not contented with his estate or\nprincipality, he aspired too high, and lost all which the Creator had\nconferred upon him, according to St. Jude: \u201cThe angels kept not their\nfirst estate.\u201d Jude 6. See also Col. 2:15.\n\n7. By the same sin which had effected his own ruin, Satan attempted the\nruin of man, namely, by diverting him from the love of God to the love of\nhimself. Hereby self-love and self-honor began to act in man, and\ninfluenced him to seek equality with God himself. Hence he was cast out of\nParadise, as Lucifer had been before cast out of heaven, leaving to us all\nthe heritage of pride and self-love. And this is the fall of Adam, which\nall men in themselves repeat; and which is transmitted through flesh and\nblood, from one generation to another.\n\n8. The remedy by which a thorough cure may be wrought in fallen man, is\nwholly to be sought in the precious _merit of Christ_ apprehended by\nfaith. By this we are renewed in Christ, and the flesh is crucified, with\nits sinful desires. Then we love ourselves no more, but on the contrary,\neven _hate_ ourselves. Luke 14:26. We do not honor or extol, but deny and\nmortify ourselves. We no more seek our own glory and interest; but,\ndenying all we have, we withdraw our pleasure and trust from everything\nwhatsoever it be (Luke 14:33), and manfully fight with our own flesh and\nblood. Whosoever refuses to comply with these terms, can in no case be a\ndisciple of Christ; since this is the only means by which the natural\ndegeneracy of our heart is to be subdued, and a sound conversion is to be\neffected.\n\n9. Since it was utterly impossible that man, by his own natural strength,\nshould restore himself (for of himself, he can do nothing but love\nhimself, boast of himself, and seek his own ends and interest; or, to sum\nup all in a word, _commit sin_); God, in his infinite mercy, was moved to\ncommiserate man\u2019s fallen condition, and to make the very beginning of the\nwork of man\u2019s restoration. In order to this, the Son of God took the form\nof a man upon him, thereby to renew our nature, that, being regenerated\n_by_ him, _in_ him, and _from_ him, we might become new creatures. For as\nin Adam we are dead both bodily and spiritually, so we ought to rise again\nin Christ, and be renewed both in spirit and body. 1 Cor. 15:22. And as by\na _carnal_ descent from Adam, sin, self-love and pride cleave to our\nnature; so in Christ, by a _spiritual_ birth, we must be justified, and\ninherit by faith his righteousness. And, as by our carnal birth, we draw\nour sin from Adam, especially self-love, pride, and ambition; so from\nChrist, by faith, and by the Holy Ghost, our nature is to be renewed,\ncleansed, and sanctified. All self-love, pride, and ambition, are to die\nin us, in order that we may attain a new heart and a new spirit from\nChrist, even as we received our sinful flesh from Adam. And with reference\nto this new birth in us, Christ is called the _everlasting Father_. Isaiah\n9:6.\n\n10. Hence it follows, that all the works of a Christian, together with his\ngifts and talents, ought to proceed purely from the new birth, if ever\nthey be acceptable to God; and that they ought to spring from faith, from\nChrist, and from the Holy Ghost. Wherever this principle is wanting, there\nthe most excellent parts, and even miracles themselves, are of no account\nat all before God. So with respect to our neighbor, all things ought to be\ndone in Christian charity (1 Cor. 16:14), without any view to private\ngain, or honor; as a pattern of which God has set his Son before us (John\n13:15), in whom there was no spot of self-love or arrogance; no desire of\nprofit or praise; nay, in whom nothing resided but pure and undefiled love\nand humility. He is _inwardly_ to live in our hearts by faith, and\n_outwardly_ to be expressed in our whole life and conduct. It is then,\nthat all our works, words, and knowledge, wholly proceed from Christ, as\nfrom their original source. Without this divine principle settled within\nthe mind, all our gifts and works, be they ever so high and angelical, are\ninsignificant, and of no worth. For wherever self-love sways the soul,\nthere must be a hatred of God; where pride rules, it engenders a contempt\nof God; and how can works springing from so vitiated a principle, ever be\nacceptable to the Lord?\n\n11. Let us, therefore, most fervently beseech the Lord, to give us true\nfaith and sincere love; a love not defiled with any desire of vain honor,\nprofit, and glory. Whenever this divine temper is obtained and established\nin the heart, it is followed with this happy effect, that thereby not only\ngreat and illustrious endowments and works are made acceptable to God, but\nalso the least and meanest of all, even the gift of a cup of cold water.\nMatt. 10:42. For a small work proceeding from sincere love and humility,\nis far more excellent than all the splendid works that are raised on no\nother foundation than pride and self-love.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXII.\n\n\n  Great Gifts Do Not Demonstrate A Man To Be A Christian, But Faith That\n                              Works By Love.\n\n\n    _The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power._\u20141 COR. 4:20.\n\n\nSt. Paul, intending to describe a Christian in a few words, says: \u201cThe end\nof the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good\nconscience, and of faith unfeigned.\u201d 1 Tim. 1:5. As if he had said: To be\na Christian, and to render ourselves acceptable in the sight of God,\nrequires nothing hard and lofty; no worldly wisdom, no human learning, no\ngreat parts, no gift of prophesying, no eloquence, no knowledge of\ntongues, no miracles: but only that a man have faith in Christ; that he do\nall things in love, and with a mind wholly resigned to God; and that he\nsuffer himself to be led and governed by the good Spirit of God.\n\n2. We should not, therefore, regard how many languages a man speaks, or\nhow eloquent he is in his delivery; but how he shows forth his faith by\nlove, and by the mortification of the flesh. \u201cFor they that are Christ\u2019s\nhave crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts\u201d (Gal. 5:24): under\nwhich are included self-esteem, self-love, covetousness, vain-boasting,\nambition, self-interest, and all else that is carnal. To which purpose\nalso St. Paul says, that \u201cthe kingdom of God is not in word,\u201d or in great\ngifts and endowments, \u201cbut in power\u201d (1 Cor. 4:20); that is, in a living\nexercise of Christian virtues, of faith, love, meekness, patience, and\nhumility.\n\n3. Therefore, no man is in favor with God, or is saved, because he is\nendued with brighter gifts than others; but because he is found in Christ\nJesus by faith, and lives in him as a new creature. 2 Cor. 5:17. Great\ngifts do not make us happy. If a man had attained to gifts so\nextraordinary and marvellous as never any possessed before, yet would he\nbe certainly cast away, unless he lived at the same time in the exercise\nof daily repentance in Christ, in a ready abnegation of the world, and in\na denial of himself, and of all his selfish desires. Nay, if he did not\nhate and forsake himself, so as to place his whole confidence in God\nalone, and to cleave to his grace, as an infant to the breast of the\nmother, he would be forever banished from the presence of God,\nnotwithstanding all his gifts and all his endowments.\n\n4. It is certain that gifts and parts are not bestowed upon us in order to\nmake us great here, and happy hereafter; but they are wholly dispensed for\nthe edification of the Church. When the seventy disciples, at their\nreturn, said with joy, \u201cLord, even the devils are subject unto us through\nthy name\u201d (Luke 10:17, 20); our Lord replied: \u201cIn this rejoice not (for\nneither miracles nor gifts shall save you), but rejoice rather because\nyour names are written in heaven.\u201d By faith Moses was saved, not by his\nmiracles. Aaron\u2019s eloquence did not the more endear him to God. And\nMiriam, the sister of Moses, who was endued with the gift of prophecy, and\nby whom the Spirit of the Lord spoke, was struck with the leprosy. Numb.\n12:10.\n\n5. The apostles themselves did not enter into the kingdom of heaven\nbecause of the miracles which they performed, nor on account of the gift\nof tongues conferred upon them, but because they _believed_ in Christ, the\nSaviour of the world. Those of the first rank, and those of the meanest\ncondition, must tread in the same way of faith and humility, of repentance\nand mortification, and become new creatures in Christ through faith and\nlove; in whom Christ also may live again by this faith. Whoever neglects\nthis order, cannot expect to be accounted one of the family of Christ.\n\n6. Christian love is that new vital principle by which a man is actuated\nto do good. This is attended with the life of Christ, and the powerful\nindwelling of the divine Spirit. To this purpose the apostle desires, that\nwe may be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph. 3:19): and St. John\ntells us, that \u201cGod is love, and that he who dwelleth in love, dwelleth in\nGod, and God in him.\u201d 1 John 4:16. Whoever, therefore, feels the love of\nGod shed abroad in his heart, feels no less than God himself there.\nHowever, in order that we might not deceive ourselves with a false and\nhypocritical, instead of a true and divine love, the apostle has drawn up\nthe character thereof, and represented it as a tree adorned with numerous\nbranches: \u201cLove,\u201d says he, \u201cis patient, kind,\u201d etc. 1 Cor. 13. All which\nare the essential properties of Christians, and consequently the life of\nthe new man.\n\n7. To sum up all in a few words, God the Father is love, God the Son is\nlove, God the Holy Ghost is love. The whole spiritual body of Christ,\nwhich is the Church, is also knit together by the bond of love; so that\nthere is but one God, one Christ, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith (Eph.\n4:5, 6); and lastly, eternal life itself shall be nothing else but eternal\nlove.\n\n8. Whoever, therefore, does not live in love, is certainly a dead member\nof the body of Christ. As a dead member is not supported by that natural\nheat which nourishes the body and every living member thereof, nor is\nsustained with proper food for its daily growth and increase; so a man who\ndoes not live in Christian love is destitute of spiritual life, and is\ndead to God and to Christ. He is without faith, a withered, lifeless\nbranch; he has no part in God, in Christ, and the Holy Ghost, in the holy\nChristian Church, and in life eternal; and will be excluded from the\npresence of that GOD, who has declared himself to be LOVE.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIII.\n\n\nGod Has No Respect To The Works Of Any One; But Judges Of Works According\n                              To The Heart.\n\n\n    _Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord\n    pondereth the hearts_.\u2014PROV. 21:2.\n\n\nWhen the prophet Samuel, by the commandment of God, went to anoint David\nking, he entered the house of Jesse, and offered to anoint his first-born:\nbut the Lord said to him: \u201cLook not on his countenance, or on the height\nof his stature; because I have refused him. For the Lord seeth not as man\nseeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on\nthe heart.\u201d 1 Sam. 16:7.\n\n2. By this example God declares, on the one hand, that he has no regard to\nany man\u2019s person, be he ever so great and eminent, when his heart is\ndestitute of piety, love, faith, and humility; and on the other, that he\nesteems persons and works according to the inward spirit and intention of\nthe mind, and thence allows or disallows them, according to Prov. 21:2.\nMoreover, all gifts and endowments, how considerable soever they be, and\nhow admirable, great, and glorious they may appear in the eyes of men, in\nnowise please the Lord, unless they be accompanied with a pure heart, a\nheart that has a steady respect to the honor of God and the profit and\nedification of our neighbor; and which, at the same time, is freed from\npride and arrogance, from self-love, and self-interest, and any of those\nsinister views which are apt to mingle with the works of a Christian.\n\n3. Consider the example of Lucifer, the fairest and most glorious angel\nwhich heaven contained. No sooner did he stain the gifts of God with\nself-love and self-honor (not considering that he was bound to advance\nthereby the glory of God, who had conferred them upon him), than he was\ntransformed into a devil, and, being cast down from heaven, was shut out\nfrom the glorious presence of God.\n\n4. If ever, therefore, our works shall be acceptable to God, they ought to\nproceed from pure faith towards God, and sincere love to our neighbor,\nbeing cleared from the spots of self-love, self-honor, and self-interest,\nas much as possibly can be in this state of infirmity. To this end St.\nPaul says, \u201cThough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have\nnot charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal\u201d (1 Cor.\n13:1): that is, I am altogether vain and unprofitable. In truth, God\nregards not fluency of speech, but an humble heart; not arts, learning,\nwit, or ability, but he weighs the _spirit_ of a man, whether it be bent\nupon promoting its own honor and interest, or the glory of God and the\nprofit of men. Nor does God regard a faith by which mountains might be\nremoved, and the eyes of the beholders be attracted from all sides, if a\nman seek thereby his own honor and glory. But the Lord looks with the\ngreater affection upon him who \u201cis poor, and of a contrite spirit, and\ntrembles at his word.\u201d Isaiah 66:2. In short, if a man distribute all that\nhe has to the poor, or give up his body to be burned, it will be all to no\npurpose, if the act be sullied with self-honor and self-complacency. It is\nthe heart only and the inward intention of the mind, which the Lord\nregards. This fully appears from many instances recorded in Scripture.\n\n5. Both David and Saul attended the service of God, but with a different\neffect. 1 Sam. 15:9; 2 Sam. 24:25. David, Manasseh (2 Chron. 33:13),\nNebuchadnezzar, and Peter, after repentance, obtained mercy; Saul,\nPharaoh, and Judas, on the contrary, fell short of it, on account of the\ndifferent principle which swayed their minds. Pharaoh (Exod. 9:27) and\nSaul (1 Sam. 15:24), no less than Manasseh, used the same prayer, \u201cLord, I\nhave sinned!\u201d but they received different rewards. The prayer of Hezekiah,\nJoshua, and Gideon (Isa. 38:7; Josh. 10:12; Judg. 6:37), by which they\nrequired a sign from heaven, is approved and praised; the Pharisees doing\nthe same are rejected and reproved. Matt. 12:38; 16:4. The Publican and\nthe Pharisee prayed both in the temple; but both are not approved. Luke\n18:14. The Ninevites fasted (Jonah 3:5, 10); the Jews and Pharisees did\nthe same (Matt. 6:16): but the former were received, and the latter\nrejected. \u201cWherefore (say they) have we fasted, and thou seest not?\u201d Isa.\n58:3. The poor widow, who cast into the treasury but two mites, is praised\nby Christ; whereas, he that gave more is not. Luke 21:3. Herod and\nZaccheus both rejoice at the sight of Christ; but they had most different\nrewards. Luke 19:6; 23:8.\n\n6. All this proceeds from no other cause than the heart, and that moving\nprinciple by which it is swayed, and which God chiefly regards. He accepts\nthose works only which flow from unfeigned faith, sincere love, and true\nhumility; for whatever our gifts or works may be, if pride, self-love, and\nthe contagion of filthy lucre, infect them, they are at once rejected by\nthe Lord.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIV.\n\n\n   Showing That God Alone, Without Any Human Aid, Is The Author Of Our\nSalvation, And That We Are To Submit Unreservedly To His Grace; Also, That\n             Christ\u2019s Merit Is Not Imputed To The Impenitent.\n\n\n    _But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us\n    wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption._\u20141\n    COR. 1:30.\n\n\nIn this impressive sentence, St. Paul teaches us that all things necessary\nfor our salvation are merited by Christ Jesus our Lord. When we were\nignorant of the way of life, he was made _wisdom_ unto us; when we were\nsinners, he was made our _righteousness_; when we were an abomination\nbefore God, he was made our _sanctification_; and when we were in a state\nof damnation, he became our _redemption_.\n\n2. It is therefore most certain, that man does not contribute so much as\none jot to his salvation. Sin, indeed, man could commit of himself, but he\nwas not able to justify himself again; he could lose, but not recover\nhimself; kill, but not restore to life; he could submit himself to the\ndevil, but could not shake off his spiritual fetters. As a dead body\ncannot quicken itself again, so men \u201cbeing dead in sins\u201d (Eph. 2:1, 5), as\nthe Apostle declares, cannot raise themselves again to life.\n\n3. We did not contribute anything towards our creation, neither do we\nperform anything towards our redemption, regeneration, and sanctification,\nwhich are far greater transactions than the creation itself.\n\n4. Hence it was necessary, that the Son of God should take human nature\nupon him, to recover all that was lost in Adam, and to revive those that\nwere dead in sins and trespasses.\n\n5. That this may be the better understood, we ought to represent to\nourselves the traveller in the Gospel, who, falling among thieves, was\ncruelly wounded and bruised by them, and at last utterly disabled from\nhelping himself again. Luke 10:30. Him, therefore, the good Samaritan\nreceives into his arms, binds up his wounds, sets him on his beast, takes\nhim to an inn, and omits nothing that a faithful physician could\nadminister to a sick and wounded person. And as the traveller showed\nhimself obedient to his physician, and strictly followed the directions\nprescribed by him; so we ought to act if we desire to be healed of our\ndisease. We ought to _suffer_ the healing hand of the Lord, and not to\nresist, when he attempts the cleansing of our wounds; and when, after\nhaving poured in wine and oil, he binds them up. To obtain the blessed\neffect of these spiritual operations, we must wholly resign ourselves to\nhim, who alone is able to save us; and then we may trust to the goodness\nof God, that on his side he will not fail to restore us to health and\nsoundness.\n\n6. No sooner does a sinner repent than he begins his happy return towards\nthe Lord, grieving for his former transgressions, and suffering that his\nwounds be washed with the sharp wine of the law, and the oil of\nconsolation. Whoever complies with these terms, in him, Christ, by his\ngrace, works an unfeigned faith, attended with all the fruits it\nproduces,\u2014righteousness, life, peace, joy, comfort, and salvation, and\nthus \u201cworketh in him both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.\u201d Phil.\n2:13.\n\n7. But it is not in the power of man by nature to forsake sin. The\nScripture calls the natural man a \u201cservant of sin\u201d (John 8:34), and one\nthat is \u201csold under sin\u201d (Rom. 7:14), who can do nothing but sin; and the\nprophet says, \u201cCan the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his\nspots? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil.\u201d Jer.\n13:23. But \u201cthe grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all\nmen (by the Gospel), teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly\nlusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present\nworld.\u201d Tit. 2:11, 12. This is offered us by the word of God; and it is\nthis grace which excites, teaches, and allures fallen man; which urges and\ninfluences him to renounce sin, and to submit to the discipline of grace.\nAnd these divine admonitions, furnished through the Word, fully agree with\nthe inward testimony of the conscience; so that a man is convinced both\nfrom without and from within of his sinful life, and of the necessity of\nquitting it, in order to preserve his soul from everlasting destruction,\nfor whoever lives in sin, lives in opposition to God and his own\nconscience.\n\n8. When a man yields to the suggestions and exhortations of divine grace,\nand, proving obedient to the Word, begins to withdraw from his vicious\nlife, then the grace of God endows him with all those virtues which the\nGospel requires. It is then that faith springs up in the soul, the\noriginal principle of all other virtues. This is followed by love, and all\nChristian graces, which grow as so many fruits on the tree of faith. It is\nthen, also, that light begins to shine in the midst of darkness. But as it\nis impossible that darkness should be able to enlighten itself; so it is\nalso impossible for fallen man to raise himself from darkness to light.\nHence the Psalmist says, \u201cFor thou wilt light my candle; the Lord my God\nwill enlighten my darkness.\u201d Ps. 18:28. Let a man open his eyes ever so\nmuch, he will never be enlightened whilst the light of the sun is\nwithdrawn from his sight. Thus the grace of God, that is, of Christ\nhimself, is that clear and serene light, risen on all men \u201cthat sit in\ndarkness, and in the shadow of death.\u201d Luke 1:79. \u201cHe enlighteneth every\nman that cometh into the world\u201d (John 1:9): that is, he manifests himself\nto all, and offers his grace to all. He is the light of the whole world;\nhe shows the way of life to all men; and leaving us his own example for\nimitation, he goes before us like a good shepherd (John 10:4), and guides\nhis flock into the path in which they are to walk. He sought us out as his\nlost sheep, and even now daily seeks and allures us. Luke 15:4. Nay, more;\nhe still follows us closely, calls after us, and wooes us to his love, in\nas endearing a manner as a bridegroom does his bride. O that men did not\nlove sin and darkness rather than light and grace!\n\n9. Now, as a physician, addressing his patient, says: \u201cBeware of this,\nlest you die; you hinder the workings of the medicine by an irregular\nlife, so that you cannot be made whole;\u201d so Jesus Christ, the true\nphysician of souls, says: \u201cMy beloved, I beseech thee, incline thy mind to\ntrue repentance; utterly forsake all thy sins; shake off thy pride, thy\ncovetousness, thy carnal propensities, thy wrath, and thirst of revenge,\nwith other sins. If this change be not wrought in thee, thou must surely\ndie; and the precious medicine of my blood and merit can profit thee\nnothing, whilst thy disorderly life hinders their healing effect.\u201d\n\n10. It was for this cause that Christ gave it in charge to his apostles,\nbefore all things, to preach repentance (Luke 24:47); and he himself\ncalled sinners to it while he conversed with them upon earth; because an\nimpenitent heart never can partake of his merits.\n\n11. Whoever hears that either sin must be forsaken, or eternal\ncondemnation be endured, must, of necessity, be brought to some serious\nconsideration about the state of his soul. He is struck with a double\nconviction; the truth of the Word of God, and the power of his own\nconscience, leaving so strong an impression upon him, as to set him beyond\nall doubts about the truth of this matter. It is true, God hath freely\npromised remission of sin to all men; but it is on this condition, that\nthey _repent_, and turn themselves unfeignedly to the Lord. Thus the\nprophet says, \u201cIf the wicked shall turn from his wickedness, he shall live\nthereby. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto\nhim\u201d (Ezek. 33:14, 16): where we see that repentance and remission of sin\nare linked together.\n\n12. Christ, the Son of God, in no other sense promises life eternal to\nthose that believe in his name. The nature of faith must, however, be more\nfully inquired into. This faith is a very active principle in the soul. It\ndaily strives against the old man; it tames the flesh, and subjects it to\nthe Spirit; it converts the whole man; it subdues and vanquishes sin; it\npurifies the heart. He is a true believer who turns from the world, from\nsin and the devil, to God, and seeks rest and comfort wholly and entirely\nin the blood, death, and merit of Christ, without the works of himself, or\nof any other man whatsoever; the blood of Christ being a perfect ransom\nfor all the debts which the soul has contracted. Whoever, therefore,\nimagines that his sins may be pardoned, although he desist not from them,\nis most miserably deluded. He deceives himself with a false faith, which\nhe has assumed to himself, and the dreadful effects of which he must\nhereafter feel. He can never be saved without true repentance.\n\n13. Consider the case of Zaccheus the publican, who, having a sound\napprehension of the doctrine of faith and conversion, freely acknowledged\n_that_ to be true faith by which a man is turned from sin to God, and in\nthis order hopes to obtain a gracious pardon from Christ, and an interest\nin his merit, so as to rely upon it with a filial trust and an unshaken\nfirmness of mind. In this manner did he understand the word of our Lord,\n\u201cRepent ye, and believe the Gospel\u201d (Mark 1:15): that is, Desist from sin,\ntrust in my merits, and expect forgiveness of sin from me alone. Hence\nZaccheus says to Christ, \u201cBehold, the half of my goods I give to the poor;\nand if I have taken anything by false accusation, I restore fourfold.\u201d\nLuke 19:8. In these words he does not commend his own works at all, but\nextols the grace of God, which had taught him the way of true repentance.\nAs if he had said: \u201cO Lord, I am so thoroughly grieved at the fraudulent\npractices which I have committed against my neighbor, that I will not only\nrestore fourfold unto him, but will also bestow half of my goods on the\npoor. Wherefore, Lord, since I confess my sin, and fully resolve to leave\nit, I now embrace thy promises with faith, and beseech thee to receive me\ninto thy grace and favor.\u201d And no sooner is this resolution taken, than\nthe Physician declares, \u201cThis day is salvation come to this house. For the\nSon of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.\u201d\n\n14. This is true repentance and conversion, carried on by a faith which is\nthe work of God within us. God himself will begin, advance, and finish at\nlast, the great work of our salvation, if we only yield to his Spirit, and\ndo not resist him wilfully, as did the refractory Jews of old; to whom the\napostle says: \u201cIt was necessary that the word of God should first have\nbeen spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves\nunworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.\u201d Acts 13:46. It\nis, therefore, our duty to take the advice of the physician, after the\nmanner of the sick, and to obey his precepts and prescriptions. As the\nphysician first explains the nature of the disease, so the Lord lays open\nthe spiritual disease of the heart, and then, as a faithful physician,\nwarns us against hurtful things, lest the healing virtue of the precious\nblood of Christ be obstructed, and at last rendered ineffectual.\n\n15. No sooner does man, by the assistance of the Holy Ghost, withdraw from\nsin, than the grace of God begins to operate in him, and to endue him with\nnew gifts. Without this, he is not sufficient to think any good thought of\nhimself, much less to do any good work. Whenever such a person discovers\nany good motions arising in his mind, he attributes every good desire to\ndivine grace, even as St. Paul says, \u201cBy the grace of God I am what I am.\u201d\n1 Cor. 15:10. Whoever, therefore, complies with this order of salvation,\nto him the merit of Christ and his perfect obedience, are fully imputed,\nas if he himself had made a complete atonement for all his transgressions;\nbut no wicked person, and no contemner of this dispensation, has a share\nin the imputation of the merit of Christ.\n\n16. God, when he works in us and through us, crowns and commends those\nthings as our own, of which he himself is the chief author. \u201cWithout me,\u201d\nsaith Christ, \u201cye can do nothing\u201d (John 15:5); that is, no good; for by\nnature we are ready enough to do evil without him. The doing of evil is\nour own property; as the doing of good is entirely the property of God.\nTherefore let no flesh glory in anything; all is of and through grace.\nRom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8, 9.\n\n17. Happy is the man that refrains from sin, and gives up his will to the\nLord. Christ uses all his endeavors to gain our love and affections, and\nto wean us more and more from the profane love of the world. He applies\nthe most endearing expressions, in his word, and in his addresses, to our\nhearts. He seeks and allures us; and even before we remember him, he\nbestows upon us tokens of his love and kindness; and this for no other\nend, than that we might at last forsake our beloved sin, and partake of\nthe blessed effect of his blood and merits.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXV.\n\n\n   All Wisdom, Arts, And Sciences, Yea, Even The Knowledge Of The Whole\n         Scripture, Are Vain, Without A Holy And Christian Life.\n\n\n    _Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into\n    the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father\n    which is in heaven._\u2014MATTH. 7:21.\n\n\nSince in Love are contained all the duties of a Christian, and since the\nwhole life of Christ was nothing but the purest and most cordial love,\ntherefore St. Paul, under the name of charity or love, has comprehended\nthe whole life of a Christian. 1 Cor. 13:1.\n\n2. It is the property of true love, to respect _God_ alone in everything,\nand not _self_. It refers all to God; it does not love or honor self; it\nis not intent upon personal glory or interest; but it undertakes\neverything with a free and disinterested regard to God and man. He who is\nendued with Christian love, loves God and his neighbor with pure\naffection, because God is the sovereign Good, to which we ought to adhere.\n\n3. Whoever, therefore, is destitute of this love, must of necessity prove\na hypocrite amidst all his pretences and boasts. In whatever he\nundertakes, he seeks himself, and not purely God, as he ought to do. For\nthis reason, his love is false, be his boasts what they may. If such a man\nhad all the Scriptures committed to memory, and could speak of them with\nthe tongue of angels, yet would he still prove as sounding brass, without\nlife and motion. For as no natural food can nourish the body, unless it be\nconverted into the juices and the blood; so also the Word and the\nSacraments are unavailing, if they be not converted into a man\u2019s life; and\nif a new, spiritual, and holy man, be not begotten thereby.\n\n4. Hence St. Paul says, \u201cThough I have the gift of prophecy, and\nunderstand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith,\nso that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.\u201d 1\nCor. 13:2. As if he had said, If I pursue mine own honor by those gifts\nand attainments, and seek anything besides the honor of God, and the good\nof my neighbor, then I am an abomination before the Lord, and not at all\nacceptable in his sight.\n\n5. This is intimated by that saying of our Lord: \u201cMany will say to me in\nthat day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name\nhave cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then\nwill I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work\niniquity\u201d (Matt. 7:22, 23): for you have not respected me alone in what\nyou have done, but rather your own selves.\n\n6. This is again attested by St. Paul: \u201cThough I bestow all my goods to\nfeed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.\u201d 2 Cor.\n13:3. But can it be possible (some may say), to give all to the poor, and\nyet be destitute at the same time of love or charity? Yes; there may be a\nlove which is not altogether single in what it performs, but biased by\nimpure designs, and by some temporal interest, or the applause of men, or\nany such selfish objects, whereby the best of actions are too often\ncorrupted. Of this nature was the charity of the Pharisees of old, who\noffered abundance of sacrifices, and persuaded others to adorn the temple\nwith magnificent gifts, and to bring sacrifices of great price. But whilst\nthey suffered themselves to be led away by pride and ambition, which\nmingled with their very worship, they forgot to show mercy to the poor,\nand to practise that \u201cundefiled religion,\u201d whereby the fatherless and the\nwidows are to be supported and visited. James 1:27. For this preposterous\ncharity, the Lord reproved them, saying: \u201cWoe unto you, scribes and\nPharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows\u2019 houses, and for a pretence\nmake long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.\u201d Matt.\n23:14. In this perverse religion they have many followers, even at this\ntime. Such are those who bequeath large legacies to temples and\nmonasteries, that priests and friars who enjoy them, may make long prayers\nfor such as bestow them. This truly is a false and deceitful love; for\nthose who perform these acts, do not so much regard the honor of God as\ntheir own.\n\n7. He that is _justified_, shall live by his _faith_ (Habak. 2:4); and\nwhosoever is thus justified, lives in true repentance, and by daily\nmortification of his flesh, becomes himself a _sacrifice_ unto the Lord.\nRom. 12:1. He spends his time in continual acts of love and charity;\nflowing from a disinterested principle, free from self-honor and\nself-love, and entirely directed to advancing the glory of God. Therefore,\nO man, if thou even yieldest thy body to be burnt, and yet art void at the\nsame time of this pure and sincere love, thou doest nothing in all such\nperformances. And what do they profit themselves, who torture their\nbodies? They generally are puffed up with a conceit of their singular\nsanctity, and, thus setting forth their own pompous religion and\nwill-worship, they do not regard God in what they do, so much as catch at\nthe applause of men. Isa. 58:3; Zech. 7:5, 6. Nay, some are blinded to\nsuch a degree by the spirit of delusion and error, as to suffer themselves\nto be burnt in defence of conceits such as these. They expect thereby to\nbe enrolled in the list of such martyrs as were slain for the sake of\nChrist and the Gospel; when in truth they seek not Christ, but themselves,\nand rise not to defend _his_ honor, but their own erroneous opinions. This\nis called by St. Paul, a strong _delusion_, and a _working of Satan_. 2\nThess. 2:9, 11. It is not the punishment, but the cause, which makes a\nmartyr.\n\n8. Such martyrs as these the devil has had even amongst the heathens\nthemselves; many of whom were so far blinded in their understandings, as\ncontentedly to die for the defence of their idols, and false, heathenish\nreligion. And is not the same done at this day amongst those who call\nthemselves Christians? Even as the heathens, to gain an immortal name,\npersuaded themselves that they did well in what they endured, so self-love\nand vainglory have so far besotted some monks, and other persons even in\nour age, as that they have murdered kings and princes, to support the\nbetter their church, or the _Catholic cause_, as they call it, which they\nsupposed to be in danger. If such men are made to suffer again, it is\nmanifest that they do not suffer for the sake of Christ, nor are they to\nbe accounted _his_ martyrs. They are martyrs to the pope of Rome, to their\nown conceit, and to a thirst after vainglory, with which they are carried\naway. Thus much concerning false love, to which man is seduced by a false\nand deceitful light.\n\n9. It remains, therefore, that without a sincere love to God and our\nneighbor, and a holy and Christian life attending it, all arts and\nsciences, gifts and attainments, profit nothing. Wisdom, how great soever\nit may be, yea, though it be as great, or greater than that of Solomon, is\nnothing; and the knowledge of the whole Scripture, if it be without love,\nmust necessarily degenerate into a poor, empty speculation. All works\nwhatsoever, and martyrdom itself (if so it be called), are to no purpose\nwithout this essential character of love. For to know the will of God and\nhis word, and not to live up to them as a rule, only increases our\ncondemnation, as the Lord plainly affirms: \u201cIf I had not come and spoken\nunto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their\nsin.\u201d John 15:22.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVI.\n\n\nHe Who Does Not Live In Christ, But Gives His Heart To The World, Has Only\n  The Outward Letter Of The Scriptures, But He Does Not Experience Their\n                    Power, Or Eat Of The Hidden Manna.\n\n\n    _To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden manna,\n    and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name\n    written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it._\u2014REV.\n    2:17.\n\n\nBy this Scripture we are taught, that no man can taste the inward\nsweetness of heavenly joy and comfort hidden in the Word, who does not\nfirst vanquish his own flesh and the world, with all the pomps and lusts\nthereof, and the devil himself. But those that crucify their flesh daily,\nwith all its desires and lusts, by serious contrition and repentance, who\ndie daily to themselves and to the world, and to whom this life is a cross\nand affliction; these are divinely fed with the heavenly manna, and drink\nthe wine of the joy of paradise. Those, on the other hand, that love the\npleasures of this world rather than those of heaven, render themselves\naltogether unfit to taste the hidden manna, preserved for him alone that\novercometh. The reason is, because _like things_ (according to the\nproverb) rejoice _in their like_; and things of a contrary nature do not\nunite one with another. Since, therefore, the word of God is spiritual, it\nis no wonder that worldly minds take no pleasure in it. For as the body\nreceives no strength from the food which the stomach does not digest; so\nthe soul receives no strength from the divine word, unless it be entirely\nconverted into itself, that is, into its own life and nature.\n\n2. Yea, as a man that is sick of a fever acquires a distempered appetite,\nand deems the coarsest trash more pleasant than wholesome food; so those\nthat are sick of a spiritual fever, that is, of the love of the world, of\npride and covetousness, loathe the good word of God as bitter and insipid\nfood. Those, on the other hand, that have the Spirit of God, find in it a\nhidden manna, and a secret sweetness, which transcends all other delights;\nbut then it is not to be tasted by such as are carried away with the\npleasures of a profane world.\n\n3. Many hear the glad tidings of the Gospel repeatedly, and yet are but\nlittle affected with what they hear. They do not feel any fervency of\nspirit, any sense of spiritual joy. The cause is plain; they are not led\nby the good Spirit of God, but by the corrupt spirit of the world; nor\nhave they heavenly, but earthly minds, which cannot receive the things of\nGod. Whoever, therefore, wishes to obtain a sound understanding in\nspiritual matters, to feel the power of the word of God, and to eat of the\nhidden manna, ought by all means to conform his life to the word which he\nreads, and to the life of Christ which is set before him. It is then that\nthe Lord feeds the humble with grace (1 Pet. 5:5), satisfies the meek with\nhis love, and supports the patient with his comfort; rendering his yoke\npleasant, and his burden light unto them. For the sweetness of this\nheavenly manna cannot be tasted except under the yoke of Christ, according\nto the promise of the Lord: \u201cHe hath filled the hungry with good things,\nand the rich he hath sent empty away.\u201d Luke 1:53.\n\n4. \u201cThe words that I speak unto you,\u201d saith the Lord, \u201cthey are spirit and\nthey are life.\u201d John 6:63. Whence it follows, that a carnal and voluptuous\nman, who has no spiritual understanding or taste, cannot possibly perceive\nor relish the words of Christ. These must be apprehended in spirit, and in\nan inward tranquillity of mind, attended with great humility and fervent\ndesires after God. In this order, the Word of God must be received and\ndigested, if ever it is to afford a vital nourishment to the soul; which,\nif it be neglected, then truly the Word is no more than an empty sound,\nand an external letter. As a man that hears the sound of a harp, and\nunderstands not its melody, receives no pleasure from it; so no man can\nperceive the virtue hidden in the Word, unless he endeavor to express it\nin his life, and thoroughly to conform himself to it in his spirit.\n\n5. For this reason, the Lord says: \u201cI will give him a white stone, and in\nthe stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that\nreceiveth it.\u201d\n\n6. This is the testimony of the hidden Spirit, who witnesses to the divine\nWord: and in like manner, the Spirit of the Word gives testimony to our\nspirit (Rom. 8:16), whence both unite, and so become one spirit. 1 Cor.\n6:17. This is that new name, which no man knoweth but he that hath it. As\nno man perceives the sweetness of honey, but he that tastes it; so the\nname of this divine testimony, written in the hearts of good souls, no man\nknoweth but he that possesses it. He only understands the nature of\nheavenly comfort, and of divine visitations, who really tastes them. This\nname and testimony are called _new_, because they are the blessed effect\nof the _new birth_, and come _from above_.\n\n7. Blessed is the man to whom God thus gives himself to be tasted! Thus\nwere the prophets of old fed with this heavenly bread, and sustained by\nthe eternal Word proceeding from God, and communicating itself unto them.\nThis made their tongues so free and so ready in the delivery of the divine\noracles. And from this inward sense, with which they were so powerfully\naffected, the Holy Scripture has been derived, and handed down to us for\nour edification.\n\n8. Even at this day, God does not cease still to speak unto all men, and\ninwardly to feed them with his Word: but alas! most men have shut their\nears against his voice, and will rather hear the world than God, and\nfollow their own lusts, than the motions of the good Spirit of God. They\ncannot eat of the hidden manna, because they greedily adhere to their\ncarnal propensities, and contemn the tree of life, with the fruit thereof.\n\n9. But surely such men are awfully blinded, since they will not understand\nthat God can afford infinitely greater pleasures than this world is\ncapable of imparting. He that has once tasted the goodness of God, will\nesteem the whole world, together with its most exquisite pleasures, to be\nnothing but gall and bitterness. Our first parents were beguiled by the\nworld; and by eating of the forbidden tree, they brought no less an evil\nupon themselves than death itself: and yet we are so much besotted with\nthe pleasures of this world, as to follow freely their steps, and to obey\nthe forbidden lusts of the flesh, which cause our death. Rom. 8:13.\n\n10. Christ says: \u201cIf any shall eat of me,\u201d the true tree, and the true\nbread of life, \u201che shall live for ever.\u201d John 6:51. And what is it to _eat\nof him_, but to believe in him, to rejoice in him, to delight in him, and\nto rest and to take pleasure in nothing but him alone? The world bestows\npoor and inconsiderable wages, and yet it is served with great labor and\nearnestness; whereas God grants an eternal and never-fading reward; and\nyet with what sluggishness, coldness, and backwardness is his service\nperformed! How few there are, who adhere to God with as much care and\nfaith, devotion and obedience, as profane worldlings do to mammon, and the\nworld! We see them often take long and tedious journeys for a little\nmoney; but for the sake of heaven, it grieves them to move even a foot.\n\n11. In all classes men seek and love the world more than they regard God.\nMany a scholar studies day and night to attain preferment and honor, who\nwill hardly take time to say the _Lord\u2019s Prayer_ for the good of his soul.\nThe men who avoid no labor to get the bread that perishes, will undergo\nnone to procure that which is incorruptible. There are many who fear no\ndifficulty, flee from no danger, and, in an earthly warfare, stare even\ndeath in the face; influenced by no other motive than to gain a little\nfleeting fame, or at best, to be ranked among nobles and heroes: whereas\nthere is hardly one to be found that will enter into a combat with the\ncorrupt propensities of his flesh, although this is the way to obtain a\nkingdom in heaven. We see the victors of many nations, and the subduers of\nvast kingdoms, who little care to overcome themselves. There are large\nnumbers who do not regard the loss of their immortal souls, if they can\nbut gain the perishing goods of this world. All these, certainly, have not\ntasted the hidden manna of the divine Word; for they do not overcome the\nworld, but are themselves overcome by it. Whosoever will taste the\nsweetness of this heavenly manna, must, for the sake of the love of God,\ndespise the world, and overcome it. When he complies with these terms, he\nis refreshed again with that comfort of the Holy Ghost, which no man knows\nsave he that receives it.\n\n12. This, therefore, must be done. The tree of life must first be planted\nin us, before we can eat of its fruit: and the heart that wishes to be\nquickened with heavenly comforts, ought first to be truly converted from\nthe world to God. But we, being intoxicated with worldly pleasures, do not\nsee that the joys of heaven are far more excellent than all that this\nworld affords. That which God gives, is infinitely more true and more\nsubstantial than all which the creature can bestow. And that teaching\nwhich comes from above, through the inspiration of the divine Spirit, is\nfar more noble and solid than that which is conveyed to us by man\u2019s\nunderstanding, and imprinted on the mind with much toil and labor. The\nflowers and fruits which are the productions of nature are nobler and\nbetter than those which are fashioned of the finest gold by the hand of\nart; even so, one drop of divine consolation is more satisfactory, and\nincomparably better, than a whole ocean of worldly lust and pleasure.\n\n13. Whenever, therefore, thou desirest to taste any heavenly comfort,\nwithdraw thy heart from the joys of this world. As if the Lord were to\nsay, \u201cIf any will understand me, let him seriously attend to what I say;\nif any will see me, it surely behooves him to fix his eye upon me alone.\u201d\nWho can doubt but that our heart and senses, and all the faculties of our\nsouls ought to be converted to God, and fixed on him alone, if ever we\ndesire to see, hear, and understand God; nay, to taste him and his\ngoodness? For thus he expresses himself in the Prophet: \u201cWhen ye shall\nsearch for me with your whole heart, ye shall find me.\u201d Jer. 29:13.\n\n14. Many at this day are held in great admiration on a very light account.\nOh! a learned man! (they say), a rich man! a great man! a wise man! But\nscarcely any regard how meek, how humble, how patient, or how devout any\nman is. Of this perverse judgment, there is no other cause, than that the\npeople of this world only admire the _exterior_ of a man, and pass by what\nis _within_ the mind, which alone is worthy to be esteemed and valued. Let\nhim that praises a man because he is a great traveller, and has seen many\ncities and countries, consider whether it be not far better to have seen\nGod. Let him that admires another, because he has served several monarchs,\nand attended on emperors, kings, and princes, tell us whether it be not\nfar more excellent to be the servant of God, to wait on the King of\nHeaven, to hear Him speak in the heart, and to serve Him faithfully? Many\nwho enjoy nothing but the things of this world, will say, \u201cWe have\nabundance of learned men and great scholars in this age; arts and sciences\nare greatly advanced among us.\u201d But such men as these, do not know the art\nof arts, the science of sciences, which is divine Love; a benefit\npreferable to all other knowledge and learning, but which seems to be\nalmost wholly extinct in this degenerate age, together with faith itself,\nthat produces it. The number of those that are in truth divinely \u201ctaught\nof God,\u201d is apparently but small (Isa. 54:13); and so of those that care\nto be instructed in the humble and meek life of Christ. Matt. 11:29. Yea,\nto speak plainly, there are among the most learned at this day, some who\nare, perhaps, the most alienated from the life of God, and know but little\nof that truth which is in Jesus. They are those who confine knowledge to\nwords and terms artfully contrived; when indeed solid erudition and\nlearning consist not in _words_, but in _things_, and in a real and\neternal wisdom. Upon the whole, whoever calls this world a wicked world,\nis not mistaken in his judgment.\n\n15. Others will praise a man, because he keeps a rich and plentiful table,\nand fares sumptuously every day; but they do not consider that the very\ncrumbs dropping from God\u2019s table, are transcendently better than the\nchoicest dishes of the wealthy and greedy; and that the hidden manna, and\nthe incorruptible bread, descending from heaven, and prepared by the Lord\nhimself, afford the most savory and most delicious food for nourishing the\nsoul. Ps. 23:5.\n\n16. Whoever enjoys God and his Word, is disgusted at nothing, and nothing\ncan displease him; for he enjoys God in all. But what can delight him, who\ndoes not taste the sweetness of God, and the goodness of his Word? GOD\nalone is the joy of the soul. He infinitely surpasses all earthly joy and\ntransient mirth. He is the eternal Light, which incomparably exceeds all\ncreated lights. May he be pleased to influence our hearts with his hidden\npleasure! May he purify our spirits, and all the faculties of our souls!\nMay he enlighten and quicken, correct and revive all that is within us!\nAnd, O! when shall that glorious hour appear, in which the Lord will\nsatiate us with his presence, and replenish us with all that he himself\nis! Isa. 55:12.\n\n17. But as we are not yet prepared for so transcendent a joy, so we cannot\npartake of it, while we are confined to this state of imperfection. Let\nus, therefore, be content with the crumbs of comfort which fall from the\nLord\u2019s table, and patiently wait for that time, wherein we shall be\nrefreshed with his joy for evermore!\n\n18. Hear the words of our blessed Saviour: \u201cBehold, I stand at the door,\nand knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to\nhim, and will sup with him, and he with me.\u201d Rev. 3:20. Is it not, then, a\nfoolish thing to slight so great a favor, and to treat contemptuously the\nKing of kings, who, like a heavenly guest, comes to see thee? Is it not\ndisgraceful to let a friend stand knocking without, and refuse to admit a\nman to thy presence, who has nothing at heart but thy welfare? How\nunaccountable then must it be to debar the great God from thy heart, who\nstands in no need of thy presents; but, after the manner of princes,\nbrings his own royal dainties with him when he approaches the house of a\npoor subject! He will feed thee with heavenly bread, and with that hidden\nmanna which is preserved for those that overcome.\n\n19. When the Lord says, \u201cHear my voice, and open the door,\u201d he compares,\nas it were, the heart of a man to a house full of noise and clamor, where\nmusic, though ever so sweet and melodious, cannot be heard. So the voice\nof the divine Visitor cannot enter a profane heart, whilst it is hurried\nabout with the cares and desires of this world. Such a heart closes the\ndoor against this Visitor, and consequently cannot taste the sweetness of\nthe celestial manna. But when this noise and tumult cease, it is then that\nthese secret whispers are best perceived in men. And O! that thou, with\nSamuel, couldest answer: \u201cSpeak Lord, for thy servant heareth.\u201d 1 Sam.\n3:10.\n\n20. The truth of this internal, spiritual, and heavenly supper is also\nattested elsewhere. The apostle speaks of some, that \u201chave been once\nenlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers\nof the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of\nthe world to come.\u201d Heb. 6:4. By this we are taught, that in whomsoever\nthe Holy Ghost freely resides, there the virtues and powers of the world\nto come are also tasted. It is then that the soul feeds on that manna,\nwhich is hid in the gracious Word proceeding out of the mouth of God, and\nby which all the saints live.\n\n21. The efficacy of this living Word was also tasted by the royal prophet,\nthrough the Holy Ghost, when he burst forth into these words: \u201cIn thy\npresence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for\nevermore.\u201d Ps. 16:11. From this lively sense, he also invited others to an\nenjoyment of the same sweetness, saying, \u201cO taste and see that the Lord is\ngood. There is no want to them that fear him.\u201d Ps. 34:8, 9. Of the plenty\nand dignity of this heavenly banquet, he hath thus expressed himself:\n\u201cThou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou\nanointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.\u201d Ps. 23:5. \u201cThy loving\nkindness is better than life.\u201d Ps. 63:3. \u201cThey shall be abundantly\nsatisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of\nthe river of thy pleasures.\u201d Ps. 36:8. And lastly, \u201cLet all those that\nseek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee; and let such as love thy\nsalvation, say continually, Let God be magnified. But I am poor and needy;\nmake haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make\nno tarrying.\u201d Ps. 70:4, 5.\n\n22. From all these, and many other places besides, it may abundantly be\nknown who those are that are inwardly fed with the good Word of God, and\nwith the hidden manna of the world to come; even those that are poor in\nspirit, who entirely rely on divine comfort. These only are worthy to\ntaste of this heavenly manna, and of the divine gift, of which David\nspeaks at large: \u201cHow amiable,\u201d says he, \u201care thy tabernacles, O Lord of\nhosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my\nheart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.\u201d Ps. 84:1, 2. By this\nScripture we may understand, that the least pleasure of the world to come,\ninfinitely exceeds all the joys of this world; and that one day passed\nthere, is far more excellent than a thousand years here. Whoever has\ntasted these exquisite pleasures, will discard the things of this life, as\nempty and insipid. The whole world becomes a burden, a trouble and\nvexation of spirit, to such a person. He is like one that is accustomed to\ndelicious fare, and consequently cannot partake of what is coarse.\n\n23. This is so sacred a hunger and thirst, that none but God alone can\nsatisfy it, and he only, by his love. This is that spiritual fulness with\nwhich the saints are satiated, according to the words: \u201cEat, O friends,\ndrink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.\u201d Song of Sol. 5:1. These\nspiritual enjoyments the Lord bestows on his friends, in order to unite\nthem the more closely to himself, and to make them the sooner forget the\nperishing things of this world. A few crumbs of this bread, a few drops\npressed from this heavenly vine, ought to excite our desires after that\nplentiful and abounding fountain, which shall flow for us hereafter.\n\n24. In order that the Lord might excite in us so sacred a thirst, and that\nhe might make us long the more earnestly after such heavenly objects as\nthese, it was expedient that he should first himself thirst upon the cross\nfor our sakes. John 19:28. As he himself satisfies and quenches our hunger\nand thirst, so ought we again to satiate his thirst and ardent desire of\nloving. He more fervently thirsts after us, than we do after him;\naccording to that which he hath himself declared: \u201cMy meat is to do the\nwill of him that sent me, and to finish his work\u201d (John 4:34): and the\nwill of God was, to save men from everlasting destruction. If we but\nthirsted after him as he thirsts after us, we should then drink so\nplentifully of his Spirit, that even \u201crivers of living water would flow\nfrom our bodies\u201d (John 7:38): that is, nothing should be seen in us, but\nwhat is spiritual, lovely, and consolatory. Nay, he would make us\noverflow, as it were, with a torrent of divine goodness and consolation,\nso that soul and body, and all that is within us, should triumphantly\nrejoice in the living God. For nothing is of so great and so divine an\namplitude as a man\u2019s soul, after it has gained true freedom and liberty.\nSuch a soul comprehends God, heaven, and earth. And again, nothing is less\nthan a man\u2019s soul in its nothingness and humiliation, when it humbles\nitself under God and all his creatures.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVII.\n\n\n     He Who Does Not Follow Christ In Faith, Holiness, And Continued\nRepentance, Cannot Be Delivered From The Blindness Of His Heart, But Must\nAbide In Eternal Darkness; And He Cannot Have A True Knowledge Of Christ,\n                         Or Fellowship With Him.\n\n\n    _God is light, and in him is no darkness at all: if we say we have\n    fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the\n    truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have\n    fellowship one with another._\u20141 JOHN 1:5-7.\n\n\nThat we may the better understand the nature of light and darkness, it is\nnecessary first to give heed to the description of the light, as it is\noriginally.\n\n2. \u201cGod is light,\u201d saith St. John. But what is God? God is a spiritual,\neternal, and infinite Being; God is almighty, merciful, gracious,\nrighteous, holy, true, and the only wise God. God the Father, Son, and\nHoly Ghost, is unspeakable love and faithfulness; He is one in three\nPersons; He is the Sovereign Good, and good essentially. And this is the\ntrue and everlasting light. Whence every one that departs from God, from\nhis love, his mercy, his righteousness, and his truth, departs also from\nlight itself, and must consequently fall into darkness; for without God\nthere is nothing but everlasting darkness. O how dark, therefore, is that\nsoul in which God doth not dwell! Now if God be light, then the devil must\ncertainly be darkness; and if God be love, then the devil must be nothing\nbut hatred and wrath, enmity and envy, malice and uncharitableness, sin\nand wickedness. Whoever, therefore, turns himself to sin, turns himself to\ndarkness and to the devil. Neither can he be delivered, till he turn back\nagain, from darkness to light, from sin to righteousness, from vice to\nvirtue, from the devil to God. Acts 26:18. And this is the work of a true\nand living faith which purifies the heart. Acts 15:9. For he who believes\nin Christ, daily repents and turns from sin and the devil to Christ Jesus.\nFor even as Adam by sin turned himself from God to the devil, so we ought\nto withdraw again, by true repentance and faith, from the devil to God.\n\n3. Hence it follows that man, without being converted from sin to God, can\nnever be truly enlightened. \u201cFor what communion hath light with darkness?\u201d\n2 Cor. 6:14. Impiety and impenitence are wholly darkness, and,\nconsequently, can have no fellowship with the light of the knowledge of\nChrist. So that it is absolutely impossible that those should be\nenlightened by the Spirit, and the light of eternal truth, who live in\ndarkness and impenitence. To this purpose, St. Paul says concerning the\nJews: \u201cWhen they shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away\u201d (2\nCor. 3:16); that is, their darkness, blindness, and ignorance shall be\nremoved, and Christ shall give them light.\n\n4. The greatest blindness, or thickest darkness that covers the minds of\nmen, is the sin of unbelief, with the fruits resulting from it; such as\npride, avarice, wrath, and the whole train of sensual lusts and pleasures.\nWherever these take possession of a man, it is impossible that he should\nknow Christ, the true Light of the world; much less can he savingly\nbelieve in him, trust in him, and obtain by him everlasting life.\n\n5. For how should that man know the humility of the heart of Christ, whose\nown heart abounds with pride and high-mindedness? How should he be\nacquainted with the meekness of the heart of Christ, who is full of bitter\nwrath and envy? How should he understand his marvellous patience, who\ndelights in revenge, and is hurried about with a multitude of unruly\npassions? But he who does not understand the humility, meekness, and\npatience of Christ, does not know Christ himself, nor believe in his holy\nname. For truly, if ever thou desirest to attain a sound knowledge of\nChrist, thou must obtain, by faith, the same heart which is in Christ;\nthou must experimentally perceive in thy heart, his meekness, his\npatience, and his humility. It is then that thy knowledge becomes solid\nand substantial. As a fruit is known by the taste, so Christ, the tree of\nlife, is known by tasting. Whenever thou tastest by faith the humility of\nChrist, his meekness and his patience, thou then eatest of his fruit, and\nshalt find rest for thy soul. Thou enjoyest in Christ the favor and\nconsolation of God. This is the only way to true rest and tranquillity of\nmind. For the grace and comfort of God cannot enter into a heart that is\nvoid of faith, and destitute of the meekness and humility of Christ. It is\nto the _humble_ that God gives grace. 1 Pet. 5:5.\n\n6. But how is it possible that Christ should profit a man who does not\ndesire to have the least fellowship with him? For, in truth, all those\nthat live in the darkness of sin, have no fellowship with Christ, be their\npretences what they will. For thus says St. John: \u201cIf we say that we have\nfellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.\nBut if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one\nwith another.\u201d 1 John 1:6, 7. And in the following chapter he explains it\nmore fully: \u201cThe darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that\nsaith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even\nuntil now. He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is\nno occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother, is in\ndarkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth,\nbecause that darkness hath blinded his eyes.\u201d 1 John 2:8-11.\n\n7. As long, then, as a man continues in that dark and terrible cloud of\nsin, it is impossible that he should be enlightened by Christ, the true\nLight of the world, and be thereby brought to a saving knowledge of God.\nWhoever will attain to a true knowledge of God and Christ, must firmly\nbelieve that God is nothing but grace and love. Now, no man can know what\nlove is, but he that has, and practises it, the knowledge of a thing being\nthe result of a man\u2019s experience, of his feelings, and of the works of\ntruth which he performs. Whoever, therefore, does not exercise love\n(whatever words he may use about it), continues an utter stranger to the\nnature of love; and what he is pleased to call love, is nothing but show\nand pretence. And as Christ himself is nothing but love and humility,\nmeekness and patience, and every true virtue, so a man that is not\nfrequent in the performance of these and the like virtues, is altogether\nignorant of Christ and of the truth. He is but a superficial pretender to,\nand a vain usurper of, His holy name, let his boasts be what they may. The\nWord of God is nothing but spirit. Whoever, therefore, does not live and\nwalk in the Spirit, in no wise understands what the Word of God is, though\nhe may dispute and argue copiously about it. How shall a man tell us what\nlove is, who never performed any act of love? How shall a man give an\naccount of the nature of light, who, having been constantly confined to a\ndark dungeon, has never seen the light himself? Now, the light in man is\nfaith and charity, according to the saying of Christ: \u201cLet your light so\nshine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your\nFather which is in heaven.\u201d Matt. 5:16.\n\n8. In a word, the holy life of Christ is nothing but love and charity. No\nsooner do we, by faith, learn from him true love and humility, meekness\nand patience, as he himself has engaged us to do, than we are transformed\ninto his image, and enlightened with that true and eternal light, which he\nhimself is; according to that exhortation of St. Paul: \u201cAwake thou that\nsleepest (namely, in sins and the lust of the flesh), and arise from the\ndead, and Christ shall give thee light.\u201d Eph. 5:14.\n\n9. From all this it follows, that in the case of as many as do not awake\nfrom their spiritual lethargy, that is, from the lust of the eyes, the\nlust of the flesh, the pride of life, and other pleasures that attend\nthem, their souls cannot be enlightened by Christ, since they love\ndarkness rather than light, and thereby unfit themselves for a reception\nof the divine light.\n\n10. It also hence appears that those, on the other hand, who truly embrace\nthe life of Christ, and follow him in faith, are by him graciously\nenlightened, according to his promise: \u201cI am the light of the world: he\nthat followeth me (in faith and love, hope and patience, meekness and\nhumility, fear of God, and in prayer, etc.) shall not walk in darkness,\nbut shall have the light of life.\u201d John 8:12. Therefore, the true\nfollowers of Christ, and these only, freely enjoy the light of life, and\nare alone endued with true illumination and sound knowledge of Christ. And\nit is on account of this Christian faith and life, that true believers are\ncalled by the Apostle, _a light in the Lord_. \u201cYe were,\u201d saith he,\n\u201csometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord\u201d (Eph. 5:8): here he\nmeans the principle of faith, and those Christian virtues that attend it.\nAnd again, \u201cYe are all the children of light, and the children of the day:\nwe are not of the night, nor of darkness,\u201d\u2014\u201cputting on the breast-plate of\nfaith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.\u201d 1 Thess. 5:5, 8.\nChrist denies that the world (that is, carnal and unregenerate minds), can\never \u201creceive the Spirit of Truth.\u201d John 14:17.\n\n11. That there might be a perfect and absolute example given to men, and a\ncomplete idea of virtue and goodness, the Son of God became also Man, and\nby his unspotted and holy life was made the public Light of the world,\nthat so all men might follow him, believe in him, and receive light from\nhim. Since, however, false Christians own with their lips that Christ is\nthe safe and great exemplar of virtue, and yet do not follow him in their\nlife and actions, it is manifest, that the heathens who esteemed virtue,\nput the Christians to shame. The most eminent of them, such as Plato,\nAristotle, Cicero, Seneca, have highly recommended the study of virtue,\nand freely confessed, that \u201cif virtue could be seen with bodily eyes, it\nwould appear fairer, and with a more glorious lustre than even the morning\nstar.\u201d But, truly, none have had a fuller view of the beauty of virtue,\nthan those who by faith have seen JESUS CHRIST, that unerring pattern of\nrighteousness. These are those that have \u201chandled the Word of life\u201d (1\nJohn 1:1), as St. John tells us. And, surely, if heathens have been so\nmuch absorbed by the love of virtue, how much more should a Christian love\nthe transcendent beauty of Jesus Christ, who is virtue itself, and\ncomposed of nothing but pure love, and unspotted meekness; nay, who is GOD\nhimself?\n\n12. It was not without cause, therefore, that St. Paul preferred the love\nof Christ to all other knowledge or science: and with him we ought to pray\nthat we may experimentally \u201cknow this love of Christ which passeth\nknowledge\u201d (Eph. 3:19), that so we may thereby be \u201cfilled with all the\nfulness of God.\u201d Now there is no man that has the love of Christ in him,\nbut he must necessarily also love the humility and meekness of Christ, and\nfrom sincere love to him readily embrace them. By this means he is still\nmore and more enlightened, and day by day transformed into the image of\nChrist, \u201cas from glory to glory.\u201d 2 Cor. 3:18. And the reason of this is\nevident; for God delights to give grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5), as\nthe Scripture tells us: agreeably to what St. Bernard says, \u201cThe rivers of\ngrace flow downwards, not upwards.\u201d They visit and refresh the valley, but\nwill not rest upon mountains, or upon anything that is high and lifted up.\nHow should then the grace of the light and knowledge of God come to a man\nthat walks not in the humble and holy light of Christ, but in the way of\nLucifer? For if there be any faith in us, and if this be attended with\nsuitable fruits and practice, it will not leave us \u201cbarren and unfruitful\nin the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d 2 Peter 1:8. In an humble soul\nChrist lives, and then also his Spirit rests upon it (the spirit of wisdom\nand of understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of\nknowledge and of the fear of the Lord), as truly as it rested upon Christ\nhimself. For in whomsoever the light and the life of Christ dwell, in him\nis also Christ himself, who is the very light and life of a Christian. And\nthis also is the reason that the gifts and graces of the divine Spirit\nrest upon a true Christian, as well as upon Christ himself, according to\nthe prophecy of Isaiah. Ch. 11:1-3.\n\n13. Hence St. Peter, speaking to the Jews, exhorts them to repent (or to\nbe renewed in their minds): \u201cand ye shall,\u201d says he, \u201creceive the gift of\nthe Holy Ghost.\u201d Acts 2:38. Whence it plainly appears, that those who are\nin a state of faith and repentance, are the only men duly prepared for\nreceiving the divine Spirit, the true enlightener of hearts.\n\n14. Whoever, therefore, desires to be delivered from the blindness of his\nheart, and from eternal darkness, yea, from the devil himself, let him\nfaithfully follow Christ in true faith, in unfeigned conversion, and in a\nthorough newness of life. The nearer we are to Christ, the nearer we are\nto the eternal light; the more closely we adhere to unbelief, the more we\nadhere to darkness and to the devil himself. For even as Christ, faith,\nand all the virtues, are nearly allied and belong together, so in like\nmanner, are the devil, unbelief, and all the vices, and works of darkness,\nso nearly combined, as to render it impossible to conceive of one without\nthe other.\n\n15. Consider the apostles of the Lord. They followed their Master in\nfaith, in contempt of the world, denying themselves, in renouncing their\npossessions, and in living together in unity of the Spirit. By this means\nthey were enlightened from above, and filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts\n2:1, etc. With these terms the rich young man in the Gospel being\nunwilling to comply, he continued shut up in the darkness of the world,\nand was not enlightened unto eternal life. Luke 18:23. For \u201cif any man\nlove the world, the love of the Father is not in him.\u201d 1 John 2:15. And\n\u201che that hateth his brother is in darkness, and knoweth not whither he\ngoeth: because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.\u201d 1 John 2:11.\n\n16. All the sermons of Tauler refer to this subject. He makes it appear,\nthat without the sincere exercise of faith, without a serious course of\nmortification, without self-denial, without a narrow search into one\u2019s own\nheart, and without the inward, calm sabbath of the soul, no man can obtain\nor enjoy the divine light.\n\n17. In short, in proportion as the works of darkness are destroyed in a\nman by the Spirit of God, in that proportion is he illuminated; and again,\nin the same degree as the corrupt nature, the flesh, and the world, pride,\nand the lust of the eyes, domineer in a man, in that degree darkness is\nleft in him, and the less of grace, of light, of the Spirit of God and of\nChrist, is he possessed of. Therefore it remains, that without unfeigned\nrepentance, and a _daily_ repentance, no man can be truly enlightened from\nabove.\n\n18. Whoever yields too much to one sin, undoubtedly opens a door to many\nothers. Sin never comes alone, but, like a noxious weed, spreads itself on\nevery side, and gains more ground every day. And as the darkness becomes\ngreater accordingly as the sun retires, so as the holy life of Christ\ndeparts from us, the darkness and sin increase, till at length the man is\nswallowed up in eternal darkness. On the contrary, if a man devote himself\nto the practice of one virtue, he gains thereby an opportunity of\npractising all the rest in time, and cannot but daily proceed from one to\nanother. This admirable connection is represented by St. Peter as a chain,\nin which all the rings are linked together, and none is suffered to\nseparate from another. \u201cAdd,\u201d he says, \u201cto your faith, virtue; and to\nvirtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance,\npatience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly\nkindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity;\u201d superadding one virtue\ncontinually to another, and crowning all at last with this promise: \u201cIf\nthese things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be\nbarren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d 2 Peter\n1:5-8. To sum up all in a few words: Whoever is not earnestly bent on the\nexercise of such heavenly virtues as these, certainly knows not Christ,\nand is void of all saving knowledge: whereas, if a man by faith grow in\nvirtue, he also grows in Christ himself. On the contrary, the wrathful,\nthe covetous, the proud, the impatient, do not grow in Christ, but in the\ndevil.\n\n19. It is the apostle\u2019s command, that we should grow up \u201cunto a perfect\nman.\u201d Eph. 4:13. As a child gradually grows up to the stature of a perfect\nman, so a Christian ought daily to grow in the practice of faith and\nvirtue, till he become a perfect man in Christ. But \u201che that lacketh these\nthings is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was\npurged from his old sins.\u201d 2 Pet. 1:9. As if the apostle had said: Christ\nby his death has indeed taken away our sins, and blotted them out; not\nthat we should continue in the service of sin, but that, dying to sin, and\nliving to Christ, we should show forth the fructifying power of the death\nof Christ. Without this order practically applied to the mind, it is\nmanifest, that the purging away of our old sins, and the atonement made\nfor them, can profit us nothing. Our sin is never forgiven until we\nentirely quit it, repent of it, and embrace Christ with an unfeigned\nbelief. If we preserve but one sin alive, the mortifying of all the rest,\nif that were possible, would avail nothing; but we should be condemned to\neternal death, without any hope of expiation or forgiveness. Thus, a man\nmay be damned for the sin of wrath alone; whereas, if he had seriously\ncorrected and quitted it, he would have obtained pardon not only for that,\nbut even for other sins of which he stood guilty. But neglecting to do\nthis, he is one of those that are \u201cblind,\u201d and \u201che forgets that he was\npurged from his old sins!\u201d 2 Pet. 1:9.\n\n20. By this we are given to understand the necessity of repentance, and a\nthorough change of life: for although Christ died for our sins, and\nabolished them with the price of his blood, yet can we never partake of\nthat merit, unless we _repent_. Without repentance this precious blood\nprofits nothing. And though every man has a promise of pardon for his sin\nthrough the merit of Christ, yet that promise belongs not to the\nunbeliever, nor to the impenitent, but to those only who truly repent and\nreform their lives. Those sins shall not be remitted, which a man will not\nleave; but those only which he is willing to quit, and for which he\nheartily grieves. And here the word of the Lord is verified, \u201cThe poor\nhave the Gospel preached to them;\u201d that is, remission of sin, and life\neverlasting consequent upon it. Matt. 11:5. Let us suppose a man, who, for\nmany years, has been the servant of covetousness, after the example of\nZaccheus; or of lust, as Mary Magdalene; or of wrath and revenge, as Esau.\nLet us also suppose that this man, as soon as he heard that either these\nsins were to be entirely left, or that the death and blood of Christ would\nelse profit him nothing, becomes a true suppliant to God, and cries out to\nhim: \u201cOh God! how am I grieved for this! O Lord, be merciful, be\nmerciful!\u201d and then forms a new resolution, desists from his sin, craves\npardon and grace, and believes in Christ. Then all his former offences\nare, of grace, freely remitted to him. No merit of his own is regarded,\nbut solely the death and the blood of Christ shed for him. This is the\nonly way in which a returning sinner is to obtain mercy. Whereas, he that\ndoes not fully resolve to abandon his former sins, his covetousness,\nwrath, usury, pride, lust, etc., will hope forever in vain for a remission\nof sin, being condemned to everlasting confusion and anguish. He shall be\nobliged to satisfy for himself the justice of God, and yet will never be\nable to perform it. On earth he was destitute of that faith which purifies\nthe heart (Acts 15:9); and so his sin and lust, which have not been\nmortified here, shall forever torment him there. It is for this reason,\nthat St. Paul so earnestly inculcates, \u201cthat they which do such things,\nshall not inherit the kingdom of God.\u201d Gal. 5:21. And therefore either the\nloss of this heavenly kingdom must certainly follow, or the narrow way of\n_self-denial_ must be heartily chosen.\n\n21. Wherever this unfeigned conversion to, and faith in, God, are wrought\nin the soul, there pardon and divine grace are freely bestowed. And where\nthese are, there is Christ also; without whom no grace can be obtained.\nWhere Christ is, there are likewise his precious merit, and the full\nransom which he has paid for our sins, and which is appropriated to the\npenitent soul. Again, where these are, there is righteousness; and with\nrighteousness, is peace; and with peace, sweet serenity of conscience. It\nis then, that righteousness and peace kiss each other in the soul. Ps.\n85:10. This clearness of conscience is attended with the Spirit of God\nhimself; who being a Spirit of joy, will surely pour forth the \u201coil of\ngladness\u201d (Heb. 1:9), and quicken the soul with a foretaste of life\neternal itself, which shall be joy and glory without end.\n\n22. This is that light of eternal life, that eternally triumphant joy,\nwith which those only are crowned that live in Christ, and exercise daily\nrepentance. This is the beginning of a spiritual life, as the death of\nChrist is the basis and foundation on which it is raised. On the contrary,\nwhere there is no repentance, there is no pardon of sin; where there is no\ninward remorse or spiritual sorrow, there grace cannot have a place. Where\nthese are wanting, there Christ himself is wanting, together with the\nwhole extent of his merits and satisfaction, be the pretences of the\n_false_ Christian ever so fair and specious. Where this satisfaction is\nnot thoroughly applied to the soul, there is no righteousness, and\nconsequently no peace, no good conscience, no comfort. Where there is no\ncomfort of heart, there is no Holy Ghost, no joy, no calmness of mind, and\nno life eternal; but death, hell, condemnation, and everlasting darkness.\n\n23. Behold, O man! how true it is, that none of those who refuse to follow\nChrist in their lives, by an unfeigned repentance, can ever get rid of the\nblindness of their hearts, and of everlasting darkness.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVIII.\n\n\n  Showing That An Unchristian Life Leads To False Doctrine, Hardness Of\n  Heart, And Blindness; Also, Treating Of The Eternal Election Of Grace.\n\n\n    _Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the\n    light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in\n    darkness knoweth not whither he goeth_.\u2014JOHN 12:35.\n\n\nSince Christ, and faith in him are denied, and almost wholly extirpated by\nan ungodly life, what shall his doctrine profit us? For his doctrine, with\nthe Word and Sacraments, is delivered to us for no other end, than that it\nbe inwardly digested, and converted, as it were, into our very life and\nspirit. As from a good seed springs up good fruit, so from the Word and\nSacraments should spring up within us the noble life of regeneration, or\nthe new birth; the new, holy, and spiritual man; or, to speak all in one\nword, a true and real Christian. For he that is a Christian, must needs be\nborn again of the Spirit, the Word, and the Sacraments, and believe and\nlive in Christ, as in the primary principle of the life of grace. As\ncertainly as a child is begotten by his father, so truly must the\nChristian be begotten of God and of Christ, through faith. James 1:18; 1\nPeter 1:23; John 3:3, 5; Titus 3:5.\n\n2. When, therefore, we do not resolve to strive against the depraved bent\nof our flesh, and to digest the doctrine of Christ into our life and\nnature; nay, when we contradict the _Christian_ doctrine by an\n_anti-Christian_ life, by irreligion and profaneness; is it not plain that\nwe are not begotten of God, nor born of Christ? What will Christ\u2019s\n_doctrine_ profit us, when we are sure that our _life_ does not correspond\nwith it at all? Will our vain boasts of the light of the Gospel do any\ngood, when we evidently walk in darkness? It is on this account that the\nlight deservedly retires from us, and the world begins to be overspread\nwith darkness and false doctrines, with errors and with seducing spirits.\nAnd that we might beware of these, our blessed Saviour hath left us this\nwarning: \u201cWhile ye have the light, walk in the light, lest darkness come\nupon you\u201d (John 12:35); that is, lest ye be led away into all kinds of\nerrors and delusions, into blindness and hardness of heart, into darkness\nand prejudices, which indispose the mind for the very reception of the\nlight of the Gospel. This was the case with Pharaoh, the Jews, and also of\nJulian the Apostate; who, being in the end convicted by the reproaches of\nhis own conscience, exclaimed openly, and to his own confusion, that\nChrist both lived and reigned, and was both Lord and God; saying, \u201cThou\nhast overcome, O Galilean; thou hast overcome.\u201d It would have been better\nfor him to have said, \u201cLord, have mercy upon me!\u201d But, alas! this was\nentirely out of his reach, in consequence of the hardness of his heart,\ncontracted by an uninterrupted course of sinning, and by having rejected\nand despised the mercy of Christ.\n\n3. This hardness of heart, is that terrible darkness which, in the end,\novertakes all such as refuse to walk in the light whilst they have it. It\nis the just punishment inflicted on those that blaspheme the truth, as\nPharaoh did, when he asked: \u201cWho is the Lord, that I should obey his\nvoice, to let Israel go? I know not the Lord.\u201d Exodus 5:2. Therefore it\nwas but just that he should the more grievously feel the overruling power\nof God, by being made an example to the whole world, and a lasting\nmonument of the indignation of the Lord, and of the weakness of men who\nvainly presume to oppose him.\n\n4. In like manner were the Jews of old struck with blindness and hardness\nof heart, when they refused to hearken to the voice of the Lord, having\nbeen warned by Moses long before, that this would certainly come to pass.\n\u201cThe Lord,\u201d says he, \u201cshall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and\nastonishment of heart.\u201d Deut. 28:28. This actually did befall them, as may\nbe seen, Isaiah, chap. 6:9-12. Whereby it is manifest, that such hardness\nof heart is the most righteous punishment of unbelief, of contempt of God,\nand the heavenly truth declared by him; according to the words of St.\nPaul: \u201cWith all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;\nbecause they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.\nAnd for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should\nbelieve a lie.\u201d 2 Thess. 2:10, 11. Whence it plainly appears, why God is\nused to strike men with such terrible blindness and hardness of heart;\nnamely, because they \u201creceive not the love of the truth.\u201d\n\n5. And, indeed, the man from whom God takes away his offered grace, is\nsurely most wretched and miserable; neither can he of himself at any time\nreturn into the right way. As a proof of this, we have the examples of\nPharaoh and Julian. He from whom the Lord removes his light, must of\nnecessity live in darkness. God removes it, however, from those only who\nrefuse to walk in it; _neither does he take his grace from any, but from\nthose that boldly reject it_.\n\n6. It is in this sense that the words of St. Paul are to be taken: \u201c \u2018I\nwill have mercy (saith he) on whom I will have mercy.\u2019 Therefore hath he\nmercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he hardeneth.\u201d Rom.\n9:15, 18. But truly the Lord hath pity on all them who freely receive his\nmercy; as, on the contrary, he hardeneth those that reject and blaspheme\nthe offer of his grace. And it is this wilful resistance for which St.\nPaul reproves the Jews: \u201cIt was necessary,\u201d says he, \u201cthat the word of God\nshould first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and\njudge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the\nGentiles.\u201d \u201cAnd when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and\nglorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal\nlife, believed\u201d (Acts 13:46, 48): that is, as many as did not resist and\nobstinately cast away the word of grace, as the means of faith. It was\nbecause the Jews were guilty of this, that they could not believe: for the\nLord hath not ordained any one to eternal salvation, who disdainfully\nrejects his word, and proves disobedient to the offer of his grace.\n\n7. The ordination to life eternal, or the election of grace (Rom. 11:5),\nis fully brought to pass in Jesus Christ, with this promise annexed, that\nGod offers his grace to all by the Gospel; those who receive it are\nordained to eternal life; and whosoever reject it thereby \u201cjudge\nthemselves unworthy of eternal life,\u201d as St. Paul expresses it. That is,\nby their own fault they make themselves unworthy of that blessing, and\ndebar themselves from that universal grace which is displayed in the\nGospel; and so putting their own names out of the book of life, which is\nChrist, they resist the good work of God by their own contumacy, and,\nconsequently, cannot obtain that true saving faith, which the Word begets.\n\n8. And here let us not deceive ourselves, by vainly supposing that they\nonly reject the word of God, who do not outwardly embrace the faith and\ndoctrine of Christ (such as Mahometans and Jews); and that those who\nprofess the Christian faith, and adhere to the doctrine of the Gospel,\ncannot possibly be deemed wilful despisers of the offer of mercy. Certain\nit is, that all who will not follow the footsteps of Christ, nor take his\nlife upon them, nor walk in the light, fall under this heavy charge. And\nfor this cause God is moved to take from them the light of his word, and\nof pure doctrine. \u201cI,\u201d saith Christ, \u201cam the light of the world: he that\nfolloweth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of\nlife.\u201d John 8:12.\n\n9. Hence we learn that whoever follows the example of Christ, and lives\nhis life, shall be in no danger of being misled by any delusion and error.\nHe shall also escape that blindness and hardness of heart, which an empty\nconfessor of the Christian faith draws upon himself. Consider here, on the\none hand, the many proud, noble, learned, ingenious, and mighty men of\nthis world; and, on the other, the errors, blindness, and delusions, into\nwhich they are plunged. Truly, those delusions arise from no other source,\nthan because men do not live in Christ, but are averse to the imitation of\nhis holy life; and therefore cannot have the light of life.\n\n10. From the same source also proceed those \u201cworkings of Satan,\u201d and those\n\u201cstrong delusions,\u201d together with all the \u201clying wonders\u201d mentioned by St.\nPaul (2 Thess. 2:9-11), and which more and more increase upon us, because\nthe world is not willing to follow Christ, and by this means, to be\npreserved from delusion and error. \u201cFor what communion hath light with\ndarkness? and what concord (therefore) hath Christ with Belial?\u201d 2 Cor.\n6:14, 15. That is to say, Purity of doctrine, and divine knowledge, cannot\nremain with those that live in the devil, in darkness, in pride, in\ncovetousness, and filthy pleasure. How should the pure doctrine dwell with\nthose who exhibit impurity of life and manners? Nothing, certainly, can be\nmore irreconcilable, than purity of doctrine and an impure life.\n\n11. If, therefore, we would preserve pure doctrine, we must be wholly\nchanged in our minds, and have no part with the world, and with\nunchristian actions. We must \u201cawake\u201d (Eph. 5:14) from the lethargy of sin,\nand shake off the works of darkness, that so Christ may enlighten us again\nwith the light of true faith. Whence it is plain, that whosoever does not\nfollow the footsteps of Christ, nor imitate him in his love, humility,\nmeekness, patience, and obedience, he must necessarily be deceived, and\nstray from the knowledge of God; since he does not walk in the way which\nleads to truth.\n\n12. On the contrary, if we but lived in Christ, if we walked in his love\nand humility, and directed all our endeavors and studies purely to this\n_one object_, that the flesh be mortified, and the life of Christ raised\nwithin us; that through him we might overcome ourselves, and triumph over\nthe flesh, the world, and the devil; if this were but once effected, there\nwould then remain very little contention and strife about the doctrine,\nand heresies would of themselves fall to the ground.\n\n13. We have an example of most strange delusion in Ahab, who, on account\nof his wicked and tyrannical life, was seduced by four hundred false\nprophets. 1 Kings 22. It was by their encouragement that he undertook that\nfatal expedition against the Syrians, in contempt of the true prophet\nMicaiah, who positively foretold his death in that battle. But being led\nby a false light, he rejected the truth, and gave credit to lying\nprophets, who prophesied nothing but peace and prosperity to him. Hence\nthe justice of God met him, according to the word of the true prophet, and\nby due desert the dogs licked his blood.\n\n14. In this is verified the word of St. Paul: \u201cThe god of this world hath\nblinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the\nglorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them.\u201d 2 Cor. 4:4. And is not\nthe same judgment threatened against all hypocrites, who boast of Christ\nand his doctrine, but deny him in their life and actions? For thus saith\nthe Lord through the prophet: \u201cForasmuch as this people draw near me with\ntheir mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart\nfar from me; therefore the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the\nunderstanding of their prudent men shall be hid.\u201d Isa. 29:13, 14.\nConcerning the prophets in particular, the Lord has plainly declared, that\nhe has \u201ccovered the prophets, the rulers, and seers.\u201d Hence the vision\nshall become as a \u201csealed book,\u201d etc. Verse 10, 11. And as for the Jews\nthemselves, the apostle has told us, that there is a \u201cvail upon their\nheart,\u201d preventing their eyes from beholding the true Messiah; which,\nhowever, shall be \u201ctaken away when they turn to the Lord.\u201d 2 Cor. 3:15,\n16.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIX.\n\n\n Showing That The Purity Of The Doctrine Of The Divine Word Is Maintained\nNot Only By Discussions And Publications, But Also By True Repentance And\n                            Holiness Of Life.\n\n\n    _Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me,\n    in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which\n    was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in\n    us._\u20142 TIM. 1:13, 14.\n\n\nIt is very necessary, that the purity of doctrine, and the truth of the\nholy Christian faith, should be maintained and defended against all false\nteachers. For this we have the example of the holy prophets, who, with\ngreat zeal, preached against false and idolatrous prophets under the old\nlaw; of the Son of God, who sharply disputed against the Pharisees and\nscribes at Jerusalem; of St. John, the Evangelist, who wrote his Gospel\nagainst the heretical Ebionites and Cerinthus, and the Revelation (chap.\n2:6, 15), against the false church of the Nicolaitans and others.\n\n2. Thus, too, St. Paul vigorously defended the doctrine of justification\nby faith (Rom. 3:20, etc.), of good works (2 Cor. 9:8, etc.), of the\nresurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:1, etc.), of Christian liberty (1 Cor.\n9; 10\u2014Gal. 5:1, etc.), etc., against certain false apostles who had\nintruded into the Church. We have, further, the example of the holy\nbishops and fathers of the primitive church, who, following the example\nset them by the apostles, strenuously opposed in their public\ncontroversial writings, the Pagan superstitions, and the heresies of those\ntimes. Nay, for the same purpose General Councils were gathered by the\nChristian emperors, who condemned the chief heretics that infested the\nchurch at that time; such as the Arians, Macedonians, Nestorians, and\nEutychians; not to mention the example of Martin Luther, by whose\npolemical books and writings, the papacy, and other sects, have in these\nlatter days been successfully assailed.\n\n3. It remains, therefore, that preaching, writing, and disputation against\nheretics, must be continued, to the preserving of the purity of doctrine,\nand of true religion. For this reason, the apostle will also have \u201ca\nbishop to be able both to exhort and convince the gainsayers.\u201d Titus 1:9.\nThough this in itself is both lawful and commendable, yet it has so fallen\nout by the abuse of it, that disputations and controversies are increased\nto such an extent in these days, that the Christian life, true repentance,\nlove, and godliness, are, as it were forgotten; as if the sum and\nsubstance of the Christian religion consisted in arguing, and writing\nbooks of controversy, rather than in that unfeigned holiness of life, and\npurity of manners, which the Gospel requires.\n\n4. For consider the examples of the holy Prophets and Apostles, as also of\nthe Son of God himself. They did not barely dispute against false prophets\nand apostles, and the superstitions maintained by them; but also with\ngreat zeal and vigor exhorted to true repentance, and a holy life. Their\nsermons were accompanied with power and energy; and they made it appear,\nthat by wickedness and impenitence, true religion and worship were\ndestroyed, the Church laid waste, and kingdoms and countries visited with\nthe plague, war, and famine. And all this exactly came to pass even as\nthey said. Of this complexion is that declaration of the Prophet, where he\ndenounces to the Jews, \u201cthat because the vineyard of the Lord did not\nbring forth grapes, but wild grapes, the Lord had decreed to lay it\nwaste.\u201d Isaiah 5:4, 6. Whence it appears, that impiety is the cause, why\nGod takes away his Word from us. And does not the Lord speak to the same\neffect, in the words recorded by St. John? \u201cWalk while ye have the light,\nlest darkness come upon you.\u201d John 12:35. But what is it to walk in the\nlight, except it be to imitate Christ in his life, and to have the same\nmind which was in him? And what does the Lord intimate by the \u201cdarkness\ncoming upon us,\u201d but the loss of the Gospel, and of the purity of the\nChristian doctrine? All this may abundantly convince us, that without\nrepentance and holiness of life, no soul can be illuminated with the\nsaving light of the Gospel. For the Holy Ghost, who is the true\nenlightener of hearts, flees from the ungodly, and chooses holy souls\nonly, to make them friends of God. And if the beginning of wisdom is the\nfear of God (Ps. 111:10), who can doubt that impiety and carnal security\nare the beginning of folly, ignorance, and blindness?\n\n5. The true knowledge of Christ, and profession of his doctrine, consist\nnot in words only, but in deeds and a holy life, as St. Paul says: \u201cThey\nprofess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable,\nand disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.\u201d Titus 1:16. And\nagain; \u201cThey have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.\u201d 2 Tim.\n3:5. By this we are taught, that Christ and his Gospel are denied by a\nwicked life, as well as by words; and that he has not the true knowledge\nof Christ, who puts it not into practice. A man who never tasted in his\nheart the humility, meekness, patience, and love of Christ, cannot know\nChrist himself; and, consequently, in the time of trouble, cannot freely\nconfess him. Whoever confesses the doctrine of Christ, and rejects him in\nhis life, confesses him only in part; and whoever preaches the doctrine of\nChrist without his life, preaches Christ only in part. The world abounds\nwith books of controversy, written in defence of the _doctrine_, but very\nfew living books are extant concerning a Christian _life_. Now what is\ndoctrine without life, but a tree without fruit? Or how should he follow\nthe doctrine of Christ, who refuses to follow him in his life? For the sum\nand substance of the doctrine of Jesus Christ is \u201ccharity, out of a pure\nheart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.\u201d 1 Tim. 1:5. But\nwe live in an age, wherein there is so vast a number of disputants and\nreasoners in matters of doctrine, that one would think they had nothing\nmore at heart than the promotion of religion and piety: whereas, upon a\ncloser search, they are found to be inwardly full of malice and pride,\nenvy and avarice. For this reason the apostle hath joined together _faith_\nand _love_, when he commands us to \u201chold fast the form of sound words.\u201d 2\nTim. 1:13. _Life_ and _doctrine_, as he intends to show, must go hand in\nhand together, and never be put asunder in the great work of salvation.\n\n6. Though we do not in the slightest degree affirm, that by our own\nefforts and piety, eternal life is obtained (for \u201cwe are kept by the power\nof God through faith unto salvation,\u201d 1 Pet. 1:5): yet it is certain, that\nby an ungodly life, the Spirit of God, with all his gifts, is banished;\namongst which gifts, faith, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, are not\nthe least. Therefore it follows again, that without a holy life, purity of\ndoctrine cannot be preserved; and that the wicked who will not follow\nChrist in his life, cannot be enlightened with the true light of the\nGospel. On the contrary, those that walk in the light, that is, who\npersevere in the blessed footsteps of Christ, are illuminated by the true\nlight (John 1:9), which is Christ, and are hereby preserved from the\ndanger of delusions and errors. To this effect, that holy and enlightened\nwriter, Tauler, has said: \u201cAs soon as a man dedicates and yields himself\nup to God, and denies his own will and flesh, then immediately the good\nSpirit of God begins to illuminate him, and to endue him with solid and\nsound knowledge; because this man truly keeps in his heart the true\nspiritual sabbath, and rests from all sinful lusts, and from his own will\nand works.\u201d This sentence is to be understood of the state after\nconversion, and of daily illumination and growth in divine gifts and\ngraces.\n\n7. Not without cause, then, doth the Lord say, \u201cI am the way, and the\ntruth, and the life.\u201d John 14:6. He calls himself the way, as showing the\nway unto us. And how did he show it? Truly, not in his doctrine only, but\nalso in his most holy life. This life of our blessed Redeemer consisted in\na true and unfeigned devotedness to God, leading us in the way to truth\nand to life, as the substance of our whole religion, and the summary of\nall the commandments of God. This book of life contains in it many great\nand arduous lessons, to learn which were sufficient to take up our whole\ntime. Here is inculcated the exercise of true repentance, and of that\nliving practical faith which attends it; here the practice of love, hope,\nmeekness, patience, and humility, are to be studied; here the duty of\nprayer, and of the fear of God, is explained: all which taken together,\nmake up the whole life of Christ, set us as a pattern to follow. This is\nthat \u201cstrait gate,\u201d and that \u201cnarrow way,\u201d which few can find. Matt. 7:14.\nThis is the book of life, which but few read, though all things are\ncomprised in it which a Christian ought to know and to practise; so that\nwe shall need no other book in order to our eternal salvation. Here is the\nreason why also the Holy Scripture is contained in a few books, that it\nmight appear that Christianity does not consist in a multitude of volumes,\nbut in a living faith, and in a serious imitation of Christ. For the wise\nman says: \u201cOf making many books there is no end; and much study is a\nweariness of the flesh.\u201d Wherefore, let us hear the conclusion of the\nwhole matter: \u201cFear God, and keep his commandments.\u201d Eccles. 12:12, 13.\n\n8. We are told in the parable, that the devil, when men are asleep, cometh\nand soweth tares among the wheat, and goeth his way. Matt. 13:25. This\nteaches us, that when men lay aside the works of repentance, and indulge\nthemselves in the sleep of sin, of carnal security, of love of the world,\nand of temporal care and concerns; then the devil gradually scatters his\nseed of false doctrine in the field of pride (Gen. 3:5): whence arise\nvarious sects, schisms, and heresies. For by the sin of pride both angels\nand men lost the true light with which they were at first endued. Pride is\nthe original source of all delusions and errors, which have been most\nunhappily brought into the world. If Satan, and Adam, the first man, had\ncontinued in a state of humility, as did Christ when he conversed among\nmen, then never had any error or temptation invaded this world. But now\nthere is no other means for our recovery left, except that which is taught\nby St. Paul: \u201cAwake, thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give thee light\u201d\n(Eph. 5:14): convincing us thereby, that no man can be divinely\nenlightened, who has not shaken off his sinful lethargy; that is, his\ncarnal security, profaneness, and impiety. The same is attested by St.\nPeter: \u201cRepent, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost\u201d (Acts\n2:38); and by the Lord himself, in that saying: \u201cThe world cannot receive\nthe Spirit of truth, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him.\u201d John\n14:17. And what is the _world_, but a life passed without God?\n\n9. Again, when the Lord says: \u201cBy their fruits ye shall know them\u201d (Matt.\n7:20); does he not signify the fruits of a good and holy life, as the\nproper marks whereby true and false Christians may be discerned? A naked,\nempty profession of the Christian faith, will be no safe foundation upon\nwhich to rely. Any false Christian may cover himself with the _sheep\u2019s\nclothing_ of a verbal profession of the Christian faith; when inwardly and\nin his heart he is anything but a true Christian. However, be the lives of\nthe professors of Christianity ever so vain and wicked, it does not follow\nhence, that the whole doctrine is also false and corrupted, as some would\ninsinuate, vainly condemning our doctrine on account of the wickedness of\nsome of its professed adherents. If this were true, the doctrine of Christ\nand of his apostles would not escape the charge of error and falsehood;\nbecause even in their days many impious characters intruded into the\nchurch, and made a fair profession of the Christian faith. A profane life\nis no sufficient proof of false doctrine in general, though it may give us\nan insight into the individual himself, whether he be a true or a false\nChristian. Truly, he cannot believe aright, who leads a life opposed to\nthe nature and properties of a divine faith. Such a man is no more a\nbeliever, or a Christian, than a dead body is a man. As many, therefore,\nas are of the number of such corrupt and unfruitful trees, are fit for\nnothing but to be hewn down and cast into the fire. Matt. 7:19.\n\n10. In order to understand this the better, we ought to inquire into the\nnature of a sound and saving faith, and the peculiar properties that\nattend it. And in the first place, a true, saving faith, works by love.\nGal. 5:6. By faith man is made \u201ca new creature\u201d (Gal. 6:15); he is thereby\nborn again, and united with God. By faith, \u201cChrist dwells\u201d and operates\n\u201cin his heart.\u201d Eph. 3:17. By faith the whole kingdom of God is\nestablished in the soul, and the divine Spirit \u201cpurifies and enlightens\nthe heart.\u201d Acts 15:9. And truly, the Scripture copiously sets forth these\nand similar properties that accompany true faith. Thus the apostle says:\n\u201cHe that is joined unto the Lord (by faith) is one spirit.\u201d 1 Cor. 6:17.\nAnd what is it to be one spirit with Christ, but to have the same mind,\nthe same heart and will, which are in him? And this oneness of spirit must\nneeds suppose that new, holy, and heavenly life of Christ which is to be\nraised within us. To the same purpose it is said: \u201cIf any man be in\nChrist, he is a new creature\u201d (2 Cor. 5:17); where _to be in Christ_, is\nnot only to believe in him, but also to live in him. Again, \u201cI will\nbetroth thee unto me forever; I will even betroth thee to me in\nfaithfulness.\u201d Hos. 2:19, 20. This sentence can signify no less, than that\na man by faith is wholly and spiritually united to Christ: so that where\nfaith is, there Christ is; where Christ is, there a holy life abides in\nman; where the life of Christ is, there also is his love; and where love\nis, there is God himself, who \u201cis love\u201d (1 John 4:8), and there is also\nthe Holy Ghost. And in this divine order all these heavenly transactions\ncombine; even as the head is one with the members, and as the cause is\nlinked with the effect. And this connection of faith and life, St. Peter\nadmirably enforces, when he bids us to \u201cgive all diligence to add to\nfaith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and\nto temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness,\nbrotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.\u201d \u201cFor if these\nthings,\u201d says he, \u201cbe in you and abound, they make you that ye shall\nneither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus\nChrist. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar\noff, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.\u201d 2 Pet.\n1:5-9. Here the apostle evidently declares, that in whomsoever this union\nof faith and of life is not to be found, he is destitute of all saving\nknowledge of Christ, and walks in darkness. For it is the property of true\nfaith to change a man wholly, to renew, and to quicken him in Christ; so\nthat henceforth man may live and dwell in Christ, and Christ again may\nlive and dwell in man.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XL.\n\n\n                  Sundry Rules For Leading A Holy Life.\n\n\n    _Exercise thyself unto godliness. For godliness is profitable unto\n    all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that\n    which is to come._\u20141 TIM. 4:7, 8.\n\n\nIn this apostolical sentence is contained a brief description of a\nChristian\u2019s life, and of the main study about which he is employed,\nnamely, the study of godliness, or of Christian piety, which comprehends\nin it the whole train of Christian virtues. The apostle makes use of two\nmotives to recommend this heavenly study, and the constant practice of it.\n_First_, says he, \u201cGodliness is profitable unto all things.\u201d Godliness is\nof most admirable service, as soon as our words and actions are influenced\nby it. It renders the whole life acceptable to God, and useful to our\nneighbor. The _second_ motive is, because godliness is accompanied with a\ngracious reward both in this life, as appears from the examples of Joseph,\nof Daniel, and of others, as well as in that which is to come; where we\nshall reap without ceasing, provided we do not faint while we dwell here.\nGal. 6:9. For our better encouragement in the practice of piety, let us\nendeavor to keep in remembrance the following rules and considerations.\n\nI. If thou even canst not live up to that degree of holiness which the\nword of God requires, and which thou thyself desirest, yet thou must never\ncease _ardently_ to _wish_ for it; for such holy breathings are always\nacceptable to God. God does not so much regard the outward action of a\nman, as the heart whence the action proceeds. But after all, never neglect\nto crucify thy flesh, and never permit it to rule over thee.\n\nII. In all that thou thinkest and doest, be careful to preserve the\n_purity of thy heart_. Set a watch over it, lest thou be defiled with\nproud thoughts, words, or actions; with wrath, or other such works of the\nflesh, and of the devil. Sin opens the door to the devil, and shuts the\nheart against God.\n\nIII. Study continually to maintain the Christian liberty of thy soul, and\ndo not suffer thyself to be enslaved, or brought into bondage, by any\ninordinate love of the creature, or of the things of this world, whose\nlord and master thou oughtest to be. Consider the value of thy soul, which\ncertainly is of a more noble nature than this present perishing world. Why\nshouldest thou degrade it so far, as to subject it to the frail, base, and\nfrivolous things of this life?\n\nIV. Beware of the care and _sorrow of this world_, because it worketh\ndeath. 2 Cor. 7:10. As _worldly_ sorrow begetteth death, so _godly_ sorrow\nbegetteth life, and lays up an eternal treasure! Worldly sorrow springs\nfrom avarice and envy; from excessive care; from unbelief and impatience;\nand other temporal sources. Godly sorrow proceeds from a knowledge of thy\nsins, and those eternal punishments which follow them. This sorrow\nproduces many salutary effects in a penitent soul, and \u201cworketh repentance\nto salvation, not to be repented of;\u201d being attended with spiritual joy,\nand solid peace or tranquillity of mind. No loss of a temporal kind ought\nto afflict thee so much as the remembrance of thy sins, by which thou hast\noffended the infinite goodness of God.\n\nV. If thou canst not bear thy cross with joy and cheerfulness, yet take it\nat least with _patience_ and _humility_, and acquiesce calmly in the\ndivine will and providence. For, truly, the will of God is always good;\nnor does it intend anything but thy benefit and salvation. Whatsoever,\ntherefore, God shall be pleased to appoint thee in his wisdom, do thou\ngratefully accept it, and be either joyful or sorrowful, poor or rich,\nhigh or low, vile or excellent, as He orders thy lot. Let this saying\nalways be in thy mind: \u201cThus it seemeth good unto God, and so it must\nneeds be expedient and useful for me also. His will, not mine, be done.\u201d\nLet not that, therefore, which pleases God, displease thee; but rather\nrejoice that all things are ordered according to His pleasure and thy\nsalvation. Remember that \u201cthe Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy\nin all his works.\u201d Ps. 145:17. Hence it is but just that the will of God\nshould be done, because it is always good and profitable; and that thy own\nwill should be subdued and unaccomplished, because it is always evil and\nhurtful.\n\nVI. Whenever the Lord visits thy soul with heavenly joy, accept the same\n_with gratitude and humility_. But when he is pleased to withdraw the\ncomfortable light of his presence, then consider that the mortification of\nthe flesh must needs be of greater profit to thee than exalted joy in the\nspirit. Through overmuch spiritual joy, many fall into spiritual pride.\nBut whatever causes mortification and sorrow, is far more useful in\nsubduing the flesh, than that which is delightful and pleasing to nature.\nThe Lord best knows whom to lead in a pleasant and agreeable path, and who\nare to be brought through an unpleasant, stony, and difficult way. Always\nesteem it best to arrive at thy journey\u2019s end by that way which divine\nWisdom has chosen for thee, however different it may be from thine own\nchoice, or from the devices of thine own heart. Remember, that \u201csorrow is\nbetter than laughter;\u201d and that \u201cby the sadness of the countenance the\nheart is made better.\u201d And if thou wilt be wise, trust to the experience\nof the wise man, who tells thee furthermore, that \u201cthe heart of the wise\nis in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of\nmirth.\u201d Eccl. 7:3, 4.\n\nVII. Make an offering to God _of all that thou hast, and undertakest_. If\nthou canst not bring offerings of a high and exalted devotion, of prayer,\nof thanksgiving, and of other similar acts of religion, offer at least\nwhat thou hast, with a good will, and a fervent desire. _Wish_, at least,\nthat it may prove acceptable unto the Lord; for to have such a desire, or\nto be willing to have it, is no contemptible offering, but is very\nagreeable to the kindness of God. In what measure thou _desirest_ to offer\nup thy devotion, thy prayer, and praise; in that measure God accepts the\nsame. He requires no more at thy hands than he himself works in thee by\nhis grace: nor canst thou return him more than he has first conferred on\nthee. In the meantime, entreat the Lord Jesus, that he would graciously\nplease to supply what is defective in thee, by his own more perfect\noblation and sacrifice: because he, and he only, is the perfection of our\nimperfect worship and service. Say, therefore, in faith: \u201cO my God, and my\nFather, I beseech thee, let my devotion, my prayer, and thanksgiving,\ntogether with all the acts of my faith and worship, be graciously accepted\nby thee in thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Esteem them, not according to\nwhat they are in themselves, but according to what they are made by the\nmerit of the all-sufficient sacrifice offered up by thy Son. O look upon\nthat, and upon all that he has wrought for me in the flesh; and as his\nmost perfect works must needs be pleasing to thee, so let mine also be\nacceptable to thee for his sake. He, O my God, shall abundantly make up\nwhatsoever is defective in me.\u201d By this means, our devotion, our prayer,\nand thanksgiving, how imperfect, weak, and obscure soever they may be in\nthemselves, acquire a certain lustre, worth, and dignity derived from the\nmerit of Christ, whereby our works are rendered acceptable to the Lord. As\na naked and unclean infant is offensive to every one that sees it, but\nbecomes sweet and lovely when it is thoroughly cleansed, and covered with\nfine linen: in like manner, all the works which thou doest in thy natural\nstate, are polluted with sin, and of no account before God; but no sooner\nart thou covered with the perfection of Christ (Isa. 61:10), than thy\nworks are acceptable to God. As fruit, which is not valuable in itself,\nsurprises the spectator into a love of it, when served up in vessels of\nprecious gold: so our prayers and acts of devotion, though of no account\nin themselves, are exalted in Jesus Christ, in whom, as _in the beloved,\nwe are made accepted_ with God. Eph. 1:6.\n\nVIII. If thy sins and manifold frailties (as they should do), make thee\nsad, yet _let them not lead thee to despair_. If they be many in number,\nremember that there is yet more mercy with Christ, and \u201cplenteous\nredemption with him.\u201d Ps. 130:7. If thy imperfections be ever so great,\nremember that Christ\u2019s merits are yet greater, and say with the royal\npenitent: \u201cHave mercy upon me, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy\ntender mercies!\u201d Ps. 51:1. And when, by the grace of God, thou truly\nrepentest, and beholdest Christ Jesus, that great sacrifice for sin, then\nGod himself repents of the evil which was to be inflicted upon thee; and\nabsolution and remission of sin instantly follow so good and salutary a\nsorrow. Ezek. 18:23; 33:11. As the leper, upon his application to Christ,\nwas immediately delivered from his evil, so is also the penitent sinner.\nNo sooner did he say, \u201cLord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean;\u201d than\nChrist freely replied: \u201cI will; be thou clean.\u201d Matt. 8:2, 3. So also the\nmerciful God, inwardly and in the spirit, makes thee clean, comforts thee,\nand says: \u201cBe of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee.\u201d Matt. 9:2. This\nwonderful mercy of the Lord in cleansing and absolving thee of thy sins,\nas it is forcibly represented by the example of that leper, so it ought by\nno means to give thee an occasion to sin the more; but to love God the\nmore, and to say, \u201cBless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me\nbless his holy name.\u201d Ps. 103:1.\n\nIX. Let not injuries, reproaches, and revilings, provoke thee at any time\nto wrath, indignation, or revenge; but rather _take them as so many trials\nof_ thy heart, and of the inward state of thy soul. Hereby God designs to\n_prove_ thee, that it may appear what is hidden within thee, and whether\nmeekness and humility, or wrath and pride, sway thy mind. For that which\nlies concealed in a man, is stirred up and made manifest by reproaches and\nprovocations. If, therefore, thy heart be endued with meekness and\nlowliness, thou wilt easily bear contempt and injuries; nay, thou wilt\naccept them as so many paternal chastisements designed for the good of thy\nsoul. Moreover, thou must consider, that contempt and reproaches are part\nof the chastisements which the Almighty sends, and thou shouldst patiently\nbear whatever the Lord shall be pleased to allot to thee. \u201cLet us go\nforth,\u201d says the apostle, \u201cunto him, bearing his reproach.\u201d Heb. 13:13.\nBehold with what lowliness of heart did he undergo the affronts of a\nprofane world! And should not we submit to the same with meekness, and\nwith an unshaken evenness of mind? Say not then, \u201cShould I suffer these\nthings from so contemptible a fellow as this?\u201d but rather submit, in\nconsideration of that patient and meek spirit which was in Christ, and\ndisplayed itself in his whole life and conduct. Lastly, consider the\nkindness of God towards those that suffer for his sake. So faithful is he,\nand so kind to those that bear any disgrace on his account, that he\nconfers the greater marks of honor and favor upon them. Thus David, when\nShimei vented his malice upon him, took it for a pledge that God would\nbestow a token of great honor upon him; and this accordingly came to pass.\n\u201cIt may be,\u201d says he, \u201cthat the Lord will look on mine affliction, and\nthat the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day,\u201d and turn his\ncurse into a blessing. 2 Sam. 16:12. Be not, therefore, at all disturbed\nat the evil report that wicked men may raise against thee; but rejoice\nrather, since the Spirit of glory rests on those that are reproached for\nthe name of Christ. 1 Peter 4:14.\n\nX. Study to overcome and to pacify thine enemies, by bestowing upon them\ntokens of _love and kindness_. No man will ever be reconciled by wrath, or\nrevenge, or returning evil for evil, for victory consists in virtue, not\nin vice. And as one devil does not drive out another, so it cannot be\nexpected that one evil should be subdued by another; or that enmity\nagainst thee should be extinguished by affronts and provocations offered\nby thee. A man that is full of sores and bruises, is not likely to be\nhealed by the addition of more blows; and if he be so mad as to beat and\nto cut himself, he is to be pitied, and to be treated with the greater\nkindness and lenity. In like manner, if a man be full of _spiritual_\ndistemper, and of hatred, he is to be handled with the more love and\ngentleness; if, perhaps, by such lenient means as these, he may be\nsoftened into a better temper. Consider the method which God himself uses\nfor overcoming our natural obstinacy. Does he not conquer our malice with\nhis goodness, and our wrath with his love? And does he not invite us to\nrepentance by many endearing marks of love and benignity? Rom. 2:4. This\nmethod is prescribed by St. Paul: \u201cBe not,\u201d says he, \u201covercome of evil,\nbut overcome evil with good.\u201d Rom. 12:21. This is victory indeed.\n\nXI. When thou observest that God has adorned thy neighbor with gifts above\nthee, take heed _not to envy him_ on that account; but rather rejoice and\ngive thanks to God for the same. Consider, that since all true believers\nmake up together but _one_ body, it must needs follow, that the beauty of\nevery member is communicated to the whole body, and to every member\nthereof. On the other hand, when thou perceivest the misery of thy\nneighbor, lament over it as if it were thine own; considering that the\ncondition of all men is equally subject to evil, and that misery and\naffliction are the lot of mankind. Christ hath also set thee here an\nexample. And, truly, whoever does not commiserate and sympathize with the\nmisery of his neighbor, let him pretend to be what he may, he is no living\nmember of the body of Christ. For did not Christ look upon our misery as\nhis own, and by compassionating our deplorable state, deliver us from all\nour miseries? This mutual love and sympathy, are inculcated by St. Paul:\n\u201cBear ye one another\u2019s burdens,\u201d says he, \u201cand so fulfil the law of\nChrist.\u201d Gal. 6:2.\n\nXII. As for _love_ and _hatred_ in relation to thy neighbor, make the\nfollowing distinction. It is but fit that thou shouldest hate his vices\nand crimes as the very works of the devil; but then, beware of hating the\n_person_ whilst thou abhorrest his _sin_. On the contrary, it is thy duty\nto bewail the case of thy neighbor, who, being carried away by so many\nirregular passions, enjoys no solid rest in his soul. Offer up his cause\nto God, and pray for him, as Christ did for his enemies, when he was\nnailed to the cross. Luke 23:34. Do not, therefore, hate any _man_, but\nhate his _vices_ only; for whosoever hates a man, and seeks his ruin, can\nin no wise be pleasing to God; since it is the very nature of God to be\nkind, and to desire that \u201call men should be saved, and come unto the\nknowledge of the truth.\u201d 1 Tim. 2:4. This was also the end for which\nChrist took our flesh upon him. He came into the world, \u201cnot to destroy\nmen\u2019s lives, but to save them.\u201d Luke 9:56.\n\nXIII. Consider all men as being frail and imperfect, but none as more\nfrail and imperfect than thyself; for before God, all men stand equally\nguilty, and there is no difference. We have all sinned, and have thereby\nbeen deprived of the image of God, and of all the glory which attended it.\nRom. 3:23. How great a sinner, therefore, thy neighbor may be, never\nfondly persuade thyself, that thou art better before God. Remember this\nwarning of the apostle: \u201cLet him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest\nhe fall.\u201d 1 Cor. 10:12. He that makes himself the lowest of all men, is in\nthe fairest way of being preserved, by the grace of God, unto salvation.\nAnd certain it is, that thou standest no less in need of the grace and\nmercy of God, than the greatest of sinners. Where there is a great measure\nof humility, there is also a great measure of grace. Wherefore St. Paul\naccounted himself the \u201cchief of sinners\u201d (1 Tim. 1:15); and it was in this\norder he obtained mercy, and had so much long-suffering bestowed upon him.\nAnd in another place he declares that he will glory in nothing but in \u201chis\ninfirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon him.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:9.\n\nXIV. True illumination is always accompanied with a contempt of the things\nof the world. As the children of the world have their inheritance here\nupon earth; so the children of God have theirs laid up above in heaven.\nThe treasures which the children of this world have chiefly at heart, are\ntemporal honors, perishing riches, earthly splendor and glory. But the\ntreasures of the children of God are poverty and contempt, persecution and\nreproach, the cross and death, trouble and sorrow. Thus did Moses prefer\n\u201cthe reproach of Christ before the treasures in Egypt;\u201d and the affliction\nof the people of God, before the pleasures of sin. Heb. 11:25, 26.\n\nXV. Remember, that by the name of a Christian written in heaven, is\nintimated that solid, practical _knowledge of Christ_ which is grounded\n_in faith_, and by which we are transplanted into Christ. From this\nknowledge flow all the living virtues which the Lord will praise in the\ngreat day of retribution. Matt. 25:34, etc. He will then also bring to\nlight all those treasures which we have laid up in heaven (1 Tim. 6:19),\ntogether with all such works as have been wrought in God. John 3:21. Never\nhas a saint lived upon earth, but he has been particularly eminent in one\nvirtue or other; and this virtue shall never be forgotten. Ps. 112:6.\nWhether it be faith, love, mercy, patience, or any other virtue in the\npractice of which he has been so conspicuous, it shall make up that\neternal name which is written in heaven. Rev. 2:17; 3:12. This will be the\nnote and character of the saints, and their eternal memorial before God.\nBut of this, more shall be said in Book II.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLI.\n\n\nThe Whole Of Christianity Consists In The Restoration Of The Image Of God\n            In Man, And The Destruction Of The Image Of Satan.\n\n\n    _But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of\n    the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory,\n    even as by the Spirit of the Lord._\u20142 COR. 3:18.\n\n\nIn the _true knowledge_ of Christ, wherein is comprehended that of his\nPerson, offices, benefits, and heavenly and eternal gifts, consists _life\neverlasting_. John 17:3. This knowledge is kindled in our hearts by the\nDivine Spirit, and is a new light shining forth with increasing\nbrightness, and passing on from glory to glory. It is like a metallic\nbody, which, by constant polishing, becomes every day more brilliant; or\nlike a tender infant, which, by a daily supply of food, grows up in vigor\nand strength. No sooner is the righteousness of Christ, through faith,\nconferred upon a returning sinner, than he is also really born again, and\nthe image of God is daily renewed within him. His spiritual growth, or the\nrenovation of his mind, goes on, however, in a successive manner, from one\ndegree to another, for he has not yet become a \u201cperfect man in Christ.\u201d\nEph. 4:13. He is a child for some time; but is continually nourished by\nthe Divine Spirit, and daily brought to a greater conformity with the Lord\nJesus Christ.\n\n2. For the whole life of a Christian upon earth, is properly nothing else\nthan a continual _renewing_ of the image of God in his soul: so that he\nmay constantly live in the new birth, and daily mortify that which is old\nand corrupt, till the body of sin be eventually destroyed. Rom. 6:4. This\nlife must be begun in this world, that so it may be perfected in that\nwhich is to come. Whereas, in whomsoever the renewal of this divine life\nshall not be begun before his departure from this world, in him it never\nshall be accomplished. Wherefore I have thought it might be well briefly\nto repeat what is here meant by the _image of God_, which is to be\nrevived; and what by the _image of the devil_, which is to be obliterated\nand destroyed in man\u2019s soul: for in the right knowledge of these two, the\nsubstance of our whole religion consists. It is the main point upon which\nall turns, and from which many other articles (as that of Original Sin,\nfree-will, repentance, conversion, faith, justification, prayer, the new\nbirth, sanctification, and lastly, obedience, and the whole practice of a\nreligious life), borrow no small light. Of this, the following remarks\nwill give an account.\n\n3. The soul of man is an immortal spirit, endowed of God with excellent\nfaculties; as the understanding, will, memory, and other powers and\naffections.\n\n4. See that thou turn all these towards thy God, in order to behold him\ntherein as in a mirror; and, by beholding him, to have his image gradually\nformed in thy soul. In this sense the apostle speaks of \u201cthe glory of the\nLord,\u201d which we behold \u201cwith an open face,\u201d without vail and shadows. 2.\nCor. 3:18.\n\n5. As God is a truly good and holy Being; so also were the substance of\nthe soul, and its true nature and essence, originally good and holy. And\nas in God there is nothing of evil; even so was the soul of man, in the\nbeginning, free from all manner of evil. As in God there is nothing but\nwhat is right; so in the soul there was nothing at first but what was\nright also. For He is the rock, whose \u201cwork is perfect;\u201d even \u201ca God of\ntruth, and without iniquity, just and right is he.\u201d Deut. 32:4; Ps. 92:15.\nAs God is wise, so was also the human soul full of divine and spiritual\nknowledge, of heavenly and eternal wisdom. And as the divine wisdom\nordered all things in number, weight, and measure, and knew the powers of\nall creatures, as well in heaven as in earth: so also was the mind of man\npossessed of the same light and knowledge.\n\n6. And as it was with the understanding, so it was with the will: for as\nthe one was the image and reflection of the divine understanding, so was\nthe other of the divine will, in everything. It was holy as the pattern\nwas holy, and conformed to the will of God. Hence, as God himself is, so\nwas the human soul; righteous, loving, merciful, long-suffering, patient,\nmeek, gentle, true, and pure. Exod. 34:6; Ps. 103:8; Joel 2:13. Yea, all\nthe passions or affections, all the appetites, and motions of the heart,\nbeing made most perfectly conformable to the motions and affections of the\ndivine mind, partook of this conformity of the will of man to that of God.\nAs, therefore, God is LOVE, so all the affections and motions of man, in\nhis first state, breathed nothing but pure love. As God, the Father, the\nSon, and the Holy Ghost, are ONE in an unspeakable and eternal bond of\nlove; so all the affections and desires of man, burned with a most perfect\nand ardent love, and he cleaved unto God fully with all the powers and\nfaculties which he had; \u201cwith all his heart, and with all his soul, and\nwith all his might\u201d (Deut. 6:5); so that man verily loved God more than\nhimself, and preferred God and His honor, to himself and his own.\n\n7. But as the image of God shone forth in the _soul_, so the image of the\nsoul again shone forth in and from the _body_. This, therefore, was holy,\nchaste, and pure throughout, not subject to any unclean motion or lust. It\nwas undefiled and without blemish. It was in every respect, beautiful,\nwell proportioned, and graceful; of vigorous health, and possessed of a\nconstitution even out of the very danger of sickness. It was such as death\nitself had no power over, and it was perfectly free from pain,\nlistlessness, passion, grief, and old age, now the common attendants and\nwarnings of man\u2019s mortality. In a word, the whole man, both in soul and\nbody, was pure, holy, righteous, and every way acceptable to God. For, in\norder that man might be the image of God, it was necessary that his body\nshould be holy, and conformable to God, as well as his soul. Accordingly,\nSt. Paul both exhorts and prays, that the _body_, together with the\n_spirit_ and _soul_, be _sanctified wholly_; and be preserved holy and\nblameless unto the coming of our Lord. 1 Thess. 5:23. For since man is\nmade up of soul and body, and exercises both bodily and spiritual\nfunctions, there was a necessity that the instrument through which the\nsoul was to act, should be pliable and obedient, adapted to the nature of\nthe soul, and holy as the soul was holy; to the end that the holy and\nrighteous soul, might finish her work through the body without any\nobstacle or resistance. As, therefore, the soul burned with the pure love\nof God: so did all the powers of the body manifest and exert themselves in\nthe love of God and man. As the soul was altogether merciful; so also the\nbody was, with its whole might, and all its faculties, impelled to\ntenderness and compassion. As chastity shone forth from the soul, which\nwas altogether pure; so the whole body, in like manner, with all the\ninward and outward senses and powers thereof, visibly set forth the most\nperfect purity and chastity. To conclude, the virtues no less gloriously\nshone in the body, than in the soul itself; so that the body was the holy\ninstrument of the soul, in everything suited to it, and worked together\nwith it. And hence man in the state of innocency, was able to love God\n_with all his heart_, _with all his soul_, _with all his strength_, _and\nwith all his mind, and to love his neighbor as himself_: which is the very\nsubstance both of the old and new law given to man. Deut. 6:5; Matt.\n22:37, 39; Luke 10:27. Hence, as often as God calls for the heart of man,\nwe are to understand the _whole man_, both as to body and soul, and the\npowers, faculties, and operations of both. In this sense, the word\n\u201c_heart_\u201d is frequently taken in Scripture; so that under it are\ncomprehended all the powers of the soul, as the understanding, will, and\nmemory, together with all the desires and affections attendant on them. So\nwhen God demands a man\u2019s _soul_, he, under that name, requires not a part,\nbut the whole of a man. He must, in all his powers, be conformed to God,\nand renewed in Christ Jesus: and thus man, having put off the old nature,\nand being renewed in the spirit of his mind, must also _walk_ in newness\nof life, and in the spirit by which he was begotten again. Gal. 5:16; Eph.\n4:23.\n\n8. Moreover, there was a _perfect joy in God_, which accompanied this\nperfection of holiness, righteousness, and divine love, in man. By this,\nall the faculties and springs, both of soul and body, were most powerfully\naffected: for wherever divine holiness resides, there also divine joy must\nbe present. These two are knit together with an everlasting bond, and make\nup the very image of God. Yet, as in this life, the divine righteousness\nand holiness are but imperfect in us, so we but taste, while here, only\nthe first fruits of that joy which shall be fully revealed hereafter.\nHowever, as the righteousness of Christ is verily _begun_ in sincere\nbelievers, so it follows that they also enjoy a _real_ beginning and\nforetaste of divine joy and comfort; as those Christians can abundantly\nattest, that have learned religion by experience. John 16:22; 2 Cor. 1:5;\nPhil. 4:4. Whatever progress, therefore, any one makes in the love of God,\nbe it more or less, so much of divine joy does he also perceive in his\nsoul. And this holy and divine love, as it shall in the next life attain\nits full perfection, so in that day the Christian\u2019s _joy_ (arising from\nlove) shall also be _full_, as the Lord himself declares. John 15:11;\n16:22. For divine love is the only true life, and the only true joy: but\nwhere this love of God is wanting, there is neither joy nor life; but\ndeath itself, and the everlasting portion of wicked men and devils. Whence\nhas a father joy? Is it not from the love of his children? Whence has a\nbridegroom joy? Is it not from the love of the bride? Isaiah 61:10; 62:5.\nBut infinitely sweeter must that joy be, which is derived from the love of\nour Creator! He not only embraces us as a father does his children, but he\nrejoices over us as over his bride; nay, most tenderly kisses us \u201cwith the\nkisses of his mouth\u201d (Cant. 1:2.), (that is, in Christ, who is his mouth\nand word), and coming to us, through Christ with the Holy Ghost, makes his\n_abode_ with us. John 14:23. Take heed, however, concerning this image of\nGod, which consists in a conformity with God, that you do not therefore\nthink, as if man were made _equal_ with God in holiness. Not by any means.\nFor God is infinite as to his essence, virtues, and properties; he is\nincomprehensible, and without bounds; so that nothing in the world can be\ncompared with him. Man therefore, even in his first state, could not\nproperly be said to bear God in him; being designed only to bear his\n_image_, as it has been already explained in Chapter I. of this Book.\n\n9. That which has now been stated concerning the image of God, is plain,\ntrue, and beyond all doubt. It cannot be denied, that God created man, to\nbe a bright mirror of himself: so that if man had been desirous to know\nthe nature of God, he might, by looking into himself, have beheld God\nthere, as in a glass, and clearly perceived the image of the Deity within\nhis own breast.\n\n10. This image was the life and blessedness of man; but the devil, looking\nwith envious eyes upon this image of God in man, exerted all his art and\ncunning to efface it, by raising in man a spirit of disobedience and\nenmity against God. Gen. 3:1, etc. This he accordingly effected with a\nsubtility and haste, that never were since seen. He was not ignorant, that\nif man had continued in that state, _he_ would have been the master: but\nthat if he could be induced to fall from it, that the devil would thereby\nbecome the lord (or rather the tyrant) of fallen man. When, therefore,\nwith all the powers of his cunning and malice, he could devise nothing\nmore likely to accomplish his design than that by which he himself lost\nhis first state or principality, he began, in a seductive manner, to\ninsinuate into the imagination of the woman, no less than an affectation\nof the Divine Majesty. What can appear more divine, or what is there more\nnoble to be wished for, than to \u201cbe as God\u201d? Gen. 3:5. By this cunningly\ncontrived method, man being therefore circumvented, he lost the divine\nimage at once; and the image of Satan, consisting in an affectation of the\nDivine Majesty, was impressed upon him.\n\n11. This aspiring thought, by which man threw off all his dependence on\nGod, being thus begotten in the mind; and this haughty arrogance having\nonce seized the imagination, there followed immediately apostasy from God,\ndisobedience, and transgression of the commandment concerning the\nforbidden tree. Hereupon the image of God was extinguished, the Holy\nSpirit departed from man, and the image of Satan was imprinted instead of\nthat which was effaced. Hence now there are so many men, so many slaves of\nthe devil. The devil having thus gained his object in subjecting man to\nhis dominion, most cruelly tyrannized over him; just as a giant may be\nsupposed to do over a little infant. Hence the understanding in man is\ndarkened and blinded; the will is, by a complete disobedience, turned from\nGod; and all the springs and powers of the heart are stirred up against\nGod in utter malice. In a word, the whole image of God lieth now slain in\nman, and the whole race of mankind, being swayed by the satanical nature,\nhave a seed sown in them full of the deepest malignity. Hence men became\nthe offspring of Satan, and his living likeness, being poisoned with all\nmanner of sin and enmity against God. Thus died man! Thus died he the\ndeath everlasting! For as the image of God is the life and salvation of\nman, so the departure of this image is the death of man, even death\neternal, and his damnation, which is also called a death \u201cin trespasses\nand sins.\u201d Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13.\n\n12. They best understand this death, who, having been cast into deep\nspiritual temptations, sensibly feel the devil\u2019s rage and tyranny over\nthem. By this he torments the soul beyond what it is in the ordinary power\nof sin to effect. Now, unless the Holy Ghost shine in upon the soul under\nthis terrible affliction, and by darting in some ray of his light comfort\nit; the devil slays the man with this death, and racks the soul with the\nvery anguish of hell itself. Hence all the natural force of the body\nsinks, the strength fails, the heart withers and pants, and the very\nmarrow in the bones consumes away, so that there is no soundness left in\nthe body. This state is described at large, in Psalms 6 and 38. The word\nof God itself, to such a one, seems dead and lifeless: he finds in it no\nmanner of devotion, no savor of spiritual life. This is the _spiritual_\ndeath, into which the soul is fallen: and while the soul remains thus\nspiritually dead, all human holiness, righteousness, excellency, might,\npower, glory, honor, arts, and wisdom, can avail nothing. And, truly, man\nwould undoubtedly perish in this grievous condition, if he were not\nsupported by divine grace: for nothing but this is able to succor him.\n\n13. Learn, therefore, O man, duly to look into, and rightly to consider\nthe abominable filthiness of _Original Sin_, as the sink of all\nabomination. For by this the hereditary righteousness of God was lost, and\nthe hereditary unrighteousness of the devil transplanted into men. Hence\nthe sinner was cast away from God, and doomed to an eternal death: and\nthis he must certainly undergo, except he obtain forgiveness of sin for\nChrist\u2019s sake through faith.\n\n14. But to set the state of fallen man, both as to soul and body, in as\nclear a light as possibly I can, I think it well to give a fuller\ndescription thereof in this place; most earnestly entreating every one,\nfor the sake of God and of his own eternal salvation, to ponder again and\nagain, and seriously to revolve in his mind that original depravity which\nhas corrupted our nature. The consequence of this will be, that as a man\nbeholds his bodily face in a glass, and knows it, so he may also behold in\nhimself his own wretchedness, and original sin. This will daily influence\nhim to lament his own distressed condition, and to sigh after Him, who\nalone is able to heal us.\n\n15. For the whole Christian life is indeed nothing else, than a constant\nwrestling with original sin, and a continual purging away of the same by\nthe aid of the Holy Ghost, and by true repentance. For, in proportion as\nany one mortifies his natural propensity to evil, in that degree is he\nrenewed after the image of God, even day by day; and they who are not\ninwardly mortified by the Holy Ghost, are at best no more than hypocrites,\nlet them make ever so great a show with an external profession of the\nChristian faith. Neither can they expect to enter into the kingdom of God,\nsince they are not renewed into his image: for whatsoever is not dead to\nitself, nor renewed into the image of God by his Spirit, is altogether\nunfit for that glorious state.\n\n16. From all this, there may evidently be inferred the absolute necessity\nof the new birth, and of the daily renovation of our mind into the image\nof God. This necessity will yet more fully appear, when we consider the\nimage of the devil according as the law describes it. For as the devil not\nonly does not _love_ God, but rather _hates_ him with his whole heart; so\nhe has infected man\u2019s soul with the same contagion, and transfused into it\nmalice against God; so that now man by nature neither loves, honors,\nbelieves, calls upon, nor trusts in God; but as he is filled with enmity\nagainst him, so he flees from him, and shuns him. As the devil is hurried\non with a blind fury, and lives without God and his will; so in like\nmanner, the soul of man being corrupted by him, leads a _godless_ life,\nunmindful of God and of his will. This inward darkness of the mind, is\nattended with a frightful destruction of the divine light and image; and\nbrings forth that abominable sin, in which man, left to himself, saith:\n\u201cThere is no God.\u201d Ps. 14:1. And by reason of this blindness of heart, all\nmankind are become an abomination before God, in all their ways.\n\n17. But notwithstanding so dreadful a night of apostasy, there still\nremains a spark of natural light in man\u2019s understanding, by which he might\ncome to know that there is a God (Rom. 1:20); as also, that this God must\nbe just, according as all the heathen philosophers teach: but as for the\nspiritual life, which is after God and his righteousness, it was wholly\nextinguished in man. For conscience, which is the law of God written in\nevery man\u2019s heart when it was first formed by him, teaches every one what\nis good and right. Thus if you look, for instance, upon a person that is\nunchaste, there is not one that so much wallows in the filth of the flesh,\nbut he now and then thinks with himself, \u201cSurely there is a God, and this\nGod is most pure and undefiled; and so not like to me by any means.\u201d He\ncannot but reflect further: \u201cThis holy and pure God, must abhor every sort\nof pollution and uncleanness; and, therefore, if I would be acceptable to\nhim, I ought to live chastely, and to abstain from all impurity.\u201d But this\nspark of light is soon put out by the filthy lusts of the flesh which\ncrowd in upon the mind; these overwhelm all good impressions, just as a\nspark of fire is swallowed up by a flood of water. The lust of the flesh\nis kept within the heart, and the conviction, which began to reprove it,\nis soon stifled.\n\n18. From this it plainly appears, that the spiritual life, consisting in\nholy love and truth, is in the carnal or natural man utterly abolished.\nAnd thus the wiser sort of heathens, however they might sometimes by the\nlight of nature maintain both the being of a God, and his providence over\nhuman affairs, were soon carried away with the darkness of their own\nhearts, and again called in question that providence which they had before\nasserted: so that very little is to be made of what they say on this head.\nThis their books sufficiently declare. From this hereditary blindness of\nheart, and this natural inbred darkness, spring unbelief and doubts. And\nbecause all men are by nature in this degenerate state, they are an\nabomination in the sight of God; since there is no faith in them, nor any\nfilial reliance upon the paternal goodness of God. To this spiritual life,\nand to the various operations that proceed from it, the natural man is an\nutter stranger; consequently he does not call upon God, but trusts to his\nown wisdom, power, and strength. This is the greatest blindness and\ndarkness of mind possible.\n\n19. From this blindness of heart, further arise both a contempt of God,\nand a state of carnal security. As the devil does not humble himself\nbefore God, but is hardened in pride; so has he infected the soul of man\nwith the same vice, and poisoned it with contempt of God, security, and\npresumption. Hence he, like his father the devil (John 8:44), will not\nhumble himself before God; but is stout and insolent, haughty and\nself-willed, and would do everything after his own will, without the least\nfear of the Lord to keep him awe. As the devil relies on his own strength\nand wisdom, and thereby entirely governs himself; so fallen man, being\ninfected with the contagion of Satan, acts in conformity with him; and\nwill always be his own counsellor and master. Moreover, as the devil seeks\nhis own honor, so does the natural man, who bears his image. He is in\npursuit of self-honor, without any regard to his Maker, whose honor he was\ndesigned to promote. As the devil blasphemes the name of God, and is\nungrateful to his Creator; so it is with man, transformed into his image.\nAs the devil is unmerciful, wrathful, and revengeful, so is the soul of\nman, which he has soured with the same leaven of malice. As the devil\ndelights to _lord_ it over men, and to please himself with vainglory, so\nman, tainted with the same tyrannical ambition, haughtily lifts himself up\nabove others. He laughs at his neighbor, and shuns his company, as if he\nwere a worthless, pitiful person, and too great a sinner to be conversed\nwith. But, O man! thou art to consider over and over again, that in these,\nand all other cases, the method of God is not to charge or accuse the\noutward members of a man, but the _heart_ only. The heart is the murderer\nand the liar, not the hand nor the mouth. It is the soul that is guilty;\nand this is therefore everywhere arraigned in Scripture. So when God\ncommands men to call upon him in the time of trouble (Ps. 50:15), he gives\nthis command to the soul, not to the lips. And it is the very same in\nevery other case. Whosoever does not observe this necessary rule in\nreading the Scriptures, is blind indeed. He can never have a right\napprehension of original sin, repentance, or regeneration: nay, he cannot\nattain to a sound knowledge of any one article of the Christian religion.\n\n20. We have daily before our eyes the extreme wickedness of men, their\nhorrid pride, savage hatred, barbarous enviousness, and other impious\nqualities, with which they tear one another, after the manner of wild\nbeasts. Many are transported to such a degree of malice, as to be\nunconcerned about their own lives, provided they can but hurt or destroy\nanother. Their neighbor must submit to their pleasure, or expect to have a\nsnare laid for his ruin. Thus, as the devil himself is a \u201cmurderer from\nthe beginning\u201d (John 8:44); so he stirs up the soul of man to thirst after\nthe blood of others. For all these inhuman qualities of the heart, this\nenvy and wrath, this bitterness of mind, this rancor and malice, what are\nthey but the seed of the devil sown in man, and his express image engraven\nupon the soul? Alas! how the devil has portrayed himself in man!\n\n21. God had implanted in man a conjugal affection, that was pure and\nhonorable; that thence children might be begotten after the divine image.\nNor could there have been a love more holy and heavenly, than that by\nwhich man, in his blessed estate, would have thus propagated the image of\nGod and mankind at the same time. All would have been for the glory of his\nCreator, and the salvation of man. Nay, if man in the state of innocency\ncould have begotten a vast multitude of children, and have thus propagated\nthe honor and image of God; nothing, certainly, could have been more\ngrateful to him than this; nothing more delightful, more full of holy joy\nand satisfaction. For these acts would then have proceeded from pure love\nto God and to men, as so many images of the Supreme Good. As God found in\nthe creation of man, a holy pleasure, and delighted in him, as in his\nimage; so also man would, in like manner, have been sensible of a most\npure and exquisite joy in the procreation of his like, for it would have\nbeen the propagation of God\u2019s image. But, alas! Satan has polluted this\nchaste flame of conjugal love with all uncleanness. Men and women,\nactuated with a blind transport of lust, begot children _in their own_,\nnot in God\u2019s likeness. Gen. 5:3. How is the holy bond of matrimony\ntrampled upon and profaned! How wholly defiled is it with spots of the\nflesh, and what a multitude of vices and impurities now shelter themselves\nunder the sacred name of matrimony!\n\n22. As God is just, the devil is unjust. The devil is therefore a thief, a\nplunderer; and being so in himself, has instilled into man\u2019s soul the same\nunjust disposition, the same ravenous nature. The devil is a false accuser\n(Rev. 12:10), a fallacious reasoner (2 Cor. 11:3), and a treacherous\ninformer (Job 1:9, 10), as well as a scornful mocker of God and man. Job\n2:3, 4, 5. He misrepresents both words and actions, and wrests them to a\nwrong sense. Of this artful contrivance he gave a striking instance when\nhe beguiled our first parents by his craft and subtlety. Gen. 3:5-7. Thus\nthe soul of man, corrupted by Satan, has received from him, as by\ninheritance, a perverse and lying nature. John 8:44. This poison, conveyed\ninto the soul, is so horrible and so manifold, as to render it altogether\nimpossible to declare at large the subtile contrivances, and the different\nkinds of diabolical art and cunning that proceed from it. Eph. 6:11. Read\nPsalm 5:9, Romans 3:13, and James 3:5, 6; and thou shalt find described\ntherein in the most lively terms, that world of wickedness, which by a\ndeceitful tongue is drawn forth from the diabolical venom that lurks\nwithin, and that thence spreads itself through the whole man. For God does\nnot blame the tongue, or the hands alone, but in his law, charges the\nfault upon the whole man, yea, upon the heart, as the chief cause of all\nthe evils committed. See the Commandments, in Exodus 20:16, 17. This ought\nto be particularly observed in the whole course of a religious life.\n\n23. And this is that image of the devil, which now, instead of the image\nof God, is so deeply engraven on the soul. Hereby man is made to delight\nin sinning, and in slandering another, even as the devil\u2019s name imports.\nRev. 12:10. How many, alas! are there, that reckon themselves very good\nChristians, and yet will not hesitate to slander their neighbor upon any\noccasion that offers; and after they have discharged their venom against\nhim, will applaud themselves for what they have done. Such a man will say:\n\u201cThis is just what I have sought for a long while; I am now eased of a\ngreat burden; I seem to be alive again, as I have so finely treated such a\none.\u201d Ah! poor man, thou art to be pitied! How great is thy blindness,\nthat thou dost not discern who it is that has transformed thee into such a\ndevil and slanderer; and whose image it is thou carriest about thee! Seest\nthou not that this is the very nature of the devil, the unhappy seed of\nSatan? Discernest thou not this to be his true temper, which he has\nimplanted in the soul of man, that it might there display itself, in all\nsorts of vices, but more particularly in pride, covetousness, lust, and\nslander; even as daily experience abundantly witnesses? Alas, is this thy\nwit, and cunning, and wisdom?\n\n24. Behold, O man! the foul, the horrible, the profound corruption of\nOriginal Sin! O how filthy, how unsearchable it is! Consider this again\nand again; and descending into thyself, learn there to know the image and\nnature of Satan, which, like a gangrene, is spread through thy whole soul,\ntogether with all the dangerous symptoms that attend it. And learn how thy\nsoul is hence become an abomination before God, and is laid waste in so\ndreadful a manner, that no creature is able thoroughly to search out the\nmalignity of the heart of man. Neither art thou thyself able sufficiently\nto explore it, or to explain in words, that detestable venom which is as\nrottenness in thy innermost parts. Wherefore, I earnestly beseech and\nentreat every one, that he ponder with himself, and seriously reflect on\nthose things that have been said concerning the _depravity and corruption\nof man\u2019s heart_; even as if they had been inculcated a thousand and\nthousand times, over and over again. For so great is this virulence, so\nmalignant and pestilential, as to put it beyond the power of any creature,\neither angel or man, ever to root it out, or to cleanse or free our nature\nfrom it. All the powers of men come short of so great a performance. For\nhow should any one be able to work out his salvation with his own natural\npowers, since they all without exception are utterly depraved, and dead to\nspiritual things? Man, therefore, must be forever miserable, and eternally\nlost in this corruption, unless there come to his help one that is able to\nsuccor, and to apply a healing medicine to so dreadful a disease. This\nmust be a lord over sin and death, able to subdue so obstinate an evil,\nand by his divine virtue, to renew, transform, and purify again the\ndefiled nature of man. All this is a convincing proof, that\n_justification_ cannot be the work of man, but is the work of God only;\nand likewise that _regeneration_, or the being born again by the Spirit,\nis indispensably needful to the restoring of fallen nature. For in\nconformity to the inward principle of corruption, there is now a sort of\nnecessity that the soul should live a perverse and impious life. Man does\nnot now hesitate openly to transgress all the commandments of God; and\nthis is enmity against God. The understanding and will are now so dead,\nand so much enslaved by sin, that according to their natural bent, they\nare incapable of any love, fear, or reverence for God. They cannot call\nupon him, honor him, praise, or worship him; they cannot put the least\ntrust in him, or turn themselves towards him. Many of the heathens have,\nindeed, been illustrious for their good and virtuous deeds, and gained no\nsmall credit by their morality. But it is utterly impossible for nature to\n_change the heart_, to turn it to God, and to cleanse it from those sinful\naffections that lurk within. This work is to be accomplished only by a\n_divine_ power. For notwithstanding all this glittering show of morality\nwhich some make, there still remains the inward root of the tree of evil,\nwhose fibres stick so fast in the soul, that no human power can ever\ndestroy them. The utmost that a man can do in so sad a case, is to prevent\nthe fire from breaking out into flames, so as to consume all that comes\nnear it; but notwithstanding this damp which is cast upon it, the evil\nfire still keeps in, and secretly burns as much as ever.\n\n25. Were not human life, and the management of civil and social affairs\nunder some check, the whole race of mankind would be destroyed at once,\nand rooted up from off the face of the earth. But though the devil has\nexercised an exceedingly great cruelty over man, yet God has not suffered\nhim to pluck up all the natural powers and affections from man\u2019s soul, or\nto extinguish the spark of free will which remains in the soul. There\nstill remain the law of nature and the natural love subsisting betwixt\nhusband and wife, parents and children. Without this it would have been\nimpossible for mankind to have long subsisted upon earth. For he who obeys\nthe unbridled lusts and desires of his corrupt nature, must be looked upon\nas the very bane of all society. He entirely ruins, as much as in him\nlies, all commerce and dealings betwixt men. It is, therefore, an effect\nboth of God\u2019s mercy and wisdom, that he has preserved in fallen man this\nlittle flame of natural love: the design of which is, that by the sense of\nthis love, we might know in some degree the excellency of that spiritual\nand divine love which we have lost by the fall of man; and that from\nfeeling the one, we might be brought to consider the worth of the other,\nand to breathe after the recovery of the same. But as to _spiritual_\nmatters, and such things as more immediately concern the happiness of the\nsoul, and the kingdom of God, nothing can be more true than that saying of\nthe apostle, \u201cThe natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of\nGod; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because\nthey are spiritually discerned.\u201d 1 Cor. 2:14. That is, man in his natural\nstate, has not so much as one spark of spiritual and divine light; but is\nwholly blind in the things that appertain to the heavenly life, and that\nconstitute the image of God in the new creature. Man, nevertheless, was\ncreated for this only end, that by means of this spiritual light, he\nmight, with the inward eye of the soul, contemplate the gracious presence\nof God, and his sincere love towards him; and, continually walking with\nand before the Lord, absolutely depend upon Him, and submit himself to be\ngoverned by His will and pleasure.\n\n26. The natural man not having so much as one spark left of this spiritual\nlight, it cannot but be that all men must abide in their natural\nblindness, unless they be enlightened by God himself. This is that\nhereditary spiritual blindness, which utterly incapacitates us for the\nknowledge of such concerns as relate to the kingdom of God. But if it\nhappen, as too often it does, that a man besides this, indulge in evil\npractices, then that spiritual blindness is followed still by another,\neven natural blindness, which produces mournful effects in the fallen\nsoul. For by so prevailing a wickedness, that weak glimmering light which\nyet sparkles in man, and would reason him into _outward_ honesty of life,\nis at last totally extinguished; and the soul is struck with utter\nblindness and darkness of heart, and must forever continue so, unless\nChrist enlightens it.\n\n27. What art thou, then, O man, unless Christ by his Spirit regenerate\nthee, make thee a new creature, and transform thee into the image of God?\nThis new creation, necessary as it is, is, however, only _begun_ in this\nlife, and must struggle under the weight of many infirmities. If thou dost\nbut look into thyself, even after thou art become a new creature through\nthe Holy Ghost, it will plainly appear that the image of God is but\nslightly delineated, and, as it were, shadowed out in thee. Dost thou not\nsee, that faith, hope, charity, and the fear of the Lord, are as yet but\nweak, and hardly able to advance beyond the first principles of the\nChristian life? Dost thou not see how slender thy humility is, and how\ndeeply the sin of distrust, pride, and impatience, is rooted in thy\nbreast? Dost thou not find thy devotion weak and languid; and thy charity\ntowards thy neighbor comparatively cold? How tender a spark of pure\nchastity remains in the heart; and how vast a fire of carnal desire burns\nwithin! How faint the one, how violent the other! How great still are thy\nself-love, self-honor, and interest, sins that lurk within, and do not\nalways outwardly appear! And how fierce is the tide of evil concupiscence\nwhich flows in upon thee, and disturbs thy inward repose! Whence it\nfollows, that to the very last moment of our lives, we must, by the Spirit\nof God, continually wrestle with the old Adam, and with the image of\nSatan. All this urges us incessantly to pray, sigh, and seek, till the\nDivine Spirit be bestowed upon us, in order to destroy the image of Satan\ndaily, and to restore the image of God to us.\n\n28. From all this, thou canst easily understand, O man! that thou art\nnever to rely on thine own strength; but entirely to cleave to the grace\nof God, which alone is able to work all this in thy soul. All things are\nto be sought and obtained from and by Christ through faith. From Him thou\nart to receive divine knowledge and wisdom, against thy own blindness; his\nrighteousness, against all thy unrighteousness; his holiness against all\nthy impurity; a full redemption, power, and victory, against death, hell,\nand the devil. From Christ thou must obtain remission of all thy sins,\nagainst the kingdom of sin and Satan, and against all the combined powers\nthereof; and, lastly, everlasting happiness, against all spiritual and\nbodily adversities and troubles. In this order, life eternal is to be\nderived from Christ. But of this, more shall be said in the Second Book of\nthis volume.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLII.\n\n\nIn This Concluding Chapter The Reasons For Adopting The Method Observed In\n  Book I. Are Explained; The Duty Of Guarding Against Spiritual Pride Is\nDescribed, And The Truth Is Set Forth That True Spiritual Gifts Cannot Be\n                         Obtained Without Prayer.\n\n\n    _What hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst\n    receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received\n    it?_\u20141 COR. 4:7.\n\n\nI regard it as necessary, before I conclude this Book, to call the\nreader\u2019s attention to several points.\n\n2. In this Book, _repentance and its fruits_, have, for various reasons,\nbeen explained at large, and in different ways. Most of the Chapters in\nthis Book, accordingly, treat upon the fruits of true repentance; such as\nour renovation in Christ, the daily mortification of the flesh, the\npractice of self-denial, contempt of the world, the exercise of charity,\netc. For therein we find the beginning and foundation of true\nChristianity, of a holy life, and of salvation itself, through true faith.\nSo, too, no solid comfort can ever be tasted in the heart of man, unless\nhe be thoroughly acquainted with the nature of Original Sin, that\ndreadful, mortal, and diabolical evil, which is like an infernal poison\n(ah, it is impossible sufficiently to describe and deplore it!) and has\nproved the seed of a multitude of fatal and pernicious fruits. All the\nbooks of comfort, and all the promises with which the Gospel abounds,\nafford no substantial consolation to a man, except he be first thoroughly\nhumbled by a sense of his misery, and of that awful evil, Original Sin.\nMan, in this fallen state, is too apt to flatter himself, and to look for\ncomfort, before a thorough search has been made into his own sinful\ncondition, degeneracy, and apostasy from God. Nature is concerned for\ncomfort more than for a cure.\n\n3. But this is very preposterous, and altogether against the tenor of\nScripture, and the method of salvation therein explained. Our Lord says,\n\u201cThe whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.\u201d Matt. 9:12. No\ncure can be expected, no medicine can be prescribed, no comfort can be\napplied, nor can Christ himself, the great Physician of souls, be of any\nbenefit at all, so long as a man, thinking himself well, is not sensible\nof those deep distempers that rage in his soul. Hence a true Christian\u2019s\nlife consists in a _daily crucifixion_ of the flesh, and of all its sinful\npropensities. O that every one might lay this earnestly to heart! No man\ncan belong to Christ, or have a share in his merits, but he that regulates\nhis life according to this rule. Now, such a soul shall not be left\ncomfortless in the end; but, shall be refreshed with divine consolation.\nNo sooner is a soul thoroughly humbled by a lively sense of inbred\ncorruption, and the infectious influence it hath on all the actions, than\nit is raised again by those suitable grounds of comfort which the Gospel\naffords. In all this, the operation of the Divine Spirit, and man\u2019s\nmeditation on the word of promise, concur, and bring over the soul to\nChrist, who is both willing and able to heal her, and to turn her mourning\ninto permanent gladness. He who will enter upon this course of true and\nsincere repentance, must be careful, at the same time, not to be shaken by\nthe foolish judgment which this impious world will be apt to pass upon the\nwhole design of true Christianity. Let the profane worldling think ever so\nmuch of his own natural parts and wisdom, it is certain that he is\naltogether blind in the things of the Spirit of God, and most ignorant.\nAnd though he may exercise his reasoning faculty on things that are far\nabove his reach and capacity, yet while he has no knowledge of the\nwretchedness of his own nature, and of those spiritual diseases that\nspring from it, he continues an utter stranger to spiritual concerns. He\ndoes not understand what Adam and Christ are, or how Adam is to die, and\nChrist to live in us again. And as he disdains to learn what he knows not,\nhe must forever remain in darkness and ignorance. Nor will he ever be able\nin that state to obtain any insight into the grounds and properties of\ntrue repentance, faith in Christ, and the new birth, wherein true\nChristianity consists, and whereby he might be rescued from everlasting\nruin.\n\n4. The next thing which I would mention at the close of this Book, and\nwhich thou art carefully to avoid, is the sin of _spiritual pride_, after\nGod has begun to implant in thee, by his grace, spiritual gifts, new\nvirtues, new habits of mind, and new knowledge. See that thou ascribe\nthese attainments not to thy own power, wisdom, or industry, but to the\ngrace of God. Carefully avoid taking up thy rest in those virtues and good\ndispositions that are formed within thee; and never confide in them as\n_means_ of thy justification before God. For as they are yet marked by\nvarious defects and imperfections, so they can never pass for the perfect\nrighteousness of God. Never seek thy own honor and glory by the gifts\nwhich God has been pleased to bestow upon thee. On the contrary, use them\nwith humility and fear, divesting thyself of all selfish designs, and\nreturning all thou hast unto Him, who is the true Disposer and Author\nthereof. Do not say in thy heart: \u201cI have now a strong faith, fervent\ncharity, much knowledge, many gifts;\u201d for these suggestions are the\n_tares_, which the enemy of thy soul sows among the wheat while thou\nsleepest.\n\nFor, (_a_) none of these gifts are thine, but God\u2019s only, without whose\nillumination and all-quickening power, thou art but a lifeless lump of\nclay. These gifts are no more thine, than the light and heat of the sun\nare the earth\u2019s, which is warmed and penetrated by them. Thou art, at the\nbest, but the casket to hold the jewels; and the glory of these no more\nbelongs to thee, than the lustre of a precious stone belongs to the box in\nwhich it is kept. Is it not, therefore, great folly to boast of the goods\nof another, which are laid up in thee?\n\n(_b_) Thou art to consider, that, as the lord of a treasure may lodge his\ntreasure wherever he pleases, and remove it as he thinks fit; so God, in\nlike manner, may deposit his heavenly treasure in thee, and take it away\nagain, as he sees proper. Him, therefore, thou oughtest to fear with holy\nreverence, and at the same time carefully beware of spiritual pride and\npresumption: for this would issue in the inevitable loss of the celestial\njewel committed to thy trust. \u201cBe not high-minded, but fear.\u201d Rom. 11:20.\n\n(_c_) Thou art, further, to consider, that the righteous God will call\nthee to an exact account of all he has intrusted to thy care. The more\nthou hast received, the more will he require at thy hands.\n\n(_d_) In the midst of all thy gifts, do not think that thou hast received\nall that the Lord has in store for his children. Ah! beloved Christian! be\nthy attainments ever so high and excellent, they are hardly the beginning;\nthere is yet much which thou lackest.\n\n(_e_) Seriously consider, that no good and perfect gifts are obtained or\npreserved except by _prayer_: for every good and perfect gift descendeth\nfrom God. James 1:17. Whatever thou seemest to possess without this, is\nbut a lifeless shadow, a seed bearing no fruit, but withering away. For\nwithout prayer, no heavenly gift can descend into the heart of man. The\nreader is desired to peruse what is said on the subject of Prayer in the\n_Second_ Book of this Work. There are two things which thou must chiefly\nregard in thy prayers and application to the Lord: _first_, That the\n_Image of Satan be destroyed in thee_; as unbelief, pride, covetousness,\nlust, wrath, etc.; _secondly_, That the _Image of God be restored __ in\nthee_; in which are contained faith, love, hope, humility, patience,\nmeekness, and the fear of the Lord. These two, that is, the destruction of\nthe satanic, and the restoration of the divine image, are illustrated in\nthe Lord\u2019s Prayer. This prayer makes both _against_ thee, and _for_ thee.\nIf the name of God alone is to be hallowed, then thy name must be debased\nand thy haughtiness be pulled down. If the kingdom of God shall come, then\ncertainly the devil\u2019s kingdom must be overthrown in thee. If thou desirest\nthat the will of God should be done, then truly thine own must be\nrenounced.\n\nThese are the two parts into which any useful prayer-book or method of\nprayer may be fitly digested; an order which is clearly exhibited in the\nprayer of our Lord, so far as it respects those heavenly and eternal\nbenefits and gifts which we are directed to seek. Nay, in the Lord\u2019s\nPrayer, all the treasures both for soul and body, and all the things which\nwe need both for this life and that which is to come, are summed up. And\nthere is no question, but that the Father in heaven, according to his\npaternal compassion, will readily grant, what the Son of his love has so\nstrongly commanded us to ask.\n\n\n\n\n\nBOOK II.\n\n\n\n\nPreface To The Second Book.\n\n\nAs in nature, my dear Christian reader, the destruction of one thing is\nthe production of another; even so is it in a true Christian life. The\nold, carnal man must be destroyed and pass away, that so the new spiritual\nman may be produced in his place. And as our carnal life is directly\ncontrary to the holy life of Christ (which in the preceding Book is\nsufficiently declared); it is absolutely needful that we renounce this\ncarnal life, before we can attain the spiritual life of Christ, or follow\nhim in those steps which he has been pleased to leave us. Thus, for\ninstance, thou must put an end to thy pride, before thou canst be truly\nhumble; thou must cease from wrath, before thou canst possess the virtue\nof meekness. And this is the reason why the spiritual Christian\u2019s life\nought to proceed from true _repentance_. This is also the design and\nsubstance of the preceding Book, as plainly appears both from the order in\nwhich the chapters are arranged, and from the _Conclusion_ appended to the\nwhole Book.\n\n2. Since, however, there will be occasion to treat of the doctrine of\nrepentance in some chapters of this Second Book, I shall now give some\naccount of the whole method into which this Book is digested. As the main\ndesign of the First Book was to lay open the nature of Original Sin, and\nthe deadly influence which it has upon all our actions; so it is but fit\nthat the Second Book should begin with JESUS CHRIST, that everlasting\nwellspring of man\u2019s salvation, in whom alone we find help and a remedy\nagainst the destructive poison of Original Sin, and against that flood of\ncalamities and miseries which thence proceeds. All this on man\u2019s side, is\neffected by FAITH, apprehending that salvation which is merited by Christ.\nThis matter is explained in the first three chapters of this Book. As,\nhowever, that _faith_ which leads the soul to this fountain, and draws\nthence effects so excellent and good, also brings forth living and sound\n_fruits_; the next three chapters (IV-VI), are spent in describing the\nsame more at large. But, even as the fruits of righteousness and of the\nSpirit are to grow up in us and wax strong, so must the fruits of the\nflesh, in proportion, decay and decrease. And this is the daily,\neffectual, and unfeigned repentance, wherein a Christian ought constantly\nto be employed, if ever the flesh be mortified, and the Spirit be restored\nto dominion. It was, therefore, judged expedient, to give here a clear\ndescription of the difference betwixt the flesh and the Spirit, and of the\nproperties of a daily repentance. Here consult Chapters VII-X. But\ninasmuch as from this habitual repentance, and the mortification of the\n_old_ man (the life of a true Christian being nothing else but a constant\ncrucifixion of the flesh), the _new_ man is daily to come forth, it is\nimpossible to find a more perfect pattern, than that which our Lord Jesus\nChrist himself has left us. And for this reason, the life of Christ ought\nto be a mirror unto us, in which to view ourselves and him; and by\nbeholding him, to embrace the more freely his poverty and reproach, his\ncontempt and sorrow, his cross and passion, his agony and death. And this\nholy life of Christ is the death of the flesh, and is accompanied with the\nexercise of prayer, love, and humility. This is set forth at large in\nChapters XI-XXV.\n\n3. Thus are the humility and lowliness of Christ a true ladder of\nascension for a penitent soul; by means of which we ascend into the heart\nof God, as of a loving Father, and calmly repose in his paternal\naffection. It is the _human_ nature of Christ with which we begin our\nspiritual life, and rising up higher and higher, arrive at last at his\n_divine_ nature. It is then that we contemplate in Christ the heart of our\nFather in heaven. It is then that we behold him as the sublime, the\neverlasting, essential, and infinite Good; we behold him as the\nimmeasurable omnipotence, as the unfathomable mercy, the unsearchable\nwisdom, the purest holiness, the unspotted and endless righteousness, the\nmost perfect goodness, the noblest beauty, the most perfect graciousness,\nand, at last, as the most joyful salvation. These points, as they chiefly\nmake up Christian contemplation, so they are explained in Chapters\nXXVI-XXXIII. But because no one can ever arrive at this state without\nprayer, hence the ensuing ten Chapters (XXXIV-XLIII), treat upon the\nnature of _prayer_, and the exercise of divine _praise_. And since this\nlife, grounded on maxims of sound and unfeigned religion, will soon be\nattended with _crosses_ and _tribulations_, there follow fifteen Chapters\n(XLIV-LVIII), wherein are considered the _cross_ of Christians, and the\nvirtue of _patience_, the practice of which is thereby exceedingly\npromoted. To all this, something is added of the nature and conquest of\nthose deep _spiritual temptations_, with which Satan harasses those that\nadhere to the Lord, and who endeavor to be faithful to the end.\n\nGod grant that we may all be true followers of Christ, not ashamed of his\nholy life; but follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, and be led at last\nto the living fountains of waters, where the Lord will wipe away all tears\nfrom our eyes! Amen.\n\nJOHN ARNDT,\nGeneral Superintendent in the Principality of L\u00fcneburg.\n\n\n\n\nChapter I.\n\n\nJesus Christ, The Son Of God, Is Given To Us By Our Heavenly Father As Our\n   Help Against The Damnable And Deadly Poison Of Original Sin, And The\n    Pernicious Fruits Thereof, As Well As A Protector Against All The\n           Calamities And Evils Both Of The Body And The Soul.\n\n\n    _With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation._\u2014ISA.\n    12:3.\n\n\nAs our distemper is exceedingly great, mortal, damnable, and out of the\npower of any creature to remove; therefore it is needful that we should\nhave a remedy proportioned to the disease; a high, a divine, an\neverlasting, remedy and help, entirely derived from the pure mercy of God.\nAs our original disease was caused by the wrath, hatred, and envy of the\ndevil (Gen. 3:1): so God, in tender compassion, was moved to heal the\nmortal wound of our sin by his infinite mercy. And as Satan had used his\nutmost endeavors and subtlety, in order to infect, slay, and condemn us,\nGod was pleased, in his infinite wisdom, to give us his beloved Son, in\norder to restore us to that life, happiness, and salvation which we had\nlost. Hence he has made the precious blood of Christ to be the grand\nrestorative of our nature, and the cleanser from all the contagion of sin.\nHe hath given us his quickening flesh, to be our bread of life; his holy\nwounds, as a sovereign balsam to heal our wounded condition; and his\nprecious death, to be an abolition of our death, both temporal and\neternal. 1 John 1:7; Acts 20:28; John 6:32, etc.; Isa. 53:5; 25:8.\n\n2. But so disabled, so weak, and undone, is fallen man, that he cannot so\nmuch as apply this precious medicine even when it is freely offered: so\nlittle health, so much weakness is there in him. Nay, we even, by nature,\nstrive against our cure, and reject the remedy which should help\nus.\u2014Wherefore, O Lord, unless thou shouldst draw me after thee (Cant.\n1:4), and, as a faithful physician, administer to me what thou hast\nordered, the best prescriptions will avail me nothing. Take me, therefore,\nentirely into thine own hands, and trust me not to myself. If I be left to\nmyself, the eternal ruin of my soul will be my lot. Therefore \u201cturn thou\nme, and I shall be turned: heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; for\nthou art my praise.\u201d Jer. 31:18; 17:14. As long as thou keepest back thy\nmercy, and hidest thy face from my sorrow, I shall remain in a diseased\ncondition. Ps. 30:3. Whilst thou forbearest to quicken me, I am tied down\nby the chains of death. Therefore I cry with David, \u201cI am poor and needy;\nmake haste unto me, O God. Thou art my help, and my deliverer; O Lord,\nmake no tarrying.\u201d Ps. 70:5.\n\n3. O blessed Lord! shall not thy mercy be strong enough to raise a sick\nsoul from her languishing illness? a soul that is not able to raise\nherself? Wilt thou not condescend to come to me, since it is not possible\nthat I should come to thee? Didst thou not love me, even before I had so\nmuch as a thought of loving thee again? Thy mercy is so prevailing and so\nstrong, that it has even overcome thyself. Was it not mercy that nailed\nthee to the cross, and gave thee up to death? What is so strong as to\nencounter and conquer thee, if it be not the strength of thy own mercy?\nWhat has might sufficient to apprehend thee, and to bind and conduct thee\nto death, but thy love only, wherewith thou hast loved and quickened us,\nwhen we were dead in trespasses and sins? Eph. 2:1. For thou wouldst\nthyself undergo the pangs of death, rather than suffer us to be forever\nbound over to death and eternal damnation!\n\n4. Thy mercy, O Lord, has made thee all our own, and put a title to all\nthy merits into our hands. When thou becamest a tender infant, it was\nwholly for our sakes, unto whom thou art \u201cborn a child.\u201d Isa. 9:6. When\nthou wast made an offering for our sins, and when thou wast slain as an\ninnocent lamb on the cross, it was to give up thyself unto us, and freely\nto impart unto us all things beside. O excellent gift of God! a good\nwholly appropriated to us, even our own peculiar good and treasure!\n\n(_a_) Behold! beloved Christian, the wisdom of God! God has by means of\nthis everlasting good made himself our own property, that he might thereby\nin return make us _his own_. For having purchased us \u201cwith a price,\u201d we\nare no longer our own, but his who hath bought us. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. For\nwhosoever receives so excellent a gift, receives also the Giver himself,\nfrom whom it proceeds. And again, whosoever possesses any good as his own,\nhe makes it his own to all intents and purposes, and to the best advantage\nhe can. Thus, likewise, is CHRIST become thy own and proper GOOD. Thou\ncanst apply him in such a manner, as to obtain by him everlasting life and\nsalvation.\n\n(_b_) CHRIST is become the true medicine of thy soul, to restore thee\u2014thy\nmeat and thy drink, to refresh thee\u2014thy fountain of life, to quench thy\nthirst\u2014thy light, in darkness\u2014thy joy, in sadness\u2014thine advocate, against\nthy accusers\u2014wisdom, against thy folly\u2014righteousness, against thy\nsin\u2014sanctification, against thy unworthiness\u2014redemption, against thy\nbondage\u2014the mercy-seat, against the judgment-seat\u2014the throne of grace,\nagainst thy condemnation\u2014thy absolution, against thy fearful sentence\u2014thy\npeace and rest, against an evil conscience\u2014thy victory, against all thine\nenemies\u2014thy champion, against all thy persecutors\u2014the bridegroom of thy\nsoul, against all rivals\u2014thy mediator, against the wrath of God\u2014thy\npropitiation, against all thy trespasses\u2014thy strength, against thy\nweakness\u2014thy way, against thy wandering\u2014thy truth, against lying and\nvanity\u2014thy life, against death. He is thy counsel, when thou hast none to\nadvise thee\u2014thy power, in the midst of thine infirmities\u2014thy Everlasting\nFather, when thou art forsaken and fatherless\u2014thy Prince of Peace, against\nthe adversary\u2014thy ransom, against thy debt\u2014thy crown of glory, against thy\nreproach\u2014thy teacher, against thy ignorance\u2014thy Judge, against thy\noppressor\u2014thy King, to destroy the kingdom of Satan\u2014thine everlasting High\nPriest, to intercede for thee.\n\n5. (_a_) Consider now, O Christian, what an excellent gift the Lord JESUS\nCHRIST is. Let it be thy daily prayer and supplication to make a true\nsaving use of all those heavenly benefits, and to improve all the\n_offices_ of Christ to the end for which they are designed. If he be thy\nMedicine (Matt. 9:12), fear not but thou shalt be healed: since he is thy\nBread (John 6:51), thy soul shall be filled. Is he to thee a Fountain of\nLife (Isai. 12:3), then truly thou shalt thirst no more. Is he to thee a\nLight (John 8:12), then thou shalt remain no longer in darkness. Is he thy\nJoy (Luke 2:10), what then shall afflict thee? Is he the Advocate (1 John\n2:1) that pleads thy cause, what adversary shall cast thee? Is he thy\nTruth, who shall deceive thee? Is he thy Way, who shall make thee to err?\nIs he thy Life (John 14:6), who shall slay thee? Is he thy Wisdom, who\nshall seduce thee? Is he thy Righteousness, who shall condemn thee? Is he\nthy Sanctification, who shall reject thee? Is he thy Redemption, who shall\nimprison thee? 1 Cor. 1:30. Is he thy Peace (Eph. 2:14), who can disturb\nthee? Is he thy Mercy-Seat (Rom. 3:25), who can arraign thee? Is he thy\nThrone of Grace (Heb. 4:16), who can give sentence against thee? Is he thy\nDischarge and Absolution (Colos. 2:14), who then dares impeach thee? Is he\nthe Champion and the Captain of thy Salvation (Heb. 2:10), who shall be\nable to stand against thee? Is he thy Bridegroom (John 3:29), who then\nshall snatch thee from him? Is he thy Ransom (1 Tim. 2:6), who will arrest\nthee? Is he thy Crown of Glory (Heb. 2:7), who then shall reproach thee?\nIs he thy Master (John 13:13), and Teacher, who then shall correct thee?\nIf he be thy Judge (2 Thess. 1:9), who shall oppress thee? If he be thy\nPropitiation (1 John 2:2), who shall accuse thee? If he be thy Mediator (1\nTim. 2:5), who shall set God against thee? If he be thy Advocate (1 John\n2:1), who shall prosecute thee? Is he thy Immanuel (Isai. 7:14), who shall\nbe against thee? Is he thy King (John 12:15), who shall expel thee out of\nhis kingdom? Is he thy High Priest (Heb. 7:25), who can refuse his\nintercession and sacrifice? Is he thy Saviour (Matt. 1:21), who shall\ndestroy thee?\n\n(_b_) How canst thou have a more excellent, a more valuable present? It is\na present of greater worth than thou thyself, than all mankind, and all\nthe world besides. It is a present that infinitely surpasses all the sins,\nmiseries, and calamities of the whole world. Christ hereby is all our own,\nboth as to his divine and his human nature. It was by sin we had forfeited\nthe richest of all treasures, the Sovereign Good, even God himself: and it\nis by Christ, that all is made up again, and God himself given to us as\nour property. And for this reason, Christ is called Immanuel (Isai. 7:14),\n(which being interpreted is, _God with us_), that in him we might have\nboth a God and a Brother.\n\n6. (_a_) Consider now, O Christian! what an immense, what an infinite good\nthou hast in Christ thy Redeemer, and to what spiritual benefits thou art\nentitled by him. If people were but better acquainted with the sources of\nthis heavenly comfort, then no cross, no affliction, would seem any longer\ninsupportable to them; because Christ would be all in all, and by his\npresence alleviate the miseries of this life. Christ himself is ours not\nonly as a crucified Christ, but also as he is glorified, together with all\nthe majesty that resides in him. \u201cAll things are yours, whether Paul, or\nApollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or\nthings to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ\u2019s; and Christ is God\u2019s.\u201d\n1 Cor. 3:21-23.\n\n(_b_) Alas! poor, miserable, accursed, and condemned sinners, that we by\nnature all are! How came we to be favored and honored with so high and\ninestimable a gift? For thou, O Lord Jesus, art to us\u2014Jehovah our\nRighteousness\u2014a Mediator between God and man\u2014our everlasting Priest\u2014the\nChrist of God\u2014a Lamb without spot\u2014our propitiatory oblation\u2014the fulfilment\nof the law\u2014the Desire of the patriarchs\u2014the Inspirer of the prophets\u2014the\nMaster of the apostles\u2014the teacher of the evangelists\u2014the light of the\nconfessors\u2014the crown of the martyrs\u2014the Praise of all the saints\u2014the\nresurrection of the dead\u2014the first-born from the dead\u2014the glory of the\nblessed\u2014the consolation of the mourners\u2014the righteousness of sinners\u2014the\nhope of the afflicted\u2014the refuge of the miserable\u2014the entertainer of\nstrangers\u2014the fellow-traveller of pilgrims\u2014the way of them that were\nmistaken\u2014the help to them who were forsaken\u2014the strength of the weak\u2014the\nhealth of the sick\u2014the protector of the simple\u2014the reward of the just\u2014the\nflaming fire of charity\u2014the Author of faith\u2014the anchor of hope\u2014the flower\nof humility\u2014the rose of meekness\u2014the root of all the virtues\u2014the exemplar\nof patience\u2014the enkindler of devotion\u2014the incense of prayer\u2014the tree of\nhealth\u2014the fountain of blessedness\u2014the bread of life\u2014the Head of the\nchurch\u2014the bridegroom of the soul\u2014the precious pearl\u2014the rock of\nsalvation\u2014the living stone\u2014the heir of all things\u2014the redemption of the\nworld\u2014the triumphant Conqueror of Hell\u2014the Prince of Peace\u2014the mighty lion\nof Judah\u2014the father of the world to come\u2014the guide to our heavenly\ncountry\u2014the sun of righteousness\u2014the morning star\u2014the inextinguishable\nlight of the celestial Jerusalem\u2014the brightness of the everlasting\nglory\u2014the unspotted mirror\u2014the splendor of the divine majesty\u2014the image of\nthe paternal goodness\u2014the treasure of wisdom\u2014the abyss of eternity\u2014the\nbeginning without beginning\u2014the word upholding all things\u2014the life\nquickening all things\u2014the light enlightening all things\u2014the truth judging\nall things\u2014the counsel moderating all things\u2014the rule directing all\nthings\u2014the love sustaining all things\u2014the whole comprehension of all that\nis good.\n\n(_c_) This is the great and infinite gift, which God has so freely\nbestowed upon mortal men.\n\n\n\n\nChapter II.\n\n\nThe Manner In Which The Christian Should Apply And Appropriate To Himself\n                  The Consolation Noticed In Chapter I.\n\n\n    _The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was\n    lost._\u2014LUKE 19:10.\n\n\nThe _first_ or chief foundation on which the Christian depends, when he\nderives consolation from the doctrines of the remission of sin, and of the\nmerit of Christ, consists in the _universal_ extent of the divine\n_promises_; of which that mentioned above is not the least considerable.\nFor if Christ came to save those that are lost, who can possibly doubt,\nthat he will also seek and save _thee_, since thou art of the number of\nthe lost. It is also said, that God, \u201ccommandeth all men everywhere to\nrepent; because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the\nworld in righteousness.\u201d Acts 17:30, 31. This argument is full of\nconsolation. As if the apostle had said, Christ will judge the world; and\n_therefore_ God commandeth _all_ to repent, that all may escape the\ndreadful sentence of eternal damnation. This is confirmed by St. Peter,\nwho tells us, that God \u201cis not willing that any should perish, but that\nall should come to repentance.\u201d 2 Peter 3:9. All which passages plainly\nassert the universal grace of God, extending itself to _all_ men.\n\n2. The _second_ foundation is the divine _oath_. In order that no room\nmight be left to doubts and scruples in this grand article, God has\nconfirmed the universal promise of grace with an _oath_. \u201cAs I live, saith\nthe Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he\nturn from his way and live: none of the sins that he hath committed, shall\nbe mentioned unto him.\u201d Ezek. 33:11, 16. As if he had said, How can I\ndelight in the death of a sinner, who am Life itself? Let but the wicked\nbe converted, and he shall certainly live.\u2014Behold! God desires sinners to\nbe converted! And dost thou doubt, that thou, who art a sinner, art by God\nsolicited to conversion? When the apostle explains this oath, he says,\n\u201cThis is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ\nJesus came into the world to save sinners.\u201d 1 Tim. 1:15. But if Christ\ncame into the world with an intent to save sinners, thou art undoubtedly\none of the number of those whom he came to save.\n\n3. In order to show that the Lord will not retain the remembrance of sin,\nhe hath no less than three times engaged his word. First, by the prophet\nIsaiah, \u201cI, even I,\u201d says he, \u201cam he that blotteth out thy transgressions\nfor my own sake, and will not remember thy sins.\u201d Isa. 43:25. Secondly, by\nJeremiah he hath thus expressed his mind: \u201cThis shall be the covenant: I\nwill forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.\u201d Jer.\n31:33, 34. And, thirdly, by the prophet Ezekiel, \u201cIf the wicked,\u201d says he,\n\u201cwill turn from all his sins that he hath committed, he shall surely live,\nhe shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they\nshall not be mentioned unto him.\u201d Ezek. 18:21, 22. This is the divine act\nof oblivion, solemnly declared in favor of all returning sinners, without\nexception.\n\n4. Now the cause or reason why God promises that he will not remember sin\nany more, is no other than the all-sufficient satisfaction and\nreconciliation wrought by Christ. For whatever is entirely paid, yea, over\nand above paid, should be altogether buried in an everlasting oblivion.\nNow, God being once perfectly reconciled and satisfied by the most holy\nand most complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ, he can no longer be angry,\nnor perpetuate the remembrance of our transgressions.\n\n5. The same oath is repeated in the prophet Isaiah, \u201cLook unto me,\u201d says\nthe Lord, \u201cand be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: I have sworn by\nmyself; the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not\nreturn.\u201d Isa. 45:22, 23. Which oath, the Epistle to the Hebrews explains\nin this manner: \u201cWherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the\nheirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:\nthat by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie,\nwe might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold\nupon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,\nboth sure and steadfast.\u201d Heb. 6:17-19. That is, God, by his counsel and\npromise, having confirmed them with an oath, hath more than sufficiently\nsealed and established his gracious will; that so none might be\ndiscouraged.\n\n6. The _third_ foundation is the eternal covenant of grace, which consists\nin the pardon of sin: \u201cThis shall be the covenant: I will forgive their\niniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.\u201d Jer. 31:33, 34. And this\ncovenant or testament, because confirmed by the death of Christ, is\ntherefore everlasting. To the same purpose the Lord says by the prophet:\n\u201cNeither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that\nhath mercy on thee.\u201d Isa. 54:10. And again, \u201cI will make an everlasting\ncovenant with you, even the sure mercies of David\u201d (i. e., Christ). Isa.\n55:3. And Moses declares the same: \u201cThe Lord thy God is a merciful God: he\nwill not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of\nthy fathers which he sware unto them.\u201d Deut. 4:31. And again we read: \u201cHe\nwill ever be mindful of his covenant.\u201d Ps. 111:5. On which eternal\ncovenant, that we might the more firmly rely, he hath renewed and\nestablished it with every one by Holy Baptism, which therefore is called\n\u201cThe answer (or covenant) of a good conscience towards God.\u201d 1 Peter 3:21.\nFor this end, Christ himself was baptized in Jordan, and thereby entered\nwith us into this covenant. Matt. 3:13.\n\n7. The _fourth_ foundation is the death of Christ, by which the covenant\nor testament of God was ratified. But if any ask, For whom did he die? St.\nPaul answers, that \u201che died for ALL.\u201d 2 Cor. 5:14, 15. And St. John says,\n\u201cHe is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.\u201d 1 John 2:2. So\nJohn the Baptist said: \u201cBehold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin\nof the world.\u201d John 1:29. This, the apostle explains in the following\ncomforting manner: \u201cAs by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men\nto condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came\nupon ALL men unto justification of life\u201d (Rom. 5:18): where a comparison\nis made betwixt Christ and Adam. As if he had said, \u201cSince the offence of\nAdam hath been so strong, as to make all men sinners; shall not the\nrighteousness of Christ be far more powerful to make them righteous? If\nsin hath abounded, shall not grace much more abound?\u201d The same apostle,\nhaving occasion to show that the merit of Christ is universal, and extends\nitself to all, thus reasons: \u201cFor there is one God, and one mediator\nbetween God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for\nall.\u201d But if this be true, it also follows, \u201cthat God will have all men to\nbe saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.\u201d 1 Tim. 2:4-6. On\nall this Paul remarks, that God, by \u201cChrist hath reconciled all things to\nhimself, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.\u201d Col. 1:20.\nAnd again: \u201cGod spared not his own SON, but delivered him up for us ALL.\u201d\nRom. 8:32. In this number, reckon also thyself, because \u201cGod is no\nrespecter of persons.\u201d Acts 10:34. Since, therefore, Christ died for\nsinners, thou, who acknowledgest thyself to be one, must necessarily have\nan interest in his death, and in all the benefits purchased by it.\n\n8. The _fifth_ foundation is the universal call, grounded upon the\nuniversal merit of Christ. The latter was exhibited for the sins of the\nwhole world, and it was proper that it should be preached to all\ncreatures. Matt. 9:13. Now since Christ declares: \u201cI came not to call the\nrighteous, but sinners to repentance\u201d (Mark 16:15), it follows, that thou\nalso, because thou art a sinner, art called. But called to what? To\nrepentance. And why? That thou mayest obtain remission of sin, through\nfaith. \u201cIt behooved,\u201d says the Lord, \u201cthat repentance and remission of\nsins should be preached in the name of Christ among all nations.\u201d Luke\n24:46, 47. And the apostle affirms, that \u201cthe gospel was preached to every\ncreature which is under heaven.\u201d Col. 1:23. But to what end did God cause\nit to be preached? Surely for no other end than that thereby faith might\nbe kindled and established among men, according to that saying of the same\napostle: \u201cHow shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and\nhow shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard?\u201d Rom. 10:14.\nWhenever, therefore, God calls us to repentance, far be it from us to\nthink that God calls us in vain, or without a real design to save us.\nSurely God does not deceive us: but in this serious affair he seriously\ncalls upon us, that we may embrace his mercy, and accept the offer of\ngrace. Hence he is also angry with those who make light of his supper, and\ndisdain to come to his feast. Matt. 22:7. Whereas, to those who obey his\ncall, through faith, he hath given his promise, full of heavenly comfort\nthat \u201cwhosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting\nlife.\u201d John 3:16. Nay, he hath graciously promised to preserve the same\nfaith unto the end, even till the salvation of the soul, which is the end\nof faith, be secured. Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:9.\n\n9. The _sixth_ foundation is the inward testimony of the divine Spirit in\nus, who seeks after righteousness, and seals us unto the day of\nredemption. Rom. 8:16; Eph. 4:30. This Spirit incessantly rouses and\nawakens the conscience. He reproves without intermission, convinces of\nsins, and sets them before thine eyes. He summons thee to repentance,\ncalls thee inwardly in thy heart, strives with thee, and leaves nothing\nuntried, in order to keep thee from every sin, and lead to thy conversion.\nJohn 16:8. These things thou canst not conceal, though ever so desirous to\ndo it. This witness of Christ in thee, is never silent: and though thou\nshouldst stop thine ears against him, yet shalt thou be compelled to hear\nhim _inwardly_. And if thou shouldst desire to reject his summons, yet\nmust thou feel the internal energy of his correction. All this is a\nconvincing, strong, and unquestionable proof, that \u201cGod would have thee to\nbe saved.\u201d\n\n10. The _seventh_ foundation consists of the examples of sinners, whom\nGod, upon their conversion, hath received into favor. Surely \u201cthere is\nnone righteous,\u201d of himself, \u201cno, not one.\u201d Rom. 3:10, 23. Not only David,\nManasseh (2 Chron. 33:11-13), Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, and Zaccheus;\nbut \u201cALL of us are sinners, and come short of the glory of God.\u201d There is\nnone innocent in his sight. Whatever favor God shows to one, the same he\noffers to all the rest; since he \u201cis no respecter of persons.\u201d Acts 10:34.\nWe all are saved by grace, without any merit of our own, and all stand in\nneed of a gracious pardon of sin: for, \u201cif thou, Lord, shouldest mark\niniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?\u201d (Ps. 130:3), and if thou enterest\ninto judgment, \u201cin thy sight shall no man living be justified.\u201d Ps. 143:2.\n\n11. The _eighth_ foundation is, that the merit of Christ is not only\nsufficient, but even more than sufficient for the sins of all men, how\nnumerous, great and heinous soever they may be. Why then shouldst thou\nexclude thyself, and refuse to share in the benefits of the ransom which\nChrist paid? Is it not infinitely greater than the sins of the whole\nworld? For as thou art of the race of men, so thou canst apply to thyself\nthat word of the Lord, \u201cThe Son of man is not come to destroy men\u2019s lives,\nbut to save them\u201d (Luke 9:56): and that of St. Paul, \u201cGod was in Christ,\nreconciling the world unto himself\u201d (2 Cor. 5:19): and again, that of St.\nJohn, \u201cHe is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world\u201d (1 John\n2:2); that is, for all the sins of every man in particular.\n\n12. A _ninth_ foundation is this, that the merit of Christ is an\n_infinite_ satisfaction, beyond all number, measure, and end; and it is so\non account of the exalted Person that suffered, who is both God and man.\nWhy shouldst thou then limit the extent, number, measure, and bounds of\nmerit so ample, and exclude thyself from it? So great, so high, and so\nextensive are the power and efficacy of that merit, that it would still\nprove a sufficient ransom if every man were guilty of the sins of the\nwhole world. Nay, if there were as many worlds drowned in sin, as there\nare men that live on this earth, yet would the merit of Christ and his\nrighteousness be large enough to cover all their sins. Cast not therefore\naway a mercy so universal, so full and every way abounding. This surely is\nthat \u201cdepth of the sea, into which God hath cast all our sins.\u201d Mic. 7:19.\nHence the Psalmist says: \u201cAs the heaven is high above the earth, so great\nis his mercy towards them that fear him. As far as the east is from the\nwest, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.\u201d Ps. 103:11, 12.\nThis is that \u201ceternal redemption which is obtained for us.\u201d Heb. 9:12. The\nbenefit of this complete redemption, is summed up by St. Paul: \u201cIt is God\nthat justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died,\u201d etc.\nRom. 8:33, 34.\n\n13. The _tenth_ foundation is this, that the obedience of Christ is\nperfect: because he fulfilled the will and law of his Father in all\nthings, thereby to give satisfaction for all the disobedience which all\nthe men in the world had committed against God\u2019s law. For if the sin and\ntransgression of any one man were not expiated by him, then surely, his\nobedience would not prove perfect, and the disobedience of Adam would be\nmore effectual to condemnation, than the obedience of Christ to\njustification. This cannot be, since the apostle in plain terms affirms\nthe contrary, in Rom. 5:18. What reason is there then, that any one should\nexclude himself from this perfect obedience, or be backward to assert his\nown interest in it? Let us rather consider, that Christ for this very end\nhumbled himself, \u201cand became obedient unto death, even the death of the\ncross\u201d (Phil. 2:8), \u201cthat he might redeem them that were under the law.\u201d\nGal. 4:5. In the number of these, we all surely are comprised. For, as our\nfirst parents aspired after and affected the majesty of God, so it\nbehooved Christ, the repairer of our breaches, by a most profound\nhumility, to atone for this heinous offence, and to be \u201cmade a curse for\nus\u201d (Gal. 3:13), in order that the blessing might come upon all, who were\ncursed in Adam.\n\n14. The _eleventh_ foundation is, that since the royal victory and triumph\nof Christ surpass all the multitude, weight, and heinousness of sin,\ntogether with all the power of death, hell, and Satan, what cause canst\nthou assign, O sinner, why the same victorious Christ should not triumph\nover _thy_ sin as well as over all the rest? What! canst thou believe that\n_thy_ transgressions _alone_ are more powerful than Christ, the omnipotent\nking? When he shall make all his enemies his footstool (Ps. 110:1), cannot\nhe subdue under him also thy sins? Dost thou think that _thy_ crimes only\nshall prove too hard for him? God forbid, therefore, that thou shouldest\ncall in question thy interest in so universal a conquest, in so glorious a\ntriumph.\n\n15. The _twelfth_ foundation is the everlasting priesthood of Christ. Ps.\n110:4; Heb. 4:14. He freely grants pardon to all them that ask it; and\ngives the Holy Spirit to those that earnestly pray for that gift. Nor will\nhe, or can he refuse to any what belongs to his office (Heb. 5:6; 7:17);\nfor he is the Saviour of the world, and the High Priest and Mediator\nbetween God and man. 1 Tim. 2:5. If he refuse his office to any one that\nimplores it, he would verily cease to be a Mediator. But so far is he from\nthis, that he freely offers to sinners the benefit of his mediatorial\noffice. \u201cCome unto me,\u201d saith he, \u201call ye that labor and are heavy laden.\u201d\nMatt. 11:28. And again: \u201cHo, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the\nwaters\u201d (Isa. 55:1) of life. And does he not by his apostles and\nmessengers, seriously invite us to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20), and\nat the same time offer us his help and assistance for that end? He seeks\nthe lost sheep (Ezek. 34:16), and receives into favor the Prodigal son as\nsoon as he returns. Luke 15:20. Take heed, therefore, O man, that thou\nreject not the office of Christ the Mediator, and that thou deprive not\nthyself of the benefit of a sacerdotal intercessor, every way full of\ndivine consolation and comfort.\n\n\n\n\nChapter III.\n\n\nOur Righteousness Before God, Consists Solely In The Perfect Obedience And\n Merit Of Christ Jesus, And In The Remission Of Sin Apprehended By Faith.\n\n\n    _As by one man\u2019s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the\n    obedience of one shall many be made righteous._\u2014ROM. 5:19.\n\n\nAs a skilful builder, when he is about to raise a lofty structure, takes\ncare to lay first a deep and solid foundation, so the merciful and\ncompassionate God, when he was to erect the high and everlasting palace of\nour salvation and righteousness, thought fit to lay the foundation\nthereof, in the depth of his mercy, upon the Person and office of his dear\nSon Christ Jesus, as on the true rock of salvation. This is the promise\nrecorded by the prophet: \u201cBehold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone,\na tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that\nbelieveth shall not make haste.\u201d Isa. 28:16. This stone was indicated by\nChrist, when he declared to Peter, that \u201cthereon he would build his\nchurch;\u201d a church so firmly and surely sustained, that \u201cthe very gates of\nhell should not prevail against it.\u201d Matt. 16:18.\n\n2. This was the rock and corner-stone, which was preached by the apostles\nPeter and Paul. 1 Pet. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:19. This is that marvellous\ncorner-stone celebrated by the Psalmist, and upon which the 118th Psalm is\ngrounded. Upon this foundation, God has been pleased to raise the whole\nstructure of our righteousness, faith, and eternal salvation. But as God,\nour merciful Heavenly Father, has, on his side, placed the groundwork of\nour salvation and righteousness in the unsearchable depth of his mercy and\neverlasting love; nay, even in his beloved Son, and the paternal affection\nof his own heart; so he wills that on our side also the same be laid in\nthe depth of our heart, and in the centre of our soul; in order that,\nthrough the divine light and power of faith alone (and even faith is\nsolely the work of the Divine Spirit), the righteousness of Christ may be\napprehended, and without any respect of our own works, whether antecedent\nor consequent, be freely imputed and appropriated to us. The reasons of\nthis way of proceeding are as follows.\n\n3. In the _first_ place, that God by this means might cleanse and justify\na man from within, and in the inmost centre of his soul: for as man is\ninwardly corrupted by Satan, and infected in all the interior powers of\nhis soul, so it is but fit that his cure should be wrought from within,\nand that all the faculties of his soul should be restored to their former\nintegrity and soundness.\n\n4. _Secondly_, that our righteousness proceeds from _faith_ only. This\nfaith is wrought by God himself, and it stands entirely in his _power_ (1\nCor. 2:5), being supported by it, and not by any human performance, or\nhypocritical action of men. Of this latter sort was the righteousness of\nthe Pharisees (Matt. 5:20), who made indeed a show of outward\nperformances, but were little concerned about the reformation of the\nheart, and the inward recesses of the mind.\n\n5. _Thirdly_, that our heart, soul, and spirit, renouncing human power and\nstrength (upon which, through the temptation of the Devil, and the snares\nof self-love, ambition, and pride, they too much rely), might wholly\ndepend upon _Christ alone_, and upon his precious merit and satisfaction.\nFor from him alone flow the gracious remission of all our sins, and the\nwhole train of graces consequent on it; Jesus Christ having abundantly\nsatisfied for the sins of the whole world, and reconciled the Father to\nmankind.\n\n6. _Fourthly_, that the righteousness of Christ, by faith, might be made\n_our_ own. In order to the same end he also by his Word and Spirit begets\nthis faith in our hearts, that thereby we may become actually possessed of\nthis inestimable treasure. For this is the highest, the unspeakable, and\ninconceivably great consolation, that our righteousness is not the\nrighteousness of a man, nor even of a saint or angel, but of Christ, and\nof God himself; \u201cIt is God that justifieth.\u201d Rom. 8:33. Therefore if the\nwhole world were overflowed with the sins of one man, yet would the\nrighteousness of Christ be still more extensive and overflowing. For\nverily, he is \u201cthe Lord our Righteousness\u201d (Jer. 33:16), and how can sin\nbe more powerful than the Lord Jehovah? Would it be an insufficient\nsatisfaction, thinkest thou, if instead of a penny which thou owest thy\ncreditor, thou shouldest return ten thousand pounds? But such a price,\nnay, one infinitely greater, is paid with the blood of Christ, which\ntherefore is called by St. Paul, \u201cGod\u2019s own blood.\u201d Acts 20:28. So great\nand immense is the righteousness of Christ, conferred on us by faith, that\nthereby we are not only made _righteous_, but also _righteousness_ itself.\n2 Cor. 5:21. For, as it is not enough that a defiled infant be washed from\nits uncleanness, but it must also be wrapped up in clean apparel (Ezek.\n6:10), so Christ not only cleanses us with his blood, but clothes us also\nwith the garment of salvation, and covers us with the robe of\nrighteousness (Isa. 61:10): which we have received from the hand of the\nLord. This garment is called by the prophet, priestly or holy apparel; by\nDavid, \u201cthe beauty of holiness\u201d (Ps. 29:2); by St. John, \u201cfine linen clean\nand white, which is the righteousness of saints\u201d (Rev. 19:8); by the\nprophet Amos, \u201crivers of righteousness\u201d (Amos 5:24); by St. Paul,\n\u201csuperabounding grace\u201d (Rom. 5:20); and \u201cexceeding riches of grace.\u201d Eph.\n2:7. All these expressions set forth that the righteousness bestowed on a\npenitent soul, is as great as God himself, and therefore beyond all human\ncomprehension. Though in the state of innocency, our first parents had a\ncomplete righteousness in its kind, yet was it not so full and exuberant\nas that which we have obtained in Christ: for this righteousness and\nholiness, which we apply to ourselves by faith, is far more excellent than\nthat which Adam would have left us, had he continued in his original\ninnocency. So, too, the humility and obedience of Christ, as it was more\nperfect, so it was more acceptable to God, than the obedience and\ninnocency of Adam; nay, a thousand such persons as Adam, could not have\ncome up to the perfection of Christ alone. Adam would have transmitted to\nus indeed an hereditary righteousness, and thereby united us with God; yet\nit cannot be denied, that our union, established with God in Christ, is\nmuch more noble and excellent than that which we should have derived from\nAdam: for Christ being made man, has in himself so cleansed and exalted\nhuman nature, that the primitive state of Adam is not at all to be\ncompared with it. And as Christ retains his human nature to all eternity;\nso all believers continue in the same united to God; because Christ is\nwholly ours, and we are wholly his. Whatever purity the human nature hath\nobtained in general in His Person, is also transferred to the nature of\neach believer in particular. This will appear in the glorification of our\nbodies at the last day, when \u201cthey shall be fashioned like unto the\nglorious body of Christ.\u201d Phil. 3:21. Nay, even in this life, it is said\nin faith: \u201cBehold, thou art fair, my love\u201d (Cant. 1:15); \u201cglorious, not\nhaving spot or wrinkle\u201d (Eph. 5:27): \u201cthe king\u2019s daughter is all glorious\nwithin, her clothing is of wrought gold.\u201d Ps. 45:13. In a word, our\nrighteousness in Christ is no less immense than God himself; and if his\ndepth may be found out, so will our righteousness. Whence all creatures,\nfinding nothing that can be reproved in man, must stand as it were\nastonished, and cry out with admiration: \u201cWho is he that shall accuse or\ncondemn man, whose righteousness is the Son of God himself?\u201d And this is\nthat righteousness of faith on which we rest, as on an eternal rock, and\nwhich is a foundation that cannot be shaken. Of this we glory, in this we\nrejoice in time and in eternity. By this we are conquerors, and triumph\nover sin, death, the devil, and hell. By this we tread upon the lion and\nadder, and trample under foot the young lion and the dragon. Ps. 91:13.\n\n7. _Fifthly_, an angel (who never died for us) cannot be the foundation of\nour righteousness, much less any _man_. The righteousness of man is but\nweak and inconstant; and if he should fall, \u201call his righteousness that he\nhath done shall not be mentioned\u201d (Ezek. 18:24; 33:13), and therefore\nwhatever is built thereon falls soon to the ground and comes to nothing.\nFor this reason, our righteousness must have another foundation; a\nfoundation, namely, which is firm and constant, and not liable to be\nshattered to pieces, though the \u201cmountains should depart, and the hills be\nremoved.\u201d Isa. 54:10. \u201cAn everlasting righteousness must be brought in\u201d\n(Dan. 9:24), so that \u201cthe salvation of the Lord may be forever, and his\nrighteousness be not abolished.\u201d Isa. 51:6. A most excellent, eternal, and\nsovereign Person, must procure an eternal and infinite good, by an immense\nand infinite satisfaction offered for us.\n\n8. The _sixth_ cause why God will have our righteousness to be apprehended\nby faith, is found in his truth and promise, on which our faith entirely\nrests, and by which God declared and promised righteousness to Abraham,\nand to all his faithful seed. Whence St. Paul argues, that \u201cour\nrighteousness must be of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end that\nthe promise might be sure.\u201d Rom. 4: 16. Upon this promise of grace,\nfulfilled in Christ, has God established our righteousness and salvation,\nas the same apostle in another place more fully asserts: \u201cEven as\nAbraham,\u201d says he, \u201cbelieved God, and it was accounted to him for\nrighteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same\nare the children of Abraham.\u201d And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would\njustify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto\nAbraham: saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed (Gen. 12:3). \u201cSo\nthen they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham.\u201d Gal.\n3:6-9. And thus \u201cgrace and truth are come by Jesus Christ.\u201d John 1:17.\n\n9. _Seventhly_, God has made his grace, and the merit of Christ, the\nfoundation of our righteousness, that Christ alone may have the honor of\nit. Isa. 45:22-24; 53:11. \u201cIn him alone is our help.\u201d Hos. 13:9. He is the\nbeginning, middle, and end of our righteousness and salvation, so that\n\u201cevery mouth may be stopped.\u201d Rom. 3:19. For we are \u201csaved by grace\nthrough faith; not of works, lest any man should boast.\u201d Eph. 2:8, 9. But\nif our righteousness were founded on our own works and merits, there would\nthen be no room for grace, nor should we have occasion for mercy or pardon\nof sin, \u201cfor which every one that is godly doth pray.\u201d Ps. 32:6. Moreover,\nthere would be no place for humility, nor for the fear of God; neither\nwould faith and prayer turn to any great account; yea, we should have no\nneed of a Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour. Christ would have then died in\nvain; and we should be obliged, both by an external and an internal\nobedience, perfectly to fulfil the whole law. We should remain under the\ncurse, have fallen from grace, and have lost Christ; as St. Paul expressly\ntestifies in Gal. 5:3, 4. So that the doctrine of justification by\n_works_, in the sight of God, is altogether inconsistent with the whole\nScripture, both of the Old Testament and the New, and with our holy\nChristian faith.\n\n10. In short, our salvation and righteousness are founded entirely upon\nthe eternal grace of God, and the eternal Person and office of Christ; and\nin Christ alone we are made righteous, holy, alive, blessed, sons and\nheirs of God. The righteousness of Christ is ours, his goodness ours, his\nholiness ours; his life ours, his happiness ours, and lastly, the sonship\nand inheritance of Christ are ours; and so the WHOLE Christ, both\naccording to his divine and his human nature, is ours; (for God gives us\nthe WHOLE CHRIST for a Saviour, that he with his Person, office, grace,\nglory, and blessedness, may be wholly appropriated to us). That all this\nis our own, is our highest consolation, glory, praise, honor, love, joy,\nand peace before God and all the angels and elect; it is our sublimest\nwisdom, strength, might, victory, and triumph over sin and death, the\ndevil and hell, the world and all our enemies. For which God be praised to\nall eternity! Amen.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IV.\n\n\n Showing That Saving Faith In The True Christian Produces Manifold Fruits\nOf Righteousness, And That These Must Proceed From The Depth Of The Heart;\nAlso, That The Character Of Our Outward Works, Depends, In The Judgment Of\n                    God, Upon The State Of The Heart.\n\n\n    _And this I pray, that ye may be sincere and without offence till\n    the day of Christ: being filled with the fruits of righteousness,\n    which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of\n    God._\u2014PHIL. 1:9-11.\n\n\nThe true Christian is not only justified by faith in Christ, but is also\nmade a temple and habitation of Christ and of the Holy Spirit. To this end\nthe good Spirit of God purifies his heart by faith: and it is fit that\nChrist should live in his temple, together with his love, humility and\nmeekness. 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 3:17; Acts 15:9. To this end also thy Redeemer\nhas bestowed upon thee his Holy Spirit, that he might create in thee a new\nheart, and endue thee with so cheerful and ready a mind, as to do the will\nof God freely, without any unwillingness or compulsion. Jer. 31:32, 33;\nHeb. 10:16. This new and holy obedience proceeds not from the law, or any\nlegal commandment; but from a lively faith. Hence, \u201cthe law is not made\nfor a righteous man\u201d (1 Tim. 1:9), to _compel_ him to do good; though it\nis in other respects an excellent rule by which to regulate a Christian\u2019s\nlife and manners. For a true and living faith does everything freely and\nof its own accord: it renews the man, it purifies the heart, it produces\nfervent love to our neighbor, it hopes and considers such things as are\nnot yet seen. Faith prays, praises, fears, and confesses God. It is also\npatient, humble, merciful, loving, meek, easy to be reconciled,\ncompassionate, and peaceful. Faith readily forgives offences; hungers and\nthirsts after righteousness; embraces God with all his grace, and Christ\nwith all his merit; and obtains a complete remission of all sins. Now if\nany one does not perceive in his heart these fruits of the Spirit, and the\nindwelling of Christ by faith, let him humbly entreat the Lord, and that\nwith tears and groans, that he may obtain them. I would not be understood,\nhowever, as saying that a Christian in this life could attain to perfect\nand absolute holiness; for even the greatest saints are still sensible of\ntheir infirmities; of which the book of Psalms and the Lord\u2019s Prayer fully\nconvince us. God therefore requires that our righteousness, by which we\nare to please him, should be entirely apprehended by faith; and lest we\nshould act the hypocrite he wills that his righteousness should be stamped\non our very heart, and on the inmost centre of our souls; and likewise\nthat all the fruits of faith and righteousness should proceed from a\nliving and sound principle seated within the mind. According to this\ninward and leading principle, God judges all our works, whether they be\ntrue and genuine, or false and hypocritical.\n\n2. Here again, we do not assert that perfection can be found in this\npresent world, but only require that a Christian should walk in newness of\nlife, and approve himself by such works as are cleared from guile and\nhypocrisy. For it is by no means possible that the fruits of the Spirit\nenumerated by St. Paul, in Gal. 5:22, 23, should not be found in that man\nin whom the Spirit of God himself dwells (Gal. 5:22); or that a good tree\nshould not be known by its fruits, though they may not be altogether so\nperfect and angelic as could be wished, but be stained and often obscured\nby various frailties and imperfections. Nevertheless, all hypocrisy and\ninsincerity, are utterly to be banished from a regenerate state; nor are\nthe fruits of a Christian to proceed from an empty profession, or a\nlifeless appearance of things, but possess truth and reality. I do not\ndeny, on the one hand, that the Christian Church may be fitly compared to\na hospital crowded with all manner of sick; or to a house inhabited by\nsinners as well as by saints. I believe also that many, like feeble\nchildren, have not yet attained to the ability of walking alone; but that\nthey gradually learn to walk steadily. Hence it is necessary to \u201cbear one\nanother\u2019s burdens\u201d (Gal. 6:2), and never rashly to judge or condemn those\nwho by reason of their weakness halt behind. Rom. 14:1. We ought rather to\nrestore in the spirit of meekness those that stumble, and with great\ntenderness to rectify what is amiss in them. Thus we learn to read our own\nimperfections in the infirmities of our brother. But on the other hand,\nChristians ought to labor to make continual advances in the spiritual\nlife. They ought not to continue always in a state of infancy and\nweakness, how difficult soever it be to conquer the carnal mind that\nobstructs our growth. They ought to be fervent in the practice of\n\u201ccharity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith\nunfeigned\u201d (1 Tim. 1:5); and bear this in perpetual remembrance, that all\noutward performances are valued by God according to the inward disposition\nof the heart. If the heart be good, thou mayest then be assured, that\nwhatever thou doest is also good before God: but if the heart be evil,\ncorrupt, and envious, then all thy works are evil and hateful. Such as\nthou art inwardly, and in thy heart, such art thou accounted to be before\nGod; and such are thy prayers, thy public worship, thy giving of alms, thy\nreceiving the Sacrament, and all thy other performances.\n\n3. Whosoever therefore is willing to try his own faith and inward\ncondition, should set before his eyes the Ten Commandments (as by Christ\nhimself interpreted) (Matt. 5 and 6), and learn to judge of his actions by\nhis heart. By such an impartial trial, he will clearly perceive whether\nwhat he does be acceptable or unacceptable to God, and whether he bring\nforth the genuine fruits of that inward righteousness which is by faith.\nPhil. 1:11. For example, thou considerest that thou dost not defile\nthyself with any external idolatry. Now, in keeping from idols thou doest\nsurely well; but I would have thee farther inquire, whether thou also\nabhorrest all manner of _internal_ idolatry? Or whether thou hast set up\nan inward idol in some secret corner of the heart, to which thou payest\nthy vows? Ezek. 14:3, 4. Examine thyself whether thou art _within_, what\nthou professest to be _without_? See whether thy heart be not set upon the\nworld, upon avarice, and pride? If so, then thou art assuredly guilty of\nmost dangerous idolatry; for the creature has engrossed those noble\naffections which should be entirely surrendered to the Creator, and\ndedicated to him alone. Thou assurest us that thou art punctual in saying\nthy prayers, and in praising God; and that thou dost not neglect to offer\nup thy thanks for benefits received at his hands; but didst thou ever\nconsider, whether thou cursest in thy heart, whilst thou prayest with thy\nlips? Whether thou contradictest by thy actions what thou expressest in\nthy words? If so, thy prayer will prove but a worthless performance, and\nall thy thanks and praises will be trifling and vain. Thou tellest us how\nstrictly thou keepest the sabbath-day. In this truly thou doest well; but\nlook on the inward frame of thy soul. Dost thou celebrate the true sabbath\nin thy heart? Dost thou rest from evil thoughts and wicked desires? Is thy\nheart devoted to God, and freed from noise and clamor, that God himself\nmay work in it? Thou attendest divine service at church; it is well done;\nbut see that thou carry not with thee to church the canker-worm of pride\nand vanity. This would convert thy service into mere formality, and all\nthy performances into an empty show. Thou yieldest external obedience to\nGod and to thy superiors; but does that which passes within thy soul agree\nwith this exterior conduct? Is everything done with an upright and willing\nmind? Dost thou act from a principle of love, or of fear only? If it be\nfear that constrains thee to an external compliance, then know assuredly\nthat thy obedience is no more than hypocrisy. Thou defilest not thy hands\nwith blood and slaughter, and thinkest thyself free from the crime of\nmurder. But take a view of thy heart: for when the heart burns with wrath\nand anger, and when this, as a flame, flashes out upon thy face; when thy\ninward wrath breaks out into reproaches and curses, saying to thy brother,\n_Raca_, and _Thou fool_; then surely thou art become guilty of the\njudgment, of the council, and of everlasting fire. Matt. 5:22. What\ntherefore will it avail thee that thy hand is unpolluted with blood,\nwhilst thy heart accuses thee of hatred and murder? 1 John 3:15. For\nwithin, in the heart, the murderer, the adulterer, the thief, and the\nliar, are harbored. Here it is that thou must look for the beast, the evil\nlust, and the root of all malice and mischief: which, if it be not\ndestroyed by serious repentance, by true contrition and conversion, by\nfaith and the blood of Christ, it is impossible that thou shouldest do so\nmuch as one work acceptable to God; who judges of all thy actions by the\ninward temper and disposition of the heart.\n\n4. Of this Christ himself gives us an example from the commandment \u201cThou\nshalt not kill,\u201d saying, \u201cIf thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there\nrememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift\nbefore the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother.\u201d\nMatt. 5:21-26. That is, it will not at all avail thee to pray, to\nsacrifice, to worship God, and to take the Sacrament; yea, all thy actions\nwill be converted into so many sins, because God regards the heart only,\nand not the outward performance. Hence St. Paul commands us to \u201clift up\nholy hands without wrath and doubting.\u201d 1 Tim. 2:8. And St. Peter enjoins\nmarried persons to beware of anger, and to dwell together in love and\nharmony, as heirs together of the grace of life, \u201cthat their prayers be\nnot hindered.\u201d 1 Peter 3:7. Nay, the Lord Jesus himself strongly exhorts\nus to brotherly reconciliation, by the three following arguments. Matt.\n5:25, 26.\n\n(_a_) The first is, \u201cAgree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in\nthe way with him;\u201d that is, whilst thou art on this side of eternity: for\nour life indeed is nothing else but a perpetual motion towards death and\nthe grave. If in this life thou art not freed from the bonds of wrath,\nthou shalt remain a captive to them, yea, to the devil himself, throughout\nall eternity.\n\n(_b_) The second argument is, \u201clest at any time the adversary deliver thee\nto the judge.\u201d It is an awful thing to be summoned to the tribunal of God,\nand before so tremendous a judgment-seat, to plead our cause against an\naccusing adversary. Whereas, whatever is pardoned, settled, and forgiven\nin this life, the same will also be forgiven and eternally pardoned in the\nnext. Whence we may gather how much God regards the love of our neighbor,\nsince he will have it by no means separated from the love of himself; and\ntherefore refuses to admit of our love to him, unless it be linked to that\nof our neighbor. And why? Because God is Love itself, and loveth man as\nhis own soul.\n\n(_c_) The third argument is, \u201clest thou be cast into prison, whence thou\ncanst not come out till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.\u201d It is\nagreeable to the divine justice, so to deal with us there, as we have\ndealt with our neighbor here; and \u201cwith that measure we have meted withal,\nto measure to us again.\u201d Luke 6:38. Wherefore if thou refusest to forgive\nany brother his faults, the judgment of God is this: That in like manner\nno sin shall be remitted to thee. This will prove a burden heavy indeed.\nFor the man that dies in this bitter, irreconcilable temper, must, in\nhell, continue a debtor to all eternity, and this without any hope or\nprospect of ever lessening the debts which he has here contracted.\n\n5. Thus the Son of God, has by this example, taught us that we must judge\nof the worth of our outward works, nay, of all our religion, by the inward\ndisposition or principle that sways the heart. But perhaps thou still\ncontinuest to flatter thyself, and to say, \u201cI am baptized into Christ; I\nhave the pure word of God; I hear it; I receive the sacrament of the\nLord\u2019s Supper; I also believe and confess all the articles of the\nChristian faith: wherefore it cannot be, but that my life and actions must\nbe pleasing to God; I am a Christian in truth, and in the right way to be\nsaved.\u201d This, alas! is the general, but false reasoning of many in these\ndays, who regard their outward performances as constituting true\nrighteousness. It might do well enough, if the heart did but agree with\ntheir profession: for without this, all is mere trifling, and a dead,\nhypocritical show. Look therefore into this, and learn to judge of thyself\nby the inward frame of thy soul. Thou boastest indeed, that thou art a\nChristian; and an excellent name it is; but dost thou consider, whether\nthy heart and thy actions agree with a name so sacred? Hast thou received\nthe unction from above, and art thou possessed of the fruits of the\nSpirit, that demonstrate a Christian? 1 John 2:27. If these be wanting,\nthou wilt prove in the end but a false and spurious Christian. Thou\nassertest, further, that thou art baptized; and so indeed thou art! But\nsearch the state of thy heart, and inquire whether thou livest in the new\nbirth, in daily repentance, and an unwearied mortification of the old man.\nSee whether thou bringest forth fruit answerable to the baptismal\ncovenant, in which thou art engaged? Thou sayest that thou hast the\noracles of God committed to thee, and that thou hearest and readest them:\nbut inspect thy heart, and consider whether the Word be converted into thy\nlife and spirit, as bodily food passes into thy flesh and blood? Whether\nthou hast lived up to its direction, and expressed the effect of it in thy\nconduct? If thou contentest thyself with the bare _hearing_ thereof, thou\nmust know that this will never yield eternal salvation, and that thou\ndeceivest thyself in a matter of infinite importance. For this reason has\nthe Lord compared the kingdom of Heaven to leaven, which gradually spreads\nitself through the whole lump, and converts every part into its own\nnature; thereby to set forth that powerful influence which the Word ought\nto have upon our will and affections. Truly, \u201cnot every one that saith,\nLord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the\nwill of the Father which is in heaven.\u201d Matt. 7:21. Thou thinkest that\nthou dost a service when with zeal thou defendest the purity of the\ndoctrine: and truly therein thou doest well. Nevertheless, I would have\nthee inquire, whether by the purity of the doctrine, and thy defence of\nit, thou hast also attained a true purity of the _heart_. Do we not find\nmany rigid defenders of the pure doctrine, who in their lives are the most\nunclean of men, full of pride, bitterness, and covetousness? Alas, the\nname of God itself, is made a common shelter for all manner of vices,\nwhich screen themselves under the same, with impunity. Thou affirmest that\nthou often receivest the Lord\u2019s Supper. This is right; but search thine\nown heart. Thou hast often received the flesh and blood of Christ in this\nSacrament: why then do the flesh and blood of Adam live and reign in thee?\nShould not the life of Christ shine forth in thy whole conduct? Should not\nhis love, his humility, and meekness, diffuse themselves through all thy\nmanners? Where is the advantage, if thou receivest Christ in the\nSacrament, and deniest him in thy life and actions? Thou sayest, that thou\nbelievest and confessest all the articles of the Christian faith. It is\nwell! but have recourse to the touchstone of the _heart_. That is only a\ntrue faith, which unites man with God, and God with man; by which God\ndwells, lives, and operates in man. If these effects be wanting in thee,\nthy faith is false, and so far from uniting thee with God, it sets thee at\na greater distance from him. This, however, is not to be understood of the\nfaith of weak and feeble Christians, which is often so clouded, as to\nrender it hard to perceive its life and motion. For even a weak _faith_,\nthough it be like smoking flax, has in it the properties of a strong\nfaith, though it cannot exert itself with equal strength and energy. It\nheartily cleaves to God, and brings forth fruit amidst all those\ninfirmities with which it struggles. But I would have it understood of\nfaith in general, and of the trial and fruits of it, that, if thou\nbelievest in Christ, then Christ must certainly live in thee by faith, or\nthine will prove but an empty, naked profession. If thou believest that\nChrist suffered death for thy sins, thou must also die with him to the\nsame (Gal. 2:20), and renounce the world, with all its pride and avarice.\nRom. 6:2. If this effect do not follow, then truly thou believest not in\nChrist. If thou believest that Christ was crucified for the sins of the\nworld, _thou_ must with him be crucified to the same. If thou refusest to\ncomply with this, thou canst not be a living member of Christ, nor be\nunited with him by faith. If thou believest that Christ is risen from the\ndead, it is thy duty to rise spiritually with him, and firmly adhere to\nhim, thy Head and Saviour. In a word, the birth, cross, passion, death,\nresurrection, and ascension of Christ, must, after a spiritual manner, be\ntransacted in thee. And this is the blessed effect of faith, and the\ninfluence it has on believing souls. Wherever this effect is wanting,\nthere is nothing but a lifeless image of faith, with which men miserably\ndeceive themselves. So if thou believest in the Holy Spirit, the same\nSpirit in whom thou believest, must of necessity dwell and reign in thy\nheart, and enlighten and sanctify it. For, \u201cas many as are led by the\nSpirit of God, they are the sons of God.\u201d Rom. 8:14.\n\n6. Therefore, dear Christian! let not your religion be confined to bare\nexternals, but see that it proceed from the more inward recesses of a\nheart endued with a true, living, and active faith, and with an unfeigned,\ninward, and daily repentance. If you put away from you this inward life,\nthis faith, and this repentance, you strip your religion of all essential\ngoodness, and, instead of a living principle, which ought to be\nestablished in the mind, you carry about an empty, insignificant name,\nwhich will avail you nothing in that day, wherein God will judge all\nthings according to the inward frame of the heart. But if you are truly\naffected with a sense of your inward wants and impurities, then flee\nwithout delay to the healing fountain of grace! Draw and drink, pray and\nknock, seek and cry, \u201cLord, have mercy upon me!\u201d Then your heart shall be\ncured, your sin covered, and your transgression cancelled.\n\n\n\n\nChapter V.\n\n\n  Showing That The Evidence Of True Christianity Does Not Consist In The\n Knowledge And The Hearing Of God\u2019s Word, But That He Is A Christian, In\n Whose Life God\u2019s Word Is Manifested, And Who Beseeches God In Sincerity\nThat This Word, As A Divine Seed, May Be Quickened In Him, And Bear Fruit.\n\n\n    _The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every\n    one that believeth._\u2014ROM. 1:16.\n\n\nThe way by which we are to arrive at true and substantial wisdom, and\nbecome friends of God, is to submit ourselves to the discipline of\nrepentance, and to lead a life conformable to the Word of God. Such a life\nas this cannot fail to be attended with true illumination of the mind, and\nan increase of all divine graces; nay, with so close an alliance with God\nhimself, as to make us \u201cpartakers of the divine nature, having escaped the\ncorruption that is in the world through lust.\u201d 2 Peter 1:4. An example of\nthis we have in Enoch, who having \u201cwalked with God, was not, for God took\nhim\u201d to himself. Gen. 5:24. To such a holy life as this David aspired with\nthe utmost fervor of spirit, proposing two means by which to obtain it:\nthe first, _fervent prayer_; and the second, _a diligent practice of the\nword of God_. \u201cI cried,\u201d says he, \u201cwith my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I\nwill keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy\ntestimonies.\u201d Ps. 119:145, 146.\n\n2. These words set forth the difficulties which he encounters who seeks to\nbe a true Christian, and to keep the word of God in holiness of life. For\nflesh and blood naturally strive against the word of God, and that\nholiness of life which it requires: and are, besides, inconstant and weak,\nand prone to yield to the enticements of the world. The devil on all\noccasions hinders our progress, and opposes our endeavors on every side.\nThis is followed by a multitude of evil examples, and the persecutions\nwhich wicked men raise in opposition to those souls that enter upon\nanother course of life. Against obstinate evils, such as these, all the\nstrength of the soul is to be opposed. This we learn from the example of\nDavid, who cried unto the Lord _with his whole heart_, in order that he\nmight better digest the Word, and by leading such a life as that Word\nrequires, continue in the favor of God. This ought also to be our main\nconcern; the favor of God being infinitely preferable to all that the\nworld affords. Whoever pleases God, and is His friend, most effectually\nsecures himself thereby from the malice of all his enemies. Hence _serious\nand fervent prayer_ is, as I said before, the first step to a holy life.\nThe second means to obtain a holy life, is expressed in the following\nwords of the same Psalm: \u201cI prevented the dawning of the morning, and\ncried: I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I\nmight meditate in thy word.\u201d Ps. 119:147, 148. Here the Psalmist declares\nthe earnest study, love, and affection, which are due to the word of God;\nas also the time best suited for meditating in it, namely, the morning.\nThe faculties of the mind are then more strong and vigorous than at other\ntimes; and are best disposed for searching into divine subjects. The truth\nof this is at that season most feelingly perceived, when the soul,\nafflicted by sadness and deep spiritual temptations, \u201cwatches for the\nmorning\u201d (Ps. 130:6), and with \u201cwaking eyes\u201d (Ps. 77:4), expects help from\nthe Lord. She is then \u201cas a sparrow alone upon the house top,\u201d as a lonely\nowl in the desert (Ps. 102:6, 7); and \u201cso weary with groaning\u201d (Ps. 6:6),\nas to be almost ready to expire.\n\n3. This is that exercise of the cross, or school of affliction, in which\nall saints are most effectually trained for a happy eternity. Whoever is\nnot inured to this sort of trials, can know but little of God and of his\nword. In this exercise, all the natural powers of soul and life consume\naway, that God alone may become our strength and support. By such inward\ntrials as these, the carnal life is likewise more and more weakened, and\nthe quickening power of God and of his word, perceived with the greater\neffect and experience. And truly, all our efforts ought to centre in this,\nthat the external hearing and reading of the divine word be practically\napplied to the mind, and improved into Christian experience.\n\n4. This doctrine, therefore, I would have firmly rooted in thy mind,\nnamely, that not the reading or hearing, but the doing and practising of\nthe word, demonstrates the true Christian. James 1:22. Without this\npractical improvement, hearing and reading will be of no great advantage.\nFor the word was not committed to us, that it might be read and known\nonly, but that it might be reduced to practice. As a medicine gives no\nrelief to the patient who hears of, or looks upon it, but at the same time\nrefuses to take it; so the word, though a remedy for our diseased nature,\ncan yet cure no man, or restore him from death to life, whilst he refuses\nto take what the word prescribes. Therefore, in order to this, fervent and\nconstant prayer (according to the example set us by David), will be\nrequisite in order to enable us to conform our life and actions to the\ndivine word. What advantage is it to an artist that he knows an art, if he\nnever practises it? Will not his supine and careless neglect reduce him at\nlength to poverty? And what will it avail us to _know_ the word of God,\nand not _do_ it? \u201cThat servant,\u201d says our Saviour, \u201cwhich knew his lord\u2019s\nwill, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall\nbe beaten with many stripes.\u201d Luke 12:47. And St. Peter affirms, that \u201cit\nhad been better for such not to have known the way of righteousness, than,\nafter they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto\nthem.\u201d 2 Peter 2:21. As a father does not own him for a son, who in\neverything acts in a manner contrary to his will, so not words, but the\nlife and actions, are marks and indications of a child of God, according\nto that saying of our Saviour: \u201cIf ye were Abraham\u2019s children, ye would do\nthe works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me,\u2014this did not Abraham.\u2014Ye\nare of your father the devil.\u201d John 8:39, 40, 44. Why should a barren and\nfruitless tree take up any room in the garden, when it only incumbers the\nground on which it grows? It is surely fit for nothing, but to be cast\ninto the fire, as is represented in the parable of the barren fig-tree.\nLuke 13:6, 7. As it would be foolish to give to a raven the name of a\nswan, to which it has no resemblance; so if the men of this world should\nbe called by the name of true Christians, whilst so little of a Christian\ntemper appears in their life and manners, I think it would be justly\ncounted egregious folly. It is not by words, but by deeds and actions,\nthat we are to judge of a Christian\u2019s state, according to that saying of\nSt. Paul: \u201cThe kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.\u201d 1 Cor. 4:20.\nSuch is the condition of most men at this day, that those who make the\nstrongest pretences to the Christian name, do nothing but that which is\ncontrary to the Christian spirit. They are like the people at Rome,\nconcerning whom Laurentius Valla exclaimed when reading these words of our\nLord, \u201cBlessed are the merciful, blessed are the peacemakers,\u201d etc. (Matt.\n5:7-9), \u201c_Surely either these words are not true, or we are no\nChristians._\u201d Man is corrupted to such a degree, that even not a few brute\ncreatures visibly surpass him in some good quality. The dove excels him in\nharmlessness (Matt. 10:16); the ant in industry (Prov. 6:6); the stork in\na careful provision for her young; the dog in love and fidelity; the ox\nand the ass in knowledge of their master (Isa. 1:3); the sheep in meekness\n(Isa. 53:7); the lion in generosity and clemency towards weak animals; the\ncock in watchfulness; and the serpent in wisdom. On the contrary, man in\nhis natural state exceeds all the beasts in mischief. He is more fierce\nthan a wolf; more crafty than a fox; more vain than a peacock; more\nvoracious than a swine; more pestilent than a viper; fiercer than a bear.\nIndeed, the Lord Jesus himself terms Herod a _fox_ (Luke 13:32); John the\nBaptist applies the name of _vipers_ to the Pharisees (Matt. 3:7); and St.\nPaul that of _lion_ to Nero. 2 Tim. 4:17. Truly, those vices and\nmischiefs, which go single and unaccompanied in brutes, are oftentimes\ncrowded together in one natural man. So that the human body is very\nsignificantly called by the apostle, \u201cthe body of sin\u201d (Rom. 6:6), as\nbeing full of sins, and infected with all manner of defilements. Not to\nmention, that there is no creature so bad and pernicious, but that it may\nbe still of some use to men. The foxes and wolves, for instance, with\ntheir skins, secure men from the injuries of a rigorous season. But, alas!\nwhat good is there to be found in a man abandoned to the conduct of an\nunregenerate nature? \u201cEvery imagination of the thoughts of his heart is\nonly evil continually\u201d (Gen. 6:5; 8:21); as is more than once expressed in\nScripture. He exercises his reason to practise fraud; he wastes his body\nwith pride and lewdness; and is both inwardly and outwardly corrupted, so\nthat all his members are justly called the \u201cinstruments\u201d or weapons \u201cof\nunrighteousness.\u201d Rom. 6:13. Hence it is, that the Sacred Scriptures\nrepresent our nature in colors so dark and odious, as may strike terror\ninto every man that reads them. \u201cThere is none righteous, no, not one:\nthere is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.\nThey are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;\nthere is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open\nsepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is\nunder their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their\nfeet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways;\nand the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before\ntheir eyes.\u201d Rom. 3:10-18; Ps. 14.\n\n5. Behold here the deplorable image of the natural man! Behold the\nabomination that is common to us all! And now tell me how a man can see\nthe kingdom of God, unless he be born again from above, or, as St. Paul\nexpresses it, \u201cunless he be renewed in the spirit of his mind: putting on\nthe new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true\nholiness?\u201d Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10. And the same apostle says, \u201cBut ye have\nnot so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been\ntaught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.\u201d Eph. 4:20, 21. Yea, he says,\n\u201cThey that are Christ\u2019s, have crucified the flesh with the affections and\nlusts.\u201d Gal. 5:24. Alas! if those belong not to Christ, who do not mortify\nthe members of unrighteousness, but live in the pollutions of sin, then\nthey surely must belong to the devil, and cannot inherit the kingdom of\nheaven, since they do not crucify the flesh. For whosoever desires to\nplease God, must become \u201ca new creature\u201d in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17); \u201cin whom\nneither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new\ncreature.\u201d Gal. 6:15. Now, since these are the terms on which our eternal\nwelfare depends, let it be our main concern, that we more and more\nvanquish sin in our mortal bodies, and that we be members, not of Satan,\nbut of Jesus Christ. Let us earnestly endeavor, that the divine Word may\ngain ground, and bear fruit in our souls. Let us strive to render our\nlives acceptable to God, so that, being preserved by his grace to the end,\nwe may continue \u201cvessels of mercy, and not of wrath.\u201d Rom. 9:22, 23.\n\n6. It is for this reason that David so heartily wishes to lead a holy\nlife, conformably to the word of God: \u201cI cried,\u201d says he, \u201cwith my whole\nheart; hear me, O Lord; I will keep thy statutes\u201d (Ps. 119:145): for since\nour conversion is entirely from above, it follows, that a holy life must\nbe obtained by continual prayer and supplication. \u201cHeal me, O Lord,\u201d says\nthe prophet, \u201cand I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for\nthou art my praise.\u201d Jer. 17:14; 31:18. And David says again, \u201cI cried\nunto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.\u201d Ps. 119:146. Sin\nand the kingdom of Satan are, indeed, so strong and powerful in man, that\nit is in vain to attempt their conquest without the divine aid and\nassistance.\n\n7. Let us therefore shake off all sloth and negligence, and let us acquit\nourselves diligently, in a matter of so great importance. David himself\nfurther adds, \u201cI prevented (_that is_, I came before) the dawning of the\nmorning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent (_or_,\nanticipate) the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.\u201d Ps.\n119:147, 148. And very appropriate are the words of the prophet on this\naccount: \u201cHe wakeneth me morning by morning: he wakeneth mine ear to hear\nas the learned.\u201d Isa. 50:4. With which those of Solomon agree: \u201cI sleep,\nbut my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh.\u201d Song\n5:2.\n\n8. In these and the like sentences of Scripture, we may view the fatherly\ncare, and condescending love of our merciful God; since his delight is to\nbe conversant with the sons of men, to speak with them and to instruct\nthem. Hence he appointed his Son to be our heavenly Teacher and Master; of\nwhich the Lord Jesus himself gave a visible image when he was found in the\ntemple in the midst of the doctors, and astonished the hearers with \u201chis\nunderstanding and answers.\u201d Luke 2:47. This was done by our Saviour, not\nmerely on account of the Jewish temple, which is now destroyed; but rather\non account of the Christian Church itself, which is the true and heavenly\nJerusalem, taught and instructed by his Word and Spirit. It was also done\nwith reference to the temple of our heart, in which he will teach,\ncomfort, enlighten, and sanctify us. Here he will pray, ask questions, and\nanswer them; and speak in holy thoughts, and devout meditations. And in\nthis the prophetical office of Christ consists. Hence also he replied to\nhis mother in these words: \u201cHow is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that\nI must be about my father\u2019s business?\u201d (Luke 2:49), meaning that office\nwhich was conferred upon him by his Father. This office he now performs at\nthe right hand of God, as our true and only High priest; and upon earth he\ndischarges it by his _word_; by means of which he also inwardly preaches\nin our hearts by his Holy Spirit and gracious illumination. Without this,\nthe outward preaching must prove barren and unfruitful, according to the\nwords of the apostle: \u201cI have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the\nincrease. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that\nwatereth; but God that giveth the increase.\u201d 1 Cor. 3:6, 7.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VI.\n\n\nThe Perfection And Salvation Of Men Depend On Union With Christ By Faith;\n  But To This They Can Contribute Nothing, Whereas They Rather Interfere\n With The Grace Of God By Their Perverse Will; But Christ, And He Alone,\n                       Accomplishes The Work In Us.\n\n\n    _Without me ye can do nothing._\u2014JOHN 15:5.\n\n\nAs man by his apostasy from God, through ambition and self-love, was\nseparated from him, and fell from the perfection in which he was created,\nso he must of necessity return to his original tranquillity and happiness,\nby a _union_ with God; in which the whole of human perfection consists. It\nwas therefore necessary, that the Son of God should become man, in order\nthat human nature, being again united to God, might thereby be restored to\nits primitive integrity and perfection. As the divine and human natures\nare united in the one Person of Christ, so must we all, through grace, be\nunited to him by faith, as to our eternal and sovereign Good. In this\nmanner it pleased God to rectify the exceeding corruption of our nature by\nthe abounding goodness of his grace. This union is declared by the Son of\nGod himself: \u201cI will betroth thee,\u201d says he, \u201cunto me for ever, in loving\nkindness and in mercies.\u201d Hos. 2:19. For since our nature is infected and\ncorrupted by _sin_, which is the greatest of evils, it could not be\nrestored and healed but by GOD himself, the sovereign Good.\n\n2. Now as the union of the divine and the human natures in Christ is\neternal, and is never to be dissolved, insomuch that even death itself\ncould not break asunder so sacred a bond: so Christ our Head is to be so\nfirmly united with his faithful members, that neither life nor death may\never be able to separate them from him. This is also declared by the\nprophet Hosea, in the Person of Christ: \u201cI will,\u201d says he, \u201cbetroth thee\nunto me for ever.\u201d\n\n3. This union by faith, is of the highest necessity, because \u201cour\niniquities have separated between us and our God.\u201d Isa. 59:2. And this\ndeplorable state will continue to all eternity, unless Christ dwell in us\nhere by faith. Moreover, we are not able to do the least good, unless\nChrist himself work it in us. Hence, says the apostle, \u201cNot I, but the\ngrace of God which is with me.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:10. And the Lord himself says:\n\u201cWithout me ye can do nothing\u201d (John 15:5); the truth of which he\nillustrates by the beautiful parable of the vine and the branches. Whence\nit naturally follows, that if we are, or do, any good at all, it is\naltogether to be ascribed to God alone; according to what is said by the\nprophet: \u201cThou hast wrought all our works in us\u201d (Isa. 26:12); and by\nanother: \u201cI am like a green fir-tree. From me is thy fruit found.\u201d Hos.\n14:8.\n\n4. O man! consider therefore, what thou art, and what thou canst do. What\nhast thou been able to contribute to thy restoration and the renovation of\nthy depraved nature? Surely nothing. As thou couldst not afford any help\ntoward thy bodily birth, nor create thyself; so neither canst thou bring\nany assistance towards thy new birth or regeneration. Thou canst indeed\nlose, corrupt, and destroy thyself; but to renew, to restore, to heal, to\njustify, and to quicken thyself, is a work entirely beyond thy strength.\nCouldest thou contribute anything that God might become man? No. There is\nnothing therefore that thou canst arrogate to thyself, or ascribe to thy\nown ability. Indeed, the more a man attributes to his own will, strength,\nand ability, the more effectually does he obstruct divine grace, and the\nrenewal of his corrupted nature. Let us therefore wholly renounce our own\nstrength, our own wisdom, our own will, and self-love, that, being thus\nresigned to God alone, we may suffer his power freely to work in us, so\nthat nothing may, in the least, oppose the will and operations of the\nLord.\n\n5. Until thou art brought to this, O Christian, that thy mind becomes\nmerely passive, and that thou purely _sufferest_ the operation and will of\nGod, it is evident, that God is impeded by thee, so that he cannot unite\nhimself with thy soul; or by true renovation of thy corrupt nature\nestablish his image there. For our own will, self-love, ambition, the\nopinion of our own wisdom, and whatever we arrogantly claim to ourselves,\nare so many impediments, why God cannot freely operate in us, and effect\nhis good will. For as a man\u2019s own will more and more corrupts and depraves\nhim; so the will of God more and more perfects and restores him.\n\n6. Hence, it was said by Bonaventura, that \u201cthe highest perfection of\nreligion, consists in renouncing our own will.\u201d And by Augustine, \u201cIf _to\nlove God_ is the greatest good to man, _to love himself_ must needs be his\ngreatest evil. And, if such is the nature of good, that it diffuses and\ncommunicates itself; of necessity self-love must be a great evil, since it\nengrosses to itself both its own and the goods of others, and will not\npart with any of them.\u201d Of this even the pagan Seneca himself was not\nignorant when he said: \u201cThat only is an accession to virtue, which is a\ndenial of thy own will.\u201d And again: \u201cUnless thou departest from thyself,\nthou canst not approach God, who is above thee.\u201d\n\n7. Our _own will_ is nothing else but a defection or apostasy from God.\nDefection verily is easy, smooth, and pleasant; but the recovery from it\nis bitter, troublesome, and difficult; yea, even beyond all the power of\nthe creature. For man, by his own strength, can neither return, nor in any\nwise help himself, whether in will or deed. Man\u2019s will is captive, and his\nworks are dead. Christ alone is able to help, in the beginning, the\nprogress, and the end. He lays before us two means, the _law_ and the\n_gospel_; or _repentance_ and _remission_ of sin. Through the _law_, in\nthe first place, thou must die with Christ, and by true sorrow and\nbrokenness of heart sacrifice thy own will. Thou must become as nothing in\nthine own eyes, and resign thyself wholly to Christ. Then grace and\nforgiveness of sin are conferred through the _gospel_, and man, that was\ndead before, is made alive by faith. Whence it appears, that no man can by\nhis own strength convert and quicken himself. For it is absolutely\nnecessary that he hate, deny, and lose himself; that he be displeased\nwith, and die unto, himself; and that his hope be placed entirely in God\nalone, by whose grace he expects to live.\n\n8. But even this self-hatred, denial, and mortification, are not the\neffect of our own will and ability. \u201cIt is not,\u201d says St. Paul, \u201cof him\nthat willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.\u201d\nRom. 9:16. It is God therefore alone who operates all this in us by his\ngrace, and by the power of his good Spirit: so that our justification is\nnot derived from any creature whatsoever, but from God alone, whose work\nand gift it is. For the most dangerous enemy any man has, is _himself_;\ninsomuch that we have great reason to implore the Lord to deliver us from\nourselves and all that we have by nature, and then to bestow that which\nflows from his grace. By our own strength we are not able to perform the\nleast good, if God, himself, even after conversion, do not graciously\noperate in us. Who is there that can endue us with love and mercy, but\nGod, who is LOVE itself, and from whom all other graces proceed?\nTherefore, Christ _alone_ is our help and support, when the help of men\ncannot avail. But after all, be the condition ever so low to which man has\nbeen brought by the fall of Adam, he is now raised again by Christ, and\neven exalted to a higher degree than he possessed before. But of this more\nshall be said in Chapter XI.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VII.\n\n\nShowing That In Order To Understand The True Nature Of Repentance, We Must\nNecessarily Know The Distinction Between The Old And The New Man; Or, How\nIn Us Adam Must Die, And Christ Live; Or, How In Us The Old Man Must Die,\n                          And The New Man Live.\n\n\n    _We know this, that our old man is crucified with Christ, that the\n    body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not\n    serve sin._\u2014ROM. 6:6.\n\n\nIn every Christian there is found a twofold man, opposed, like their\nfruits, to one another. This will more fully appear from the following\nstatement:\n\nAdam,             Christ.\nOld man,          New man.\nOutward man,      Inward man.\nOld birth,        New birth.\nFlesh,            Spirit.\nNature,           Grace.\nReason,           Faith.\nDarkness,         Light.\nTree of death,    Tree of life.\nEvil fruit,       Good fruit.\nSin,              Righteousness.\nDamnation,        Salvation.\nDeath,            Life.\nOld Jerusalem,    New Jerusalem.\nKingdom of the    Kingdom of God.\ndevil,\nSeed of the       Seed of God.\nserpent,\nNatural man,      Spiritual man.\nImage of the      Image of the\nearthly,          heavenly.\n\nThe truth of this statement, the Scriptures, as well as experience,\nabundantly confirm. The former speak largely of the old man and the new,\nof the inward and outward man. See Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:9; 2 Cor. 4:16. They\nteach also that the Spirit of God is in us: Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19;\n2 Cor. 5:5; Eph. 1:13. And likewise Christ, Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 13:5.\n_Experience_, moreover, demonstrates the same. Hither may also be referred\nthat striving and struggling of the flesh and Spirit, from which even the\nsaints are not free. Rom. 7:23. Likewise there belong here the different\nfruits of the flesh and Spirit reckoned up by St. Paul. Gal. 5:19-23. This\npoint is therefore clearly stated in Scripture, and too certain to be\ncalled in question by any Christian. It is the hinge, as it were, on which\nall the Scripture moves, and the foundation on which the true knowledge of\nman depends. Out of the same fountain issue true repentance, or the death\nof Adam, and the life of Christ in us. For no sooner does Adam die in us,\nbut there perishes with him all that is originally derived from him; the\nold outward man, the old birth, the flesh, nature, corrupt reason,\ndarkness, the tree of death, evil fruits, sin, death, damnation, the seed\nof the serpent, the natural man, the earthly image, the old Jerusalem, and\nthe kingdom of Satan. But as long as Adam lives, there also live and reign\nwith him the old man, and the carnal birth, the flesh, nature, corrupt\nreason, darkness, and the whole train of evils before mentioned, being all\ncomprised under the kingdom of Satan, and subject to damnation, and to the\ncurse everlasting. But if, on the other hand, Christ live in any one, then\nverily there live and reign with him the new and inward man, the new\nbirth, the Spirit, grace, faith, light, the tree of life, good fruits,\nrighteousness, life, happiness, the seed of God, the spiritual man, the\nheavenly image, the new Jerusalem, and the kingdom of God. All which\nproceed from the divine blessing, and tend to eternal salvation. Here is a\nmatter of importance, namely, so to order one\u2019s life and conduct, that\nChrist the new or second Adam, and not the old Adam, may live and reign in\nus.\n\n2. Therefore it is necessary for a man to watch, to fast, to pray, fight,\nand strive; and, as St. Paul expresses it, to examine himself if Christ be\nin him. 2 Cor. 13:5. He is to work out his salvation with fear and\ntrembling. Phil. 2:12. He is to enter through the strait gate and the\nnarrow way in Christ. Matt. 7:13. That is, man must now hate and deny\nhimself, forsake all (Luke 14:26), and die unto sin. Rom. 6:2. This surely\nis not to be effected, as the delicate Christians of this age imagine, by\nany careless and slight application of mind, but by an inward and profound\nsorrow, contrition, and brokenness of heart, together with groans and\ntears that cannot be uttered. These inward exercises, and acts of\ndevotion, are most feelingly set forth by David in his Penitential Psalms,\nwhich abound with expressions of this nature. Ps. 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130;\n143. The apostle calls it a crucifying of the flesh with the affections\nand lusts thereof. Gal. 5:24. Whoever attains to this state, in him verily\nChrist lives, and he reciprocally in Christ by faith. Then Christ conquers\nand reigns in man, whose faith is become \u201cthe victory that overcometh the\nworld.\u201d 1 John 5:4.\n\n3. But since the world, which thou art to strive against, is not _without_\nthee, but _within_ thee, it follows, that it is also to be conquered not\nwithout, but within thee. For what is the world, but \u201cthe lust of the\nflesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?\u201d 1 John 2:16. As\nthese are in thee, so in thee they are to be subdued, that thus thou\nmayest worthily bear the name and character of a true child of God. \u201cFor\nwhatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world\u201d (1 John 5:4); and if thou\novercomest, and gainest the victory over thy great enemy the world, thou\nart then a child of light (Eph. 5:8), a member of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27;\nEph. 5:30), and the temple of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 6:19. Thou art now a\ngood tree (Matt. 12:33), that freely and without constraint, yea, with\njoy, love, and pleasure, bringeth forth fruit to the glory of God. Matt.\n5:16.\n\n4. But if thou livest in Adam, and Adam reigns in thee, then thou art not\na child of God, nor born again of him. For since thou art overcome by the\nworld, and since the prince thereof rules in thee by pride, ambition, and\nself-love, thou art on this very account to be numbered amongst the\nchildren of the devil. John 8:44. \u201cFor as many as are led by the Spirit of\nGod, they are the sons of God.\u201d Rom. 8:14. And, on the contrary, as many\nas are led by Satan, they likewise are his children; yea, they are the\nvery members of Satan, sons of darkness, a habitation of unclean spirits,\nan accursed Babylon, full of impure and of abominable beasts; as it is\nrepresented by the ancient prophets (Isa. 13:21; Rev. 18:2); but\nparticularly by the prophet Ezekiel. He being brought in spirit into the\ntemple at Jerusalem, beheld two remarkable things: one whereof was, \u201cevery\nform of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the\nhouse of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about;\u201d and secondly (which\nwas still more detestable), \u201cseventy men of the ancients of the house of\nIsrael, worshipping these beasts and images, and offering them incense.\u201d\nEzek. 8:10, 11.\n\n5. Behold, O man, a lively representation here given of thy depraved,\nbrutish, and beastly heart! If thou wilt but enter into this temple of thy\nheart, thou shalt surely find therein vast numbers of foul, detestable\ncreatures, images, and idols, fashioned and represented by all manner of\ncorrupt and impure thoughts in the carnal mind, imagination, and memory.\nMoreover (and this is the greatest evil of all), though these idols and\nhorrid abominations should be utterly banished from the heart, and this\ndetestable evil, by which man is made the habitation of unclean and\npestilential reptiles, should, by all means, be destroyed by repentance,\nby mortification of the flesh, and by penitential tears and humiliation;\nyet, instead of doing that, thou lovest these serpents, adorest these vile\nmonsters, and servest and caressest them. Alas! thou but little regardest\nthat Christ is cast out of thy soul by these abominations, and is utterly\nbanished from thy heart; and that by this means thou deprivest thyself of\nthe supreme and eternal Good, losing the Holy Spirit with all his\nexcellent gifts and graces. O miserable man! thou exceedingly grievest\nwhen any outward trouble befalls thee, or when thou losest anything in the\nworld that is dear to thee; why then is it, that thou art not at all\nconcerned at the loss even of CHRIST himself, and at the deplorable state\nof thy soul and body, which are both become a habitation of malignant\nspirits!\n\n6. If these things be seriously pondered and laid to heart, we shall soon\nunderstand what Adam and Christ are; and how they live and act in men. To\nthis head we may also refer the following observations. First, In Adam we\nare ALL naturally equal, nor is one better than another; since we are all,\nboth as to body and soul, equally polluted and corrupted, so that it is\naffirmed by St. Paul, not only of Jews and Gentiles, but even of all men\nin general, that \u201cthere is no difference.\u201d Rom. 3:22. Hence it is also\ntrue, that in the sight of God, no man is better than the most profligate\ncriminal. For though that perverse temper which is natural to all, does\nnot equally in all break out into works, yet God judges all men by the\ninward state of the heart, that poisoned fountain of all sin. Nor is there\nany sin so heinous, which man by nature would not freely commit, were he\nnot strongly restrained by divine grace. For by the bent of our nature we\nare but too much inclined to pollute ourselves with all manner of\nwickedness (Jer. 13:23); and if the inclination be not always attended\nwith the external effect itself, it is wholly to be attributed to the\ngrace of God, and not to any strength or prudence of our own. Gen. 20:6.\nThis consideration should excite us to the practice of true humility, and\nto an unfeigned fear of God; and at the same time restrain us from rashly\ndespising our fellow-creatures, lest, by reflecting on others, we\nourselves split upon the dangerous rock of carnal presumption. Secondly,\nit is proper to observe, that as in Adam we are all equally bad with\nregard to the corruption of nature; so by Christ we are all made equally\njust and holy; no man receiving for himself any prerogative of a peculiar\nrighteousness in the sight of God. For since Christ is our perfection, our\n\u201cwisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption\u201d (1 Cor. 1:30;\n6:11), we, who in _Adam_ are alike, are also alike in _Christ_. For as in\n_Adam_ by nature we are all one man and one body, infected with the foul\ncontagion of disobedience and sin, so all true Christians are as one man\nin _Christ_, and make up one body, completely purified and sanctified by\nfaith, and the blood of Christ.\n\n7. This truth is a remedy against _spiritual pride_, namely, that none\nshould account himself better before God than others, though perhaps\nadorned with greater gifts, and endowments. For even these are no less\nbestowed on him of pure grace, than are righteousness and salvation\nthemselves. Upon this principle of pure grace, be careful to keep thy mind\nconstantly fixed. If thou dost so, then this grace shall protect thee\nagainst the dangerous snares of pride and arrogance; and as, on the one\nhand, it will convince thee of thy own misery and poverty in spirit, so,\non the other, it will give thee a most lively insight into Christ, and\ninto the exceeding riches of grace, offered through him to all mankind.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VIII.\n\n\nShowing How Graciously God Invites Us To Repentance, And How Necessary It\n                    Is That It Should Not Be Delayed.\n\n\n    _Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the\n    angels of God over one sinner that repenteth._\u2014LUKE 15:10.\n\n\nGod, who is of infinite mercy, in order that he might the better soften\nour hard and stony hearts, and turn them from the world, ourselves, and\nthe devil, unto himself (Acts 26:18), has, in his Word, variously\nrepresented and set before our eyes man\u2019s conversion and repentance.\n\n2. Among other ways of impressing it on our minds, the two parables of the\n_Lost Sheep_ and of the _Prodigal Son_ (Luke, chap. 15), are exceedingly\naffecting, and are so abundant in divine consolation, that it is scarcely\npossible seriously to think upon them without tears. Therein our Saviour\ndescribes three different hearts. Of these the first is, the impenitent\nheart of a sinner; the second, the contrite heart of a penitent; the\nthird, the heart of God, full of mercy and paternal affection.\n\n3. The _first_ he describes under the similitude of a degenerate son,\nwastefully spending his substance and inheritance, and at last reduced to\nsuch necessity, as to wish to fill his belly with the husks which the\nswine did eat. By this figure all mankind in their natural state are\nshadowed forth; who, as so many degenerate sons, have squandered away the\nheavenly inheritance by continual riot and wickedness. That is, they have\nlost their original righteousness, holiness, innocency, and the beautiful\nimage of God, in which they were at first created (Eph. 4:24), and are now\nby their own fault become the bond-slaves of sin, of the devil, and of\ndeath. And to complete their ruin, finding no relief, rest, or comfort, in\nany human performances and laws (which answer to the husks in the parable)\nthey must of necessity perish with endless famine and misery, unless they\nspeedily have recourse unto the grace of their Heavenly Father.\n\n4. The _second_ heart, which is that of a repenting sinner, is set forth\nin these words: \u201cHow many hired servants of my Father have bread enough,\nand to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise, and go to my Father,\nand will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before\nthee; and am no more worthy to be called thy son.\u201d In this account we have\na very moving description of true repentance. By the Prodigal\u2019s coming to\nhimself, is signified sorrow for sin; that is, when a man, on the one\nhand, reflects upon his own misery, and considers how, from being a child\nof God, he is become, as it were, a brute beast (2 Pet. 2:12), an unclean\nswine, a man void of reason, earthly and sensual; and, on the other,\nmindful of his divine origin, turns his thoughts entirely upon his Father,\nrepents, acknowledges his offences, and says, \u201cFather, I have sinned\nagainst heaven, and before thee;\u201d and have offended both God and man. This\nhe immediately confirms by a sincere contempt of himself, expressed in\nthese words: \u201cand am no more worthy to be called thy son.\u201d Moreover,\n_faith_, which is the other part of repentance, is exhibited to us in his\nactual _arising_ and _returning_ to his father\u2019s house. He assumed\nconfidence to repair to his home, and firmly persuaded himself that his\nfather would receive him, if not as a son, at least as one of his hired\nservants. \u201cFor,\u201d says he, \u201cI am no more worthy to be called thy son; make\nme as one of thy hired servants.\u201d This plainly shows the sure hope he\nentertained, that his father would yield to his entreaties, and receive\nhim into his favor.\n\n5. And now I come, _thirdly_, to draw the character of the paternal heart\nof God, set forth in the parable.\n\nI. _When the son was yet a great way off, his father saw him._ Behold the\nprevenient mercy of our Heavenly Father, who graciously looks for his\nprodigal children. Ps. 79:8; Isa. 30:18, 19; Ps. 32:8.\n\nII. _And was moved with compassion._ Hereby is represented his mercy\nwaiting to be gracious to us.\n\nIII. _And ran and fell on his neck._ Here is mercy receiving into favor.\n\nIV. _And kissed him._ This exhibits mercy ready to administer consolation\nto the returning sinner. Micah 7:19; Isa. 66:13.\n\nV. _Bring forth, says he, the best robe, and put it on him_ (Isa. 61:10).\nThis has relation to Christ, and points out his righteousness, and\n_justifying_ grace. Rom. 8:33.\n\nVI. _And put a ring on his hand._ Hereby is signified the Holy Spirit, the\npledge of sonship (Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:5), the seal of intimate favor and\nunion; and it also represents to us the espousing mercy of the Lord.\n\nVII. _And shoes on his feet._ This denotes a new and holy walk in Christ,\nresulting from the Divine power, and the grace of the Holy Spirit; which\nare the peculiar effects of preserving mercy. 1 Peter 1:5; Ps. 84:11.\n\nVIII. _Bring hither the fatted calf._ By this feast is represented the joy\nof angels, or rejoicing and _crowning_ mercy, described by the holy\nPsalmist, and the prophet Isaiah. Ps. 63:5; 103:5; Isa. 65:13.\n\n6. What strong and endearing arguments are here offered by the goodness of\nGod inviting us to sincere repentance! Let us, then, seriously consider\nsome of the main _inducements_ to true repentance, of which seven shall be\nproposed at present.\n\n                  \u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\n\nI. The boundless mercy of God.\n\nII. The kindness of Christ, and his inestimable merit.\n\nIII. The awful threatenings and punishments that are laid before us.\n\nIV. Death.\n\nV. The last judgment.\n\nVI. Hell. And\n\nVII. Everlasting joy.\n\nI. THE MERCY OF GOD.\n\n7. \u201cIf thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek\nhim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. When thou art in\ntribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter\ndays, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his\nvoice; (for the Lord thy God is a merciful God); he will not forsake thee,\nneither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he\nsware unto them.\u201d Deut. 4:29-31. What tender affection, as of the heart of\na father, have we here presented to us! And how just and reasonable is it,\nthat it should move us to repentance! For how numerous and _great_ soever\nour sins may be, the mercy of God is still _greater_, according to the\nwords of the Psalmist: \u201cWith the Lord there is mercy; and with him is\nplenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.\u201d\nPs. 130:7, 8. And again: \u201cAccording unto the multitude of thy tender\nmercies, blot out my transgressions.\u201d Ps. 51:1. Nor are our sins so filthy\nand abominable, but God can make them white as snow. \u201cThough your sins,\u201d\nsays the prophet, \u201cbe as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.\u201d Isa.\n1:18. And the Psalmist says: \u201cPurge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;\nwash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.\u201d Ps. 51:7. Neither are they so\nvarious and manifold, but that they are surpassed by the riches of divine\ngrace, according to the apostle: \u201cIn Christ we have redemption through his\nblood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.\u201d\nEph. 1:7. And what we read in Exodus teaches the same: \u201cThe Lord, the Lord\nGod, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and\ntruth; forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin.\u201d Exod. 34:6, 7. Nor\nare they so strong and powerful, but God can destroy them, and throw them\ninto the depth of the sea, as he did unto Pharaoh and all his host. \u201cHe\nwill subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the\ndepths of the sea.\u201d Micah 7:19. Nor, finally, are they so mortal and\npestilential, but God can heal them, as the prophet assures us: \u201cThe\nwicked shall not fall by his wickedness in the day that he turneth from\nit.\u201d Ezek. 33:12.\n\nII. THE KINDNESS OF CHRIST.\n\n8. How kindly and affectionately Christ Jesus receives sinners, he himself\nabundantly declares in the Gospel: \u201cThey that be whole,\u201d says he, \u201cneed\nnot a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the\nrighteous, but sinners to repentance.\u201d Matt. 9:12, 13. \u201cThe Son of man is\ncome to seek and to save that which was lost.\u201d Luke 19:10. Of this\ngracious bounty of Christ towards returning sinners, the prophets have\nleft us many predictions. \u201cWoe be to the shepherds of Israel,\u201d saith\nEzekiel, \u201cwho have not sought that which was lost: but with force and with\ncruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no\nshepherd. Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.\nAs a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep\nthat are scattered; so will I seek that which was lost, and bring again\nthat which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and\nwill strengthen that which was sick.\u201d Ezek. 34:2, 4, 12, 16. And the\nprophet Isaiah says, \u201cHe shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall\ngather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.\u201d Isai. 40:11.\nNor should only the _gracious nature_ of Christ move thee to _repentance_;\nbut more especially his extreme _sorrow_, and most innocent blood shed on\nthine account. For consider within thyself:\n\n(1.) That he laid down his life, not for heaven or earth, but for thy\nsoul. And wilt thou, by sin and impenitence, wantonly cast away so great\nand valuable a treasure?\n\n(2.) Remember, that thou couldest not have been redeemed by any other or\nless price than the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:19). Why shouldest\nthou deprive thyself of a ransom so inestimable as the Redeemer has paid\nfor thee?\n\n(3.) Call to mind, that Christ has redeemed thee from the world, from sin\nand the devil. And dost thou desire to continue longer in the service of\nso hard and cruel a master?\n\n(4.) Be assured, that without unfeigned repentance, the merit of Christ\nwill avail thee nothing; yea, that thou tramplest under foot his blood,\nand dost \u201cdespite unto the Spirit of grace.\u201d Heb. 10:29.\n\n(5.) Lastly, consider how sharp and cruel were the sufferings which thy\nSaviour underwent on thy account! How he wept and sorrowed, trembled and\nfeared! Heb. 5:7. How grievously he was wounded for thy transgressions\n(Isa. 53:5), and, at last, as a worm (Ps. 22:6), and cursed (Gal. 3:13),\nhung upon a tree! How loudly this mournful scene calls on thee to repent!\n\nIII. THREATS OF TEMPORAL PUNISHMENT.\n\n9. \u201cGod judgeth the righteous,\u201d saith the Psalmist, \u201cand God is angry with\nthe wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword: he hath bent\nhis bow, and made it ready: he hath also prepared for him the instruments\nof death: he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.\u201d Ps. 7:11-13.\n\n10. This wrath and revenge, no man will ever be able to escape, as the\nprophet Amos affirms: \u201cHe that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.\nThough they climb up to heaven, thence I will bring them down: and though\nthey be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command\nthe serpent, and he shall bite them. Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are\nupon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the\nearth.\u201d Amos 9:1-3, 8. \u201cTheir blood shall be poured out as dust,\u201d saith\nZephaniah, 1:17, 18, \u201cand their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver,\nnor their gold, shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord\u2019s\nwrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy.\u201d\nSuch terrible threatenings as these should lead us to unfeigned\nrepentance; this being the only means by which to prevent impending\ndesolation, and the total destruction of nations and cities; as evidently\nappears from the example of Nineveh. Jonah 3:5, 10. \u201cAt what instant I\nshall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up,\nand to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation against whom I have\npronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought\nto do unto them.\u201d Jer. 18:7, 8.\n\nIV. DEATH.\n\n11. God has concealed the time of our death from us, that thereby we may\nbe kept in the daily and uninterrupted practice of true repentance, as not\nknowing which hour may be our last. \u201cThe whole life of a man is given him\nfor repentance,\u201d saith St. Bernard. And this repentance is a Christian\u2019s\ndaily cross and tribulation. Thus it is said in the Psalms: \u201cI am ready to\nhalt, and my sorrow is continually before me.\u201d Ps. 38:17; 73:14. God has\npromised grace to the penitent, but he has not promised to sinners another\nday in which to repent. \u201cIt is appointed unto men once to die; but after\nthis the judgment.\u201d Heb. 9:27. Such as God shall find thee, as such will\nhe judge thee: wherefore, live in such a manner as thou wouldest wish to\nhave done, when thou art dying. Consider seriously in thy mind, where they\nnow are, who but a few years ago wasted their lives with lust and vanity,\nand freely enjoyed the \u201cgood things\u201d of this world? Luke 16:25. They are\nall gone to their own place, where they wait for the day of judgment.\nWherefore, \u201ccome out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her\nsins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.\u201d Rev. 18:4.\n\nV. THE LAST JUDGMENT.\n\n12. For after death, there is neither place nor time for repentance. It is\nin this world that eternal life is either lost or obtained. Those that\nrepent betimes, shall not be condemned in judgment; but the impenitent\nwill hear the awful sentence: \u201cDepart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting\nfire.\u201d Matt. 25:41. \u201cBehold, therefore, now is the accepted time; behold,\nnow is the day of salvation!\u201d (2 Cor. 6:2), which will be followed by the\nday of judgment in the other world. \u201cTo-day, therefore, if ye will hear\nhis voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation; lest I swear in\nmy wrath, that ye shall not enter into my rest.\u201d Ps. 95:7, 8, 11; Heb.\n3:7, 8, 11. \u201cFor we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,\nthat every one may receive the things done in his body, whether it be good\nor bad.\u201d 2 Cor. 5:10. Those, therefore, who here repent, \u201cshall have their\nsins covered\u201d (Ps. 32:1), and \u201cthey shall no more be mentioned unto them,\u201d\nas the prophet declares. Ezek. 33:16. Lay hold, therefore, on the offer of\nmercy betimes, know and confess thy sins, O man, that they may be remitted\nand forgotten.\n\nVI. ETERNAL PAINS OF HELL.\n\n13. With this present life, the season of the mercy of God closes. It will\nthen be said: \u201cSon, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good\nthings.\u201d Luke 16:25. Thy life is now over. Thou art now dead! Dead to God\nforever, to whom thou didst refuse to live in time! There is no redemption\nfrom hell. Ps. 49:14-20. How can the damned enjoy the goodness of God, to\nwhich they were dead whilst they were alive, and to which they will now\ncontinue dead to all eternity! Remember, therefore, that now is the only\ntime for mercy, and the hour of visitation to repent; whereas, there the\ndamned so die, as, notwithstanding, always to live; and so live, as yet to\ndie eternally. All the senses will there suffer torment. The sight shall\nbe punished with eternal darkness; the ears shall be filled with weeping\nand gnashing of teeth; the smell with stench of fire and brimstone; the\ntaste with the bitterness of eternal death; and the feeling with a sense\nof endless tortures and miseries.\n\nVII. THE JOY OF ETERNAL LIFE.\n\n14. Is it not a very high degree of folly, to prefer a short perishing\npleasure to an eternal joy; and a worthless trifle, to the glorious\npresence of God? Now none shall enter into this, but he who has thoroughly\nwashed himself, and \u201cmade white his robes in the blood of the Lamb.\u201d Rev.\n3:14. \u201cFor without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and\nmurderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.\u201d Rev.\n22:15. None of those, who, having been here invited to the feast of\nChrist, yet refused to come, \u201cshall taste of his supper.\u201d Luke 14:24. The\nhighest joy of eternal life, will consist in \u201cseeing God as he is.\u201d 1 John\n3:2. _To see God_, is all in all, and an eternal reward. \u201cYe shall see\nme,\u201d says our Lord, \u201cand your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man\ntaketh from you.\u201d John 16:19, 22. This sight of the face of God is the joy\nof the angels; it is their life, and the invisible food by which they are\nsustained. Now as this vision of God creates the most exalted joy, so to\nbe banished from it, is to suffer the greatest, the most terrible, and the\nmost severe torment, and eternal misery.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IX.\n\n\n   Showing What Repentance Is, And The Manner In Which The Sinner Truly\n      Repents; Also, How The Goodness Of God Leads Us To Repentance.\n\n\n    _Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all\n    your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:\n    and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord\n    your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of\n    great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil_.\u2014JOEL 2:12, 13.\n\n\nThe Lord, whose mercy is infinite, by no means seeks our destruction, but\nrather our life and happiness. He best knows the wretched and deplorable\ncondition into which we are fallen by sin; and he is also desirous to\nreclaim us from that dangerous state, and to preserve us from everlasting\nruin. It is for this reason, that he so earnestly invites the soul to\nrepentance, and engages us to the same by many strong and powerful\nmotives.\n\n2. Sometimes God is pleased to stir us up by terrible _threatenings_.\n\u201cBehold,\u201d says he, \u201cI will bring evil upon this people; because they have\nnot hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.\u201d Jer. 6:19.\nAgain, \u201cAnd now, because ye have done all these works, saith the Lord, and\nI spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not;\ntherefore, will I cast you out of my sight.\u201d Jer. 7:13, 15. This dreadful\nproclamation of both temporal and eternal calamities, should strike fear\nand terror into us: for the threatening of God is not an empty voice, nor\na sound that vanishes into nothing, but it is accompanied with many\nterrible effects, and consuming wrath, as will in its time more fully\nappear, and which we even feel already by sad experience; since miseries\nand calamities, like a flood, seem to carry all before them. Nay, they\nwill undoubtedly multiply upon us, and exert themselves with the utmost\nfury and fierceness, except we betimes prevent them by a sincere\nrepentance. Thus the wrath of God shall be poured forth in wars, famines,\npestilence, fire, and inundations, till he has at length destroyed our\nvery _foundations_, as he did once to the city of Jerusalem. Lam. 4:11.\n\n3. But if the proclamation of wrath and judgment cannot prevail upon us,\nyet ought God\u2019s abounding _goodness_, attended as it is with so many\nendearing marks of love, to melt our hearts, and to soften them into true\nand earnest repentance. For thus hath the Lord spoken by the prophet:\n\u201cReturn, thou backsliding Israel, and I will not cause mine anger to fall\nupon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for\never. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against\nthe Lord thy God.\u201d Jer. 3:12, 13. In these words, God makes a free offer\nof his grace, entreats and adjures us to return to him again, for he is\nwilling to accept our repentance.\n\n4. The passages that have been quoted, are a convincing proof that God, by\nhis grace, mercy, patience, and clemency, strongly invites us to true\nrepentance. There are chiefly three things in those scriptures, which\ndeserve a more particular observation: namely, the _nature_ of repentance,\nor what it is to repent; that is, to turn unto the Lord:\u2014the _manner_ in\nwhich repentance is to be wrought out; that is, by fasting, weeping, and\nmourning:\u2014the _motive_ to engage us in so holy an exercise, which is the\npaternal goodness of God; \u201c_for I am merciful_.\u201d\n\nAs to the _first_, we know that _to repent_, is nothing else but to be\nled, through the _law_ of God, to acknowledge the natural blindness of our\nhearts, and that detestable impurity which lurks within. Next, we ought to\nregard this as the very source whence all other sins proceed, and whereby\nwe depart from God, the supreme and eternal Good, deserving not only\nvarious punishments here, but also his everlasting wrath in hell\nhereafter. All this ought to awaken in us sorrow and distress, not so much\nby reason of the threatened punishment, as rather on account of the\nheinousness of the many provocations offered to a merciful Father, who in\nhis very nature is love and kindness. This being done, we may then raise\nagain our souls by virtue of the _Gospel_, and with a well-grounded faith,\nrely on the favor of God, and on the sure remission of sin promised in\nChrist Jesus. This must necessarily be attended with a serious amendment\nof life, with a constant purification of the heart by faith, with a\nmortification of all evil desires, and with a sincere abnegation of our\nown will, so opposite to that of God. In a word, it will be accompanied\nwith a new life acceptable unto God in Christ, and with fruit worthy of\nrepentance; suitably to what God enjoins by the prophet: \u201cWash ye, make\nyou clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease\nto do evil, learn to do well. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall\nbe as white as snow.\u201d Isaiah 1:16, 18.\n\n5. But alas! here is the difficulty! These things are much more easily\nsaid, than reduced to practice. The reason is, because hardly any will\nearnestly engage in so weighty a work, or search into the true original\ncause of the many dreadful disorders that appear in our lives and conduct.\nMan flatters himself with a confident opinion of his own goodness, and\ncherishes the affection of the old man. There are few who care to see\ntheir hearts in their inward and native depravity; or to be made sensible\nof that vein of evil nature which runs through all their actions, even the\nbest and most shining. And thus Christ himself, and the grace of God,\nmanifested by him, are wantonly disregarded.\n\n6. And yet Joel (2:12) requires us to \u201cturn unto God with all our heart,\nwith fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.\u201d Hereby he intimates that\nwe are turned away from God; have forsaken the fountain of living waters\n(Jer. 2:13); and are now unable to attain life and happiness again, unless\nwe \u201c_search_ our ways,\u201d and \u201c_return_\u201d unto him from whom we are gone\nastray. Lam. 3:40. It is for this purpose that the Prophet charges\n\u201cbacksliding children\u201d to return, with the promise annexed, that the \u201cLord\nwill heal their backslidings.\u201d Jer. 3:22. For this verily is the will of\nGod, that we should see and confess our misery, in order that he may\ncompassionately heal it.\n\n7. But since, by nature, we are so blind as to be utterly unable of\nourselves sufficiently to discover our own wretchedness; God has been\npleased to afford means, with a view to bringing us to a sound knowledge\nof ourselves. This is done by his holy Word and the Sacraments, which are\nalways accompanied with his grace and Spirit. By these the Father draws,\nallures, and calls us to himself, as so many lost and wandering sheep.\nJohn 6:44. For as a straying sheep cannot of itself return, but must of\nnecessity be sought and brought back to the fold by the shepherd, so we\nwould forever go astray in the wilderness of sin and error, did not God\nhimself carefully seek us; and this the examples of Peter and Paul\nabundantly confirm. Therefore the prophet says: \u201cTurn thou me, O Lord, and\nI shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.\u201d Jer. 31:18. \u201cHeal me, O\nLord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art\nmy praise.\u201d Jer. 17:14. \u201cFor it is God,\u201d says the apostle, \u201cwhich worketh\nin us, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.\u201d Phil. 2:13.\n\n8. When, therefore, the Lord graciously awakens us by these means, and\ninvites us to repentance, it is our part, not to withstand his grace and\nSpirit; (as it is said, \u201cTo-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your\nhearts\u201d) (Ps. 95:7, 8); but to confess the sin which he thus reproves in\nus, and by no means make light of the grace offered to us in the Gospel.\nThen God will assuredly have mercy upon us, as he himself declares: \u201cLet\nthe wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let\nhim return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God,\nfor he will abundantly pardon.\u201d Isa. 55:7.\n\n9. Upon this account the work of conversion, though it is entirely a work\nof God\u2019s grace, is yet in one respect ascribed to us; namely, as we _give_\nup ourselves to the Lord, and to his operations, and do not wantonly\nresist his Spirit, despise his grace, and cast it from us; or, as the\napostle expresses it, do not put his Word from us, nor stop our ears\nagainst it, as did the Jews of old. Acts 13:46; 7:57. On the contrary,\nwhen the severity of the _law_ has laid open our spiritual diseases, and\nwe have felt the bitterness thereof; let us avail ourselves of the\n_Gospel_ as a healing remedy, and suffer our heavenly Physician to restore\nus to health.\n\n10. An image of this we have in a straying sheep. If it but hear at a\ndistance the voice of the shepherd, it starts back immediately, and\nreturns to him. And how willingly would the lost sinner follow the voice\nof his Shepherd, if sin had not so perverted him, as to reduce him lower\nthan the very beasts in stupidity and dulness! Of this indeed the prophet\ncomplains: \u201cThe ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master\u2019s crib: but\nIsrael doth not know, my people doth not consider.\u201d Isa. 1:3. \u201cShall they\nfall,\u201d asks another prophet, \u201cand not arise? Shall he turn away, and not\nreturn? The stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the\nturtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the times of their coming:\nbut my people know not the judgment of the Lord.\u201d Jer. 8:4, 7.\n\n11. We ought, therefore, most fervently to implore the Lord, not to\nwithdraw from us his gracious assistance, without which we must certainly\ngo astray. For since sin and the old Adam constantly abide in our corrupt\nflesh and blood, we have need of daily, yea, hourly supplies of grace, for\nrepressing the tyranny of sin, and for nourishing the life of God within\nus. The grace of God is the life of our soul, as the soul is the life of\nthe body. And as the life of the body, without the free enjoyment of the\nair, must soon be extinct; so the vital flame of the inward life will\nspeedily languish, without a daily supply of grace to support it. For this\nreason Solomon prayed: \u201cThe Lord our God be with us; let him not leave us,\nnor forsake us; that he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all\nhis ways.\u201d 1 Kings 8:57.\n\n12. This is a lesson which ought not to be learned in a light and general\nmanner, but by a close and practical application be brought home to every\none in particular. Let, therefore, every one look into his own heart and\nseek its renewal, that so all may be reformed in time. Let us remember\nthat comfortable exhortation, and the promise annexed thereto: \u201cSeek ye\nthe Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near.\u201d Isa.\n55:6. \u201cAnd ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with\nall your heart, saith the Lord.\u201d Jer. 29:13.\n\n13. But in order to true repentance, it is not enough to refrain only from\ngross sins, and foul visible transgressions; but the heart, whence all\nthose evils proceed, is to be changed and purified; that so inward pride,\ncovetousness, and lust, with all sinful affections, may be mortified at\nlast. For whilst the heart is unchanged, unreformed, and unrenewed; that\nis, whilst our own corrupt temper, our inward malice, wrath, hatred,\nenmity, revenge, lying, and deceit, are quietly suffered within us; all\nour boasts of, and pretences to, and formalities in, religion, are but\nmere show and hypocrisy. God requires no less than a new heart, and \u201ca new\ncreature in Christ Jesus.\u201d 2 Cor. 5:17. No one is so holy, so good, and so\nthoroughly cleansed, but he will still find something in his own heart to\nbe thrown out, or to be amended and rectified. \u201cAs a fountain casteth out\nher waters, so Jerusalem casteth out her wickedness.\u201d Jer. 6:7. This is\nthe first head, relating to the nature of repentance, of which more has\nbeen said in Book I.\n\n14. Let us now consider, in the second place, the _manner_ of our\nreturning to God: \u201cwith all the heart,\u201d says the prophet, \u201cwith fasting,\nwith weeping, and with mourning.\u201d Wretched mortals can weep floods of\ntears for empty and perishing goods, whilst they stand unmoved at the\nmiserable state of their souls, and at the loss of an eternal and\nincorruptible inheritance! In this they are altogether unlike David, who,\nby his example, sets a most shining pattern of sincere and unfeigned\nrepentance before us. See Ps. 6, and Ps. 38. \u201cFor the Lord looketh on the\nheart\u201d (1 Sam. 16:7), and \u201ctrieth the heart and reins.\u201d Ps. 7:9.\n\n15. What the prophet says of fasting, is to be understood of a general\nfast enjoined by the prophet to all the people. In such a fast the whole\nbody of a nation were wont to be concerned. They publicly confessed their\nsins; they deplored and bewailed them; and thus humbling themselves before\nGod, fasted both inwardly and outwardly. And in this order they begged\nremission of sin, and deprecated the judgments of God gathering over them.\nSuch a general fast and public repentance as this, such sincere\nconversion, prayer, faith, confession, and supplication, are the most\neffectual means to appease the wrath of an offended God, and to avert his\njudgments from whole kingdoms and nations. This plainly appears from the\nhistory of the defeat of the other tribes of Israel, by that of Benjamin;\nin which the former having in two battles lost forty thousand men, all\nwent up and came before the Lord, with weeping and mourning, and there\nfasted the whole day, from morning to night. Judges 20:26. A similar\nillustrious example is recorded of the fast of the Ninevites (Jonah 3:5,\n10): and of the children of Israel, who, being beaten by the Philistines,\nkept a fast for seven days together, after Saul and Jonathan were slain in\nthe battle. 1 Chron. 10:12.\n\n16. Such solemn penitential fasts were also in use in the primitive\nChurch, when the Christians met together, and in any great public calamity\nhumbled themselves before the Lord. Not, surely, to obtain remission of\nsin by such performances, as so many meritorious acts of devotion; but by\na contrite, sober, and humble heart, to deprecate the judgments that were\nready to break in upon them. And such fasts might with propriety still be\nobserved.\n\n17. Fasts such as these, accompanied with true repentance, would prove an\nimpregnable wall and fortification against all our enemies; a sovereign\nmedicine in all pestilential diseases; and a safeguard about all our\nestates and possessions. An example of this we have in Job, who, whenever\nhis children had spent any day in mirth and feasting, \u201coffered up unto God\nprayers and sacrifices for them\u201d (Job 1:4, 5); and thus, as it were,\nfortified his house by prayer against the insults of wicked men and\ndevils.\n\n18. In great public calamities the Lord looks out for such men as may,\nlike a bulwark, oppose his wrath when ready to make a breach. \u201cI sought\nfor a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap\nbefore me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.\nTherefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them, I have consumed\nthem with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon\ntheir heads, saith the Lord God.\u201d Ezek. 22:30, 31. We may also remember,\non this occasion, the intercession of Abraham. Gen. 18:23.\n\n19. Thus the prophet Daniel was a wall of defence when he made confession\nto God of the sins of all the people. Dan. 9:4, 5, etc. And the prophet\nJoel, in very moving terms, describes such a penitential fast: \u201cBlow the\ntrumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the\npeople; sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the\nchildren, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth of\nhis chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the\nministers of the Lord, say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine\nheritage to reproach.\u201d Joel 2:15-17.\n\n20. Such public fasts ought to be celebrated by the whole multitude,\nwithout hypocrisy, with ardent zeal and devotion; for it is the will of\nGod, that every one readily confess his sins. He requires true humility,\nsincere repentance, and a turning to him with our whole heart. Hence the\nprophet commands the \u201cheart, and not the garments,\u201d to be rent. The Jews,\nat the hearing of any sad or terrible evil, were accustomed to rend their\nclothes, in order to evidence thereby the inward sorrow with which they\nwere affected. This, however, like their fasting, was often a mere\nformality, and their grief was only pretended. Wherefore, the prophet\nreproves them, saying, \u201cIs it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a\nman to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to\nspread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an\nacceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to\nloose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the\noppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy\nbread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy\nhouse? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide\nnot thyself from thine own flesh?\u201d Isa. 58:5-7.\n\n21. These words explain the nature of a true fast; which is then only\nkept, when, on the one hand, we abstain from sin, subdue the wanton lusts\nof the flesh, and keep the old man, with all his members, under constant\nrestraint and subjection: and, on the other, when we are fervent in works\nof charity, in the practice of patience and mercy, and of the other\nvirtues springing up from a contrite, sincere, and penitent heart. And it\nis with regard to these inward acts of humiliation, that the prophet bids\nus _rend our hearts_. For as the wounds of the heart must necessarily be\nvery painful; so the grief occasioned by our sins should affect us, as if\nour very hearts were bruised and crushed. And this \u201cbroken spirit,\u201d this\n\u201ccontrite heart,\u201d is that _sacrifice_ which is so highly acceptable to\nGod. Ps. 51:17. Such a heart has, by faith, obtained a due fitness to\nreceive the influence of the grace of God, the consolations of the Holy\nSpirit, and the merit and blood of Jesus Christ. As a hard and massive\nstone cannot be penetrated by the oil or water poured upon it, until it be\nbroken to pieces; so the sovereign balm of God\u2019s grace and consolation\ncannot comfort and quicken the heart, except it be first broken and\nsoftened into humility, that so by faith it may partake of the merit of\nChrist. \u201cNot the whole, but the sick, have need of a physician.\u201d Matt. 9:\n12. Let no one think that he belongs to Christ, unless he has first\n\u201ccrucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts.\u201d Gal. 5:24. The blood\nof Christ will be of no profit to any except to those who embrace it with\na contrite, afflicted, penitent, humble and believing heart.\n\n22. As for the _motives_ to repentance, which make up the third head, they\nare thus expressed by the prophet: \u201cTurn unto the Lord, _for_ he is\ngracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth\nhim of the evil.\u201d Joel 2:12, 13. He lays down in these words, a gradual\ndisplay of the manifold mercies offered to returning sinners. As if he had\nsaid, \u201cIf you think it a small thing that I am _gracious_, then know that\nI am _merciful_ also: if this be not enough, I am likewise _patient_ and\n_slow to anger_: if this will not yet suffice, then I am, moreover, of\n_great kindness_. If, after all, you still require something more, then\nunderstand, that I easily _repent_ of intended punishments; yea, even when\nmy avenging hand is lifting up, I am ready to let fall the rod, upon your\nserious repentance.\u201d\n\n23. First, then, the prophet calls God _gracious_ (Ps. 103:8); that is,\nready to be entreated and reconciled. God is easy to be prevailed with,\nforgives offences, deals not in strict justice and the rigor of the law,\naccording to what we have deserved. And all these marks of mercy should\nlead us to repentance. There are many admirable promises, all tending to\nthe same end. \u201cIf thou afflict them, they will cry unto me, and I will\nsurely hear; for I am gracious.\u201d Ex. 22:23, 27. \u201cTherefore will the Lord\nwait that he may be gracious unto you. Thou shalt weep no more; he will be\nvery gracious unto thee, at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it,\nhe will answer thee.\u201d Isa. 30:18. That is, the Most High is so rich in\ngrace, that he waits for you. In him there is _expecting grace_, by which\nhe readily receives those that truly return: _prevenient grace_, expressed\nby the Psalmist\u2014\u201cLet thy tender mercies speedily prevent (_that is_, meet,\n_or_ anticipate) us\u201d (Ps. 79:8): _protecting grace_, noticed by the same\nprophet; \u201cHe that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about\u201d\n(Ps. 32:10): _preserving grace_; \u201cSurely,\u201d says David, \u201cmercy shall follow\nme all the days of my life.\u201d Ps. 23:6. Of this we have given examples in\nthe preceding chapter. With this agree also the words of Scripture: \u201cWith\nthe Lord there is mercy; and with him is plenteous redemption.\u201d Ps. 130:7.\nWherefore, let the divine clemency and grace move thee to sincere and\nunfeigned repentance.\n\n24. Secondly, the prophet declares that God is _merciful_. To be\n_merciful_, is to be easily moved by the miseries of another, and from the\nvery heart to compassionate his case. This is to be seen in parents, who,\nnot only with unfeigned tenderness love their children, but are at the\nsame time so deeply touched with their misery and weakness, as to be\nwilling even to die for them, if that were possible. Thus David, when he\nlamented the death of his son Absalom, mournfully exclaimed: \u201cO my son\nAbsalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom,\nmy son, my son!\u201d 2 Sam. 18:33. But these bowels of mercy, this ardent,\ncordial, and tender affection, are infinitely more conspicuous in God\nhimself, who, from an abounding sense of love and kindness, has given up\nhis Son to death, and thereby transcended all the affections of earthly\nparents. This is declared by the prophet: \u201cCan a woman forget her sucking\nchild, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea,\nthey may forget, yet will I not forget thee.\u201d Isa. 49:15. And by another,\n\u201cIs Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against\nhim, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled\nfor him: I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.\u201d Jer. 31:20.\nAnd again by another, \u201cThe Lord thy God is a merciful God; he will not\nforget the covenant of thy fathers, which he sware unto them.\u201d Deut. 4:31.\nAnd David confirms it: \u201cThe Lord is merciful and gracious.\u201d Ps. 103:8. And\nagain, calling to mind this mercy, when of three punishments he had it in\nhis power to choose which he pleased, he answered, \u201cLet us fall now into\nthe hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great.\u201d 2 Sam. 24:14. Would to\nGod that his paternal mercy might also allure us to unfeigned repentance!\nSt. Paul himself refers to this most powerful inducement, when he\nbeseeches us \u201cby the _mercies_ of God, etc.\u201d Rom. 12:1.\n\n25. The third appellation given to God by the prophet is, that he is\npatient, or _slow to anger_. He is not easily moved to wrath; he suffers\nmany provocations offered him, and gives time for repentance and\nconversion. All which he has abundantly evidenced by many real\ndemonstrations, powerful enough to convince us, that even in God himself,\n\u201cLove beareth all things, endureth all things\u201d (1 Cor. 13:7), even as\nparents bear with their children. To this purpose says St. Peter, \u201cThe\nLord is long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but\nthat all should come to repentance.\u201d 2 Pet. 3:9. And again, \u201cAccount that\nthe long-suffering of our Lord is salvation.\u201d 2 Pet. 3:15. And Paul\nwishes, that \u201cthe goodness of God may lead us to repentance.\u201d Rom. 2:4. To\nthis long-suffering of God it was entirely due, that he granted the old\nworld a hundred and twenty years in which to repent; bearing all that time\nwith their provocations, and waiting for repentance. Gen. 6:3. And O! how\nmuch time hath he given us to repent in, and to work out our salvation!\nBut this divine grace is abused by those who only grow more wanton by\nmercies, and \u201cturn even the grace of God itself into lasciviousness.\u201d\nJude, ver. 4. But by this they only hasten their ruin, and render more\ngrievous the punishment which they deserve. If one, and then another of\nthese many and provoking affronts, with which men offend an omnipotent\nGod, were daily put upon a mere mortal, nothing certainly could be\nexpected but the utmost severity of his resentment. How inconceivably\ngreat then must be the patience of God, who not only pardons offences so\nnumerous and so heinous, but also returns all manner of kindness to the\noffender himself. O! that the inconceivable patience of the Lord might\ninspire us with a hatred of sin, and lead us all to repentance!\n\n26. Fourthly, God is represented to be _of great kindness_; so great\nindeed, that no sin, how great soever, can surpass it. For as God is\nessentially and wholly good, so is he desirous to communicate himself\nwholly to men, provided they be willing to receive and admit him. Yea, by\nhis nature he can be and do nothing but good. He takes a pleasure therein,\nand \u201crejoiceth over us to do us good.\u201d Jer. 32:41. His mercy is as great\nas himself, that is, infinite. It extends to all mankind. \u201cThy mercy, O\nLord, is in the heavens.\u201d Ps. 36:5. \u201cAs the heaven is high above the\nearth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.\u201d Ps. 103:11. And\nwe read in the Lamentations: \u201cIt is of the Lord\u2019s mercies that we are not\nconsumed, because his compassions fail not: they are new every morning:\ngreat is thy faithfulness.\u201d Lam. 3:22. See, therefore, O man! that a\ngoodness so inexpressible be no longer abused, but that it animate thee to\nsincere repentance.\n\n27. And lastly, the prophet says of the Lord, \u201c_It repenteth him of the\nevil._\u201d This is as if he would say: \u201cIt is the nature of God, to punish\nwith reluctance; and when he is even constrained thereto, it is not for\nour destruction, but salvation, that we be not condemned with the world.\u201d\n1 Cor. 11:32. He then doth \u201chis strange work\u201d (of punishment), that he may\nbring to pass his own work (of mercy). Isa. 28:21. Thus he repented of the\nevil he had designed against Nineveh. Jonah 3:10. And, therefore, \u201cit is\ngood, that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of\nthe Lord. For the Lord will not cast off for ever: but though he cause\ngrief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his\nmercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of\nmen.\u201d Lam. 3:26, 31-33. Therefore, repent of thy sins.\n\n28. For as soon as thou repentest of sin, and supplicatest the Lord in\ntrue faith, God will also repent of the punishment he intended to inflict.\nThe words of the Lord to Jonah are very memorable: \u201cDoest thou well to be\nangry for the gourd? Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou\nhast not labored, neither madest it grow, which came up in a night, and\nperished in a night: and should not I spare Nineveh, that great city,\nwherein are more than six score thousand persons?\u201d Jonah 4:9-11. This\nboundless mercy is still the same even at this day, and will continue so\nforever to penitent and returning sinners. Go, therefore, O man, and let\nthis overflowing mercy of God lead thee to repentance!\n\n\n\n\nChapter X.\n\n\n                 The Four Properties Of True Repentance.\n\n\n    _I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,\n    because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted\n    me up, and cast me down. My days are like a shadow that declineth;\n    and I am withered like grass. But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for\n    ever, and thy remembrance unto all generations._\u2014PS. 102:9, etc.\n\n\nIn these words _four properties_ of true repentance are enjoined on a\nsinner. The _first_ is, _to account himself unworthy of all the mercies of\nGod_. This is contained in these words: \u201cI have eaten ashes like bread,\nand mingled my drink with weeping:\u201d that is, There is nothing I can take\nany more delight in, and I account myself unworthy of any good or\ndelicious fare. This, however pleasing it may be to the palate of others,\nis not more savory to me than mere ashes.\u2014The same regard to our own\nunworthiness is thus inculcated by the Lord: \u201cIf any man will come after\nme, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.\u201d\nLuke 9:23. And, \u201cIf any man come to me, and hate not his own life, he\ncannot be my disciple.\u201d Luke 14:26. Herein is expressed a threefold\nreference which a true Christian ought to have to his own unworthiness.\n\n2. (_a_) _First_ then, he is commanded to _deny himself_: that is, to die\nto self-will, to self-love, and self-honor, esteeming himself utterly\nunworthy of any of the benefits conferred by God on other men; or judging\nhimself not \u201cworthy of the least of all the mercies\u201d of God (Gen. 32:10);\nand reputing himself the most inconsiderable, not only of all men, but\neven of all other creatures; after the words of the Psalm: \u201cI am a worm,\nand no man.\u201d Ps. 22:6. In this manner, for a man to despise himself, is\ntruly to _deny himself_.\n\n3. (_b_) He is commanded, _secondly_, to _hate himself_; that is, to\ncondemn in himself whatever is pleasing and acceptable to the flesh; as\nhonor, luxury, revenge, anger, avarice, and whatever else savors of the\nflesh. He is to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, and to\nabhor in himself its whole offspring, as the work of the devil himself,\ntending only to increase and nourish the perverse seed of original\ndepravity. And such self-abhorrence in a sinner, will then of necessity be\nfollowed by pleading _guilty_, and by looking upon himself as one worthy\nof eternal death.\n\n4. (_c_) The _third_ lesson enjoined in these words, consists in _taking\nup the cross, and in following the Lord_: that is, that we, not with a\nmorose and discontented, but with a ready mind, bear all manner of\nsufferings, and deem ourselves worthy, not only of these, but even of far\nmore grievous afflictions. Thus Christ himself, whose example is set\nbefore us, \u201cendured the cross, and despised the shame\u201d (Heb. 12:2),\nthereby teaching us, that in \u201cquietness and confidence shall be our\nstrength.\u201d Isa. 30:15. And all that is comprehended in the imitation of,\nor following after, Christ.\n\n5. Upon the whole, these things make it appear, that a soul truly humble\nand penitent, thinks itself unworthy of all divine benefits, and even of\ndaily food and refreshment. And this accords with the example of Christ\nhimself, who, parched with thirst on the cross, and having vinegar given\nhim mixed with gall, said no more, than, \u201cIt is finished.\u201d John 19:30.\nThis was the reason also, that the true penitents under the old law judged\nthemselves entirely unworthy of any good thing. They put sackcloth on\ntheir bodies, and sat in ashes. They satisfied their hunger with bread\ntaken from the ashes, and quenched their thirst with water mingled with\ntears; as a testimony that they did not deserve any cleaner or better\nfood, but merited rather to eat and to drink with their food, the very\ntears that trickled upon it.\n\n6. Now the _cause_ of this great self-abasement, was that profound sense\nwith which they were affected, that, on account of their sin, they\ndeserved an eternal curse and condemnation. This consideration lays the\nreturning sinner very low. He deems himself utterly unworthy even of the\nleast of the benefits of God. An illustration of this we have in\nMephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. When David was raised to the royal\ndignity, he called to mind the kindness of his friend Jonathan, who\nformerly had delivered him out of the hand of his father Saul; and\ncommanding search to be made, whether there remained any of Jonathan\u2019s\nfamily, to whom he might make a suitable return of thanks; he at last\nfound Mephibosheth, a lame and poor man, who, being ordered by David to\neat bread at the king\u2019s table, bowed himself, and exclaimed: \u201cWhat is thy\nservant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?\u201d 2 Sam.\n9:8. This is a pattern, indeed, of a soul truly contrite in spirit and\npenitent in heart, and, therefore, sensible of both its own unworthiness,\nand of all the mercies bestowed on it by the Lord. And truly we may, with\nfar greater reason, make use of the same humble speech, whenever the Lord\nour God vouchsafes to us, as it were, the food of his own table, and in\nthe Holy Supper gives us his body and blood to eat and drink.\n\n7. In like manner does the Prodigal Son, after his repentance, express his\nsorrowful mind to his Father: \u201cFather,\u201d says he, \u201cI am no more worthy to\nbe called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.\u201d Luke 15:19. The\nwoman of Canaan was even content to be called a dog, if she were but\npermitted to \u201ceat of the crumbs falling from the master\u2019s table.\u201d Matt.\n15:27. Peter says to the Lord: \u201cDepart from me, for I am a sinful man!\u201d\n(Luke 5:8); that is, I am not worthy that thou shouldest have any further\nconverse with me. And the centurion of Capernaum was of the same mind:\n\u201cLord,\u201d says he, \u201cI am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof.\u201d\nMatt. 8:8. So also St. Paul professes himself to be \u201cnot meet to be called\nan apostle\u201d (1 Cor. 15:9): and declares, that he \u201ccounted not his life\ndear unto him, so that he might finish his course with joy.\u201d Acts 20:24.\nThis inward sense of self-abasement David expresses when he speaks of\n\u201ceating ashes like bread, and mingling his drink with weeping.\u201d If the\nheart of a Christian be brought to a sense of this vileness, then it is\ntruly contrite and humble, and fit to be made a living sacrifice unto the\nLord. Ps. 51:19.\n\n8. A _second_ property of true repentance, is, _to grieve at nothing so\nmuch as at the offences offered to God himself_. This is intimated in\nthese words: \u201cBecause of thine indignation and thy wrath, for thou hast\nlifted me up, and cast me down.\u201d That is, Of all my other miseries and\ngriefs, the greatest and most insupportable, is the sense I have of my\nhaving so heinously offended the infinitely good, holy, and righteous God.\n\n9. Since God is nothing but love, grace, righteousness, goodness, and\nmercy, yea, the original source of all virtue, He must of necessity be\noffended with every sin committed by men; since the nature of sin is\ndirectly opposite to the nature of God. Thus by injustice, the justice of\nGod is offended, he being justice itself. By lying, the truth of God is\noffended, he being truth itself. By hatred the love of God is offended, he\nbeing love itself. In a word, since God is the perfection of all virtue,\ngoodness, and love, it can be no other than diabolical malice to offend\nsuch infinite goodness, such immense love, nay, _Love_ itself. Had he at\nany time injured us, it might be no such great wonder, if we hated him,\nand offended him in our turn: but now, that he gives us nothing but what\nis good\u2014soul, body, and life itself; that he feeds and clothes us; that he\nheals our body when it is sick; yea, pardons our sins when we pour out to\nhim our souls; is ready to receive us into favor, as often as we return;\nnow that he has given us his only Son with the Holy Spirit, yea, and\nHimself too, and adopted us into the number of his children: and having\ndone all this for men, to be yet offended, opposed, and hated by them, is\na madness, a malice altogether unaccountable and monstrous. Would it not\nbe most wicked and impious to kill him who gave thee life; to beat and\nwound him, who kindly embraced and cherished thee in his bosom; to insult\nand affront him, who heaped honors and dignities upon thee; and to disown\nand reject him, who had chosen thee for his son? But all these, and far\ngreater indignities, thou offerest to thy heavenly Father, to the supreme,\nthe righteous, the holy God, whom angels adore and fear, and whom seraphim\nworship with the acclamations of \u201cHoly, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;\nthe whole earth is full of his glory!\u201d Isa. 6:3. And thou, who art but\ndust and ashes, art not afraid to offend him! If a penitent man earnestly\ncalls to mind this monstrous sin, it is impossible but he must be affected\nwith the keenest sorrow of heart, and feel the smart of his wounded\nconscience to equal and even exceed that of a wounded body. And there is\nall the reason in the world why it should be so. For hence must\nnecessarily arise a dread and terror, _inwardly_ threatening the\nconscience with wrath and judgment, and _outwardly_ setting before it the\napproach of temporal calamities: whence a man, even as Job complains (ch.\n6:1, etc.), finds no rest, takes no delight in anything, loathing even his\nmeat and drink. These terrible pangs of conscience are described by David:\n\u201cThine arrows,\u201d says he, \u201cstick fast in me: and thy hand presseth me\nsore.\u201d Ps. 38:2. For as a wound grievously smarts and grows worse whilst\nthe arrow remains fixed in it; so also it is with the conscience, whilst\nthe sting of sin and judgment is not taken away. And these lashes and\nclamors proceed from nothing but the sentence of divine justice proclaimed\nin the conscience, and the terrors of hell and death attending it.\nTherefore, David exclaims, \u201cThou hast lifted me up, and cast me down:\u201d\nlike one thrown down from a lofty rock into a low valley, who is so\nbruised and maimed, that not one sound limb remains.\n\n10. But how terrible soever the fear of the judgments of God may prove to\nan awakened conscience, yet is there some ground of comfort; since the\nprophet tells us, that these arrows, these threats, these terrors, are the\narrows and terrors of GOD himself. And it is God, who having thereby\nwounded and broken the heart, heals and restores it again. It is HE that\nkilleth, and it is He that maketh alive; He boweth down, and He raiseth\nagain (Ps. 146:8); He bringeth down to the grave, and He bringeth up\nagain. 1 Sam. 2:6.\n\n11. Whosoever, therefore, accounts and feels nothing to be more bitter and\ngrievous, than to have offended _God_, the infinite Good, and Love itself;\nhe only has experimentally learned the doctrine of contrition, and laid a\nfirm foundation for sound and genuine godliness. This was one of David\u2019s\nacts of repentance: \u201cAgainst THEE,\u201d says he, \u201cThee only, have I sinned.\u201d\nPs. 51:4. As if he had said, \u201cThis is my anguish and sorrow, that I have\noffended THEE.\u201d And Daniel thus expresses himself: \u201cLord, righteousness\nbelongeth unto THEE, but unto us, confusion of face,\u201d because we have\noffended so righteous a God. Dan. 9:7.\n\n12. The _third_ property of repentance is contained in these words: \u201cMy\ndays are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.\u201d That\nis, a heart truly penitent, is deeply sensible of its own weakness. It\nentirely despairs of its own strength and ability, knowing itself to be as\ndestitute of life and power, as the very shadow; and as empty of spirit\nand moisture, as the grass that fadeth away. The same is affirmed in\nanother Psalm: \u201cBehold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth, and mine\nage is as nothing before thee: verily, every man at his best state is\naltogether vanity.\u201d Ps. 39:5.\n\n13. O! how noble a step would it be toward the attainment of substantial\nwisdom, were man but sensible of his own NOTHINGNESS! Man is nothing, as a\nshadow is nothing. As a shadow is without life, and without substance of\nitself, and vanishes at the departure of the sun; so is the condition of\nman, whenever the Lord withdraws the light of life from him! And it is\nworthy of observation, that, the nearer the sun is, the less are the\nshadows observed to be; and on the contrary, the farther the sun removes\nfrom us, the larger the shadows appear. The same happens to man: the more\nof God and his gifts is present with a good man, the less he esteems\nhimself, the less he boasts of himself, and of what he calls _his_. On the\ncontrary, the farther a man is removed from God, the greater he is in his\nown eyes; the more he is puffed up with his parts and abilities, the more\nhe extends the bounds of his pride, and the less he knows how to keep\nwithin proper compass. Again, as shadows at the setting of the sun are\ngreatest, though then just ready to disappear and vanish away; their\ngreatness being but a forerunner of their approaching end; so it is with\nthe shadows of this world, and the whole train of vain pomps and\npleasures. They pass away suddenly when we are most lifted up by them. As\nthe shadows vanish upon the withdrawing of the sun; so when an empty man\nbecomes great in his own eyes, the divine sun sets upon him unexpectedly,\nand he returns to be _nothing_, even when he thought to be _something_.\nMoreover, as the shadow has no life of itself, but entirely moves with the\nmotion of the sun, upon which it depends: so man of his own nature, is\nnothing but a body destitute of life and motion; and it is God alone who\nis able to put life and motion in it. The shadow of a tall and goodly tree\nmoves not, except as the tree itself is moved; so man only liveth and\nmoveth in God (Acts 17:28), of whom he is a shadow and reflected image.\nThe hour of death will at length fully declare, that man\u2019s \u201cdays on the\nearth are as a shadow\u201d (1 Chron. 29:15; Job 8:9), as a vain shew or image\n(Ps. 39:5); nay, as grass which grows up, but soon withereth when it is\nmown down: so fades our life away immediately, when it is cut down by the\nfatal scythe of death. Ps. 102:3, 11; Ps. 103:15. Lo! thus are our days\nconsumed like smoke, and we are \u201cgone like the shadow when it declineth.\u201d\nPs. 109:23.\n\n14. Now when a man by true humility is thoroughly persuaded of all this,\nand is convinced that he is nothing in the sight of God but a lifeless\nshadow, then, verily, his repentance is unfeigned, and his heart right\nbefore the Lord. And as it is appointed unto all men once to undergo a\nnatural death, so ought all daily to die unto sin, that they may live unto\nGod, and depart happily out of this mortal life, when all the shadows\ndisappear. This daily dying to the world, as it is the best exercise, so\nit is also the best preparation for the hour of death; and if we earnestly\npractise the former, we shall then be fitted for undergoing the latter.\nThat which we most frequently practise, becomes most perfect to us.\n\n15. The _fourth_ property of true repentance, is _union with God_, implied\nin these words: _But thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever, and thy\nremembrance unto all generations._ As if the prophet had said: \u201cThough I\nam persuaded, that I am a perishing shadow, and wither like grass (Ps.\n102:11), yet I am no less certain, that in _thee_ I shall abide for ever;\nfor thou thyself art eternal.\u201d As by sin a man is divorced from God, so by\ntrue conversion, he is again united to him. Even as the Person of Christ\nis indivisible, and as the eternal Deity united the human nature in Christ\nJesus with itself in so firm a bond, as is not to be dissolved by death\nitself (the humanity of Christ remaining in perpetual union with the\nDivinity, and with the glory therein residing): so, in the work of true\nconversion to God, penitent and believing souls are so closely and\nintimately united to God, that neither life nor death can separate them\nfrom him (Rom. 8:38): for \u201che that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit\u201d\n(1 Cor. 6:17), God betrothing us unto himself forever. Hosea 2:19. In a\nword, Christ himself is our only Witness; and he is the Book of Life\nwherein we are plainly taught, that as his human nature abides eternally\nunited with the divine, so all believers shall be eternally united with\ntheir Lord and Head, being _one spirit_ with him. Now, as God is eternal,\nand Christ eternal; so the promises of God in Christ are also eternal and\ninviolable, he having made with us a covenant of everlasting grace. Ps.\n111:5. Therefore, though a true Christian be forsaken of the world; be\nvexed and tormented by sin, death, hell, and the devil himself; nay,\nthough even his own flesh and heart fail at last, and be wholly consumed,\nyet is God \u201cthe strength of his heart, and his portion for ever.\u201d Ps.\n73:26.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XI.\n\n\n Showing That The Fruit Of Conversion Is The New Creature; Also, That The\n Christian Is, By Faith, A Lord Over All, And, By Love, A Servant Of All;\n             And, That The Life Of Christ Is A Mirror For Us.\n\n\n    _If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature._\u20142 COR. 5:17.\n\n\nAll that are in Christ by faith, are \u201cnew creatures;\u201d that is, they are\nthe children of God, are righteous before God, have forgiveness of sin,\nand the Holy Ghost; they are partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4),\nare heirs of everlasting life, and are liberated in their consciences from\nthe law, the curse, death, the devil, hell, and damnation. All, whatever\nappertains to their salvation, is in them begotten of Christ by grace, and\nis conceived by them through faith; hence, neither time nor place, neither\nlaw, nor commandment, nor ceremonies, nor anything whatsoever, can be any\nhindrance to them. They are made perfect in Christ, who is now become a\nvital principle in them, and they have in him the accomplishment of the\nlaw through faith. Rom. 10:4.\n\n2. Thence the name of a _Christian_ is a higher and more excellent name\nthan all the names in the world. It is a greater name than is to be found\nin palaces and courts, a name above all posts of greatness, above the\nwhole world, with all that it contains. But, on the other hand, the name\nof a Christian is also the lowest name of all the names in the world,\nwithout exception. Thus, in the same degree, faith exalts a Christian\n_above all_; love brings down a Christian _under all_. This thou wilt then\nbest understand, when thou seriously considerest the holy life of Christ;\nwhich is the brightest mirror both of love, and of all other virtues. See\nPhil. 2:5-8.\n\n3. Behold how Christ made himself the servant of all! how humble was he in\nheart! how meek in spirit! how kind and gracious in words! how benevolent\nin his behavior! how merciful towards the poor! how compassionate towards\nthe distressed! how patient towards his slanderers! how calm in his\nanswers! how merciful towards sinners! Whom did he ever despise? whom did\nhe ever revile, being reviled? How condescending was he to the very\nmeanest! how ready to show acts of grace to all, without distinction! how\nheartily did he seek the salvation of all men, praying for his very\nenemies and murderers! Luke 23:34. How did he bear our sickness, sorrows,\nreproaches, stripes, wounds, and punishments! And indeed, what else is the\nlife of Christ, but a most accomplished pattern of love, humility,\npatience, and all other virtues whatsoever! This we ought to look into,\nand to reflect upon it in our hearts; but especially when we are alone.\nThis is better than all the high boasts of knowledge, and all the art and\nwisdom of the world. This life of Christ is like a seal (Cant. 8:6) to be\nstamped upon our hearts, and leave there the impression of his image,\nlife, love, humility, patience, cross, reproach, and death. This would\nprove a true celestial light to our hearts, and a powerful means both to\nrenew us in the inner man, and to transform us more and more into the\ndivine image. Now as Christ was _under all_ men, yea, under all creatures,\nin his state of _humiliation_ in this world; but is now in his state of\n_exaltation_, a Lord _over all_: so a Christian is, with reference to his\n_faith_, a lord _over all_, nothing being excepted but God; but with\nregard to his _life_ and conduct, a servant of servants, being _under all_\npersons and things.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XII.\n\n\n Showing That Christ Is The Only Way And End Of True Godliness; And That\n         Man Goes Astray, When God Does Not Guide And Direct Him.\n\n\n    Teach me thy way, O Lord: I will walk in thy truth; unite my heart\n    to fear thy name.\u2014PS. 86:11.\n\n\nThis way is Christ. He says, \u201cI am the way.\u201d John 14:6. But thou wilt here\nask, How am I to come to him? The answer is: By _faith_. For _faith_\nunites us with Christ; _love_ binds us fast; and _hope_ upholds and\nsustains us while we walk in this way; that is, in the life of Christ. Yet\nat the same time, faith, hope, and love, all proceed from Christ himself,\nand are his work in us. All these graces flow from him, and return to him.\nThis way goes out from him, and leads back to him again.\n\n2. Faith apprehends the Person of Christ, and his office; Love follows\nChrist in his life and conversation; Hope seizes on the glory that is\nhereafter to be revealed in Christ. _Faith_ must have no other Christ, no\nother Redeemer, no other Saviour, no other Mediator and Way to life, but\nJESUS CHRIST only. _Love_ sets before itself the one only life of Christ,\nas the most perfect and shining pattern to which to conform itself. _Hope_\nlooks up steadfastly to Christ, as the glorious Captain of our salvation,\nkeeping its eye fixed upon his everlasting kingdom above. This, _this_ is\nthe right _way_; this is the unerring truth, wherein we are to walk; and\nthis is what is meant by _having the heart united, to fear the Lord\u2019s\nname_.\n\n3. These three chief virtues are allied again to three other virtues. The\nalliance of faith, is with humility; of love, with patience; and of hope,\nwith prayer. For he that believeth, humbleth himself; he that loveth, is\npatient; and he that hopeth, learns to pray, and boldly to approach the\nthrone of grace. O how goodly and beautiful is this way! This is the way\nof God, the way of salvation, the path to glory, even our great Master\u2019s\nway! And may He himself teach us this way of truth, and inspire us with\ncourage to walk in it! Where this frame of mind is, there the soul is\nfirmly united to the fear of the Lord; and this is that _one thing_ which\nDavid desired. Ps. 27:4. Such a one is resolved heartily to follow Christ\nin his humility and love, meekness and patience, expelling, through the\nlowliness of Christ, the venom of pride that lurks within. Consider how\nChrist thy Lord was made for thee a despicable worm (Ps. 22:6), and\ntrampled upon by the basest of men! and by looking to him, learn to\nrestrain thy haughty temper. In a word, let his humility slay thy _pride_;\nand do thou suppress the assaults of _covetousness_, by meditating on the\npoverty of Christ. Behold, he had not so much as even where to lay his\nhead (Matt. 8:20), and how eager art thou to grasp in possession whatever\nthy unbounded desires fix themselves upon! Let the spirit of _envy_ die,\nby the consideration of the overflowing love of Christ. He hath given thee\nlife itself, and thou grudgest thy neighbor even a morsel of bread. Let\nthe thirst for _revenge_ be overcome in thy breast by the meekness of\nChrist. Behold! he prayed for his enemies (Luke 23:34); and thou dost not\neven pray for thy friends. His face being buffeted and spit upon by\nsinners, he quietly endured it; and thou canst hardly endure a severe\nlook, or an unkind word from thy neighbor! Let the enticements to _lust_\nand voluptuousness be beaten down, by the agony and pains which thy Lord\nsuffered in his holy body. Behold, and see, whether the sorrows of any man\nwere ever like unto his sorrows! Lam. 1:12. This consideration will prove\na check to the wanton lusts of thy flesh, and a curb to thy thirst after\nworldly pleasure. He wore a crown of thorns; and wouldest thou wear one of\ngold? He wept for the sins of others; and refusest thou to weep for thine\nown? He was a man of sorrows; and shouldest thou wish to be a man of\npleasure?\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIII.\n\n\n Showing That Jesus Christ Is The True Book Of Life, And That His Poverty\n              Teaches Us To Despise The Glory Of The World.\n\n\n    _Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was\n    rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his\n    poverty might be rich._\u20142 COR. 8:9.\n\n\nAll who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are written \u201cin the book\nof life\u201d (Phil. 4:3), or as the Lord expresses it, \u201cin heaven.\u201d Luke\n10:20. This shall be made manifest in that great day, when the Lord will\n\u201cconfess their names before his Father, and before his angels.\u201d Rev. 3:5.\nBut besides this, the Lord Jesus himself is a most complete Book of a\ntruly Christian life: he being, as the word and wisdom of the Father, made\nman, and come into the world to teach us by his life and death; and by his\nconduct and conversation, to set a pattern before us for our imitation.\n\n2. The whole of his life, from his tender infancy to his death, was made\nup of nothing but a continual series of crosses and afflictions; insomuch\nthat he took hardly any step without the inseparable attendance either of\na pressing poverty, or of great contempt, or of most exquisite pains and\nsufferings: and into these three heads the entire extent of the life of\nChrist may be fitly resolved.\n\n3. The poverty which the Lord endured, may be considered again under a\nthreefold aspect. In the first place, he was poor in relation to outward\nthings. This he himself declared: \u201cThe foxes,\u201d says he, \u201chave holes, and\nthe birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay\nhis head.\u201d Matt. 8:20.\n\n4. This indigence in worldly goods was attended by another, which was a\npoverty of friends. Nothing was more visible in his birth than meanness\nand poverty. He was born at Bethlehem, the least among the cities of\nJudah, and of a mother that was destitute of all wealth and worldly\ngreatness. Luke 2:4, 7. Nor did he ever court the favor and friendship of\nthe great and wealthy of this world. It is true, that Lazarus of Bethany\nwas his friend, the Evangelist taking particular notice, that the Lord\n_loved him_, and thought him worthy of the title of his _friend_ (John\n11:3, 5, 11, 36); but this friendship was not founded on any worldly\nadvantage which the Lord expected from him, but on that faith, whereby he\nwas induced to believe, that Jesus was really the true Messiah.\n\n5. The third degree of the Lord\u2019s poverty, was the state of his\nhumiliation, whereby, laying aside the _form of God, he humbled himself,\nand made himself of no reputation_. Phil. 2:6, 7. He thereby entered into\nthe depth of our misery. He was wearied in the journeys he undertook, when\nhe \u201cwent about doing good\u201d (Acts 10: 38); but particularly, when he healed\nmultitudes of sick and diseased, that continually crowded to him from all\nparts, and surrounded him often to that degree, that he could not so much\nas eat bread, and even his very friends thought him beside himself. Mark\n3:20, 21. He fulfilled also what was said by the prophet, and is repeated\nin the Gospel: \u201cHimself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses\u201d\n(Isa. 53:4; Matt. 8:17); never withdrawing from any hardship or\napproaching calamity, never shrinking under the burden of poverty, or\ncruel mockings, or unjust reproaches, or other evils, though they were\nsharp and numerous. And whereas he might have been served by all the\ncreatures of God, and waited on by legions of angels, yet he dispensed\nwith all this glory, and did not exert that sovereign power which he\npossessed. He suffered his head to be torn by thorns, his hands to be\nbound, his sacred body to be scourged, his hands and feet to be nailed to\nthe cross, his side to be pierced with a spear. All this he freely\nallowed, though it was in his power to prevent it, and with one word to\nrestrain all creatures from inflicting an injury on him.\n\n6. In a word, for our sakes, he made himself subject to all creatures. He\ntook upon him the form of a servant, that by his lowliness, he might\nrepair our losses, and reinstate us in that sovereign dominion over all\nthe creatures, which we had lost. He rose from the dead again, and gained\na perfect conquest at last, thereby to purchase for us an everlasting\nvictory. He suffered himself to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1, 8),\nhurried about by his malice, tormented by his instruments, the Jews,\nfastened to the cross by their cruelty; and all this he underwent, in\norder to rescue mankind from the power of the devil and all his\nsubordinate tools and agents.\n\n7. Thus the Strongest became weak; the Almighty infirm; the most Glorious,\nbecame most despicable; the most Beautiful, most abhorred and hated; the\nmost Exalted, most exposed himself to temptations of all kinds, to\nsufferings and difficulties, to pains and hardships. Hereby he designed to\ncheck and put to shame our sinful tenderness and effeminacy. We are, alas!\nso tender and delicate that the smallest cross is now complained of as an\ninsufferable burden, and a little trouble and toil undergone for the sake\nof God and our neighbor, seems a sufficient plea why men should start back\ninto the smooth way, and forsake the Lord; whereas he sends such trials\nupon men for the purpose of promoting thereby the recovery of their own\nsouls, and the glory of his name.\n\n8. Thus the Lord laid aside for a while the form of God. But this was not\nall. He did no less lay aside the use of the divine wisdom which resided\nin him. His conversation with others was plain and easy; and he behaved\nhimself like a man _who had not learned letters_, as the Jews expressed\nit. John 7:15. He did not assume to himself the wonted formalities of a\ngreat doctor, or of an acute reasoner and disputer. Neither did he act\nlike men that value themselves on account of their parts, skill, polite\nlearning, and high descent. Nothing was more visible in his life and\nconduct than that quiet serenity of mind which he enjoyed in the midst of\nall the storms of the world. This was attended, however, by a divine\npower, an unaffected holiness of manners, an unfeigned charity, meekness,\nand humility. He made use of plain and easy terms when he \u201ctaught the way\nof God in truth\u201d (Matt. 22:16); therefore he was despised by the proud\nJews as an unlearned man. Thus the eternal WISDOM of God, speaking through\nthe prophets of old, was cast aside as folly, and the true light of souls\nrejected as deception: all which may serve to instruct us not to overvalue\nourselves upon our parts and abilities; but to consider that they are not\ngiven us for the gratification of pride; and to employ them solely for\nadvancing the glory of God, and the good of our fellow-creatures.\n\n9. This simplicity of our Lord was manifested herein also, that he made no\ndisplay of his glory and majesty. So great was his condescension, that he\nfreely conversed with sinners. He did eat and drink with them; and this\nfor no other reason, but to complete thereby the great work for which he\nwas sent, which was, to \u201cseek and to save that which was lost.\u201d Luke\n19:10. It was on this account that he was so grievously defamed with a\nmultitude of odious names by his enemies, who called him \u201ca gluttonous\nman, a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners\u201d (Luke 7:34): and at\nanother time, they exclaimed against him as a Samaritan, that had a devil.\nJohn 8:48. And, at last, he suffered them to crucify him between two\nmalefactors, as if he were the greatest criminal, whereas he then bore our\ntransgressions.\n\n10. Now he might have gained a greater repute than John himself, who,\naccording to the Lord\u2019s own testimony, was a \u201cburning and a shining\nlight.\u201d John 5:35. But he readily renounced any such honor, thereby to\ngive a check to all superficial pretenders to piety, who are too apt to\nvalue themselves on account of an outward show of religion: though those\nthat busy themselves so much about form and appearance, may have but\nlittle of the life and power of God within them.\n\n11. In short, the Lord forsook all that is lofty and grand in the world.\nHe was a king, and yet would be subject to kings and magistrates, nay, to\nJoseph and his mother, though they were so mean and indigent. \u201cHe went\ndown with them to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.\u201d Luke 2:51. He was\nLord over all, and yet when he came into the world, \u201cHe came not to be\nministered unto, but to minister\u201d (Matt. 20:28), clothing himself in the\nattire of poverty and meanness. He was the great and wise Prophet, and\nchose disciples of the lowest rank, plain and simple people. And when it\nwas in his power to behave himself as a Lord and Master in the small\ncompany of his followers, yet did he even there divest himself of that\nright, being \u201camong them as one that serveth.\u201d Luke 22:27. He assumed no\nlordlike air over them, but chose rather to be a master in life and\ndoctrine, than to have any other distinguishing character of grandeur and\npre-eminence. Thus when he taught the duty of obedience, he showed at the\nsame time a pattern of obedience in his own conduct. When he endeavored to\ninstil into his disciples a sense of humility, of patience, of subjection\nto their superiors, and of other Christian virtues; he practised them\nfirst himself, that so his own example might have the greater influence\nupon the lives of others. Being Head and Master, he thought it becoming\nhis character to be chief also in bearing affronts, reproaches, injuries,\npoverty, misery, and in performing the most humble services, even such as\nthat of washing his disciples\u2019 feet. John 13:5. Thus he proved a Master,\nHead, and Teacher, not in doctrine only; but in life, in example, and\npractice.\n\n12. Alas! how great is our folly! Our Head despised worldly honor, and lo!\nwe are in pursuit of it. He submitted to crosses and trials, and we shrink\nback at the sight of them. He became obedient unto death; and we seek\nliberty, so that we may follow our own will. But this does not agree with\nthe example which the Lord has set before us, nor with the spiritual\nmaxims contained in the Book of Life, which he has left us for imitation.\n\n13. Consider, therefore, O man, whether the way wherein thou walkest\nagrees with that excellent way wherein thy Lord and Master walked himself.\nIf thou despisest the narrow way of Jesus, and followest the way of the\nworld, then know certainly that thy way, though smooth and pleasing for a\nwhile, will end in utter destruction at last! And thus the first part of\nChrist\u2019s life of sorrow and poverty has been described.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIV.\n\n\nShowing How Christ, By The Shame And Contempt Which He Endured, And By His\n   Self-Denial, Teaches Us To Despise The Honor And Glory Of The World.\n\n\n    _He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and\n    acquainted with grief._\u2014ISA. 53:3.\n\n\nThe second head of the life of poverty of Christ, is the contempt which he\nendured from the world. After thou hast read over and seriously considered\nthe lesson of _poverty_ exhibited by the Lord, take also a view of the\ndeep and unaffected _humility_, which was so eminently seen in his whole\nlife and conduct. Never did he catch at the applause of men; never was he\nactuated by ambition, or any thirst after temporal honor and greatness: on\nthe contrary, whenever men offered to bestow honors and praises upon him,\nhe refused them, both by word and by deed: never did he accept of any\nhonor from men; nay, not even when \u201cthey would take him by force to make\nhim a king.\u201d John 6:15. On the other hand, with what inexpressible\nhumility did he bear all the insults, the reproaches, and calumnies with\nwhich his enemies loaded him? He was execrated as a Samaritan, and his\nmiracles were maliciously ascribed to the power of Beelzebub. John 8:48;\nMatt. 12:24. The sound doctrine which he brought down from heaven, was\ndenounced as blasphemy; and he who taught it, was everywhere insulted by\nfoul and uncharitable censures, and such base lies and slanders as the\nmalice of men could contrive. He was betrayed and sold; he was denied and\nbuffeted; he was spit upon and crowned with thorns; he was derided and\nscourged; he was smitten, and sentenced to death; he was rejected, and\ncondemned to undergo the ignominious \u201cdeath of the cross.\u201d Phil. 2:8. He\nwas forsaken by God and men; and, in fine, being stripped of all, was\nexecuted in the midst of scandalous malefactors, hanging on the tree like\none accursed. Gal. 3:13. He was made the common gazing-stock of all his\nenemies, and derided by all. His prayers were turned into ridicule; his\ngarments were parted by lot; and at the approach of the very pangs of\ndeath, he had nothing wherewith to refresh himself but vinegar mingled\nwith gall. Matt. 27:34. At last, when all was finished, he expired on the\ncross, amid the reproaches, hatred, and indignation of the world; his body\nwas pierced with a spear, and he made his grave with the wicked. John\n19:34; Isa. 53:9. Nay, his enemies continued to fume with rage and malice,\neven now when he had given up the ghost; and called him a deceiver. Matt.\n27:63. Being risen at last from the dead, and triumphing over his enemies;\nthey boldly denied the truth of his resurrection. Thus was the Lord, in\nthe beginning, progress, and end of his ever-blessed life, \u201cdespised and\nrejected, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.\u201d\n\n2. In the course of our Lord\u2019s life, there is not only displayed to us the\nabounding treasure of redemption gained by Christ; but it is also most\nclearly demonstrated, that in this scene of suffering, he is our great\nteacher and master, our prophet and shepherd, our instructor, light, and\nconstant monitor; that also we, by looking unto him, may learn to despise\nearthly pomp and greatness; and by closely adhering to him, like true\nmembers to their head, \u201cgrow up into him in all things\u201d (Ephes. 4:15),\nbeing rendered conformable unto his life, \u201cand rooted and grounded in his\nlove.\u201d Ephes. 3:17.\n\n3. But when our lives are contrary to the life of him who is designed to\nbe our Head; when in our actions, words, and endeavors, we do not entirely\naim at God\u2019s glory, but our own; it is more than evident, that Christ does\nnot live in us, but rather the prince of this world. It is then plain,\nthat we have not yet learned to love Christ, and that we are not yet loose\nfrom the various ties of this world; for \u201cwhatsoever is born of God,\novercometh the world\u201d (1 John 5:4); and so of course is not overcome by\nit. Nor does such a one any longer love the world; for \u201cif any man love\nthe world, the love of the Father is not in him\u201d (1 John 2:15); and\nconsequently, that of Christ must be absent likewise. For the whole life\nof Christ teaches us how to die unto the world. Consider then the\nbeginning, together with the progress and conclusion of his life, and\nremember the profound HUMILITY with which he bore the contempt and\nreproaches of all those that love the world.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XV.\n\n\n Showing How We Should, Through Christ, Bear And Overcome The Trials And\n                          Contempt Of The World.\n\n\n    _Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against\n    himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds._\u2014HEB. 12:3.\n\n\nIt is a most moving complaint uttered by the Messiah: \u201cI became a reproach\nunto them; when they looked upon me, they shaked their heads. Help me, O\nLord my God; O save me according to thy mercy; that they may know that\nthis is thy hand; that thou Lord hast done it. Let them curse, but bless\nthou; when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.\nLet mine adversaries be clothed with shame; and let them cover themselves\nwith their own confusion as with a mantle. I will greatly praise the Lord\nwith my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. For he shall\nstand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn\nhis soul.\u201d Ps. 109:25-31.\n\n2. This pathetic complaint of the Lord our Redeemer, every Christian ought\nto represent to himself as a mirror, in which to behold the life of Christ\nunder the cross, together with that of all the saints in general. This way\nof the cross has been copiously set forth in the Book of Psalms, in order\nto render it the more familiar to us, and to teach us betimes, that \u201cwe\nmust through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.\u201d Acts 14:22.\nSuch a consideration gives present ease and comfort under the contempt and\nreproaches incident to the true followers of Christ, and accustoms them to\na conformity to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29): which as it is one of the\ngreatest honors our Master bestows on his disciples; so it is by the world\nabhorred and loathed, just as a healing medicine is by a distempered and\ndelicate palate. This conformity is, however, the grand duty of a\nChristian, inuring him to bear his Master\u2019s reproach (Heb. 13:13) and\nabject image in time, that he may also hereafter bear his glorious image\nin eternity. Phil. 3:21.\n\n3. Now, as the 109th Psalm above-mentioned, contains a prayer of Christ\npoured out in the midst of his sufferings; so it mentions, in the latter\npart, three kinds of trouble more particularly, with which the Lord found\nhimself oppressed.\n\n4. In the first place, the Lord complaineth of a vehement anxiety of\nheart, declared in this manner: \u201cI am poor and needy, and my heart is\nwounded within me.\u201d Ver. 22. Behold, what complaints this holy, this\neminent Person is reduced to! And what is the reason of them? Surely, to\nacquaint us in the most affectionate terms, with all that he hath suffered\nfor our sake. He says, \u201cI am poor;\u201d and lo! thou toilest to get estates,\nto hoard up riches; and yet when thou hast them, thou art still poor and\ndiscontented in the possession of them. He says, \u201cI am needy;\u201d and thou, O\nman, art entirely bent upon thy ease, prosperity, and fulness of bread! He\ncomplains, \u201cmy heart is wounded within me;\u201d how unreasonable is it then, O\nman! that thou shouldest desire to be humored and gratified in all thy\nvain and carnal propensities! Now, if nothing will awaken in thee a love\nof the cross of Christ, let at least the consideration of the sacredness\nof the afflicted Person, infinitely exalted above thee, work thee into a\nready compliance with his life. Such a consideration will give thee ease\nand patience under any grief that may attend thee, and make thee relish\nbetter those pure and untainted pleasures which will succeed the cross.\nTherefore, think with thyself in this manner: \u201cI am now put to trouble and\nanxiety of heart; but the same befell also my Lord and Master, whose very\nsoul was surrounded with sorrows so heavy and acute, with pains so great,\nthat nothing of what I shall ever undergo can equal them.\u201d However, the\nLord, after his sufferings, entered into everlasting joy; after contempt,\ninto never-fading glory; through death into life; and through hell into\nheaven. And thus will it be with the sincere followers of the Lord, to\nwhom their crosses will prove but as so many advances to a more excellent\nglory, and their affliction will be the avenue to everlasting bliss and\nhappiness.\n\n5. The Lord continues his complaint thus: \u201cI am gone like the shadow when\nit declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust. My knees are weak\nthrough fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.\u201d Ps. 109:23, 24. A most\nexpressive description of the common frailty of human nature! What is a\nshadow, but a mere nothing, an empty lifeless appearance? To such an\nabject lowliness, to such an inconceivable degree of humiliation, the Lord\nsuffered himself to be reduced whilst he dwelt among us! He who is life\nand light itself, and the bottomless fountain of life and happiness, is\nexposed to labor and infirmities; and should not men hereby learn so much\nhumility at least, as to think themselves far more emphatically as\nshadows, or as nothing, than the Lord of life himself? At the same time,\nit is to be remembered that the Lord here refers to his state of\nhumiliation alone, for, in his own glory he is our Lord and our life. He\nsays, \u201cI am tossed up and down as the locust.\u201d The Lord had no settled\nhabitation upon earth, as men of the world have. He was in a constant\npilgrimage towards that kingdom which cannot be moved. For this reason he\nis said to have only _dwelt or tabernacled_ among us (John 1:14), and is\nhere compared to a locust, which having no abiding place, is fearful, and\ntossed to and fro with every wind. Nahum 3:17; Exod. 10:19. And even in\nthis our blessed Saviour has left us a pattern, to walk as he walked; and\nsince we have no continuing city here, to seek one to come, which \u201chath\nfoundations, whose builder and maker is God.\u201d Heb. 11:10. What is farther\nadded of the weakness of his knees, and the failing of his flesh,\nabundantly appeared about the time of his passion, when his \u201cstrength was\ndried up like a potsherd\u201d (Ps. 22:15); and this may be a monitor to us\nunder bodily diseases and infirmities. Should we complain of a fit of\nsickness, when the Lord of life pined away into weakness, and languished\nin misery? What matters it, how languid, weak, and neglected our body be,\nif our soul and spiritual life be but vigorous and sound? The soul ought\nto \u201ceat that which is good, and delight itself in spiritual fatness\u201d (Isa.\n55:2), that so it may grow \u201cstrong in the Lord, and in the power of his\nmight.\u201d Ephes. 6:10.\n\n6. Thirdly, the Lord complains of the great contempt he underwent in this\nworld, in order to stop us in our pursuit after vain honor, pride, and\nself-esteem. \u201cI became,\u201d says he, \u201ca reproach unto them: when they looked\nupon me they shaked their heads.\u201d What indignity is there like unto this!\nBut the Anointed of the Lord endured it all for no other end, than to\nrescue mankind from eternal scorn and infamy; for man having become a\nscorner and hater of God, Christ was designed to make atonement for so\nheinous a sin, by the extreme contempt which he willingly endured.\nHowever, as the Lord by his humble submission to the contempt of the\nworld, has laid a mighty obligation on all Christians to be his followers\ntherein; so the considerations here annexed, may be of use for supporting\na man under sufferings of that nature.\n\n7. First consider, that in bearing the contempt of the world, thou bearest\nno less than the very image of Christ, and followest him who is thy Head\nand Master. Rom. 8:17.\n\n8. (2) To be contemned and disrespectfully used by the world, is of great\nefficacy for improving thyself in true humility; a virtue which finds\nfavor with God. \u201cFor God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the\nhumble.\u201d 1 Peter 5:5.\n\n9. (3) Thy suffering of reproaches for the sake of truth, is an evidence\nthat thou art ranked with that cloud of witnesses, who in all ages have\nbeen made \u201cas the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things,\u201d\nand so continue to be esteemed \u201cunto this day.\u201d 1 Cor. 4:13.\n\n10. (4) Remember that those that are come out \u201cof great tribulation, shall\nbe before the throne of God\u201d at last (Rev. 7:14), and be there \u201cconfessed\nbefore the angels of God.\u201d Luke 12:8; 1 Cor. 4:5.\n\n11. (5) Of what consequence is it how contemptuously the world uses thee,\nsince thou art not to rise in the last day (as many shall), \u201cto shame and\neverlasting contempt\u201d (Dan. 12:2), (the Lord having redeemed thee from\nthat), but to honor and glory!\n\n12. (6) Remember that God does not withhold his grace from thee in this\nworld. When the world frowns, God favors. When men withdraw their\nkindness, then God confers his mercy. For this purpose the Psalmist prays:\n\u201cHelp me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy; that they may\nknow that this is thy hand, and that thou, Lord, hast done it.\u201d Ps.\n109:26, 27. That is to say: As the Lord removed at last his Son from the\ncross, from all the labors of his soul, from all the insults of his\nenemies, and crowned him with glory in heaven; so will he deal with thee\nalso, if thou continuest faithful in bearing the cross, and all the\ninjuries of a profane world. All shall see and shall know, that it is the\nLord\u2019s hand that hath done it.\n\n13. (7) It was God himself who suffered his beloved Son to be thus\ncontemned, reproached, and reviled, according to the words of the Psalm:\n\u201cBecause for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.\u201d\nPs. 69:7. Remember, therefore, that the same God, who gave a bitter cup to\nhis dear Son, hath also allotted thee thy trials, to humble thee, and to\nknow what is in thy heart.\n\n14. (8) Be sure that the Lord will change all the undeserved reproaches\nthrown upon thee, into so many blessings, and in his own time pour shame\nand confusion upon the scoffers. This is expressed in the following verse:\n\u201cLet them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but\nlet thy servant rejoice.\u201d Ps. 109:28. Nay, if the wicked curse ever so\nmuch, yet \u201cshall the curse causeless never come\u201d (Prov. 26:2), as plainly\nappears from Balaam\u2019s attempt, who could not \u201ccurse, whom God had not\ncursed.\u201d Numb. 23:8. Whereas, whosoever feareth the Lord, it shall go well\nwith him at the last, and he shall find favor in the day of his death. The\nsame blessing is bestowed on Abraham, and on all those that walk in the\nsteps of his faith: \u201cI will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that\ncurseth thee.\u201d Gen. 12:3. And in another place we have this encouragement:\n\u201cFear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their\nrevilings.\u201d Isa. 51:7. And our Redeemer himself hath declared: \u201cBlessed\nare ye, when men shall revile you.\u201d Matt. 5:11. And his apostle says: \u201cIf\nye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of\nglory and of God resteth upon you.\u201d 1 Pet. 4:14.\n\n15. (9) The Lord goes on in the aforesaid Psalm: \u201cI will greatly praise\nthe Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.\u201d Ps.\n109:30. Christ now returns thanks to his heavenly Father for the very\ncrosses and reproaches that were allotted him. This is the temper of every\nsincere Christian. He is thankful in the midst of afflictions and\nreproaches, particularly when he looks on the hand of that kind Father who\nentails all this upon him, but who also delivers him. And truly, the Lord\nnever inflicts a judgment on any soul, but he affords at the same time\nsufficient reason for thanking and blessing him for that affliction. Thus\nis gratitude the happy product of crosses and trials. And this\nconsideration is fit to sweeten the duty of resignation to the will of\nGod. He that for the love of Christ readily submits to the contempt of a\nvain world, shall be honored by God again, both in this world and in the\nworld to come. There is a time, wherein the Lord \u201craiseth up the poor out\nof the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set\nhim with princes, even with the princes of his people.\u201d Ps. 113:7. Surely,\nit argues an excellent spirit, when a man for Christ\u2019s sake bears the\ninsults of the wicked, and maintains an unshaken calmness of mind, in the\nmidst of all the calumnies of the world. This is \u201cthe ornament of a meek\nand quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.\u201d 1 Pet.\n3:4.\n\n16. (10) The Psalm concludes, \u201cFor he shall stand at the right hand of the\npoor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.\u201d Ps. 109:31. Here is\ncomfort sufficient to make a Christian bear up against the hardships and\nreproaches he is exposed to in his warfare. It is never said that the Lord\nwill stand at the right hand of the violent and great ones, of the\noppressors and persecutors; but he will stand at the right hand of the\npoor, who being destitute of the arm or support of men, flee to the Lord\nalone for help and refuge, as to the sole object of their faith and trust.\nThose are \u201cremembered, when he maketh inquisition for blood\u201d (Ps. 9:12);\nand those are the afflicted, or the humble, \u201cwhose cry the Lord doth not\nforget.\u201d Tertullian tells us, \u201cWe are then absolved by God, when the world\ncondemns us.\u201d For though \u201cthe wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh\nto slay him; yet will the Lord not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him\nwhen he is judged.\u201d Ps. 37:32, 33. Thus will the Lord attend thee, O man!\nwith a wonderful deliverance, and afford thee reason enough to extol his\nname among many, for his marvellous kindness. David himself \u201chad fainted,\nunless he had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the\nliving. Wait, therefore, on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall\nstrengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.\u201d Ps. 27:13, 14.\n\u201cTherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both\nwill bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest\nthe counsels of the heart: and then shall every man have praise of God.\u201d 1\nCor. 4:5.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVI.\n\n\n  Showing How Christians Are To Seek And Obtain Favor And Glory Through\n                            Christ, In Heaven.\n\n\n    _Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise, etc._\u2014PS. 109:1, etc\n\n\nThis is a prayer of the eternal Son of God. The purport or substance of\nthis prayer, may be more fully expressed in this manner:\n\n\u201cMy Heavenly Father! thou knowest that in this world I have not sought my\nown glory, but the glory of thy holy name, and the salvation of all men:\nand therefore am I so bitterly persecuted, blasphemed, contemned, and\nvilified. Nevertheless, this is my comfort, that thou art my Father, and\nthat I am thy only begotten Son: lo! this is my glory, in heaven with\nthee. And this my glory wilt thou in due time manifest and bring to light;\nthat by thy glorifying of me, the world may see who it is whom they have\nblasphemed and persecuted.\u201d John 12:28.\n\n2. Hence we are to learn, that such have the greatest glory and praise in\nheaven, who in this world are the most persecuted for righteousness\u2019 sake.\nThis we may gather from the example of our Lord himself. From him, the\ntrue Book of Life, we may learn true wisdom. But that we may the better\nunderstand that his example and holy life are our Book of Life, let us\ncarefully observe the following considerations: (1) Christ never sought\nupon earth his own glory in anything, but accounted it sufficient for him,\nthat God alone was his glory. So let us, in like manner, reject the empty\nglory and praises of this world, in whatever we do; endeavoring only that\nGod be glorified in us, saying, \u201cAh, Lord God! give us also such a heart,\neven the heart of Christ thy Son, that we may have our glory in _Thee_\nalone, and not in _ourselves_; that we may have our glory in heaven, and\nnot upon earth.\u201d\n\n3. (2) It was the highest glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he was the\nonly begotten Son of God. And for this reason did the world persecute,\nvilify, and blaspheme him. Here let our prayer be like this: \u201cGrant us\nalso, Holy Father, that we may count it our greatest glory and joy, that\nwe are thy children; that so we may also obtain the eternal enjoyment of\nthy love and promise, and may, by virtue of our adoption, come to possess\nin thee an everlasting inheritance. Remind us, also, that if the world\nhate, envy, reproach, and persecute us, it has done the same to thy dear\nand holy child Jesus.\u201d\n\n4. (3) It is the glory of the Lord Jesus, that he wrought so many divine\nworks, that he went about continually doing the most wondrous acts of\ngrace and beneficence to mankind: and that he did this from pure love\nonly, and from the highest compassion for the miseries of fallen nature;\nalthough he received nothing but hatred and most heinous ingratitude in\nreturn. \u201cGrant us, blessed God, grateful and faithful hearts, so that we\nmay be always ready to do good to as many as we possibly can; and that we\nmay never be deterred from acts of charity, by the unthankfulness of the\nworld, ascribing not to ourselves, but to thy name only, the glory of all\nthat we do.\u201d\n\n5. (4) It is the highest glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, that out of pure\nlove, he laid down his life for us; that he purchased us with his own\nblood; that he was obedient to the Father, even unto death; that with the\ngreatest meekness he endured the vilest reproach; and with the utmost\npatience, bore the pains of the cross. \u201cO God, our glory, help us, that we\nmay also overcome our enemy with love; that we may subdue our flesh with\ngodly obedience; bear the reproach of the world with the meekness and long\nsuffering of Christ; obtain the victory through patience; and being thus\nmade strong in the Lord, be more than conquerors through him that loved\nus!\u201d\n\n6. (5) The highest glory of the blessed Jesus, is his exaltation to the\nright hand of God, and the name given him, which is \u201cabove every name;\nthat, at the name of Jesus, every knee, both in heaven and in earth,\nshould bow, and all tongues confess him to be their Lord.\u201d Phil. 2:9-11.\n\u201cHelp, O gracious God! that we may esteem it our highest glory to be made\nconformable to our ever-blessed Head and Saviour; that so when he shall\nhereafter appear in power and majesty, we also may appear with him in\nglory, after we have here endured the contempt of the world, and continued\nfaithful to the end, when every man shall have praise of God.\u201d 1 Cor. 4:5;\n2 Cor. 4:17.\n\n7. (6) The glory of Christ the Lord is, that he is the only Head of his\nChurch in general, and of every member thereof in particular; a glorious\nKing of his people; and an everlasting High priest, making intercession\nfor us. \u201cHelp us with thy grace, O God most gracious, that we may evermore\naccount it our greatest glory, that we are members of thy Son, and\nsubjects of his kingdom, and that we may enjoy all the privileges and\nbenefits purchased by his high-priestly intercession, sacrifice, and\nbenediction.\u201d\n\n8. (7) Another branch of the glory of Christ is, that God has most\nwonderfully displayed and magnified his name throughout the whole world:\nand has (in opposition to all his enemies, blasphemers, and persecutors,\nwho would not own him to be the Son of God), in the most public and solemn\nmanner attested his cause, declared him to be his Son by mighty signs and\nwonders, and established faith in his name amongst many nations and\nlanguages. Notwithstanding that God held his peace for a while, and vailed\nthe glory of his Son under the mystery of the cross; yet did it break\nforth the more gloriously like the sun. For, \u201cout of Zion, the perfection\nof beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep\nsilence.\u201d For though God, who is our glory, may seem now and then to be\nsilent, and to hold his peace when we are insulted and persecuted; yet is\nthere nothing more certain, than that after the short hour of probation,\nhe will no longer keep silence, but with a high hand deliver us from the\nreproach which we suffered, and \u201cremove his stroke away from us,\u201d that we\nmay rejoice in his salvation. Ps. 39:10. However, \u201cit doth not yet appear\nwhat we shall then be.\u201d 1 John 3:2.\n\n9. The conclusion of the whole is this: It is God alone who is to be _our\nglory_; it is not the world, nor wealth, nor honor, nor greatness, nor the\narm of flesh, that I may call my glory; but God, and only God, is my\nglory! Wherefore, \u201clet not the wise man glory in his wisdom\u201d (as it is\nwritten), \u201cneither let the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich\nman glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he\nunderstandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord.\u201d Jer. 9:23, 24; 1 Cor.\n1:31.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVII.\n\n\n   Showing How We May Through Christ, And After The Example Of All The\n                  Saints, Overcome The Calumnies Of Men.\n\n\n    _Mine enemies reproach me all the day, and they that are mad\n    against me are sworn against me._\u2014PS. 102:8.\n\n\nAmong the many crosses and troubles of a Christian, a false and slanderous\ntongue is none of the least, as we may evidently see, from the example of\nChrist himself, whom the Pharisees, with their envenomed tongues, both in\nhis life and at his death, did most maliciously sting.\n\n2. Herein the Lord left a pattern of patience to every Christian, who must\nnot think to escape, since the great Master himself was wounded by\nmalicious tongues. The more conformable any one is to Christ, and the more\nzealously he follows Christ\u2019s steps, the more is he also insulted by false\nand deceitful tongues. This plainly appears from the example of holy\nDavid, who was tormented by slanderers, as he himself complains in the\nfollowing Psalms: 3, 4, 10, 12, 15, 31, 50, 52, 55, 58, 64, 69, 102, 120,\nand 140. Indeed, there is no one of the prophets of old who did not have\nthese deadly arrows shot against him by murderous tongues; for \u201ctheir\ntongue is an arrow shot out: he speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his\nmouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.\u201d Jer. 9:8. All honest hearts\nought, therefore, to beware of back-biters. As he that toucheth a man\ninfected with leprosy, or any infectious distemper, must expect to be so\ninfected; so he that gives ear to lying tongues, too often catches the\nsame distemper.\n\n3. Now, since a Christian is forbidden to retort evil for evil (Rom.\n12:17; Matt 5:39), (this agreeing in no wise with the Christian faith);\nthere is no other counsel left, but that by a conscience void of offence,\nhe derives his comfort from those divine oracles with which the Lord has\nfurnished him for that purpose.\n\n4. (1) Let thy first comfort be the example of Christ and of all the\nsaints. It fares no worse with us in this respect, than with Christ our\nHead, and with all that have ever been most dear to him. Nothing of this\nkind has befallen us, which has not been before in all ages undergone by\nhis followers. And since the examples of others have generally a strong\ninfluence on our lives, and readily suggest themselves to our remembrance\nin time of trouble; we ought, therefore, to improve all those instances\ninto an encouragement to bear our treatment with patience, for the sake of\nthe joy that usually springs up from the reproach of the cross. Look then\nupon the Prince of thy salvation, look upon the lives of all the saints of\nold, those who have been the greatest lights in their generation. Consider\nthe example of Moses, who esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches\nthan the treasures in Egypt (Heb. 11:26), and who, by reason of the\ncontinual contradictions he underwent, is said to have been a man meek, or\nafflicted, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. Numb.\n12:3. And what shall we say of David? He was truly, in his time, the very\nmark, as it were, at which all the false tongues in the land shot their\nmurderous arrows. \u201cMine enemies,\u201d said he, \u201crevile me all the day long:\nand they that are mad against me, are sworn together against me.\u201d Ps.\n102:8. They affronted him daily with the reproach of his misery, turning\nhim, as it were, into a proverb, and offering him the most heinous\nindignity that can be offered to a man. What shall we say of Job? How was\nhe upbraided by his friends, and grieved with their tongues! And how fell\nDaniel, that holy prophet, into an open sepulchre, yea, into a den of\nlions! Yet how powerfully did the Lord rescue Moses, Job, and Daniel! All\nthese are gone before thee, and their examples, if duly considered, will\nexcite in thee a spirit of holy emulation, and draw thee into the same way\nof the cross by which they entered into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22.\nBehold, thy Lord Jesus goeth before thee, pursued with the curses and\nrevilings of the Pharisees! There goeth Moses before, and the faction of\nKorah, Dathan, and Abiram, following behind, with execrations in their\nmouths, and stones in their hands, to rid themselves of him! Numb. 16.\nThere is David in sore trials, and Shimei behind, cursing his king! 2 Sam.\n16:5. And there are the apostles of our Lord, and an unbelieving multitude\nbehind, stopping their ears, and running madly upon them.\n\n5. (2) It is not enough, however, slightly and superficially to reflect on\nthe example of the saints; but we must learn also to be _followers_ of\nthem, when we are tried as they were, and in every tribulation copy after\ntheir meekness and patience. How shall meekness appear, or how shall\npatience be exercised, if thou be not contradicted; or if there be none to\nderide, slander, or vilify thee? Thou must, therefore, patiently take up\nthy cross with them, and meekly follow the Lord Christ in his steps. Thou\nart called to _suffer_ with thy Saviour, and not to avenge thyself, not to\nreturn evil for evil, not to revile again being reviled, not to threaten\nbeing slandered, but quietly to commit thy cause \u201cto him that judgeth\nrighteously.\u201d 1 Pet. 2:23. Evil tongues must give an account in the day of\njudgment of every _idle_ word which they have spoken. Matt. 12:36. And\nthis will at the last day prove a burden heavy enough. Leave all,\ntherefore, to the Lord, to do as he pleaseth, who will not fail to do\nright. Recompense and vengeance belong to him alone. Deut. 32:35. Fix\nthine eye on the Lord Jesus: \u201cHe was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet\nhe opened not his mouth: he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as\na sheep before his shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth.\u201d Isa.\n53:7.\n\n6. (3) From the examples of the saints, we are, in the next place, to\nlearn a sovereign remedy, which they made use of against the venom of evil\ntongues. This is _prayer_. They prayed, and so they were healed and\ncomforted. When they were bitterly cursed by their adversaries, they sent\nup only their cry to God, saying: \u201cLet them curse; but bless thou.\u201d Ps.\n109:28; Luke 6:28. Consider the whole Book of Psalms throughout. How did\nDavid defend himself with prayer, as with a wall of iron, against false\ntongues! They are all foolish marksmen, who bend their bow against the\ninnocent; and draw the sword to slay such as are of a right conversation:\nfor their lies and slanders shall return at last upon their own heads, and\nshall enter into their own bowels; as it is written: \u201cTheir sword shall\nenter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.\u201d Ps. 37:15.\nAll this can be obtained by prayer. Whenever any one prays earnestly\nagainst an evil speaker or a liar, it is as if he wrestled and fought with\nhim; even as David wrestled with Goliath (1 Sam. 17:48, 49), or as Moses\ncontended with the Egyptian sorcerers. Ex. 7:12. Here two spirits fight\nwith each other; that is, the prayer of faith proceeding from the Holy\nSpirit, the Spirit of Truth; and the spirit of lies proceeding from the\ndevil, the father of lies. But all these devilish serpents of the\nEgyptians shall eventually be subdued, and, as it were, swallowed up by\nthe divine rod of Moses; that is, by prayer.\n\n7. (4) Another remedy against the poison of a wicked tongue, is the\nfrequent _reading and meditating upon the Word of God_. This is an\nexcellent means of consolation and refreshment, whenever a soul is\ninsulted and pursued by enemies. An upright heart hunted by men of\nfalsehood and malice, is like a hart, whose thirst increases by being\nhunted; and as this pants after the water brooks (Ps. 42:1), so must a\nsoul in affliction long after the cooling streams of the divine Word, and\nthirst for the living waters of grace, thereby to be quickened and\nrefreshed. For by this word of grace the Lord revives a drooping soul,\nspeaking to her in a kind and gracious manner. \u201cBlessed are ye,\u201d says our\nMaster, \u201cwhen men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all\nmanner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for\ngreat is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which\nwere before you.\u201d Matt. 5:11, 12. In this saying of our Lord, there is a\nthreefold ground of comfort. 1. Blessed are ye. 2. Rejoice. 3. Great is\nyour reward. Who would not be willing, for the sake of so great and\nendless a good, to endure here reproach and persecution for a short\nperiod? Yea, who would not even rejoice, since he is made by this means a\npartaker of Christ\u2019s sufferings, in order, \u201cthat when the glory of Christ\nshall be revealed,\u201d he may also partake with his Lord in that joy? \u201cIf ye\nbe reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the Spirit of\nglory and of God resteth upon you.\u201d 1 Pet. 4:13, 14. Remember also, that\n\u201cit is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth;\u201d that he \u201csit\nalone and keep silence,\u201d when he hath anything laid upon him to bear; yea,\nthat he \u201cput his mouth in the dust,\u201d and wait in hope; and that he \u201cgive\nhis cheek to him that smiteth him,\u201d when he is \u201cfilled full with reproach.\nFor the Lord will not cast off for ever.\u201d Lam. 3:27-31.\n\n8. (5) Thou art further to learn, that such calumny is a hellish storm,\nwhich soon rises, and soon blows over. As a traveller is not disheartened\nat any tempestuous weather he is liable to meet with upon the road, but\nprovides himself the more against it: so let the spiritual pilgrim never\nbe cast down by storms and tempests; but let him go on in hope, and\ncontinue faithful to the end of his journey. This has been uniformly the\nstate of the true church. \u201cO thou afflicted,\u201d says the prophet, \u201ctossed\nwith tempest, and not comforted!\u201d Isaiah 54:11. Is it a \u201cstrange\u201d thing\nthat has happened unto thee? 1 Pet. 4:12. What is more common to a\ntraveller, than to be overtaken by foul and stormy weather? A persevering\ndiligence will, notwithstanding, bring him home at last. The world makes\nevery one a gazing-stock, that looks with concern upon the vain follies of\nmen, and drops a serious word in favor of virtue. What is to-day the fate\nof one good Christian, may to-morrow be the fate of another, according as\nthe humor of the world works, which allows no one to pass uncensured that\nis not in league with it. The best method a Christian can adopt in all\nthese storms, is to be quiet under them, and to keep his mind free from\nanger and bitterness. He that considers every hard word to be a stain on\nhis character, which ought to be wiped off, will by so doing only render\nthings worse. Hence it remains, that the most effectual way to stop the\nfury of slanderous tongues, is to yield to it for the present, and\npatiently wait till time itself shall set things in a better light. He\nthat will dispute every thing at the sword\u2019s point, as it were, is like a\nman that is stung by a bee, and being thereby put in a passion, runs\nheadlong upon the whole hive in order to be revenged, by turning it upside\ndown. Had he not better have borne it, than feel the smart which must\nattend an attempt so rash? The fire of malicious tongues burns the more\nfiercely when we seek to quench it by too hasty efforts. An evil tongue is\nlike that serpent called the Hydra, which, as some tell us, brought forth\nseven other heads when, in order to destroy it, you cut off one. Thus a\nwicked tongue is so far from being restrained by contradiction, that it\nspreads the farther by it, and broaches seven lies instead of one. Whereas\nhe that is deaf to popular rumors, and is not easily alarmed at every\nlittle noise, will not only better repel the darts of wicked tongues, but\nenjoy also an unshaken tranquillity both of soul and body. This is a truly\nnoble method to overcome the worst of our enemies. He that rejects this\nheroic meekness of soul, sets himself entirely out of God\u2019s protection,\nand whilst he eagerly endeavors to save his name and reputation, must be\nthe more harassed by the perpetual alarms of malignant tongues.\n\n9. (6) Besides this, there are some other particular reasons, why the Lord\npermits his children to be persecuted by virulent tongues. When David in\nhis sore troubles was cursed by Shimei, he said no more than, \u201cLet him\ncurse; for the Lord hath bidden him.\u201d 2 Sam. 16:11. And what other reason\ncan be assigned for this, but that the Lord hereby seeks to preserve his\nchildren from exalting themselves above measure, on account of such\neminent gifts as have been conferred upon them; and that they may at the\nsame time improve themselves in the practice of mutual love, mildness, and\nhumility? What is said by David of Shimei, namely, that he was bidden to\ncurse his king, is expressed by Job in more general terms: \u201cHe poureth\ncontempt upon princes.\u201d Job 12:21. Now, who is able to fathom all the\nmysterious depths of divine judgments? The carnal mind by no means likes\nto be reviled, insulted, or undervalued. Pride and self-love so naturally\nadhere to us, that they taint all our works and actions. Every one loves\nto be extolled, and to be made much of, to be esteemed and admired. Alas!\nit is this natural self-love, which having once led man astray, now\npropagates nothing but error and folly in the world. It was this self-love\nthat ruined both Lucifer and Adam, and stripped them of the divine love\nand life with which they were once adorned. In order that we may obtain\nthe victory over this spirit of self-love, and with a view to facilitate\nthis conquest, the Lord thinks, as it were, with himself: \u201cI will permit a\nlying tongue to assail thee, as I formerly permitted Satan to harass my\nservants Job and Paul, for their greater humiliation. This slandering\ntongue shall be thy devil, thy scourge, thy plague, to buffet thee (2 Cor.\n12:7), and help to beat down that proud heart, that haughty look, that\naspiring temper, which, without this curb, would at last carry all before\nit.\u201d Thus the Lord leaves nothing untried to accustom the soul to that\nexcellent spirit of humility, and to restrain the spirit of self-love, by\nwhich men become allies to Lucifer, who, endeavoring to have a will of his\nown, opposite to that of his Maker, entirely lost his principality, and\nthat original state in which he was at first created. Jude, ver. 6.\n\n10. (7) Therefore as the Lord is faithful on his side, so he seeks to\nconvert the venom of impious tongues thrown upon his children, into a\nprecious medicine, by which to heal that self-love which is fostered\nwithin, and which engenders abundance of other spiritual diseases in the\nmind. When the world meditates evil against them, then God brings good out\nof the evil. As out of a certain poisonous serpent an antidote is prepared\nagainst poison itself, so God overrules the worst of counsels, and makes\nthem turn to the greatest good to his children. Thus \u201call things work\ntogether for good to them that love God.\u201d Rom. 8:28. They are taught\nthereby to practise one of the noblest of the works of charity, which is,\nto \u201cbless their enemies, and to pray for them who despitefully use them.\u201d\nMatt. 5:44. He that has thus far gained the conquest over corrupt nature,\nso as to pray heartily for his enemies, is almost arrived at the sublimest\ndegree of true evangelical charity, which alone is able to soften our\nstubborn hearts into the mild and compassionate heart of Christ, who has\nalso set us a blessed pattern to follow: \u201cFather!\u201d said he, \u201cforgive them;\nfor they know not what they do.\u201d Luke 23:34. For wherever true love is\nrooted in a soul, it will most certainly produce a tender commiseration\ntowards enemies; who, as the Christian knows, whilst they hate men, render\nthemselves entirely unfit for any communion with God and Christ, and give\nup their hearts to the devil, that great hater of souls. And this should\ninfluence every Christian to commiserate such evil men, who are not of\nGod, but of their father the devil; and lest they should forever sink into\nthe jaws of Satan, the Lord commands his people to pray for them, with\nthis motive annexed to the command: \u201cThat ye may be the children of your\nFather who is in heaven.\u201d Matt. 5:45. What has been said of the overruling\npower of God, whereby he converts the venom of lying tongues into a\nhealing medicine, will more fully appear from the following instances.\nJoseph would never have been exalted to the dignity of ruler over the land\nof Egypt, had he not fallen under the malicious lashes of a wanton tongue,\nand thereby been condemned to prison. Gen. 39:17; 41:40. Had Moses not\nbeen persecuted by the violent accusations of his enemies, and obliged to\nflee from the face of Pharaoh (Exod. 2:15), he had never seen the Lord in\nthe bush, after having led Jethro\u2019s flock to Horeb. Exod. 3:2. The\nspiteful tongue of Doeg the Edomite, and of other enemies of David (1 Sam.\n22:9; Ps. 52), drew many a noble Psalm from the latter. Thus Doeg\u2019s\npoisonous tongue was David\u2019s medicine. The same overruling wisdom of God\nappeared for Daniel, when, by the virulence of his accusers, he was cast\ninto the den of lions, but was most triumphantly exalted again by divine\nProvidence, for many good and noble ends; his enemies themselves being\nmade to lay the foundation of his greatness. Dan. 6. Mordecai had the same\nexperience. His ruin was devised by the murderous tongue of Haman (Esther\n3:6); but the Lord returned his wickedness upon his own head, and his\nbloody machinations only hastened the destruction of their contriver.\nEsther 7:10. Therefore, \u201ccommit thy way unto the Lord: trust also in him,\nand he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness\nas the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.\u201d Ps. 37:5, 6. Only endeavor\nto be in constant union with the Lord thy God, and to love him with all\nthy heart, and then he will direct thy steps. For \u201cwhen a man\u2019s ways\nplease the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.\u201d\nProv. 16:7. If the world be permitted to stain thy reputation here, and to\ndetract from thy honor, what matters it, provided the Lord dignify thee\nwith a crown of glory hereafter? It is he that will deliver and honor thee\nat last (Ps. 91:15); and it is he that will give thee both grace here, and\nglory hereafter. Ps. 84:11.\n\n11. (8) Another comfort in trials of this nature, may be drawn from the\ncontrol which the Lord exercises over the hearts of all men. It is he that\n\u201clooks upon all the inhabitants of the earth, from the place of his\nhabitation.\u201d He \u201cfashioneth their hearts; he considereth all their works\u201d\n(Ps. 33:14, 15); and he \u201cwill not deliver thee unto the will of thine\nenemies.\u201d Ps. 41:2. A man is often transported with rage and malice to\nsuch a degree, that he would bear down all that comes in his way; but a\nlittle while after, you will find that the man is altogether cooled; his\nheat is allayed, and he is reduced to such a moderation of temper, as if\nhe were become quite another man. Nay, how often do we see that a bad man,\ndesigning nothing but spite and malice, is stopped in the midst of his\npassionate pursuit, and, as it were, obliged not only to drop his wicked\ndesign, but also to bestow tokens of favor upon the person whom he was\nabout to affront. This is an operation peculiar to the wisdom of God, who,\nby his secret power, often renders abortive the most malicious projects\nconceived against his children. Thus the Lord came to Laban, when incensed\nagainst Jacob, and commanded him to \u201cspeak not to him; either good or\nbad.\u201d Gen. 31:24. And Esau, who bore his brother no good will, when he\ncame within sight of him, must needs run and meet him, embrace him, fall\non his neck, kiss him, and receive him with the most endearing expressions\nof love and kindness. Gen. 33:4.\n\n12. (9) Lastly, it is the nature of a malignant tongue, to swell high\nsuddenly, and by rage and fury to gain universal applause and admiration;\nbut its downfall is as sudden as its rise. Calumny is like a fire, the\nflame of which mounts up to the very sky; but the want of fuel will soon\nmake it go down again. The reason is, because God, who is the everlasting\nTruth, hates a spirit of lies, and cannot endure it. And this is also the\nreason, why those that have raised their greatness on no other foundation\nthan lying and self-conceit, may indeed dazzle the eyes of others for a\nseason; but when they flatter themselves as fixed in an unshaken\ncondition, then generally their ruin is ready at hand, and the Lord\u2019s\njudgment destroys all. Then \u201cthe lying lips are put to silence, which\nspoke grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous\u201d\n(Ps. 31:18); a text which plainly shows, that pride and disdain of others,\nare wont to accompany a slandering and lying tongue. But \u201cwoe unto thee\nthat dealest treacherously; when thou shalt make an end to deal\ntreacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.\u201d Isa. 33:1. \u201cFor\nthe rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest\nthe righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.\u201d Ps. 125:3. Though a\ntreacherous man may go on in quest of more honor and greatness; yet shall\n\u201cevil hunt the violent man at last, and overthrow him.\u201d Ps. 140:11.\n\n_Sundry consolatory passages, selected from the Psalms, for those who are\nassailed by the reproaches of enemies._\n\n13. Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine\nhead. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine\nenemies upon the cheek-bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.\nPs. 3:3, 7.\u2014O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?\nhow long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing (lying)? But know\nthat the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself; the Lord will\nhear when I call unto him. Ps. 4:2, 3.\n\n14. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the\nbloody and deceitful man.\u2014There is no faithfulness in their mouth; their\ninward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they\nflatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by\ntheir own counsels.\u2014But let all those that put their trust in thee\nrejoice: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou,\nLord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a\nshield. Ps. 5:6, 9, 10, 11, 12.\n\n15. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be\nashamed suddenly. Ps. 6:10.\n\n16. O Lord, my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that\npersecute me, and deliver me: lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it\nin pieces, while there is none to deliver.\u2014Behold, he travaileth with\niniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He\nmade a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His\nmischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall\ncome down upon his own pate. Ps. 7:1, 2, 14, 15, 16.\n\n17. Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me under the shadow of thy\nwings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who\ncompass me about. Ps. 17:8, 9.\n\n18. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be\nsaved from mine enemies.\u2014In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried\nunto my God; he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before\nhim, even unto his ears. Ps. 18:3, 6.\n\n19. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is\nthe strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even\nmine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled\nand fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear:\nthough war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.\u2014For in the\ntime of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his\ntabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.\u2014Teach me thy\nway, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.\u2014For\nfalse witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.\nI had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in\nthe land of the living. Wait on the Lord. Ps. 27:1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 13,\n14.\n\n20. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are\nin thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that\npersecute me.\u2014Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous\nthings proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.\u2014Oh how great is\nthy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou\nhast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou\nshalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou\nshalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Ps.\n31:14, 15, 18, 19, 20.\n\n21. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord\nchase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the\nLord persecute them. Ps. 35:5, 6.\n\n22. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious\nagainst the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the\ngrass, and wither as the green herb.\u2014The wicked plotteth against the just,\nand gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he\nseeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and\nhave bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as\nbe of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart,\nand their bows shall be broken.\u2014The wicked watcheth the righteous, and\nseeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn\nhim when he is judged.\u2014I have seen the wicked in great power, and\nspreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he\nwas not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Ps. 37:1, 2, 12,\n13, 14, 15, 32, 33, 35, 36.\n\n23. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth\nnot his mouth. Then I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth\nare no reproofs.\u2014For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually\nbefore me. Ps. 38:13, 14, 17.\n\n24. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my\nsorrow was stirred.\u2014I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst\nit.\u2014For I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers\nwere. Ps. 39:2, 9, 12.\n\n25. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall\nnever suffer the righteous to be moved. But thou, O God, shalt bring them\ndown into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live\nout half their days; but I will trust in thee. Ps. 55:22, 23.\n\n26. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; for my soul trusteth\nin thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until\nthese calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that\nperformeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from\nthe reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth his\nmercy and his truth. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them\nthat are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and\narrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the\nheavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net\nfor my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me,\ninto the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. My heart is fixed, O\nGod, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory;\nawake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O\nLord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy\nmercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou\nexalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.\nPs. 57:1-11.\n\n27. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy; who whet their tongue like a\nsword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words; that\nthey may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him,\nand fear not.\u2014But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall\nthey be wounded. So shall they make their own tongue to fall upon\nthemselves: all that see them shall flee away. Ps. 64:1, 3, 4, 7, 8.\n\n28. Mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take\ncounsel together, saying, God hath forsaken him; persecute and take him;\nfor there is none to deliver him.\u2014I will go in the strength of the Lord\nGod: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God,\nthou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy\nwondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me\nnot; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power\nto every one that is to come.\u2014Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore\ntroubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the\ndepths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on\nevery side. Ps. 71:10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21.\n\n29. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.\nMy help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not\nsuffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.\nBehold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord\nis thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall\nnot smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee\nfrom all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy\ngoing out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.\nPs. 121:1-8.\n\n30. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent\nman; which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered\ntogether for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent:\nadders\u2019 poison is under their lips. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the\nwicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow\nmy goings. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread\na net by the way side; they have set nets for me. I said unto the Lord,\nThou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God, the\nLord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day\nof battle. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his\nwicked device; lest they exalt themselves. As for the head of those that\ncompass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Let\nburning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep\npits, that they rise not up again. Let not an evil speaker be established\nin the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. I know\nthat the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of\nthe poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the\nupright shall dwell in thy presence. Ps. 140:1-13.\n\n31. I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I\nmake my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed\nbefore him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou\nknewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a\nsnare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man\nthat would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried\nunto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land\nof the living. Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me\nfrom my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of\nprison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about:\nfor thou shalt deal bountifully with me. Ps. 142:1-7.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVIII.\n\n\nShowing How The Sorrows And Pains Of Christ Should Teach Us To Subdue The\n                           Lusts Of The Flesh.\n\n\n    _My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death._\u2014MATT. 26:38.\n\n\nThe third branch of the cross of Christ consists in the unspeakable sorrow\nand sufferings which began at his very birth. For as his most holy human\nsoul was filled with the light of divine knowledge and wisdom, by virtue\nof the personal union of his two natures, he saw all that he should\nexperience in the future, as if it were already present; and thus his soul\nwas, from the beginning, filled with the deepest sorrow, and suffered\ninward pain. He foresaw his future inconceivable and inexpressible agony\nof soul, and his unspeakable bodily pains. For the more delicate, pure,\nand innocent, the human nature in Christ was, the greater were the pain\nand anguish that affected him. Of this those sorrows and spiritual\ntorments, that are wont to work upon the inmost soul, are a sufficient\nproof. For inasmuch as the constitution of the soul, by reason of its\nimmortality, exceeds that of the body in worth and delicacy; so also her\npains exceed those of the body in depth and acuteness. For this reason the\nLord never rejoiced upon his own account, and with reference only to\nhimself; but it was when he saw that his Heavenly Father was known and\nworshipped, and his divine works manifested unto the world. Hence \u201che\nrejoiced in spirit\u201d at the return of the seventy disciples. Luke 10:21.\n\n2. Since all those things, which he was to suffer, from his own people and\ncountrymen, were known to him, he could not but be highly afflicted and in\nconstant sorrow; and this was also still more the case, the more nearly he\napproached the time appointed for his passion. This he himself testifies,\nsaying, \u201cI have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened\ntill it be accomplished!\u201d Luke 12:50. And the time of this baptism being\ncome, he says, \u201cMy soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death\u201d (Matt.\n26:38): intimating thereby the excessive and unutterable grief and anguish\nof spirit, that forced from him that sweat, which \u201cwas as it were great\ndrops of blood.\u201d Luke 22:44. And what pains he suffered besides, in his\ntender and sensible body, no tongue can sufficiently declare. _First_,\nbecause sin is an infinite and inexpressible evil. For, its full\npunishment and atonement could not but cause torment so exquisite, that to\na mere man it had been altogether insupportable.\n\n3. The _second_ reason of this exquisite grief was, because he bore the\nsins of the world: not merely those sins which from the beginning of the\nworld had been committed, but those also which men should become guilty of\nthrough all ages, down to the very end of the world. And, therefore, such\nas are the number and malignity of _all_ sins, of _all_ men, through _all_\ngenerations; such also were the pain and sorrow endured by the Lord. For\nwhich cause he prayed in Gethsemane, \u201cO my Father, if it be possible, let\nthis cup pass from me.\u201d Matt. 26:39.\n\n4. _Thirdly_, the sufferings of Christ were heightened by that perfect\nlove which he bore to his heavenly Father. The greater our love is, the\ngreater is also the grief occasioned by what interferes with it: as on the\ncontrary, the less it is, the less are we troubled by that which thwarts\nit. Since, therefore, Christ loved his heavenly Father with most exalted\nand consummate love, his affliction must needs have been the more\ngrievous, on account of the heinousness of sin, with which fallen men so\nshamefully insulted so beloved a Father. Hence the sins of the whole\nworld, with the pains he endured for them, did not so much affect him, as\nthe sorrow he felt on account of the indignity offered to a God, who, in\nhis very nature, is love itself. And it was upon account of this love of\nthe Father (which deserved all the returns of love the creature was able\nto make), that Christ sustained most exquisite pains, and a most\nignominious death; in order that by a satisfaction proportionable to the\noffence, he might regain for wretched mortals that love and favor of God\nwhich they had forfeited by their offences.\n\n5. In the _fourth_ place, the suffering of Christ was endured on account\nof his perfect love to mankind. For as he died for all, and bore the sins\nof all, so also was he exceedingly desirous to see the object of his death\naccomplished, which is the salvation of all men. Hence the unbelief and\nimpenitence of men, which hindered this love from taking effect upon\nsinners, caused him most grievous and bitter torments: but especially was\nhe pained that they threw away their souls when he desired to save them.\nNot to mention the cruel hatred and envy, wrath and blasphemy, by which\nsome were hurried on, even to trample on that blood which was designed to\nredeem them. He himself says, \u201cReproach hath broken my heart\u201d (Ps. 69:20);\nlamenting not so much his own, as the condition of them who reproached him\nin so heinous a manner.\n\n6. _Fifthly_: another circumstance which pierced the very heart of our\nLord, was his being forsaken of God, notwithstanding he was the Son of God\nhimself. For though it is true that God could not forsake him, who himself\nwas God, and did not cease to be God even when he hung on the cross, when\nhe expired, and when he was buried; yet does he complain of being forsaken\nby him. Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46. But this lamentable complaint the Lord\npoured out, in order to show that God withdrew from him, as a man, the\nsupport of his comfort, hiding himself for a while in this dark hour. He\nmanifests also, by this exclamation, the extreme misery in which he then\nwas.\n\n7. The _sixth_ aggravation of the anguish of Christ, was on account of his\nPerson, for he was very God. Whence it is plain, that all the reproaches\nand blasphemies uttered against him were an infinite evil, as being\ndirected against the entire Person of Christ, who was true God and man;\nand so he endured, both as God and man, the revilings of his enemies in\nhis whole Person. All this left a most exquisite impression of sorrow upon\nhis soul.\n\n8. And, in the _seventh_ place, who is able sufficiently to explain what\npains the Lord suffered in his most innocent, most holy, most tender, and\ndelicate _body_? Or who can doubt that a body most innocent, most\ndelicate, most noble, most pure, conceived by the Holy Ghost, personally\nunited with the divine nature, filled with the Spirit of God, and with all\nthe fulness of the Godhead; I say, who can doubt that such a body should\nnot feel most grievous and bitter pains, when smitten, scourged, wounded,\npierced, crucified, and put to death? No words are sufficiently expressive\nto set forth the pain and acuteness thereof. What is all our affliction,\nif compared with this suffering of the Lord? We, as sinners, have justly\ndeserved eternal death and damnation; and yet even the smallest cross is\ntoo heavy a burden for tender Christians, who do what they can to shake it\noff, though it is designed as wholesome medicine, to procure the health of\nthe soul. Surely, he who is a sincere lover of Christ, can wish no other\ncondition, of life, but such as comes up nearest to the original of the\nblessed life of Christ. 1 Peter 2:21. This conformity of our lives to the\nlife of Christ we ought to account our greatest gain and dignity in this\nworld. Let the true lover of Christ rejoice in this, that he has been\nthought worthy to suffer with Christ, his Head and Saviour.\n\n9. Since, then, affliction is to be the companion of a Christian in his\nway to heaven, or, to use the apostle\u2019s phrase, since he must, \u201cthrough\nmuch tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God\u201d (Acts 14:22); what cause\ncan we assign why we should not willingly walk in the same path? For we\nknow that the Son of God himself travelled this way before us, and by his\nholy example sanctified it, not having \u201centered into his glory but by\nsufferings.\u201d Luke 24:26. And since, notwithstanding all the insults of the\nenemy, he entered into glory at last; we may also assure ourselves, that\nour affliction, which is but for a moment, shall be followed in the end by\nan everlasting weight of glory and happiness. 2 Cor. 4:17.\n\n10. In fine, as the Lord did not spare himself, but devoted himself\nentirely to the service of others, undergoing all from no other impulse\nthan fervent love and charity; so this love, of our Redeemer should awaken\nlove in our souls, and never should we grow faint and weary under any\naffliction whatever.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIX.\n\n\n Showing How We Should Behold In The Crucified Christ, As In The Book Of\n  Life, Both Our Sins, And Also The Displeasure, The Love, Justice, And\n                              Wisdom Of God.\n\n\n    _And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book\n    written within and on the back side._\u2014REV. 5:1.\n\n\nChrist crucified is set before our eyes as a Book of Life, whence we may\nlearn the sacred wisdom of God, which is in him eminently displayed. For\nthe whole Scripture, the Law and all the prophets, are completely\nfulfilled in him by his most perfect obedience, wherein he was faithful\neven unto death, and suffered the most cruel torments for the sins of the\nworld. And this perfect internal and external obedience and suffering, is\nthat Book of Life written within and without. Rev. 5:1.\n\n2. In the first place, the Crucified Jesus presents us with a deplorable\nsight of our sins, both as to their number and heinousness. By the\nlamentable complaint into which he burst forth, he manifested that inward\nanguish of soul, which he suffered for the hidden and secret sins of our\nhearts. In his wounded and mangled body, bleeding on the cross, he leads\nus to behold and read, as in a book, the malignity of those sins which we\nhave committed by all our members, in having yielded them up to the\ngovernment of lust.\n\n3. Besides this, the devout soul may behold in Christ Crucified, the\njustice of God in judging sinners. There was no other means by which to\nremove both our sin and the punishment attending it, than this high\natonement made by the Lord himself. And hence we may learn that God is so\nfar from letting any sin go unpunished, that he will rather deliver up his\nmost beloved Son unto death than connive at the transgression of a sinner.\nRom. 4:25.\n\n4. Hence the soul may, further, contemplate the infinite love and\ncondescending mercy of the Heavenly Father, most wonderfully displayed in\nour Crucified Saviour. Rather than that we should forever perish in our\nwretched state, and be subject to eternal death and damnation, he would\nhave his own Son make satisfaction for us; which we ourselves, yea, and\nall the other creatures besides, had never been able to perform.\n\n5. The contemplation of Christ Crucified will, in the next place, lead us\nto a sight of the most gracious will, providence and fatherly care of God,\nas it respects the recovery of lost mankind. No opposition was so great,\nno difficulty so stubborn and obstinate, which he did not conquer by his\nbeloved Son, the author of our salvation. That we might inherit\neverlasting joy, he left nothing untried, nor did he spare even his own\nSon.\n\n6. In the same Book of Life (the _Crucified Jesus_), appears also the\ninfinite wisdom of God, namely, in finding out a means of salvation, such\nas could never have entered into the thoughts of any creature whatever,\nand which, at the same time, revealed both the justice and the mercy of\nGod. For the work of our salvation was so wisely ordered, that by\nmanifesting the infinite mercy of God, his justice was not at all\ninfringed; as, on the other hand, Christ by his death has so atoned for\nsin, that in satisfying the claims of strict justice, his infinite mercy\nis rendered more bright and conspicuous. And as by eating of the forbidden\ntree, the first Adam (Gen. 3:1), brought us under the curse; so God in his\nmarvellous wisdom has, by the tree of the cross, taken away the curse, and\nrestored his blessing. 1 Peter 2:24. Yea, by the unsearchable counsel of\nthe divine wisdom, it is so brought about, that through the death of\nChrist, all things detained under the power of death are restored to life,\ndeath itself being destroyed at last. 1 Cor. 15:26. By his pains and\ntorments is purchased for us eternal pleasure in heaven; by his griefs and\nsorrows are gained joys celestial without end. And by this wonderful work\nof God, though foolish in the eye of the world, he hath confounded the\nwisdom of the wise; and by the foolishness of God (1 Cor. 1:25), he has\nmanifested a wisdom altogether unfathomable to men.\n\n7. In Christ Crucified farther appears the brightest and fairest pattern\nof patience and meekness that was ever seen. So far was he from revenging\nthe injuries done him, that he made intercession to his Father for his\nrevilers, yea, even laid down his life for the sins of those who put him\nto death.\n\n8. The believer discovers, moreover, in Christ the most astonishing\nhumility, wherein he was so eminent, that he readily underwent the most\nignominious death of the cross. Thus are the death and passion of Christ\nbecome to a faithful soul, redemption from hell, an avenue into paradise,\na complete reconciliation with God, a victory over the devil, that great\nenemy of souls; a full satisfaction for sins, and in one word, an entire\nrecovery of that original righteousness which had been lost.\n\n9. By all this, it sufficiently appears to a Christian soul, that Christ\nCrucified is indeed a Book of Life, teaching nothing but the eternal and\ninfallible truths of God. Let us then silently sit down at the feet of our\nCrucified Lord, who, as the great Teacher of souls, and Book of Life, will\nnot neglect to instil into an humble heart, the lesson of a living faith,\nand of a holy life consequent on it; provided we desire to be not dead,\nbut living members of his body, and to be so controlled and influenced\nboth by his life and his death, as to produce abundant living fruits.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XX.\n\n\n   Of The Power And Necessity Of Prayer, In These Holy Contemplations.\n\n\n    _I will seek him whom my soul loveth._\u2014SONG OF SOL. 3:2.\n\n\nSince the living knowledge of God and of Christ crucified, is not to be\nattained, unless we keep our eye constantly fixed upon the innocent and\nholy life of Jesus Christ our Lord; and since we cannot arrive at this\nelevation of mind, but by devout, humble, believing and earnest prayer; it\nis, therefore, highly necessary to make some further inquiry into the\nnature of prayer. It consists not so much in an utterance of words, as in\na meditation or intercourse of the believing heart with God, and in a\nlifting up of the soul, and of all her faculties and powers, to our\nHeavenly Father. Ps. 19:14; 25:1. As it is impossible to find God without\nprayer, so prayer is a means for seeking and finding him. Matt. 7:7, 8.\n\n2. And as it falls under a threefold denomination, it being either _oral_,\n_internal_, or _supernatural_ (according to St. Paul: \u201cI will pray with\nthe spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also;\u201d 1 Cor. 14:15);\nso we shall now consider each of these in order.\n\n3. _Oral prayer_ is an humble address to God, and an external exercise,\nwhich conducts the soul to the internal duty of prayer, and leads man into\nthe interior recesses of his own heart; especially if the words uttered be\ndigested in faith, and if, by attentive application, they be well pondered\nand considered. This often proves a means of elevating the spirit and soul\nso near unto God, as to enjoy with faith a truly filial intercourse with\nHim, our heavenly Father.\n\n4. _Internal_ prayer is offered up without intermission, in faith, spirit,\nand mind, according to the words of our Saviour: \u201cThe true worshippers\nshall worship the Father in spirit and in truth\u201d (John 4: 23); also those\nof David: \u201cLet the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O\nLord.\u201d Ps. 19:14. And again: \u201cI commune with mine own heart, and my spirit\nmade diligent search.\u201d Ps. 77:6. Hereby, says St. Paul (speaking of the\nSpirit of adoption), we cry, Abba, Father. Rom. 8:15. By this internal\nprayer, we are led on gradually to that which is _supernatural_; which,\naccording to Tauler, \u201cconsists in a true union with God by faith; when our\ncreated spirit dissolves, as it were, and sinks away in the uncreated\nSpirit of God. It is then that all is transacted in a moment, which in\nwords or deeds has been done by all the saints from the beginning of the\nworld.\u201d For this reason this supernatural prayer is unspeakably more\nexcellent than that which is chiefly external; for therein the soul is by\ntrue faith so replenished with the divine love, that it can think of\nnothing else but of God only. Or if another thought should enter\ninadvertently into the heart, it proves but an occasion of trouble and\nsorrow; and the soul cannot be at ease till the intruding thought has\nagain vanished. A soul that has once arrived at this happy state gives but\nlittle or no employment to the tongue: it is silent before the Lord: it\npanteth and thirsteth after God (Ps. 42:1, 2): it longeth, yea, even\nfainteth for him (Ps. 63:1; 84:2). It loves him only; it rests in him\nalone, not at all minding the world, nor worldly affairs. Whence it is\nstill more and more filled with an experimental knowledge of God, and with\nsuch love and joy as no tongue is able to utter. Whatever the soul then\nperceives, is beyond all possibility of being expressed in words. If one\nshould ask a soul under these contemplations: _What dost thou perceive?_\nthe answer would be: A good that is above all good. _What seest thou?_ A\nperfection of beauty, transcending all other beauty. _What feelest thou?_\nA joy surpassing all joys. _What dost thou taste?_ The inexpressible\ndelight of love. Nay, such a one would tell you that all the words that\npossibly could be framed, were but a shadow, and came infinitely short of\nthe inward delight which was experienced. This is the voice of the eternal\nWord; this His speech to a loving soul; according to that saying of the\nLord: \u201cHe that loveth me\u2014I will manifest myself unto him.\u201d John 14:21.\nWhatever is felt here, whatever is seen here, is above nature. Here voices\nare heard, and words perceived that are termed words of the understanding\nand the mind.\n\n5. This is the school in which the soul learns to know God aright, and, as\nit were, to taste him. Ps. 34:8. Whilst she knows him, she loves him: and\nwhilst she loves him, she longs for the full enjoyment of him. This is the\ntrue sign of love, to desire wholly to possess the beloved object, to be\nintimately united with, and altogether transformed into it.\n\n6. This the soul now and then perceives in a glance, which lasts but for a\nmoment, and then vanishes again; but it puts the soul upon fervent\ndesires, to recover, if possible, that beam of heavenly joy which darted\nupon her, and to regain this divine taste, which so lovingly moved her.\nAnd she desires all this, in order to be more intimately united to her\nbeloved. From this affectionate desire spring up both internal and oral\nprayer; the soul being fully convinced that these heavenly pleasures and\nvisitations are to be attained only by prayer. And in all this, the\nwonderful wisdom of God appears, by which everything is managed in the\nmost perfect order.\n\n7. Thus none is permitted to attain unto mental prayer, but he who begins\nwith that which is oral; and none can have an access to the _supernatural_\nprayer, or to a union with the highest and most delightful Good, but by\n_mental_ prayer. But this highest can only be known by an experimental\nperception, not expressible by words.\n\n8. And this is the cause why God so strictly, so frequently, and so\nearnestly enjoins prayer (Ps. 50:14); because it is a sacred pledge and\nbond, by which God draws us up to himself; and by elevating us into his\nimmediate presence, detains us there a while, and unites us with himself,\nwho is the source of all that is good. And thus we are always reminded of\nhim; without this gracious order, we would think less frequently on him,\nand would not share in the gifts of his mercy.\n\n9. If, therefore, thou desirest that thy prayer be acceptable to God, see\nthat thou perform it not with a divided, but with a whole and entire\nheart. But this is not to be attained, except by frequent exercise and\ncontinual and unwearied application. Without this, thou canst not reap the\nfruits of prayer. On the contrary, as often as thou givest attendance to\nany external work, take care that thou set not thy heart wholly upon it.\nIf thou eatest and drinkest, or attendest to any other outward affair\nincident to this life, see that thou bestow not thyself, that is, thy\nwhole heart, upon it. For thy heart is to rest entirely in God alone, and\nclosely to adhere to him by internal prayer. The more thou offerest up\nthyself to God by this prayer, the more will the divine light display\nitself in thy mind. And again, the more the knowledge of God is enlarged,\nthe more delightful will be thy sense and perception of the highest good;\nthe more ardent also and affectionate will be thy love to the Lord; and in\nfine, the more capable wilt thou be of enjoying him. The soul thus\ndisposed will in a supernatural manner taste of a happiness so high and\ntranscendent as infinitely to exceed all the language and expressions of\nmen.\n\n10. Of this threefold prayer, Jesus Christ himself has furnished us with a\nbright and perfect pattern, whence we may learn the nature and method of\nit, if we but attentively consider his manner of praying. We find that he\noften continued whole days and nights in prayer to God. Luke 6:12. He\nprayed with a fervency that made him triumph in prayer, and rejoice in\nspirit. Luke 10:21. He has, therefore, both by example and words, taught\nus the method of praying; and leaving us a pattern to follow, has\ncommanded us to watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation. Matt.\n6:9. He also most frequently recommends to us the duty of prayer (Matt.\n26:41); thereby testifying that nothing was more pleasing, nothing more\nacceptable to him than our prayer; he having enjoined it for no other\nreason than to show us how entirely he loved us, and how desirous he was\nthat by prayer we should partake of the highest and most precious good.\n\n11. Lest, however, we should allege that so noble an effect as that which\nresults from a due performance of prayer was not attainable by us, the\nLord did not think it enough to say: \u201cAsk,\u201d but he has encouraged us also\nwith a promise annexed: \u201cAnd ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.\u201d\nJohn 16:24. He moreover excites us to pray by his own example, for amid\nhis sufferings he prayed for us, as the Evangelist records: \u201cFor being in\nan agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great\ndrops of blood falling down to the ground.\u201d Luke 22:44.\n\n12. Set, therefore, this mirror of prayer before thine eyes, and study to\npersevere therein. Whenever thou feelest thyself faint and weak in prayer,\nthen seriously advert to thy Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed not for\nhimself, or upon his own account, but for thee and upon thy account, and\nthus sanctified thy prayer and blessed it, and added life and efficacy to\nit. Him, therefore, behold, who, though he was true God, and consequently\nin actual possession of all things, yet as man, obtained for thee of his\nHeavenly Father, all things by prayer. And hence as his whole life was a\ncontinual and uninterrupted prayer, and a perpetual longing to do the will\nof God: so he finished it with praying upon the cross. Luke 23:46.\n\n13. If then thy Lord and Saviour prayed so fervently upon thy account, and\nwas heard; surely he will not suffer thy prayers to be poured forth in\nvain. Did he procure all things for thee by prayer? And thinkest thou that\nthou canst obtain the least blessing without it? Thou knowest that without\ndivine grace, light, and knowledge, and, in fine, without faith, not one\ncan be saved; but it is no less plain that these and all other graces can\nbe obtained by prayer alone. It is the Lord whom thou must entreat by\nfervent prayer, so as to obtain from him faith, love, hope, humility,\npatience, the Holy Spirit, together with the whole train of Christian\nvirtues, which he is both able and willing to give, as well as to\nstrengthen in thy soul. It is He alone that createth them in the heart.\nBut as he that hath them not, cannot give them, so the Lord, whose gift\nthey are, will not give them without being asked.\n\n14. If then thou art truly desirous of pouring out thy soul before the\nLord in fervency of spirit, there is not a more ready and effectual means\nof doing this than with the eyes of thy mind to behold the mirror of the\nmost meek and humble life of Christ: to keep thy eyes attentively fixed\nupon the poverty, the reproach and contempt, the griefs and sorrows, and\nthe most ignominious death of thy blessed Redeemer. Into this Book of\nPrayer, if thou diligently look, thy heart and mind will become inflamed\nwith most affectionate and ardent desires. And though the devil and the\nflesh will not cease to assault thee with temptations on all hands, yet,\nby means of prayer, they shall be subdued at last.\n\n15. Nor is the duty of prayer only stirred up and revived by the\ncontemplation of Christ crucified, but the heart is also cleansed thereby.\nWithout this purification of the heart by faith (Acts 15:9), our prayers\nwill prove altogether ineffectual in the sight of God: whereas, after a\nsincere application to the Lord by prayer, the Spirit of God is wont to\nvisit the heart with his gracious presence, as he descended upon the\napostles, even then, when they were with one accord praying at Pentecost.\nActs 2:1.\n\n16. With reference to the temptations that are wont to attend the duty of\nprayer, thou must behave thyself under them as the Lord himself did. In\nthe midst of the agony which he suffered on the mount of Olives, \u201che\nprayed the more earnestly.\u201d Luke 22:44. Thus thy prayer shall prove at\nlast the victory over all thy enemies. By prayer the Lord manifests\nhimself unto his people. By prayer we learn to practise true humility; for\nby prayer the highest is united to the lowest; the most High God to the\nmost humble heart. And this humility is the very channel through which\nabundance of divine grace is infused into the soul. The more this grace\nhumbles man, the more grace itself gets rooted in the soul. And again, the\nmore a soul is enriched with grace, the more she improves in humility.\n\n17. The most considerable temptation and obstruction in prayer seems to be\nwhen God withdraws the grace of a fervent and lively devotion. And yet it\nis in this case that we ought the more to stir ourselves up to prayer and\nsupplication. It is true, a prayer poured forth in a spirit of power and\nfervency must needs be acceptable to God; yet that which climbs up to the\nthrone of grace in affliction, temptation, spiritual dryness, and\nbrokenness of soul, is still more pleasing in his sight. For as the heart\nof a father is sooner softened into paternal tenderness, by the trembling\nwords of a sick and languishing child, than by the strong voice of one in\nperfect health; so is the secret affliction, and feeble effort of a soul\naffected with a sense of her weakness in faith, of her poverty in spirit,\nand of her want of spiritual life and comfort, far more acceptable to our\ninfinitely good God than the more vigorous petition of a soul elevated by\na sense of faith and divine consolation. Only hold out patiently in these\nspiritual straits, and be assured that the Lord, in his own time, will\ncertainly \u201crestore unto thee the joy of his salvation.\u201d Ps. 51:12.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXI.\n\n\n              Of The Power Of The Noble Virtue Of Humility.\n\n\n    _Be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth\n    grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty\n    hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time._\u20141 PET. 5:5, 6.\n\n\nWithout true humility all prayer is in vain. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the\nBook from which this noble virtue is best learned; as he is, indeed, a\nperfect mirror to us of all the virtues and graces. Look on his life, and\nthou wilt find it made up of nothing but love and humility. Look on his\ndoctrine, and thou wilt discern it to be absolute wisdom and truth; a\ndoctrine consisting not in words, but in a living power; and in very deed\nitself.\n\n2. Now, in order that we might perfectly learn how to practise this virtue\nof humility, he taught it not only by words, but also by deeds and by his\nholy example, forasmuch as he humbled himself unto death, even the death\nof the cross. Phil. 2:8. Behold, then, O Christian, how this gracious\nvirtue has its foundation, and its highest and most excellent ground, not\nin any angel, not in any apostle or eminent saint, but in Jesus Christ\nhimself. And therefore he saith: \u201cLearn of me\u201d (Matt. 11:29), which is as\nif he had said: \u201cLook ye upon me how I abase myself under all, who yet am\nabove all. Behold, as much higher as my majesty is, so much lower is my\nhumility: and so much dearer should this virtue be to you, as I your Lord\nand your God have described and delineated it in my whole life.\u201d Observe,\nhe saith, \u201cLearn of me.\u201d But what? Not to do mighty wonders, not to work\nsigns and miracles, or show any great work of creation, but to be _meek_\nand _lowly_. \u201cAnd if I did not teach you this with mine own example,\u201d\nsaith the meek Lamb of God, \u201cye would not believe that this virtue is so\nhigh and so noble.\u201d\n\n3. The humble Jesus chose to exemplify this as his concluding work: after\nhis last supper, he took a towel and girded himself, and then \u201cwashed his\ndisciples\u2019 feet;\u201d that so he might by such example implant this virtue in\nall that should be ever called by his name, and might most sensibly\nimprint it on the heart of every one to whom this Gospel should come.\nWherefore he also saith: \u201cKnow ye what I have done to you?\u201d John 13:4, 5,\n12. \u201cDo ye indeed consider what it is that I have done? Will ye remember\nthis that I have now done to you? Will ye be ready to serve one another in\nthe same manner? And will ye humble yourselves one to the other, and\nsubmit gladly even to the meanest offices of charity? O learn of me, by\nwhat you have at this time seen me do: for I have given you an example,\nthat ye should do as I have done to you. Whosoever then shall forget my\nhumility, the same shall forget a principal part both of my doctrine and\nmy example, and shall never find rest unto his soul. Therefore let this my\nexample be a rule for your whole lives, and let my life evermore be set\nbefore your eyes as a representation of humility.\u201d\n\n4. And now let us show that without humility all prayer to God is utterly\nvain. Humility is a bright light in the heart, in which there is at once\ndiscovered to us our own nothingness, and the high majesty and overflowing\ngoodness of God. Hence the more any man knows himself, the more he must\nneeds come to the knowledge of his own nothingness. For when a man sees\nhis own emptiness, and learns that he is destitute in himself of\neverything that is good, he begins to pray the more earnestly for the\ngrace and mercy of God. He pants after, and betakes himself to God, as to\nthe origin and fountain of all good things; desiring to know him aright,\nto praise him, and to honor him as he should. This desire being thus\nbegotten in him, he pours out his heart by himself, and says, \u201cWhen shall\nI come and appear before God?\u201d In this humility he looks at God\u2019s majesty\nand greatness, as also at his superabundant love and grace. And hereupon\nthe streams of grace flow down into such a faithful, humble soul, by\nprayer. And divine grace being thus communicated to the thirsty soul,\nthere is hereby begotten in it a spirit of prayer, which ceases not to\nascend in holy aspirations, and to bring down the blessings of peace and\nrighteousness. Through such grace of God there is a descent of the Holy\nSpirit into the soul, whose influences thereby grow continually stronger\nand stronger: and the \u201clove of God\u201d is by this means \u201cshed abroad in our\nhearts by the Holy Ghost\u201d (Rom. 5:5), which is given to us through the\nprayer of humility. For when the believing soul, conscious of her own\nvileness, reflects upon the humiliation of the Son of God, and beholds him\nhumbling himself so as not only to put off the form of _God_, that he\nmight appear in that of _man_, but even to suffer the greatest of evils in\nthis vile form, for the vilest of his creatures; by this reflection and\nconsideration, he is not only made humble, but hence, also, in this his\nhumility, there springs up a most noble flame of love to God, which burns\nmore and more day by day. And in this divine flame of love, the soul,\nbeing attracted by faith to God, is hence made to love all men in God, and\nin Christ; as calling to mind the exceeding great love of the Godhead\ntowards mankind; and particularly how her Heavenly Father has in Christ\nloved her, and called her to the participation of his goodness. When thus\nthe soul is drawn to God, and included in his love, the consequence is\nthis, that as to all those who are beloved by God, the soul also cannot\nbut love in like manner as God loveth them.\n\n5. Hence it follows, that if any good befall our neighbor, charity will\nrejoice; but if any evil happen to him, it will sorrow. And the humble and\nthe charitable person, behaving himself courteously and lovingly towards\nhis neighbor on all occasions, does not rashly judge him, if he behold his\nmisery; much less does he behave himself haughtily and superciliously\ntowards him, or treat him with contempt. 1 Cor. 13:4. For the soul that is\ntruly humble, can never so put off the sense of her own misery and\nvileness, as to despise another, or to esteem herself better than any; for\nshe remembers the mire out of which she herself has been delivered. And\nwhile she stands, she knows well enough that she does not stand by her own\nstrength, but solely by the help of divine grace.\n\n6. Humble charity judges itself in the first place, examines itself before\nall, and influences us to condemn ourselves rather than others: and a\nneighbor\u2019s calamity will cause the soul to descend into herself, and\ndeplore herself before God. In another\u2019s fall, the lowly and loving soul\nreads her own defaults, her own sins and transgressions, her own calamity\nand misery.\n\n7. Moreover, by humility a man is confirmed in the knowledge of God, and\nestablished in hope. Having a consciousness of his own ignorance,\nblindness, and folly, in divine matters, he gives thanks to God for the\nrevelation of his word, and imprints it more diligently on his heart. But\nconsidering also, that as he has no knowledge of God and divine things in\nhimself, so likewise all his own abilities are nothing before God: he is\nhence established in a godly hope, placing his confidence in nothing but\nGod only.\n\n8. Another fruit of humility is, that it renders a man acceptable to\nothers, even in the very outward course of his life. For it avoids\ncontentions and quarrels, and composes the whole man to gentleness and\nbenignity. Yea, a man is conformed by means of it even to Christ himself,\nwho says in one of the Psalms: \u201cBut I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was\nas a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth\nnot, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.\u201d Ps. 38:13, 14. Such a faithful\nand humble man as this is a living member of Christ, in whom Christ\nliveth.\n\n9. Besides, humility brings with it true inward peace of the mind; so that\nhe who is the possessor of it can by no miseries and calamities whatever\nbe unduly distressed or disquieted, but may with St. Paul say: \u201cWho shall\nseparate us from the love of Christ?\u201d Romans 8:35. And he is mindful\nalways of that saying: \u201cMy grace is sufficient for thee.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:9.\n\n10. True humility also begets silence. He who is endued therewith, as he\nis sensible of his own ignorance and foolishness, will beware of speaking\na great deal, or of being over-forward to teach others.\n\n11. In short, it is impossible to enumerate how many spiritual benefits\nand fruits, how many heavenly treasures of virtues and graces, are\ncomprehended in, and flow from, this most noble virtue; so that it may\ndeservedly be regarded as a spiritual treasury. It is, therefore, not\nwithout reason, that the Son of God, our light, life, salvation, and\ntreasure, would have us to learn it even of _himself_. O that this holy\nwish of our Lord might be fulfilled by all Christians; and that they would\nwith all diligence learn from Him this most excellent virtue!\n\n12. If it be asked, What is the means for acquiring this virtue, and by\nwhat way may one arrive at so great a treasure, which abounds so richly in\nthe gifts of celestial grace? I answer, that there are two: first, ardent\nand devout prayer; and secondly, constant meditation on Christ crucified.\nLet us look earnestly to the passion and death of Christ, and let us\nmeditate on it, as on a holy Book of life, till this root of the Christian\nvirtues, with all which accompany it, grow up day by day in our hearts, as\nin a fruitful and well-cultivated soul.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXII.\n\n\nAll The Works Of A True Christian Must Be Done In Humility, Or They Will,\n              Otherwise, Become An Abomination And Idolatry.\n\n\n    _That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the\n    sight of God._\u2014LUKE 16:15.\n\n\nAll works that are a well-pleasing and acceptable sacrifice to God, can\nproceed from true faith alone; this will not fail to beget Christian\nhumility in the heart. The effect of this will be meekly to acknowledge\nthat with regard to any good that may be found in us, it is wholly and\nsolely to be ascribed to the grace of God: \u201cNot I, but the grace of God\nwhich was with me.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:10. He who does not do this, commits two\nsins: the first is, apostasy from God, by turning himself from God towards\nhimself, that is, from the Supreme Being, towards that which is in itself\nnothing. The second is sacrilege, by taking to himself that honor which is\ndue to none but God; to whom, and not to man, everything that may be\ncalled good belongs. He, therefore, that doeth not all things in humility,\nsteals from God the glory due to him. For when God says: \u201cI will not give\nmy glory to another, neither my praise to graven images\u201d (Isaiah 42:8); he\nshows that all glory and praise are due to him alone.\n\n2. If, therefore, any man applaud himself, either for knowing or doing\nanything, verily that man takes to himself the glory which is due to God\nonly, and is thereby an idolater of himself. For this reason, ambition is\nabominable idolatry: and self-love, and self-esteem, are no less than\nhaving another God before him whose name is Jehovah. For this very reason\nalso, the devil seeks to be honored and worshipped in the world.\n\n3. Such a vainglorious devil, covetous of honor and worship from the\nworld, every proud and arrogant person, by thinking highly of himself,\ncherishes in his heart. If thou be wise, see that thou break down and\ndestroy this idol, which is set up in thy heart. Many persons are so holy\nthat they will not even look upon any outward images, lest they should\nhappen to be defiled by them; not observing, at the same time, that great\nidol which they carry about with them in their hearts, and by which they\nare to such a degree defiled as to become an abomination before God. For\nall that is most highly esteemed by men (through self-love and ambition)\nis an abomination before God. Whence all who seek only their own honor, or\npower, or ascribe aught to themselves as their own, are idolaters. Thus\nthe whole world lieth in idolatry; and every house has its living idols.\n\n4. That idolatry which defiles thee, proceeds from within, even from the\nheart. To whatsoever thy heart inclines, in whatsoever it acquiesces and\nrests, and unto whatsoever it cleaves by love and inclination, whether it\nbe good fortune, wealth, honor, power, or long life; that very thing\nimmediately becomes an idol, and has seduced thee into the sin of\nidolatry. Idolatry is not any outward pollution; but that which is\ninternal, spiritual, and springing up within. It is so that God considers\nit; He judges all things according to the heart; and it is so only that he\nlooks, trying the hearts and reins (Ps. 7:9), and judging of all things\naccording to the faith or unbelief there found by him. Whence Christ has\nalso plainly told thee, \u201cWhere thy treasure is, there will thy heart be\nalso\u201d (Matt. 6:21); that is, thy God, thy rest, thy peace, thy trust will\nbe there; and there will be thy paradise, yea, there will heaven and all\nthings be to thee. Observe closely what that object is on which thy heart\nloves to dwell, for it is surely thy God, whatever its nature may be. If\nthy heart cleave fast to God only, then is _He_ thy God, and blessed art\nthou: according as it is written: \u201cHappy are the people whose God is the\nLord.\u201d Ps. 144:15. And again, \u201cDelight thyself also in the Lord, and he\nshall give thee the desire of thy heart.\u201d Ps. 37: 4. But if thy mind\ncleave to the world, then the world is thy God. And so of the rest.\n\n5. It hence appears that there are really in the world no other idols but\nsuch as the heart of man makes for him. The devil himself is called \u201cthe\ngod of this world\u201d (2 Cor. 4:4), because the ungodly follow him, do his\ndeeds, love darkness, and take pleasure in the works of the devil. And\nthus men make a god even of Satan.\n\n6. Idols of wood are easily avoided, but take heed of the idols of gold.\nSee that thou be not ensnared by these. It is no hard matter to keep from\ndead idols; but take heed that thou worship not living ones, and\nespecially thyself. As soon as thou ascribest honor, skill, or power to\nthyself, thou settest up thyself in the place of God. This idolatry is\nproperly struck at by God, when he says that he \u201cwill not give his glory\nto another.\u201d Isa. 42:8. For whatsoever is, or is called by the name of\nhonor and glory, is due to none but him, who is the Most High, and the\nmost Holy One, and the sovereign and everlasting Good. Whosoever,\ntherefore, thou art, that wouldest not make an idol of thyself, nor\npollute thy works with the foulest of abominations before God, learn\nhence, not to ascribe to thyself honor, or glory, or praise; knowing that\nit is true humility to shun honor, and to account one\u2019s self unworthy of\nall glory. When thou shalt do this, and shalt have mortified all ambition\nand self-esteem, then thou shalt be known to be dead to the world indeed.\nFrom this springs up the new man, in whom is found the most noble life of\nChrist; which life, he himself has described as being meekness and\nlowliness of heart. Matt. 11:29. He, on the contrary, is still carnal, and\nlives after the flesh, according to the old birth, who would be honored\nand greatly esteemed: because it is the nature of the carnal man to\nendeavor to be, or to be accounted above all others. But if any man seek\nto be accounted nothing of, he has a heart truly spiritual and Christian.\nBut alas! where shall we now find the true Christians, that is, such as\nare willing to be slighted, and to be reputed as nothing? For, as hath\nbeen said before, it is the property of the true followers of Christ, to\ndeny themselves, to hate themselves, to despise themselves, and to\nrenounce all that is theirs, for his sake. Matt. 10:38; Luke 9:23. Such\nare indeed genuine Christians.\n\n7. If any one should here ask of me, What then is a Christian to do, if it\nplease God so to honor him as to give him grace and glory before the world\n(Ps. 84:11), as in the case of Daniel: and, since God has appointed\ncertain distinctions among men, several orders, states, and offices; and\nhas for that end variously distributed his gifts among them, What is the\nduty of a Christian, if he be advanced to some post of dignity? I answer,\nIf this be thy lot, then render all the honor which is conferred upon thee\nto God again; and ascribe nothing to thyself which is the right of\nanother, or take that to be thine which is God\u2019s only.\n\n8. As soon, therefore, as any honor is given thee, see that, being mindful\nof thy low estate, thou transfer it all to God, and keep nothing thereof\nto thyself. If thou neglectest to do this, and shouldest be induced to\nattribute anything to thyself, it is certain that thou must thereby lose\ndivine grace, while, with a sacrilegious impiety, thou invadest that which\nof right belongs to God. So if thou excel others in spiritual or natural\ngifts, in wisdom or skill, wealth or dignity, be watchful not to take this\nhonor to thyself; yea, let it be thy joy and delight to offer all up to\nGod again, from a most deep and intimate devotion of thy heart. This thou\nwilt not fail to do, and to give that glory to Him which is due, when thou\nshalt glory in nothing but in Him only, according to the words of the\nProphet: \u201cLet not the wise man glory in his wisdom; neither let the mighty\nman glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let\nhim that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me,\nthat I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and\nrighteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the\nLord.\u201d Jer. 9:23, 24.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIII.\n\n\n A Man Who Does Not Perceive His Own Emptiness, And Does Not Give All The\n    Honor To God, Commits The Greatest Of Sins, And Falls Like Satan.\n\n\n    _Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity._\u2014PS.\n    39:5.\n\n\nTo the end that man may acknowledge his own vanity, he is compared by the\nPsalmist (Ps. 39; 144:4), to a shadow; and again in another place (Ps.\n90:5), to a dream. Now what is a shadow? It is a lifeless resemblance of\nthat thing on which it depends; and has in itself neither substance nor\nlife, but is nothing. In like manner, man of himself has neither\nsubstance, life, strength, nor indeed any ability whatsoever; but depends\non God, even as a shadow on the body, or as light on the sun.\n\n2. Whosoever, therefore, so forgets himself as not to depend on God, who\nalone is all in all, \u201cthinking himself to be something when he is nothing,\nhe deceiveth himself.\u201d Gal. 6:3. He falls from the true eternal and\nSovereign Being into his own nothingness; from the unchangeable Good into\nvanity; from truth itself into a lie.\n\n3. This is not only the greatest of sins, but of punishments also. For the\nmore man turns from God to himself, the more he approaches extreme misery\nand calamity. And man by this means, even by turning himself away from\nGod, towards his own faculties and powers, in truth punishes thereby the\nvery sin which he commits. He is then accounted to turn himself away from\nGod, and to forsake \u201cthe rock of his salvation\u201d (Deut. 32:15), whenever he\nascribes to himself any degree of power or strength, art or skill, wisdom,\nor honor, or merit, so as to be willing to be thought somebody, and to be\nmuch accounted of; when, in very deed, all these in no wise belong to man,\nor to any creature, but to God only. Every creature is but a mere shadow,\nand of itself merely nothing; even so as the life, substance, faculty,\nwisdom, powers, and strength which it seems to have, are not properly its\nown, but are God\u2019s only.\n\n4. Wherefore, as soon as a man ascribes all or any of these to himself, he\nbecomes guilty of apostasy from God. Nor indeed was the devil\u2019s apostasy\naught else, but the not abiding within the bounds, duties, and properties\nof a creature, which has all its life, substance, and ability in God, and\nought to hold the same from him, as the shadow does with respect to the\nbody and the motion thereof. For any one, therefore, to ascribe those\nthings to himself which are God\u2019s; or to challenge to himself honor,\nglory, wisdom, or esteem (forasmuch as none of these suit a creature, but\nare all to be transferred to God alone, to whom they really appertain), is\nproperly to fall like Satan. Hence God permitted him to fall, not\nsustaining him any longer with his grace, which was by him disowned. The\nsame thing must befall all men who, through pride and ambition, presume to\narrogate to themselves any of those things which are God\u2019s. They are not\nupheld by the grace of God, who arrogantly turn themselves away from God,\naffecting to be as God. God alone being All in all, and moreover being the\nonly Good, or the _one Good_, and the _all-Good_ essentially; it would be\nmost unreasonable for any creature to claim to itself aught of that which\nis good. Hence our blessed Lord saith, \u201cThere is none good but one, that\nis God\u201d (Matt. 19:17); meaning, that he is the essential Good, and he\nalone is all that is good. This property of God, our Saviour was not\nwilling to take unto himself in his state of humiliation, forasmuch as he\nwas then held to be no more than a mere man; that thus, by his most bright\nexample, he might instruct us that man ought not to ascribe to himself the\nthings which are God\u2019s.\n\n5. When man does otherwise, he commits the greatest of all sins, and,\naiming at divinity, stains himself thereby with a most nefarious\nsacrilege, being turned from God to himself. And as many as are in this\ncondition, seek help, counsel, and comfort, not from God only, as they\nought, but from creatures, and sometimes even from the devil himself. But\nwhat greater madness, or what worse blindness is there, than to expect\ngood from evil, life from death, blessedness from the damned, help from\nthe helpless, blessedness from the accursed, and light from darkness?\nWhereas, on the other hand, it is the highest wisdom to look for good from\nthe source of all good, to seek life from the fountain of life, to expect\nblessedness from the spring of salvation, and to go for help to him who\ncan do all things, and \u201cwith whom nothing is impossible.\u201d Luke 1:37.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIV.\n\n\n  Of The Noble Virtue Of Love, And Of Its Power, Soundness, And Purity.\n\n\n    _He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love._\u20141 JOHN\n    4:8.\n\n\nLove, says St. Paul, is the greatest of all virtues, and without it all\ngifts are unprofitable (1 Cor. 13:13); therefore he admonishes us, saying,\n\u201cLet all your things be done with charity.\u201d 1 Cor. 16:14. Accordingly we\nare to pray with charity, as our Lord says: \u201cIf thou bring thy gift to the\naltar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; go\nthy way; first be reconciled to thy brother.\u201d Matt. 5:23, 24. And in the\nLord\u2019s Prayer, our forgiving our neighbor\u2019s debts, or trespasses, is\nstrictly joined to God\u2019s forgiving ours. Matt. 6:12, 14, 15.\n\n2. Love is, however, so singular a virtue, that a man may mistake therein\nas easily as in anything else. Therefore nothing ought to be looked upon\nwith a more suspicious eye than love; for there is nothing which can so\npowerfully incline, force, or restrain, and so thoroughly penetrate the\nmind, as love. Therefore, if love be not ruled by the true light, the Holy\nGhost, it precipitates the soul into a thousand calamities.\n\n3. And this I do not say with respect to the love of evil; for this, as a\ndiabolical thing, is by all Christians to be avoided; but I speak of that\nlove which is betwixt God, and man, and his neighbor. Love, when not\nregulated by divine wisdom, can easily be deceived, misled, and thrust out\nof its due order, so as not to reach the true end. Many think they have\nthe love of God in their souls, and yet have the love of the world, or\ntheir own love, nay, it may be the love of Satan.\n\n4. Take an instance of this fact: any one that loves the Lord God only for\nthe sake of temporal things, that he may be preserved by him from temporal\nmisfortunes, loves himself more than God, and prefers his own welfare\nbefore God. This is called inordinate love. He ought to love God more than\nhimself, nay, love him above all things; and all things, both good and\nevil days, he ought to love for the sake of God.\n\n5. But when man prefers himself to the love of God, he surely makes\nhimself God, by loving himself more than God; and whilst he loves not God\nas God, for his sake, but merely for his own private interest, he has a\nfalse and deceitful love. He that has such a love, loves all things for\nhis own sake, for the profit and honor which he reaps from them. He loves\nalso holy men, nay, the very word of God, for this reason only, that it\nmay afford him a show and name of holiness, but not for the sake of that\nexcellent Good which lies hid therein.\n\n6. And because such a love is impure, it brings forth impure fruits, which\nare self-interest, self-honor, self-lust; all which are carnal and\nearthly, not heavenly and spiritual fruits. Thus many love great skill and\nlearning, that they may be preferred to others, and may rule over them;\nnot from a principle of love to God and their neighbor, but from a love to\nthemselves, thinking thereby to gain great honors and preferments.\n\n7. There are others also who love God that he may spare them, and not\npunish them for their sins in dreadful severity; nay, that he may be\nbountiful to them in this present time; but this, alas! is a very weak\nlove. For these love God for their own profit, and not for his own sake,\nor not by reason of his being the most excellent and highest Good.\n\n8. Others love God that he may bestow upon them many gifts in\nunderstanding and wisdom, whereby they might gain a great reputation.\n\n9. Some also love virtue, not for the sake of virtue itself, but that they\nmay obtain a great name, and be looked upon as brave, virtuous men, and\nmen famous for their honesty and piety. All this is not true love, for it\ntends not to the right end.\n\n10. There is often also love betwixt some persons uniting themselves by a\nlove of their own, which increases in them so much that they are pleased\nwith everything done by him whom they love. For love always follows its\nbeloved, and cleaves wholly unto him. And thereby one is often involved\nand drawn aside into evil; or even the lover himself allures his beloved\nto it, because he knows that so it pleases him; and by this false and\ndeceitful love he is hindered from prayer and all other Christian virtues.\n\n11. Therefore it is highly necessary that our love should be guided and\nruled by the Holy Spirit, and by our meditations on the whole life of\nChrist and his holy sufferings, out of which nothing but _pure_ love\nshines forth. He loved God purely, above all things, and not himself. He\nloved man with a pure, undefiled love, and not himself. He did and spake\nnothing for his own sake, but all for ours. Whatsoever he did and spoke\nwas for our benefit; he was not profited by it, but we were. All his pains\nand labors, nay; his greatest torments and afflictions, were not too hard\nor heavy for him, that we might be benefited and saved thereby; nay, his\nvery cross was joy unto him, that he might fulfil the will of God his\nFather.\n\n12. That is a pure, undefiled love for which nothing is too difficult,\nwhich complains of nothing, nay, which spares not itself, but gives itself\nfor the beloved\u2019s sake, even unto death. Whatsoever crosses and sufferings\nGod sends, this love regards as good. It sees that it is the holy will of\nGod, and therefore it would rather suffer much more for the same, and is\nvery well contented with everything that God willeth; for it knows that\nGod orders all things right and well.\n\n13. And as love unites itself to the beloved, it learns also his manners,\nfollows him for his love\u2019s sake, and does that which is well-pleasing unto\nhim: so he that loves Christ rightly learns of him his manner of life and\nhis virtues, for he knows it is well-pleasing unto him. He conforms\nhimself to his image, and remains all his life under the yoke and cross of\nChrist, even as Christ, during his whole life, bore the cross of poverty,\ncontempt, and pains. And although no man in this frail state can attain\nunto perfect love, yet every Christian is to labor, that his love be not\nfalse, but as pure as possible, according to what St. Paul says, \u201cLove out\nof a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.\u201d 1 Tim.\n1:5.\n\n14. This pure love, derived from Christ and the Holy Ghost, works in man\nevery good thing, and is never idle. It is its joy to do good, for it can\ndo nothing else; even as the Lord God says, \u201cI will rejoice over them to\ndo them good.\u201d Jer. 32:41. Why? Because God is love itself, which can do\nnothing else but that which it is in its own being. And this is a sign of\npure and true love. For this love does not say, \u201cI am not obliged to do\nthis or that;\u201d but where it has no law, there it is a law unto itself,\nonly that it may do much good; for otherwise love would not continue to be\nlove.\n\n15. Hence it is plain why God Almighty is never weary of doing good; and\nwhy he is that infinite Good which never ceases to be. He is everlasting\nlove, which cannot desist from doing good, or else he would cease to be\nlove. Therefore, even when he punishes and chastises, he draws all good\nout of evil, directing it to a good end, even to our salvation.\n\n16. This pure love of God causes us to pray aright. For as a friend has\nhis friend at his disposal in all things, so also such a lover of God is a\nfriend of God, and obtains from him that for which he prays. Therefore,\nbecause Lazarus\u2019s sister knew the Lord Jesus to be not only a friend, but\nalso the Son of God, she said, \u201cI know that even now whatsoever thou wilt\nask of God, God will give it thee\u201d (John 11:22); and because Mary loved\nJesus, she was heard by the Lord, and he restored her brother unto her. Of\nsuch a love as obtains from God all things, holy David saith, \u201cDelight\nthyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine\nheart.\u201d Ps. 37:4.\n\n17. But in order that thou mayest have a characteristic mark of this love,\nobserve these _four_ properties of true love. 1. Love submits itself to\nthe will of the beloved. 2. True love abandons all friendship which is\ncontrary to its beloved. 3. One friend reveals his heart unto the other.\n4. A true lover endeavors to be made conformable to his beloved, in his\nmanners, and in all his life. Is the beloved poor, the lover will be poor\nwith him. Is the beloved despised, the lover also bears his contempt. Is\nhe sick, the lover is sick too. Thus love makes an equality between them,\nso that they have the same prosperity and adversity. For there must be\nsuch a communion between the lover and the beloved, as that each of them\nshall be made partaker of the other\u2019s good as well as ill. This, then, is\nnot only a communion, but a union or uniting of two minds like each other,\nand of two hearts which are alike.\n\n18. After such a manner our Lord Jesus Christ is become our Friend. For,\n1. His love submitted itself to the will of man, and was obedient unto the\ncross: nay, for the sake of man he submitted his will to every one, even\nto his enemies. 2. He neglected all other friendship that he could have\nhad in the world; nay, he even forgot himself, and spared not his own body\nand life for our sakes. 3. He revealed in his Gospel, his heart unto us;\ntherefore he says, \u201cHenceforth I call you not servants; but I have called\nyou friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made\nknown unto you.\u201d John 15:15. 4. He was made alike unto us in all things,\nsin only excepted. Phil. 2:7. He became poor as we are, and mortal even as\nwe.\n\n19. If now we will be his true lovers, we must also do all these things.\nAnd seeing he was made like unto us in all things, and in all our misery,\nwhy would not we strive to be made like unto Him? If we thus love him, we\nshall obtain from him all things by prayer, according to his saying, \u201cUnto\nhim that loveth me, I will manifest myself.\u201d John 14:21. O what a friendly\nand delightful manifestation in the heart is there, when we experience\nheavenly joy, wisdom, and understanding! Here is the only right way to\nacquire understanding and wisdom, which are so highly praised by king\nSolomon in the Proverbs.\n\n20. We are, therefore, naturally led to the conclusion, that genuine\nprayer cannot be offered without love.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXV.\n\n\n   Sundry Signs By Which We May Ascertain Whether We Truly Love Christ.\n\n\n    _If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in\n    him._\u20141 JOHN 2:15.\n\n\nThe first mark that the love of Christ is in us, is the avoiding of the\nlove of the world. When thou considerest Christ in his holy poverty, how\nhe was so entirely empty of love to temporal things, his love will also\nactuate thee to learn that thou art to put off the love of the world and\nto despise it; so that thou wilt desire nothing here but thy Lord Jesus\nChrist, and wilt not put thy confidence in any creature, or earthly\nassistance.\n\n2. Secondly, thou wilt willingly bear reproach and contempt from the\nworld, for the sake of Christ\u2019s holy reproach; nay, with St. Paul, thou\nwilt account it thy glory, and rejoice in it. Eph. 3:13. Nor wilt thou be\nmuch troubled when the world makes no great account of thee; for such was\nthy Lord\u2019s and Redeemer\u2019s life in this world. This shall be thy full\nsatisfaction, that Christ is thy honor, renown, glory, light, strength,\npower, and victory, wisdom, and skill. For to follow Christ is the highest\nwisdom.\n\n3. Thirdly, seeing that Christ in his holy body and soul has suffered pain\nand sorrow unto death, thou also, for his love\u2019s sake, wilt not only with\npatience, but even with joy, suffer sorrow, persecution, distress, and\naffliction, nay, torment and pain unto death.\n\n4. And, fourthly, as Christ had comfort and joy in no man nor in any\ncreature, but only in God, according to what is said in Psalm 22, so thou\nalso wilt bear it patiently when all worldly comfort leaves thee. For thou\nknowest that at last God will make thee joyful with his everlasting\ncomfort, of which St. Paul gives us an admirable account (2 Cor. 6:4,\netc.): \u201cLet us approve ourselves as the ministers of God, in much\npatience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in\nimprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by\npureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost,\nby love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor\nof righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor,\nby evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown,\nand yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not\nkilled; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich;\nas having nothing, and yet possessing all things.\u201d\n\n5. Fifthly, thou shalt esteem the cross of Christ as the highest good,\nbeyond all the treasures of the world. If it were not so, Christ would not\nhave taught thee so, and put it before thine eyes with his own life and\nexample. Thou mayest easily believe that the Son of God would not mislead\nthee by his example, but conduct thee to the highest wisdom, and to the\nhighest heavenly joys, although the way is strait and narrow. But thou\nseest that he himself walked in this narrow path. And because there are\nfew that follow him, he says, \u201cFew there be that find it.\u201d Matt. 7:14. For\nit is not an easy thing to conquer self, to deny self, to die unto self,\nand to renounce the world and all that we have. This is the narrow way,\nand few there be that find it.\n\n6. The sixth mark of the love of Christ is, never to have the beloved\nJesus out of our thoughts; but to set him always before us by faith, and\nto consider the works of his love.\n\n7. As for instance: I. His _incarnation_, in which, as in a Book of Life,\nwe see chiefly a twofold benefit: 1. That he thereby fills us with his\nlove. And, 2. That he makes us sure of our eternal salvation and\nhappiness. O what inexpressible love is this, that God was made man and\nlike man, that he might make men like unto God! O the greatness of love!\nHe took upon him the form of a servant (Phil. 2:6-8) that he might make us\nkings, and adorn us with royal crowns. O the greatness of love, that God,\nincomprehensible and invisible, should be made palpable and visible! Who\nis able to fathom the deep abyss of this love! O what great, unutterable\nwisdom, that out of the great evil of sin, thou, O Lord, hast brought\nforth such an infinite good, discovering thereby the deep abyss of thy\nlove! O the great comfort it is to me to know that thy human birth is my\ndivine birth, and a fountain of salvation against the deep well of sin!\n\n8. II. His holy _doctrine_, wherein are found eternal wisdom, truth,\nlight, life and salvation; and his holy _life_, whereby he has shown us\nthe manner, and the way, how to live a truly Christian and godly life. For\nthe pattern of his holy life is the most wonderful light, which will not\nlet us walk in darkness.\n\n9. III. The mystery of the innocent _death_ of Christ, in which there are\nseven particulars to be considered. 1. The fulfilling of the justice of\nGod, and of the divine sentence. 2. The satisfaction for all our sins. 3.\nOur reconciliation with God; for we were reconciled to God by the death of\nhis Son. Rom. 5:10. 4. The manifestation of the superabundant love of God\nthrough the death of our Redeemer. 5. The eternal truth of God, that he\nhas given us his Son, and thereby testified himself to be truly our\nFather. 6. The victory over all enemies. 7. The acquiring and purchase of\neternal salvation and life.\n\n10. IV. His _resurrection_, which gives us a firm assurance of the\nresurrection of our bodies, and also of that spiritual resurrection,\nwherein, through the grace of God, and the power of the life of Christ,\nwe, having been spiritually dead, become spiritually alive in Christ. Rom.\n6:4.\n\n11. V. His _ascension_, which is a consummation of our eternal redemption,\nrighteousness, and salvation.\n\n12. These five works of the love of Christ are the true Christian school\nwherein we are to study, never letting them depart from our thoughts.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXVI.\n\n\n Five Kinds Of Works Of Love, In Which The Grace And Goodness Of God Are\n                           Especially Revealed.\n\n\n    _The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of\n    Jacob._\u2014PS. 87:2.\n\n\nThere are chiefly five arguments of the love of God. 1. Christ\u2019s\nincarnation. 2. His suffering. 3. God\u2019s indwelling in us. 4. God\u2019s love\nshining forth out of the creatures. 5. His amiableness in his own Being,\ntherein surpassing all created things.\n\n2. I. Where love is, there is union; for it is the nature of love that it\nunites itself with the beloved. Now, as God loved man so mightily, it\ncould not be otherwise but that he must unite himself again unto man after\nhis fall, and out of pure love and mercy become a man. Ah! \u201cWhat is man\nthat thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him!\u201d\nPsalm 8:4. The soul of man is so beloved of God, that as Christ is God and\nman, having united himself with human nature, with our body and soul: so\nalso God loves our soul so much that he desires to pour himself wholly\ninto the same, if it were perfectly purified, and man did not resist him.\nFor there is infinite love in God, which is unutterable. This is, then,\none of the greatest demonstrations of the love of God, that God is made\nman, and has showed himself a true lover of men, having taken upon him\nwhat is human that he might give us what is divine. He is become a Son of\nman, that he may make us children of God. He came down to us upon earth,\nthat he might lift us up into heaven. O what a noble exchange! and all for\nthis end, that we in him might be loved of God. It is as if God did call\nfrom heaven, saying: \u201cO ye men, behold my beloved Son! Him I have suffered\nto become man, that he might be a living example and witness of my deep\nlove to you; that he might bring you all with himself to me, and ye all\nmight be made my children and heirs!\u201d Therefore the Lord always calls\nhimself in the Gospel the _Son of Man_, out of an intimate love to us. We\nseldom read that he calls himself the Son of God, but always the Son of\nMan, from an affectionate humility and love.\n\n3. II. Although his holy incarnation is a very great argument of his love\nto us, yet his holy _suffering_ and _dying_ for our sins are a still\ngreater one. For \u201cgreater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down\nhis life for his friends.\u201d John 15:13. \u201cIn this was manifested the love of\nGod towards us (saith St. John), that God sent his Son to be the\npropitiation for our sins.\u201d 1 John 4:9, 10. This is the highest love. Our\nGod, according to his incomprehensible omnipotence, could have found out\nother means by which to redeem us; as the Lord Jesus Christ himself prayed\nfor it in his agony, saying: \u201cAbba, Father, all things are possible unto\nthee; take away this cup from me.\u201d Mark 14:36. But then it would not have\nbeen the highest love shown to us. In order that God might bestow the\nhighest love upon us, and that we might not be able to say, \u201cGod has\nsomething which he loves too dearly to give it to us;\u201d he has given us his\ndear Son, and not only given him, but given him also to be the\npropitiation for our sins. Therefore he could not have showed us greater\nlove. Therein God commandeth his love towards us. Rom. 5:8. \u201cHe that\nspared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not\nwith him also freely give us all things?\u201d Rom. 8:32. Hath he given us that\nwhich is the greatest, he will surely give us that also which is less. In\nthe eternal life all that is God\u2019s shall be ours. \u201cHe that overcometh\nshall inherit all things.\u201d Rev. 21:7.\n\n4. III. Further, God shows his love to us, by his dwelling among us, and\nin us. O what a great comfort is this, that God has sanctified our heart,\nand dedicated it to be his dwelling-place. Formerly, in the Old Testament,\nwhen the tabernacle and sanctuary were finished, Moses was commanded to\nconsecrate, to sanctify, and to sprinkle it with the blood of the\nsacrifice; for \u201calmost all things were by the law purged with blood.\u201d Heb.\n9:22. And thereupon the glory of God came from heaven, and filled the\ntabernacle (Exod. 40:34); so also, after Christ died for our sins, and\nafter we are sanctified through his blood, God comes to us and makes his\nabode with us.\n\n5. Whom we love, with him we delight to be. God loves mankind tenderly;\ntherefore he delights to be with them, and to have his habitation among\nthem. \u201cI the Lord dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is\nof a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and\nto revive the heart of the contrite ones.\u201d Isa. 57:15. And again, with\nwhom we delight to be, him we tenderly love. God delights to be with men;\ntherefore he loves men tenderly, according to the Psalm: \u201cIn the saints on\nearth, and in the excellent, is all my delight.\u201d Ps. 16:3. This assurance\nthat God loves us and is with us, ought to comfort us in all our\ncalamities, in poverty, in sickness, in persecution, and in contempt. What\n(sayest thou), doth he love them whom he suffers to come under so many\ncrosses? I answer, Yes, that he may through the cross make them glorious.\nAs their sufferings here abound, so also shall their consolations abound\nthere. 2 Cor. 1:5. The greater afflictions are on earth, the greater joy\nand glory are in heaven. 2 Cor. 4:17.\n\n6. And this is the reason why God makes many people sorrowful; namely,\nthat he may dwell in their hearts; for he delights to dwell nowhere more\nthan in a poor and contrite spirit. Ps. 34:19; Isa. 66:2. God fills us\nhere with his grace, that he may fill us hereafter with his glory, even as\nhe fills and illuminates the heavenly Jerusalem. Rev. 21:23.\n\n7. IV. The love of God shines forth also out of the creatures. When St.\nPaul would desire for his Ephesians the best, the highest, and the most\nglorious thing, he wishes that they might know the love of God, and be\nable to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and\ndepth, and height of the same. Eph. 3:18. He means to say so much, that\nthe love of God is higher than heaven, deeper than the sea, broader than\nthe earth, longer than it is from east to west, according to Psalm 103:11.\n\n12. In a word, heaven and earth are full of the love of God: for all that\nGod hath created, be it visible or invisible, he hath created for this\nend, that his inexpressible goodness and love might therein be manifested.\nAnd, therefore, he hath given to man both inward and outward senses, that\nthereby he might perceive the goodness and love of God. For all that man\ncan apprehend by his understanding, thoughts, mind, and reason, as well as\nwhat he apprehends with his outward senses, altogether bears witness to\nthe love of God. All that man hath, is a testimony of the love of God;\nyea, all creatures, visible and invisible, are, as it were, so many\nmessengers of God, declaring unto us his love; and he speaks to us through\nthem, saying, \u201cBehold the heaven and earth, and all creatures! I have\ncreated all out of love to man.\u201d And whenever we perceive the pleasantness\nof the creatures, we perceive the goodness of God; so that both with our\ninward and outward senses we can taste and see that the Lord is good,\naccording to the words of the 34th Psalm, ver. 8.\n\n8. The sun speaks to us by its light and warmth, as if it said: \u201cLook upon\nme, the greatest and the brightest creature among all visible things: He\nmust be great that made me.\u201d Ps. 19:1, etc. But not only through beautiful\ncreatures doth God speak to us, but also through the most despicable worm,\nas if God did say: \u201cLo, thou art beholden to me thy Creator, that I, who\ncould have made thee a worm, have, out of mercy, made thee a man.\u201d Here\nremember him who said: \u201cI am a worm, and no man.\u201d Ps. 22:6. Thus God\nspeaks unto man through all the creatures, declares his love to him, and\ninvites, leads, and draws us unto himself. This is that wisdom of God\nwhich in all places uttereth \u201cher voice in the streets,\u201d which \u201crejoiceth\nin the habitable part of the earth, and whose delights are with the sons\nof men.\u201d Prov. 1:20; 8:31.\n\n9. Indeed, if we consider the matter aright, we are encompassed by the\nlove of God, even as we are all inclosed under heaven, seeing that \u201cin God\nwe live, and move, and have our being.\u201d Acts 17:28. Man can go nowhere,\nbut the love and goodness of God follow after him, and call him through\nall the creatures, nay, through his own heart and conscience, saying:\n\u201cWhither wilt thou go, beloved child? Whither shalt thou flee from my\npresence? If thou ascendest up into heaven, I am there. If thou makest thy\nbed in hell, behold I am there. If thou takest the wings of the morning,\nand dwellest in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall my hand\nlead thee, and my right hand shall hold thee.\u201d Ps. 139:7, etc. Therefore,\ncome unto me, and acknowledge my love and grace, with which I meet thee in\nevery creature. Hast thou sinned, grace abounds with me; hast thou left\nme, my love and mercy have not yet rejected thee, but are continually\nhastening after thee, have been calling to thee, and, as a wandering\nsheep, have sought after thee. And if thou believest not these many\ntestimonies of all the creatures, believe the testimony of my dear Son,\nhow I have loved the world in him. John 3:16. \u201cThou canst nowhere find\nrest for thy soul except here; turn which way thou wilt, thou must and\ncanst only rest in my love and grace.\u201d O how blessed is the heart which\nunderstands that heaven and earth are full of the love of God, and that he\nhas as many witnesses of his love as there are creatures! But the greatest\nand highest witness of all is the Son of God.\n\n10. V. We know also the love of God, from the amiableness of his own\nbeing. From the visions of the prophets, and the Revelation of St. John,\nwe can observe that God Almighty is so lovely and beautiful, as infinitely\nto transcend all the beauty and loveliness of the world. He is the beauty\nof all things beautiful, and the loveliness of all things lovely, the life\nof all the living. He is ALL. An ancient father has said: \u201cGod is so\nlovely and beautiful, that if a man were in a fiery furnace, and saw the\nbeauty and glory of Him but for a moment, the greatest torment would be\nchanged into the greatest joy;\u201d as it happened to St. Stephen, when he saw\nthe glory of God, and said: \u201cBehold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son\nof man standing on the right hand of God.\u201d Acts 7:56. God is so lovely and\nbeautiful, that if a man saw him for a thousand years together, it would\nseem to him but one hour. For in beholding the loveliness and glory of\nGod, all time is swallowed up; so that the more any one sees God, the more\nhe desires to see him; the more he loves God, the more he will love; and\nthe more he praises God, the more will he praise him; according to the\nwords of Xystus, an ancient teacher: \u201cDevout souls can never be satiated\nwith the love and praise of God.\u201d Hence, although the holy angels have\nseen God from the beginning of their creation, they have not yet seen him\nenough; and although they have praised him from the beginning, they have\nnot yet praised him enough: for \u201cGod is more to be praised, than all\npraise can express; and more lovely, than the love of all the creatures\ncan reach.\u201d God is infinite in his beauty, loveliness, and glory;\ntherefore no creature can love him enough. God is so amiable, that the\nmore one loves him, the more one desires to love him. He is so to be\npraised that the end of his praises cannot be attained; so lovely to be\nlooked upon, that looking upon him never makes us weary; so comfortable to\nbe heard, that he never can be heard enough. Tauler says, \u201cIf one might\ntaste but a drop of the perfect love of God, all the joys and pleasures of\nthis world would be changed to us into the greatest bitterness.\u201d The\nsaints have endured the greatest torments for the sake of the love of God,\nand have given up their lives; and if they had a thousand bodies, they\nwould hazard them all, that they might keep the love of God; as the\nPsalmist says, \u201cThy loving kindness is better than life; therefore my lips\nshall praise thee.\u201d Ps. 63:3. God is so high, so noble, and so pure a\nGood, that the more any one knows him, the more he loves him. He is so\ntender and perfect a sweetness, that the more one tastes of him, the\nsweeter he becomes; and the more one loves him, the more his loveliness\nincreases. Blessed is the soul which is filled with the love of God. He\nwill be conscious in his soul of such amiableness as cannot be found in\ntime among creatures.\n\n11. Behold now, ye children of men, how deceived ye are by the love of the\nworld. What is it which any man can obtain by the love of temporal things,\nbut sorrow, trouble, loss of time, unprofitable words (of which an account\nmust be given), wranglings, fightings, and a burdened conscience? Surely\nall the children of men shall one day sorely repent that they have so much\nloved the world, and the things therein: according to the warning given us\nby St. John, saying, \u201cLove not the world, neither the things that are in\nthe world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in\nhim. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of\nthe eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the\nworld. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth\nthe will of God abideth for ever.\u201d 1 John 2:15, etc. Therefore every man\nought to mourn all the days of his life that he ever loved anything more\nthan God only. If God pours into thy heart his love, so that thou lovest\nhim above all things, then he has given thee the best thing he hath, even\n_Himself_.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXVII.\n\n\n  Showing How The Lord Jesus Manifests Himself To The Loving Soul As The\n                    Highest Love And The Highest Good.\n\n\n    _To him that loveth me, I will manifest myself._\u2014JOHN 14:21.\n\n\nIf thou duly considerest Christ crucified thou wilt see nothing in him but\npure, perfect, and unutterable love, and he will show thee his heart, and\nsay, \u201cBehold, in this heart there is no deceit and no lie (Isaiah 53:9),\nbut the highest faithfulness and truth are there. Incline thy head unto\nme, and rest upon my heart; open thy mouth, and drink out of my wounds the\nsweetest love, which out of the heart of my Father springs up and flows\nthrough me.\u201d\n\n2. When thou shalt have tasted this love, thou wilt forget and despise,\nfor its sake, all the world, and be desirous of nothing else but of this\nlove. Thou wilt say to thy Lord, \u201cO Lord, give me nothing more than the\nsweetness of thy love; nay, if thou wouldst give me the whole world, I\nwould desire nothing else but thee and thy love.\u201d\n\n3. O happy is the soul which feels this love! for in that soul Christ is\ntruly known, and manifested to be nothing else but pure love, and to be\nthe love of the souls of men. These words state a most happy experience;\nfor that Christ is the love of our soul he clearly shows by his spiritual\ncoming and delightful refreshing of the soul; and when the soul tastes but\na drop thereof it is filled with joys. For infinite love is so great that\nour hearts cannot comprehend it. This the holy martyr Ignatius owned, who\nalways used to call the Lord Jesus, his Love, and said: My Love is\ncrucified.\n\n4. In this love of Christ all our works ought to be done (1 Cor. 16:14);\nand then they proceed from Christ out of true faith, and are well-pleasing\nto God, whether we eat, or drink, or sleep, or perform the duties of our\ncalling. All that comes forth of a believing love is made pleasant to God\nand men; for it is done and wrought in God. John 3:21.\n\n5. Although this love of Christ is the highest good in heaven and upon\nearth (for all good things are contained therein), yet is God so willing\nand ready to bestow it upon us, that he hath sent, even his dear Son, into\nthis misery, to make us partakers in him of this inexpressible treasure,\nthrough faith. And he is much more ready to give us this precious good\nthan we are to receive it.\n\n6. This love, \u201cshed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost\u201d (Rom. 5:5),\nwhen felt in us, affords us more joy than all the world can give. And if\nall creatures were present, a believing and loving soul would part with\nthem, yea, not so much as look upon them, because of the superabundant\nsweetness of the love of God. And if all creatures should begin to speak,\nthe voice of the love of God would be stronger and more delightful than\nthe voice of all the creatures. For this love binds and unites the mind\nunto Christ, and replenishes it with all good. This precious good is\nindeed known, seen, and tasted in the spirit, but no words can express it.\nAll words are much too weak to set forth even the shadow thereof; and no\nman\u2019s tongue can reach that precious and lovely good of which the spirit\nof man is sensible. Therefore also St. Paul says, that he heard in\nparadise words that were \u201cunspeakable.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:4.\n\n7. And when this precious good withdraws from the soul, there is then\ngreater sorrow than if all the world had been lost. Then the soul calls\nand cries, \u201cO thou delightful love, I have scarcely tasted of thee; why\ndost thou forsake me? My soul is as a child that is weaned of his mother\nPs. 131:2. Oh, thy loving-kindness is better than life! (Ps. 63:3); let me\ntaste thereof. My soul thirsteth for thee (Ps. 42:2) only, and nothing\nelse can satisfy me, or make me joyful.\u201d\n\nThis holy love causes also, that without it the whole life is imbittered\nto a believing and loving soul, and is accounted as death and misery. Yea,\nfor the sake of this love, man desires to die, to put off the earthly\ntabernacle, and to be at home, and present with the Lord, according to the\nwords of St. Paul. 2 Cor. 5:8.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXVIII.\n\n\n    Showing How The Highest Good Is Perceived And Tasted In The Soul.\n\n\n    _O taste and see that the Lord is good._\u2014PS. 34:8.\n\n\nGod is an eternal, perfect, infinite, substantial, communicative Good,\nfull of love and joy; and therefore he desires to be known in living\nfaith, in spirit, and in truth. This cannot however be, except a man\nreally taste and feel in his heart the goodness, sweetness,\nloving-kindness, and comfort of God.\n\n2. If this were to be performed there must needs be in man something\nconformable to God, and capable of knowing him, that so we might be made\npartakers of the highest good. Now this is the soul of man: into the soul\nGod was willing to pour forth his goodness, yea, to dwell there, and to\nmanifest and make known himself more and more.\n\n3. But since man has lost this sovereign good by sin, and the devil has\nobtained a habitation in, and possession of, him; working in man all his\nown works, as pride, covetousness, lust, anger, envy; man, therefore,\n\u201cthrough the faith of the operation of God\u201d (Col. 2:12), must be turned\nagain from the world unto God, from Satan unto Jesus Christ (Acts 26:18),\nand Satan with his works must be driven out and be utterly dispossessed.\nAs long as Satan works in man, God works not in him; His works are\nhindered, so that the soul cannot taste that God is good. Indeed, the\nreason why there are so few that know God aright is, that in the greatest\nnumber of men the works of darkness and of Satan have the ascendency. The\nmost part adhere to the world, to the creatures, and to themselves.\n\n4. But they who will rightly know and taste the Lord\u2019s goodness, must be\njoined unto him, and be one spirit with him. 1 Cor. 6:17. And the more\nthis is done the more does God manifest himself in the believing, loving\nsoul; the more the heart is turned from the world unto God, the more God\nis united to the soul. All love to the world and to the creature must be\nturned out, if the love of God ever enter in. \u201cIf any man love the world,\nthe love of the Father is not in him.\u201d 1 John 2:15. Where God finds a soul\nempty of the world, he fills it with heaven, with himself, and with all\nhis goodness. The more the heart is emptied of love to the world, the more\nGod fills it with his light and comfort. \u201cTherefore,\u201d as an ancient father\nsays, \u201cin an empty, still, and quiet soul, it can be better felt than\nexpressed what God is.\u201d\n\n5. If then a man would really know that God is good, even the highest\nGood, he must taste his goodness in his heart. The Scripture testifies\nthereof outwardly, but the heart must feel it inwardly, and must taste the\nliving word. It must \u201ctaste the good word of God and the powers of the\nworld to come.\u201d Heb. 6:5. Thou canst never better understand that God is\nkind and loving, than when thou feelest his comfort. None can better teach\nthee that God is a Being full of joy than God himself, when he rejoices in\nthee. And so it is also with all other things of God. If he do not\nperform, and himself work all in thee, thou wilt never come to a living\nknowledge of him. \u201cTo know God without God, is impossible,\u201d says St.\nAugustine. Therefore, that man will never be able to know rightly what God\nis, unto whom God does not make known and manifest himself. But when a\nheart feels the living word of God, then it knows and understands that God\nis all, all-good, and the true, perfect, eternal Good, and better than all\nfor which any heart can wish or desire.\n\n6. When this is known and tasted in the soul, according to the words of\nPsalm 63:3, \u201cLord, thy loving-kindness is better than life;\u201d then the soul\nbegins to scorn the world with its joys and pleasures. She has in God\nsatisfaction, even full satisfaction, and, in short, ALL. For the world,\nwith all that is in it, is made up only of individual things, which are\nimperfect and inconstant; but God is the true, perfect, universal, and\neternal unchangeable Good.\n\n7. For this reason David says, \u201cWhom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord?\nand there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.\u201d Ps. 73:25. This\nis the language of a soul which has tasted the perfect good, from which\nall love to the world and creatures is removed, and which has no pleasure\nnor delight in the world and in earthly things, but in God alone, the\nhighest Good. And this is the true, sensible, and experimental knowledge\nof God, nay, the true love of God above all things, which is felt and\ntasted in the heart; for when God is rightly known, he is loved, praised,\nand honored above all things.\n\n8. Now, if we have the eternal, perfect good, wherein there is all good,\nand which alone is ALL, why should we love that which is imperfect? For\nwhere the true, perfect good is known, there it is also beloved above all\nimperfect things, that is, above all creatures whatsoever.\n\n9. Thus the living knowledge of God expels the love of the world; and thus\nman begins to despise the world, with all the vanities thereof, saying,\nwith King Solomon, \u201cVanity of vanities, all is vanity;\u201d nay, all under the\nsun \u201cis vexation of spirit.\u201d Eccles. 1:2, 14. Thus love to the world is\nabolished in the heart, and there remains only love to God, and to the\neternal good which abideth for ever.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIX.\n\n\n  Showing How The Loving Soul Considers God In His Benefits As The Most\n                          Liberal Bountifulness.\n\n\n    _In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that\n    God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live\n    through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he\n    loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins._\u20141\n    JOHN 4:9, 10.\n\n\nAll that God does with reference to man, be it benefits or punishments, he\ndoes to this end, that man, who is turned away from him, may be turned to\nhim again.\n\n2. But man is foolish and brutish, like the beasts (Ps. 32:9), and does\nnot understand the reason for which God bestows upon him so great\nbenefits, namely, that thereby he might be invited and encouraged to love\nGod: nor does he, on the other hand, consider why God punishes him,\nnamely, that he may turn himself unto God.\n\n3. Let us consider, first, bodily and temporal benefits, and then those\nthat are spiritual and eternal.\n\n4. I. God has created nothing, either visible or invisible, which may not\nbe serviceable to man. The invisible creatures which minister to us, are\nthe holy angels (Heb. 1:14), whose wisdom, strength, diligence, and\nwatchfulness over us, are declared and praised in many places of\nScripture; so that even many angels wait upon one man: witness the history\nof the patriarch Jacob and the prophet Elisha. Gen. 32:1, 2; 2 Kings 6:17.\nBecause many evil spirits lie in wait for one man, seeking to destroy him;\ntherefore also many holy watchers are ordered by God for his defence. That\nthere is joy also in the presence of the angels, over our repentance and\nprayers, the Lord teaches us. Luke 15:10. This benefit, because it is\nbestowed upon us after an invisible manner, many people little consider;\nbut a wise man, who considers not only the visible world, but the\ninvisible also, understands well, that in the invisible world, wherein God\ndwelleth, there is much greater glory, and there are much greater numbers\nor hosts, and greater principalities and dominions (Col. 1:16) than in\nthis visible world. And as God makes his own ministers and princes defend\nand watch over us, it is plain that this is an exceedingly great benefit;\neven as that is to be accounted an honor and favor, when a prince appoints\nhis own ministers to conduct and defend one that is to travel through a\nwilderness or through a hostile country.\n\n5. Look upon the firmament, and consider how God has appointed it for thy\nservice. Behold the wondrous course of the sun and moon. Why do they run\nso incessantly, day and night, and rest not so much as for one moment?\nGen. 1:16; Ps. 19:6. Are they not diligent and industrious servants of\nman? For God hath no need of their service; he wants not their operations\nnor their light; it is for man that they were created. The sun serves thee\nas an unwearied servant, which every morning rises early, and carries\nbefore thee the beautiful light, and puts thee in remembrance of the\neternal light, which is Christ, and his divine word; this shall be the\nlight of thy soul, that thou mayest walk as a child of the light. The moon\nand the night cover thee with a shadow, bringing rest unto thee, and\nteaching thee to abide and to dwell under the shadow of the Most High. Ps.\n91:1. The moon, like an unwearied handmaid, conducts water to fertilize\nthe earth. Nay, there is not a star which does not shine, and has not\nreceived some blessing for the benefit of man.\n\n6. Behold the air and the winds, how clear they make the firmament,\ndispelling the clouds; or they gather them together and cause them to pour\nforth afterwards upon the earth. It is very wonderful that God \u201cbindeth up\nthe waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them.\u201d Job\n26:8. The air bears and sustains the clouds, those moist vapors which are\nafterwards resolved into small drops of water. Job 36:27. Thunder,\nlightnings, and hail (Job 37:3), must lead us to acknowledge the power of\nGod, to pray to him, and to thank him when he has preserved us in a\nterrible tempest. Ps. 18:8, 13, 14.\n\n7. Behold the various winds which govern navigation; so that where a wind\nblows, there the ship is driven, and sails on her way as a bird flies\nthrough the air. Thus all places of the world can be found out, and all\nthe secrets thereof discovered, that nothing may be kept hid of what God\nhath created for the benefit of man.\n\n8. Behold the various kinds of fish in the sea. Gen. 1:20, 21; Ps. 104:25.\nThey have their appointed times and seasons, in which they, as it were,\nrise out of the depths and present themselves, crowded together as the\ncorn in the field, as if they would say, Now we are in season, now is the\ntime of harvest for the sea; gather therefore, O ye men! And so it is with\nthe birds also; when their time is come, they fly together in great\nmultitudes, and show themselves to mankind.\n\n9. Behold the earth, that great storehouse of food and treasury of God. It\nfurnishes forth meat and drink, medicine and clothing, houses and abodes,\nand all the various metals. Each month produces its flowers, which present\nthemselves to our notice, as if they would say, Here we are; we bring our\ngifts, and present them to you, as good as we received them from our\nCreator. Nay, even the forest, which is the habitation of roving beasts,\nGod hath put under man, and made him to have dominion over them. And were\nwe to attempt to enumerate all the temporal benefits of God, we should\nfind it impossible to number only them that are in one particular country.\nThere is no fruit, but it is a benefit of God; and let man enumerate them,\none by one, if he be able. Should not we learn from this to know our good\nand bountiful God? Ps. 65:10, 11. If a great potentate were to subject to\nthee his whole kingdom, and all his dominions, nobles, and powerful men,\nnay, all his subjects, and were to command them to guard, defend,\npreserve, clothe, cure, and feed thee, and to take care that thou want\nnothing at all, wouldest thou not love him and account him a loving,\nbountiful lord? How then oughtest thou to love the Lord thy God, who has\nreserved nothing for himself, but appointed for thy service all that is in\nheaven, or comes from heaven, and all that is upon earth. He needs no\ncreatures for himself, and has excepted nothing from thy service, neither\nin all the hosts of holy angels, nor in any of his creatures under the\nstars. If we but desire it, they are ready to serve us; nay, hell itself\nmust serve us by bringing upon us fear and terror, that we may not sin;\nand by punishing and tormenting our enemies and all the wicked, more than\nman can desire.\n\n10. II. Let us, upon this ladder of the creatures, ascend unto God our\nCreator, and consider his spiritual benefits. Has not the Holy Trinity,\neach Person in particular, bestowed upon man great grace and beneficence?\nThe Father has given us his own Son, and \u201chow shall he not with him also\nfreely give us all things?\u201d Rom. 8:32. Has not God the Son given us\nhimself, and all he is, and all he has? \u201cGod commendeth his love toward\nus, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d Rom. 5:8. Is\nnot the Holy Ghost within us, illuminating, purifying, teaching,\ncomforting, and adorning our souls with his gifts? He \u201cbeareth witness\nwith our spirit that we are the children of God.\u201d Rom. 8:16.\n\n11. In a word, God\u2019s mercy pours forth itself entirely upon us, and omits\nnothing whereby men could be moved to love God. The benefits God bestows\nupon us, are so many messengers which he sends for inviting us to come and\nto enjoy his love. If thou shouldest ask the Scriptures, the angels, all\nthe prophets and all the saints of God, nay, all creatures besides, \u201cFrom\nwhence come you?\u201d they would answer, \u201cWe are the messengers of the mercy\nof God; we carry fire and flames, that the heart of man, which is cold and\nincrusted, as it were, with ice, might be warmed again by the love of\nGod.\u201d Yet all these numbers of flaming messengers of God are not able to\nwarm the dead, cold, and frozen heart. This, therefore, is the greatest\nwonder the devil can effect, that he makes a human heart so cold, that\nwarmth cannot be raised therein, by so many flames of the love of God.\n\n12. Therefore, hearken, thou human heart, and consider where thy Creator\nhas placed thee: namely, in the middle of so many fiery benefits, where\nthe glorious angels surround thee with their flaming love, and where there\nare so many creatures and messengers of God, all proclaiming his love unto\nthee. Wherein now has God Almighty transgressed against thee? Whereby has\nhe deserved, that thou shouldst not, or canst not, love and praise him? If\nwhat he has done for thee be too little, behold, he offers to do still\nmore. He will create for thee a new heaven and a new earth, and will build\na new, glorious, heavenly city, which his glory will lighten; nay, he will\nilluminate thee with his own light and glory. Rev. 21:10, etc. Could a\nyoung woman be so cold, as not to love a fair and youthful bridegroom,\nwhose beauty and goodness were praised day and night, nay, who had\ndelivered her from death, and adorned her with the fairest ornaments?\nTherefore know, thou human soul, how cold the devil has made thee, since\nthou canst not be at all warmed by the love of God.\n\n13. And since God has implanted love in all human hearts, tell me, if thy\nlove could be bought of thee, to whom wouldest thou sell it rather than to\nthe Lord thy God? But thinkest thou, that God has not bought of thee thy\nlove dear enough, and has not paid for it a price sufficient? Hath He not\ngiven thee his dear Son for it, and Heaven and Earth besides? All that\nthou expectest to gain for thy love from the world, is as nothing, in\ncomparison with what God has given thee, and what He further has prepared\nfor them that love him. 1 Cor. 2:9; Isa. 64:4. The world, perhaps, gives\nthee a handful of honor and riches, accompanied with many troubles, and\nyet thou lovest it! Why dost thou not rather love God, the everlasting\nGood? But if thy love is not to be bought or sold, but rather will bestow\nitself freely upon that which thou likest best, what can love find that is\nto be esteemed more than the supreme, eternal, and most glorious Good?\nEverything we love, is our beauty and ornament: and if thou lovest God,\nthou shalt make him thereby thy beauty and thy ornament. And since that is\nlovely which is beautiful, nothing can ever make thee more lovely and\ncomely, than the love of God in thy soul.\n\n14. And lastly, it is but just and reasonable, that we should love him\n\u201cwho first loved us.\u201d 1 John 4:19. Take account of all the benefits of\nGod, and sum them up; so shalt thou find that all creatures are full of\nthe love of God. This love follows and surrounds thee everywhere, so that\nthou canst not be rid of it, nor hide thyself from it. It is too powerful\nand overcometh thee; thou must enjoy it whether thou wilt or not, unless\nthou wouldest live no more.\n\n15. Now we know that brutes love those by whom they are loved; wouldest\nthou be worse than a brute, hating thy Benefactor, in whose love thou\nlivest and movest, standest and walkest, sleepest and wakest? But as a\nthing that is to be kindled, must be held to the fire till it take the\nflame: so also art thou to expose thy heart to the fire of the love of\nGod, till it be kindled and inflamed therein, which is effected by\ncontinual contemplations of the benefits of God. As formerly the priests\nwere commanded to kindle the sacrifices by the holy fire (Lev. 6:12), so\nmust the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ, kindle the sacrifice of thine\nheart, by the fire of his Holy Spirit. And this holy fire of his love was\nburning toward us from eternity; for He loved us before the foundation of\nthe world. Since that, it has gloriously shown forth itself in the Lord\u2019s\nincarnation and birth; and chiefly in his sufferings and death, whereby He\nhas bestowed upon us the highest love; and this fire of his flaming love\nto us will not be extinguished to all eternity. Near this fire continue\nthou with thy cold heart, that thou mayest he kindled with, and united to,\nthe love of Christ.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXX.\n\n\n   Showing How God Manifests Himself To The Loving Soul, As The Supreme\n                                 Beauty.\n\n\n    _O Lord my God, thou art very great: thou art clothed with honor\n    and majesty; who coverest thyself with light as with a\n    garment._\u2014PS. 104:1, 2.\n\n\nAs nothing is more lovely to a loving soul than Christ, and no good higher\nor more precious than God himself; so there is also nothing more\n_beautiful_ in the sight of such a one than God. That soul looks upon God\nas the highest beauty, with which nothing in heaven and earth is to be\ncompared; so that all the holy angels cannot sufficiently praise to all\neternity this beauty of God. If all the holy angels in their lustre, and\nall the elect in their glory, were put together, it would nevertheless\nappear, that all their beauty and splendor proceed from God, who is the\neternal glory and beauty; and that they are derived from the everlasting,\ninfinite light and brightness. For as God is all good, and the highest\ngood, so He is also all beauty, ornament, and glory.\n\n2. And when a man beholds in spirit the glory of God, he forgets all the\ncreatures, nay, the beauty of all the angels also; and mourns over nothing\nso much, as that he has offended this great Good with his wickedness, and\nthis infinite eternal beauty and brightness with his impurity.\n\n3. But because the Son of God, the brightness of his glory (Heb. 1:3), is\nbecome man, He hath made men partakers of his divine nature, and of his\ncomeliness (2 Pet. 1:4), so that all who are in Christ by faith, are\ncomely and glorious before God. Ps. 16:3. He remembers our defects and\nfilthiness no more; for although his eyes see, yet the brightness of his\nglory, and the love of Christ cover them. Eph. 5:27.\n\n4. The wise heathen Plato, considering the beauty of the creatures, of the\nluminaries, of the firmament, of the flowers in the fields, of the metals\nand animals, has by his reason drawn the conclusion, that God must of\nnecessity be an eternal Being, beautiful above all things, because the\nbeauty of all the creatures must be comprehended or concentrated in Him.\nBut we say from the word of God, and the holy Evangelist St. John: \u201cIt\ndoth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when He shall\nappear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is\u201d (1 John 3:2);\nthat we then, being perfectly renewed after the likeness of God, shall\nreally be an image, like unto God, through which his beauty, brightness,\nand glory will shine; but out of Jesus Christ our Lord, in the highest\nbrightness and beauty of all. For in him is all fulness; and so it has\npleased the Father that \u201cin him should all fulness dwell\u201d (Col. 1:19); and\nthat \u201cin him should be gathered together in one all things, both which are\nin heaven, and which are on earth\u201d (Eph. 1:10); which no finite creature\ncan comprehend.\n\n5. Therefore angels and men shall admire the brightness and beauty of\nChrist, especially the chosen children of God, \u201cwhose vile bodies shall be\nfashioned like unto his glorious body.\u201d Phil. 3:21. And this is what\nDaniel says, \u201cThey that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the\nfirmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever\nand ever.\u201d Dan. 12:3. And as the 104th Psalm, ver. 2, says of God, \u201cThou\ncoverest thyself with light,\u201d so our covering or garment will also be\nnothing else but light and brightness.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXI.\n\n\n   Showing How God Manifests Himself To The Loving Soul As The Infinite\n                               Omnipotence.\n\n\n    _O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to\n    thy faithfulness round about thee?_\u2014PS. 89:8.\n\n\nThe love of God wills, that a loving soul should do good to all men, and\nbe profitable both to foes and friends; not for the sake of its own profit\nand honor, but only for the sake of the love of God, which, as it were,\nmoves his omnipotence to draw nigh unto us; which also, from its infinite\ntreasure, gives us all we have, to the end that we should give again from\nlove what the love of God has given us out of the treasury of his\nomnipotence.\n\n2. Therefore, O man, be careful that thou appropriate nothing to thyself,\nbut restore all to the omnipotence of God, who himself is all that thou\nhast and art. No creature can either give to, or take away from, thee; it\nis only the omnipotence of God which can do it. Nor can any creature\ncomfort thee; the love of God alone can do it.\n\n3. In this love, the loving soul sees the fulness of God\u2019s\nincomprehensible omnipotence, which comprehends in itself heaven and\nearth, the sea and the dry land, but cannot be comprehended by any thing.\nFor the whole world is to the omnipotence of God \u201cas a drop of a bucket,\nand as the small dust of the balance.\u201d Isa. 40:15.\n\n4. And out of this fulness of God\u2019s omnipotence, all the powers of angels,\nmen, and all other creatures, proceed. It sustains the firmament of\nHeaven. The motions of the sea and the powers of the earth proceed from\nit; so that heaven and earth are full of God, full of the divine power and\noperation, full of the Spirit of the Lord. The power of God, which is the\nmight of his love, comprehends, incloses, and replenishes all things, but\nis comprehended by none. Ps. 139:2, etc.\n\n5. As high as God is over all things, so deeply also is he in all things,\nand all things are in him, according to St. Paul, who says, \u201cOf him, and\nthrough him, and to him, are all things\u201d (Rom. 11:36); and again, \u201cWho is\nabove all, and through all, and in you all.\u201d Eph. 4:6.\n\n6. Since God is so great and over all things, nothing surely can be equal\nto him; and he that will be so, makes himself a god, commits the greatest\nsin, and falls into the pit of perdition. And since God is all, all that\nis without him must be as nothing. Therefore from God\u2019s omnipotence, man\nlearns to know his own nothingness, and to fear God, who delights in them\nonly that \u201chumble themselves under his mighty hand.\u201d 1 Peter 5:6.\n\n7. Now as great and high as God is in his omnipotence, even so low is he\nmade by his love. Behold our Lord Jesus Christ, the living Son, the\npowerful arm of God, by whom were all things created, and by whom all\nthings consist (1 Col. 1:16, 17); how deeply has he descended by his love,\nand how lowly and humble has he made himself among all creatures!\n\n8. Therefore, even as we cannot fathom, much less express in words, the\nomnipotence of God; so neither can we fathom with our thoughts the\nhumility and lowliness of Christ. Nevertheless, as deep as is his descent,\nso high is also his ascent far above all heavens. Eph. 4:10. Unto him be\nhonor and praise to all eternity. Amen.\n\n                  \u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\u2010\n\nO God! O Jesus! O blessed Spirit! Thou unchangeable mind! Thou\ninextinguishable light! Thou Peace which cannot be disturbed! Thou\nindivisible unity! Thou infallible truth! Thou ineffable bounty! Thou\nimmeasurable might! Thou infinite wisdom! Thou incomprehensible Goodness!\nThou omnipresent eternity! Thou Life of all the living! Do Thou enlighten\nme, do Thou sanctify me, do Thou quicken me!\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXII.\n\n\n  Showing How The Loving Soul Knows God As The Highest Righteousness And\n                                Holiness.\n\n\n    _Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are\n    a great deep._\u2014PS. 36:6.\n\n\nAll who love God acknowledge him to be the highest and most holy\nrighteousness, which pervades all, and is over all. This in God is his\nmost holy will; in angels holy obedience; in man, the testimony of his\nconscience; in all creatures, it is the order of nature, whereby God has\nordered all things in number, weight, and measure. All that is done\nagainst this order, is contrary to God and nature.\n\n2. All sins, therefore, in the world, are committed against God\u2019s\nrighteousness, and the sinner thereby offends all creatures, even all the\nangels in heaven, and his own conscience, and sets them in hostility\nagainst himself. For when God is offended and provoked to anger, all\ncreatures are also offended and made angry; so, too, when God is\nreconciled, all creatures are reconciled also, and rejoice over such a\nman. Hence St. Paul says, that all things are reconciled by Christ,\nwhether they be \u201cthings in earth or things in heaven\u201d (Col. 1:20): and\nthis, because God is reconciled through him. Therefore the Lord says,\n\u201cThere is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that\nrepenteth.\u201d Luke 15:10. The angels rejoice for man\u2019s own sake.\n\n3. But if God be not reconciled to man, all creatures, angels, and nature\nitself, execute vengeance upon him. Hence come the dreadful judgments of\nGod: and it is impossible to avert such vengeance and judgments. \u201cThou art\nto be feared, O God; and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art\nangry? Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth\nfeared, and was still.\u201d Ps. 76:7, 8. Thus may we see in the plagues of\nEgypt how all creatures executed vengeance upon the wicked.\n\n4. From the most holy righteousness of God, when offended, proceeds also\nthe curse; as Moses, the man of God, witnesses, when he speaks of the\ntransgression of the divine law. Deut. 27:15, etc.\n\n5. It is a curse when the justice of God executes such vengeance, that the\ncursed cannot enjoy any good, either from God or the creature, but is made\nan \u201cabhorring unto all flesh.\u201d Isa. 66:24. \u201cA curse is a liableness and\ncondemnation unto eternal misery.\u201d Therefore a curse is terrible and\ndreadful unto all creatures, so that they cannot endure it. And this is\nthe highest vengeance of the justice of God.\n\n6. From the most holy righteousness of God proceed also those wonderful,\nunsearchable, secret, dreadful judgments, whereof David says, \u201cThy\njudgments are a great deep\u201d (Ps. 36:7); and St. Paul, \u201cHow unsearchable\nare his judgments, and his ways past finding out!\u201d Rom. 11:33.\n\n7. When, therefore, we consider them, we see therein the righteousness of\nGod, of which the man of God, Moses, says, \u201cTo me belongeth vengeance, and\nrecompense,\u201d saith the Lord. \u201cIf I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand\ntake hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will\nreward them that hate me. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people! for he\nwill avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his\nadversaries, and will be merciful unto his land and to his people.\u201d Deut.\n32:35, 41, 43.\n\n8. In these words, Moses declares the vengeance of God upon all the\nwicked, who resist the righteousness of God. Against them God will whet\nhis glittering sword; that is, his dreadful sentence and judgment, at\nwhich the earth feareth, and is still. Ps. 76:8. And him, upon whom God\nexecutes his vengeance and judgment, all the world cannot save; according\nto the words of the Psalm: \u201cO Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O\nGod, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. Lift up thyself, thou\nJudge of the earth; render a reward to the proud.\u201d Ps. 94:1, 2. Here we\nread that although the Lord God is a gracious, loving, kind, merciful,\nlong-suffering God, to all them that fear him, he is nevertheless a just\njudge, according to his righteousness, of all the wicked that transgress\nagainst his righteousness.\n\n9. He, therefore, sets before us in his word, not only instances of his\ngrace and mercy, but also of his justice and vengeance; such as those of\nthe deluge, Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh in Egypt, and in the Red Sea;\nKorah, Dathan, and Abiram; Saul, Ahithophel, Ahab, Jezebel,\nNebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Sennacherib; and in the New Testament, Herod,\nand many more; in every one of whom, we may see the wonderful judgment and\nvengeance of God. Therefore he is called, a _God of vengeance_, \u201cunto whom\nvengeance belongeth,\u201d because he is the most holy, and the most righteous\nGod; nay, righteousness itself. Therefore, the saints (Rev. 6:10) appeal\nto the justice of God with a loud voice, saying: \u201cHow long, O Lord, holy\nand true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on\nthe earth?\u201d\n\n10. Such judgments of God are executed daily, but are rightly understood\nonly by believing and holy souls, according to the words of the Psalm:\n\u201cWith thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.\u201d Ps.\n91:8. This saying is not to be understood according to carnal passions and\naffections, but it is to be considered spiritually; for it imports that we\nare to give unto the Lord our God, the praise of his righteousness; and to\nsay, \u201cRighteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments\u201d (Ps.\n119:137); and \u201cThe Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his\nworks.\u201d Ps. 145:17. Thus holy and believing souls delight to see the\nwonderful judgments of God; yet not according to the flesh, so as to\nrejoice over the destruction and perdition of the wicked (which would\nproceed from self-revenge); but, according to the spirit, they take\ndelight, that is, they acknowledge and praise the righteousness of God,\nwho fulfilleth his word, and is a righteous God. And at the same time,\nthey lament and weep over the perdition of the wicked, even as our Saviour\nwept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41); and as David wept over Absalom. 2 Sam.\n18:33.\n\n11. So, then, we are here to have a twofold respect, namely, to God and to\nmen. If we look upon the destruction of men, we are justly to be\nsorrowful; but if we look upon God, we are to praise his justice, for he\ndoeth wrong unto none. Ps. 92:15.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIII.\n\n\n     Showing How The Loving Soul Considers God As The Eternal Wisdom.\n\n\n    _Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the\n    world._\u2014ACTS 15:18.\n\n\nGod ordains, governs, moves, and regulates all things according to his\nunsearchable wisdom, as it is written (Isa. 45:4-12): \u201cI have even called\nthee by thy name; I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I\nam the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God besides me.\u2014I form\nthe light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord\ndo all these things.\u2014Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the\npotsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him\nthat fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe\nunto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman,\nWhat hast thou brought forth? Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel,\nand his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning\nthe work of my hands command ye me. I have made the earth, and created man\nupon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their\nhost have I commanded.\u201d\n\n2. This is a powerful testimony concerning the eternal wisdom, and the\nwondrous, incomprehensible government of Almighty God, which may be first\nobserved in this, that he has called every one of us by his name, and has\nsurnamed us, though we did not know him, and were not yet in being. This\nour name by which God calleth us, is our faith, our outward calling, and\nour whole course of life. There we are inclosed in, or surrounded with,\nGod\u2019s eternal wisdom and providence, as it respects our whole life, its\nbeginning, middle, and end (Ps. 139:16), or as to our going out and coming\nin. Ps. 121:8. \u201cHe telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by\ntheir names\u201d (Ps. 147:4); that is, he gives them their courses, powers,\nand operations. How much more doth he so in reference to men! God forms\nthe light and creates darkness. He makes peace, and creates evil; that is,\nas to the evil of punishment, the just reward of sin; this he creates and\npermits; nay, he calls the sword, and causes an alarm of war to be heard.\nJer. 49:2.\n\n3. In a word, he ordains all things wisely. He sees and hears all things\nbefore, according to the words of the Psalmist: \u201cUnderstand, ye brutish\namong the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the\near, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that\nchastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? He that teacheth man\nknowledge, shall not he know?\u201d Ps. 94:8-10.\n\n4. Here king David teaches us that God has laid a mirror of his\nomniscience and eternal wisdom into man, into the hearing ear, and seeing\neye, those two wonderful powers of the human body.\n\n5. It is extremely offensive to a man, to hear and see anything unjust or\nunreasonable; how much more to God, who has an all-seeing eye and an\nall-hearing ear, must men\u2019s ingratitude be offensive; he having ordained\nall things by his wisdom, in order to be serviceable unto men. He has made\nthe sun by his wisdom to give light, not unto itself, but to us; the water\naffords drink, not to itself, but unto us; the earth brings forth fruits,\nnot for itself but for us; the fire warms, not for itself, but for us; the\nair gives breath, not to itself, but to us; the bread feeds, not itself,\nbut us; the herbs do not heal themselves, but us.\n\n6. The eternal wisdom of God has planted so many powers in the creatures,\nand has so wisely distributed them, that they are, as it were, so many\nhands through which the wisdom and goodness of God divide these treasures\namong us, according to the words of Job: \u201cWho knoweth not in all these,\nthat the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of\nevery living thing, and the breath of all mankind.\u201d Job 12:9, 10. And \u201cAsk\nnow the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and\nthey shall tell thee\u201d (Ver. 7); that \u201cwith God is wisdom and strength, he\nhath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be\nbuilt again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.\u201d Ver. 13,\n14. \u201cHe stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the\nearth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the\ncloud is not rent under them.\u201d Job 26:7, 8.\n\n7. Since then the Lord our God ordaineth all things by his wisdom, he\nordaineth all our crosses; and therefore we are not to murmur, but to\npraise his wisdom, and to learn patience; for things cannot proceed\notherwise than as they are ordained by God. But not only the things that\nbefall us in particular, are the most wise order of God; but also all\ngreat national plagues, famine, pestilence, wars, and revolutions of\nstates. And although we may think that these are nothing but confusion,\nperdition, and destruction, yet there reigns the wisest order of God. This\nwe may gather from the histories of Holy Writ, where famine, wars,\npestilence, desolations of the kingdoms of the world, the destruction of\nthe Jewish kingdom, and of empires, the Babylonian Captivity, and many\nsimilar events, are described. \u201cI know,\u201d saith Solomon (Eccles. 3:14),\n\u201cthat whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it,\nnor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before\nhim.\u201d\n\n8. And again, \u201cConsider the work of God; for who can make that straight,\nwhich he hath made crooked?\u201d Eccles. 7:13.\n\n9. If we consider it aright, we must own that God could not have ordered\nthings more wisely. So we may say also, with reference to the persecutions\nof the saints, both in the Old and New Testament; to our Lord Jesus\nChrist; the holy Gospel; the holy martyrs; and all other things. In our\nsight, these all seem to be absurd, and foolish, and yet they are the\nhighest wisdom of God.\n\n10. As then we are to give unto God the praise of righteousness, in all\nhis wonderful judgments; so we are also to give unto him the praise of\nwisdom, in all the wonderful changes of the world, and in all our crosses\nand sufferings; knowing that he can direct all evils to a good end, and\nout of evil derive good: so that in all things, how confused soever they\nmay appear unto us, there shineth forth his wisdom, even as his\nrighteousness doth in all his judgments.\n\n11. But the loving soul sees the wisdom of God especially in the\nrestoration and redemption of the human race, and in the renovation of the\nsoul and the faculties thereof. For so it pleased the wisdom of God, that\nthe corrupt image of God in man, should be renewed by the divine\nsubstantial image of God, that is, by Christ. After man had lost by sin\nthat blessed wisdom, that glorious light of his _intellect_, by which he\nknew God aright, and so had fallen into the utmost blindness, nay, into\neternal darkness, wherein he must have dwelt forever; the Son of God, who\nis the eternal wisdom of the Father, became man, and a light of life unto\nmen (John 1:4), that he might bring back those that had gone astray; that\nhe might teach the ignorant; call to himself the sinners; and rekindle in\nthem the light of the knowledge of God by faith and the Holy Ghost; nay,\nthat he might unite himself to the soul of man, and might shine forth\ntherein.\n\n12. Secondly: after the _will_ of man was entirely turned away from God,\nperverted, and wholly changed into disobedience, striving against God in\nall things; the Son of God was made man, that he might be unto us a\npattern of perfect obedience; that he might heal our evil will; implant\nhis good will in our hearts; renew our will through the Holy Ghost; and\nmake us partakers of his holy obedience by faith; according to those words\nof Scripture (Gal. 3:14), \u201cThat we might receive the promise of the Spirit\nthrough faith;\u201d nay, that he might unite himself to us, and live in us,\nthat so our will also might be made conformable unto God.\n\n13. Thirdly: because the _affections_ of our hearts, and all our\nfaculties, were in contrariety to God, and \u201cevery imagination of the\nthoughts of our hearts, was only evil continually\u201d (Gen. 6:5); the Son of\nGod, who is love itself, became man, that he might give us a heart wholly\nnew; that he might plant therein the love of God, and sincere humility and\nmeekness; that he might take from us the old carnal heart, and unite\nhimself with us, that so we might be made of one heart, mind, and spirit\nwith him; all which are the fruits of his most holy incarnation wrought in\nus.\n\n14. And this is the highest wisdom of God, that by his dear Son, He thus\nreneweth man. For as God has created man by his wisdom, after his perfect\nimage; so He hath also, by his dear Son, who is eternal wisdom, and who\nwas made man, created man anew, and regenerated him to a new image of God,\nwherein his wisdom, glory, and righteousness should shine forth forever.\nIt is in this chiefly that the image of God consists.\n\n15. Thus the corrupt image of God in man, is renewed by the substantial\nimage of God, which is Christ.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIV.\n\n\nShowing How A Man Should Seek The Wisdom Of God By Prayer; Containing Also\nA Useful Treatise On Prayer, Wherein The Reader Is Taught How The Heart Is\nTo Be Moved Unto Prayer, And Brought Into A Quiet Sabbath, So That Prayer\n  May Be Wrought In Us By The Lord; The Whole Being Set Forth In Twelve\n                                Sections.\n\n\n\nSection I.\n\n\n All That We Have Lost In Adam We Recover Fully And Completely In Christ.\n\n\n    _In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and\n    knowledge._\u2014COL. 2:3.\n\n\nIn the beginning God formed man out of the dust of the earth, and breathed\ninto him the breath of life, and man became a living and immortal soul,\nadorned with perfect wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and blessedness,\nafter the image of his Creator. For where there is divine wisdom, there is\nblessedness; and where there is blessedness there is divine wisdom. Man,\ntherefore, wanted nothing in Paradise to make him completely happy. But\nwhen, being seduced by the temptation of the serpent, he turned away from\nGod, and fell into sin, then was this divine image in man effaced, and he\nbecame subject to the devil, to death, and to misery. For as soon as this\ndivine image was defaced in him by sin, he could discover nothing in\nhimself but misery, blindness, and the curse.\n\n2. But in order that Adam, that is, all men in Adam, might not utterly\nperish, God himself was made man; that is, he was pleased to send his Son\nto take our nature upon him, and to be born of a virgin. The Son of God\nhas, by his holy life and doctrine, as by a pattern, shown us again the\nway of wisdom and salvation in which we are to walk. For he has not only\ndelivered us from our sins by his most bitter death, but has moreover\ngiven us a commandment, that \u201cwe should walk, even as he also walked.\u201d 1\nJohn 2:6.\n\n3. We are, therefore, begotten again by him, through faith, to be the sons\nof God; nay, we are made sons of God in and with his own Son. For \u201cas he\nis, so are we also in this world.\u201d 1 John 4:17.\n\n4. In this Son \u201call the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.\u201d For\nwhatsoever was lost in Adam, is perfectly to be found in Christ. Rom.\n5:18, 19.\n\n5. If we would, in this life, have a foretaste of these great and glorious\ntreasures, it must be obtained by prayer, diligent searching, and\ncontinual knocking. For no man can have admission into the kingdom of God,\nunless he walk in the new birth, and seek it earnestly of God. No man can\nbe delivered from the power of sin and the devil, unless he repent, and\noffer up his prayers in the name of Christ. For though Christ has\npurchased for us all good things, yet without faith no man can be partaker\nof them; in and by faith he must also pray, seek, and knock. In a word, it\nis by prayer only that we can obtain those \u201cgood and perfect gifts which\ncome down from above, from the Father of lights.\u201d James 1:17.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nO Eternal God and Father, teach me, I beseech thee, by thy Holy Spirit,\nthat even as I have lost all by dying in Adam, so I may recover all by\nbeing made alive again in Christ. Grant that I may daily die to myself, by\ncontinual mortification and repentance, and devote and give myself up\nentirely to thee; that so all the good things which I have lost may be\nrestored to me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection II.\n\n\n               The Evils That Follow The Neglect Of Prayer.\n\n\n    _Ye have not, because ye ask not._\u2014JAMES 4:2.\n\n\n1. The neglect of prayer is a violation of the _commandments_ of Christ,\nwho commands us to \u201cpray without ceasing\u201d (Matt. 7:7; Luke 18:1), not for\nHis sake, for he well knows what we stand in need of (Matt. 6:32); but for\nour own, that we may have a portion of the treasures and inheritance of\nGod. He that lives in the neglect of prayer is a breaker of the first and\nsecond commandments, even as to blaspheme God is to bring voluntary\ndestruction upon himself.\n\n2. He that neglects the duty of prayer is a despiser of the _promises_\nannexed to the performance of that duty. \u201cCall upon me, and I will deliver\nthee\u201d (Ps. 50:15); \u201cAsk, and ye shall receive\u201d (John 16:24); for he\nthereby represents God as unmindful of his promises, or as not able to\nfulfil them.\n\n3. By the neglect of prayer, our faith, which is the great treasure and\nfoundation of the inward man, by degrees decays and perishes. For not by\nthe arm or power of flesh, but by faith in Christ, can we conquer sin,\ndeath, and the devil. 1 John 5:4. Prayer is the nourishment of faith; and\nthis is that wisdom and eternal life which we must seek for by diligent\nprayer.\n\n4. The Lord Jesus departs from them that despise prayer; so that they are\nblinded and walk in darkness, knowing neither themselves nor God, but are\nstrangers to his will. They shut the kingdom of heaven against themselves;\nand, being destitute of light to know the will of God, they fall into many\ndangers and temptations, and sometimes into despair: whereas, on the\ncontrary, where there are the Holy Spirit and faith, there the world is\novercome.\n\n5. He that neglects prayer enters into a state of carnal security, and\nevery kind of iniquity. Such a man is not sensible how deeply he is\nengaged in sin; but rushes into all the avenues of destruction which lie\nopen to receive him. The good things of this world which God has given\nhim, such as health and riches, he regards as things that come by chance,\nor are secured by his own labor; and upon that account he has no gratitude\nto his Creator and Benefactor.\n\n6. As man, since his fall, is exposed to continual dangers, both of body\nand soul, so is he particularly in danger from the devil, evil spirits,\nand wicked men, who, like the devil, are continually plotting the\ndestruction of the righteous. Whosoever, therefore, neglects prayer, will\nbe, in the midst of these temptations, like a ship tost in a storm,\nwithout help or hopes of escape.\n\n7. Such a one also leads a most unhappy life; he is in continual\ndifficulties and fears, being perplexed, doubtful, and uneasy about the\nsuccess of his affairs. His head and hands are full of business; yet he\nsees but little fruit of his labors, and even that little is in the end\nunblessed. Therefore, though the Scripture says that \u201cthe wicked may be\nseen in great power,\u201d yet it adds, \u201cthey pass away, and are not.\u201d Ps.\n37:35, 36. They are \u201clike the chaff which the wind driveth away.\u201d Ps. 1:4.\nOn the other hand, they that seek unto God by prayer \u201cshall flourish like\na palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.\u201d Ps. 92:12. And \u201cthough\nmany are the afflictions of the righteous\u201d (Ps. 34:19), yet the wicked\nundergo more pain and trouble to go to hell than the righteous do to\nobtain heaven.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nMost merciful and compassionate Father, thou knowest that man renders\nhimself miserable by his own negligence and sloth, whilst he transgresses\nthy commands, and neglects the duty of prayer, contemning and slighting\nthy most certain and faithful promises. But because thou lovest thy\ncreatures, and art not willing that any should perish, therefore it is\nthat thou dost so earnestly invite us to the exercise of prayer. Give me\ngrace to lay this continually to heart, that I may be able to offer up my\nprayers aright, through thy Son Jesus Christ, and be delivered from the\npunishments and miseries due to the despisers of that holy duty. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection III.\n\n\n                    The Benefits Of Continual Prayer.\n\n\n    _Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full._\u2014JOHN\n    16:24.\n\n\n1. Man, since his fall, is become slothful and inactive in everything that\nis good. He, therefore, that would escape this unhappy state, and the\ndestruction that will certainly attend it, must stir himself up by prayer;\nand by holy meditation conquer his aversion to divine things, and devoutly\nconsider with himself the advantages of prayer. Let him reflect, that he\nthereby praises, honors, and adores the eternal, living, and true God;\nthat he does not worship any strange God; but offers up his most earnest\nsupplications to the only one and true God, whose commands, like an\nobedient child, he ought to obey, and show forth the praises of his\nCreator, Father, and Saviour.\n\n2. He that prays does not despise the promises of God, but testifies by\nhis prayers that he sets a just value upon them, acknowledging that God is\ntrue, and that he neither can nor will lie.\n\n3. Prayer is the life of faith, causing it to flourish and prosper like a\ntree by the river side, and faith is the root of all that is good in us.\nFaith is our power, our spiritual consolation, our strength against all\nour enemies and temptations, yea, faith is our \u201cvictory that overcometh\nthe world\u201d (1 John 5:4); and consequently everything else that opposes and\nhinders us in our spiritual warfare.\n\n4. By prayer, we receive the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13; Zech. 12:10. By\nprayer, we make room for the Holy Spirit to work and exert his power in\nus, and by this means to come and make his abode with us. John 14:23. By\nprayer, we obtain the true light and knowledge of God, so as perfectly to\nunderstand his will; and, by prayer, we abide in his kingdom, and are\npartakers of the blessings of heaven.\n\n5. By prayer, we shake off carnal security, resist sin, and, by\nvanquishing flesh and blood, \u201cfight the good fight, and hold faith and a\ngood conscience.\u201d 1 Tim. 1:19; 6:12.\n\n6. By prayer, we oppose temptations, dangers, afflictions, the devil, and\nwicked men. For prayer is a strong tower of defence against our enemies,\nand the holy fortress to which we must have recourse (Eph. 6:18; Prov.\n18:10; Ps. 31:3); and though the devil and wicked men raise the greatest\nopposition, yet \u201call things work together for good to them that love God.\u201d\nRom. 8:28.\n\n7. Lastly, he that continually watches unto prayer may always thankfully\nrejoice in the Holy Ghost; according to the doctrine of St. Paul, \u201cRejoice\nevermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks.\u201d 1 Thess.\n5:16-18. For the comfortable addresses made to God, the eternal King, by\nprayer, are an effectual remedy against sorrow, trouble, misery, and\naffliction; and produce joy, peace, and tranquillity in the hearts of the\nfaithful; and when our prayers are right, we are assured that all our\nrighteous designs shall prosper in our hands \u201cwhilst we cast our care upon\nGod.\u201d 1 Pet. 5:7. \u201cThe Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing.\u201d Phil.\n4:5, 6. \u201cCommit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall\nbring it to pass.\u201d Ps. 37:5. For all solicitude arises from a distrust of\nGod, which naturally proceeds from the neglect of prayer. On the contrary,\nfaith and prayer give us confidence towards God, and are the proper\nantidote against all anxiety and trouble of mind.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nHelp me, O Lord my God, that I may continually call to mind, that it is\nfor my own sake that thou invitest and urgest me to the exercise of\nprayer. Do thou rouse me, and I shall arise; awaken thou me, and I shall\nawake, and follow Christ alone. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection IV.\n\n\nThe True Christian Chooses The Narrow Way In Christ, Rather Than The Broad\n                               Way In Adam.\n\n\n    _We glory in tribulations._\u2014ROM. 5:3.\n\n\n1. The Scripture teaches us that when Adam was placed in Paradise, God\nshowed him the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and forbade him to\neat of it (Gen. 2:9, 17); so that Adam was thus placed between time and\neternity. Life and death, light and darkness (Deut. 30:15), were set\nbefore him, that he might qualify himself for eternal glory in the narrow\nway. Our case is just the same. For since the fall of Adam, Christ comes\nto us, and endeavors to draw us from the broad way in Adam, to the narrow\nway, which is himself; and this he does gently and without violence,\nresolving to force no man either to his salvation or his condemnation. He\nshows us the way by his prevenient grace, which is bestowed on all men\nwithout exception. Christ now says, \u201cEnter ye in at the strait gate; for\nwide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction; and\nmany there be that go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow\nis the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.\u201d Matt.\n7:13, 14.\n\n2. Here we plainly see two paths set before us: the one is the way of the\nworld, in which many walk, because they continue in Adam, and refuse\nChrist; the other is the way of God, in which few walk, because they\nprefer the broad way in Adam. Many are the difficulties which attend both\nthese paths. If you conform yourself to the world, you will meet with many\ntroubles and vexations; and, not being established in the truth of God,\nyour lot finally is eternal damnation. But if you enter into the way of\nGod through Christ, and persevere in prayer, you must expect to suffer\nwith Christ, from the opposition of this evil world: but, at the same\ntime, your heart shall be constantly filled with the refreshing\nconsolations of the Spirit of truth, and in the end, you shall obtain\neverlasting life. 2 Tim. 2:11, 12; 3:12.\n\n3. He that prays, fights against the devil and his own corrupt nature;\novercomes himself, the devil, and all the enemies of his salvation; and\nshall at last with Christ, the Captain of his salvation (Heb. 2:10), enter\ninto everlasting rest.\n\n4. But he that lives in the neglect of prayer, makes no progress in the\nconquest of his spiritual enemies; but is a miserable slave of the world,\nand shall at last, with the prince of darkness, be condemned to\neverlasting misery.\n\n5. It is better to fight now, and to enter triumphantly into everlasting\nglory, than not to fight, and yet endure many afflictions, and at last be\ndoomed to everlasting destruction.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nOh that men would but consider these things! They would then loathe and\ndespise this present world; would hate and deny themselves, and would\nfollow Christ alone, in the narrow way of the cross. That we may,\ntherefore, seriously lay these things to heart; that we may renounce the\nold Adam within us, and put on the new man, Christ Jesus: and at last,\nthrough the narrow way, enter into everlasting life, may God of his\ninfinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection V.\n\n\nConsiderations Which Should Move The Heart To Commune With God In Prayer.\n\n\n    _Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off_?\u2014JER.\n    23:23.\n\n\n1. It is of great use to us, to have before us certain heads which may\nserve as encouragements to the exercise of earnest prayer, which is that\nworship in spirit and in truth, which God requires of all his servants.\n\n2. I. First, then, we must consider that \u201cGod knows what things we have\nneed of, before we ask him.\u201d Matt. 6:8.\n\n3. II. That God draws, invites, and encourages us to the exercise of\nprayer, and assuredly promises that he will hear our prayers. Ps. 50:15.\n\n4. III. That God is no respecter of persons, but has an equal regard for\nall mankind. Acts 10:34.\n\n5. IV. That he is as sinful who presumes to pray upon the opinion of his\nown righteousness, merit, and holiness, as he that is afraid to pray out\nof a sense of his own sins and unworthiness. Luke 18:11, 14.\n\n6. V. That God is not confined to any certain place, where only we ought\nto worship him; but that he is everywhere to be found, and is always \u201cnigh\nto them that call upon him.\u201d John 4:21, 22; Ps. 145:18.\n\n7. VI. That God is, in his own eternity, unchangeable, and not confined to\nany certain time; but is always attentive to the prayers of his servants.\n1 Thess. 5:17.\n\n8. VII. That God anticipates our prayers, and gives us both natural and\nsupernatural blessings, which yet, without prayer, nobody can truly enjoy.\n\n9. These considerations will renew and awaken every soul that shall duly\nattend to them (Eph. 5:14): they will cleanse them from darkness and\nerror; establish them on the foundation of truth; elevate them towards\nGod; and inflame them with a lively devotion. For from them flow the\nfollowing lessons:\n\n10. I. That God commands and encourages us to pray, not for His own sake,\nas if He were ignorant of our wants, but for our sakes, that being\nquickened by prayer we might know and acknowledge them ourselves.\n\n11. II. That God does not stand in need of any minute declarations of our\nnecessities, but knows, even before we ask him, what things we have need\nof. Isa. 65:24; Ps. 139:2.\n\n12. III. That God, who never slumbereth nor sleepeth, needs not to be\nawakened by our cries, fastings, and watchings; but that these exercises\nare profitable for man, to awaken and rouse him from the sleep of sin. Ps.\n33:18; 34:15.\n\n13. IV. That God is a thousand times more ready to give, than man is to\nreceive. Jer. 32:41.\n\n14. V. That the goodness and mercy of God towards mankind are infinite\n(Ps. 103:12), but that the negligence and sloth of men in praying,\nseeking, and knocking, are excessive. Matt. 7:7.\n\n15. VI. That God is impartial and just in all his works, and is by no\nmeans the cause of our blindness, infirmities, ignorance, or miseries; but\nthat wretched man himself is in fault, by neglecting to pray or to seek.\nDeut. 32:4; Ps. 92:15.\n\n16. VII. That the true worshipper may at all times and in all places,\noffer up his prayers in spirit and in truth to God the Father, through\nChrist, provided he do not hinder himself. John 4:21, 23; Luke 18:1, etc.\n\n17. VIII. That whosoever neglects prayer, deprives himself of the blessed\nopportunities of speaking to God. Ps. 19:14. Thus the sinner inflicts\npunishment on himself.\n\n18. IX. That the diligent worshipper doeth good to himself; not of himself\nbut by the prevenient grace of God, which is freely given to all men\nwithout exception.\n\n19. Let him that is unacquainted with the preceding heads of meditation,\nknow that he is still far from Christ, and has tasted but little of the\ntruth. He who knows them, and believes them not, is guilty of a very great\nsin; and, lastly, he that believes them and yet is inactive, and does not\nstir up himself to the practice of them, but, on the other hand, lives on\nfrom day to day, in a state of doubt and indifference, is a great sinner,\nand shall be beaten with many more stripes than he who knew not his Lord\u2019s\nwill, and therefore did it not. Luke 12:47. Let the one last mentioned\nlook carefully to himself, that he may be seriously converted, and not\nperish in his sins.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nO Lord, and merciful Father, awaken me by thy Holy Spirit, that I may not\nonly know those things, but may practise them by a lively faith, and\nbecome a true worshipper in spirit and in truth. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection VI.\n\n\n  The Omniscient God Knows What We Stand In Need Of, Before We Ask Him.\n\n\n    _Thou understandest my thought afar off._\u2014PS. 139:2.\n\n\n1. The truth of these words is confirmed by our blessed Saviour: \u201cYour\nFather knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him\u201d (Matt.\n6:8); and by David: \u201cHe that planted the ear, shall he not hear?\u201d (Ps.\n94:9); and by St. Paul: \u201cHe is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of\nthe heart.\u201d Heb. 4:12. For our God is not as man, who stands in need of a\nlong account of our necessities. All the possible successions of time are\nin his sight but as one single moment, in which all things, both past and\nto come, are beheld as actually present. Therefore, he numbered the hairs\nof our heads before we were born, and understands all our thoughts before\nwe pray. In a word, all things are naked and open in his sight. Heb. 4:\n13. These and similar meditations may be of use, for the encouragement of\nthose who begin the exercise of prayer; so that they may always have\ncertain sentences of Scripture ready at hand, upon which they may\nmeditate, and which they may apply to themselves, by comprising the sense\nof them in a short prayer. This will be easily understood by those that\nare exercised herein.\n\n2. A man that walks abroad in an open spacious field, and in a clear day,\nfinds himself encompassed with light; which light, if it were spiritual,\ninstead of being natural, would even penetrate the spirit itself. Just so\nare all creatures, visible and invisible, in the sight of God. He discerns\nand comprehends all things, and nothing can be hidden from him. \u201cThe\ndarkness hideth not from him; but the night shineth as the day.\u201d Ps.\n139:12. He himself is the all-seeing eye, to whom all things are as clear\nas a mote in transparent crystal would be to our bodily eyes.\n\n3. This consideration is of great use to the inexperienced, in order to\npurge their hearts from the thick clouds of darkness and error, and to\nquicken them in prayer; by which, when truly roused and awakened, we\ndiscover many great and noble truths that had hitherto been hidden from\nour eyes. Many are apt to think, that God knows and sees no more than they\nthemselves do; which is the effect of egregious blindness and ignorance,\nand will merit a proportionable punishment. Ps. 7:9.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nAlmighty and everlasting God and Father, the Searcher of hearts, and the\nJudge of all our secret thoughts, who seest, knowest, and hearest all our\ndesigns and purposes before they are brought to pass! Behold, I appear\nbefore thee, to confess my necessities, not with any design to awaken thee\nby my cries, as if thou wert ignorant of me, or of my concerns; but to\nstir up myself to know and consider, that thou knowest all my necessities,\nand that the very hairs of my head are numbered by thee. Assist me, Holy\nFather, that I may truly know and consider these things, that my soul may\njoyfully submit to thy good pleasure, and that I may wait upon thee in\ntrue resignation and obedience. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection VII.\n\n\n   That God Invites And Engages All Men To The Exercise Of Prayer, And\n                    Promises To Hear Their Petitions.\n\n\n    _Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be\n    delivered._\u2014JOEL 2:32.\n\n\n1. These words ought to be carefully considered; for it is not sufficient\nto believe that God knows all things; we must also remember that God\ncommands us to pray, and promises to hear us. Thus, \u201cWhatsoever ye shall\nask the Father in my name, he will give it you.\u201d John 16:23. \u201cEveryone\nthat asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that\nknocketh, it shall be opened.\u201d Matt. 7:8. \u201cMen ought always to pray, and\nnot to faint.\u201d Luke 18:1. \u201cIf any one lack wisdom, let him ask of God,\nthat giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be\ngiven him.\u201d James 1:5. \u201cIf we ask any thing according to his will, he\nheareth us.\u201d 1 John 5:14. \u201cAll things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,\nbelieving, ye shall receive.\u201d Matt. 21:22. In all these places, both a\ncommand and a promise are expressed; which must needs make an impression\nupon every man that has not a heart of stone; and he that does not believe\nthem, is in a desperate state, and deserves not the name of a man. But if\nthese things are true, and acknowledged to be so, why do we not believe\nthem? Why do we not pray? Why are not our prayers heard? Why do we not\nreceive the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit? Verily, because we do not\npray _with faith_, nor wait upon God with _constancy and patience_. For\nthe property of true faith is to submit ourselves to God, in a quiet and\npeaceful resignation of mind; but he that wavers, is unfaithful and\ninconstant, and makes his own prayers void. Moreover, he denies the truth\nand power of God, making him either unable or unwilling to supply our\nwants. Both these are signs of a perverse spirit.\n\n2. On the other hand, faith gives quietness to the soul, and makes it\ncapable of divine grace. God requires nothing from man but that he should\nbe quiet, and rest from all his works, and especially from himself. The\nspirit and mind of man are like waters, upon which the Spirit of God is\nperpetually moving. Gen. 1:2. So soon as our spirit is quiet, and at rest\nfrom the impetuous motions of worldly thoughts, then God rests upon it,\nand speaks forth the word of his power into such quiet and still waters;\nand the moment of this divine influx is of more value than the whole\nworld. Still waters are easily warmed by the sun, but violent and rapid\nstreams seldom or never. Unbelief sacrilegiously robs God of his honor,\ndestroying the very names of faith and truth. This changes the Christian\ninto a heathen and atheist, and, unless repented of, will lead to his\neverlasting destruction.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nO Eternal, faithful, and righteous God, who canst not lie; I know that\nthou dost graciously invite, encourage, and impel all men, for their own\ninfinite advantage, to pray unto thee; and dost offer thy grace and mercy\nequally to them all, without distinction or partiality. Grant, I beseech\nthee, Holy Father, that I may seriously lay these things to heart, and\nattain a true, firm, and upright faith, and not be deaf to the invitations\nof thy infinite mercy; but may constantly and cheerfully submit myself to\nthee, and expect with patience thy light within my soul. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection VIII.\n\n\n  God Is No Respecter Of Persons, But Has An Impartial Love For All His\n                                Creatures.\n\n\n    _The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his\n    works._\u2014PS. 145:9.\n\n\n1. I am now indeed convinced (some one may say), that God knows my\nnecessities better than I can discover them to him; that he has commanded\nprayer, and promised to hear it: but I am not yet fully satisfied, whether\nI in particular am not excluded from the benefit of these promises?\u2014Come,\nthen, and let us now show that God is no respecter of persons, in\nopposition to those blind guides, who, by their false interpretations of\nsome places of Holy Scripture, particularly Rom. 9:13, Mal. 1:2, and the\nlike, have endeavored to prove that God has an aversion to some particular\npersons, and a partial fondness for others; contrary to the plain and\nindisputable testimonies of Holy Scripture, which we ought firmly to fix\nin our minds, that we may not be perverted by the false glosses of\nunreasonable men.\n\n\u201cOf a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every\nnation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with\nhim.\u201d Acts 10:34, 35.\n\n\u201cThe Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a\nmighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He\ndoth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the\nstranger, in giving him food and raiment.\u201d Deut. 10:17, 18.\n\n\u201cGod accepteth no man\u2019s person.\u201d Gal. 2:6.\n\n\u201cThere is no respect of persons with God.\u201d Col. 3:25.\n\n\u201cAs I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the\nwicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.\u2014As for the\nwickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he\nturneth from his wickedness.\u2014None of his sins that he hath committed shall\nbe mentioned unto him.\u201d Ezek. 33:11, 12, 16.\n\n\u201cThis is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ\nJesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit,\nfor this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show\nforth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter\nbelieve on him to life everlasting.\u201d 1 Tim. 1:15, 16.\n\n\u201cGod will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the\ntruth.\u201d 1 Tim. 2:4.\n\n\u201cGod is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to\nrepentance.\u201d 2 Pet. 3:9.\n\nThese and such testimonies of Scripture ought to be deeply imprinted on\nour minds, that every one may know, that all men are equally dear to God;\nthat all men were created by him according to his image, and redeemed by\nJesus Christ. Moreover, God has sworn by himself, that he desires not the\ndeath of a sinner. Hence God assists us all by his prevenient grace, not\nwaiting till we are worthy to receive it. He comes to us, before we come\nto him; he knew us, before we knew him; he loveth us, before we love him;\nhe loved us while we were yet his enemies. Rom. 5:10. He, therefore, is\nblind and impious, who dares assert that God does not love all men alike.\nSuch a one scorns the God of heaven, accuses him of injustice, and makes\nhim a respecter of persons.\n\n2. But when it is said that God loved Jacob, and hated Esau (Rom. 9:13),\nsuch language is not to be understood of them personally, or as indicating\nonly hatred, but refers to the exclusion from the inheritance in the land\nof promise\u2014not to a hatred which refuses salvation, but to the refusal of\ntemporal blessings. And though we are all sinners, yet God has a greater\nregard for those that love him than for those that continue in their sins\nand blindness, neither acknowledging God for their Father, nor bringing\nforth the fruits of repentance. God takes no pleasure in the wickedness of\nthese men; but rather desires that all should be saved. And whereas it is\nsaid that \u201che hath mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he\nhardeneth\u201d (Rom. 9:18); we must know that he hardeneth none but those who\nby their unbelief and impenitence have hardened themselves. These, indeed,\nhe does at length, with reluctance, leave to themselves; and being thus\nforsaken, they naturally fall into a state of entire obduracy. And whereas\nit is said, that \u201cit is not of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth\nmercy\u201d (Rom. 9:16); it is plain that God doth elect and anticipate us by\nhis grace, and not we ourselves, and that he is the Author and Giver of\nall our graces; so that whatsoever good we do, is owing to him, and not to\nourselves.\n\n3. This is the true interpretation of those places, which some perverse\nminds have interpreted, as if God had decreed to damn a great part of\nmankind (as the poets feigned of Saturn, who hated and devoured his own\nchildren). This is a doctrine that tends directly to subvert our faith,\nand to precipitate men into despair, or into a rude, lawless and Epicurean\nmode of life, as appears by woful experience. From all which snares, and\ndeceits of the devil, may the Lord deliver us! Amen.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nO Eternal and most righteous God, who acceptest not the persons of men;\nbut art so just in thy dispensations towards us all, as to anticipate us\nwith thy grace and favor, not waiting till we are already worthy, but\nbestowing thy prevenient grace to make us so; teach me, by thy Holy\nSpirit, gratefully to acknowledge thy boundless mercy towards us. Let thy\nlight arise in my heart, that I may not, with the wicked world, disown\nthat grace which thou hast already bestowed upon me, which is that\ntreasure hidden in the field, the earnest of the inheritance of the\nsaints; but may diligently search after it, find it, taste it, and enjoy\nit. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection IX.\n\n\n Showing That It Is Equally Sinful To Pray To God Upon The Presumption Of\n      Our Own Merit, And To Forbear On Account Of Our Unworthiness.\n\n\n    _Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no\n    more worthy to be called thy son._\u2014LUKE 15:21.\n\n\n1. He that prays upon the presumption of his own holiness and piety,\nwalketh not in the direct and plain path of the children of God; but turns\nto the right hand, outruns his Saviour, and, like a sacrilegious robber,\ndeprives him of the honor due unto him (since He alone is our\nrighteousness, our holiness, and our sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30), and\ndepends entirely upon his own unprofitable works; not acknowledging the\nmerit of Christ alone, but depending upon human righteousness, and\nbelieving that God hears our prayers, not for the sake of Jesus Christ,\nbut for the sake of man\u2019s good works. But this is directly contrary to\nScripture. \u201cIf thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall\nstand?\u2014But with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous\nredemption.\u201d Ps. 130:3, 7. A man may as well say, that the operation of\nhis eyes causes the light of the sun, as that his own righteousness is the\ncause of his receiving the grace of God. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elias,\n&c., were all saved by grace; all joining in that petition, \u201cEnter not\ninto judgment with thy servant, O Lord, &c.\u201d Ps. 143:2.\n\n2. He, on the other hand, that neglects to pray from a sense of his\nmanifold transgressions, judging himself upon that account unworthy to\nspeak to God, turns to the left hand, and sinks in his own misery and\nunworthiness, affronting the Son of God, and (without repentance) running\ninto despair; whilst he thinks that the passion and death of Christ are\nnot sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world. Against this\ntemptation, let us call to mind, that \u201cwhere sin abounded, there grace did\nmuch more abound.\u201d Rom. 5:20. For our misery appeals to the mercy of God,\nour weakness to his power, our unworthiness to his majesty, our\nunrighteousness to his righteousness.\n\n\u201cThis is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ\nJesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.\u201d 1 Tim.\n1:15.\n\n\u201cAs I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the\nwicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.\u201d Ezek. 33:11.\n\n\u201cThere is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.\u201d Rom. 8:1.\n\n\u201cAs for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day\nthat he turneth from his wickedness.\u201d Ezek. 18:21; 33:12.\n\n\u201cFor this (the remission of sins) shall every one that is godly pray.\u201d Ps.\n32:6.\n\n\u201cBe not righteous overmuch, neither make thyself over wise.\u201d Eccles. 7:16.\n\n\u201cIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,\nand to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u201d 1 John 1:9.\n\n\u201cRighteousness shall look down from heaven.\u201d Ps. 85:11.\n\n3. If I resolve not to pray till I know myself to be worthy, I shall\ncertainly never do it at all. And if I should not desire God to bestow\nupon me his grace and favor, till by my own strength I became just and\nholy, I should never obtain anything. Alas, poor man, what canst thou\nbestow upon him who standeth not in need of thy gifts? Rom. 11:35. Or what\ncanst thou obtain by the workings of thy corrupt nature, which, however\nspecious in thine own eyes, are of no value in the sight of God? Rom.\n3:24. Verily, nothing at all. Away, then, with all those who glory in\ntheir own righteousness, and pretend to justify themselves; yea, let all\ncreatures keep silence before God. Thine own worthiness will here avail\nthee nothing, and thine unworthiness shall do thee no harm; for the Lord\nJesus Christ, thy Saviour, is he that \u201cforgiveth thy unrighteousness, and\ncovereth all thy sin.\u201d Ps. 32:1. But rather conclude with thyself, that as\na drop of water is swallowed up in the sea, so are all thy transgressions\nin the boundless and incomprehensible mercies of Jesus Christ.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nO Merciful and compassionate Father! who teachest me in thy holy word how\nI ought, in thy Son Jesus Christ, to walk in the narrow way, turning\nneither to the right hand nor to the left; that I may neither fall through\na vain presumption of my own piety, nor be cast into despair by the gloomy\nprospect of my guilt, and so die in my sins; grant that I may seriously\nconsider that neither my good works can merit, nor my sins hinder, the\ngrace of Christ, my Redeemer; that so I may continue firm and steadfast\namidst all my temptations; that I may neither be misled by the evil spirit\nof presumption and spiritual pride that walketh at noonday, nor be afraid\nof the destroying angel of despair that walketh in darkness; but that,\nhaving conquered the weakness of my nature, I may continue steadfast in\nthe faith, filled with spiritual joy and consolation. Let thy grace,\nblessed Lord Jesus, begin, carry on, and perfect this good work in me.\nAmen.\n\n\n\nSection X.\n\n\n The True Worshipper Ought Not To Seek After God In Any Particular Place;\n           For He Finds Him Everywhere In Spirit And In Truth.\n\n\n    _The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet\n    at Jerusalem, worship the Father. The true worshippers shall\n    worship the Father in spirit and in truth._\u2014JOHN 4:21, 23.\n\n\n1. Where shall we find God? Jer. 23:23. Must we look for him in\nconsecrated temples? Must we seek him in the ends of the earth? Must we\nsearch for him in the stars, or at Jerusalem, or upon the top of Mount\nTabor? No! but \u201cin spirit and in truth\u201d (John 4:23) seek and find him. We\nare, indeed, sometimes forced to the fatigue of long journeys, in order to\nmake our complaints, and beg the protection of the princes of this world;\nbut God is everywhere; \u201cHe filleth heaven and earth\u201d (Jer. 23:24), and is\nnearer to all creatures than they are to themselves. \u201cHe is above all, and\nthrough all, and in us all.\u201d Eph. 4:6. The utmost dimensions of space, and\neven the boundless extent of eternity, appear to him as but a single\npoint. Ps. 139:7. As a man that walks at noonday, in an open field, is\nenvironed with light, whether he discern it or be blind, so are all\ncreatures surrounded with the presence of God. These are the waters upon\nwhich the Spirit of God moves, penetrating through all beings and all\nspirits, though ever so pure and glorious. God is always near to us,\nthough many are not so to him, having no more perception of the\ncommunications of his presence than a blind man has of the light, which he\nsees not, though surrounded by it. God never turns away from us; but we,\nbeing turned away from him, fall into that degree of blindness, as to say,\nthat God has withdrawn himself from us, and is become unkind to us;\nwhereas, the change is only in ourselves, and in our own hearts, by which\nwe are tempted to charge God foolishly. Thus the sinner, by turning away\nfrom God, becomes his own tormentor; whilst God continues unchangeably\njust and good in all his works (Ps. 145:8); however often man, being\nblinded and turned away from God, may represent him as an angry, unjust,\nand unmerciful being.\n\n2. Hence, then, we may gather the genuine sense of those passages of\nScripture, which say that \u201cthe kingdom of God is within us,\u201d and not\nwithout us (Luke 17:21), and that we have nothing to do with \u201cthem that\nare without.\u201d 1 Cor. 5:12. These, without all dispute, are not to be\nunderstood of any external place, but of the spirit or inward man,\naccording to the faith. To confine the kingdom of God to any certain\nplace, is antichristian, even as our blessed Lord has told us that men\nwill say, \u201cLo, here is Christ, or lo, there.\u201d Matt. 24:23. But if any\nplace could save or condemn a man, then Lucifer himself could never have\nbecome a devil in heaven; nor would Adam ever have sinned in paradise. So\nif any place would condemn a man, then should no man living be saved;\nsince this whole world lieth in darkness, and all the inhabitants thereof\nare under the dominion of the devil, who is the prince of it. John 12:31.\nHe therefore that has faith, though with Jonah he were in the depths of\nthe sea, yet would be in the kingdom of God; and he that has it not,\nthough he were in the church, heard sermons, and would join in acts of\ncommunion, yet in the sight of God he is _without_, and has no part in, or\ntitle to, the kingdom of God.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nO Lord Jesus Christ, who art the only way, light, and gate of heaven, I\npraise thee from the bottom of my heart, that by this meditation, thou\nteachest me how I am in thee, and thou in me, in whatsoever place I am;\nhow thou, my true and only High Priest, art with me, and deliverest me\nfrom my sins, whensoever I lift up my heart to thee. Though I walk through\nthe valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with\nme. Teach me, O Lord, always to acknowledge this, and not after the manner\nof this ungrateful world, to undervalue or despise this hidden treasure;\nbut that I may in true faith seek, find, taste, and enjoy it. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection XI.\n\n\n The Worshipper Is Not Restricted To Certain Times Of Prayer, But May At\nAny Hour Address God In Prayer, Provided That He Does Not Hinder Himself.\n\n\n    _In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of\n    salvation have I helped thee.\u2014Seek ye the Lord while he may be\n    found, call ye upon him while he is near._\u2014ISA. 49:8; 55:6.\n    _Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of\n    salvation._\u20142 COR. 6:2.\n\n\n1. From what has been already said concerning _the place_, and what we are\nnow observing further upon that head, it is plain, that he is truly happy\nwho is in the kingdom of God. The reason of this is, because he has the\ntreasure within him, wheresoever he is; and that he, who, through\nunbelief, is not in the kingdom of God, is truly a stranger and foreigner,\nhowever he may with other Christians, hear sermons and receive the\nSacrament. The _place_ will neither save us nor condemn us; that can be\ndone by nothing but _faith_ or _unbelief_ existing in the heart and spirit\nof man. The true Christian, in whatever place he lives, as he has the\nSpirit of Christ within him, so he has, by consequence, a principle of\ngrace, pardon, and remission of sins; for Christ is in him. I speak not\nthis to discourage the external exercise of preaching; but for the comfort\nof all sincere souls under necessities, sickness, or in strange lands;\nwhen they are assured that they are truly in Christ, that Christ is in\nthem, and that they are not \u201cwithout\u201d but \u201cwithin.\u201d This should also alarm\nthe sinner, who, though living among Christians, yet, in the sight of God\nis excluded. For every unbeliever cuts himself off from the body of\nChrist, and from the most valuable privileges of his communion; so that a\nwicked man, under the agonies of sickness, would receive no benefit by\nhaving the Holy Sacrament, though the priest, or even the pope himself\nstood by him; or by being brought and laid in the midst of the church. But\nif a man has within him a true and living faith, it could do him no harm,\nthough he should die in a heathen country, or on the sea, without the\ncomfort of the Holy Sacrament, or a priest; because Jesus Christ, the true\nHigh Priest, is in him, and even the kingdom of God, as our blessed Lord\nabundantly testifies John 4:21; Luke 17:21; Matt. 24:23. How blind then\nand miserable are those men who seek for blessedness from man, confining\nit to a certain place, and look to external things. This, however, is the\ncase with many thousands who thus lose the internal treasure. Externals\nare but means, which though not to be despised, yet are not to be valued\nas the end itself, to which they are intended to lead. Christ is the great\ntreasure of man, who can bestow himself without the use of means, where\nthey cannot be had. We come together in the church, that with one accord\nwe may exhort and admonish one another in the divine Presence, call upon\nGod to avert public evils and calamities, and exercise one another in\ndivine matters, that so we, who are otherwise totally blind in spiritual\nthings, being excited by these means, may at length understand and see\nthat God is not contained \u201cin the heaven of heavens\u201d (1 Kings 8:27), nor\nconfined to any place; being, as Job witnesseth, \u201chigh as heaven, deeper\nthan hell, longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.\u201d Job 11:8, 9.\n\n2. What we have observed of place, may be also applied to _time_, to which\nthe eternal and unchangeable God is by no means confined, so as not to be\nalways at liberty to hear our prayers. Great men and princes of this world\nare not always to be spoken with, and frequently refuse admittance to\ntheir petitioners; being engaged either by the necessities or diversions\nof life. But our God cannot be thus separated from his creatures; at one\nview, He sees, and hears, and considers all things that are done upon the\nearth, and \u201cunderstandeth our thoughts afar off.\u201d Ps. 139:2. He numbereth\n\u201cthe very hairs of our heads\u201d (Matt. 10:30); and \u201ca thousand years in his\nsight are but as one day.\u201d Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8. God is not capable of\nalteration or change; is confined to no time, limited by no place, always\nready to hear and to help us; yea, he is continually \u201cstanding at the\ndoor, and knocking, that we may open to him.\u201d Rev. 3:20. So that he is\nalways ready, but we are not. Whereas if we would constantly and without\nceasing wait for Him, we should never fail to receive a ready answer to\nall our prayers.\n\n3. But alas! the concerns of this lower world have so great an influence\nupon our minds, distracting our thoughts, and withholding us from devout\nretirement, that we must endeavor to purify our minds from all thoughts of\nthe creature, according to a devout writer, who advises us, \u201cto lay aside\nall thoughts of this or that thing, time or place, and bring all the\npowers of our souls into profound repose.\u201d And in this sabbath or rest of\nthe soul, in this quiet cessation from the cares and labors of corrupt\nnature, when we pray, God descends with his living word, and the soul of\nman perceives and tastes the truth and love of God; of which, before this\npatient preparation, it was wholly ignorant and insensible. So that the\nsoul cannot forbear crying out in the words: \u201cThe Lord, the Lord God,\nmerciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and\ntruth!\u201d (Exod. 34:6.) \u201cNow, I find thy prevenient grace helping my\ninfirmities, and assisting me to pray as I ought.\u201d Then thou wilt be\namazed at the blindness of thy own heart, which gave thee so imperfect a\nnotion of God, as to believe that God was to be persuaded with external\nceremonies, and clamorous prayers, and that he stood in need of a long\nrelation of thy wants and necessities; whereas He sees to the very bottom\nof thy soul, and \u201cunderstandeth all thy thoughts afar off.\u201d\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nAlmighty, eternal, and most merciful God and Father! Thy goodness and\ntruth are higher than the heavens, deeper than the sea, wider than the\nearth; all places are to Thee the same, and in thy sight all times are\nalike. Thou art above all places and all times, and yet dost penetrate and\nfill all things. Thou art nearer to me than I am to myself; thou\nanticipatest me with thy grace, and embracest me with thy mercy, which,\nthrough my blindness and misery, I could neither know nor hope for. Grant,\nthat by thy Holy Spirit, I may seriously lay these things to heart, and\nfor the future, look up to thee as my merciful Father, who knowest all\nthings, and art present at all times, and in all places, that I may no\nmore presume to judge of Thee by any natural blindness, and no more\npersuade myself that Thou art to be awakened, or prevailed upon by my\ncrying; that thou needest any long discourses of mine, or requirest any\ncertain time for prayer. But give me grace to consider, that the true\nworshipper may have access to Thee at all times, and in all places, and\nthat thy goodness is always and everywhere present with us; but that no\nman can enjoy it, or taste of thy sweetness, unless he be first awakened\nand encouraged by Thee to engage in devout prayer. That I may worthily and\neffectually perform this, give me thy Holy Spirit, who may work in me to\nwill and to do according to thy good pleasure. Amen.\n\n\n\nSection XII.\n\n\n   The Considerations Stated Above, Not Only Dispose The Heart To True\n             Prayer, But Also Furnish Various Useful Lessons.\n\n\n    _It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and\n    while they are yet speaking, I will hear._\u2014ISA. 65:24.\n\n\n1. The _first_ lesson which we learn is, that God has not commanded us to\npray for his own sake, for he knoweth all things; but that we, being\nexcited by these means, may be led to understand that he does know all\nthings. God has so tender a concern for us, that he seems not to know\nanything, till we reflect within ourselves, that he does indeed know it.\nHence it comes to pass, that when men do not diligently pray, they seem to\nthink that God does not know. And, on the contrary, when we exercise\nourselves in prayer, we soon learn that God knoweth all our necessities,\nand hath numbered the very hairs of our heads before we were born. These\nare thoughts that cannot enter into the hearts of those who despise the\nduty of prayer.\n\n2. _Secondly._ We need not apply to God, as we do to one another, with a\nlong account of our wants: all that we have to do is, daily to exercise\nourselves in prayer, so that the inner man may enter into the kingdom of\nGod.\n\n3. _Thirdly._ God is (as Dr. Tauler says) a thousand times more ready to\ngive, than we are to receive, through prayer and hope.\n\n4. _Fourthly._ God stands in no need of any external ceremonies of ours,\nour watchings, fastings, or cryings, to awaken him, who \u201cneither\nslumbereth nor sleepeth.\u201d Ps. 121:4. He not only foreknows our desires and\nprayers, but even our existence (Jer. 1:5); yet, on the other hand, the\ndulness and stupidity of men may by these exercises be excited,\nencouraged, and instructed to consider and understand the tender mercies\nof God towards all mankind.\n\n5. _Fifthly._ Hence we discover the goodness, truth, and loving-kindness\nof God towards all men; and, on the other hand, the blindness and\nunbelief, the stupidity and unspeakable dulness of mankind towards God,\nwho have so great a contempt of the mercies of God, and are so backward in\ntheir prayers and endeavors to obtain his grace.\n\n6. _Sixthly._ God is righteous in all his works; and so far from his being\nthe author of our miseries, blindness, and ignorance, we are indeed the\ncause of it ourselves; whilst, in contempt of his commands, we neglect to\nimplore his mercies, and beg the blessings which he has promised to bestow\non all that ask him. This is sufficient to vindicate the justice and\nimpartiality of God in all his dealings towards us, and to lay the blame\nof all our sins and punishments upon ourselves, who are indeed the authors\nof both.\n\n7. _Seventhly._ God is not confined to any certain time and place, but\ndesires to be worshipped at _all times_, and in _all places_, in spirit\nand in truth.\n\n8. These observations will rectify many mistakes, and open a man\u2019s eyes to\ndiscover things, of which he would otherwise have been ignorant. But\nthough it is a shameful thing for a Christian to be ignorant of these\nmatters, yet it is much more so to know, and not to reduce them to\npractice.\n\nA PRAYER.\n\nAwaken us, O God, that we may watch; draw us to Thee, and we will run in\nthe true way, which conducts to the kingdom of God; through Jesus Christ\nour Lord. Amen.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXV.\n\n\nPrayer Is The Sign Of A True Christian, That Is, Of One Who Is Anointed Of\n                                The Lord.\n\n\n    _Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and\n    needy._\u2014PS. 86:1.\n\n\nThese words give us an admirable account of the grounds and reasons of\nprayer; that it is quickened by affliction and a sense of misery, and is a\nmark of a true Christian.\n\n2. I. For, first, every Christian is anointed and baptized with the Holy\nSpirit (1 John 2:20), who, when he is not resisted nor grieved, but\nobeyed, is continually groaning (Rom. 8:26) in the heart of man, raising\nand exalting the devout soul from earth to heaven. For as spirituous\nliquor extracts the strength and virtue of the herbs and flowers on which\nit is poured; so man, who is the flower of God, planted by the Lord\nhimself, \u201ca plant in the house of God\u201d (Isa. 61:3; Ps. 92:13), must\nreceive the preparation of the Holy Spirit, that his odor and sweet smell\nmay therewith ascend up to God. Whosoever will faithfully attend to the\nworkings of the Holy Spirit, and not resist his operations, will soon be\nconvinced of the truth of these observations; he will perceive a devout\nsigh springing up from his heart, and breaking forth into these or the\nlike words: \u201cGreat God, Holy Father, have mercy upon me!\u201d As myrrh,\nfrankincense, or other sweet perfumes, by being thrown upon burning coals,\nsend forth a smoke and delicious fragrance, which they would not do\nwithout the help of fire; so whenever the fire of the Holy Spirit touches\nour hearts, and He is not hindered, there immediately arises a most\nfragrant perfume of sighs and prayers. And these are \u201cgolden vials full of\nodors, which are the prayers of saints.\u201d Rev. 5:8. Whence it appears, that\ndevout sighs and prayers are the truest sign or indication of the Holy\nSpirit in the heart of man.\n\n3. II. The soul of man is also called the temple or habitation of the Holy\nGhost; and what is more likely to be heard there, than the prayers of its\ndivine Inhabitant, who is emphatically called, \u201cThe Spirit of grace and of\nsupplication\u201d? Zech. 12:10. Hence prayer, when it proceeds from the very\nbottom of the heart, is a certain sign of the indwelling of the Holy\nSpirit. I do not here refer to the prayers of hypocrites, of whom God\nspeaketh by the mouth of his prophet, saying: \u201cThis people draw near me\nwith their mouth, but have removed their heart far from me\u201d (Isa. 29:13);\nbut the true prayer, which is of the operation of the Holy Spirit, arises\nfrom the depth of the soul; and is like plentiful springs of water, for\nwhich the more deeply you dig, the higher you may raise them. Christ is\nthe pure and beautiful fountain of salvation. Let every one, therefore,\nthat thirsteth, come and drink. Isa. 55:1. His spring is very deep,\nnamely, his eternal Divinity. \u201cHe that believeth on him, out of his belly\nshall flow rivers of living water\u201d (John 7:38); that is, prayers and the\ngifts of the Holy Ghost.\n\n4. III. This is confirmed by the office of the Holy Spirit, which is, \u201cto\nteach and to comfort\u201d (John 16:7-13), neither of which he can do, unless\nHe speaks; and that He cannot do, unless He have a church and a temple to\nspeak in. This temple is the heart of man; and his language consists of\nthe devout aspirations of the souls in which He operates; he has a secret\nand heavenly voice, which our heart hears, for he beareth witness with our\nspirit, that we are the children of God,\u2014whereby we cry, Abba, Father.\nRom. 8:15, 16. Man cannot receive comfort, unless his heart, by being\nbroken and contrite, be made capable of consolation. Ps. 51:17. This is a\nvery significant figure taken from human bodies. For when the arm, or any\nother part, is broken, or bruised by some accident, what pleasure the\nbroken and bruised part feels when soothed with some healing ointment! How\ndoes it assuage the throbbing pains of the limb, and, as it were, lull it\ninto soft repose! So when the heart is wounded with affliction and sorrow,\nis broken and bruised with a lively sense of its misery, then the Holy\nSpirit shows himself truly a Comforter, shedding forth the oil of heavenly\nconsolation into our afflicted breasts. For \u201che healeth the broken in\nheart, and bindeth up their wounds.\u201d Ps. 147:3. \u201cHeal me, O Lord, and I\nshall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.\u201d\nJer. 17:14.\n\n5. IV. Hence then we may learn the advantage of afflictions, and the\nbenefit of the cross. Our blessed Lord has told us, \u201cThey that be whole\nneed not a physician, but they that are sick.\u201d Matt. 9:12. Come,\ntherefore, thou divine Physician of souls; for we all have need of thee!\n\u201cBow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy\u201d (Ps.\n86:1),\u2014poor in righteousness and true holiness. So great is the poverty of\nman, that unless he be covered with the mercy of God, and clothed with the\nrighteousness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 61:10), he must appear with shame and\nnakedness before the judgment of God and all his holy angels; and in this\nrespect, man is by nature reduced so very low, that there is not a more\nindigent creature in the world. We may here apply that which was spoken to\nthe church of Laodicea, \u201cThou knowest not that thou art wretched, and\nmiserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.\u201d Rev. 3:17.\n\n6. Moreover, the misery of which the Psalmist complains, is the effect of\npoverty. He that is poor, may easily be conceived to be miserable. He\ncertainly is so, who is forsaken by all, has none to help him, wanders\nabout, having neither house nor home, nor a place where to lay his head.\nAnd now, what state can we conceive to be more wretched, than that of a\nman by nature? He has no place where to rest himself, and knows not\nwhither to fly for refuge! \u201cIf in this life only we have hope in Christ,\nwe are of all men most miserable.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:19. Let us then acknowledge\nour poverty and spiritual misery in this life; we shall then receive the\ninstructions and consolations of the Holy Spirit. He will teach us in our\npoverty, to sigh earnestly after the riches of divine grace and mercy; and\nin our spiritual misery and banishment, to lift up our eyes to God that\ndwelleth in the heavens. For our blessed Lord has assured us, that \u201cin his\nFather\u2019s house are many mansions\u201d (John 14:2); and the Psalmist, that\n\u201cwhen our fathers and mothers forsake us, the Lord will take us up.\u201d Ps.\n27:10. Come then, ye that are in want and banishment, think upon your\nheavenly country. Ye that are poor, naked, and destitute, remember that\nthe righteousness of Christ is your clothing, and the garment of salvation\n(Isa. 61:10); therefore, take ye care to preserve this clothing, \u201clest ye\nwalk naked, and men see your shame.\u201d Rev. 16:15.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVI.\n\n\nOn The Benefits And Power Of Prayer, And On Its True Ground Or Foundation.\n\n\n    _Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we\n    may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need._\u2014HEB.\n    4:16.\n\n\n\u201cHear my voice according to thy lovingkindness, O Lord\u201d (Ps. 119:149),\nsaith David; pointing out thereby the foundation of our prayer, namely,\nthe grace of God; and this is conveyed to us through our Lord Jesus\nChrist, who is \u201cfull of grace and truth,\u201d and of whose fulness we ought\nall to receive. John 1:14, 16. For this reason he is also called the\n_Throne of Grace_ (Heb. 4:16; Rom. 3:25), upon which the eye of faith in\nprayer ought continually to be fixed, according to the example of the\nchildren of Israel, who always offered up their prayers with their faces\ntowards the mercy-seat. For in his name, and for his sake alone it is,\nthat God has promised to hear our prayers (John 16:23); and thus even the\nholy prophets of old prayed: \u201cO our God, hear the prayer of thy servant,\nfor the Lord\u2019s sake.\u201d Dan. 9:17.\n\n2. I. _First_, the benefit of our prayers is well expressed by holy David\nin the latter part of the above-mentioned verse (Ps. 119:149): \u201cQuicken me\naccording to thy judgments.\u201d For life proceeds from the grace of God. But\nwhat is our life without divine grace? Therefore says the holy Psalmist,\n\u201cThy lovingkindness is better than life.\u201d Ps. 63:4. This quickening virtue\nis also derived to us through Christ Jesus. It was for this purpose that\nhe took our flesh and blood, that by the quickening virtue of his body, we\nalso might be quickened. And this we receive only by the means of prayer,\nwhich draws down a quickening power into our souls, to heal all our\nspiritual infirmities; like that which flowed from His body whilst on\nearth, to cure and heal the diseases and distempers of all those that\ntouched him. Luke 6:19. Thus when we are afflicted and sorrowful, and can\nlay hold on Jesus Christ by the prayer of faith, we immediately find, as\nit were, new life and vigor flowing into our souls from that inexhaustible\nfountain of divine grace. This may be attested by the experience of many\nlanguishing and afflicted souls.\n\n3. Whence we may learn: 1. That an afflicted soul cannot be refreshed or\ncomforted without prayer; as appears from the example of Christ, in the\nhistory of his passion (Matt. 26:39), who has himself also for that reason\ngiven us a form of prayer. Matt. 6:9, etc. And we have, indeed, great\nreason to be thankful to God, who has given us prayer to be as an\nuniversal remedy to all afflicted souls. 2. Where the prophet says, \u201cHear\nme according to thy lovingkindness\u201d (Ps. 119:149), he shows us that prayer\nis the proper means of obtaining mercy and the graces of the Holy Spirit,\nsuch as the increase of faith, charity, patience, the knowledge of God,\ndevotion, inward peace and joy. These are such gifts, such graces, such\nheavenly treasures, as are better than heaven and earth. Moreover, hence\nwe obtain strength and victory against the world, the devil, and all our\nenemies; which spiritual strength consists only in prayer. That was the\npower by which David and all the saints conquered their enemies, as\nappears by the example of Moses, Elias, Jehoshaphat, and others, who\nalways prevailed by faith and prayer. 3. Every man has need of prayer in\nrespect to his office, condition, and employment, in which no man can act\neither prudently or successfully without prayer. We are, indeed, in this\nmiserable world, like people sailing amidst rocks and quicksands, and\nexposed to innumerable dangers; for which reason we ought the more\nfervently to implore the guidance and protection of the Holy Spirit.\n\n4. II. Therefore, holy David adds, \u201cThey draw nigh that follow after\nmischief; they are far from thy law.\u201d Ps. 119:150. And this is a proper\nseason for prayer. For what the devil cannot do himself, he leaves to be\naccomplished by wicked men, who are as so many executioners of his malice,\nand who make it their continual employment to disturb and injure good men.\nFrom these no man is secure; but here the most effectual help is prayer.\nThus, \u201cI will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised; so shall I\nbe saved from mine enemies.\u201d Ps. 18:2. \u201cUnto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my\nsoul. O my God, I trust in thee; let me not be ashamed; let not mine\nenemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed; but\nlet them be ashamed which transgress without cause.\u201d Ps. 25:1-3.\n\n5. But it ought to be carefully noticed that David says, his enemies are\nfar from the law of God. These are all they that persecute others,\nforsaking the word of God, and being far from his fear; whence it follows,\nthat as they are far from God, so God is far from them, and nothing but\ndestruction hangs over their heads. On the other hand, the faithful,\npious, and devout soul approaches God through prayer.\n\n6. When, therefore, we are daily lifting up our hearts to God, and learn\nto converse with him, we approach continually nearer and nearer to him,\nand by degrees, forgetting this lower world, from earthly we become\nheavenly and spiritual; like Moses, whose face, when he had conversed\nforty days and forty nights with God, shone like the sun. Exod. 34:29. For\nas we easily learn the customs and manners of those with whom we converse,\nand are not so well pleased with any company as that to which we are\naccustomed, so by continual and daily prayer, we grow daily more and more\nacquainted with the manners and language of our heavenly country, and are\nmore and more inflamed with divine love. Moreover, prayer is a\npreservative against sins, temptations, and all kinds of evils; according\nto that saying of Christ: \u201cWatch and pray, that ye enter not into\ntemptation.\u201d Matt. 26:41. But if even then anything befall us, we know\nthat it is by the immediate permission of God; and from it with all due\nsubmission and resignation to his will, we may lawfully pray to be\ndelivered.\n\n7. III. David proceeds: \u201cThou art near, O Lord: and all thy commandments\nare truth.\u201d Ps. 119:151. Here he assures us, that the second and the third\nfoundation of prayer, are the presence and the truth of God.\n\n8. How great soever our calamities may be, there is no one consideration\nthat gives us so much ease and comfort, as that of the presence of God\nwith us: according to that Scripture: \u201cFear thou not, for I am with thee:\nbe not dismayed, for I am thy God.\u201d Isa. 41:10. In consideration of his\npresence, we may with assurance call upon him in all places, and upon all\noccasions. For though our Saviour tells us, \u201cThou, when thou prayest,\nenter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy\nFather which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall\nreward thee openly\u201d (Matt. 6:6): yet we are to consider, that these words\nwere spoken against the hypocrites of those times, who, from a vain\nostentation, used to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners\nof the street; but they are by no means binding on any man to pray in any\none particular place.\n\n9. We read of the patriarch Isaac (Gen. 24:63), that he went out at the\neventide into the field to meditate. And it is plain (Luke 6:12), that our\nblessed Lord went alone \u201cinto a mountain to pray, and continued all night\nin prayer to God.\u201d We may, therefore, in all places, and at any time, pray\nto God; but more especially when we are alone, and not disturbed by the\nconversation of others. Let us continually stir ourselves up to this\ndivine conversation with God, remembering the words of the Psalmist, \u201cThou\nart near, O Lord.\u201d Now if this be true, as it most certainly is, we cannot\ndo better than to be often conversing with him; according to that\nScripture, \u201cCall ye upon him while he is near.\u201d Isa. 55:6. \u201cThe Lord is\nnigh unto all them that call upon him.\u201d Ps. 145:18.\n\n10. IV. So, too, the veracity of God is a strong obligation upon us to\npray, because we know, 1. That he has commanded it; \u201cCall upon me.\u201d Ps.\n50:15. 2. That he has promised to hear us; \u201cBefore they call, I will\nanswer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.\u201d Isa. 65:24. 3. That\nhe has not only promised to hear, but has actually heard the prayers of\nthe faithful. This is plain, from the examples of Moses, David, Samuel,\nJoshua, and of Cornelius in the Acts, whose \u201cprayers and alms ascended up\nfor a memorial before God.\u201d Acts 10:4.\n\n11. Many other examples are to be found in the Holy Scriptures. And that\nthou mayest not think that, because thou art not such a one as Moses,\nDavid, Elias, or Joshua, therefore thou shalt not be heard as easily as\nthey were, thou art to consider that they all were men \u201csubject to like\npassions as we are.\u201d James 5:17.\n\n12. Who was Cornelius? Acts, ch. 10. He was a heathen. Who was Manasseh? 2\nChron. 33:12, 13. A most grievous sinner. Yet God has promised that he\nwill hear the miserable. Ps. 34:7. \u201cThis poor man cried, and the Lord\nheard him.\u201d And \u201cHe will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not\ndespise their prayer.\u201d Ps. 102:17. \u201cThe expectation of the poor shall not\nperish for ever.\u201d Ps. 9:18. The cases just mentioned illustrate these\npromises.\n\n13. V. But as the Psalmist adds: \u201cConcerning thy testimonies, I have known\nof old, that thou hast founded them for ever\u201d (Ps. 119:152), this\nconsideration exceedingly encourages our prayers and strengthens our\nfaith, and is another immovable foundation of prayer. The word and promise\nof God are built upon an eternal foundation, being nothing else but God\nhimself and his Son Jesus Christ; in him the Word of God, and the\nsalvation of man were founded \u201cbefore the foundation of the world.\u201d Eph.\n1:4. Whatsoever is built upon an eternal basis, no temporal thing can\noverturn. It is this that St. Paul had in his eye when he tells us that\nneither height, nor depth, nor things present, nor things to come, nor\nangels, nor principalities shall be able to separate us from the love of\nGod. Rom. 8:38.\n\n14. And what greater consolation can we wish? Or who can refrain from\nrejoicing, when he considers that our faith and prayer are founded upon\nthat which is eternal? Hence it is said, \u201cBehold, I lay in Zion for a\nfoundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure\nfoundation: he that believeth shall not make haste\u201d (Isa. 28:16); or, as\nSt. Peter explains it, \u201cshall not be confounded\u201d (1 Peter 2:6): and St.\nPaul, \u201cOther foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus\nChrist\u201d (1 Cor. 3:11); and again, \u201cThe foundation of God standeth sure,\nhaving this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.\u201d 2 Tim. 2:19.\n\n15. Against this foundation even the gates of hell shall not prevail.\nMatt. 16:18. This, in short, is the foundation of our salvation, our faith\nand blessedness, which is more secure than heaven and earth.\n\n16. For prayer is a conversation with God\u2014a key of heaven\u2014a free access to\nGod\u2014a familiarity with God\u2014an opener of his mysteries\u2014a spiritual\nbanquet\u2014a heavenly enjoyment\u2014a nurse of virtues\u2014a conqueror of vices\u2014a\nmedicine of the soul\u2014a remedy against infirmities\u2014an antidote against\nsin\u2014a pillar of the world\u2014a seed of blessing\u2014an increase of faith\u2014a\nsupport of hope\u2014a parent of charity\u2014a path of righteousness\u2014a preserver of\nconstancy\u2014an ornament of holiness\u2014a fire of devotion\u2014a light of\nknowledge\u2014a repository of wisdom\u2014the strength of the soul\u2014a remedy against\nfaint-heartedness\u2014a foundation of peace\u2014the joy of the heart\u2014a jubilee of\nthe soul\u2014a faithful companion in this earthly pilgrimage\u2014the shield of a\nChristian soldier\u2014a rule of humility\u2014a forerunner of honor\u2014a nurse of\npatience\u2014a guardian of obedience\u2014a fountain of quietness\u2014the conquest of\ndevils\u2014a comfort of the sorrowful\u2014a triumph of the just\u2014the joy of the\nsaints\u2014a helper of the oppressed\u2014the ease of the afflicted\u2014the rest of the\nweary\u2014an ornament of the conscience\u2014an advancement of graces\u2014an acceptable\nsacrifice\u2014an encourager of mutual goodwill\u2014the refreshment of this\nmiserable life\u2014the sweetening of death\u2014a foretaste of the heavenly\nlife\u2014the earnest desire of everlasting salvation.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVII.\n\n\n               Reasons Why God Certainly Hears Our Prayers.\n\n\n    _Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in\n    mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O Lord, unto my\n    prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of\n    my trouble I will call upon thee; for thou wilt answer me._\u2014PS.\n    86:5-7.\n\n\nThus saith the prophet Jeremiah, \u201cIt is of the Lord\u2019s mercies that we are\nnot consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every\nmorning; great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul;\ntherefore will I hope in him.\u201d Lam. 3:22-24.\n\n2. In these words the Holy Spirit gives us strong consolation in our\nafflictions, drawn from the goodness and lovingkindness of God; without\nwhich we should immediately be consumed. As in the natural world light and\ndarkness, by the appointment of God, alternately succeed each other, so do\nlight and darkness, joy and sorrow, in the spiritual world. Hence there is\na necessity that the light should spring up after darkness, and joy after\nsorrow, in the souls of the righteous. Ps. 97:11. For both our life and\nour well-being depend entirely upon the loving-kindness of God: \u201cFor in\nhim we live, and move, and have our being.\u201d Acts 17:28. He is the\nnever-failing fountain and spring of life and happiness. His works testify\nthis, for by the effects we judge of the cause. Since, therefore, God is\nthe Maker and Creator of all things that have life, it follows that He is\nLIFE itself; and as He is the original of all that is good, it follows,\nthat He himself is the Supreme GOOD and LOVE itself. For this reason He is\ncalled the Living God, \u201cThou art the Christ, the Son of the living God\u201d\n(Matt. 16:16); not only from his essence, as being an original, necessary\nBeing, but also from the effects which he produces; because he giveth and\npreserveth breath, and life, and motion to all things. Acts 17:25; Ps.\n104:27. \u201cThou (O Belshazzar), hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of\nbrass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the\nGod in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not\nglorified.\u201d Dan. 5:23. \u201cThey have forsaken me, the fountain of living\nwaters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no\nwater.\u201d Jer. 2:13. \u201cThe Lord is thy life, and the length of thy days.\u201d\nDeut. 30:20. \u201cThe Lord is the strength of my life.\u201d Ps. 27:1. Whence it\nfollows, that God is in effect the life of every living creature, and\nproduces and preserves life in all, according to the words of St. Paul,\n\u201cOf him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for\never.\u201d Amen. Rom. 11:36. \u201cChrist is all in all.\u201d Col. 3:11.\n\n3. Now though all creatures derive their life from God, yet man has\nreceived it from his Maker in a more eminent degree; for as he is endowed\nwith a rational soul, it follows that he enjoys a more noble life than the\nrest of the creatures. The life of angels again is more noble and glorious\nthan that of men, because the glory and majesty of God manifest themselves\nmore illustriously in them. Hence also, angels are described in 2 Thess.\n1:7, as \u201cmighty,\u201d because they are not subject to vanity and change like\nman. But the most noble life is that of Jesus Christ our Lord, because he\nis _God_ and _Life_ itself; according to St. John, \u201cThis is the true God,\nand eternal life\u201d (1 John 5:20); that is, He is God of God, Light of\nLight, very God of very God. (Nicene Creed.)\n\n4. And as God is the fountain and principle of life, so he is also of all\ngood. For he is the supreme and eternal GOOD, and whatsoever bears the\nmarks and characters of good, is derived from this original. Thus, every\ncreature has received a small portion of the divine goodness, by which it\nbears witness of its Maker, and in some manner calls upon man to do the\nsame. Thus the vine speaks to us, \u201cConsider, O man, that the sweetness of\nmy juice, with which I cheer thy heart (Ps. 104:15), is the gift of my\nMaker.\u201d And so the bread: \u201cThat virtue, O man, by which I satisfy thy\nhunger, is bestowed on me by my Creator and thine.\u201d This is the meaning of\nthat saying of St. Augustine: \u201cThat God has, as it were, shed some drops\nof his divine goodness upon all the creatures, that they might thereby\ncontribute to the happiness of man.\u201d And the Psalmist says: \u201cThou crownest\nthe year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.\u201d Ps. 65:11.\n\n5. That which, in nature, we call the _goodness_ of God, is, by the\nScriptures, called the _grace_ of God; this bearing relation to the soul,\nand that to the body. And as God has, by a thousand ways, discovered his\ngoodness in the great Book of nature, so he has, in innumerable instances,\ndiscovered his grace and mercy in the Book of his word, all which are\ncompleted in Christ, who is the great centre of all the treasures of\ndivine goodness and love that are distributed in heaven and earth.\n\n6. Now, as it is the nature of every good being to be communicative, and\notherwise it ceases to be good (for who can tell what is good, unless it\nthus discover itself?); so no man could know whether God were good and\ngracious unless he had communicated his grace and goodness to others. Who\ncould have known the inestimable benefits of Christ as a Saviour, if he\nhad not so abundantly manifested his love towards us?\n\n7. But why was God pleased to manifest his goodness, grace, and mercy to\nmankind? It was for this reason: that we might believe in him, love him\nabove all things, and call upon him in all our troubles; and he was\npleased to make this manifestation of himself, that it might be, as it\nwere, the first incentive to kindle the flames of devotion in our hearts.\nFor how should we call on him of whom we have not heard? Rom. 10:14. As\nAlmighty God discovered himself to Moses, when he passed by, and he, upon\nthe sense of his goodness, grace, and mercy, immediately began to pray\n(Exod. 34:8, 9), so has He, in like manner, manifested himself to us, and\nmade all his goodness pass before us, that we also might learn to praise\nhim.\n\n8. But you will say, How has God manifested himself to me? If he would\nshow himself to me, as he did to Moses, why should I not praise him as he\ndid? To which I answer: This is done in Christ Jesus, in whom he\nmanifested all his goodness after a visible manner. \u201cWe beheld his glory,\nthe glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.\u201d\nJohn 1:14. And did we but seriously consider all that our blessed Saviour\nhas done for us, we should, doubtless, exclaim: \u201cThe Lord, the Lord God,\nmerciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and in\ntruth.\u201d\n\n10. And thus we see in what sense the type, which may be discerned in this\nnarrative of Moses, was fulfilled by the incarnation of Christ. For God,\ndescending from heaven in him, was pleased to make his glory pass before\nus.\n\n11. When Paul and Barnabas wrought great miracles at Athens, the heathens\ncried out, \u201cThe gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.\u201d Acts\n14:11. This was their judgment of the matter; but we may in a very proper\nsense say, that all the goodness and grace of God did, by Christ, come\ndown to us upon earth, in order that we might thereby be drawn to God, and\nthat the spirit of faith and prayer might be bestowed on us. For by prayer\nonly we obtain the grace and favor of God.\n\n12. Let us now produce some reasons which may convince us, that God hears\nour prayers.\n\n13. And _first_, such is the power of prayer and entreaty, that they often\npacify and prevail upon, not only the compassionate and kind, but even\nmorose and harsh tempers; of which we have an instance in the case of the\nwidow, who by her continual prayers, prevailed even upon that unjust\njudge, who neither feared God, nor regarded man. Luke 18:4, 5. For prayer,\nas it proceeds from the spirit, and is, as it were, the strength of the\nsoul, has a marvellous power and influence upon the minds of others, so as\nto be able to soften and mould them into any form of benevolence. Now as\nGod is not a harsh Being, but merciful in the highest degree, the most\nsincere love, the most perfect patience, the most generous compassion, the\nmost ardent love itself, and in a word, the most absolute perfection; so\nhe cannot but be tenderly moved by the ardent and devout prayers of his\nservants. Were it otherwise, it would follow, that God is not supremely\ngood, loving, and merciful. Now, as true as it is that he is all this; so\ntrue it is that he is easy to be entreated by devout and humble prayer.\n\n14. Tauler says: \u201cGod is moved with so vehement a love towards us, as if\nhis divinity itself depended on us, and his only aim and design were, to\ndiscover to us the abyss of his divinity, and the fulness of his essence\nand nature; so that all may belong to us, even as it belongs to him.\u201d And\nagain, \u201cWe were created, and are called and invited to things immeasurably\ngreat, and eternal; wherefore God is exceedingly displeased with us, when\nwe prefer the empty and trifling vanities of the world before him, who is\nready, not only to bestow all things else, but even Himself upon us.\u201d\nAgain, \u201cSo great is the love of God towards us, that he will deny us\nnothing: yea, he anticipates our prayers, meets us (as it were) half-way,\nand courts our friendship, being a thousand times more ready to give, than\nwe are to receive.\u201d\n\n15. The _second_ argument is found in the _truth and promise of God_.\n\u201cCall upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee.\u201d Ps. 50:15.\n\u201cThou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto\nall them that call upon thee.\u201d Ps. 86:5. The Lord, we see, is _good_; and\nif this be not sufficient, he is also _ready to forgive_; and if this do\nnot satisfy us, he is also _plenteous in mercy_. But to whom? Even _to all\nthose that call upon him_. Hence, it is said, \u201cThe Lord is nigh unto all\nthem that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will\nfulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and\nwill save them.\u201d Ps. 145:18, 19; Isa. 65:24; John 16:23; Matt. 7:7, 8.\n_Ask_, but rest not there; _seek_ also; neither think this sufficient, but\n_knock_. \u201cFor every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh,\nfindeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.\u201d \u201cWhat things\nsoever ye desire, when you pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye\nshall have them.\u201d Mark 11:24. Compare this with Luke 11:9. And that God\nwill keep his promise, is as certain, as that he really is what he, in his\nholy word, has declared himself to be. And that he may hear us, and pour\nhis abundant goodness upon us, he has commanded us to pray often, to pray\nearnestly, and without ceasing. Luke 18:1; 1 Thess. 5:17.\n\n16. A _third_ argument for our prayer, is God\u2019s paternal tenderness, which\nis thus illustrated. \u201cIf a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a\nfather, will he give him a stone?\u2014If ye, then, being evil, know how to\ngive good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly\nFather give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?\u201d Luke 11:11, 13. And is\nnot God this Father, \u201cof whom the whole family in heaven and in earth is\nnamed\u201d? (Eph. 3:15) whom St. Paul calls, \u201cThe Father of mercies, and God\nof all comfort?\u201d 2 Cor. 1:3. Shall man then be merciful, and shall God,\nthat created that merciful heart, be unmerciful? Shall he that gave to\nparents such tender affection, be without compassion himself? Why should\nGod call himself a Father, if he be not of a paternal disposition? So\nthat, in short, we must conclude, either that God is unjustly styled our\nFather, or else he will hear the prayers of his children that call upon\nhim. Hence, it is said, \u201cThou, O Lord, art our Father.\u201d Isa. 63:16. And,\n\u201cI am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.\u201d Jer. 31:9. But if\nthe affections of a mother be so great, that she cannot but have\n\u201ccompassion on the son of her womb\u201d (Isa. 49:15), why should we think God\nso void of mercy? Why should we question God\u2019s compassions toward us, if\nwe approach him with penitent and contrite hearts? How do the mother\u2019s\nbowels yearn over her beloved son, when she sees him laboring under any\ndangerous disease? So the Almighty God says of himself: \u201cTherefore, my\nbowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the\nLord.\u201d Jer. 31:20.\n\n17. A _fourth_ argument is, the _intercession of Christ_. With what ardent\nprayer did he, in the time of his humiliation upon earth, recommend his\nChurch to his Father, and intercede for all believers!\n\n18. Thus, \u201cHoly Father, keep through thine own name, those whom thou hast\ngiven me; that they may be one, as we are. Sanctify them through thy\ntruth; thy word is truth. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of\nthe world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Neither pray I\nfor these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their\nword. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me\nwhere I am; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them,\nand I in them.\u201d John 17:11, 17, 15, 20, 24, 26. Nor did he pray so for us\nonly upon earth; for even now he continues his intercessions for us at the\nright hand of God. \u201cSeeing then that we have a great high priest, that is\npassed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God;\u2014let us come boldly unto the\nthrone of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time\nof need.\u201d Heb. 4:14, 16; 7:26; 9:11; Rom. 8:34.\n\n19. A _fifth_ argument is, _the testimony of the Holy Spirit_, who\n\u201cbeareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God\u201d (Rom.\n8:16), and this witness in our hearts cannot deceive us. For if this\ntestimony be in us of a truth, we shall have a demonstrative evidence that\nwe are God\u2019s children, and that he hears us in Christ when we pray unto\nhim.\n\n20. _Sixthly_, because God and Christ are with us, and dwell in us _by\nfaith_, how can we suppose that God will not hear our sighs and groans?\n\u201cThou understandest my thought afar off. There is not a word in my tongue,\nbut, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.\u201d Ps. 139:2, 4. Think not,\ntherefore, that God is separated from thee by any distance of place, that\nmay hinder thy prayers from coming to him, \u201cfor he is in thee, and thou in\nhim.\u201d Acts 17:28; John 17:23. Since, therefore, he lives and works in\nthee, why should he not hear thy prayers? \u201cLord, all my desire is before\nthee; and my groaning is not hid from thee?\u201d Ps. 38:10. \u201cLet the words of\nmy mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight.\u201d Ps.\n19:14.\n\n21. _Seventhly_, because the Holy Spirit, who is truly God, is also the\nSpirit of prayer, and himself maketh intercession in us with sighs and\ngroanings unutterable. Zech. 12:10; Rom. 8:26. Why then shouldest thou\nimagine that God will not see, hear, and regard that which he himself\nworks in thee? Therefore it is impossible that even the feeblest sigh\nproceeding from the Holy Spirit in us, and tending towards God, can be\nlost or come to nought. For as it proceeds from God, so it goes to him;\nand whatsoever is in him cannot perish. The deeds are wrought in God, and\nwill be made manifest. John 3:21.\n\n22. _Eighthly_, God is not forgetful like men, as \u201ca book of remembrance\nis written before him, for them that fear the Lord, and that think upon\nhis name\u201d (Mal. 3:16): so that he cannot be forgetful of our prayers. God\ncannot forget that which is good, nor will he call the sins of the\npenitent to remembrance. So mighty and so abundant is the grace of God,\nthat he blots out our sins, and calls not our transgressions to mind. But\nthe good which he himself has wrought in us, he can never forget; for then\nhe must forget himself and his own works. It is therefore impossible that\nGod should disregard those prayers which his own Holy Spirit works in us;\nany more than he can forget his word, or be unmindful of his promise.\n\u201cSince I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still,\u201d saith God\nby the prophet. Jer. 31:20. And again, \u201cThou tellest my wanderings; put\nthou my tears into thy bottle.\u201d Ps. 56:8. So he assures us that \u201cHe will\never be mindful of his covenant.\u201d Ps. 111:5. And what is this covenant?\nNothing else but the remission of our sins, confirmed to us by the death\nof Christ, and sealed by his Holy Spirit. Eph. 1:13.\n\n23. And now, perhaps, thou wilt say, If these things are so, how comes it\nto pass that God does not hear and grant my petitions? I have often\nprayed, and called, and sighed, and all to no purpose.\n\n24. Thus much, indeed, must be granted, that many a man prays a great\nwhile for that which he does not obtain; and thence we judge that his\nprayers are not heard. What then becomes of these our reasons for\nbelieving that prayer will assuredly be heard? This is a very great trial,\nand has given much disturbance to many sincere and well-disposed souls.\n\n25. But here we must observe, that the certainty of God\u2019s hearing our\nprayers, is incontestably proved by the arguments already produced, which\nare built upon an immovable foundation; whence it appears, that God does\nas certainly hear our prayers, as He is (1.) merciful, and a lover of\nmankind. (2.) As he is true in all his promises, yea, eternal truth\nitself. (3.) As he has a fatherly tenderness for us. (4.) As Jesus Christ\nis our mediator. (5.) As God and Christ dwell in us; which are all truths\nso certain and evident, that no believing heart ought to question them.\n\n26. But we complain that God does not presently give us what we ask for,\nand, therefore, that our prayers are not heard. For this two reasons may\nbe given: 1. That God hears our prayers, regarding more our happiness than\nour desires. 2. That he reserves to himself the liberty of bestowing the\nblessings which we ask, either upon our bodies or our souls, as he shall\nthink most proper. Thus, perhaps, we ask of God some temporal blessings,\nwho seeing them to be unfit for us, gives us spiritual ones; by which\nmeans we not only receive what we prayed for, but so much the more, as the\ngood of the soul is to be preferred to that of the body. For as the soul\nis much more noble than the body, and spiritual blessings are more\nexcellent than earthly; so much better is it for us, that God should give\nus his eternal and spiritual blessings rather than those transitory and\nfading enjoyments in which we are generally most delighted. He hears our\nprayers, not always with respect to our bodies, but to our souls; which is\nof far greater importance. If it should please God to visit you with some\nbodily disease, and you pray for health, doubt not; your prayers will be\nheard, and you shall certainly enjoy, if not the health of your body, yet\nthe health of your soul, which is much to be preferred. Every man in his\nsound senses must think so. What advantage would it be to have the body in\nhealth, but a sinful, distempered soul, liable to eternal death? When it\nis well with the soul, a man may say with David, \u201cWhom have I in heaven\nbut thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My\nflesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my\nportion forever.\u201d Ps. 73:25, 26. And with the suffering Job, \u201cI know that\nmy Redeemer liveth.\u201d Job 19:25. And from Him the soul may derive life.\nTherefore David, comparing spiritual blessings with earthly, tells us:\n\u201cThe law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and\nsilver.\u201d Ps. 119:72.\n\n27. But, perhaps, you will say that you pray for both; the health of your\nsoul as well as of your body; and for spiritual blessings, as well as\ntemporal. To this the Lord himself answers thee, \u201cMy grace is sufficient\nfor thee\u201d (2 Cor. 12:9); which was the reply given to St. Paul, though he\nhad desired to be answered in his own way. And thus it appears, that God\nalways hears our prayers, if not with regard to our bodies, yet certainly\nto our souls.\n\n28. Besides, God has reserved to himself the liberty of accomplishing our\ndesires either in this world, or the next, as he shall deem most proper.\nWherefore if thou dost not receive the blessings for which thou prayest,\nconsider that it is not good for thee to enjoy them here, but that the\nanswer to thy prayers is reserved for the other life, which is more noble\nand durable, and more capable of pure enjoyments than this. There the Lord\nwill bestow on thee a thousandfold, for all that He seemed to deny thee\nhere. As He cannot forget our prayers, so He cannot fail to answer them\ngraciously; if not in this life, yet certainly in that which is to come.\nAs many prayers as thou offerest up here, so many blessings shalt thou\nreceive hereafter; for then \u201cwe shall reap if we faint not.\u201d Gal. 6:9.\nThen will the Lord say to the believing soul, \u201cBehold thy prayer which\nthou offeredst to me. See, here is that for which thou didst pray, and a\nthousand times more than thou didst desire.\u201d And for this time of\nretribution we must patiently wait.\n\n29. That man would be a very foolish husbandman, who would expect to reap\nas soon as he had sown; and who, when he had done this, would cry out with\ntears, that he had sown much seed, but could see no sign of harvest. Thou\nfool! wait till the season of harvest arrives, and then thou shalt receive\nthe fruits of thy labor with a blessed increase. These are the complaints\nwhich many people make: \u201cI have prayed,\u201d says one, \u201cso often; I have so\noften sighed from the bottom of my soul; but I see no prospect of being\nheard, so that all my prayers, and sighs, and tears, are in vain.\u201d Ah,\nimpatient soul! Thou hast scarcely sowed, and dost thou already talk of\nharvest? Wait for the precious harvest of eternal life, and thou shalt\nreap an abundant crop of glory! \u201cFor whatsoever a man soweth, that shall\nhe also reap.\u201d Gal. 6:7. There thou shalt gather with joy the fruit of the\nnumerous prayers, which, as so many precious seeds, thou hast sown in\ntears. Psalm 126:5. This is the word and promise of God, which shall\ncertainly be fulfilled, either here or in the other world. Thus, when thou\nart taking thy last sad farewell of a dying child, husband, wife, or\nfriend, thou must consider that this is the season in which the bodies of\nthy friends, and thine own also, are, as it were, to be sown and committed\nto the earth; but that the harvest of the resurrection is at hand, when\n\u201cthe angels, the reapers, shall gather the sheaves, and put them into\nbarns.\u201d Matt. 13:30, 39. There we shall find that our prayers, sighs, and\ntears were not lost, but only sent beforehand, to be received again with\nusury, finding all things in God that ever our souls could conceive or\ndesire. So the promises of God, and the arguments produced to sustain\nthem, shall stand firm and unshaken in Christ Jesus, to be eternally\nfulfilled to all believing souls, to their everlasting joy and salvation,\nfor which we shall render eternal thanks and praises to God.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVIII.\n\n\n            Seven Helps Or Aids For Our Infirmities In Prayer.\n\n\n    _Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not\n    what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh\n    intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he\n    that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,\n    because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the\n    will of God._\u2014ROM. 8:26, 27.\n\n\nSince our prayers are, alas! very weak and imperfect, let us see what\nassistance God has given us in his holy word, in order to help us in that\nduty.\n\n2. The _first_ help is our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ, the\nSon of God. 1 John 2:2. He is our advocate, and pleads our cause before\nGod, when we are hardly able to express what we want. He is therefore\ncalled the _Logos_, or the eternal _Word_ of the Father, because God by\nhim has discovered his will to us; as He is also called the Mediator,\nbecause He pleads our cause before God. A type of Him we have in Moses,\nthe mediator of the Old Testament; to whom the people, flying from the\nface of God in Mount Sinai, said, \u201cSpeak thou with us\u201d (Exod. 20:19). And\nwhen Moses complained that he was slow of speech, and of a slow tongue,\nwhen he was commanded to appear before Pharaoh; God tells him, \u201cAaron, thy\nbrother, can speak well. He shall be to thee instead of a mouth.\u201d Exod.\n4:10, 14, 16. So we also, when we should pray, are dull and slow of\nspeech, and therefore we must fly to Christ, our heavenly Aaron, who is to\nus instead of a mouth. The same thing is expressed to us by the\nmercy-seat. Exod. 25:17, 21. Therefore Christ commands us to pray in his\nname (John 16:23), who is our eternal High Priest, having an everlasting\npriesthood (Heb. 7:16), interceding for us (Rom. 8:34), \u201cin whom we have\nboldness, and access with confidence by the faith of him.\u201d Eph. 3:12.\n\n3. The _second_ help is God the Holy Ghost. \u201cI will pour upon the house of\nDavid, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of\nsupplication.\u201d Zech. 12:10. This spirit is given us as a testimony of the\ndivine grace, and of our adoption. Hence St. John says, \u201cHereby know we\nthat we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his Spirit.\u201d 1 John\n4:13. And St. Paul, \u201cYe have not received the spirit of bondage, but the\nSpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself\nbeareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.\u201d Rom.\n8:15, 16. He was also typified by the anointing of the priests under the\nlaw. Exod. 28:41; 29:7. Thus God has anointed us with the Spirit of Christ\n(1 John 2:20); that we should offer to him daily the fruit of our lips.\nPs. 69:30, 31; Heb. 13:15. This Spirit of God is the author of all those\ndevout aspirations which we meet with, such as: \u201cO Lord, hear; O Lord,\nforgive; O Lord, hearken and do.\u201d Dan. 9:19.\n\n4. The _third_ help to strengthen us in prayer, is found in _the promises\nof God_. \u201cCall upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee.\u201d\nPs. 50:15. \u201cHe shall call upon me, and I will answer him.\u201d Ps. 91:15. See\nalso Ps. 145:19; Luke 11:11, 13, and 18. \u201cBefore they call, I will hear.\u201d\nIsa. 60:24. \u201cThe eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are\nopen to their prayers.\u201d Ps. 34:16. \u201cWhosoever shall call on the name of\nthe Lord shall be delivered.\u201d Joel 2:32. \u201cAsk, seek, knock.\u201d Matt. 7:7.\n\u201cThe Lord is rich (in mercy, Eph. 2:4) to all that call upon him.\u201d Rom.\n10:12. See also Luke 11:11-13; 18:6, 7.\n\n5. The _fourth_ help in prayer, is _the remembrance of the saints_, whose\nprayers God has heard. Look at the examples of the ancients, and be\nstrengthened. And, indeed, we must needs be so, when we seasonably call to\nmind instances of God\u2019s providence and divine assistance. Upon this\nfoundation all the prophets of old built their prayers. Thus, when God was\nangry with Israel for the sin of the golden calf, and said to Moses: \u201cLet\nme alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume\nthem\u201d (Ex. 32:10); \u201cthen Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach,\u201d\nas the Psalmist expresses it (Ps. 106:23), putting God in mind of his\nformer mercies, saying, \u201cLord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy\npeople, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great\npower, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and\nsay, For mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the mountains, and\nto consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath,\nand repent of this evil against thy people, etc. And the Lord repented of\nthe evil which he thought to do unto his people.\u201d Exod. 32:11-14.\n\n6. David had recourse to the same remedy in almost all his Psalms; putting\nGod in mind, as it were, of his former mercies, goodness, and\nfaithfulness. So Ps. 25:6, \u201cRemember thy tender mercies.\u201d Ps. 77:5, etc.,\n\u201cI have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times,\u201d etc. Ps.\n85:1-6, \u201cLord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land: thou hast brought\nback the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy\npeople; thou hast covered all their sin. Thou hast taken away all thy\nwrath; thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Turn\nus, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt\nthou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all\ngenerations? Wilt thou not revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in\nthee?\u201d\n\n7. How admirably does the prophet Isaiah use the same form of supplication\n(chap. 63:10-16), putting God in mind of his former mercies, and opening,\nas it were, by this key, the immense treasures of his compassion. \u201cWhere\nis he that brought them up out of the sea, with the shepherd of his flock?\nwhere is he that put his Holy Spirit within him? That led them by the\nright hand of Moses, with his glorious arm, dividing the water before\nthem, to make himself an everlasting name? That led them through the deep,\nas a horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? As a beast\ngoeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so\ndidst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name. Look down\nfrom heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy\nglory; where is thy zeal, and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels,\nand of thy mercies towards me? Are they restrained? Doubtless thou art our\nFather, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not:\nthou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.\u201d\n\n8. This prayer of the prophet is founded upon these arguments: (1.)\nBecause the love of God is _eternal_, therefore it will not be withheld\nfrom _me_. (2.) I acknowledge myself to be a sinner but, at the same time,\nI remember that thy grace has been extended to sinners who repented.\n\u201cRemember not the sins of my youth.\u201d Ps. 25:7. (3.) My sins have been very\ngreat, but let thy mercy also be great. (4.) Remember that I am the work\nof thine own hands. \u201cRemember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as\nthe clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? Thy visitation hath\npreserved my spirit.\u201d Job 10:9, 12.\n\n9. The _fifth_ comfort in prayer is, _the tender love of God_ to mankind,\nand his promises to help the afflicted. \u201cLook upon mine affliction and my\npain; and forgive all my sins.\u201d Ps. 25:18. Again, \u201cThis poor man cried,\nand the Lord heard him.\u201d Ps. 34:6. Thus we are assured that God does not\ndespise the miseries of the distressed, although proud men may do it. For\nGod judges not as corrupt man judges; he has not eyes of flesh, nor doth\nhe see as man seeth. Job 10:4. And as it generally happens among us, that\nthe more need a man has of friends, the fewer he finds; so, on the other\nhand, God has a more tender and particular regard for him that is\ndestitute and afflicted. \u201cThe Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken\nheart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.\u201d Ps. 34:18. \u201cThou hast\nseen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy\nhand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the\nfatherless.\u201d Ps. 10:14. And, indeed, such are the proper objects of divine\nmercy. To enhance the comfort and certainty of these promises, the\nPsalmist mentions various classes of the afflicted; so that none who are\nin distress may despair: \u201cThe Lord executeth judgment for the oppressed;\nwhich giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners; the Lord\nopeneth the eyes of the blind; the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down;\nthe Lord loveth the righteous; the Lord preserveth the strangers; he\nrelieveth the fatherless and widows.\u201d Ps. 146:7-9. To this may be referred\nwhat the prophet Isaiah says, \u201cTo this man will I look, even to him that\nis poor, and of contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word.\u201d Isa.\n66:2. And \u201cThe expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.\u201d Ps.\n9:18. And \u201cHe will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise\ntheir prayer.\u201d Ps. 102:17.\n\n10. The _sixth_ help is, the consideration of _God\u2019s unspeakable\ncompassion_. He puts a better construction upon our prayers than we\nintended, and understands our necessities more perfectly than we can\nexpress them. He makes merciful allowance for our infirmities in prayer;\naccording to the words of Abraham, \u201cLet not the Lord be angry, and I will\nspeak.\u201d Gen. 18:30. Hence St. Paul says, \u201cBlessed be God, even the Father\nof our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all\ncomfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation.\u201d 2 Cor. 1:3. Compare\nthis with Ps. 103:8. By virtue of this compassion of God, none of our\nprayers are in vain. God keeps an exact account of all our sighs and tears\n(Ps. 56:8), for the sake of those tears which Christ our blessed Saviour\nshed, who, in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications\nwith strong crying and tears. Heb. 5:7.\n\n11. The _seventh_ help in prayer, is the remembrance of the _covenant of\ngrace_, which God has made with us. \u201cThis shall be the covenant,\u201d etc.\nJer. 31:33. And, \u201cThe covenant of my peace shall not be removed, saith the\nLord, that hath mercy on thee.\u201d Isa. 54:10. \u201cHo, every one that thirsteth,\ncome! I will make an everlasting covenant with you.\u201d Isa. 55:1, 3. In this\ncovenant of grace the assurance that our prayers shall be heard is\ncontained. \u201cSeek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while\nhe is near.\u201d Isa. 55:6.\n\n12. What we have said upon this head, is most happily exemplified in the\nprayer of Daniel. \u201cO Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the\ncovenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his\ncommandments.\u2014And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth\nout of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown,\nas at this day.\u201d (Here is the putting God in mind of his former mercies.)\n\u201cHear, O our God, the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and\ncause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the\nLord\u2019s sake.\u201d (This is pleading the name and merits of Jesus the Messiah.)\n\u201cO Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do.\u201d (These are the\ngroans of the Holy Spirit.) \u201cO my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open\nthine eyes, and behold our desolations\u201d (in regard of his promise);\n\u201cbecause for our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and\nthy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.\u201d (Here is a\nconfession of sin, and an acknowledgment of misery.) \u201cFor we do not\npresent our supplications before thee, for our righteousnesses, but for\nthy great mercies\u201d (this is an acknowledgment of man\u2019s unworthiness, and\nof God\u2019s mercy, which is followed with a remembrance of the covenant);\n\u201cFor thy city and thy people are called by thy name.\u201d Dan. 9:4, 15, 17,\n18, 19, 16.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIX.\n\n\n              The Conversation Of A Believing Soul With God.\n\n\n    _Wilt thou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thine\n    anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy\n    people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant\n    us thy salvation._\u2014PS. 85:5-7.\n\n\nThese words contain the familiar discourse of the devout and faithful soul\nwith God. Who would venture to talk so freely to an offended prince? But\nso indulgent is God to a believing soul, that he gives liberty to come\nfreely and without restraint into his presence. As soon as the believer\nenters, God asks, \u201cWhat is thy desire? come near, and be not afraid.\u201d This\nis represented to us in the case of Bathsheba (1 Kings 1:16), going into\nthe presence-chamber of king David, and making her petition. Upon which,\nthe king sware unto her with an oath. So also in that of Esther, whom, so\nsoon as she came into his presence, the king touched with his golden\nsceptre. Est. 5:1.\n\n2. It is held to be an act of singular grace and favor, if a king\nvouchsafe to talk familiarly with his subjects. It was upon this account\nthat the Roman emperor Titus was called _The delight of mankind_, for his\ngracious treatment of all who were near him, filled them with joy. But how\nmuch greater favor and happiness is it, that God, the Lord of lords, and\nKing of kings (whom the Psalmist calls, \u201cThe most high and terrible Lord,\na great King over all the earth\u201d), (Ps. 47:2), should not only talk with\nmiserable men, who, as Abraham says, \u201care but dust and ashes\u201d (Gen.\n18:27); but should even converse kindly with rebellious sinners, who are\nat enmity with him through sin. Isa. 59:2. So that when a Christian\nconsiders, on the one hand, the greatness and majesty of God; and the\nimpurity, corruption, misery, and vileness of human nature on the other\nhand, he cannot but cry out with David, \u201cWhat is man that thou art mindful\nof him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?\u201d Ps. 8:4. The most\nrighteous man living must acknowledge himself to be unworthy to converse\nwith God. This was the sentiment of the devout Abraham, who therefore\nexcuses his presuming to intercede with God for the Sodomites, saying,\n\u201cLet not the Lord be angry, and I will speak\u201d (Gen. 18:30, 32): and yet\nevery time that Abraham speaks, God vouchsafes to answer. And as he is the\nfather of \u201cthem which are of faith\u201d (Gal. 3:7), he gives us a notable\nexample of the devout soul\u2019s conversation with God.\n\n3. It is therefore a most certain and undoubted truth, that whensoever the\nfaithful soul calls upon God by prayer, he never fails to answer by the\ndivine consolations of his Spirit. An instance of this we have, where the\nPsalmist calls upon God in these words: \u201cLord, thou hast been favorable\nunto thy land. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people; thou hast\nturned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Wilt thou not revive us\nagain? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear\nwhat God the Lord will speak.\u201d Ps. 85:1, etc. The answer he received in\nhis heart; therefore he says: \u201cHis salvation is nigh them that fear him.\u201d\nVer. 9. And as he here prays, that he may hear what the Lord God will say\nconcerning him; God answers him, \u201cHear, O my people, and I will testify\nunto thee.\u201d Ps. 50:7. The afflicted soul prays, \u201cO Lord, rebuke me not in\nthine anger.\u201d Ps. 6:1. To which God answers, \u201cThe Lord is merciful and\ngracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.\u201d Ps. 103:8. The soul\nsays, \u201cWhither shall I flee from thy presence?\u201d Ps. 139:7. To which the\nLord answers, \u201cCome unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I\nwill give you rest.\u201d Matt. 11:28. The soul says, \u201cI know, O Lord, that the\nway of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh, to direct his\nsteps.\u201d Jer. 10:23. To which it is answered, \u201cI will instruct thee, and\nteach thee in the way in which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine\neye.\u201d Ps. 32:8. The believing soul prays, \u201cTeach me thy way, O Lord; I\nwill walk in thy truth.\u201d Ps. 86:11. To which the Lord answers, \u201cI am the\nway, the truth, and the life\u201d (John 14:6); the _way_, if thou wouldest not\nwander; the _truth_, if thou wouldest not be deceived; the _life_, if thou\nwouldest avoid eternal death. The believing soul complains, \u201cThere is no\nsoundness in my flesh, because of thine anger; neither is there any rest\nin my bones, because of my sin. My wounds stink and are corrupt, because\nof my foolishness.\u201d Ps. 38:3, 5. To which it is answered, \u201cThe\nchastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are\nhealed.\u201d Isa. 53:5. The devout soul says, \u201cHeal me, O Lord, and I shall be\nhealed: save me, and I shall be saved.\u201d Jer. 17:14. It is answered, \u201cWho\nforgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.\u201d Ps. 103:3.\nThe soul complains, and cries out: I have sinned above the number of the\nsands of the sea. To which God answers by the prophet Isaiah, \u201cI have\nblotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy\nsins.\u201d Isa. 43:25; 44:22. The soul cries out, Alas! I am a grievous\nsinner. And Jesus Christ answers, \u201cI am not come to call the righteous,\nbut sinners to repentance.\u201d Matt. 9:13. The soul prays, \u201cRemember not the\nsins of my youth, nor my transgressions.\u201d Ps. 25:7. To which God answers,\n\u201cIf the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and\nkeep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall\nsurely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath\ncommitted, they shall not be mentioned unto him.\u201d Ezek. 18:21, 22. The\nsoul cries out, \u201cWash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me\nfrom my sin.\u201d Ps. 51:3. To which God answers, \u201cThough your sins be red\nlike crimson, they shall be as wool.\u201d Isa. 1:18. \u201cLord, enter not into\njudgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be\njustified.\u201d Ps. 143:2. To which it is answered, \u201cGod sent not his Son into\nthe world, to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be\nsaved. He that believeth on him is not condemned.\u201d John 3:17, 18. The soul\nprays, \u201cCreate in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within\nme.\u201d Ps. 51:10. To which it is answered, \u201cA new heart also will I give\nyou, and a new spirit will I put within you, and cause you to walk in my\nstatutes.\u201d Ezek. 36:26, 27. The soul says, \u201cI am bowed down greatly; I go\nmourning all the day long.\u201d Ps. 38:6. To which it is answered, \u201cThe Lord\nhath sent me to comfort all that mourn.\u201d Isa. 61:2. It is said, \u201cLook upon\nmine affliction and my pain.\u201d Ps. 25:18. And it is answered, \u201cTo him will\nI look, that is poor, and of a contrite spirit.\u201d Isa. 66:2. \u201cThou tellest\nmy wanderings.\u201d Ps. 56:8. To which the Lord answers, \u201cThe very hairs of\nyour head are all numbered.\u201d Matt. 10:30. The soul cries out, \u201cWhen shall\nI come and appear before God?\u201d Ps. 42:2. To which is answered, \u201cWhere I\nam, there shall also my servant be.\u201d John 12:26. The soul complains, \u201cHow\nlong, O Lord, wilt thou forget me? forever? How long wilt thou hide thy\nface from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in\nmy heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?\u201d Ps. 13:1,\n2. To which is answered, \u201cFor a small moment have I forsaken thee; but\nwith everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee.\u201d Isa. 54:7, 8.\nCompare thy present suffering with God\u2019s eternal grace. Wait for the\npromise, which, though late, will surely be fulfilled at last. Hab. 2:3.\nThe soul says, \u201cThou art my God; be not far from me; for trouble is near;\nfor there is none to help.\u201d Ps. 22:10, 11. To which it is answered, \u201cI\nwill be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.\u201d Ps.\n91:15. The soul prays, \u201cLighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.\u201d\nPs. 13:3. To which it is answered, \u201cI will ransom them from the power of\nthe grave; I will redeem them from death.\u201d Hosea, 13: 14. The soul says,\n\u201cI have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ.\u201d Phil. 1:23. To which\nChrist answers, \u201cTo-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.\u201d Luke 23:43.\n\n4. In a word, the Holy Scripture is nothing else but a conversation of the\ndevout soul with God. Whenever the soul raises itself to God, and spreads\nits misery and complaints before him, then God answers it by some internal\ncomfort, or by the words and promises of the Holy Scriptures.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XL.\n\n\n            A Conversation Between Faith And The Mercy Of God.\n\n\n    _Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have\n    kissed each other._\u2014PS. 85:10.\n\n\nThe goodness of God comes forth to meet us, and gives merciful answers to\nthe prayers of faith; \u201cfor mercy shall compass us about.\u201d Ps. 32:10. It\ncalls to us: \u201cReturn, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to\nfall upon you: for I am merciful, and I will not keep anger forever. Only\nacknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord\nthy God.\u201d Jer. 3:12, 13. To which faith answers, \u201cHave mercy upon me, O\nGod, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of thy\ntender mercies, blot out my transgressions.\u201d Ps. 51:1. Mercy calls, \u201cHim\nthat cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.\u201d John 6:37. Faith answers,\n\u201cDraw me; we will run after thee.\u201d Cant. 1:4. Mercy says, \u201cThe Lord hath\nsent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all that mourn.\u201d Isa.\n61:1, 2. Faith answers out of Psalm 51:12: \u201cRestore unto me the joy of thy\nsalvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit.\u201d Mercy says, out of Isaiah\n43:25 and 44:22, \u201cI have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy transgressions,\nand, as a cloud, thy sins.\u201d Faith answers out of Psalm 25:18, \u201cLook upon\nmine affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins.\u201d Mercy comforts us\nand says, out of Psalm 103:13, \u201cLike as a father pitieth his children, so\nthe Lord pitieth them that fear him.\u201d To which faith answers, out of\nIsaiah 64:8, \u201cBut now, O Lord, thou art our Father.\u201d Mercy says, \u201cCome\nunto me.\u201d Matt. 11:28. Faith answers, \u201cUnto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my\nsoul.\u201d Ps. 25:1. Mercy says, \u201cThou hast played the harlot with many\nlovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord.\u201d Jer. 3:1. Faith answers,\n\u201cI will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him: Father, I have\nsinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called\nthy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.\u201d Luke 15:18, 19. Mercy\nsays, \u201cThis my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is\nfound.\u201d Luke 15:24. To which faith answers, \u201cI have trusted in thy mercy;\nmy heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.\u201d Ps. 13:5. Mercy proclaims, out\nof Isaiah 55:1, \u201cHo, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.\u201d To\nwhich faith answers, \u201cAs the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so\npanteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the\nliving God; when shall I come and appear before God?\u201d Ps. 42:1, 2. Mercy\nsays, \u201cWho forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.\u201d\nPs. 103:3. Faith exclaims, \u201cEnter not into judgment with thy servant.\u201d Ps.\n143:2. Mercy says, \u201cI am the way, the truth, and the life.\u201d John 14:6.\nFaith answers, \u201cShew me thy way, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in\nthy truth, and teach me.\u201d Ps. 25:4, 5. Mercy promises, \u201cI will ransom them\nfrom the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death: O death, I\nwill be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.\u201d Hosea 13:14.\nFaith answers, \u201cHe that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God\nthe Lord belong the issues from death.\u201d Ps. 68:20. Mercy says, \u201cI am the\nresurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead,\nyet shall he live.\u201d John 11:25. To which faith answers, \u201cI know that my\nRedeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:\nand though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I\nsee God.\u201d Job 19:25, 26. Mercy says, \u201cFear thou not; behold, I have graven\nthee upon the palms of my hands.\u201d Isa. 41:10; 49:16. \u201cThou art mine;\nneither shall any man pluck thee out of my hand.\u201d John 10:28. To which\nfaith answers, \u201cInto thine hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me,\nO Lord God of truth.\u201d Ps. 31:5.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLI.\n\n\n   The Great Benefits, And The Great Efficacy Of Praise Offered To God.\n\n\n    _In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. I call to remembrance\n    my song in the night; I commune with mine own heart._\u2014PS. 77:2.\n\n\nThis passage is an excellent rule of life, teaching every man how to\nconduct himself under the cross. As the word of God is the rule of our\nlife in prosperity, according to the Psalmist: \u201cI will instruct thee and\nteach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine\neye\u201d (Ps. 32:8); and \u201cThou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward\nreceive me to glory\u201d (Ps. 73:24): yea, moreover, as the word of God ought\nto be the rule of our faith, as the Psalmist tells us, \u201cThy word is a lamp\nunto my feet, and a light unto my path\u201d (Ps. 119:105): and \u201cHold up my\ngoings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not\u201d (Ps. 17:5)\u2014so also ought\nit to be our rule and direction in bearing the cross, as David teaches us,\nsaying, \u201cIn the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;\u201d that is, I will look\nup to God, who has laid this cross upon me, and beg of him comfort and\nassistance in the day of my trouble.\n\n2. Hence may every Christian learn, when he is in affliction, not to fix\nhis thoughts too much upon the immediate causes or instruments of his\nsufferings; but to lift up his heart to God; to apply to himself the\ndivine promises; to pray and sing praises to his God: and these are the\ntrue and certain consolations of an afflicted soul. David says, \u201cIn the\nday of my trouble I sought the Lord.\u201d As a mind oppressed with grief eases\nitself by communicating its troubles to a faithful friend, so is our\nafflicted spirit refreshed and comforted when we offer prayer and\nthanksgiving to God. Thus David \u201ccalled to remembrance his song in the\nnight, and communed with his own heart\u201d (Ps. 77:6); that is, when it was\nnight he longed earnestly for the morning, that he might rise and comfort\nhis weary soul by prayers and thanksgiving unto God his Comforter: in the\nmean time, he communed with his own heart, and poured out his soul in\nsecret; and God, who saw and heard in secret, who understood even the most\nsecret sighs and breathings of his dejected spirit, comforted,\nstrengthened, and refreshed him.\n\n3. Amongst other things that may be learned from this beautiful passage of\nthe Psalmist, this is one, that the singing of holy hymns and praises to\nGod, proceeding from a truly devout soul, are attended with great\nadvantages and spiritual blessings.\n\n4. The truth of this appears, 1. From nature itself. 2. From the efficacy\nof prayer. 3. From the examples found in the Old Testament. 4. From the\nexamples in the New. 5. From the examples of holy men in both, who were by\nthis means filled with the Holy Ghost. 6. From the nature and properties\nof the Psalms. 7. From the frequent use of the blessed Psalms among the\nancients, whenever they were under any adversity. All these considerations\nprove that there is a great virtue or efficacy in psalms and hymns of\npraise. By this I would not be understood to mean nothing but bare words\nand empty sounds, void of faith and devotion; but rather such a vigorous\nfaith, such an ardent devotion, as may break forth into holy hymns and\nspiritual songs, singing and making melody in the heart unto the Lord. Let\nus briefly describe this subject.\n\n5. As to the first, namely, the book of the world, or nature, it is clear\nthat the praise of God is the great end of the whole creation. That this\nis the grand employment of the angelical choirs, appears from many\npassages in the Revelation of St. John, as also from Isaiah 6:3 and the\n148th Psalm; which, inviting all creatures to praise God, for whose glory\nthey were created, begins with the angels (ver. 2), \u201cPraise ye him, all\nhis angels; praise ye him, all his hosts.\u201d From the angelical he descends\nto the sidereal world, saying, \u201cPraise ye him, sun and moon: praise him,\nall ye stars of light.\u201d To which may be referred the words of Job (chap.\n38:7): \u201cWhen the morning stars sang together.\u201d Thence he descends to the\nsea, calling on the waters, and all the numerous inhabitants of the\nwaters, to praise the God that made them. Thence looking up to the regions\nof the air, he calls to \u201cthe fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind\nfulfilling his word.\u201d Thence he passes to the earth: \u201cmountains and all\nhills; fruitful trees, and all cedars.\u201d Thence to the living creatures:\n\u201cbeasts, and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl.\u201d Thence to men,\nbeginning with the rulers of the world: \u201ckings of the earth, and all\npeople; princes, and all judges of the earth. Both young men and maidens,\nold men and children, praise the name of the Lord.\u201d And lastly, to the\nchurch of God, \u201chis saints, a people near unto him\u2014praise ye the Lord.\u201d\n\n6. The second argument was the efficacy of the prayer of faith. This is\nattested by the word of God, the examples of holy men, and daily\nexperience. For we are assured by all the promises of God, that not one\ndevout prayer, not one sigh or tear, comes from us in vain. \u201cPut thou my\ntears into thy bottle.\u201d Ps. 6:9; 56:8. \u201cThey that sow in tears shall reap\nin joy.\u201d Ps. 126:5. \u201cThe Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to\nall that call upon him in truth.\u201d Ps. 145:18. Nothing, indeed, in this\nworld can be successful without prayer; forasmuch as every good and every\nperfect gift cometh down from God, and must be asked of him. Without\nconstant prayer a man can neither live nor die in peace. Now, as the\noffering of praise to God is nothing else but the prayer of a devout soul\noverflowing with divine joy, in which holy men of God have celebrated and\nconveyed to posterity the mercies and wonders of God their Creator; it is\nplain that the singing of praises to God is an act of devotion, full of\nspiritual comfort and advantage.\n\n7. Thirdly, this is confirmed by many examples found in the Old Testament.\nExod. 15; Deut. 32; 1 Sam. 2; Isa. 12; 26; 38; 64; Jon. 2; Hab. 3; and the\nwhole Book of Psalms.\n\n8. Fourthly, this is confirmed by the examples of the New Testament;\nespecially those two divine hymns of Mary and Zacharias (Luke 1:46, 68),\nof which the Christian Church has appointed one to be sung in the morning,\nand the other in the evening, as a morning and evening sacrifice unto God;\nthereby instructing us, that singing psalms and praises unto God ought to\nbegin and end the day. Such, too, is the exhortation of the Psalmist, \u201cIt\nis a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy\nname, O Most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and\nthy faithfulness every night.\u201d Ps. 92:1, 2. But why such lovingkindness\n\u201cin the morning\u201d? Because \u201cit is new every morning.\u201d Lam. 3:23. And why\nsuch \u201cfaithfulness every night\u201d? Because \u201cthe Lord, that neither\nslumbereth nor sleepeth,\u201d is our guardian by night. Ps. 121:3. To this we\nmay add what we are told by St. Matthew (chap. 26: 30), that Jesus Christ\nhimself at his last Supper, sung a hymn with his disciples. And St. Paul\nsays to the Ephesians (chap. 5:18, 19), \u201cBe filled with the Spirit;\nspeaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing\nand making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always, etc.\u201d\nAnd again: \u201cLet the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;\nteaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual\nsongs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.\u201d Col. 3:16, 17. And\nSt. James says, \u201cIs any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry?\nlet him sing psalms.\u201d James 5:13.\n\n9. Fifthly, by the praises offered to God by the holy men of the Old\nTestament and the New, who were filled with the Holy Ghost. Of this we\nhave two instances. First, when Samuel had anointed Saul to be king, he\ngave him a sign, saying, \u201cThou shalt meet a company of prophets with a\npsaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they\nshall prophesy. And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou\nshalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.\u201d 1 Sam.\n10:5, 6. The second is, when Saul had sent messengers to take David, they\nmet several companies of prophets, and both they and Saul himself began to\nprophesy. 1 Sam. 19:19-24. Similar to this is that which we read\nconcerning Elisha (2 Kings 3:15), that when the minstrel began to play,\nthat holy man prophesied.\n\n10. In the Old Testament there were several kinds of divine music; some of\ntrumpets, some of psalteries and harps, some of cymbals, and other kinds\nof musical instruments. From this some imagine that the _Songs of\nDegrees_, as some of the Psalms are called, took their names. For they did\nnot sing all the Psalms to the same instrument, but adapted their\ninstruments to their subject, whether it were cheerful or sorrowful. All\nthese various kinds of music with which, under the Old Testament, they\nsang praises unto God, being a part of the external ceremonial service,\nhave now ceased; and our spirit, soul, mind, and mouth are become the\ntrumpet, psaltery, harp, and cymbal of God. To which St. Paul alludes,\nwhen he says, \u201cSinging with grace in your hearts to the Lord.\u201d Col. 3:16.\nBy which expression we are by no means forbidden, either in public or\nprivate, to praise God with voices or instruments of music; but it\nrequires that all this be done with true devotion, in the spirit, and from\nthe heart, lest religion should be thought to consist in empty sounds and\nthe external pomp of divine service. For the New Testament, see, for\nexample, Acts 4:24-31.\n\n11. Sixthly, the nature and properties of the Psalms prove the same thing.\nSome of them are supplicatory, others consolatory; some penitential,\nothers doctrinal; and, lastly, others prophetical: from which variety of\nstyle and intention the devout soul may reap a correspondent variety of\ncomforts and benefits.\n\n12. Seventhly, we are instructed by the examples of Moses and David that\nsongs of praise were used upon different occasions. As (1) _Against\nenemies_. These may be called prayers for protection. Such is Psalm 68,\nwhich the man of God sang when he was advancing against his enemies: \u201cLet\nGod arise, let his enemies be scattered.\u201d Some think that Psalm 91 was\ncomposed by David in the time of that great pestilence, which, in the\nspace of three days, swept away 70,000 men. 2 Sam. 24:15. And I doubt not\nthat many a man has been protected in national calamities by a proper use\nof this Psalm. (2) _In time of victory over enemies._ These we may call\nPsalms of victory. Thus David, when he had gained six victories, composed\nthe 18th Psalm, as may be gathered from 2 Sam. 22: 1. So Jehoshaphat\nmarched against the Moabites with singers going before him, who were to\nbless and praise the Lord with a loud voice; and he conquered. 2 Chron.\n20:21, etc. (3) _In great calamities._ Thus we read (1 Sam. 21:13) that\nDavid, when he changed his behavior before Achish, composed the 34th\nPsalm, as appears by the title. So he sang Psalm 3, when he fled from\nAbsalom. So when the apostles, in great difficulties, prayed in the words\nof the 2d Psalm, \u201cthe place was shaken where they were assembled\ntogether.\u201d Acts 4:31. And these are Psalms of mourning or lamentation. (4)\nThere are also eucharistical Psalms. So David sung the 105th Psalm before\nthe ark of the covenant. 1 Chron. 17:16. (5) There are complaining Psalms,\nas the 102d appears to be by the inscription; also some against\ncalumniators, as the 4th, 7th, 52d; also against diseases, as the 30th.\n\n13. Thus much concerning the efficacy and admirable benefits of divine\nhymns and thanksgivings. Whence it appears that it is the duty of a\nChristian to praise God as well as to pray to him every day. For (1), it\nbeing the constant employment of the holy angels to bless and praise God,\nwhen the Church on earth does the same, there arises thence a divine and\nheavenly communion betwixt the Church on earth and the Church in heaven;\nfulfilling, in some measure, that petition of the Lord\u2019s prayer, \u201cThy will\nbe done in earth, as it is in heaven.\u201d Matt. 6:10. Come, then, ye devout\nsouls, and when ye retire into your closets to pour out your souls before\nGod in secret, remember also to praise him with a Psalm of thanksgiving.\n(2) Moreover, it would be quite proper, and becoming a Christian, to\naccustom children, from their infancy, to sing psalms and praises unto\nGod, according to the Psalmist, \u201cOut of the mouth of babes and sucklings\nhast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies\u201d (Ps. 8:2): the\nadvantage of which, is expressed in the following words\u2014\u201cthat thou\nmightest still the enemy and the avenger.\u201d (3) We are encouraged to this\nduty by God\u2019s gracious acceptance of it, and delight in it; upon which\naccount the Psalmist calls upon him, saying, \u201cThou art holy, O thou that\ninhabitest the praises of Israel.\u201d Ps. 22:3. (4) Experience itself teaches\nus that by divine hymns we kindle flames of devotion in our souls, and\nreceive rich returns of spiritual joy, lively comfort, solid peace, and\nrest in God.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLII.\n\n\n      The Reasons For Which We Ought Daily To Offer Praises To God.\n\n\n    _Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:\n    for his mercy endureth forever._ PS. 106:1; 107:1; 118:1.\n\n\nThus saith the devout David, \u201cSeven times a day do I praise thee, because\nof thy righteous judgments\u201d (Ps. 119:164); that is, many times in a day do\nI sing praises in honor of thy holy name. By this he teaches us, that a\nman cannot spend his time better than by retiring at least once a day into\nhis closet, and praising God in secret. Yea, though his hands be employed\nin labor and business, yet may he, in the quiet stillness of his heart,\noffer up his praises unto God wheresoever he is. For the prayer of a true\nChristian is not confined to any certain time or place, since he worships\n\u201cin spirit and in truth\u201d (John 4:23); and the Spirit is not circumscribed\nby any limits of time or place. To which also relates the admonition of\nSt. Paul, when he commands us \u201cto sing with grace in our hearts to the\nLord\u201d (Col. 3:16); that being, indeed, the fittest place wherein God may\nbe praised.\n\n2. But as we are by nature dull and inactive in the discharge of this\nduty, therefore God has given us, in his Word, certain helps to quicken\nus.\n\n3. The first of these is _his own command_. He made us, his servants and\ncreatures, for his own glory, as we ourselves appoint servants to manage\nbusiness for us. He, therefore, who does not daily praise God, was created\nby him in vain, and cannot be his servant. Hence we are commanded, over\nand over again, in Holy Scripture, above all things, to praise God. Thus,\n\u201cPraise ye the Lord. Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.\u201d Ps. 113:1. \u201cO\ngive thanks unto the Lord.\u201d Ps. 118:1. \u201cThou shalt glorify me.\u201d Ps. 50:15.\nThis is an argument to us, that the chief part of our religious worship,\nour chief service in this world, and our happiness in the next, consist in\nthe exercise of praise and thanksgiving; upon which account we ought to\nesteem it our greatest happiness and most honorable employment. So the\nholy Psalmist says, \u201cMy soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and\nfatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.\u201d Ps. 63:4. And\nagain, \u201cDelight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of\nthine heart.\u201d Ps. 37:4. O how truly happy, then, and blessed is he who is\ncome to such perfection of divine worship as to delight in the Lord, and\nto be continually offering praises and thanks! \u201cHe shall be satisfied with\nthe goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.\u201d Ps. 65:5. If we think\nit an honorable thing to be employed in the service of any earthly prince,\nhow much more ought a man to rejoice when he considers that he may be\nadmitted to the service of the Lord of lords, and King of kings, being, in\nhis own nature, no better than dust and ashes, and a poor sinner! This\nsingle consideration ought to be of sufficient weight to encourage him to\npraise God daily.\n\n4. Secondly, _the advantages that a man derives from this exercise_, is\nanother argument. For since God has no need of our praises, and is neither\nthe better nor the worse for our obedience or neglect; and since the most\nacceptable praise which we can offer him is, at best, but the fruit of\n\u201cunclean lips\u201d (Isa. 6:5), as the prophet Isaiah speaks, it follows that\nthe advantage redounds only to ourselves, as being the means of drawing\ndown upon us the favor and blessings of heaven: a thankful heart being the\nproper receptacle of divine grace. This, in short, is that which brings\nGod down into our souls, and makes us truly the living temples of the Holy\nGhost; and where God is, _there_ is the fulness of divine blessing.\nMoreover, by the daily exercise of thanksgiving, we keep up communion with\nthe blessed choirs of triumphant saints and angels in heaven. They are\nincessantly singing the praises of God above; whilst we below, by the same\nexercise, are conquering, by degrees, the enemies of our salvation (Ps.\n18:29), till at length, by a constant practice of this divine duty, we are\nfilled with an immovable assurance that we are united to God, and that we\nshall be for ever happy with him in heaven, according to the promise of\nour blessed Lord, \u201cWhere I am, there shall also my servant be.\u201d John\n12:26. And now, would to God that wretched man would so lay these\nconsiderations to heart, and so sincerely endeavor to practise them, that\nevery soul might become, in truth, a house of prayer!\n\n5. Thirdly, we are encouraged to the daily practice of thanksgiving, from\nthe consideration of _the compassion, the lovingkindness, and everlasting\ngoodness of God_. This is an argument continually inculcated in the Book\nof Psalms, to teach us that the chief and fundamental reason why we ought\ncontinually to bless and praise God, is, because he is good and gracious,\nand \u201chis mercy endureth for ever.\u201d No heart of man can conceive, nor\ntongue express, the height and depth of that love which disposes the great\nand mighty God to show himself thus loving and merciful to wretched\nmankind, who are dust and ashes, laden with iniquities, and ungrateful to\nGod; and that he not only continues his wonted mercies to them,\nnotwithstanding their repeated provocations; but is also perpetually\ndispensing fresh showers of blessings upon the whole rebellious race. And\nthis is what every man must needs experience in himself. Look into thine\nown soul, whosoever thou art; what canst thou find there but misery and\nsin? Yet God continues merciful and long-suffering, is slow to anger, and\nnot willing to punish thee as thy sins have deserved. This is a degree of\nmercy which, as thy own heart must confess, no man living does or can\nexercise towards his brethren. We cannot so long forbear to punish those\nthat have offended us; and when we punish, mercy seldom pleads for the\ncriminal, till we are satiated with vengeance; whereas the rod of God is\noften lifted up, but his mercy averts the impending stroke, and rescues\nthe sinner from punishment. So that every man must confess that the\npunishments of heaven are not only less than we deserve, but are always\nqualified with a double portion of mercy. Whence it follows, that God is\nessentially and truly LOVE, which every man daily experiences in himself.\n\n6. Read the Holy Scriptures and see how tenderly, yea, how affectionately\nGod vouchsafes to deal with mankind, so that no father or mother upon\nearth can be more indulgent to their darling child. Thus, \u201cIs Ephraim my\ndear son? is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do\nearnestly remember him still; therefore, my bowels are troubled for him; I\nwill surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.\u201d Jer. 31:20.\n\n7. God not only bestows his favors plentifully both on our souls and\nbodies, but also does it with so much tenderness and good will, that, as\nhe himself says, \u201cHe rejoices over us to do us good\u201d (Jer. 32:41); as if\nhe were glad to find men willing to be happy in the blessed manifestations\nof his love; which is, indeed, the truest demonstration that it is\nsincere. Were not God thus merciful, our very being would soon be at an\nend, which nothing but his infinite mercy can sustain; yea, \u201cHis\nlovingkindness is better than life itself\u201d (Ps. 63:3), which \u201ccompasseth\nus about\u201d (Ps. 32:10), as tender mothers embrace their helpless infants.\n\n8. The same goodness of God discovers itself in all his creatures; in\nwhich, as in a glass, we may contemplate the wonderful riches of divine\nmercy: \u201cThe earth is full of the riches of God.\u201d Ps. 104:24. For whose\nsake was all that is good, both in heaven and earth, created? Not for Him\ncertainly, who is Himself all-sufficient, and stands not in need of any\ncreature. The sun, moon, and stars serve not to enlighten him; the fire,\nthe air, the earth, and water do him no service, but us. And when he\n\u201cfills our hearts with food and gladness\u201d (Acts 14:17), it is his goodness\nthat we taste, it is his bounty that feeds and nourishes us. He it is that\ngives us healthy and sound bodies, which are more valuable to us than an\nempire. If it should please God to turn the water into blood, as he did in\nEgypt (Exod. 7:20), we could not, with all our boasted treasure, purchase\none single drop to relieve our greatest necessities. Or should he, as he\ndid once (Exod. 10:22), cover the earth with thick darkness, no prince\nupon earth could, with all his riches, purchase one single gleam of light.\nOr what would all the world signify to him that should but for one moment\nbe deprived of the benefit of the air? All these are very great blessings\nof God, but because they are common, few are so sensible of them as to be\nthankful for them. Reflect, moreover, on the mercies of redemption and\nsanctification, in which the goodness and grace of God so transcendently\nappear, that eternity itself would be too short to praise and magnify\nthese blessings as we ought. To redeem a lost world is much more glorious\nthan to create it at first; and to regenerate a man by a spiritual new\nbirth, more wondrous than at first to produce him by a natural birth.\nLastly, whosoever will carefully consider the works and providence of God,\nmay read the plain characters of his mercy and love in every part of the\ncreation.\n\n9. Dull, ungrateful creatures that we are, how apt are we to forget our\nbenefactor, and despise the hand that blesses us! God is thus led in mere\nmercy to use the rod of discipline, and to take away our worldly comforts\nfrom us, in order thereby to reduce us to a sober sense of ourselves, and\nof our dependence on him, to whom all our thanks are due. Thus God speaks\nby the prophet Hosea, \u201cShe did not know that I gave her corn, and wine,\nand oil, and multiplied her silver and her gold: therefore will I return,\nand take them from her.\u201d Hosea 2:8. So that the _cross_ is, as it were,\nthe light by which we see and discover the true value of divine blessings,\nand who it is that bestows them. For ingratitude is the greatest degree of\nblindness, and the highest affront against God. And since the whole world\nis full of the glory of God, much more ought the heart of man to be full\nof it.\n\n10. Indeed the excellency of the divine love discovers itself chiefly in\nthis, that he bestows his favors even upon rebels and enemies. \u201cFor he\nmaketh his sun to rise, and sendeth his rain on the just and on the\nunjust.\u201d Matt. 5:45.\n\n11. The goodness and mercy of God herein appear still more illustrious,\nthat though we continue ungrateful, and our hearts \u201ccast forth wickedness\nas a fountain casteth forth her waters\u201d (Jer. 6:7), yet he still strives\nto conquer our ingratitude by his goodness, and does not take his mercy\nfrom us; as the Psalmist says, \u201cHis mercy endureth forever.\u201d Ps. 136:1. So\nthat as the heart of man is, as it were, an abyss of iniquity (Jer. 17:9),\nso God is an abyss of mercy, an ever-flowing fountain of goodness, so much\nsuperior in kind, as well as in degree, to that of any created being, that\nhe doeth nothing but good, and receives nothing in return but evil; which\nthe uncreated and infinite Good alone could do or suffer. And when,\nprovoked by our wickedness, he seems sometimes to lay aside his mercy, and\n\u201cin anger to shut up his tender mercies\u201d (Ps. 77:10), yet even that is\nnothing but paternal resentment, not tending to destruction, but so\ntempered with compassion, that mercy triumphs over judgment. So, \u201cIf his\nchildren forsake my law, I will visit their transgressions with the rod:\nnevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him.\u201d Ps.\n89:30-33. And, \u201cIn wrath remember mercy.\u201d Hab. 3:2. So, too, we read, \u201cHe\ndoth not afflict willingly the children of men.\u201d Lam. 3:33. For punishment\nis, as it were, contrary to his nature and essential goodness. For though\nthe Scriptures often speak of _God\u2019s being angry_, yet such expressions\nare used, after the manner of men, only in compliance with the weakness of\nhuman capacities. Yea, God is never angry with his faithful servants; but\nonly with wicked and obstinate sinners; and when he corrects the former in\nmercy, he punishes the latter in his wrath; for \u201cthe wrath of God abideth\non them.\u201d John 3:36. Hence David prays, \u201cO Lord, rebuke me not in thine\nanger.\u201d Ps. 6:1. As if he had said, \u201cLord, chasten me with mercy, as a\ntender father corrects his beloved child.\u201d Wherefore, it is as impossible\nthat the mercy and goodness of God should fail or cease towards mankind\n(though he sometimes afflicts us), as that the sun should actually be\nextinguished by a cloud, or the vast ocean be absorbed by a sponge. \u201cFor\nhis mercy endureth forever.\u201d Ps. 136:1. And this is the reason of God\u2019s\nreconciliation and forgiveness, not once or twice, but as often as the\nsinner begins to repent and sue for mercy. This mercy does not last for a\nfew hours, or a few days only, but forever; so that the entire nature and\nessence of God, infinite as it is, is nothing else but LOVE. No sooner\ndoes the sinner sincerely pray for pardon, but the merciful God freely\nbestows it, yea, he is more willing and ready to pardon, than we to ask\nit.\n\n12. Now if God pours his blessings upon us so plentifully in this life,\nthat we taste and enjoy them by all our senses; how much more fully shall\nwe be convinced, in the other world, by most blessed experience, that his\nmercy endureth forever? If we receive so many mercies from him now in this\nvale of sin and misery, as that \u201cin him we live, and move, and have our\nbeing\u201d (Acts 17:28), how much more glorious will his mercy appear\nhereafter, when we shall be cleansed from all sin, and rendered capable of\nthe purest enjoyments?\n\n13. Fourthly, the praises of God have been the special employment of all\nholy men. Most of the prophets of the Old Testament composed holy hymns,\nto the praise and honor of God. Thus did Moses (Exod. 15; Deut. 32),\nHannah (1 Sam. 2), Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20), Hezekiah (Isa. 38), and\nJeremiah (Lam. 3). David was, however, the most eminent, who is so fervent\nin the praise of God, as to say, that \u201cHis praise shall continually be in\nhis mouth.\u201d Ps. 34:1. In the New Testament, the Virgin Mary (Luke\n1:46-55), and Zacharias (Luke 1:68-79); also St. Paul and St. Peter, in\nmany places of their Epistles. These examples sufficiently show that they\nbelieved acts of thanksgiving and praise to be the most noble services\nwhich we can possibly perform in this valley of misery. And, therefore, if\nwe are desirous to be partakers with the saints in glory, it is necessary\nthat we should imitate their examples in praising and magnifying God.\n\n14. Fifthly, all creatures invite us to praise God. Thus David speaks to\nthem all, \u201cBless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion.\u201d\nPs. 103:22. And, indeed, every creature, in its way, gives glory to its\nCreator; for he has stamped such illustrious characters of his glory and\ngoodness on them all, that they cannot conceal them. \u201cThe heavens declare\nthe glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.\u201d Ps. 19:1. And\nJob says, \u201cWhere wast thou, when the morning stars sang together?\u201d Chap.\n38:4, 7. For even the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven, when they\ngive their light, bear witness at the same time to the majesty and\ngoodness of Him that made them. The earth praises God when it is fruitful\nand flourishing. The herbs and flowers, by their fragrance, beauty, and\nvariety of colors, show forth the might and wisdom of their Maker. The\nbirds with their songs; the trees with their fruits; the sea with its\ninhabitants (Ps. 104:25); in short, all the creatures in their several\nplaces, praise the God that made them, whilst they fulfil his will, and\nanswer the end for which they were created. Ps. 148:1, etc. And not only\nso, but they call upon mankind, by the virtues and powers which God has\nimplanted in them, as witnesses of his wisdom and goodness, to praise and\nglorify God. Whatever way we turn our eyes, we see so many marks of divine\ngoodness, that one would think that nature was nothing but one great\nhistory of the glory of its Maker. But forasmuch as God has been more\ngracious and bountiful unto man than to any other of his creatures,\nmankind are certainly obliged to furnish larger and more frequent returns\nof gratitude than they.\n\n15. Sixthly, we must know, that when we have done all that we can to set\nforth the greatness and majesty of God, the best and most devout of men\nmust fall short of the dignity of a subject, which no tongue, either of\nmen or angels, can worthily express. For \u201cWho can utter the mighty acts of\nthe Lord? who can show forth all his praise?\u201d Ps. 106:2. The most exalted\npraises of holy men are more properly acts of admiration and wonder, than\nattempts to express to the full the infinite love and majesty of God. They\nhave the will, but not the ability, to praise God in adequate terms. Thus\nholy David in many Psalms stirs up his soul, and all the powers thereof,\nto praise his God with thanksgiving. So Moses, \u201cThe Lord is my strength\nand song, and he is become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare\nhim a habitation; my father\u2019s God, and I will exalt him.\u201d Exod. 15:2.\nObserve, he calls God _his strength_; and were not that strength with us,\nin us, and above us, we should quickly be turned into dust, and vanish\nlike a shadow. Therefore it is said: \u201cEvery man at his best state is\naltogether vanity.\u201d Ps. 39:5. Moses also calls God _his salvation_; for he\nis our righteousness against sin; our strength against infirmities; our\nrefuge in persecution; our joy in sadness; and lastly our life in death.\n\n16. And now, what is there in heaven or in earth that may be compared unto\nour God, with whom is such abundant salvation; who, by his power, sustains\nthe heaven and the earth, and all that is therein (Isa. 40:12); who is so\nholy that all the angels adore him (Isa. 6:3), so \u201cfearful in praises\u201d\n(Exod. 15:11) that the heaven, the earth, and all that is under the earth,\nbow and tremble? He is so praiseworthy that all his works ought to be had\nin honor, and every creature ought to praise his Maker: so wise, so\npowerful, as to create all things out of nothing; to bring light out of\ndarkness; righteousness out of sin; and life out of death. Should we now\npass to the great work of our redemption, who can express it? He suffers\nhis only Son to become man, that we might become the children of God. He\nsuffers all pain as man, that we might enjoy everlasting felicity; he took\nupon him the form of a servant, that we might be partakers of his heavenly\nkingdom; lastly, he underwent death for us, that we, through him, might\nhave life eternal. Such works, such love, who can worthily celebrate?\nWhere is he that can explain how the infinite God, \u201cwhom the heaven of\nheavens cannot contain\u201d (1 Kings 8:27), can yet dwell in us, and we in\nhim? Or how he made our immortal souls, and will receive them to himself\nafter their separation from the body? Or how he shall raise our dead\nbodies from the dust of the earth unto eternal life? It is, indeed,\nwonderful and strange, that that which is \u201cmortal should put on\nimmortality.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:53. Wherefore, praise the Lord, O my soul.\n\n17. If any man, then, desires to answer the end of his creation, and not\nto be thought the only ingrate among all the works of God; if he desires\nto walk worthy of his Christian calling, and after death to be partaker\nwith the saints of light and everlasting glory, let his soul praise the\nLord, and let him beseech God that He would never suffer his soul to be\nunmindful or negligent of this duty. And those things which we cannot\nsufficiently praise in this world shall be worthily celebrated in the\nnext, when \u201cthat which is in part shall be done away. For now we see\nthrough a glass darkly, but then face to face.\u201d 1 Cor. 13:10, 12. Which\nmay God grant, for Jesus Christ\u2019s sake.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLIII.\n\n\n    To Praise God Is The Highest And Most Honorable Employment Of Men.\n\n\n    _It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord\u2014upon an\n    instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp\n    with a solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy\n    work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great\n    are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man\n    knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this._ PS. 92:1-6.\n\n\nThere are six Psalms which have been distinguished by the name of Golden\nSongs, namely, 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, to show us that the praise of God\nand prayer are the spiritual and heavenly treasure of a believing heart.\nAnd that this is the greatest honor man is capable of, appears hence. (1.)\nThat a cheerful confidence in God is that which procures the soul the\ngreatest liberty of access to him. Hence it is said, \u201cHonor and majesty\nare before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.\u201d Ps. 96:6. And\nthat this freedom of access is the highest honor of man, the very angels\nthemselves confess, who glory in that exalted privilege. \u201cI am Gabriel,\nthat stand in the presence of God.\u201d Luke 1:19.\n\n2. The giving praise to God is a great honor and treasure of man, because\n(2) thereby we become like the angels in heaven. Therefore our blessed\nSaviour, pointing out the future glory of men, says, \u201cThey shall be as the\nangels of God.\u201d Matt. 22:30; Luke 20:36. This, though it is ultimately to\nbe understood of the purity and other perfections of their glorified\nbodies in another life; in which respect we shall not only be like the\nangels, but also be conformed to the glorified body of our Lord Jesus\nChrist (according to Phil. 3:21, and 1 John 3:2, \u201cIt doth not yet appear\nwhat we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like\nhim; for we shall see him as he is\u201d)\u2014yet even as no man can be like him in\nthe other world, that has not been conformed to him in this; that is to\nsay, that has not believed in him, imitated his holy life, followed him in\nhis meekness and humility, and, in a word, perfectly clothed himself with\nthe image of the patient, humble, afflicted and crucified Jesus, that he\nmay be like him in his glorious, exalted, and perfect state in the other\nworld; so also shall no man be like the angels in heaven, that has not\nendeavored to conform himself to their examples on earth. There is then no\ninstance in which we can better imitate them here, than by offering up\ndevout and incessant prayers and praises to God; for this is the\nemployment of the holy angels. Isa. 6:3; Ps. 103:20. Whosoever then does\nthis, imitates those blessed spirits, and maintains fellowship with them.\nHence it follows, that to be continually celebrating the praises of God is\nthe noblest and most honorable employment that man is capable of. And this\nmay be done at any time, and in any place by a devout soul, praising from\nthe ground of the heart. It is thence that the true praises of God\nproceed, according to that expression, \u201csinging with grace in your hearts\nunto the Lord.\u201d Col. 3:16.\n\n3. That singing praises to God is the greatest glory and highest honor\nthat a man can receive, appears (3) hence; that by this a man becomes, as\nit were, the harp or instrument on which the Holy Spirit is perpetually\nsounding forth the praises of God. Of this we have a very beautiful\nrepresentation, where the Evangelist saw a great multitude clothed in\nwhite, and following the Lamb of God; and \u201che heard the voice of harpers\nharping with their harps.\u201d Rev. 14:2. This was also indicated under the\nOld Testament by that admirable variety of musical instruments mentioned\nby David in Ps. 150. All these instruments express nothing else but the\nvarious gifts of the Holy Spirit, by which the name, the praise, the\nhonor, the wisdom, the mercies, and wonderful works of God were to be\npublished to the world; which instruments are now laid aside to make room\nfor the divine harmony of _spiritual_ music, even that of praise and\nthanksgiving to God. For what the musical instrument is to man, that the\nsoul of man is to the Spirit of God, being attuned and rendered harmonious\nby the hand that holds it. Thus it is said, \u201cOut of the mouth of babes and\nsucklings thou hast ordained strength.\u201d Ps. 8:2. But what greater glory\ncan the heart, mouth, or soul of man desire and enjoy, than to be as so\nmany organs or musical instruments of the Spirit of God? This is what\nDavid means, \u201cThe Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my\ntongue\u201d (2 Sam. 23:2); and the apostle, \u201cBe ye filled with the Spirit:\nspeaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing\nand making melody in your heart to the Lord.\u201d Eph. 5:18, 19.\n\n4. That the praising of God is a man\u2019s greatest privilege, and most\nvaluable treasure, appears (4) hence: because in that exercise is\ncontained the greatest spiritual joy. Hence it is said, \u201cThou, Lord, hast\nmade me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands.\u201d\nPs. 92:4. And as in this divine joy consists the greatest part of the\nhappiness of eternal life, and the kingdom of God within us, which we are\ntold, \u201cis peace and joy in the Holy Ghost\u201d (Rom. 14:17); so whoever\ndesires a foretaste of the happiness of that blessed state, may obtain it\nby the daily exercise of praise and thanksgiving. This, when it proceeds\nfrom a sincere heart, gives life and divine joy both to the soul and body;\nas we are told in Ps. 63, and Ps. 84. What is Paradise itself, but pure\njoy and unmixed pleasures; where \u201cwe taste and see that the Lord is good\u201d?\nPs. 34:8. And what is eternal life, but the abundance of this joy, \u201cand\npleasures at God\u2019s right hand for evermore\u201d? Ps. 16:11.\n\n5. The greatness and excellency of this duty appears (5) hence: that by it\nwe are led to the contemplation of all the wonderful works of God, whence\nsuch rays of divine light and wisdom dart upon the soul, as scatter and\ndissipate the clouds of error and darkness in which men are naturally\ninvolved. Thus saith the Psalmist, \u201cO Lord, how great are thy works! and\nthy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool\nunderstand this.\u201d Ps. 92:5, 6. And St. Paul, \u201cThe Spirit searcheth all\nthings, yea, the deep things of God.\u201d 1 Cor. 2:10. Therefore, the more a\nman knows of God, the more he praises him; and the more he praises him,\nthe more he increases in the knowledge of him. For the higher any one\nrises in the praises of God, so much the more deeply he descends into the\ncontemplation of his nature and providence. I do not mean the presumptuous\ninquiries of some curious searchers into forbidden mysteries, but those\nriches of the divine wisdom which God often discovers to the soul that\nloves and praises him, and which strike her dumb by the excess of glory\nand sublime manifestations of Himself. If the queen of Sheba was so\nastonished at the riches and magnificence of Solomon\u2019s court, as to break\nout in these words, \u201cThy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I\nheard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand\ncontinually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom\u201d (1 Kings 10:7, 8), how\nmuch more should the devout soul be swallowed up in rapture and\nastonishment, at those revelations of divine light and glory which God\nfrequently vouchsafes to them that love and praise him, causing them to\ncry out with David, \u201cO, Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts\nare very deep\u201d! Ps. 92:5. And again, \u201cThe secret of the Lord is with them\nthat fear him; and he will show them his covenant.\u201d Ps. 25:14. And again,\n\u201cThou shalt make me to know wisdom in the hidden part.\u201d Ps. 51:6.\nTherefore, as the queen of Sheba says, \u201cHappy are thy men, happy are these\nthy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom;\u201d\nso those that continually praise God, are the servants of God, standing\ncontinually about his table, believing in spirit the divine wisdom, and\nhearkening to the word of God. This is the never-failing fountain of true\nwisdom, which one of the ancient fathers treats of, calling it \u201cthe deep\nocean of divine wisdom.\u201d But sublime and glorious as it is, \u201ca brutish man\nknoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.\u201d In a word, the more\nclosely a man approaches God by praise and thanksgiving, the clearer\nmanifestations has he of the riches and treasures of the divine wisdom;\nwhich at the same time are hidden, and as it were locked up from those\nthat are without understanding in the ways of God.\n\n6. We may conclude that praising God is the highest honor, the most\nexalted privilege, and greatest benefit to man; because (6) by this man\ngains the victory over all his enemies, both Satan and men. See Psalm 8:2;\n18:3, etc.; 118:5-15. We have a plain instance of this in the case of\nJehoshaphat, who, with one divine hymn, routed a vast army of his enemies\nwithout loss of blood; as we find, 2 Chron. 20:21, 22. Such songs of\nvictory are frequently to be met with in the Psalms: as Psalms, 18; 46;\n47; 76, etc.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLIV.\n\n\n   Of Patience, Which Triumphantly Endures The Cross, And Waits For The\n                             Promised Glory.\n\n\n    _Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of\n    God, ye might receive the promise._\u2014HEB. 10:36.\n\n\nTrue Christian _patience_ is that virtue by which, in all afflictions that\ncannot, by ordinary means, be avoided, we resign ourselves to the divine\nwill, and submit entirely to it; choosing rather to suffer the greatest\nevils, than murmur against God, or let go our dependence on him.\n\n2. The first reason or ground of this virtue is, _the counsel and gracious\nwill of God_, by which we are appointed to sufferings and afflictions;\naccording to Rom. 8:29: \u201cWhom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to\nbe conformed to the image of his Son.\u201d As, therefore, God appointed his\nown beloved Son to the sufferings of the cross, that thereby he might\nbring him to glory; so also has he appointed all the true members of\nChrist to bear the cross, without which they cannot be his body. Eph.\n5:30. To each of these he has marked, measured, and, as it were, weighed\nout, his exact portion of affliction, which cannot be escaped, much less\nshaken off by impatience; but may be alleviated by obedience and humble\nsubmission, and overcome by the power of Jesus Christ.\n\n3. The second reason why we ought to be patient is _the approaching\nconsummation of all things_; at which time, as our blessed Lord has told\nus, \u201ciniquity shall abound, and love shall wax cold.\u201d Matt. 24:12. The\nconsequence of this must be that sincere Christians will be exposed to\nvarious afflictions, crosses, injuries, and sundry kinds of death; for\n\u201call that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.\u201d 2\nTim. 3:12. Christ assures us that the righteous must expect tribulations\nand persecutions for the testimony of a good conscience. John 15:20; 16:1.\nAnd the whole Revelation of St. John testifies that Antichrist shall\npersecute the Church of God till the last coming of the Lord; then the\nconflict will at last end, and the dragon and false prophets be cast into\nthe lake of fire and brimstone. Do not, therefore, deceive thyself with\ngolden dreams of felicity, but possess thy soul in patience, and\nstrengthen thyself against the approaching calamities.\n\n4. Thirdly, the hope of the restitution of all things, and _the\nexpectation of everlasting happiness_, is another argument to support our\npatience. For as \u201cthe husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the\nearth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and\nlatter rain\u201d (James 5:7), comforting himself under all his toils with the\nhopes of a plentiful harvest, so should Christians also learn to \u201cpossess\ntheir souls in patience\u201d (Luke 21:19), and to persuade themselves that the\ngreat and universal harvest of the long-expected day of the Lord shall\nrepair all our losses, and give to every one of us the fruit of our\nlabors. For as the husbandman by no means reckons his seed lost, though it\nis for a while buried in the earth, but only sows it there in hopes of a\nharvest, so when Providence is pleased to take from us our lives, our\nfriends, our estates, or honor, we must not look upon them as lost, but be\nassured that they are sown in hope of the great day of harvest, when we\nshall reap abundantly, \u201cif we faint not.\u201d Gal. 6:9. So also afflictions\nare compared to seed-time: \u201cThey that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He\nthat goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come\nagain with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.\u201d Ps. 126:5, 6.\n\n5. Fourthly, another support of patience is the _coming of Jesus Christ_;\nwhen all our sorrows shall be done away, yea, be turned into joy (John\n16:20), and the just judgment of God shall fall upon our enemies; and then\n\u201cshall every man have praise of God.\u201d 1 Cor. 4:5. And this day is at hand:\n\u201cthe coming of the Lord draweth nigh.\u201d James 5:8. \u201cVengeance is mine,\nsaith the Lord.\u201d Rom. 12:19. The time of the cross is short, but the glory\nthat follows it will be eternal. And that day of deliverance cannot be far\noff.\n\n6. The fifth support of patience is _the truth and faithfulness of God_;\nby the consideration of which \u201cwe ought to stablish our hearts,\u201d as St.\nJames says, so that they may not waver. James 5:8. For as we tie a tender\ntree to a post, that it may not be broken by the winds; and as we cast\nanchor in a storm, to hold the ship, that it may not be driven by the\ntempest; so ought we to apply our faint and weak hearts to the firm pillar\nof God\u2019s word, and hold the ship of our souls by the anchor of hope, that\nit sink not. Heb. 6:19. For how many and great promises of divine\nassistance have we in the Holy Scriptures! How many instances of strange\ndeliverances have we daily before our eyes! And what variety of methods\nhas God to deliver us! How many has he preserved in pestilence and famine\n(2 Kings 6:25; 7:16), and delivered from the peril of the sword! 2 Chron.\n20:22; 14:12. For God can turn the hearts of enemies to unity and peace,\nor disappoint the designs of the adversary, as appears in the history of\nthe blessed Jesus: \u201cfor,\u201d says the angel, \u201cthey are dead which sought the\nyoung child\u2019s life.\u201d Matt. 2:20. God can also convert an adversary, as he\ndid St. Paul. Acts 9: 3, etc. How often does he disappoint the bloody\nintentions of wicked men! Saul had a design upon the life of David, and\nthought he was so penned in that he could not escape; but God recalls him\nby the message of a new incursion of the Philistines into his country. 1\nSam. 23:27. And the chief priests having sent their officers to lay hold\non the blessed Jesus, the latter were so affected by our Lord\u2019s\ndiscourses, that they could not find in their hearts to touch him. John\n7:44. Sometimes God smites the enemies of his servants with blindness, as\nin the cases of Elisha (2 Kings 6:18) and of Lot. Gen. 19:11. Consider,\ntoo, the innumerable legions of angels that guarded the Christians of old\ntime, and miraculously preserved them from imminent dangers, as in the\ncase of St. Peter. Acts 5:19; 12:7-11. And how often was St. Paul\nwonderfully preserved, and the designs laid against his life discovered!\nActs 23:16. At length, by a temporal death, God puts an end to the\nmiseries of his servants.\n\n7. Sixthly, how _glorious_ shall the _recompense_ of past afflictions be\nto the faithful in the other world, which they would not exchange for all\nthe pleasures and glories of this! Rom. 8:18. \u201cBlessed are they that\nmourn; for they shall be comforted.\u201d Matt. 5:4. And in Rev. 21:4 and Isa.\n25:8, it is said, that \u201cGod shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of\u201d\nhis saints. But how shall he wipe away the tears of those that never\nsincerely wept?\n\n8. Seventhly, we must set before our eyes _the examples of holy men_, as\nAbel, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Job, and especially\nthe man of God, Moses; who, as the Holy Scripture witnesses, was \u201cvery\nmeek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.\u201d Num. 12:3.\nThe people were sometimes murmuring against him, sometimes chiding him,\nand sometimes threatening to stone him; but he broke their stubborn hearts\nby his meekness and patience, pacifying them with gentle words, praying to\nGod for them, and entreating rather to be blotted out of the book of life,\nthan that they should be cut off in His displeasure. Exod. 32:32. So also\nElijah, having been most cruelly persecuted, yet obtained rain from God\nfor his ungrateful country. 1 Kings 18:45. Micaiah, before the kings Ahab\nand Jehoshaphat, was struck by the false prophets, and cast into prison,\nonly for dealing sincerely with the king, and giving him a salutary\nwarning. 1 Kings 22:24; 2 Chron. 18:23. Why should I mention Isaiah, sawn\nasunder as a reward for his faithful services, or Jeremiah, bitterly\npersecuted by his countrymen (Jer. 15:10), or Daniel, cast into the den of\nlions (Dan. 6:6), or John the Baptist beheaded (Matt. 14:10), or St. Paul,\nand all the afflictions which he endured (2 Cor. 11:23, etc.), or the\nsufferings and trials of the rest of the Apostles, and all the holy\nmartyrs? See Heb. 11:35, etc. Should you inquire of all these, by what way\nthey entered into heaven, they will all with one voice answer: By the way\nof the cross and tribulation. Acts 14:22. Neither did Christ himself enter\nby any other way. So says St. Peter, \u201cChrist suffered for us, leaving us\nan example, that ye should follow his steps: who, when he was reviled,\nreviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed\nhimself to him that judgeth righteously.\u201d 1 Pet. 2:21, 23. So great was\nthe patience of our blessed Redeemer, that though the sun hid its head at\nthe time of his passion, being unwilling to witness indignities so great;\nthough the earth trembled, and the rocks rent (Luke 23:44; Matt. 27:51);\nyet he, still hanging upon the cross, murmured not against his enemies,\nnor by either word or gesture discovered the least impatience; but on the\nother hand, prayed for his enemies, that they might be saved by that blood\nwhich they so unjustly shed. Now if this be the lot of the children of\nGod, that he chasteneth every one whom he loveth and receiveth, it follows\nthat we must either suffer, or quit our title to be the sons of God. Heb.\n12:6-8. If our heavenly Father spared not his own Son, though he was\nwithout sin, but chastened him with the rod of affliction; canst thou, who\nart an adopted son, and polluted with innumerable sins, expect to escape\nit? Moreover, if God bear so patiently with our provocations, how much\nmore patient ought we to be, when we are punished for our good, with a\nview to our amendment! \u201cLet us rather rejoice,\u201d as St. Peter exhorts us (1\nEpistle 4:13), \u201cinasmuch as we are partakers of Christ\u2019s sufferings; that\nwhen his glory shall be revealed, we may be glad also with exceeding joy.\u201d\n\n9. Eighthly, we shall bear our afflictions patiently, when we consider\nthat Christ Jesus has _sanctified and blessed our crosses by his own_, and\nhas taken away the sting of affliction, and made it to us the instrument\nof blessing, life, and glory. For as the sufferings of Christ ended in\nglory, so will the sufferings of every Christian be turned into\neverlasting joy.\n\n10. Ninthly, behold _the glorious reward_ of those that bore their cross\n_with patience_. Though many of the holy martyrs were most barbarously\ntreated, most inhumanly punished, and cruelly put to death, some thrown to\nwild beasts, some boiled in oil, others in melted lead; yet there is no\nman so impious or foolish, as to say, that he had not rather be in their\ncondition now, than that of their murderers. Who would not now prefer the\ncondition of the poor Lazarus, to that of the rich man? Luke 16:25. But if\nthou wouldest obtain the glory of the saints, thou must also bear the same\ncrosses, and bear them with the same patience. To this we must refer those\nwords of our blessed Saviour: \u201cBlessed are ye when men shall revile you,\nand persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil of you falsely, for my\nsake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven.\u201d\nMatt. 5:11, 12. As also those in Rom. 8:17, 18, \u201cIf we suffer with Christ,\nwe shall also be glorified with him.\u201d And again, \u201cI reckon that the\nsufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the\nglory which shall be revealed in us.\u201d\n\n11. Tenthly, let the deep _compassion_ of God be a support to our\npatience, who can no more forget us, than a mother can forget her sucking\nchild. Isa. 49:15. He says, that \u201chis bowels are troubled for Ephraim, and\nthat he will have mercy upon him.\u201d Jer. 31:20. Hence also he is said to be\n\u201cfaithful, who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able\u201d (1\nCor. 10:13); not chastening us for our hurt, but that we may obtain\neverlasting life, \u201cand not be condemned with the world.\u201d 1 Cor. 11:32.\nFor, if the cross be nothing but a token of God\u2019s favor, wouldest thou\nrather choose the pleasures and dainties of the rich man here, and have\nhis punishment hereafter, than enter into eternal life by the way of the\ncross, and wear a crown of glory?\n\n12. All that has been said on this head, is admirably explained in the\nEpistle to the Hebrews (Heb. 12:1-11) as follows: \u201cLet us run with\npatience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author\nand finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him,\nendured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand\nof the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of\nsinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye\nhave not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have\nforgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My\nson, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art\nrebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth\nevery son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you\nas with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye\nbe without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards,\nand not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which\ncorrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in\nsubjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few\ndays chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we\nmight be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present\nseemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth\nthe peaceable fruit of righteousness, unto them which are exercised\nthereby.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLV.\n\n\n         Divine Consolation Produces Patience Under Afflictions.\n\n\n    _Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is\n    tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has\n    promised to them that love him._\u2014JAMES 1:12.\n\n\nEven as God has provided healing remedies for the body in external nature;\nso has he also for the soul in his holy Word. And as in this valley of\nmisery and tears, no man can be perfectly free from crosses, afflictions,\nand troubles; so nothing can be more seasonable than to collect certain\nheads out of the word of God, by a proper application of which we may find\nhelp and comfort in the hour of temptation.\n\n2. The _first_ comfort is the consideration of the divine providence,\nwhich lays the burden upon us. \u201cThe Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he\nbringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.\u201d 1 Sam. 2:6. \u201cThe Lord gave,\nand the Lord hath taken away.\u201d Job 1:21. \u201cAre not two sparrows sold for a\nfarthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your\nFather.\u201d Matt. 10:29. \u201cI form the light, and create darkness: I make\npeace, and create evil.\u201d Isa. 45:7. \u201cHappy is the man whom God correcteth;\ntherefore, despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for he maketh\nsore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.\u201d Job 5:17,\n18. It is, therefore, foolish to be angry with those whom God makes the\ninstruments of our correction. \u201cWherefore doth a living man complain, a\nman for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and\nturn again to the Lord.\u201d Lam. 3:39, 40. This is the design of God, that we\nshould repent and turn from our sins, and not murmur against him that\nafflicts us.\n\n3. The _second_ head of comfort is to consider the end and design of our\ncross, namely, that God sends it, not out of wrath, but from pure love to\nour souls. How dangerous it is to a man\u2019s soul to be always prosperous and\nat ease, we may learn not only from the case of \u201cthe rich man\u201d (Luke\n16:25), but also from the example of our first parents, whose happiness in\nparadise being greater than they could bear, they were, by the temptations\nof Satan, seduced from their obedience and dependence upon God. Gen. 3.\nAnd every day furnishes us with fresh instances of the danger of such a\nstate. Now, though God, in strict justice, might have condemned man to\neverlasting punishment, yet he chose rather to have pity on him, and\ndevised means for recovering his lost happiness; and one of these is the\ncross, or affliction. For this cause he drove him out of paradise, that in\nthe \u201csweat of his face he should eat bread\u201d (Gen. 3:19), to the intent\nthat, by sufferings, he might be brought to repentance; and this is his\nconstant method even to this day. Though we offend him by innumerable\nsins, yet, in his abundant mercy, he leaves nothing undone, no means\nuntried, that may lead to our conversion and amendment. And this is the\nreason why Providence appoints every particular man his cross, that we may\nall be kept in true penitence and the fear of God unto eternal life. Hence\nit is that God is said to correct those whom he loves, that they may not\nbe condemned with the world. Prov. 3:11, 12; 13:24; Heb. 12:6; 1 Cor.\n11:32.\n\n4. The _third_ argument is sin itself, by considering whether thou hast\nnot deserved thy punishments. If thou hast (which thou canst not deny),\nthen it is agreeable to the divine justice that thou shouldest suffer.\nNow, a temporal suffering, attended with the divine mercy and comfort, is\ncertainly more desirable than an eternal one, without hopes of comfort or\nexpectation of redemption. Call to mind the rich man, in vain crying out:\n\u201cFather Abraham, have mercy on me\u201d (Luke 16:24), and assure thyself that\nit will be no small comfort to consider that God has changed the eternal\npunishment threatened to our sins into a temporal correction that can be\nendured.\n\n5. _Fourthly_, when thou art afflicted, consider how much Christ suffered\nfor thy sake! Think upon his poverty, \u201cwho had not where to lay his head!\u201d\nMatt. 8:20. Remember the indignities which he underwent, such as no man\never did or will endure: being \u201cdespised and rejected of men\u201d (Isa. 53:3,\n4); yea, \u201ca worm, and no man.\u201d Ps. 22:6. Moreover, as he took upon him the\nmiseries, pains, and diseases of all the world, hence it was that he\nunderwent such bitter sufferings, such dreadful torments, that even the\nsun and moon were darkened at the sight, the earth quaked, and the rocks\nrent; all which, though for the sake of his most cruel enemies, he bore\nwith a love so inexpressibly pure, with a meekness and patience so\nsincere, that \u201cas a lamb, he opened not his mouth.\u201d Moreover, though we\nprovoke him every day by innumerable transgressions, yet he continues, and\nwill still continue faithful, and ready to receive us to his favor upon\nour repentance (Jer. 3:9); yea, and if the ransom he has already paid were\nnot sufficient, he would lay down his life again for our sakes. Therefore,\nhe bears patiently with us, and waits day and night to be gracious. For so\nstrong, so ardent, is his love towards us, that it cannot be quenched by\nany sins, any ingratitude of ours, if we but sincerely repent of them. His\nlove is higher than heaven, deeper than the sea, and exceeding even our\nmost exalted thoughts and expressions. But there is one thing necessary on\nour part, and that is, _repentance_. Therefore, he calls upon all without\ndistinction, \u201cCome unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I\nwill give you rest.\u201d Matt. 11:28. And, \u201cO Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often\nwould I have gathered thy children together!\u201d Matt. 23:37. \u201cIf any man\nthirst, let him come unto me, and drink.\u201d John 7:37. By these words of\nHoly Scripture, he continually invites every one to come to him that\nstands in need of mercy. How then canst thou imagine that He will forsake\nthee in the time of trouble, who endured so many and great miseries for\nthy sake! It is for this that God calls himself our _Father_. Now we know\nthat a father is more compassionate and tender than a master: so that he\nwould not have us dread him, but love him as a dutiful child does an\nindulgent father. When, therefore, any affliction befalls thee, receive it\ncheerfully, and remember that thy Father sends it to thee for good, and\nkiss the rod, and the hand that holds it. Consider the compassion of God\nas thy greatest security, the firm foundation of all thy hopes; firmly\nbelieving that thy heavenly Father will lay no more upon thee than he\nknows to be absolutely necessary for the salvation of thy soul.\n\n6. _Fifthly_, we must call to mind the consolatory promise of our blessed\nSaviour, \u201cVerily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament,\nbut the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow\nshall be turned into joy.\u201d John 16:20. As a little seed is multiplied into\na number of grains, so one affliction shall produce a large increase of\nspiritual joy and glory. \u201cThey that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. He\nthat goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come\nagain with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.\u201d Ps. 126:5, 6. If God\nshould promise to convert every pebble about thy house into a precious\nstone, thou wouldest quickly make a large collection, and highly value\nthem. The case of crosses and afflictions is just the same. Learn to love\nthem, yea, court them, knowing that God will assuredly convert them into\ntreasures of blessings, and spiritual joys; according to the words: \u201cI\nreckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be\ncompared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.\u201d Rom. 8:18.\n\n7. The _sixth_ ground of comfort is found in the examples of the saints,\nnone of whom were without their cross. Ask them one by one, and they will\nanswer you, \u201cThrough much tribulation we entered into the kingdom of God.\u201d\nActs 14:22. Ask the elders in the Revelation, \u201cWho are these?\u201d and they\nwill tell you, \u201cThese are they which came out of great tribulation.\u201d Rev.\n7:14. Inquire of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David,\nDaniel, Elias, Job, and all the Prophets and Apostles; they will tell you\nthat they drank deep of the bitter cup of affliction, which was to them\n\u201cthe cup of salvation.\u201d Ps. 116:13. If we consider only the holy martyrs,\nwhose tortures and sufferings were terrible and affrighting, we shall find\nthat nothing could seduce them from Christ. And what comparison is there\nbetween their crosses and our light afflictions, who \u201chave not yet\nresisted unto blood\u201d! Heb. 12:4. We cannot bear a trivial injury, or an\naffronting expression for Christ\u2019s sake, for whom the blessed martyrs\nunderwent the most ignominious deaths. One was beheaded, another roasted\nalive, a third crucified; some were drowned, some stoned, others hanged,\nothers struck through with darts, others forced to walk barefooted upon\nred-hot plates of iron; the love of Christ so swallowing up all sense of\npain, that they cried out that \u201cthey were walking upon roses.\u201d\n\n8. The _seventh_ source of comfort is, the presence of God with us under\nthe cross. God has nowhere declared that he dwells with the merry, but\nrather with the afflicted and sorrowful. \u201cI dwell in the high and holy\nplace, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive\nthe spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.\u201d\nIsa. 57:15. \u201cFear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am\nthy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold\nthee with the right hand of my righteousness.\u2014When thou passest through\nthe waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not\noverflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be\nburned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.\u201d Isa. 41:10; 43:2.\n\u201cBecause he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I\nwill set him on high, because he hath known my name.\u201d Ps. 91:14. \u201cThe Lord\nis nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a\ncontrite spirit.\u201d Ps. 34:18. It was the comforting presence of God that\nenabled the holy martyrs to bear up so boldly under the torments that were\nlaid upon them, and to disregard their tormentors, as did particularly St.\nLaurence and St. Vincent, the latter of whom, walking upon burning coals,\ntold them, \u201che was walking upon fragrant roses.\u201d Babylas, the martyr,\ndesired that the chain with which he was bound might be buried with him,\nthat he might not be deprived of so great an ornament. Ignatius wished to\nbe a grain of wheat, and to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that\nhe might become clean bread unto his Saviour. These are such instances of\ncourage and joyfulness as utterly exceed the powers of nature, and are\nonly owing to the influences of that heavenly Comforter who supported St.\nStephen, and made his face shine before the council as it had been the\nface of an angel. Acts 6:15. And in this sense is that saying of the\nPsalmist verified, \u201cThy comforts delight my soul.\u201d Ps. 94:19.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLVI.\n\n\n           Motives To Patience; And, The Benefits Of The Cross.\n\n\n    _Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the\n    husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath\n    long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter\n    rain._\u2014JAMES 5:7.\n\n\nPatience is that virtue by which we behave ourselves quietly before God\nunder any cross or tribulation, committing ourselves and all our concerns,\nwhether temporal or eternal, without any reserve, to be governed and\ndisposed of by the all-wise providence of God, entirely resigning all to\nhis will: to the practice of which the following arguments strongly\npersuade us.\n\n2. _First_, because every cross and calamity of life, as sword, famine,\npestilence, and other punishments, proceed from God. Nothing happens in\nthis world at random or by chance, though, by the permission of\nProvidence, many evils are inflicted on us by the devil and his\ninstruments. For thus saith the Lord: \u201cI form the light, and create\ndarkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things.\u201d\nIsa. 45:7. And \u201cThe Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to\nthe grave, and bringeth up.\u201d 1 Sam. 2:6. What canst thou reply to all\nthis? Wilt thou be impatient, and fight against God?\n\n3. _Secondly_, we must remember that our punishments are less than we\ndeserve. Our sins are always greater than our punishments, and our\nsufferings less than our offences. Thou canst not but own that the mercies\nthou hast enjoyed, from thy youth up unto this day, are more and greater\nthan the punishments thou hast suffered. Why then shouldest thou not, with\nprofound submission, receive cheerfully the corrections which he inflicts\nfor thy benefit, to save thee from destruction?\n\n4. _Thirdly_, if we have in many ways provoked God, and deserved\npunishment, we must acknowledge with the prophet Daniel, that he is\nrighteous in all that is brought upon us. Dan. 9:7. Is it unreasonable\nthat God should punish thy sins, either in this world or the next? And if\nthis be allowed, why dost thou not submit to the divine chastisements\nwithout murmuring or repining? For it is better to be punished now than\nhereafter, as St. Paul tells us: \u201cWhen we are judged, we are chastened of\nthe Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.\u201d 1 Cor. 11:32.\nWhosoever, therefore, is impatient, and murmurs against God, accuses him\nof injustice, and calls his righteousness in question; and yet \u201cthe Lord\nis righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.\u201d Ps. 145:17.\n\u201cRighteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.\u201d Ps. 119:137.\n\n5. _Fourthly_, doth it not discover a stubborn and untractable temper, to\nfly in the face of God, who has so long borne with, and still continues to\nbear with thee patiently, as St. Paul says, speaking of the goodness,\npatience, and long-suffering of God, by which he endeavors to draw us to\nrepentance? See Rom. 2:4; 9:23; 11:33.\n\n6. _Fifthly_, set before thine eyes the patience of thy Saviour. He who\nwas spotless innocence and purity itself, though he could have destroyed\nhis enemies in a moment, yet bore their utmost cruelties with patience,\nand prayed for his enemies. How much more reason then have we to be\npatient, who have deserved the greatest punishment, even eternal\npunishment. As Jacob served seven years for Rachel (Gen. 29:18), so\nChrist, for our sakes, submitted to the greatest miseries of life, for\nthree and thirty years. And should we refuse to suffer a short affliction\nfor his sake? Consider the patience of all the saints, as Joseph, and\nMoses, who offered to lay down his life for his people. Exod. 32:32. So\nDavid says, \u201cIf I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring\nme again, and show me both it (the ark) and his habitation; but if he thus\nsay, I have no delight in thee; behold here am I, let him do to me as\nseemeth good unto him.\u201d 2 Sam. 15:25. Consider also the cases of Job, and\nthe holy Apostles and Martyrs.\n\n7. _Sixthly_, the remembrance of God\u2019s great mercies should move us to\npatience. For, first of all, thou art assured, that by Christ thou art\nreconciled unto God, and that therefore no man can rob thee of this\ntranscendent mercy, though the whole world should league together against\nthee: \u201cfor the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon\nthem that fear him.\u201d Ps. 103:17. What then can separate us from the love\nof God? Rom. 8:38, 39. Moreover, thou art redeemed by Christ unto\neverlasting life; a privilege which no creature can take from thee. Now,\nif the case be so, that the love of God and thy eternal salvation are\nfirmly secured to thee; it will surely be easy for thee to despise the\nthreats and assaults of external enemies and persecutors, and, like the\nblessed martyrs of old, to be wholly regardless of what man can do unto\nthee.\n\n8. The _seventh_ support of patience is found in the truth and promise of\nGod. \u201cTherefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and\ntherefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy on you: for the Lord\nis a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.\u201d Isa. 30:18.\nSee also Ps. 25:3; Lam. 3:25. \u201cBlessed is the man that endureth\ntemptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life.\u201d\nJam. 1:12.\n\n9. _Eighthly_, we ought to submit to anything for the sake of the glory of\nGod. Thus the three men in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:16, etc.); Daniel in\nthe lions\u2019 den; Joseph in prison; David in banishment; all gave glory to\nGod by their patient suffering.\n\n10. _Ninthly_, for the sake of our own advantage. For, first, we learn\nmany great and useful lessons under the discipline of the cross. \u201cPatience\nworketh experience\u201d (Rom. 5:4), saith St. Paul. Secondly, patience breaks\nthe violence of our sufferings; upon which account our blessed Lord\npromises _rest_ to those that bear his yoke. Matt. 11:29. On the other\nhand, impatience disquiets the soul, adds grief to our trouble, and a\nsting to our wounds, and sometimes casts us into destruction both of body\nand soul; an instance of which we have in the Israelites, who, being\nimpatient, and murmuring against God, were destroyed by fiery serpents in\nthe wilderness. Num. 21:6.\n\n11. _Tenth_, great is the reward of patience. So Job, having been\ndespoiled of all his goods, was rewarded with a double portion. Job 42:10.\nFor, \u201cBlessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.\u201d Matt. 5:5.\nAnd, by consequence, cursed are the impatient, for they shall be\ndisinherited.\n\n12. _Eleventh_, patience is a virtue of unspeakable advantage to all\norders of men. In the Church it is a virtue which enables men to bear the\nopposition, contempt, and persecution to which they may be exposed by the\nconscientious discharge of their duty. In the State it is a useful virtue,\nenabling men to bear with patience the odium and reproach that generally\nattends public stations. For history informs us, that impatience, and a\ndesire of revenge, have been the ruin of many flourishing states and\nkingdoms. As to the concerns of private families, how necessary patience\nis _there_, may be learned from everyone\u2019s experience, particularly from\nthose that have entered into the marriage-state; in which respect, these\nwords of Solomon are applicable, \u201cHe that is slow to anger, is better than\nthe mighty.\u201d Prov. 16:32.\n\n13. _Twelfth_, consider that Christ has taken out the sting of our\nafflictions, so that they cannot hurt us with regard to our eternal\nhappiness; for by his cross and passion he has made an atonement for our\nsins, and has taken away those punishments that were due to them. If then\nour cross be sanctified by the cross of Christ, and is to us a remedy\nagainst all our spiritual diseases, it follows that the cross itself is a\nhelp to salvation; which made the Apostle say, \u201cAll things work together\nfor good to them that love God.\u201d Rom. 8:28.\n\n14. _Lastly_, consider how light thy afflictions are when compared with\n\u201cthe glory that shall be revealed in us.\u201d Rom. 8:18. Upon which account\nthe love of God is still more illustrious, in that he is pleased to\nafflict us in this world. For the duration of a temporal affliction, if\ncompared to eternity, is but for a moment; on the other hand, the joy that\nit produces lasts to eternity. Hence we ought to wish and pray for\nafflictions in this world, that we may have rest in the other. Therefore,\nSt. Peter says: \u201cThough now for a season ye are in heaviness;\u2014yet ye\nrejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.\u201d 1 Pet. 1:6, 8.\n\nTHE BENEFITS OF THE CROSS.\n\n15. The cross is the strait and narrow way leading to life,\u2014a rod of\ndivine correction, to awaken us from the sleep of sin and death,\u2014the\nmorning star that ushers in the sun of consolation,\u2014a token of divine\nfavor, like the rainbow. It brings us to a conformity with Christ,\u2014strips\nus of the armor of darkness, and clothes us with the armor of light. It is\na plant of life,\u2014a cup of salvation,\u2014a trial of faith,\u2014the edification of\nour neighbor,\u2014the parent of love,\u2014a companion of hope,\u2014a forerunner of\ngrace,\u2014a medicine of the soul,\u2014a preservative against sin,\u2014a destroyer of\nthe carnal life,\u2014a cherisher of the spiritual life,\u2014a change of the\nearthly mind,\u2014a forsaking of the world,\u2014an increase of heavenly gifts,\u2014a\nconqueror of pride,\u2014a nurse of humility,\u2014a teacher of patience,\u2014a renewer\nof the spirit,\u2014a strengthener of virtue,\u2014a discipline of the body,\u2014an\nenlivener of the mind,\u2014a parent of wisdom,\u2014a teacher of meekness,\u2014an\nencourager of prayer,\u2014a mistress of patience,\u2014a guardian of chastity,\u2014the\npeace of the conscience,\u2014a source of inward joys,\u2014a glittering jewel of\nthe faithful,\u2014the crown of the martyrs,\u2014the glory of the elect.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLVII.\n\n\n           Sentences, And Examples Of Patience And Consolation.\n\n\n    _We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of\n    God._\u2014ACTS 14:22.\n\n\nAs the life of a Christian consists of crosses and afflictions, through\nwhich he must enter into the kingdom of God; so he must arm himself with\npatience, and beg it earnestly of God. We must not think that we are born\nfor pastime and diversion, but for many afflictions and trials of\npatience. And here we will consider three several arguments. The first\nshall contain some select sentences and testimonies of Scripture. The\nsecond, examples. And the third, encouragements.\n\n\n\nI. Some Sentences And Testimonies Of Scripture.\n\n\n2. Patience submits itself with meekness, quietness, and humility, to the\ncross; receiving all kinds of afflictions, calamities, and persecutions,\nwhether bodily or spiritual, as the cross and yoke of Christ. By this we\nfollow our blessed Saviour, not murmuring against God, but acknowledging\nin faith, that God is reconciled to us through Christ, and comforting\nourselves under the severest trials, with the hopes of deliverance. This\nis also called _meekness_ towards them that injure and persecute us,\nleaving the avenging of our quarrel to God; not upon a principle of reason\nor worldly policy, but arising from the grace of God, as the fruit and\neffect of true faith.\n\n3. The parts of this description are\u20141. Obedience. 2. Imitation. 3. Not to\nmurmur. 4. To consider God as reconciled to us through Christ. 5. To\nlessen our afflictions by hope. 6. To behave ourselves with meekness\ntowards our persecutors. 7. Not to exercise revenge. And so it contains in\nit faith, hope, charity, humility, meekness, and obedience.\n\n4. These virtues are to be practised and exercised by all the disciples of\nChrist, who are purchased for heaven and eternal life: for against such\nthe devil, that great dragon and old serpent (Rev. 12:7-9), yea, and the\nwhole world, are fighting continually. Hence it is said, \u201cThe dragon was\nwroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed,\nwhich keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus\nChrist.\u201d Rev. 12:17. To this also may be referred the following: \u201cIf any\nman will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and\nfollow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever\nwill lose his life for my sake, shall find it\u201d (Matt. 16:24, 25): that is,\nWhosoever shall refuse to bear the cross for Christ\u2019s sake, and shall flee\nfrom it, shall lose his soul.\n\n5. \u201cYe shall be hated of all men, for my name\u2019s sake.\u201d Mark 13:13. This is\nindeed a heavy cross, to be hated of all men; but as it is for Christ\u2019s\nsake, this affords great consolation.\n\n6. Concerning religious persecutions, our blessed Saviour prophesies,\n\u201cThey shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up\nto the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers\nfor my name\u2019s sake.\u2014In your patience possess ye your souls.\u201d Luke 21:12,\n19.\n\n7. \u201cIf the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.\nIf ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are\nnot of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the\nworld hateth you.\u201d John 15:18, 19, 20.\n\n8. \u201cThey shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh that\nwhosoever killeth you, will think that he doeth God service.\u201d John 16:2.\n\n9. When St. Paul had been stoned at Lystra, but encouraged by the\ndiscourses of the disciples, \u201che confirmed the souls of the\ndisciples,\u2014exhorting them to continue in the faith: and that we must,\nthrough much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God.\u201d Acts 14:22.\n\n10. \u201cWe are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed,\nbut not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not\ndestroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,\nthat the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.\u201d 2 Cor.\n4:8.\n\n11. \u201cThou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. If\na man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive\nlawfully. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.\u201d 2 Tim. 2:3, 5, 12.\n\u201cAll that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.\u201d 2\nTim. 3:12.\n\n12. \u201cYe have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye\nmight receive the promise.\u201d Heb. 10: 36.\n\n13. \u201cLet us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto\nJesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set\nbefore him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the\nright hand of the throne of God. For, consider him that endured such\ncontradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in\nyour minds.\u201d Heb. 12:1-3.\n\n14. \u201cNow for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold\ntemptations; that the trial of your faith might be found much more\nprecious than of gold that perisheth.\u201d 1 Peter 1:6, 7.\n\n15. \u201cBecause thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee\nfrom the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try\nthem that dwell upon the earth.\u201d Rev. 3:10. \u201cBe thou faithful unto death,\nand I will give thee a crown of life.\u201d Rev. 2:10.\n\n\n\nII. Examples Of Patience.\n\n\n16. Abraham suffered many things from the Chaldeans, Canaanites, and\nEgyptians. \u201cThen came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in\nCharran. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set\nhis foot on. And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a\nstrange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat\nthem evil four hundred years.\u201d Acts 7:4-6. \u201cBy faith Abraham, when he was\ncalled to go out into a place which he should after receive for an\ninheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By\nfaith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,\ndwelling in tabernacles. For he looked for a city which hath foundations,\nwhose builder and maker is God.\u201d Heb. 11:8, 9. \u201cHe delivered just Lot,\nvexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. The Lord knoweth how to\ndeliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the\nday of judgment to be punished.\u201d 2 Peter 2:7, 9. Isaac refused not to be\noffered up for a burnt sacrifice. Gen. 22:9. Jacob also had a great share\nof suffering. He fled from his brother Esau, passing over Jordan with his\nstaff. Gen. 32:10. \u201cBy his strength he had power with God; yea, he had\npower over the angel, and prevailed; he wept and made supplication unto\nhim.\u201d Hosea 12:3, 4. He saith unto Pharaoh, \u201cThe days of the years of my\npilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil.\u201d Gen. 47:9. \u201cYe\nhave heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord.\u201d\nJam. 5:11. Moses was meek, and afflicted above all the men that were upon\nthe face of the earth. Numb. 12:3. He \u201cchose rather to suffer affliction\nwith the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.\u201d\nHeb. 11:25. How many afflictions did David suffer, who was a type of\nChrist! \u201cO Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust; save me from all them\nthat persecute me, and deliver me.\u201d Ps. 7:1. \u201cLord, thou hast heard the\ndesire of the humble.\u201d Ps. 10:17. Solomon\u2019s motto was, \u201cThe fear of the\nLord is the instruction of wisdom; and before (the) honor (that is, of the\nnext world) is humility.\u201d Prov. 15:33. What patience had not the three men\nin the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:21), and the holy Apostles and Martyrs! The\npatience of Christ exceeds all these examples. 1. Because he was most\nobedient upon the cross. 2. Because he murmured not against God. 3.\nBecause he held fast his confidence in God, and called him his God, though\nforsaken by him. Matt. 27:46. 4. Because he heartily prayed for his\nenemies; and revenged not himself when it was in his power.\n\n\n\nIII. Consolations.\n\n\n17. \u201cBlessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.\u201d Matt. 5:4.\n\u201cCome unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you\nrest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in\nheart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my\nburden is light.\u201d Matt. 11:28-30. In these words there is a fivefold\nconsolation. 1. That the afflicted may come to Christ. 2. May be\nrefreshed. 3. May take up his yoke. 4. May find rest unto their souls. 5.\nThat his yoke is easy. For when it is borne for Christ\u2019s sake, it is not\nburdensome, but refreshing. Hence St. Paul saith, \u201cWe glory in\ntribulations; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience,\nexperience, and experience, hope, and hope maketh not ashamed: because the\nlove of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.\u201d Rom. 5:3, 4,\n5. \u201cBlessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he\nshall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that\nlove him.\u201d James 1:12. \u201cWho shall separate us from the love of\nChrist?\u201d\u2014\u201cAll things work together for good to them that love God.\u201d Rom.\n8:35, 28. \u201cIn the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I\nhave overcome the world.\u201d John 16:23. \u201cI have fought a good fight.\u201d 2 Tim.\n4:7.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLVIII.\n\n\n    There Is No Affliction For Which God Has Not Provided Appropriate\n Consolation. The Consolation Which He Affords Is Always Greater Than Our\n   Misery; This Consideration Should Sustain And Confirm Our Patience.\n\n\nThe holy Apostle St. Paul, when meditating upon the tender mercies and\ncompassions of our Heavenly Father to all afflicted and contrite sinners,\nbreaks out into these words, full of the praise of God: \u201c_Blessed be God,\neven the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the\nGod of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may\nbe able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith\nwe ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound\nin us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ\u2014knowing that as ye are\npartakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation._\u201d 2\nCor. 1:3-7.\n\n2. In these words, so full of grace, the holy Apostle gives thanks to God\nfor heavenly consolation; which is indeed the only remedy against all the\ntroubles and adversities that oppress us in this life; teaching, at the\nsame time, that no adversity befalls us, how great soever, but God\nsupports us under it by his divine comfort, which is more abundant than\nour sufferings. This he confirms by seven weighty arguments, which he\nrepeats in regular order.\n\n3. The first is, because God is the _Father of mercies_, which is the most\ncheering appellation that can be conceived: for he shows himself a Father,\nnot only in name, but in sincerity and truth to all afflicted souls.\nConsider what are the properties of a father; for they all belong to God\nour Heavenly Father. It is the part of a father, 1. To love his children.\n2. To take care of them. 3. To feed them. 4. To defend them. 5. To correct\nand instruct them. 6. To pity their infirmities. 7. To be tender of them.\n8. To give them an inheritance. If a man will but thoroughly consider\nthese particulars, he must acknowledge that the very name of a _father_\ncarries in it such a treasure of comfort, as abundantly outweighs all the\nmiseries of human life. And to illustrate this yet more perfectly, St.\nPaul, by a most significant epithet, calls him, _the Father of mercies_;\nthat is, the eternal fountain of all that tenderness and affection that is\ndiffused through the hearts of so many thousands of fathers. Hence it\nfollows, that no cross can befall the children of God so great, as is the\ncomfort that arises from the Father of mercies.\n\n4. The second argument is contained in this expression, _the God of all\ncomfort_; that is, he overflows with eternal and infinite comforts. For as\nGod is the eternal, infinite, and chief Good; and on the other hand, our\ncrosses are finite and temporal; what can proceed from that eternal and\nchief Good, but perpetual comfort, not only equal, but superior to our\ngreatest affliction? For as our miseries are finite, and the consolations\nof God are infinite, it clearly follows that the latter must be superior\nto the former.\n\n5. The third argument is, the example of St. Paul, and all the saints.\n\u201cGod,\u201d saith he, \u201ccomforteth us in all our tribulation.\u201d If we but read\nthe histories of holy men of former times, and compare their trials and\nafflictions with the divine consolations wherewith they were supported\nunder them, we shall easily perceive that our afflictions are but light in\ncomparison with their torments; and that no cross can befall us so great,\nas to exceed those divine comforts and supports which the holy martyrs\nenjoyed. Who will presume to compare his crosses with those of Job? Who\ncan say he has been afflicted like Jeremiah (Jer. 20:7, etc.)? or tried\nlike David? Ps. 88. And what is our cross compared with that of Christ? or\nare our sufferings, compared with the torments of the holy martyrs? Their\nexamples, as they were the children of God, our Heavenly Father has set\nbefore our eyes, to teach us, 1. That the cross is the sanctuary of the\ntrue Christian. 2. His heavenly and spiritual glory. 3. His victory over\nthe world and the devil. 4. His preparation for the kingdom of heaven. 5.\nThat without the cross no man can enter into the kingdom of God. 6. That\nthe cross is the image of Christ. 7. That it is an exalted and sublime\nmystery, in which lies hid the highest wisdom of God. But flesh and blood\ncannot comprehend this, neither taste the heavenly manna hidden in the\nword of God, except by the cross. Hence, the divine comforts are greater\nthan any human sufferings.\n\n6. The fourth is expressed in these words, \u201cThat we may be able to comfort\nthem which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are\ncomforted of God.\u201d Now, how did God comfort the apostles? And how do they\ncomfort us again? Certainly, by the gracious promises in his holy Word.\nHence it is said, \u201cWhatsoever things were written aforetime, were written\nfor our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures,\nmight have hope.\u201d Rom. 15:4. Now, whosoever reads the Word of God as he\nought, must needs observe how kindly God vouchsafes to treat with us, what\nabundance of grace, what spiritual and eternal blessings he promises to\nbestow upon us; so that we must needs confess that such comfort outweighs\nall the sufferings of human life. For though it is said of this\ntroublesome world, \u201cthat all the sons of Adam, from the day of their\nbirth, find it full of trouble and unquietness, fear, anger, and strife;\u201d\nyet, if to this state of trouble and misery we oppose the glories of the\neternal kingdom (2 Cor. 4:17), it will appear that the joys of the next\nlife, promised in the Word of God, are vastly superior to the miseries of\nthis. It is, indeed, true, that sin is a very great and dreadful evil,\ndaily encompassing us about, and involving us in innumerable miseries.\nYet, if we but call to mind, that Christ is our righteousness, it will\nthence follow that the burden of sin which lies upon us is much less than\nour spiritual consolation which is in Christ Jesus. For greater is the\nrighteousness which is in Christ than the sin which is in us. In short,\nthe Word of God so abounds and overflows with heavenly consolations, that\nthe heart of man is too narrow to receive them. It is like the poor\nwidow\u2019s pot of oil (2 Kings 4:6), which, by the blessing of Elisha,\nproduced more oil than there were vessels to receive. Yea, it often\nhappens that a word of Holy Scripture can comfort a man more than the\nwhole world, yea, than the devil himself can distress him. \u201cThe river of\nGod is full of water,\u201d saith David (Ps. 65:9), so full that no man can\nempty it. Therefore, God calls himself \u201cThe fountain of living waters.\u201d\nJer. 2:13. And so in Ps. 36:9, \u201cWith thee is the fountain of life; in thy\nlight shall we see light.\u201d Who, then, can think that the fountain of sin\nand death more abounds with affliction than the fountain of life with\ncomforts?\n\n7. The fifth ground of comfort is that the apostle calls the cross of the\nfaithful, \u201cthe sufferings of Christ.\u201d And that 1. Because all the faithful\nare the spiritual members of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, as the head feels\nall the pains of every member of the body, by a certain sympathy arising\nfrom its union with them; so Christ, who is our Head, feels all the\ncrosses and sufferings of every member. 2. Because Christ dwells in his\nfaithful servants, and is vitally united to them; therefore, also, he\nsuffers in his members, sharing in all their sufferings, banishments, and\npersecutions, as he witnessed by a voice from heaven, \u201cSaul, Saul, why\npersecutest thou me?\u201d Acts 9:4. 3. Because we are born anew of Christ, and\nhe is our \u201ceverlasting Father.\u201d Isa. 9:6. Now we know, that the heart of a\nfather has a very tender sense of the sufferings of his child. Therefore,\nthe sufferings of all believers are the sufferings of the Lord Jesus\nChrist. And if it be so, canst thou think any affliction so great that it\ncannot be made easy and tolerable by this consideration, that Christ is\nthy Head, and thou art his member; that he is united to thee, dwells in\nthee, and suffers in thee, regarding all thy sufferings as his own; that\nhe is thy Father, and feels in himself all the crosses, pains, and\nafflictions that are laid upon thee?\n\n8. The sixth ground of consolation, the Apostle deduces from Jesus Christ,\nthe spring and foundation of all comfort, in these words: \u201cOur consolation\naboundeth by Christ.\u201d As sin is the fountain of all misery; so is Jesus\nChrist, the Son of God, the spring and fountain of all joy and comfort.\nNow as the power of Christ is greater than the power of sin; so is the\ncomfort that proceedeth from him greater and more powerful than any misery\nthat can arise from sin; according to the words of St. Paul, \u201cWhere sin\nabounded grace did much more abound.\u201d Rom. 5:20. \u201cFor it pleased the\nFather, that in Christ should all fulness dwell.\u201d Col. 1:19. Him,\ntherefore, the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 61:1) describes as sent from God to\ncomfort all that mourn. Whence it follows, that the comforts flowing from\nChrist, are greater than any crosses and sorrows which we endure.\n\n9. The seventh comfort which the Apostle mentions, is the glory of Christ:\nhence he says, \u201cAs ye are partakers of his sufferings, so shall ye be also\nof the consolation.\u201d This glory we know to be so great, that he is\nglorious, not only with respect to his own Person, in a manner\nincommunicable to his body, which is the Church; but also that he, as the\nHead of the Church, was exalted to glory for that very end, that all the\nmembers of his body might be partakers with him. Hence St. Paul calls him,\n\u201cThe head of the church which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth\nall in all.\u201d Ephes. 1:22, 23. And now, what calamity, what cross, what\naffliction can be so bitter, as not to be sweetened by the consolation\narising from such future glory? Wherefore St. Paul does not \u201creckon the\nsufferings of this present time to be worthy to be compared with the glory\nthat shall be revealed in us.\u201d Rom. 8:18.\n\n10. It now remains that we speak of the five means, by which we may be\npartakers of these comforts.\n\n11. The first is, _true repentance and knowledge of sin_. Without this,\nthe soul is not capable of comfort; according to that saying of Christ,\n\u201cThey that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.\u201d Matt.\n9:12. On the other hand, a soul that has a true sense of sin, understands\nthat sin has cast it into so many miseries and calamities, and therefore\nmurmurs not against God, but abhors itself and its own iniquities (Lam.\n3:39); and confesses that God is just in all that he has brought upon it.\nFor as sin, like a general contagion, has infected the whole mass of\nmankind; so also the sentence of misery and affliction in this moral\nstate, has passed upon all, for that all have sinned. And whoever, like\nthe prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:7, 16), confesses his sin, shall find\nconsolation descending upon him from heaven like an angel, as in the case\nof Daniel, ch. 9:21.\n\n12. The second means, is _faith_, which hangs upon Jesus Christ, as the\ninfant upon the mother\u2019s bosom. It rests entirely in the paternal\naffection of the God of all consolation. It holds fast by Jesus Christ, as\nJacob did by the angel, saying, \u201cI will not let thee go, except thou bless\nme.\u201d Gen. 32:26. It is faith which in Christ Jesus overcometh sin, death,\nthe world, the devil, and all misery. For \u201call things are possible to him\nthat believeth.\u201d Mark 9:23. And he that believeth shall see the glory of\nGod. John 11:40.\n\n13. The third means, is _prayer_, which is a conversation with God. As it\nis a relief and a refreshment to an afflicted soul, to communicate its\nsorrows and troubles to a faithful friend: so are our hearts refreshed and\ncomforted, by conversing with God in prayer. \u201cWhen I cried, thou\nansweredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.\u201d Psalm\n138:3. Prayer offered up in the name of Jesus Christ, is like Jacob\u2019s\nladder (Gen. 28:12), on which the soul ascends from earth to heaven; as\nsoon as the prayer ascends, an angel, that is, divine consolation,\ndescends upon it. Thus it was in the agony of our blessed Lord; for when\nhe prayed more earnestly, lo! an angel descended from heaven to strengthen\nhim. Luke 22:43. And we may assure ourselves, that whensoever we pray\naccording to His will, we shall be strengthened according to His promise.\n\n14. The fourth means of obtaining divine consolation is, _praising God_,\nwhich is always attended with comfort and spiritual joy. He that is daily\nemployed in the praises of God, lives the life of an angel; for they, we\nknow, continually \u201cbehold the face of the Father which is in heaven\u201d\n(Matt. 18:10), and sing his praises. This is their highest joy, this is\nthe bread of angels. Whence it appears, that praising and glorifying God\nmust afford the most exalted joy and comfort to a devout soul. Hence David\nsays, \u201cI will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be\nin my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall\nhear thereof, and be glad.\u201d Psalm 34:1, 2. In this place David joins the\npraise of God and spiritual joy together; teaching us thereby, that the\none is the fruit of the other, because they are most intimately connected.\n\n15. The last sure and certain means of receiving divine consolation, is a\ndiligent reading, hearing, and meditating on the Word of God. \u201cFor\nwhatsoever things were written, were written for our learning, that we\nthrough patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.\u201d Rom.\n15:4.\n\n16. From the Word of God as the true fountain of consolation, are to be\ndrawn all the above-mentioned arguments and grounds of comfort; namely,\njoy and quiet of mind under all kinds of crosses and afflictions. Hence\nalso we must learn how these comforts are to be obtained, namely, by true\nrepentance, a living faith, ardent prayer, and continually praising God.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XLIX.\n\n\nThe Truth Of God And The Certainty Of His Promises, Ought To Dispose Us To\n                                Patience.\n\n\n    _I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my\n    salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine\n    enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the\n    Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the\n    Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause,\n    and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light,\n    and I shall behold his righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy\n    shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where\n    is the Lord thy God?_\u2014MICAH 7:7-10.\n\n\nWe read in the prophet Jeremiah (chap. 9:4, etc.), that before the\nBabylonish captivity and the destruction of the temple, besides the\nidolatry that brought that desolation upon them, treachery, lying,\nfalsehood, hatred, and envy prevailed to a high degree; and that charity\nwas quite cold and dead amongst them. For wheresoever these abominations\nprevail, there, it is plain, God is not; and that he has forsaken not only\nthe city or the kingdom, but also the hearts of those that dwell there;\nand when God forsakes us, destruction quickly finds us. So says the\nprophet (Jer. 9:4-8): \u201cTake ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust\nye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every\nneighbor will walk with slanders. They weary themselves to commit\niniquity. Their tongue is as an arrow shot out, it speaketh deceit; one\nspeaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he layeth\nhis wait.\u201d\n\n2. Here we may see the wretched state of Jerusalem, and what flagrant\niniquities they were which hastened its ruin. Treachery and iniquity did\nso abound, that there was neither truth nor honesty left among the people.\nTheir only aim was to cheat and defraud one another; and their hearts\nbeing thus set upon iniquity, they brought on themselves ruin and\ndestruction.\n\n3. Something similar to this, is the complaint of the prophet Micah: \u201cWoe\nis me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape\ngleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; my soul desired the\nfirst ripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth; and there is\nnone upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood. They do evil with\nboth hands earnestly. Trust ye not in a friend.\u201d Micah 7:1, 2, 3, 5. When\na people or nation are come to this pass, they are industriously digging a\npit, into which they design to rush boldly, and with their eyes open.\nWould to God this were not the case in our own times! We, too, deeply\nshare in their guilt, and we must expect to share in their punishments.\nFor our destruction is of ourselves. O that we could at last awake,\nrenounce our past errors, put off our carnal minds that are at enmity\nagainst God, and love the truth and peace. If we do not so, we are\ncondemned already, and cannot receive help.\n\n4. But in order that upright and good men may not be too much discouraged\nin this sad and dangerous state of things, we must consider by what means\nthe holy men of old supported themselves in such a state of universal\ncorruption. The prophet Micah (Micah 7:7, etc.), pointing out, as it were,\nwith his finger the fountain of true consolation, says, \u201cTherefore I will\nlook unto the Lord: I will wait for the God of my salvation!\u201d That is his\nfirst comfort. The second is, \u201cMy God will hear me.\u201d The third is,\n\u201cRejoice not against me, O mine enemy. When I fall, I shall arise.\u201d The\nfourth is, \u201cWhen I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.\u201d\nThe fifth is, \u201cI will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have\nsinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me.\u201d\nThe sixth is, \u201cHe will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his\nrighteousness.\u201d The seventh is, \u201cThen she that is mine enemy shall see it,\nand shame shall cover her.\u201d\n\n5. First, he says, \u201cI will look unto the Lord: I will wait for the God of\nmy salvation.\u201d In these words is contained the doctrine of faith and hope,\nwhich are, as it were, the two watchful, never-sleeping eyes of the soul,\nby which it constantly looks towards God in the greatest dangers and\nnecessities; the greater the calamity, the stronger ought to be our faith,\nthe more vigorous our hope. Then it is that we should call to mind the\nwords which we repeat at the beginning of the Apostles\u2019 Creed: \u201cI believe\nin God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;\u201d that is, I believe\nthat there is no misery or calamity so great, but God can and will deliver\nme out of it. Let us learn, therefore, to turn away our eyes from temporal\nsuffering, not regarding it, but God \u201cwho worketh salvation in the midst\nof the earth\u201d (Ps. 74:12), and who alone can and will deliver us according\nto Psalm 123: \u201cUnto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the\nheavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their\nmasters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our\neyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Have\nmercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are exceedingly filled\nwith contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those\nthat are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.\u201d\n\n6. Moreover, as it is the way of God to help us, not at the time appointed\nby us, but in his own due time; so it is not enough for us to say, \u201cI will\nlook unto the Lord;\u201d but we must add, \u201cand wait for the God of my\nsalvation.\u201d For faith, hope, and patience, have an entire relation to, and\nmutual dependence upon each other; as we may see in Psalm 27; in the\nbeginning of which, David, looking up to God, says, \u201cThe Lord is my light\nand my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life,\nof whom shall I be afraid?\u201d He concludes his prayer with these words: \u201cI\nbelieved to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait\non the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:\nwait, I say, on the Lord.\u201d Ps. 27:1, 14. So Psalm 130:5, 6: \u201cI wait for\nthe Lord, my soul doth wait; and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth\nfor the Lord more than they that watch for the morning.\u201d \u201cFor the vision\nis yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:\nthough it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not\ntarry.\u201d Habak. 2:3. But if the sorrowing soul shall say: \u201cAlas, I have\nwaited a great while!\u201d let her know that it is necessary it should be so,\nin order that her faith, hope, and patience, may be tried and approved in\nthe sight of God. We never please God more, than when with patience and\nhumility we wait for the accomplishment of his promises, and receive with\nsubmission all his determinations concerning us.\u2014Everything has a certain\nbeginning; so has everything an appointed end; and whosoever does not wait\nfor that, labors in vain. As the grain is exposed to all the vicissitudes\nof wind and weather, before it comes to maturity, and, whenever it becomes\nripe, is the sweeter and better upon that account: so is it with the\ncross. He that bears it with patience, and waits for the end of it, shall\nreap \u201cthe peaceable fruit of righteousness.\u201d Heb. 12:11. For St. Paul\naffirms, \u201cthat hope maketh not ashamed\u201d (Rom. 5:5); for when it is founded\nupon divine grace, as upon a firm rock, it continues immovable in\nadversity. Hence it is said, \u201cLet none that wait on thee be ashamed.\u201d\nPsalm 25:3. \u201cThey looked unto him and were lightened; and their faces were\nnot ashamed.\u201d Ps. 34:5. \u201cIn thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never\nbe ashamed.\u201d Ps. 31:1. \u201cThe expectation of the poor shall not perish\nforever.\u201d Ps. 9:18.\n\n7. The second consolation is, that God will certainly hear our prayers:\n\u201cThe Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my\nsupplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.\u201d Ps. 6:8, 9. \u201cIn my\ndistress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice\nout of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.\u201d Ps.\n18:6. \u201cThis poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of\nall his troubles. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his\nears are open unto their cry.\u201d Ps. 34:6, 15. \u201cBecause he hath set his love\nupon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he\nhath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will\nbe with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.\u201d Ps. 91:14, 15.\n\u201cO thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. By terrible\nthings in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who\nart the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar\noff upon the sea.\u201d Ps. 65:2, 5. But if thou shalt say in thine heart, \u201cAll\nthese were men eminent for holiness, faith, and dependence upon God; but\nas for me, I am not worthy to be compared with them,\u201d I answer, out of\nRom. 3:23\u2014\u201cAll have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;\u201d but are\nheard and accepted through grace, by repentance and faith. \u201cThe Lord is\nnigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.\nHe will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their\ncry, and will save them.\u201d Ps. 145:18, 19. \u201cHe will regard the prayer of\nthe destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the\ngenerations to come.\u201d Ps. 102:17, 18.\n\n8. The third consolation is contained in these words: \u201cRejoice not against\nme, O mine enemy! when I fall, I shall arise.\u201d Though the world, according\nto the perverse spirit that governs it, rejoice at the sufferings of good\nmen (John 16:20), yet shall they at last be confounded, and the righteous\nbe comforted. Hence we are told, \u201cThe Lord will not cast off forever: but\nthough he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the\nmultitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve\nthe children of men.\u201d Lam. 3:31, 32, 33. \u201cGod is faithful, who will not\nsuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the\ntemptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.\u201d 1\nCor. 10:13. The same God that laid the burden on you, will in due time\ntake it off, comfort you, and deliver you from death. \u201cThou hast turned\nfor me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and\ngirded me with gladness.\u201d Ps. 30:11. \u201cThe Lord upholdeth all that fall;\nand raiseth up all those that be bowed down.\u201d Psalm 145:14. \u201cIn a little\nwrath, I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness\nwill I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.\u201d Isa. 54:8. \u201cIt is\nof the Lord\u2019s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions\nfail not. They are new every morning.\u201d Lam. 3:22, 23.\n\n9. The fourth consolation is contained in these words: \u201cWhen I sit in\ndarkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.\u201d By _darkness_, he means a\nstate of affliction; which is darkness, indeed, wherein a man can neither\nsee nor be seen by his friends with the least glimpse of worldly comfort.\nThe sufferer sits in the very region of shame and sorrow, the valley of\nthe shadow of death, exposed to the violence and assaults of evil spirits\nand wicked men. But dark and dismal as it is, the Lord himself will\nenlighten it; the light of whose countenance shines most of all in the\ndismal darkness of worldly affliction. There he appears to comfort the\ndisconsolate, and cheer, with the brightness of his presence, the desolate\nand desponding soul. Thus it is said, \u201cLight is sown for the righteous,\nand gladness for the upright in heart.\u201d Ps. 97:11. \u201cUnto the upright there\nariseth light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and\nrighteous.\u201d Ps. 112:4.\n\n10. The fifth consolation is this: \u201cI will bear the indignation of the\nLord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and\nexecute judgment for me.\u201d Let the afflicted person think on this, and\nremember that though from those that afflict him he may have deserved\nbetter usage; yet from the hand of God, he has deserved a great deal\nworse. Whatever befalls us, is by the permission of God. Upon this\naccount, the evils that we suffer from wicked men, are called in this\nverse, \u201cthe indignation of the Lord.\u201d Blessed is he that beareth this\naffliction with patience, and receiveth it no otherwise than as coming\nfrom God himself. \u201cBlessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and\nteachest him out of thy law; that thou mayest give him rest from the days\nof adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.\u201d Ps. 94:12, 13. \u201cIt\nis good for a man that he sit alone and keep silence, because he hath\nborne the yoke upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there\nmay be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled\nfull with reproach.\u201d Lam. 3:27-30. This was truly the case of David, who\nmight properly say, \u201cI will bear the anger of the Lord, because I have\nsinned against him.\u201d For thus he speaks, when he commanded Zadok to carry\nback the ark of God. \u201cIf I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he\nwill bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation. But if he\nthus say, I have no delight in thee; behold here am I, let him do to me as\nseemeth good unto him.\u201d 2 Sam. 15:25, 26. And when Shimei cursed him, he\nhumbly acknowledges the appointment and permission of God, saying, \u201cLet\nhim alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.\u201d 2 Sam. 16:11.\n\u201cFret not (therefore) thyself because of evil-doers. Put thy trust in\nGod.\u201d Psalm 37:1, 5.\n\n11. The sixth consolation is, \u201cHe will bring me forth to the light, and I\nshall behold his righteousness.\u201d This is a figure of speech taken from the\ncondition of a man that has long lain in darkness, and been as a dead man\nout of mind; or of one taken out of a dark and deep prison into the light\nand open air. For as these, having been long confined to darkness and\nmisery, are exceedingly refreshed with the cheerful light of the sun and\nthe splendor of the heavens; so after the patient bearing of the cross,\nthe light of God\u2019s countenance breaks forth, and the beams of divine\nconsolation strike powerfully upon the soul, filling it with glory and joy\nunspeakable. Ps. 50:2. Did not Joseph thus break through the shades of\ndarkness and misery, like the bright sun out of a cloud? Gen. 41:38. And\ndid not God bring king David out of the region of misery into a state of\njoy and happiness? So also at the resurrection of the dead shall our\nbodies be brought out of their dark prisons, and we shall rejoice in the\neverlasting light and glory of God.\n\n12. The seventh consolation is, \u201cThen she that is mine enemy shall see it,\nand shame shall cover her.\u201d This is the proper punishment of wicked men\nwho rejoice at the affliction of others, that they shall be covered with\nconfusion. The time will certainly come, when the mockers shall be struck\nwith unavoidable shame, and shall be convinced by their own consciences,\nof the wrong which they have done to others. This was Shimei\u2019s case, who\ncould not but blush and be confounded in the presence of David and\nSolomon. 2 Sam. 19:19; 1 Kings 2:44. \u201cIt is a righteous thing with God to\nrecompense tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are\ntroubled, rest.\u201d 2 Thess. 1:6, 7. \u201cI rejoiced not at the destruction of\nhim that hated me, nor lifted up myself when evil found him. Neither have\nI suffered my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse to his soul.\u201d Job 31:29,\n30. \u201cLove your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that\nhate you; and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you:\nthat ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he\nmaketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain upon\nthe just and the unjust.\u201d Matt. 5:44, 45.\n\n\n\n\nChapter L.\n\n\nShowing How Hope Is Tested In Seasons Of Adversity; It Maketh Not Ashamed.\n\n\n    _Thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed\n    that wait for me._\u2014ISA. 49:23.\n\n\nAs _faith_ is nothing else but a fixed and steady assurance by which the\ndevout Christian depends perfectly and entirely on the favor and mercy of\nGod promised in Christ Jesus (Heb. 11:1), so _hope_ is a continued and\npatient waiting for the accomplishment of that promise which is the object\nof faith, and is nothing else but a patient, constant, and persevering\nfaith.\n\n2. Of this hope St. Paul says, that it \u201cmaketh not ashamed\u201d (Rom. 5:5):\nbeing, as well as faith itself, founded upon a firm, immovable, and\neternal basis. And this is God himself, who never faileth those that wait\nfor him; and for the same reason, the peace, joy, rest, glory, and\nconfidence imparted by hope are eternal. On this foundation, he who hopes\nstands fixed and secure amidst all the crosses and calamities of life; and\nthough the rains descend, the floods come, and the boisterous winds blow\nupon him, he is fearless and unmoved, knowing that \u201chis house is built\nupon a rock.\u201d Matt. 7:25.\n\n3. And as hope is built upon an immovable foundation, and the things of\nthis world are fleeting and uncertain; therefore its rest, its joy, its\nentire dependence, are in God alone, despising the riches, pleasures,\nhonors, and glories of the world. \u201cThey that trust in the Lord, shall be\nas mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the\nmountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his\npeople.\u201d Ps. 125:1, 2.\n\n4. On the other hand, they whose hopes are founded on the transitory\nriches, honors, and pleasures of this world, are perpetually exposed to\nall the fears, cares, and calamities of life; lie at the mercy of every\nblast of inconstant fortune, by which they are tossed to and fro; and\ndepend upon the uncertain will of the world for every quiet moment they\nenjoy.\n\n5. This can never be learned but under the discipline of the cross. For\nsuch is the nature of affliction, that it searches and discovers the\ninmost recesses of the soul; and shows us whether the hope that is in us\nbe true or false. By this touchstone, we often find that our hopes have\nnot been so much fixed upon God himself, as upon the favors and blessings\nhe bestows; that we have built upon the sand, and idolized the creature,\ninstead of worshipping the Creator. For so great is the blindness of our\nnature, that we often rest in the creatures, instead of raising our minds\nfrom them to the Creator, as he designed. For with this intent God bestows\non man so many and great blessings, that by the gifts he may be drawn to\nthe Giver; and learn to know, love, fear, reverence, and hope in God\nalone. But so great is the corruption of our nature, that we are not\ndisposed to serve God for nought; and we worship him not for his own sake,\nbut for the sake of what he bestows.\n\n6. Upon this account, it is necessary that God should sometimes visit us\nwith crosses and afflictions, and deprive us of his good things which we\nhave abused; that so we may learn to praise, and glorify, and depend on\nhim alone. Nay, we sometimes proceed so far, as to trust in ourselves, and\nentirely depend on our own power and abilities; then it is that God in\nmere mercy interposes; and, that we may not grow too proud, breaks us in\npieces, humbles, and confounds us, and so empties us of ourselves, that we\nmay be filled with all the fulness of God. This we cannot be, without\nbeing first emptied of all that arrogance, pride, and self-conceit, which\nstand in perfect opposition to the grace of God.\n\n7. Hence hope is a _militant_ virtue, fighting against all that confidence\nin ourselves, all that self-exaltation upon the score of our own gifts,\nmerit, righteousness, prosperity, honors, and riches, in which the natural\nman places all his confidence. The business of hope is to oppose and\nconquer all these delusions of the devil, and to seek rest and peace in\nGod alone.\n\n8. Hence it follows, that hope, like faith and charity, has God only for\nits object. Whosoever aims at any other mark, or places his hope on any\nother being, is destitute of any well-founded hope. As all created beings\nwhen out of God are nothing; it follows that the hope reposed in them is\nalso nothing. So then, these three virtues, faith, hope, and charity, are\nin the highest sense spiritual, admitting of no earthly mixture, but are\nfixed entirely on God, who is their eternal and invisible basis. To this\nrefers that passage of St. Paul, \u201cHope that is seen, is not hope; for what\na man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?\u201d Rom. 8:24. Whosoever, therefore,\nplaces his hope upon anything that is visible, has not the invisible God\nfor his support, but rests upon a shadow; and when the visible world,\nwhich is his basis, shall sink into nothing, by consequence his hope, that\nwas built upon it, must sink and perish with it.\n\n9. Consider this, O man, and by carefully comparing time with eternity,\npersuade thyself to entertain a true and saving hope, and to be led into a\nstate of firm and lasting peace. Eternity is unchangeable, ever constant,\nalways the same; but time is nothing but change and revolution. The\nbrightest day declines and ends in darkness, weeks are swallowed up in\nmonths, and months in years; the opening spring and fruitful summer sink,\nby degrees, into a desolate winter; and not only so, but all the\nelementary bodies are in a state of change, always shifting from one\nappearance to another; not to mention the continual motions of the\nheavens. So that this world cannot be the region of rest. For whatsoever\nis subject to time, is continually passing, and vanishing; in a word, \u201cAll\nis vanity\u201d (Eccles. 1:2), and we shall never rest but in eternity. And\nthough all men, both good and bad, long for peace and tranquillity; yet\nthey, and they only, shall find it, who have learned to lose and resign\nthemselves in Christ, the eternal rest of the soul. And this is not so\nmuch the work of labor and study, as of quietness and hope. Isa. 30:15.\n\n10. Moreover, the Christian\u2019s hope must be tried, not only by the loss of\ntemporal things, but also by the withholding of the communications of\ndivine grace and favor (as commonly happens in great temptations); that\nseeing ourselves deprived even of those most excellent and spiritual\nblessings, on which we depend, our hope may arrive at the highest pitch of\npurity and sincerity, and rest on God alone. In such a case \u201cwe must hope,\neven against hope\u201d (Rom. 4:18), as we read that Abraham did. Here a man\nmust, with his blessed Redeemer, be deserted and forsaken, not only by\nman, but by God himself. And this is properly \u201cto be conformed to the\nimage of the Son of God.\u201d Rom. 8:29. This is the truest test or probation\nof the Christian\u2019s hope.\n\n11. For, whereas, in other afflictions, our patience, humility, devotion,\nand charity, are principally exercised; in these spiritual trials of the\nconscience, our hope is eminently proved and tried, whether it be sincere\nor not. In this probation, though a man be perfectly despoiled of all his\ngrace, yet shall he at last triumph in that \u201chope which maketh not\nashamed.\u201d And though the soul that is thus tried, be sometimes ready to\nfall into impatience, murmuring, blasphemy, or the like; yet there\nremains, as it were, some gentle breath of hope, arising from the ground\nof the heart, by the power of the divine Spirit, which contradicts and\nopposes those unholy suggestions. When this combat is over, all his\ntransgressions are forgiven, and his sins are covered and he himself is\nlike \u201ca brand plucked out of the fire\u201d (Zech. 3:2); \u201cor like a piece of an\near taken out of the mouth of the lion.\u201d Amos 3:12. Now this impatience\nbeing involuntary, and being opposed with sighs and groans unutterable, is\nby no means to be called despair; considering withal, that this is the\nsharpest conflict, the severest trial of the Christian\u2019s hope; and these\nare the \u201cunutterable groanings\u201d which St. Paul mentions. Rom. 8:26.\n\n12. They that undergo these trials, are the greatest saints, and are\nnearer to God than those who repose all their hope and confidence in\nthemselves. The pride of such men, in vainly arrogating any perfections to\nthemselves, makes them in the highest degree blasphemers against God;\nwhereas the disciples of the cross are his dearest children, as we may see\nin the examples of Job and David: for by being thus stripped of\nthemselves, they are purified as gold in the refiner\u2019s fire; and being\nthus cleansed from all their dross of pride and vainglory, they shine in\nthe glory of the divine image, like a beautiful jewel set in the purest\ngold; so that nothing remains of which the proud man can boast.\n\n13. By such trials as these, a man is taught to put his trust in nothing\nbut in God alone. For when affliction has taken everything else from us,\nGod alone cannot be taken from us. Yea, affliction is so far from\nseparating us from God, that it rather brings us to God, restoring us to\nGod, and God to us. It is hope, therefore, that preserves us in\ncalamities, so that we are not consumed, and, therefore, it \u201cmaketh us not\nashamed.\u201d Rom. 5:5. But as the soul came out from God, so must she return\nthither again, void of all love of the creatures; and when a man passes\nout of himself and all the creatures, whither can he go, or where can he\nrest, but in the hands of his God, who comprehendeth and upholdeth the\nworld, and all that is therein? Isaiah 40:12. Whosoever, therefore, bids\nfarewell to the world, and is divested of all love of himself and the\ncreatures, having his heart fixed on no earthly thing, but being perfectly\nfree and at liberty, resigning himself and all his concerns into the hands\nof God, and being content under every dispensation of providence\u2014he may be\ntruly said to rest in God. But those who are entangled in the love of\nthemselves and the creatures, being slaves to their own wills, resting in\nthem, and not submitting to the will of God, must perish in the end.\n\n\n\n\nChapter LI.\n\n\n                Comfort For Those That Are Weak In Faith.\n\n\n    _A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he\n    not quench._\u2014ISAIAH 42:3.\n\n\nIn this verse the holy prophet comforts those that are weak in faith by\ntwo beautiful similitudes, excellently adapted to the purpose. For as a\nbruised reed (to which he first alludes) must be handled very gently, lest\nit be entirely broken to pieces; and as the smoking flax, when once it has\ntaken fire, must be continually encouraged by a gentle breath, for fear of\nblowing it out; so our blessed Redeemer, who knows our infirmities, treats\nus with great gentleness, reviving from time to time the spark of faith\nwithin us, with the soft and gentle breath of his Spirit, that we may not\nbe discouraged by our manifold infirmities, but be enlivened and\nstrengthened under them. Isaiah 57:15. And because this weakness of faith\nis a very grievous temptation, to which all Christians are more or less\nexposed; therefore has the Holy Spirit, in the Word of God, furnished us\nwith very strong consolations against it, which ought to be deeply rooted\nin our mind, that we may have them in readiness, and apply them with\nsuccess in the sad hour of temptation.\n\n2. (1) We must carefully remember, that faith is not of ourselves, but is\nthe gift and work of God; \u201cThis is the work of God, that ye believe on him\nwhom he hath sent.\u201d \u201cNo man can come to me, except the Father which hath\nsent me, draw him.\u201d John 6:29, 44. \u201cWho believe, according to the working\nof his mighty power.\u201d Ephes. 1:19. \u201cBy grace are ye saved through faith;\nand that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any\nman should boast.\u201d Ephes. 2:8. \u201cLet us run with patience the race that is\nset before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.\u201d\nHeb. 12:1, 2. \u201cThe love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy\nGhost, which is given unto us.\u201d Rom. 5:5. \u201cWe have the first fruits of the\nSpirit, which helpeth our infirmities.\u201d Rom. 8:23, 26. Now, since faith is\nthe work of God, and not our own, it follows, that it is not in our power\nto have it in such measures and proportions as we please. And whereas he\nhas promised to save us by faith, it follows, that he knows how strong our\nfaith ought to be, for the obtaining that great end, and will strengthen\nit accordingly. Therefore this was the answer of God to St. Paul: \u201cMy\ngrace is sufficient for thee.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:9. \u201cA man can receive nothing,\nexcept it be given him from heaven.\u201d John 3:27.\n\n3. (2) Whilst we are in this life, we must not expect to arrive at the\nhighest pitch of perfection. This God permits, with a design to cure that\nnatural pride and vanity of spirit to which the best of us are subject, by\nthe daily sense of our great and manifold infirmities. To this we may\nrefer the words addressed by St. Paul to the Philippians, \u201cNot as though I\nhad already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if\nthat I may apprehend that, for which also I am apprehended of Christ\nJesus.\u201d Phil. 3:12. As if he had said, \u201cThough I am not yet so strong in\nfaith, as to be able to apprehend him as I ought, yet I am apprehended in\nhim; that is, I am in Christ Jesus by faith.\u201d Let us, considering these\nthings, bear patiently the infirmities of our nature, till we can attain\nto perfection.\n\n4. (3) God does not despise or reject our weak faith, but cherishes,\nstrengthens, and improves it, and at last crowns it with a blessed\nconclusion. In this sense we are to understand and apply those golden\npassages that follow: \u201cA bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking\nflax shall he not quench.\u201d Isaiah 43:3. \u201cThou hast been a strength to the\npoor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a\nshadow from the heat.\u201d Isaiah 25:4. \u201cStrengthen ye the weak hands, and\nconfirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be\nstrong, fear not; behold, your God will come and save you.\u201d Isaiah 35:3,\n4. \u201cHe giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might, he\nincreaseth strength.\u201d Isaiah 40:29. \u201cThe Lord God hath given me the tongue\nof the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him\nthat is weary.\u201d Isaiah 50:4. \u201cI revive the spirit of the humble, and the\nheart of the contrite ones.\u201d Isaiah 57:15. \u201cThe Lord hath sent me to\npreach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted,\u201d and to\ncomfort all that mourn. Isaiah 61:1. In this sense we may understand that\npassage in Exod. 34:26. \u201cThou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother\u2019s\nmilk;\u201d that is, thou shalt not grieve the tender, weak faith of a babe in\nChrist. A strong and vigorous faith can bear anything, can pass through\nthe flames of fire, and the floods of water; but a young, tender faith,\nmust be softly and gently treated, like a bruised reed, which is in\ncontinual danger of being broken to pieces. \u201cI have satiated the weary\nsoul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.\u201d Jer. 31:25. They that\nlabor under the weakness of faith, are the poor in spirit, to whom the\nblessing is promised, \u201cBlessed are the poor in spirit.\u201d Matt. 5:3. They\nthat feel the weakness of their faith, are sick in spirit: and to them\nmust be applied for their consolation, that passage in St. Matthew, \u201cThey\nthat be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.\u201d Matt. 9:12.\n\u201cHim that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful\ndisputations.\u201d Rom. 14:1. \u201cTo the weak became I as weak, that I might gain\nthe weak.\u201d 1 Cor. 9:22. \u201cI will bind up that which was broken, and will\nstrengthen that which was sick.\u201d Ezek. 34:16. \u201cHim that cometh to me, I\nwill in no wise cast out.\u201d John 6:37. On these promises, full of divine\nconsolation, let all who are weak in faith entirely depend, and satisfy\nthemselves that God is faithful and true (Psalm 33:4), and will not fail\nin his promises. To this head also we refer the instances of those that\nhave been weak in faith. Such was the man (Mark 9:23, 24), who, when our\nLord said, \u201cIf thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that\nbelieveth;\u201d answered with tears, \u201cLord, I believe; help thou mine\nunbelief!\u201d The nobleman. John 4:47. The disciples in the ship. Matt. 8:24.\nSt. Peter sinking in the sea, when our Lord stretched out his hand and\nsupported him. Matt. 14:31. Therefore, says St. Paul, \u201cComfort the\nfeeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men.\u201d 1 Thess.\n5:14.\n\n5. (4) God has, indeed, the greatest concern for those that are weak in\nfaith. Our Lord himself tells us, \u201cThey that be (strong and) whole need\nnot a physician, but they that are sick (and weak).\u201d Matt. 9:12. The\nshepherd leaves his ninety and nine sheep in the wilderness, and goes\nseeking that which was lost, until he find it (Luke 15:4); and as tender\nmothers show the most attention to their weak and sickly children; so does\nour Heavenly Father to those that are weak in faith.\n\n6. (5) But if thou say in thy heart that thou perceivest scarcely a grain\nof faith in thyself, then I would ask, Dost thou sincerely desire to have\nfaith? If thou dost, all is well; fear not. For since it is God that\nworketh in us \u201cto will,\u201d it follows, that whosoever finds in himself that\ngood will and desire, finds in himself the work of God. Hence let him be\nencouraged and assured that he who has given us _the will_, will also give\nus the power _to do_. Phil. 1:6; 2:13.\n\n7. (6) God is so compassionate to devout prayers and desires, that he\nnever disappoints the hopes of those that trust in him. \u201cLord, thou hast\nheard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt\ncause thine ear to hear.\u201d Ps. 10:17; 9:18. Wherefore, thy faith is as\ngreat as thy desire of obtaining it. \u201cFor God trieth the hearts and\nreins.\u201d Ps. 7:9. \u201cBecause he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I\ndeliver him.\u201d Ps. 91:14.\n\n8. (7) It is therefore better to glory in the weakness, than in the\nstrength of our faith. For it is the will of God concerning us, that we\nfall not into spiritual pride. \u201cMy strength is made perfect in weakness.\nMost gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the\npower of Christ may rest upon me.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:9. Let this be thy comfort\nwhen thou laborest under weakness of faith.\n\n9. (8) Faith, though it be ever so weak, is still faith. For our salvation\ndepends not upon the worthiness of our faith, whether it be strong or\nweak, but upon Jesus Christ, on whom it lays hold. As, therefore, a\nprecious jewel may be held by the hands of a little infant as well as of a\nstrong man, so a weak faith may as well lay hold on the merits of Christ\nJesus (the true Christian\u2019s only hope and treasure), as that which is much\nstronger, and by consequence, both be capable of the same righteousness\nand blessedness. And as the apple of the eye, small and delicate as it is,\ncan perceive not only the light and splendor of the meridian sun, but even\nthe sun itself, though so many times larger than the earth, so does the\neye of faith, though weak and infirm, perceive and feel the Sun of\nrighteousness (Mal. 4:2), the Lord Jesus Christ, with all the bright rays\nof his spiritual gifts and graces.\n\n10. (9) Such is the nature of faith, that it is sometimes stronger and\nsometimes weaker; and sometimes the light thereof seems to be darkness.\nThis has been attested by the examples of almost all the saints,\nparticularly David, and Abraham, who is called \u201cthe father of the\nfaithful\u201d (Rom. 4:11; Gal. 3:7); and yet (Gen. 12:11) he was afraid that\nthe Egyptians would put him to death on account of Sarah, his wife, and\nthis, too, after he had received the promise. Moses also, at the water of\nMeribah, betrayed a want of faith. Numb. 20:10-13; Exod. 17:7. David\u2019s\nfaith was sometimes so strong as to raise him, as it were, up to heaven;\nand then again so weak as to leave him to sink, as it were, into hell, and\nmake him complain to God that \u201che was cut off from before His eyes.\u201d Ps.\n31:23. Whence it follows, that we must not conclude because a man\u2019s faith\nis weak, that therefore he has none at all; or that they who are\ncontending against the weakness of faith, are therefore forsaken by God.\nWe know that fire is often hidden under ashes, though neither light nor\nheat appear; we know that the trees are alive, though in winter they are\nstripped of their leaves: so we may in like manner conclude, that those\npeople may have faith towards God, in whom we do not at all times discern\nsigns or tokens of it. For the Spirit of the Lord is like the wind, that\nbloweth when and whither it pleases. John 3:8.\n\n11. (10) He that complains of the weakness of his faith, shows plainly,\nthat faith is striving and struggling within him, and a _striving faith_\nis a true faith; for there is a continual struggle in every man between\nfaith and unbelief. He is perpetually assaulted by temptations to\nunbelief, so that his life is one continued combat; and he is obliged to\nbe as watchful, as though he were in the midst of drawn swords, and\nexpected every moment to be cut in pieces. Here is the trial of the\nChristian\u2019s faith; here is the exercise of his patience, to unite his\nearthly heart with Christ; to make the barren soil of his soul fit to\nreceive the heavenly seed; to make the darkness of corrupt nature capable\nof the divine light. The flesh is continually inclining to the broad way\nof the world, and endeavoring to tyrannize over the spirit; the darkness\nis no sooner scattered, than it endeavors to recover its ground, and\nspread itself again over the face of the soul. This is what all the saints\nhave confessed and lamented, and it is a most certain token of the\npresence of true faith. On the other hand, where there is no faith at all,\nthere is no cause found for striving. Here let the languishing soul call\nto mind that comfortable assurance given us, that \u201cGod will not suffer us\nto be tempted above that we are able; but will with the temptation also\nmake a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it.\u201d 1 Cor. 10:13. \u201cGod\ngiveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth\nstrength.\u201d Isa. 40:29.\n\n12. (11) Let us be assured, that whensoever, in our greatest infirmities,\nwe can but think upon Jesus Christ, he will be with us, and dwell in us by\nfaith. Thus it is said, \u201cIn all places where I record my name, I will come\nunto thee, and I will bless thee.\u201d Exod. 20:24. For we cannot so much as\nthink upon God, without his special presence and assistance. Moreover,\nbeing engrafted into Christ, as branches into the living vine (John 15:1,\netc.), we truly live in him, and draw life and nourishment from him. \u201cOur\nlife,\u201d and the strength of our faith, are \u201chid with Christ in God\u201d (Col.\n3:3); and the Holy Spirit witnesseth the same in our hearts, by the joy,\npeace, and comfort, which he produces there. Rom. 8:16. As in the Old\nTestament, there was no Prophet who heard not God speaking in him; so\nunder the Gospel, there is no Christian but hears Christ speaking in him,\nand, from time to time tastes the unction of the Holy Spirit. And so\nstrong is this union of our faith with Christ, that all the power of death\nand hell cannot dissolve it; because Christ, who is the life and root of\nour faith, is immortal. Though thou hast not always so lively a perception\nof this in thy heart, yet \u201cgreater is he that is in thee, than he that is\nin the world.\u201d 1 John 4:4.\n\n13. (12) When we are weak in faith, let us look up unto Christ Jesus our\nRedeemer, and merciful High Priest, who offered up himself for us on the\ncross, and is praying that our faith may be strengthened; as he did for\nSt. Peter, \u201cI have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not\u201d (Luke 22:32);\nto whom also he stretched out his almighty and saving hand, when he\nthought himself sinking into the sea. Matt. 14:31. And he saith, \u201cHoly\nFather, keep them through thine own name; neither pray I for these alone,\n(the Apostles), but for them also which shall believe on me through their\nword.\u201d John 17:11, 20. So also we are told, \u201cWe have not a high priest\nwhich cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in\nall points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Who is at the right\nhand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.\u201d Heb. 2:17; 4:15; Rom.\n8:34. This intercession ought to be our comfort when our faith is weak and\nlanguishing; from whence we should, by a lively and steadfast faith,\nexpect a blessing.\n\n14. (13) Our next support is, the divine mercy, which is inexpressibly\ngreat, as infinite as God himself. Of this let no man despair. This mercy\nof his anticipates us, waits for us, supports us, and endures forever. And\nthis he never denies to any one. Come then, ye that complain of the\nweakness of your faith, cast yourselves into the protecting arms of divine\nlove, which will never leave you nor forsake you.\n\n15. (14) God, who has wrought the beginning of faith in us, has graciously\npromised, that he will \u201cperform it until the day of Jesus Christ\u201d (Phil.\n1:6); that he will \u201cstablish, strengthen, settle us\u201d (1 Pet. 5:10); and\nthat we shall be \u201ckept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,\nreceiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls.\u201d 1 Pet.\n1:5, 9. This is the end that God proposed to our faith, when he first gave\nus the beginning of it. Faith being, therefore, the operation and work of\nGod, must be perfected by its divine Author. For this cause the Epistle to\nthe Hebrews (Heb. 12:2) calls the blessed Jesus, not only the _Author_,\nbut also, the _Finisher_ of our faith. And Christ himself tells us: \u201cNo\nman shall pluck my sheep out of my hand.\u201d John 10:28.\n\n16. (15) To this end he has given us various means whereby our faith may\nbe strengthened and preserved, namely, the Word, the Sacraments, and\nprayer. \u201cLord, increase our faith\u201d (Luke 17:5), said the disciples. \u201cLord,\nhelp thou mine unbelief.\u201d Mark 9:24. Moreover, God has promised \u201chis Holy\nSpirit to them that ask him.\u201d Luke 11:13. \u201cThe Spirit also helpeth our\ninfirmities.\u201d Rom. 5:5; 8:26. In a word, this is the end and design of\nChristianity, that we may grow and be perfected in faith.\n\n17. (16) Lastly. Our faith is founded on God\u2019s eternal love to us, \u201cWhom\nhe did predestinate, them he also justified.\u201d Rom. 8:30. But we are\njustified by faith alone in Christ Jesus. Rom. 3:28. \u201cGod hath chosen us\nto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the\ntruth.\u201d 2 Thess. 2:13. Come then, comfort thyself with these promises;\nsink not under the weakness of thy faith! When thy faith seems to be at\nits lowest ebb, then is thy Saviour nearer to thee than thou thinkest.\nThis was the case with the disciples; when they looked upon themselves as\nlost in the tempest, then Christ was at hand to save them. Matt. 8:24-26.\nLet us also be persuaded, that our Redeemer and Saviour is never so near\nus, as when we think ourselves in most danger.\n\n\n\n\nChapter LII.\n\n\n     Comforting Instructions For Those That Are Laboring Under Great\n                          Temptations In Spirit.\n\n\n    _I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction._\u2014ISA. 48:10.\n\n\nIt is an undoubted truth that all spiritual sorrow proceeds from God. For\n\u201cthe Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and\nbringeth up.\u201d 1 Sam. 2:6, 7. By the \u201cgrave\u201d in this place, is meant such a\nstate of spiritual afflictions as, like the grave, is void of all light\nand comfort. The soul that is thrust down into this prison, looks upon\nitself as dying and pining away; as hated, despised, and persecuted by\nevery creature of God. In this disconsolate state, the poor man cries out\nwith holy David, \u201cMy soul refused to be comforted.\u201d Ps. 77:2. And well it\nmight, when both the Scripture and God himself were withholden from him.\nThis is that \u201cgrave\u201d into which God brings the soul. Here it finds no\ncomfort but in silence and resignation, in those unutterable sighs and\ngroans which proceed from the ground of the heart; for so great is its\ndistress, that it cannot so much as think upon God, or the promises\ncontained in his holy Word. Faith grows weak, hope languishes, and the\nwhole man is feeble, withered like grass (Ps. 38:8, 9; 102:3), and ready\nto perish, were he not inwardly supported by the secret Word and power of\nGod.\n\n2. In this grave or shadow of death, we find our Lord Jesus Christ, when\n\u201chis soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death; and in his agony his\nsweat was, as it were, great drops of blood.\u201d Matt. 26:38; Luke 22:44. In\nthis state a man undergoes greater afflictions than in death itself. Yea,\nhere a man wishes for death, and longs to find a grave where he may rest\nfrom his unspeakable labors and sufferings. Job. 7:15. Thus we find Job\nrepeatedly wishing for death. And our blessed Lord himself, under the\nagonies of death, cried out, \u201cMy God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!\u201d\nMatt. 27:46. He complains that he was forsaken of God, though He was\ncontinually present with him, and preserved him under all his trouble. But\nnow, what can be more wonderful than that Christ himself should complain\nfor want of comfort, considering his intimate union with God? For he was\nboth God and man. Yet God had so withdrawn his consolations from him, that\nhis _human nature_ was left desolate and comfortless. Now if the blessed\nJesus, who was united to the eternal Godhead and anointed with the\nheavenly oil of gladness, endured a conflict so bitter, surely sinful man\nhas no reason to wonder, when he is brought under the same fiery trial, as\nif some strange thing had happened unto him. 1 Pet. 4:12.\n\n3. We suffer nothing but what our blessed Master suffered before us; and\ncertainly nothing is more reasonable than that the members should suffer\nwith the Head.\n\n4. This, therefore, is a kind of trial whether thou art truly a member of\nChrist, and a partaker of his sufferings. Rev. 1:9. Such seems to have\nbeen Hezekiah\u2019s case when he complained\u2014\u201cLike a crane or a swallow, so did\nI chatter: I did mourn as a dove.\u201d Isa. 38:14. And Job\u2019s\u2014\u201cI cry unto thee,\nand thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.\u201d Job\n7:3; 30:20. And so again, \u201cIf I had called, and he had answered me; yet\nwould I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.\u201d Job 9:16. Such\nwere the complaints of holy David (Ps. 6; 13; 38; 88). In these scriptures\nwe may see how wonderfully all the saints and servants of God have been\npurified in this furnace of affliction. This was the ground of that warmth\nof feeling which we meet with in the words of Job and the holy Psalmist.\nSometimes they are so much bereft of hope, that they could not think it\npossible that God should ever show mercy to them; at other times, they are\nfull of hope and confidence, and believe that \u201ctheir Redeemer liveth\u201d (Job\n19:25), as Job expresses it. Yet the carnal man has no understanding of\nsuch sufferings, or of the complaints arising from them. This we find by\nthe example of Job\u2019s friends, who, not understanding what was the true\nstate of his distressed and afflicted soul, reproved him as one that had\nlost patience, and that charged God foolishly. When a man is come into\nthis state, he falls into such a degree of unbelief that he is not\nconscious of the least trace of faith remaining in his soul. All the\npowers of faith being, as it were, collected in the centre of the soul,\nseem to the man to be _lost_; though they still operate in secret, and\nbreathe in sighs and groanings unutterable. This absence of faith is a\nkind of torture to the soul. Therefore the man cannot believe that God\nwill be merciful to him, but cries out, \u201cO how willingly would I believe,\nif it would but please God to give me the power!\u201d And in the height of\nthis conflict, the Scriptures themselves afford him no comfort. This is\nthat crisis of the soul when God, by humbling us, shows us how unworthy\nand vile we are in ourselves; yea, that of ourselves we are _nothing_, but\nthat all our sufficiency is of God; so that thence we may learn not to\ntrust in ourselves. Nevertheless, the poor soul occasionally perceives\nsome distant gleams of light breaking through the thick darkness, which\nadminister comfort and support, and preserve it from desperation.\n\n5. Now, though it may happen that a man in the bitterness of his soul\ngrows impatient, and is tempted to fret against God, yet let him remember\nthat God is merciful. He knows whereof we are made; he sees the struggle\nof our souls under the fiery trial, when he sets his hand to cleanse us\nfrom our impurities. In a word, the most holy and best beloved children of\nGod, are they that have passed through this furnace of affliction; as we\nmay see by the examples of Job (Job 42:2, etc.), of David, and Jeremiah.\nJer. 20:12, etc. These learned faith in the school, and under the\ndiscipline of the cross; whilst the delicate Christian who flees from the\ncross, and expects to learn it amidst the enjoyments of the world, will\nfind himself miserably deceived in the end. But further,\n\n6. (2) Let us call to mind that noble saying of Jeremiah, \u201cThe Lord will\nnot cast off forever; but though he cause grief, yet will he have\ncompassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not\nafflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.\u201d Lam. 3:30, 31, 33.\nWhence them mayest learn, that though the Lord suffer thee to be afflicted\nfor a season, yet he will not cast thee off forever. Perhaps, however,\nthou wilt say, that the evil thoughts with which thou art troubled, are\nnot from God, but from Satan. Now, though it cannot be denied that they\nare suggested to us by Satan; yet it is also true, that Satan can do\nnothing but by God\u2019s permission. In this case, look unto Jesus, whom our\nheavenly Father suffered to be tempted by the same adversary. The fiery\ndarts (Eph. 6:16) which the Evil One cast at our blessed Saviour, came\nindeed from him, and not from God; but it was God that gave him permission\nto assault as he did. And though our blessed Lord bore all this, yet he\nstill continued to be the dearly beloved Son of God, nor could the tempter\nwith all his art and power do him the least harm. Matt. 4:1, etc. Hear\nthis, O afflicted soul, and believe that thou also shalt be safe and\nunhurt amid all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Remember the case of\nJob, when, by God\u2019s permission, the devil so afflicted him internally and\nexternally, that he cursed the day of his birth; yet was God still with\nhim, and we find him thus expressing himself to God: \u201cThese things hast\nthou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.\u201d Job 10:13.\n\n7. Having thus discovered the _origin_ of this spiritual affliction, let\nus next inquire into the _reasons_ why God sends it upon us.\n\n8. First, then, it is certain that the true inward taste of the Word of\nGod, is accompanied with unspeakable joy, peace, and comfort, vastly\nsurpassing any enjoyments of this life. This is the true joy of our souls,\na foretaste of eternal life, arising from the true and living knowledge of\nChrist Jesus; by which we discover the heart of God full of the most\ntender compassions, and an ardent and eternal love towards lost mankind.\nNow, so corrupt and perverse is human nature, that it is too apt to be\nexalted above measure, by the abundance of these divine manifestations,\nand to make them occasions of spiritual pride; and the man who is thus\nvisited and comforted from above, will be apt to think highly of himself,\nto overvalue his sanctity, and to think meanly of the rest of the world,\nwho are strangers to these consolations; and thus, forsaking the fountain\nof living waters, whence all the streams of blessing flow, and to which,\nwith all humility, they ought to be ascribed; the man grows vain and\narrogant, and sets himself up in the place of God. This perverseness of\nsoul, as it is directly contrary to true penitence, and to the appointed\nway of salvation, so it is very hateful to God. This causes him to\nwithdraw his consolations from us, and to hide himself in thick darkness;\nso that though we call and cry, and search ever so diligently, we shall\nnot be able to find Him. This is a deplorable state, when we are hanging,\nas it were, between heaven and hell, oppressed and afflicted on every\nside, not knowing whither to fly for relief or comfort; having no certain\nevidence whether we believe or not, whether we hope or not, whether God be\nangry with us or not, whether we are in a state of life or of death. This\nis that darkness and desolation which we find described in Psalm 88; of\nwhich the Psalmist speaks also in Ps. 31:22. \u201cI said in my haste, I am cut\noff from before thine eyes. Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my\nsupplications when I cried unto thee.\u201d\n\n9. Now, although nothing is more bitter to us than to be so long deprived\nof the comforts of the divine presence; yet even this deprivation itself\nis more profitable to the soul, than all the enjoyments and glories of the\nworld. By this, as by a fiery trial, we are taught humility, repentance,\ncontempt of the world, and the true value of all its favors and\nenjoyments; that these are dangerous, transitory, and perishing, and can\ngive no solid comfort to the distressed soul. And though the soul in this\nstate is encompassed with perplexities and fears, so that it can hardly\nlift up itself to God, yet there is left a kind of deep and secret sorrow,\nventing itself in holy sighs, and devout aspirations towards God, and a\nlonging for his favor. Hence we may learn how great a good God is to the\nsoul, and that no true, solid, or constant peace can be found except in\nHim. This cannot be learned any where but in this school of temptation; in\nwhich alone the truest knowledge is to be acquired. And whosoever is\nunacquainted with this, knows not God and Christ as they ought to be\nknown.\n\n10. And would to God, that for his glory, and our own unspeakable\nadvantage, we would readily submit to this visitation, which is designed\nfor the trial of our faith, even as gold in the furnace is tried! Then we\nshould quickly reap the amazing benefits of such a cleansing. For the\nfaithful soul that can hold out, and not faint under it, comes forth\nglorious as gold out of the fire, cleansed from all its dross; so that\nneither fire, nor water, nor the cross, nor death, nor Satan, can hurt it.\nSuch a one will learn how to behave himself ever afterwards with patience\nand humility, both in prosperity and adversity; not to sink under the\ncross; not to be presumptuous in prosperity; not to depend upon himself,\nor be puffed up with his own fancied perfections; but to look up\nsteadfastly to God, the everlasting fountain and giver of all goodness;\nand to embrace every dispensation of Providence, whether sweet or bitter,\nas his only happiness; and, in every state or condition of soul or body,\nto rejoice in God alone.\n\n11. Secondly, whensoever it shall please God to cast any of us, his\ncreatures, into this trying furnace, it will be much more consistent and\nprofitable for us to pray for patience under it, than for deliverance from\nit. For when once the fire of temptation has purged away the dross of our\niniquities, our pride, luxury, covetousness, and envy, it will be much\neasier for us to endure afterwards other fiery trials, by having our own\nwill swallowed up in the will and good pleasure of God. But when from an\nexcessive indulgence of the infirmities of our corrupt nature, we endeavor\nto avoid this fiery trial, it often happens that before we can receive any\nbenefit from it, we are contriving to make our escape. So that if God did\nnot often keep us under the trial against our will, we should fly from it,\nwithout considering whether we were sufficiently purified, according to\nthe will of God and the necessities of our corrupt nature: like children,\nwho, if their parents or physicians did not prevent, would throw away that\nbitter cup which alone can cure their disorders. But God knows our case,\nand what is proper for us, better than we ourselves; and therefore he has\nappointed certain measures of affliction, to which he confines the soul,\ntill he sees it proper to release her. So that we ought not so much to\npray for deliverance from temptations, as for patience under them.\n\n12. Thirdly, our deliverance is so certain, that we have not the least\nreason to doubt of it; for \u201cthough the Lord cause grief, yet will he have\ncompassion, according to the multitude of his mercies.\u201d Lam. 3:32. This is\nthe promise of God, who is truth itself, and it therefore ought diligently\nto be weighed and considered by us. It is much better to know and digest\nsome few comfortable passages of Scripture, or even only one of this kind,\nthan to burden our memory with a great many without true spiritual relish.\nFor when a man has by a lively faith digested one, he will easily\nunderstand and digest all the rest; and he that can derive comfort from\n_one_ text, will thereby learn to do the same by all the rest. It will be\nvery useful to repeat frequently, with lively affection, the 88th Psalm,\nwhere thou wilt see the state of thy soul described. There thou wilt find\nthat there have been others in the world before thee, who have been tried\nand afflicted as thou art, and yet have afterwards been delivered and\ncomforted of God, as we find in Psalm 89, where the holy man, rejoicing in\nthe divine comfort, begins, as in a rapture, \u201cI will sing of the mercies\nof the Lord for ever.\u201d Be thou confident, therefore, and believe that God\nwill also in due time comfort thee with the same consolation. For the Evil\nspirit, who always delights to afflict the souls of men, has, from the\nbeginning of the world, made it his business to gall and wound them with\nhis fiery darts. As in a tempestuous sea one wave is continually rolling\nupon another, so do the various temptations of Satan pursue the afflicted\nsoul; sometimes oppressing it with fearful and melancholy thoughts; at\nothers, with impatience, unbelief, blasphemous and wicked thoughts. The\nterrors and miseries of such a soul are sometimes so great, that no\ncreature can give it comfort; yea, those very things which give joy and\ndelight to others, are to such a man, not only joyless, but burdensome.\nThe whole world is to him but one bitter cross; yea, even God himself\nappears dreadful to him. Thus Job bitterly complains (chap. 7:13, etc.);\nand the agony is increased by the sting of his own conscience, which\nterrifies him with this dreadful sentence, \u201cThere is no help for thee in\nthy God.\u201d Ps. 3:2.\n\n13. Against these wiles of the devil there is no better remedy than to\nendeavor to strengthen thyself after the examples of Job, David, and other\nholy men. (1) By bearing thy affliction as long as it shall please God;\nand waiting patiently till the clouds of darkness be driven away. Isa. 54:\n11. \u201cI will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned\nagainst him, until he bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his\nrighteousness.\u201d Micah 7:9. Where God afflicteth, it is in no man\u2019s power\nto comfort. \u201cThe Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the\ngrave, and bringeth up.\u201d 1 Sam. 2:6.\n\n14. (2) We must, in this case, stop our ears against the opinions of the\nworld, and, with Job, disregard the accusations of our friends, the\nterrors of the devil, who is the enemy of all peace and comfort, the\nreflections of our own hearts, the stings of our own consciences, and all\nthe objections of flesh and blood. For, \u201cif our heart condemn us, God is\ngreater than our heart\u201d (1 John 3:20), yea, than all the world, or the\ndevil himself. Rather call to mind what God himself has promised to such\nafflicted souls. \u201cTo this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of\na contrite spirit.\u201d Isa. 66:2. \u201cI have chosen thee in the furnace of\naffliction.\u201d Isa. 48:10.\n\n15. (3) Consider also the examples of holy men. Did not they suffer as\nthou dost, and were they not at last delivered? Does not David complain,\n\u201cHow long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever?\u201d Ps. 13:1. And did God\nforsake him in his troubles? No; for he adds, \u201cI have trusted in thy\nmercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation!\u201d Ver. 5. He complains,\n\u201cHath God forgotten to be gracious?\u201d Ps. 77:9. But did God leave him in\nthis extremity? No, certainly, for after his deliverance he adds, \u201cI will\nremember the years of the right hand of the Most High.\u201d Ver. 10. Thus when\nGod discovered himself in terrors to Jeremiah, he prays, \u201cBe not a terror\nunto me!\u201d (Jer. 17:17), but immediately adds, \u201cThou art my hope in the day\nof evil.\u201d Did not Jesus Christ himself cry out, \u201cMy God, my God, why hast\nthou forsaken me?\u201d Ps. 22:1. But was he forsaken of God? No; for he adds,\n\u201cI will declare thy name unto my brethren\u201d (Ps. 22:22): and \u201cI shall not\ndie, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.\u201d Ps. 118:17.\n\n16. Thou also, after this example of thy Saviour, must be content to drink\nthe wine mingled with gall and myrrh (Matt. 27:34), that thou mayest\nhereafter sit down with him at his royal supper in the kingdom of heaven.\nIsa. 65:13. Learn, therefore, to bear his reproach (Heb. 13:13); and thou\nshalt be a partaker of his glory. Learn to be conformed to Christ\ncrucified, that thou mayest be conformed to Christ glorified. Rom. 8:29;\nPhil. 3:21.\n\n\n\n\nChapter LIII.\n\n\n   Consolations For Those Who Labor Under Great Spiritual Temptations.\n\n\n    _When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their\n    tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them; I the God of\n    Israel will not forsake them._\u2014ISA. 41:17.\n\n\nIn these words, the Holy Spirit comforts all those that are broken in\nheart, miserable, tempted, and thirsting after God; by whom they look upon\nthemselves as forsaken and rejected, so that they cry out, \u201cMy soul is\nfull of troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.\u201d Ps. 88:3. For\nthe sake of such as these, I shall touch upon some few heads, by way of\ncomfort and advice under these spiritual temptations.\n\n2. (1) We are to remember, that no kinds of spiritual temptations,\nmelancholy thoughts, terrors of soul, and stings of conscience, can happen\nto us without the particular permission and gracious will of God our\nheavenly Father, notwithstanding all the malice and fury of the Evil\nSpirit. For God has expressly told us in his Word, that the devil has not\nthe least power over any creature; nor can he hurt even a hair of our\nheads. Matt. 10:30. All creatures are in the hand of God, and not in the\npower of the devil. Heb. 1: 3. Much less has he any power over man, unless\nby the permission of God, for a certain season, as in the case of the\nGergesenes (Matt. 8:32), and Job. Job 1:12.\n\n3. Now, if he has no power of himself over a hair of our heads, or the\nleast part of our bodies; much less can he of himself afflict, disquiet,\nor torment our souls. Hence David says, \u201cThe angel of the Lord encampeth\nround about them that fear him, and delivereth them.\u201d Ps. 34:7. And\nZechariah, \u201cI, the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about.\u201d\nZech. 2:5. So David prays, \u201cKeep me as the apple of the eye.\u201d Ps. 17:8.\nAnd he acknowledges God to be the author of all the heavy trials of his\nspirit: \u201cThou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.\nThy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy\nwaves.\u201d Ps. 88:6, 7. So likewise, \u201cThou which hast shewed me great and\nsore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from\nthe depths of the earth.\u201d Ps. 71:20. Agreeable to which is the song of\nHannah, \u201cThe Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the\ngrave, and bringeth up.\u201d 1 Sam. 2:6. For as the Son of God himself\ndescended first into hell, before he ascended up into heaven; so likewise\nmust the true members of his body experience the same, in the following\nmanner. When a man\u2019s conscience is so awakened and enlightened by the\nLord, as to feel in himself the strength of sin, the sting of death, the\ncurse of the law, and the fiery darts of the devil; then is his wretched\nsoul so oppressed with grief and horror, that with David (Ps. 77:3), it\nrefuses to be comforted, and looks upon itself as rejected and persecuted\nby every creature of God. The man who is in this state, does not enjoy the\nleast glimpse of comfort, believing that he deserves it not; he struggles\nwith despair, he contends with hell, and has already a taste of its agony.\nThis is the sting of hell, yea, hell itself, full of terror and amazement,\ndarkness and despair. He that suffers this, is not indeed corporeally, but\nspiritually, and in his soul, brought down into hell; so that with his\nblessed Saviour at the mount of Olives, he is in an agony, is very heavy\nand sorrowful, even unto death. Luke 22:44.\n\n4. But you will say, Is it not strange, that God should suffer his\nbelieving children, who have been baptized into Christ, who through him\nobtained remission of their sins, being justified through faith, and\nredeemed to eternal life\u2014to be thus miserably tempted and afflicted by the\ndevil, oppressed with dreadful thoughts, and to undergo this spiritual\nmartyrdom? In answer to this, we must consider, that it is not our\nbusiness to inquire into the secret reasons of God\u2019s ways, but to rest\nsatisfied with what he has told us, namely, that all these kinds of\naffliction proceed from him. Now we may rest assured, that whatsoever\ncomes from him, promotes our spiritual welfare, according to what we are\ntold, that \u201call things work together for good, to them that love God.\u201d\nRom. 8:28. There are, however, some reasons revealed, why God suffers his\nbeloved children to fall into temptations so bitter.\n\n5. The first may be to bring us to a true sense of the strength of sin,\nwhich is the sting of death (1 Cor. 15:56); of the curse of the law; of\nthe wrath and justice of God; and of the cruel tyranny of Satan. These\nhang together, as it were, in a chain, as Hezekiah complains (Isaiah\n38:14), when he chattered as a crane or a swallow, and mourned as a dove.\n\n6. Secondly, That we may have worthy conceptions of the value and\ngreatness of our blessed Saviour\u2019s passion, and of all the merits of our\nredemption; and hence learn that by the agony of his own soul, he has\ndelivered us from the punishments of hell. Ps. 22:2.\n\n7. Thirdly, That we may be conformed to the image of Christ. Rom. 8:29.\n\n8. Fourthly, That we may learn to taste the efficacy of God\u2019s Holy Word,\nand the comforts that flow from it. Thus we are told, \u201cby vexation (or\ntemptation) only we shall understand the report\u201d (or word). Isa. 28:19.\n\n9. Fifthly, That we may learn to exercise faith, hope, charity, humility,\nand patience, that so \u201cthe trial of our faith may be found much more\nprecious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire.\u201d 1 Pet.\n1:7.\n\n10. Sixthly, That we may afterwards have a more lively perception of the\ndivine comforts, even as St. Paul says, \u201cAs the sufferings of Christ\nabound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.\u201d 2 Cor. 1:5.\n\n11. Seventhly, That we may obtain greater degrees of glory in the life to\ncome, according to Rom. 8:17: \u201cIf so be that we suffer with him, that we\nmay be also glorified together.\u201d\n\n12. Though we even did not know that God intended these particular\nadvantages by our sufferings; yet we ought to be satisfied with this one\nconsideration, that our sufferings are ordered by the will of God. For if\n\u201cthe very hairs of our head are all numbered\u201d (Matt. 10:30), how much more\ncare, may we suppose, will God take of our souls, that the devil may not\nprecipitate us into despair? Hence we may further learn, not to expect\ndeliverance from any but God himself, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who\nhas overcome the world and the devil. John 12:31; 16:11. He, therefore,\nthat labors under temptation, must fly unto Jesus Christ; and from him\nalone expect that help, comfort, and peace, which nothing in this world\ncan give him.\n\n13. (2) These trials are not to be looked upon as tokens of God\u2019s _anger_,\nbut rather of his infinite _mercy_, since he is hereby fitting us to be\npartakers with them who have through many temptations entered into glory.\nSuch was David, who complains, \u201cThe sorrows of death compassed me.\u201d Psalm\n18:4. And the whole 88th Psalm is full of lamentations of the pains and\nagony which he underwent in his soul. This, too, was the prophet\nJeremiah\u2019s case, when he wished that his mother\u2019s womb had been his grave\n(Jer. 20:17); that he had never seen the light, that so he might have\navoided his many bitter sufferings. Thus it was with Job, when he cried\nout: \u201cO that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the\nbalances together. For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea.\u201d\nJob 6:2, 3. And \u201cMy soul chooseth strangling, and death, rather than my\nlife.\u201d Job 7:15. Thus St. Paul was buffeted by \u201cthe messenger of Satan.\u201d 2\nCor. 12:7. Nor, lastly, did the Son of God himself, escape severe trials,\nwhen his holy body trembled, and his soul was exceeding sorrowful (Matt.\n26:38), and when he cried out, \u201cMy God, my God, why hast thou forsaken\nme?\u201d Matt. 27:46.\n\n14. From these examples we may learn that we are not the only persons who\nhave been so severely tempted; but that saints and servants of God before\nus have been visited in the same manner. And as God forsook not them in\ntheir extreme agony, so we may assure ourselves that he will in his own\ntime deliver us, as well as them. This is an argument full of consolation.\nAs bodily diseases and persecutions are marks of the divine favor, since\nby them God endeavors to make us conformable to his Son (and on that\naccount we ought to bear them with patience), so it is a much greater\ntoken of the divine favor, and of the glory that shall follow it, when he\nsends affliction on our souls, as well as on our bodies, and by a variety\nof crosses brings us to an entire conformity, both in body and soul, to\nChrist our Head. For as the body of the blessed Jesus, at the time of his\npassion, was overwhelmed with all kinds of pains, and sufferings, and his\nsoul was full of anguish, distress, and sorrow: so must his spiritual\nbody, in all its true and living members, be made partaker of the same\nsufferings, whether internal or external, so that the whole spiritual\nbody, as well as the Head, may contribute, each member in its proportion,\nto fill up the measure of sufferings. This is what St. Paul means, \u201cI fill\nup that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh\u201d (Col.\n1:24): so that every living member of Christ must expect to bear his share\nof Christ\u2019s cross, in order to perfect that which is yet lacking in such\nsufferings. It ought, therefore, to make us rejoice in affliction, when we\nconsider that \u201cthe sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be\ncompared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.\u201d Rom. 8:18. We\nshould, when these spiritual storms blow hard upon us, bear with patience\nthe paternal chastisement of God (Micah 7:9), expect his help, not faint\nin prayer, but think thus with ourselves: This is a season of sufferings;\nbut when wrath has passed away, it will end in joy unspeakable and full of\nglory. Isa. 54:7, 8.\n\n15. (3) We must support ourselves under this internal conflict, with the\ncomforting promises of Jesus Christ, that in due time we shall conquer if\nwe hold out and faint not. Gal. 6:9. Thus he tells us, \u201cThe prince of this\nworld cometh, and hath nothing in me.\u201d John 14:30. And, \u201cBe of good cheer;\nI have overcome the world.\u201d John 16:33. For as all the host of Israel\ntriumphed in the person of David, when he slew Goliath, and routed the\nPhilistines (1 Sam. 17:51); so the victory of our Lord is the victory of\nall true believers. Hence we are told, \u201cNow is come salvation, and\nstrength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the\naccuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God\nday and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the\nword of their testimony.\u201d Rev. 12:10, 11. Whenever, therefore, thou\nfindest thyself assaulted by the fiery darts of the Evil One, and thy soul\nis afflicted with such suggestions as these: \u201cThou art damned;\u2014thou art\nundone;\u2014God hath forsaken thee;\u2014thou art mine;\u2014it is in vain for thee to\nhope, believe, or pray any longer,\u201d then take courage, and answer boldly:\n\u201cO thou enemy of mankind, thou hast no power to condemn me. God hath not\nappointed thee to be my judge; but the faithful shall judge the world, and\nthee, at the last great day\u201d (1 Cor. 6:3), yea, prince of this world, thou\nart judged already by the Son of God. John 16:11.\n\n16. (4) As the nature of this spirit of blasphemy is such, that a\nChristian is forced to undergo it sorely against his will, and does all\nthat in him lies to resist and oppose it; hence let him comfort himself,\nwhen he is tempted with the thought, that God will never lay it to his\ncharge; since it is not he that acts, but the devil; for the soul is\npassive, and may, therefore, be assured that such thoughts shall never be\nimputed for sin. As people in a besieged town, cannot hinder the enemy\nfrom throwing fire into the town, though they may do what they can to\nquench it, and prevent its spreading; and as Hezekiah (Isa. 36:11) could\nnot hinder the blasphemy of Rabshakeh; so we cannot hinder the devil from\nshooting his envenomed arrows at us. All that we have to do is, to bear it\nwith penitential sorrow, and to take all the care we can, not to suffer\nour thoughts to vent themselves in blasphemous words; but, on the other\nhand, having set a guard upon our tongues, we should endeavor so to stifle\nthese murmurings, that they break not out into a flame, as we read of\nJeremiah. (Lam. 3:28.) Moreover, forasmuch as thou art assaulted against\nthy will, it is plain, that thou hast yet a living and struggling faith.\n\n17. (5) We ought to be comforted, if we find but _one single aspiration of\nour hearts towards God_, or any devout affection springing up in our souls\nby the reading of any text of Holy Scripture. For this is that spark of\nfaith and divine grace, which, like the smoking of flax, God will not\nquench, but preserve it in its weakest state, when it seems to be almost\ndead. Isa. 42:3. One devout aspiration such as this, is a certain sign\nthat the Holy Spirit is still present with us, though in a manner almost\nundiscernible in the deepest ground and centre of the soul. For as the\nbody is not looked upon as dead, whilst there is the least breath or pulse\nremaining; so we must believe that the Spirit of God, and faith, are not\nyet entirely gone, if only a feeble prayer and a word of God remain; for\nthen the soul retains a spiritual and internal life, and is not entirely\ndead. And the soul ought to be content with the smallest spark of this\ninward light and life, till the Spirit of joy and liberty return to him,\nand comfort him with all the consolations of God. Let us suppose a man in\nsuch a case, that he can neither pray, nor even think a good thought; and\nthat this inability is matter of the greatest grief to him; the anguish of\nsuch a soul, because it cannot pray, is in itself a true and effectual\nprayer. These are the unutterable sighs and groanings which St. Paul\nmentions. Rom. 8:26. And to this belongs what the prophet says, \u201cWhen the\npoor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for\nthirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake\nthem.\u201d Isa. 41:17.\n\n18. (6) Be the temptations and afflictions of the heart ever so great, yet\nthe Scripture assures us that it is the habitation of God, and not of the\ndevil. That Satan has no possession of it, appears from the furious\nassaults he makes upon the afflicted soul, by which he endeavors to subdue\nit; but \u201cgreater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world.\u201d 1\nJohn 4:4. \u201cFear thou not, for I am with thee.\u201d Isa. 41:10. Therefore,\nthough this trial of the soul is the greatest affliction that can possibly\nbefall it in this life, yet, forasmuch as we are assured that God will\nlook unto those that are of contrite hearts, and will dwell with them\n(Isa. 57:15), that he sent the blessed Jesus from heaven to comfort the\nafflicted, and to preach glad tidings to the distressed (Isa. 61:2); and\nthat He himself invites weary souls to come unto him (Matt. 11:28),\ntherefore let no man despair when he finds himself plunged into this\nfurnace of affliction. These are they whom God commanded his prophet to\ncomfort: \u201cStrengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say\nto them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not.\u201d Isa. 35:3, 4.\nAnd God tells us that \u201chis strength is made perfect in weakness;\u201d which\ninduced St. Paul to say, \u201cWhen I am weak, then am I strong.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:10.\nYea, the grace of God is so far from forsaking a man, even when he is\nbuffeted (2 Cor. 12:7) by Satan: that it was at that time particularly,\nthat God told Paul, \u201cMy grace is sufficient for thee.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:7-9.\n\n19. (7) There is not so much as one instance to be produced, of any man\nforsaken of God under this spiritual conflict; but, on the contrary, He\nhas always restored his servants, \u201cwhom he has thus chosen in the furnace\nof affliction\u201d (Isa. 48:10), to the same and to higher degrees of grace,\nthan those whence they thought they had fallen. This ought to be matter of\ngreat comfort to us, and persuade us that when the hour of trial is ended,\nthe season of joy and redemption will quickly follow. \u201cHappy is the man\nwhom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the\nAlmighty. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands\nmake whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven there\nshall no evil touch thee.\u201d Job 5:17-19; Micah 7:9. Let no man, therefore,\nfaint under tribulation, but bear \u201cthe indignation of the Lord\u201d for a\nlittle while (Ps. 112:4; 97:11), till the Sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2)\narise upon him again with healing and consolation in his wings, for \u201clight\nis sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart!\u201d\n\n20. (8) Tauler reckons these spiritual afflictions and trials among the\nsingular gifts and favors of God, speaking thus of them: \u201cIn these great\ntemptations, God deprives a man of all that he has given him, forcing him\nto descend into himself and see his own poverty and weakness; and also\ntrying him, to discover how he will behave himself in this desolate state.\nAnd this is done when a man is forsaken; so that he knows nothing of God,\nhis grace, his comforts, or the gifts which he once bestowed upon him; but\nwhich are now taken away, and concealed from his eyes, so that he knows\nnot whither to fly or which way to turn. When a man is once brought into\nthis state, there is nothing better for him than cheerfully and willingly\nto submit himself to the order and decree of God. It was, indeed, a great\nthing in the holy martyrs to lay down their lives for God; but they were\nso abundantly strengthened by the comforts of his Holy Spirit, that the\nmost exquisite torments were to them but trifling and contemptible, and\ndeath itself had lost its terrors. But to have God hide his face, and\ndeprive us of his grace and comfort, is a martyrdom much greater than\ntheirs. This occurs when all the sins, all the infirmities and\ntemptations, which a man has long ago conquered, assault him afresh, with\ngreater violence than when he was the servant of sin. In this case, the\nbest way is to suffer with patience, and to be entirely resigned to the\nall-wise providence of God.\u201d Such sufferers as these, Tauler calls\n\u201cspiritual martyrs,\u201d from the bitter trials they undergo whilst deprived\nof the light of God\u2019s countenance, and the comfortable influences of his\nSpirit, which are so severe that they know not which way to turn for\nrelief; and when they see and consider the gifts and graces bestowed upon\nothers, they fall into bitter dejection of spirit, reckoning that it is\ntheir own fault that they are thus barren and destitute of spiritual joy.\nAnd though they take ever so much pains, they still seem to labor in vain;\nfor they find their dryness and hardness of heart still increasing upon\nthem; so that at last, being quite void of comfort, and having lost all\npatience, they fall into a secret distrust of God\u2019s mercy, and believe\nthat he is offended with everything they do. At length they submit in\npatience, until God may make a change; for they themselves are utterly\nhelpless. This is that which brings them to a conformity, not only with\nthe saints, but with Christ, whose whole life was nothing but affliction.\nThese spiritual martyrs, though in the sight of the world they are of all\nmen most miserable, and seem to be forsaken and cast off by God; yet are,\nin truth, the richest towards God. In their own opinion they are, indeed,\nat the same time, the most unfaithful to him; though in reality they have\nthe firmest faith, and most ardent zeal for his honor and service, and\nupon that account undergo these heavy sufferings. From this faith and love\ntowards God (of which they themselves are ignorant), it arises, that they\nare tormented with divers temptations to which they will not consent, so\nthat even death itself would not be so bitter to them, as the anguish they\nfeel upon that account. They labor with their utmost strength to amend\ntheir lives, and practise every Christian virtue; and when they find their\nlabor to be in vain, they relapse into the old sense of their infirmities,\nattended with the most exquisite pain of mind. All this, they suffer from\na principle of love towards God; esteeming themselves the worst of all\nmen, though they are most precious in the sight of God.\n\n21. No wiser counsel can be given to these than that, with humble patience\nand resignation they bear the troubles which they cannot help, and which\nare but aggravated by impatience. After this dark night of unspeakable\naffliction, the Sun of righteousness shall arise, refreshing and filling\ntheir hearts with inexpressible light and glory.\n\n\n\n\nChapter LIV.\n\n\n      Comforts Under Secret And Spiritual Temptations Of The Devil.\n\n\n    _Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as\n    wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and\n    when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren._\u2014LUKE 22:31, 32.\n\n\nHow great and implacable the enmity of the devil is to all mankind, we are\nabundantly informed, not only by Scripture (as 1 Pet. 5:8, \u201cBe sober, be\nvigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh\nabout, seeking whom he may devour.\u201d Eph. 6:12, and Rev. 12:12, \u201cWoe to the\nearth, and to the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great\nwrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time;\u201d and from the\nhistory of Job), but also more particularly by daily experience, and the\nmany grievous and dangerous temptations with which he assaults the souls\nof good men in their spiritual warfare. At one time he assaults our faith,\nat another time our Christian calling, and then interrupts and disturbs us\nin the exercise of our devotions; all which is clearly expressed in the\nhistory of our Lord\u2019s temptation. Matt. 4:3, etc. Hence we may learn that\nno man is safe from his temptations. For if he spared not Christ our Head,\nhow can sinful men expect to escape him? For which reason our Lord himself\nadvises us, \u201cWatch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.\u201d Matt.\n26:41.\n\n2. Among the various temptations with which the devil afflicts the soul,\nthis is one, namely, the tormenting a man with blasphemous, profane,\nimpure, and troublesome thoughts, so as to sink him deep into melancholy\nand wretchedness. And these abominable suggestions are so crafty, sudden,\nand violent, that they will not give a man a moment\u2019s rest. Upon this\naccount St. Paul calls them, \u201cthe fiery darts of the wicked one.\u201d Eph.\n6:16. As a public enemy is perpetually casting fire into a besieged town;\nso the devil is continually vexing such souls with his hellish\nsuggestions. And as the wounds of an envenomed arrow are most exquisitely\npainful; so the wounds caused by the fiery darts of Satan, are far more\nsharp and intolerable than the severest bodily sufferings. Wherefore we\nshall here present some select heads of comfort against these secret and\ninternal temptations, all drawn from the Word of God. _First_, as to the\nwords prefixed to this chapter, it is plain that they were uttered by our\nblessed Saviour, with the utmost tenderness, and most ardent compassion.\nWhence we may gather, that the being afflicted with these temptations, is\nno mark of God\u2019s displeasure, much less that he designs to destroy us\nthereby, and deliver us up into the hands of the enemy. On the contrary,\nsuch a temptation is nothing but a chastising rod, whereby God intends to\nhumble a man, and to draw him to Himself. This appears from the example of\nSt. Peter, whose confidence and self-conceit opened a door to the most\ngrievous temptation, and to the sin which followed. And St. Paul tells us\nof himself, \u201cLest I should be exalted (saith he) above measure through the\nabundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,\nthe messenger of Satan to buffet me. For this thing I besought the Lord\nthrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is\nsufficient for thee.\u201d 2 Cor. 12:7-9. From which words we may learn three\nthings: 1. That St. Paul, and all others that are exercised with these\ntrials, are humbled thereby. 2. That all those sufferings come upon us by\nthe counsel of God. 3. That the utmost fury of the devil against a man who\nis so tempted, cannot exclude him from God\u2019s favor, which is expressed in\nthese words, \u201cMy grace is sufficient for thee.\u201d\n\n3. The _second_ ground of comfort is contained in these words: \u201cSatan hath\ndesired you.\u201d From these words we may learn, that though the devil is\nalways desirous and ready to cast his fiery darts at us, yet has he no\npower without the particular leave and permission of God; who never gives\nhim more than a limited permission, beyond which he cannot go. To this\nbelongs that place of St. Paul, \u201cGod is faithful, who will not suffer you\nto be tempted above that ye are able.\u201d 1 Cor. 10:13. To which we may add\nthe example of Job, against whom the devil dared not attempt anything,\ntill he had first obtained leave of God; and even that clogged with a\nlimitation. See chap. 1:12.\n\n4. The _third_ consolation arises from these words of our Lord: \u201cI have\nprayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.\u201d In what manner, and with what\naffection the blessed Jesus prayed for us to his Heavenly Father, we are\ntold in John (chapter 17), namely, that He would be pleased to keep his\nfaithful servants from the evil of the world; that he would dwell in them,\nand they in him; and that of those whom he had received of his Father, he\nmight lose none. This prayer, were it but heartily applied to the\ndistressed soul, would support it with a divine courage so as to abide in\nChrist by faith, not doubting but that Christ in her, by the same faith,\nwould conquer and triumph over all her enemies.\n\n5. The _fourth_ comfort may be drawn from John 17:21, where our blessed\nLord prays for us, and begs of his heavenly Father, that we may abide in\nChrist, and Christ in us. And St. John tells us, that \u201cgreater is he that\nis in us, than he that is in the world.\u201d 1 John 4:4. Christ dwells in\nevery believing soul by faith; and all the assaults of the devil cannot\ndispossess this illustrious guest. And as Christ himself, in whom God\nhimself, that is, all \u201cthe fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily\u201d and\npersonally (Col. 2:9), was tempted by Satan, thou must not, therefore,\nthink that Christ is not in thee, because thou thyself art likewise\ntempted. And if Christ be in thee of a truth, thou needest not fear what\nthe devil can do unto thee: for Christ will certainly defend the place of\nhis own residence, against all opposers. Moreover, thou hast within thee\nthe Holy Spirit, who \u201chelpeth thine infirmities, and maketh intercession\nfor thee with groanings that cannot be uttered.\u201d Rom. 8:26. Whensoever\nthou findest these within thee, thou mayest assure thyself, that the Holy\nSpirit dwelleth in thee, and he will not forsake thee, as our blessed Lord\nassures us: \u201cThe Father shall give you another Comforter, that he may\nabide with you forever.\u201d John 14:16. Lastly, God has promised, that he\nwill dwell in the humble and contrite heart: \u201cI dwell with him that is of\na contrite and humble spirit.\u201d Isa. 57:15; 66:2. And such, undoubtedly,\nare all those who are tormented with these temptations of Satan.\n\n6. The _fifth_ ground of comfort, is contained in our Saviour\u2019s promise:\n\u201cI have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.\u201d O divine comfort! as if\nour Lord had said: \u201cYour infirmities shall never be so great, but that\nthere shall be some sparks of faith left. Yea, though you feel in\nyourselves no comfort, and, on that account, are apt to think your faith\nquite extinct, yet will I never suffer the smoking flax to be entirely\nquenched.\u201d Isa. 42:3. But, now, if you ask, How shall I know this? I\nanswer, 1. By the earnest longing of your soul after faith. For, to desire\nand pray for faith above all other things, arises from a living spark of\nremaining faith. 2. By your resistance of temptation, which is a certain\ntoken of the presence of faith; and this resistance and opposition appear\nplainly in this, that all these wicked and blasphemous thoughts arise in\nyour soul sorely against your will, and that you bear them with more pain,\nthan you would any external violence offered to your body. Now whatsoever\na man suffers of this kind against his will, is resisted by faith, and\nshall never be imputed to him as sin; for nothing but a voluntary\nviolation of the divine law, makes a man sinful in the sight of God. If\nAdam had not yielded to the suggestions of Satan, he had not had sin; but\nas soon as he submitted his will to that of the tempter, he fell into the\ntransgression. Whence it follows, that it cannot be sin, which is not\nattended with the consent of the will. A besieged city cannot hinder the\nenemy from throwing fire into it, but the inhabitants must endeavor to\nprevent it from spreading, and burning the town to ashes. So we cannot\navoid the fiery darts of the devil, with which he delights to afflict the\nheart; but as we do not consent to them, but rather resist, they must at\nlast be quenched, and can do us no harm. By such tokens as these we may\ndiscover, that our faith, however weak, is not extinct.\n\n7. Being once assured of this, we may likewise certainly depend upon\nvictory; and this opens to us a _sixth_ fountain of comfort. To this,\ntherefore, refers that comfortable saying of our Saviour: \u201cThe prince of\nthis world cometh, and hath nothing in me.\u201d John 14:30. \u201cBe of good cheer;\nI have overcome the world.\u201d John 16:33. Whatsoever Christ did, he did for\nour sakes; that he himself, with all his benefits and merits, might be\nentirely ours. Since, therefore, he has conquered Satan, it follows that\nhe has conquered him not only for himself, but for us also: his conquest\nis ours. All this was prefigured in the contest between David and Goliath.\n1 Sam. 17:8, 9, 50-53. The conditions were, that if Goliath overcame\nDavid, the people of Israel should be the servants of the Philistines; but\nif David overcame Goliath, the Philistines should serve Israel. Now, even\nas David\u2019s victory was counted as the victory of all Israel, so the\nvictory of Christ avails as the victory of all believers. Hence St. Paul\nsays: \u201cBe strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.\u201d Eph. 6:10.\nAnd, \u201cThanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus\nChrist.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:57.\n\n8. _Seventhly_, we ought to be comforted by the examples of the saints,\nwho have also been cruelly tempted. Of these our blessed Saviour speaks,\nsaying, \u201cWhen thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.\u201d By these\nwords, our Saviour plainly sends us to be instructed by the examples of\nour brethren, who have been tempted and persecuted by the devil in like\nmanner with us. Hence St. Peter says: \u201cKnowing that the same afflictions\nare accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.\u201d 1 Peter 5:9.\n\n9. _Lastly_, we ought to be comforted by the example of Jesus Christ\nhimself. Matt. 4:1, etc. Over him, though he was the beloved Son of God,\nthe devil had so much power, as to hurry him from place to place, and use\nhim with so much insolence, that it is wonderful the Son of God should\nsuffer it from that rebellious, apostate spirit. But this was the\ncondition of the humble Jesus, who emptied himself of all his glory and\nmajesty, that he might be tempted as man, and be made like unto his\nbrethren.\n\n\n\n\nChapter LV.\n\n\n  The Reasons For Which God Sometimes Delays His Comfort And Assistance.\n\n\n    _For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it\n    shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it\n    will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is\n    lifted up, is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his\n    faith._\u2014HAB. 2:3, 4.\n\n\nIn these words the Holy Spirit comforts us, under the _delays_ of Divine\nassistance: for so we are apt to call (1) those very methods by which God\nhastens to help and save us. He has, in his unsearchable wisdom, appointed\nto every man his cross in weight and measure. He delivers it out to him in\nmeet proportions, sending one affliction after another, till the measure\nof his sufferings be accomplished; that so, by a gradual conquest, he may\nat last obtain a complete victory. This dealing of God with us, we are apt\nto call _his delaying_ to help us; not considering that this is the\nquickest method of accomplishing the measure of our sufferings, and\ncompleting our victory. That which to us seems to be delay, is in the\nsight of God, _making haste to help us_.\n\n2. Now he that is refractory and impatient under the cross, has no peace\nin his soul. For as patience renders the soul easy and quiet, so\nimpatience makes it restless and uneasy. Thus our Lord tells us, \u201cLearn of\nme; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your\nsouls.\u201d Matt. 11:29. And, whereas, the prophet adds, that \u201cthe just shall\nlive by his faith;\u201d this relates to the promises of divine grace and\nassistance, which we lay hold on by faith. And from this consolation the\nsoul derives life and joy; as Hezekiah says: \u201cO Lord, by these things men\nlive, and in all these things is the life of my spirit.\u201d Isa. 38:16. On\nthe other hand, unbelief produces impatience; impatience, disquiet;\ndisquiet, despair; and despair, everlasting death. So that we may most\ntruly say, that \u201cthe just lives by faith;\u201d that is, by the grace of God,\nwhich he patiently expects and waits for.\n\n3. (2) Solomon tells us: \u201cTo every thing there is a season, and a time to\nevery purpose under heaven.\u201d Eccles. 3:1. Whence we may learn, that\ncrosses and afflictions come not by chance; but that every season of\naffliction is appointed to us by God. Wherefore, in our troubles let us\nlift up our eyes unto Him, in whose hand are our happiness and misery, our\nriches and poverty, our life and death; yea, and every moment of our\nafflictions. This is illustrated in the case of Joseph, whom, for thirteen\nyears together, God visited with remarkable afflictions (Gen. 37:36;\n41:1): \u201cuntil the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried\nhim,\u201d as the Psalmist tells us. Ps. 105:19. By his example we may learn\nhow useful and necessary it is for us that God should sometimes delay his\nhelp. For when he was sold, he was seventeen years old; and when, by the\nhand of God he was brought out of prison, he was thirty; and the bearing\nof his cross all that season, was the very thing that qualified him for\nthe glorious advancement that followed. In that honorable post he\ncontinued eighty years; whence we may observe, that his thirteen years of\nsuffering, were recompensed with many years of glory and honor: for he\nlived a hundred and ten years. Therefore let the devout Christian that\nsuffers imprisonment or any kind of persecution for the testimony of a\ngood conscience, or shame, or sickness, call to mind the wonderful\nprovidence of God to Joseph, and satisfy himself that the all-wise God,\nwho has appointed his season of affliction, has likewise determined the\nset time of his deliverance. For as a skilful builder knows well by what\ntime his laborers will have finished their task, so has God measured out\nthe weight and duration of every man\u2019s cross, and appointed the season of\nhis deliverance. As soon as that comes, the light of divine grace will\nimmediately break forth, and will comfort the afflicted soul.\n\n4. (3) As God has determined the number of our crosses; so He has been\npleased to conceal from us the time of our deliverance, satisfying us with\nthat declaration of our blessed Lord, \u201cIt is not for you to know the times\nor the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.\u201d Acts 1:7.\nAgreeably to this are the words of God, who when he had threatened the\nchildren of Israel with the Babylonish captivity, adds, \u201cIs not this laid\nup in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?\u201d Deut. 32:34.\nThence we may learn, with what great and unsearchable wisdom God governs\nand corrects the children of men. To this also may be referred that saying\nof St. Paul: \u201cGod hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell\non all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before\nappointed, and the bounds of their habitation.\u201d Acts 17:26. In these words\nwe are instructed, that not only the period of every man\u2019s life, but even\nthe place and manner of it, are appointed by God. And this general\ndetermination of time and place, includes in it the crosses and\nafflictions appointed to every person.\n\n5. (4) And as God has appointed the period, time, and place, of the\nsufferings of his servants; so has He also of the persecutions and\noppressions of the wicked. When these have for a season been breathing out\noppressions and slaughter, then that God to whom vengeance belongeth,\nawaketh and riseth to judgment; according to Deut. 32:35: \u201cTo me belongeth\nvengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day\nof their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them,\nmake haste.\u201d This is abundantly confirmed by the examples of heretics and\ntyrants that have most grievously persecuted the church of God; and when\nthe devil has raged long enough, and his time is expired, then has the\ndivine vengeance so confounded him and all his accomplices, that the whole\nworld has been amazed and astonished at the righteous judgments of God.\n\u201cBe ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord\ndraweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be\ncondemned: behold the Judge standeth before the door.\u201d Jas. 5:8, 9.\n\n\n\n\nChapter LVI.\n\n\nShowing That In Seasons Of Trial The Consideration Of The Exalted Patience\nOf Christ, And Of The Future And Eternal Glory, Will Alleviate The Burden\n                              Of The Cross.\n\n\n    _Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into\n    his glory?_\u2014LUKE 24:26.\n\n\nThe eternal Son of God, by his most holy incarnation, took upon him all\nthe miseries and calamities of mankind: and this not of compulsion and\nnecessity, but of pure love, that by his example he might teach us\npatience, and enable us to bear the cross, and overcome the calamities of\nthis mortal life. As he was to become man, so he willingly subjected\nhimself to all those miseries to which man is exposed; and as he came down\nfrom heaven for the sake of all, so he took upon him the infirmities of\nall; so that from the moment of his birth, to the hour of his death, he\nwas, as the prophet truly expresses it, \u201cdespised and rejected of men; a\nman of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.\u201d Isa. 53:3. There was no\ncalamity incident to human nature, which he did not suffer, and,\nparticularly, extreme poverty. He says of himself, \u201cThe foxes have holes,\nand the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to\nlay his head.\u201d Matt. 8:20. In the discharge of his office, he underwent\nthe most bitter persecutions, being exposed to hatred, calumnies, and\nreproaches. In his last days he submitted to the most ignominious\nsufferings, so that, as the prophet expresses it, \u201cWe did esteem him\nstricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.\u201d Isa. 53:4. His transcendent love\nmet with the highest ingratitude, his illustrious miracles were rewarded\nwith revilings, and his heavenly doctrines with calumnies and lies. And\nsince our blessed Lord suffered all this, why shall we expect to be\nexempted from sufferings and injuries?\n\n2. Thus the blessed Jesus, by his example, has shown us the true and only\npath to heaven. 1 Pet. 2:21. Let us therefore tread in his steps, and\nlearn to imitate him in all the different scenes of his most holy and\nafflicted life. He went before, that we might in holy patience follow him.\nWhence we may learn, how far they are from the true and right way, who\nnever regard this blessed pattern, but refuse to follow it. If men will\nstill walk on in darkness and shut their eyes against this light, how\ngreat must their darkness be! The blessed Jesus himself calls to them,\nsaying, \u201cI am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk\nin darkness, but shall have the light of life.\u201d John 8:12.\n\n3. All the sufferings of true Christians in this life, are not worthy to\nbe compared with the eternal glories reserved for them in the world to\ncome; for their temporal afflictions are but for a moment, but their\nglorious reward shall endure forever. 2 Cor. 4:17, 18. An everlasting\npossession is well worth contending for. Couldest thou but for a moment\nbehold what eternal glories they enjoy, who in this life were exposed to\nall torments and sufferings, thou wouldest cheerfully submit to them all,\nand take up thy cross with joy; thinking all things but as dross, that\nthou mightest win Christ and be a partaker of his glory.\n\n4. Lift up, therefore, the eyes of thy mind to heaven, and view, with St.\nJohn, that vast company clothed in white garments, and following the Lamb,\nconcerning whom this account is given to the inquiring Evangelist: \u201cThese\nare they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes,\nand made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before\nthe throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.\u201d Rev. 7:14,\n15. Such are the proper meditations for devout souls. Thus we read of\nMoses, \u201cBy faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called\nthe son of Pharaoh\u2019s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with\nthe people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;\nesteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in\nEgypt; for he had respect to the recompense of the reward.\u201d Heb. 11:24-26.\n\n5. Hence we learn that the saints in all ages have esteemed the reproach\nof the cross of Christ as their greatest treasure. And we may depend upon\nit, that no man can be admitted to the joys of the next world, who has not\nfought manfully under the banner of the cross in this world. How can we\nimagine that those blessed spirits will own us to be of their company in\nheaven, if we did not bring with us the sign of the cross? They would not\nknow us, and we would be strangers among them. \u201cHe that overcometh,\u201d saith\nthe Lord, \u201cthe same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot\nout his name out of the book of life.\u201d Rev. 3:5. And what does St. Paul\nsay? \u201cI have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept\nthe faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,\nwhich the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to\nme only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.\u201d 2 Tim. 4:7, 8.\n\n\n\n\nChapter LVII.\n\n\n                 Consolations Against The Fears Of Death.\n\n\n    _Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and\n    immortality to light through the gospel._\u20142 TIM. 1:10.\n\n\nThis sentence is full of divine comfort against the fears of temporal\ndeath. For if \u201cChrist hath abolished death,\u201d why should we fear it? And if\n\u201clife and immortality be brought to light,\u201d why should we not rejoice to\npass through the gates of death, to take possession of them? But since\nthere is no man so holy, but that at some time or other he is afraid of\ndeath, I shall here subjoin the chief heads of consolation, which I shall\ndivide into two parts. The first contains those consolations which arise\nfrom _Christ\u2019s sufferings and death, and the fruits of them_. The second,\nthose that arise from the consideration of _the vanity of the world_. Each\nof these parts shall comprehend seven arguments of comfort.\n\n2. I. The first and most powerful remedy against the fear of death, is the\nmost holy and innocent death of Jesus Christ, by which he destroyed the\npower of death. The power of death consists in the continual dread,\nanxiety, terror, and trembling that arise from the thought of the severe\njudgment that is to follow. With this the soul is oftentimes so afflicted,\nthat it is, as it were, continually dying, yet cannot die. This is the\npower of death, yea, is even the second and eternal death: and this\nterrible state the devil makes yet more dreadful by his suggestions. Upon\nthis account he is said \u201cto have the power of death\u201d (Heb. 2:14); that is,\nto terrify and torment the conscience with hellish fears and terrors. This\nwas David\u2019s case, as he complains, \u201cMy heart is sore pained within me; and\nthe terrors of death are fallen upon me.\u201d Ps. 55:4. So again, \u201cThe sorrows\nof death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.\u201d Ps.\n18:3, 4. Now the blessed Jesus has taken away this power of death,\nchanging it into a calm sleep, a blessed rest of soul and body. When the\nsoul is at rest, the body sleeps peacefully, so that the peace of the soul\ngives peace also to the body. Hence every true and faithful Christian may\nbe properly said not to taste of death; according to that promise of our\nblessed Lord, \u201cVerily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my sayings,\nhe shall never see death.\u201d John 8:51.\n\n3. The second ground of comfort is, the resurrection of our bodies. For\nChrist has so far destroyed the power of death, that it not only cannot\ntorment our souls, but cannot even keep our bodies perpetually. As the\npower of Christ\u2019s death in us protects us from tasting the bitterness of\nit; so, by the power of his resurrection, our mortal bodies shall also be\nraised again to a glorious immortality.\n\n4. For (1), the foundation of our resurrection is the resurrection of\nJesus Christ, as he himself says, \u201cBecause I live, ye shall live also.\u201d\nJohn 14:19. \u201cI am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me,\nthough he were dead, yet shall he live.\u201d John 11:25. \u201cI know that my\nRedeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth;\nand though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I\nsee God.\u201d Job 19:25. \u201cFor since by man came death, by man came also the\nresurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall\nall be made alive.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:21, 22.\n\n5. (2) This is also founded upon God\u2019s veracity. \u201cThy dead men shall\nlive.\u201d Isa. 26:19. \u201cThus saith the Lord God unto these bones: Behold, I\nwill cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. Behold, I will\nopen your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my\npeople.\u201d Ezek. 37:5, 12. \u201cAnd many of them that sleep in the dust of the\nearth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and\neverlasting contempt.\u201d Dan. 12:2. \u201cVerily, verily, I say unto you, The\nhour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son\nof God: and they that hear shall live. The hour is coming in the which all\nthat are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they\nthat have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have\ndone evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.\u201d John 5:25, 28, 29. \u201cAnd I\nsaw the dead, both small and great, stand before God.\u201d Rev. 20:12.\n\n6. (3) It is also founded upon the omnipotence and glory of Jesus Christ.\nAs in the resurrection of Lazarus, he was glorified, when he cried out,\n\u201cLazarus, come forth\u201d (John 11:43); so will he also, in the last great\nday, manifest his power and glory, by showing himself to be the Lord of\nthe dead and living. Rom. 14:9. \u201cI will ransom them from the power of the\ngrave; I will redeem them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues; O\ngrave, I will be thy destruction.\u201d Hosea 13:14.\n\n7. (4) The divine justice is also engaged for the confirmation of this\ntruth. As it has received fulfilment in that sentence, \u201cThou shalt surely\ndie\u201d (Gen. 2:17); so also must it be fulfilled in our resurrection after a\ncomplete satisfaction for sin. For when sin itself is at an end, the wages\nof sin ought to have an end likewise. This is strictly agreeable to the\njustice of God.\n\n8. (5) This is also further confirmed to us by the examples of those who\nhave been already raised from death unto life. Such was the case of the\nwidow\u2019s son (1 Kings 17:22); the Shunammite\u2019s son (2 Kings 4:35-37); the\ndead body that was raised by touching the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21);\nthe daughter of Jairus (Matt. 9:25); the widow\u2019s son at Nain (Luke 7:15);\nLazarus (John 11:43); and Tabitha (Acts 9:41).\n\n9. (6) Christ hath redeemed both soul and body to everlasting life.\n\n10. (7) The beautiful parables derived from nature, as the grain of wheat,\nin John 12:24, claim attention. The apostle says: \u201cThou fool, that which\nthou sowest is not quickened except it die,\u201d etc. 1 Cor. 15:36, etc. Upon\nthis account, burying-places are, in the German tongue, called _God\u2019s\nfields_ (_Gottesacker_).\n\n11. A third comfort against the fears of death is, the fruit of Christ\u2019s\nresurrection; that is, that eternal, incorruptible, and immortal state\npurchased for us by Jesus Christ. For as by the transgression of the first\nAdam, all his posterity were made subject to death; so by the obedience of\nthe second, all are restored to life and immortality. Upon which account\nit is said, \u201cBehold, I make all things new.\u201d Rev. 21:5. This renovation\nconsists in an entire freedom from sin, misery, and death, and is a state\nof righteousness, joy, and eternal life. For this cause it is also called\nParadise: \u201cIn thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are\npleasures for evermore.\u201d Ps. 16:11. If it be Paradise, it follows, that no\ngrief, pain, sorrow, or sighing: no hunger, thirst, cold, heat, or any\nother evil, can enter there. These all belong to this transitory life, but\nthat eternal life is \u201can inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and\nthat fadeth not away;\u201d as we are told by St. Peter. (1 Peter 1:4.) This\nis, indeed, the glorious fruit of Christ\u2019s resurrection: for by Christ all\nthings are renewed and restored; corruption is changed into incorruption;\nthat which was transitory, into that which is eternal; our filthiness,\ninto spotless purity; our grief, into joy; our sorrows, into triumphs; our\nsins, into righteousness; the divine anger into mercy; the curse into\nblessings; our poverty into riches; our diseases into health; our contempt\ninto honor; our reproach into glory; our disquiet into everlasting rest;\nour miseries into pleasures; our death into life. Now death is the\nentrance into this blessed state: so that temporal death is the gate to\neverlasting life, and all these joys.\n\n12. The fourth consolation against the fear of death, is prayer. So we\nread of the Son of God, that \u201cbeing in an agony, he prayed more\nearnestly.\u201d Luke 22:44. And \u201cin the days of his flesh, he offered up\nprayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was\nable to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.\u201d Heb. 5:7.\nIndeed, the prayers of dying people are strong and earnest; they proceed\nfrom the bottom of the heart, ascend through the clouds, and reach the\nears of the Almighty. \u201cThe Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him,\nto all that call upon him in truth.\u201d Ps. 145:18. \u201cI will be with him in\ntrouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.\u201d Ps. 91:15. \u201cFear thou not,\nfor I am with thee; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I\nwill uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.\u201d Isa. 41:10.\n\n13. The fifth consolation is, the glorification of our bodies. \u201cOur\nconversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the\nLord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be\nfashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby\nhe is able to subdue all things unto himself.\u201d Phil. 3:20, 21. What\ngreater glory can we conceive, than that our bodies shall be, like the\nglorified body of Jesus Christ? He showed us his glorified body upon Mount\nTabor (Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2, 3), that he might inflame us with a desire of\nthe same glory. Oh! what a glorious temple of God shall our body then be!\nOf this, the royal and priestly garments under the law, were but a faint\nshadow and resemblance.\n\n14. The sixth is, the presence of the holy angels, who carry our departing\nsouls into Abraham\u2019s bosom. Our soul enters into the regions of eternal\nglory, and joins the society of blessed spirits. This is what is meant by\n\u201cAbraham\u2019s bosom.\u201d Luke 16:22. That rest of the soul consists entirely in\na freedom from the fears and terrors of death. So \u201cReturn unto thy rest, O\nmy soul. For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee: for thou hast\ndelivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from\nfalling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.\u201d Ps.\n116:7-9. For then the soul, being delivered from the yoke of the flesh,\nwill rejoice like a prisoner rescued from long captivity.\n\n15. The seventh comfort is, the eternal duration of our future glory.\n\u201cThey shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun\nlight on them, or any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the\nthrone shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of\nwaters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.\u201d Rev. 7:16, 17.\n\u201cMy people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings,\nand in quiet resting-places.\u201d Isa. 32:18. And \u201cI will extend peace to her\nlike a river. And as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort\nyou.\u201d Isa. 66:12, 13. \u201cMy servants shall eat, and drink, and rejoice.\u201d\nIsa. 65:13. Such eating and drinking, are to be understood of their\nexalted pleasure, arising from their vision of God, \u201cNow we see through a\nglass darkly; but then face to face.\u201d 1 Cor. 13:12. \u201cWe shall see him as\nhe is.\u201d 1 John 3:2. \u201cAs for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I\nshall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.\u201d Ps. 17:15. O happy\nday, when we shall see God face to face! How ardently did holy David long\nfor it, saying, \u201cWhen shall I come and appear before God?\u201d Ps. 42:2.\n\n16. In short, the joy of eternal life will consist: 1. In the beatific\nvision of the face of God. 2. In the presence of Christ our Redeemer, in\nall his glory and majesty: \u201cFather, I will that they also whom thou hast\ngiven me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou\nhast given me.\u201d John 17:24. 3. In the most exalted enjoyments of all the\ngifts, graces, and pleasures of the Holy Ghost, \u201cthe fountain of life.\u201d\nPs. 36:9. 4. In the society of all the Elect, Patriarchs, Prophets,\nApostles, and Martyrs. \u201cAnd the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and\ncome to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall\nobtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.\u201d Isa.\n35:10.\n\n17. II. Thus much for those consolations that arise from the nature,\noffices, and promises of the blessed Jesus. I come now to consider those\nthat may be drawn from the consideration of the vanity of the world. Of\nthese there are also seven.\n\n18. First, this life, how great and glorious soever it may appear to some,\nis made up of misery and sorrow. 1 Cor. 15:31. Every day steals away a\npart of our life, and as our years increase, our life decreases; so that\nevery moment of our time is divided betwixt life and death. How many and\nvarious diseases are there, which, like slow poisons, waste and consume\nour bodies! How are we tormented with sorrow, broken with labors, and\ndistracted with care! So that the wise man truly pronounced that \u201cthe day\nof death is better than the day of one\u2019s birth.\u201d Eccles. 7:1. \u201cIs there\nnot an appointed time to man upon earth? Are not his days also like the\ndays of a hireling? As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as a\nhireling looketh for the reward of his work: so am I made to possess\nmonths of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.\u201d Job 7:1-3.\n\u201cMan that is born of a woman, is of few days and full of trouble.\u201d Job\n14:1. But a holy and happy death puts an end to all these miseries.\n\n19. Secondly, we are exposed to many and very grievous sins, from which\nnothing can deliver us but a happy death. Thus St. Paul complains, \u201cI see\nanother law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and\nbringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O\nwretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?\u201d\nRom. 7:23, 24. What is life but a continued course of sin? So that it was\na prayer of one of the ancients, \u201cLord, let me die, that I may cease from\nsin.\u201d And if the whole creation is travailing in pain, and waiting to be\ndelivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the\nchildren of God (Rom. 8:21, 22), how much more ought we to sigh after it?\nHow full the world is of offences and stumbling-blocks, which we are\ncontinually obliged to see and suffer, whether we will or not! And these\noffences will so increase in the last days, that the souls of the\nrighteous shall be vexed like righteous Lot\u2019s in Sodom. 2 Pet. 2:8. \u201cI\nreturned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun;\nand behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no\ncomforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they\nhad no comforter. Wherefore, I praised the dead which are already dead,\nmore than the living which are yet alive.\u201d Eccles. 4:1, 2. How many\npestilent errors in matters of faith; how many heresies, superstitions,\nfalse prophets and false Christs there are, so that, if it were possible,\neven the elect might be deceived! Matt. 24:24. Upon this account God takes\nhis faithful people out of all these dangers and troubles. How many\ndreadful mischiefs, and mournful events, how many wars, butcheries,\nplagues, and famines occur! Such, and so great, are they, that indeed no\nChristian would wish to see or endure them.\n\n20. Thirdly, all must die without distinction. \u201cDeath hath passed upon all\nmen, for that all have sinned.\u201d Rom. 5:12. Since so many holy and\nexcellent men, so many Patriarchs, Prophets, and so many other righteous\nmen are dead, who would not willingly follow them? \u201cTake away my life, for\nI am not better than my fathers\u201d (1 Kings 19:4), said the prophet Elijah.\n\u201cIt is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.\u201d Heb.\n9:27. \u201cAll flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower\nof the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the spirit\nof the Lord bloweth upon it.\u201d Isa. 40:6, 7. \u201cI am a stranger with thee,\nand a sojourner, as all my fathers were.\u201d Ps. 39:12.\n\n21. Fourthly, no man dies by chance; but God is the Lord of life, and he\nhas appointed the bounds of its duration. \u201cHis days are determined, the\nnumber of his months are with thee.\u201d Job 14:5. \u201cThou turnest man to\ndestruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.\u201d Ps. 90:3. \u201cIn thy\nbook all my members were written.\u201d Ps. 139:16. \u201cThe very hairs of your\nhead are all numbered.\u201d Matt. 10:30. \u201cGod is thy life, and the length of\nthy days.\u201d Deut. 30:20.\n\n22. Fifthly, \u201cTo die is gain.\u201d Phil. 1:21. We gain more than we lose by\ndying; righteousness, instead of sin; glory, for misery; heavenly riches,\nfor earthly; instead of the short-lived friendships and relations of this\nworld, we gain an eternal fellowship and union with the saints in heaven;\ninstead of this mortal, diseased, and frail body, we gain a heavenly and\nglorious one; we change banishment for our own country; misery, for peace;\nand this world for heaven. In short, what is there in this world, that we\ncannot have infinitely better in the next? If thou seekest riches, honors,\nor glory; with friends, pleasures, peace, or enjoyments, all these thou\nshalt enjoy in a far higher degree in the next world.\n\n23. Sixthly, Man would be the most miserable creature in the world, if he\nwere obliged to abide in it forever. \u201cIf in this life only,\u201d saith St.\nPaul, \u201cwe have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.\u201d 1 Cor.\n15:19. It follows, therefore, that we are designed for a better world. So\nthat, in truth, it is a very affecting instance of divine mercy to take us\nout of this valley of tears, and translate us to a better place. \u201cThe\nrighteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace;\nthey shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.\u201d Isa.\n57:1, 2. \u201cBlessed are the dead which die in the Lord; yea, saith the\nSpirit, that they may rest from their labors.\u201d Rev. 14:13.\n\n24. Seventhly, since we cannot with these bodily and sinful eyes behold\nthe glory of God, nor enter with these mortal bodies into the \u201cnew heavens\nand new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness\u201d (2 Peter 3:13); let us\ncheerfully put off this earthly tabernacle, that we may be clothed with a\nheavenly and spiritual body. 1 Cor. 15:44. \u201cFlesh and blood cannot inherit\nthe kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.\u201d 1 Cor.\n15:50. Great, therefore, is the mercy of God, who exchanges these filthy\nrags for a shining garment, in which we may celebrate the eternal\nmarriage; a beautiful, festive garment, fit to be worn in the everlasting\nrest; a priestly robe, with which we may enter into the very holy of\nholies.\n\n\n\n\nConclusion Of The Second Book.\n\n\nAt the close of this Book, I desire to submit one or two points to the\nconsideration of the Christian reader.\n\nIn writing these Books I have had no other object in view than that, in\nconnection with our pure religion and confession of faith, as set forth in\nthe Church of the Augsburg Confession, and repeated in the Formula of\nConcord (which I publicly and sincerely adopt, and in accordance with\nwhich I desire these writings of mine to be understood), purity and\nholiness of the life might be promoted. For purity of doctrine is of no\nbenefit, when it is not adorned by a holy life. We ought to guard the\npurity of doctrine with watchful eyes, but sustain holiness of life with\neven greater earnestness. Of what advantage are great skill and learning\nwithout godliness? It is much better, in the eyes of God, to train up a\ndevout man, than to make a learned man of him. There are many who teach\nthe _doctrine_ of Christ with great zeal, but there are few who in their\npractice conform to his _life_. As to this point the Christian reader is\nreferred to the Preface of the First Book, and to the Conclusion of the\nFourth Book.\n\n2. If any one should allege that I have treated too diffusely of the\ndoctrine of Christian faith, I beg to give the following answer: Our evil\nlife is also very extensive\u2014the evils under which we labor are very\nserious\u2014our redemption is a great work\u2014and our crosses are manifold. But\nlet any one who desires greater brevity, read the several chapters in the\nFirst, Second, and Third Books, which treat of Repentance, Faith, Love,\nHumility, Meekness, Patience, and the Cross, and he will find the whole\nChristian life described without prolixity. Nevertheless, if thou wilt\nread the whole work, thou wilt be abundantly rewarded for the time and\nlabor which thou hast thus expended.\n\n\n\n\n\nBOOK III.\n\n\n\n\nPreface To The Third Book.\n\n\nAs there are different degrees of age and maturity in the natural life; so\nare there also in the spiritual. This life has its first foundation in\nsincere repentance, by which a man sets himself heartily to amend his\nlife. This is succeeded by an increase of light, when by contemplation,\nprayer, and bearing the cross, a man is daily improving in grace, and\ngrowing up to perfection. The last and most perfect state is that which\nconsists in firm union, which is founded in, and cemented by, pure love.\nThis is the state which St. Paul calls the \u201cperfect man,\u201d and \u201cthe measure\nof the stature of the fulness of Christ.\u201d Eph. 4:13.\n\n2. To explain these three different states, is the design of these three\nbooks; so that I think that (with my Book of Prayer), the whole body of\nChristianity is contained and explained in them, as far as is essentially\nnecessary; though, perhaps, not so perfectly as might be wished. As for\nthe Fourth Book, I thought fit to add it to the rest, to show how\nharmoniously the Holy Scriptures, Jesus Christ, human nature, and the\nwhole creation agree together; and how all things centre in the one\nEternal, which is God!\n\n3. That the reader may not mistake the design of this Third Book, I would\nremark that it proposes to instruct him how to seek and find the kingdom\nof heaven within himself (Luke 17:21); and that, in order to this, he must\ndevote and consecrate his whole heart and soul to God; that is, not only\nhis understanding, but his will and affections also. It is a notion too\nprevalent at this day, that men are very good Christians, if by reading or\ndiscourse they have attained to some kind of intellectual knowledge of\nJesus Christ. This is that which generally passes under the name of\nDivinity, which the generality take to be nothing but a science, or a set\nof doctrines or opinions to be learned only in theory, not regarding the\nother most noble powers of the soul, namely, the will and the affections.\nBut _all_ these must be consecrated to God in Christ; and when thou hast\ndone this, thou mayest assure thyself that thou art entirely dedicated to\nhim. For there is a wide difference betwixt the understanding by which we\nknow, and the will or affections by which we love the Lord Jesus. Our love\nmay be perfect, though our knowledge be not so. To know Christ with our\nunderstanding, and yet not to love him, is nothing worth; on the other\nhand, it is infinitely better to love him, than merely to be able to\ndispute and discourse about him. Eph. 3:19. Let us learn, therefore, so to\nseek Christ with our understanding, that we may also love him with the\nentire strength of our will. By this we may be assured that we know him\ntruly, if our knowledge be productive of love. Otherwise, we may be said,\nindeed, to find him and know him, but it will be to our condemnation. So\nour blessed Lord tells us, \u201cNot every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,\nshall enter into the kingdom of heaven.\u201d Matt. 7:21. Moreover, there are\ntwo ways of obtaining wisdom and knowledge. The one consists in reading\nand discussion; the other in prayer and charity. The one makes us learned,\nthe other holy. And between these there is a great difference. If men be\nlearned, and not lovers of God, they breathe nothing but pride and\narrogance; but if holy, they are humble, and think meanly of themselves.\nIf thou take the first method, thou wilt never find thy internal treasure;\nif thou take the latter, thou canst not be disappointed. Such is the\nargument of the Third Book.\n\n4. And now, how glorious, how noble, and happy a thing is it, that our\nchief and most valuable treasure, that is, the kingdom of God, is not to\nbe sought _without_, but to be found _within_ us, that we continually\ncarry it about with us, hidden from the world, and that neither the world\nnor the devil can rob us of it; and that this is not to be obtained by\nprofound learning, skill in languages, or variety of books, but by a\ndevout and humble spirit. Here then let us exercise our greatest care and\ndiligence, and turn our thoughts inward to that hidden, celestial, and\neternal good, that divine, that incomparable treasure. Why do we spend our\ntime and pains in the pursuit of external comforts, whilst so great a\ntreasure as the kingdom of God, with all its blessings, lies within us?\nFor in our heart and soul is the true school of the Holy Spirit, the true\nhabitation of the Holy Trinity, the very temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19), the\ntrue house of prayer, wherein he desires to be worshipped \u201cin spirit and\nin truth.\u201d John 4:23, 24. For though God by his universal presence is in\nall things, though not included in them (Isa. 66:1), but after an\nincomprehensible manner filling heaven and earth; yet in a particular and\nproper sense, he dwells in the soul of the enlightened Christian, taking\nup his seat and habitation there, as it were in his own image and\nsimilitude. Here he operates in a way suitable to himself, answering and\naiding every groan and sigh of the devout soul. For how is it possible\nthat He should deny anything to him with whom, and in whom he lives? In a\nword, there is nothing more pleasant and agreeable to divine love, than to\ncommunicate itself to all that unfeignedly seek it.\n\n5. In order to this, however, the soul must be at rest, which it never can\nbe till disengaged from the world. This even some heathens were sensible\nof, and accordingly one of them tells us, \u201cthat the soul is incapable of\nwisdom till it is composed and at rest.\u201d There is a fine passage in St.\nCyprian to this purpose. \u201cThis,\u201d says he, \u201cis the true rest and security\nof the soul, when the man, being delivered from the storms and tempests of\nthe world, raises his heart and eyes unto God, and endeavors to be like\nhim. By this he comes to understand, that all which the world calls\nbeautiful and valuable, is truly hidden in his own soul, so that he\nneither expects nor desires anything from without. O celestial treasure,\nto be delivered from the chains and fetters of this world! O chief and\nboundless good, not to be obtained by any labor of ours, nor by our\ninterest with the great men of this world; in short, not to be gained by\nour industry and study; but solely and entirely, by the grace and favor of\nGod. For as the light of the sun proceeds from itself, the day breaks from\nitself, the fountain flows from itself, the rain falls from itself, and\nwaters the earth; so the Holy Spirit descends freely into that soul, which\nhas raised itself from the world unto God.\u201d\n\n6. These words of St. Cyprian express a great truth, and are a sort of\nepitome of this Book. In a word, this turning inwards of the soul, very\noften gives us a view of the inward treasure of our souls, though but for\na moment. And one such moment is better than heaven and earth, and all the\ncreatures. Hence St. Bernard truly observed, \u201cthat he who has once learned\nto descend into himself, to seek the face of God, and taste the sweetness\nof his presence in the inmost recesses of the heart, will think it more\ntolerable to suffer even the pains of hell for a season, than, after\nhaving tasted the sweetness of this divine exercise, to return again to\nthe pleasures, or rather, to the lusts and wearisome gratifications of the\nworld and the flesh, arising from the insatiable cravings of the inferior\nappetites.\u201d In short, such a soul not only feels the highest happiness, by\nfinding in itself the presence of God; but also the deepest misery, in\nbeing deprived of it. By this the true Christian is fully instructed, that\nby dying to the world, he lives in God, as the fountain of life; and, on\nthe other hand, that the more he lives to the world, the more he dies unto\nGod: that the soul which is dead to the world, truly lives unto God, and\nis his joy, or, as the Song of Solomon expresses it, is better than the\ntaste of wine, or the smell of all spices (Cant. 4:10); while on the other\nhand, the hearts of worldly men are but sour grapes, as the grapes of\nSodom, which are as gall, and their clusters are bitter. Deut. 32:32. The\nsoul that is dead to the world, may be discovered by these tokens. It\nresigns its own will to the will of God in all things; it suppresses\nself-love; it mortifies the desires of the flesh; it avoids worldly\npleasures; it esteems itself as the meanest of all, and is not apt to\njudge or censure a neighbor. Such a one refers all his injuries and wrongs\nto the God of righteousness, to whom vengeance belongeth; he is not puffed\nup with the applause of men, nor grieved by their revilings; in a word, he\nbears everything with patience and without repining. A noble instance of\nthis resigned temper we have in king David (2 Sam. 23:15-17), when he\npoured out before the Lord the water of the well of Bethlehem, after which\nhe had so earnestly longed, and which three mighty men of his host had\nbrought for him at the hazard of their lives. This was an action of great\nself-denial; for he would not gratify his desires by tasting that for\nwhich three men had ventured their lives.\n\n7. Herein consists the true perfection of the Christian life. For\nperfection is not, as some suppose, a sublime, spiritual kind of relish\nfor heavenly enjoyments; but it is the denying our own will, the contempt\nof the pleasures and profits of this life, the acknowledging our own\nvileness, constant resignation to the will of God, and unwearied love and\nunfeigned compassion for our neighbor. In a word, it is that degree of\nlove, which, allowing for human infirmities, thinks of nothing, seeks\nnothing, desires nothing but God. This is that true Christian virtue, true\nliberty, and true peace, which consists in overcoming the flesh and\nfleshly desires, as will appear in this Third Book, and as thou wilt learn\nfrom thine own experience, if thou wilt apply the truth. For which great\nend, I pray that divine grace may descend both upon the reader and writer,\nthat it may please God to begin, strengthen, and perfect his good work in\nus, to the praise and glory of himself. Amen.\n\n\n\n\nChapter I.\n\n\n        Of The Great Internal Treasure Of An Enlightened Believer.\n\n\n    _Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which\n    is in you, which ye have of God?_ 1 COR. 6:19.\n\n\nThat the hearts of believers are the habitation of the Holy Trinity, is\nlargely attested in Scripture, as Lev. 26:11; Isa. 44:3; 57:15; Joel 2:27;\nJohn 14:23; 17:23; Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 2:11, 12; 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16;\nGal. 2:20; Ephes. 3:17; 4:24; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:13. But who is there\namong Christians that understands, values, or inquires after this immense\nand hidden treasure? I thought it desirable, therefore, to explain at\nlarge the spiritual and heavenly dignity of the true Christian, and to\nshow every one how to seek and find this sublime treasure in himself. The\nfoundation of this doctrine has been already laid down in Book I, proving\nhow the Word of God, through faith, exerts its power in the heart of man.\nAnd in Book II, it has been shown how God discovers himself to the devout\nsoul, as the highest love, goodness, beauty, holiness, and wisdom.\n\n2. But as this high treasure cannot be worthily perceived or understood,\nexcept in the still and quiet sabbath of the soul, in which the Holy\nSpirit teaches us inwardly by meditation on the Word, in which he\nenlightens us, and \u201csearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God\u201d (1\nCor. 2:10); upon this account, we must first of all learn, how to bring\nthe soul to that quiet state of internal rest. Something has been said by\nway of foundation upon this head, in the chapters treating of Prayer,\ninserted in Book II; which comes now more fully and perfectly to be\nhandled in this Third Book: namely, how this hidden treasure, this pearl\nin the field of our hearts (Matt. 13:44, 45), is to be sought for by\nentering into ourselves, or rather into God. And this is the inward\nsabbath of a heart cleansed and purified by faith (Acts 15:9), and\nenlightened by the Holy Ghost. From this treasure of the Spirit and\nkingdom of God, hidden in the believing soul, sprang the wisdom of all the\nenlightened, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and other men of God that\nhave ever existed. This pearl, then, is worth looking after, this field is\nworth tilling, and this gift of the Spirit and divine grace must be\nstirred up in us; even as a spark of fire, which by continual application\nof breath, is blown up into a bright flame. 2 Tim. 1:6.\n\n3. But that thou mayest more fully and distinctly apprehend in the\ncommencement of this Third Book, which relates entirely to the inward man,\nhow the children of God are to be drawn from the exterior to the interior\nman, or the ground of the heart; that they may search, know, purify, and\nchange it, and keep their spiritual eyes fixed upon God, and his kingdom\nin the inmost recesses of the soul; that the reader, I say, may more fully\nunderstand this, I shall first of all more generally in this chapter, and\nthen more particularly, touch upon and explain the several heads of this\ndoctrine, referring occasionally to the Theology of Dr. John Tauler, and\nquoting him as often as possible in his own words. And here I may remark,\nthat as the Holy Scripture, great and sacred as it is, regards the heart\nof man; so likewise, the whole divinity of Tauler aims at the inward man,\nthe ground of the heart, and deepest recesses of the soul. Hence it is,\nthat he again and again inculcates, \u201cthat God and the kingdom of God, are\npurely to be enjoyed, sought for, and found in the ground of the heart:\u201d\nthat is, whatsoever the Holy Scripture and its true interpretation,\ndiscover outwardly, all that ought to be really, spiritually, and truly\nfelt and experienced in the ground of the soul. This cannot be without a\nfrequent entering into the centre of the heart; so that the more deeply a\nman retires from the world, so much the more closely he is united to God;\nand the oftener the devout Christian practises this exercise, the more\nclearly will the kingdom of God, and this hidden treasure, be manifested\nin his soul. He that does not perceive in himself these fruits of the\nSpirit, or the new man, will never be one jot more acceptable in the sight\nof God for all his great knowledge and science; but shall be reckoned\namong those of whom Christ says, that they shall say in the last day,\n\u201cLord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?\u201d Matt. 7:21. For it is\nnot the external appearance, but the internal reality, that will avail in\nthe sight of God; not that which consists in the letter, but that which\nflows from the Spirit, and consists in the Spirit. This is the true ground\nof the distinction mentioned in the Preface, betwixt one taught by the\nworld, and him that is taught of God; that is, betwixt a _learned_ man,\nand a _holy_ man. The learned man is instructed outwardly by the letter;\nbut the holy man by God, inwardly by the Holy Ghost, by the \u201canointing\u201d\nwhich teacheth all things. 1 John 2:27. The wisdom of the learned consists\nin words; the wisdom of the holy man, in power. For \u201cthe kingdom of God is\nnot in words, but in power.\u201d 1 Cor. 4:20.\n\n4. But as a general account of this will not be sufficient for the simple\nand unlearned, to bring them to this fundamental knowledge of themselves,\nI shall therefore descend to a more particular explication, asking them,\nat the same time, to attend to the \u201cFive Parts\u201d of their Catechism, and to\nunderstand how these are not to remain _without_ them, but must be\n_within_ them. First, therefore, thou believest that God delivered his law\nupon Mount Sinai, written upon two tables of stone; and that this law is\nthe will of God, which thou art obliged to obey. You do well to believe\nthis. But this faith profiteth not, unless God himself write his law in\nyour heart (Jer. 31:33), and accomplish his will in you. Now this can\nnever be effected, unless, having now become a Christian, you dedicate\nyour whole heart to God, and offer up your will to him, that His will may\nbe fulfilled in you. The royal prophet David, who well knew the dignity\nand necessity of this divine operation, employs especially the whole 119th\nPsalm in earnest prayers to God, that he would vouchsafe to guide and\ngovern him according to his law and testimonies, that so this heavenly\nwork might not by any means be hindered in him. Further, you believe that\nChrist is your righteousness, your life and salvation. 1 Cor. 1:30. You do\nwell to believe this, \u201cfor other foundation can no man lay than that is\nlaid, which is Jesus Christ\u201d (1 Cor. 3:11): \u201cNeither is there salvation in\nany other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men,\nwhereby we must be saved.\u201d Acts 4:12. Yet, remember that you must have\nChrist within you; that is, you must lay hold on him inwardly by faith,\nand make him, both as to his Person and office, your own. For if Christ be\nthine, it follows that all things which are God\u2019s are also yours; and that\nif he had ten thousand worlds and kingdoms full of righteousness and\nblessedness, yet by faith all are thine. For the righteousness of Christ\nis greater than all these. So in like manner, though the guilt of ten\nthousand worlds lay upon thee, yet should it not be able to hurt thee.\nThis then is the treasure which thou must have within thee, as our Lord\ntells us, \u201cThe kingdom of God is within you\u201d (Luke 17:21): that is,\n\u201crighteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.\u201d Rom. 14:17.\u2014Thou\nbelievest that Christ is the eternal Word of the Father; that he is the\ntrue life and light of man. John 1:4. Thou believest aright. But then,\nthou must take care, that this Word speak in thee, that this light shine\nin thee, that this life live in thee. For unless thou hast this inward\ntreasure in thy soul, and art united to Christ by a living faith,\neverything else shall avail thee nothing. Again, thou thinkest thyself\nobliged by duty and interest, to pray to God, to give him thanks, and to\npraise his name (Psalm 92:1, 2), and in this thou judgest right. But take\ncare that Christ himself pray within thee, and the Holy Spirit groan\nwithin thee (Rom. 8:26); for as he is \u201cthe Spirit of grace and of\nsupplications\u201d (Zech. 12:10), so, in order to make thy prayers effectual,\nit is necessary that he also pray in thy heart, the temple of spirit and\ntruth. John 4:23. If this be not done, thy prayers are all of little\navail.\u2014Thou believest that in Baptism thou receivest remission of sins,\nthe new birth, and adoption as a child of God. Thou believest aright. But\nunless thou find in thyself the fruit of baptism, the new birth, the\nunction of the Spirit, and divine illumination, thy baptism shall avail\nthee nothing.\u2014Thou believest, according to the words of St. Matthew (Matt.\n26:26), that in the external Sacrament of the Lord\u2019s Supper, thou\nreceivest the true, essential body and the blood of Christ. Thou believest\naright. But if thou dost not also eat it inwardly and spiritually, thou\nwilt not only lose all the benefits of that institution, but dost also eat\nand drink condemnation to thyself. 1 Cor. 11:29.\u2014Thou believest that\nChrist was the true Lamb of God offered for us upon the cross. John 1:29.\nYet consider: What good can this do thee, unless the same Lamb of God\nbecome the daily food and nourishment of thy inward man? 1 Cor. 5:7. It\nappears, therefore, that thy treasure ought to be _within_ thee, and that\nunless thou seek it there, thou shalt never find it.\n\n\n\n\nChapter II.\n\n\n  True Faith, And Converse With The Soul, The Only Means Of Attaining To\n                          This Inward Treasure.\n\n\n    _Bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors._\u2014ISA. 46:8\n\n\nThe true way of attaining this divine inward treasure is, by a true and\nliving faith. Though we have already in Books I and II treated largely of\nfaith, with all its powers and properties, how it cleaves unto Christ,\nrests and depends upon him; yet we must here return to it, and show of\nwhat use and advantage it is, in the matter before us. The property of a\ntrue and living faith is, to cleave unto God with our whole heart; to put\nour whole trust in him; to depend upon him; to dedicate and resign\nourselves entirely to his mercy and goodness; to be united to God; and to\nenjoy him in the internal rest of the soul. True faith prefers nothing to\nGod; it makes him the true object of all its desires, by unfeigned\nabstraction from all earthly comforts. In a word, it places its chief,\neternal, infinite, and perfect good in Him alone, who is the true fountain\nof all good, whether in heaven or earth, in time or eternity, and all\nthrough Jesus Christ, who is \u201cthe author and finisher of our faith.\u201d Heb.\n12:2. This is that faith which leads us to our inward treasure, which is\nour chief good. Of this the Psalmist was an instance: he was full of this\nfaith: \u201cWhom,\u201d says he, \u201chave I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon\nearth that I desire besides thee.\u201d Ps. 73:25. Such was the faith of Mary,\nthe sister of Lazarus, when she sat at Jesus\u2019 feet, and heard his word\nwith eagerness. Luke 10:39. For faith, as has been observed, brings the\nsoul into the true sabbath of the heart, into a state of divine quiet and\nheavenly rest, in which God delights to manifest himself. Therefore the\nLord said to Martha: \u201cMartha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about\nmany things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good\npart, which shall not be taken away from her.\u201d Luke 10:41, 42. What is\n\u201cthat good part\u201d but God in Jesus Christ? For by this faith which opens\nthe heart, in order to receive God alone is that better part chosen. By\nthis faith it is, that the ever-blessed Trinity enters into the heart, and\ntakes possession of it. Eph. 3:17; John 14:23. This is \u201cthat good part\u201d\nwhich we ought all to choose; namely, eternal life and blessedness.\n\n2. In this one article is contained the whole sum of the Christian\nreligion; it is the fountain of charity and of all virtues. For faith\nproduceth love; love produceth hope; hope, patience; patience worketh\nmeekness; meekness, humility; humility produceth the fear of God; and the\nfear of God teacheth us to pray to him, to \u201ccrucify the flesh\u201d (Gal.\n5:24), to deny ourselves, to hate our own life, and to despise the world.\nMatt. 16:24. Upon this account St. John calls faith, \u201cthe victory that\novercometh the world.\u201d 1 John 5:4. This was that one thing to which our\nLord directed the attention of the rich young man in the Gospel (Luke\n18:18), when he asked him, saying, \u201cGood Master, what shall I do to\ninherit eternal life?\u201d When he had commanded him to keep the commandments\nof God, he answered, \u201cAll these have I kept from my youth up.\u201d Jesus,\nhearing him, said, \u201cYet lackest thou one thing; sell all that thou hast,\nand distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and\ncome follow me.\u201d In these words the Lord directs him to choose that one\nthing, that better part, by faith; and, by forsaking himself and his\nworldly possessions, to turn to God, the true fountain and centre of his\nbeing and happiness. From this one thing proceeds the whole Christian\nlife, and all the commandments, as a stream from its fountain, not by\ncompulsion or law, but from love and freedom of the spirit. \u201cFor it is God\nwhich worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure\u201d (Phil.\n2:13); neither will he own anything in us as his, which he himself has not\nwrought. Here, then, is no need of laws, no need of commands or\nprohibitions. For faith, by its free motion and spirit, does everything in\nus which is necessary to be done: that is, it surrenders itself freely and\nentirely to God, and to the operations of his grace. And this is what the\nprophet Isaiah means, when he invites us to come unto God, to \u201cbuy wine\nand milk without money and without price.\u201d Isa. 55:1.\n\n3. Faith, then, is the means of attaining to this inward treasure, whilst\nit keeps a sabbath of rest unto God in every soul that is collected into\nitself. For as the motion of the heavens is therefore the most perfect,\nbecause it terminates in itself, and returns to its beginning; so the life\nof man may then be accounted most excellent and perfect when it returns to\nits original, which is God. And this a man does, when he enters deeply\ninto himself, having collected all the powers of his understanding, will,\nand memory, and emptied them of the world, and all the lusts of the flesh;\noffering up his soul, with all its affections, to God, by the Holy Ghost,\nand celebrating an eternal sabbath in his presence. Then God begins to\noperate in him. He waits for such a frame of spirit, and rejoices to\nfinish his work within us. For so great is the love of God towards us, so\nardent is his affection, that it is as if his divinity itself could not\nconsist without us; as if he should himself cease to be, unless he could\ndiscover the abyss of his divinity in us, and transfuse the overflowing\nfulness of his essence into us. So that the most acceptable service a man\ncan do unto God, is to keep his heart so quiet and still that God may rest\nand manifest himself in it. All that God requires, in order to accomplish\nthis work in us, is an humble and quiet spirit. Whenever he finds such a\nhabitation, he dwells there with a high manifestation of his wisdom and\npower. The eternal wisdom of God cannot unite with the wisdom of man; but\nwhen the human soul is entirely submitted to God, then God entirely rests\nin her. But if thou wilt engage thy will, thy understanding, memory, and\naffections in the service of thy own mind, then they are no longer proper\ninstruments for the work of God. For in every union of two beings as one,\nthe one must of necessity be active and the other passive. But God is an\ninfinite and eternally active power, an essential pure motion; perpetually\noperating in thee, unless hindered by thee. This may be illustrated by the\nfollowing similitude: as the eye cannot fix upon any object, nor receive\nany impressions from it, unless it be free from all other images (for\notherwise one will hinder the other); so the soul, with all her powers,\nunderstanding, will, and memory, can receive no impressions or influences\nfrom God, if it be not empty of, and disengaged from, the world. The ear\ncannot receive or enjoy the sweetest music, whilst employed and filled\nwith other sounds: so neither can the soul receive the divine sweetness\nwhilst it listens to the voice of the world. The more, therefore, a soul\nwithdraws itself from the world, the nearer it approaches to God. The more\nit renounces the pleasures of the flesh, the nearer it comes to the\nparticipation of \u201cthe divine nature.\u201d 2 Pet. 1:4.\n\n4. Nature cannot admit a vacuum. So if a man will empty himself of the\nlove of the world and himself, with all his passions and affections for\nworldly things, God will infallibly fill his soul with divine grace, love,\nwisdom, and knowledge. But if thou art full of worldly things, thou canst\nnot at the same time be full of heavenly things. When Abraham, at the\ncommand of God, went from his own country and kindred, then was he\nenlightened from above. Gen. 12:1; 13:1. Our carnal affections, self-love,\nself-will, and self-conceit, with all our inclinations to the profits and\npleasures of the world, are to us as so many near friends and relations;\nand it is hard to flesh and blood to part with them. But how hard soever\nit be, this is the first step that conducts to this hidden treasure, this\npearl of great price; of which our Lord says, that the merchant having\n\u201cfound one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought\nit.\u201d Matt. 13:46. This is what the Lord says: \u201cVerily, I say unto you,\nThere is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father,\nor mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, but shall receive\na hundredfold, and eternal life.\u201d Mark 10:29, 30. What are our brethren\nand sisters but our carnal lusts and corrupt inclinations, of which we\nmust be emptied, if we expect to be filled with the fulness of God. As the\nVirgin Mary was a pure, immaculate virgin (so remaining eternally), when\nshe conceived our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 1:27); so must every soul be\nlike a pure, immaculate virgin; that is, be unspotted, free from all the\npollutions of the world, in order to this _spiritual_ conception of him. A\nsoul thus pure and unspotted is, \u201cas the king\u2019s daughter, all glorious\nwithin\u201d (Psalm 45:13); enriched with hidden treasure. But how can the soul\nbe betrothed to God, that is betrothed to the world? \u201cI come,\u201d saith our\nblessed Lord, \u201cto send fire on the earth.\u201d Luke 12:49. Oh, that such a\nfire of divine love would so burn in us as to consume all our dross of\nworldly affections, that nothing might live and move in us but the pure\nand holy love of God! He adds, \u201cI came not to send peace, but a sword.\u201d\nLuke 12:51; Matt. 10:34. And would to God that the Holy Spirit might so\nmortify and destroy all our carnal concupiscence, that God alone might\nmove and operate in us! But if you will say, that you are so much taken up\nwith the business of the world, that you cannot be so collected as you\nought, then set apart some corner of your house, and some little portion\nof your time, either by day or night, to retire into yourself, and to pour\nout your soul to God, in the words of St. Augustine: \u201cLord, my God, be\npleased to enter into covenant with me, that I may die entirely to myself,\nand that thou mayest live in me; let me keep silence in myself, and do\nthou speak within me; let me rest from all things, that thou mayest\noperate in me.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nChapter III.\n\n\nThe Whole Treasure Of The Inner Man Depends On Faith, Namely, God, Christ,\n                 The Holy Spirit, And The Kingdom Of God.\n\n\n    _God grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be\n    strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that\n    Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted\n    and grounded in love, etc._\u2014EPH. 3:16, 17.\n\n\nA Christian ought to employ his greatest care and diligence, in learning\nthe true nature and practice of faith. It is faith that unites us to\nChrist, and admits us into all the blessedness of the kingdom of God. Upon\nthis account it is called, \u201ca substance;\u2014the substance of things hoped\nfor.\u201d Heb. 11. For our whole Christian life consists in a living and\noperative faith, not in mere knowledge, not in a shadow or pretext, but in\na living, active power. In a word, it is faith alone that can deliver us\nfrom our bondage of corruption and misery, and bring us into the glorious\nliberty of the sons of God. Whence, at our first admission into the\nChristian Church by holy Baptism, through which, as through a gate, we\nenter into the fold of Christ\u2019s sheep, faith stands at the head. \u201cHe that\nbelieveth and is baptized, shall be saved.\u201d Mark 16:16. And St. Paul says,\n\u201cThis is the word of faith which we preach, that if thou believe in thine\nheart, etc., thou shalt be saved, etc.\u201d Rom. 10:8-10. But as the nature of\nfaith may be better known by its properties, I shall briefly speak of\neight of them in this chapter.\n\n2. The first of these is, spiritual freedom or a release from sin and\ndeath, from the devil, from hell, the curse of the law, the Mosaic typical\nceremonies, and from all the commands and traditions of men. For as\nnothing can cause greater agony to the soul, than to be compelled to bear\nthe fiery darts of Satan, and the tyranny of Antichrist, by which the\nconscience is fettered and entangled with traditional precepts of men, as\nwith cords and chains: so nothing can give it greater quiet, peace, and\ncomfort, than to be delivered from this servitude of sin, Satan, and human\ntraditions, into a true freedom and liberty of conscience; which liberty\nis nothing but a true and saving faith. For by this faith we apprehend\nJesus Christ, and all the treasures of his grace, particularly\nreconciliation with God, remission of sins, the Holy Spirit, and eternal\nlife. He that has this faith cannot be hurt by sin, death, the devil, or\nthe world; for he has Christ dwelling in him, who is his righteousness\nagainst sin; his life against death; his strength against the devil; his\nheaven against hell; his victory over the world; his blessing against the\ncurse of all the world; his blessedness against all the miseries of this\nworld; his liberty, from all the vain traditions of men. This our blessed\nLord has briefly summed up in one sentence, \u201cIf the Son shall make you\nfree, ye shall be free indeed.\u201d John 8:36. Whence Christ is all in all\nunto faith, and the sum and completion of all our hopes and all our\nblessedness. So that faith gives quietness to the soul; peace and plenty\nto the conscience; freeing it from all fears and terrors, and causing the\nheart to rest joyfully and quietly in God.\n\n3. Secondly, by faith the soul is united to Christ, as a bride with her\nbridegroom\u2014\u201cI will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee\nunto me in righteousness.\u201d Hosea 2:19. The consequence of this espousal,\nis a communication of all good things, yea, and of the cross itself, so\nthat all that Christ has, belongs to the soul, and all that the soul has,\nbelongs to Christ. Now as Christ has all heavenly and eternal gifts, such\nas wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, blessedness, and\neternal life (1 Cor. 1:30): yea, is himself all these; the soul therefore\nreceives them all. And, on the other hand, as our soul has nothing but\nsin, uncleanness, calamity, misery, sin and death, Christ has taken to him\nall these; bestowing his good things upon us, and taking our sins and\nmiseries upon himself. But as the good things of Christ are eternal and\nomnipotent, so they root out, swallow up, and destroy all sin, death, and\nmisery that are in us. For the eternal and invincible righteousness of\nChrist, is so superior to the power of sin in us, that it utterly destroys\nit; and by this means, the soul is delivered from its own sins, and\nclothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Isa. 61:10. And surely\nthis is a blessed exchange, when a man changes sin for righteousness,\ndeath for life, a curse for a blessing, and eternal misery for eternal\nblessedness. \u201cThere is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in\nChrist Jesus\u201d (Rom. 8:1); for their sins are swallowed up in his\nrighteousness. For if, as St. Paul says, \u201cdeath is swallowed up in\nvictory\u201d (1 Cor. 15:54), it follows that sin also must be swallowed up.\n\n4. Hence, thirdly, it follows, that by faith our souls are assured of\neverlasting happiness. \u201cI am persuaded,\u201d saith St. Paul, \u201cthat no creature\nshall be able to separate us from the love of God.\u201d Rom. 8:38. \u201cBehold, I\nlay in Zion for a foundation a tried stone; he that believeth shall not\nmake haste.\u201d Isa. 28:16. And \u201cI will make with you an everlasting\ncovenant.\u201d Isa. 55:3. \u201cMy kindness shall not depart from thee, neither\nshall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy\non thee.\u201d Isa. 54:10.\n\n5. Hence, fourthly, arises the victory of faith over sin, death, hell, and\nthe world. \u201cWhatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world:\u2014who is he\nthat overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of\nGod?\u201d 1 John 5, 4. In these words, the _original_ of faith is discovered;\nthat it proceeds not from the powers of man, but that it is the work and\ngift of God (John 6:29); and that regeneration is a divine, and\nsupernatural work. And as this new birth is in all respects superior to\nnature, therefore it cannot be hurt by any assaults from the world; for\nthough a Christian be ever so much despised and abused by the world, yet\nis he in Christ a glorious and triumphant conqueror. \u201cIn all these things\nwe are more than conquerors, through him that loved us.\u201d Rom. 8:37.\n\n6. Hence also arises, fifthly, the glory of faith, which is twofold: the\none spiritual and hidden; the other, future, visible, and glorious in the\nworld to come. Now faith makes us partakers of both kinds of Christ\u2019s\nglory. So then, as the majesty of Christ consists in his kingdom and\nhigh-priesthood; so also he makes us kings and priests unto God; an honor\nwhich, when St. Peter speaks of, he can hardly find words to express. \u201cBut\nye,\u201d says he, \u201care a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,\na peculiar people.\u201d 1 Peter 2:9. Moreover, the glory of Christ\u2019s kingdom\nconsists in this, that it is _eternal_, and all the blessings and benefits\nof it are eternal: eternal grace, everlasting righteousness, unfading\nconsolation, endless life, joy, peace, and blessedness. What good could we\nexpect from a temporal prince? All the world itself, and all its glories\ndecay and perish; and there is no trust to be put in princes, nor in any\nchild of man. But Christ is our _Eternal King_; and all his favors and\nblessings endure to eternity. The spiritual kingdom, then, of a Christian\nconsists in this, that by faith he is spiritually exalted above all\nthings; that nothing can hurt or hinder him, in the great affair of his\nsalvation. Yea, all things are subject to him, and work together for his\ngood, as we are told (Rom. 8:28): even life and death, the world, hell,\nand the devil himself. Hence it appears how glorious, how extensive this\nspiritual dominion of a Christian is, since all things, whether good or\nevil, are forced to contribute to his spiritual good, so soon as he is\npossessed of Christ, and Christ of him. For the whole treasure and hope of\na Christian is\u2014Christ apprehended by faith; Christ is all-sufficient. O\nthe precious liberty of a Christian! O the mighty power of the inward man!\nAs the liberty, righteousness, and blessedness of a Christian, as also his\nslavery, sin and misery, are not external things; so it follows, that no\nexternal thing, nothing but the mere grace and command of God, can\njustify, sanctify, or glorify a man. What though the body enjoy liberty,\nhealth, and strength, and eat and drink well, will the soul be the better\nfor this? If the body be imprisoned, sick, weak, hungry, and thirsty, will\nthe soul be the worse? Not at all. These things cannot make the soul\neither happy or miserable, whilst she preserves her inward treasure, and\nis true to her spiritual liberty. So also in respect of her spiritual\npriesthood, the soul is out of danger from anything that may happen\nwithout. Its sacrifices, prayers, and devotions, are spiritually performed\nby faith, without any necessary dependence upon external things; as time,\nplace, food, garments, or temples. Again, the soul is not at all the\nbetter for any external circumstance; such as images, saints\u2019 robes,\nchurches, external fasts, oral prayers, and other outward works. These are\nnot efficacious enough to lead the soul into the paths of righteousness\nand liberty. All these things a hypocrite may do, without any benefit to\nhis soul. For there is nothing either in heaven or earth in which the soul\ncan live, nothing that can bestow upon her righteousness and liberty,\nnothing in which she can rest with comfort, and joy, but CHRIST alone, on\nwhom by faith she comfortably and joyfully depends. This is what our Lord\nhimself tells us, \u201cI am the way, the truth, and the life.\u201d John 14:6. And,\n\u201cCome unto me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.\u201d Matt. 11:28. The\nsoul that is by faith united unto Christ, stands in need of nothing (John\n10:11); for in Christ she possesses all things: food, joy, peace, light,\nknowledge, righteousness, truth, wisdom, liberty, comfort, blessedness,\nlife, answers to prayer, and all things. So that \u201cChrist is all, and in\nall\u201d (Col. 3:11), as the Apostle tells us. And whatsoever external\nceremonies we may conform to for the sake of peace, order, and uniformity,\nwe may be satisfied that \u201cunto the pure, all things are pure.\u201d Tit. 1:15.\n\u201cNow ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.\u201d John\n15:3. So that nothing can defile the soul, but unbelief, and its fruits.\n\n7. The sixth property of faith is, that it renews the whole man. It\nkindles in him the fire of divine love, and furnishes him with all\nChristian graces and works of mercy; not as if he merited thereby anything\nfrom God, but only as it renders the soul grateful to Him. \u201cOffer unto God\nthanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High.\u201d Ps. 50:14. So that\nfaith immediately begins a new life in man, and quickens him through the\nWord of God: for all the Holy Scripture is contained in faith. As\ntherefore the Word of God is holy, true, just, living, spiritual, free,\nand full of all good; so also it makes all those who receive it in faith,\nholy, just, true, the children of God, \u201cthoroughly furnished unto all good\nworks.\u201d 2 Tim. 3:17.\n\n8. Seventhly, though true and saving faith triumphs over the world and the\ndevil; yet is it of such a nature, that, in pure love, it makes itself\nservant unto all. He who has it, considers seriously with himself, that\nJesus Christ and all the heavenly graces are freely given him by God, so\nthat he stands in need of no worldly thing in the concern of salvation:\nand withal, that \u201cnothing can separate him from the love of God\u201d (Rom.\n8:38), and that nothing in this world can hurt him. When a man, endued\nwith a lively faith, considers all this, he cannot but acknowledge, that\nin mere gratitude to God, he is obliged to do for his neighbor, as Christ\nhath done for him. He will say, \u201cAll my gifts and graces, my wisdom, my\nunderstanding, my riches, my comfort, are all my neighbor\u2019s, as freely as\nJesus Christ, by his infinite mercy, has bestowed them on me.\u201d\n\n9. The eighth property of faith is, that it conquers and triumphs over\nevery cross, yea, glories in the cross. For we find more comforts in\nChrist by faith, than we leave in forsaking the world for his sake; more\nhonor, than the united malice of the world can take from us. In him we\nmeet with so much love, that we shall not regard the hatred and enmities\nof men; such blessings, that all the curses in the world cannot impair\nthem; so much joy, that all the world cannot make us sad. If it were\npossible for us to be slain and murdered ten thousand times over, yet\nChrist remains, and will forever continue to be our Lord, and our\neverlasting Life, infinitely to be preferred before this short and\nfleeting life.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IV.\n\n\n    The Believing Soul Seeks God Internally, In Itself; Its Beauty And\n                 Blessedness When It Is United With God.\n\n\n    _I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the\n    love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in\n    them._\u2014JOHN 17:26.\n\n\nThere are two ways of seeking after God, the one external, and the other\ninternal. The first is the active way, when man seeks after God; the\nsecond is the passive, when God seeks after man. In the outward way, we\nseek God by various exercises of a Christian life; as fasting, prayer,\nretirement, meekness, accordingly as we are moved by God, or led by devout\npeople. In the inward, we enter into the ground of our hearts, attending\nupon the revelation of the kingdom of God which is within us. Luke 17:21.\nFor if the kingdom of God be in us, then God himself is in us, and more\nintimately united to the soul than she is to herself: and such a treasure\nas this within us, ought carefully to be attended to. The soul that\ndesires to enter into this inward way, must entirely resign and submit\nitself to all the dispensations of Providence, both inward and outward;\nmust perfectly rest in God, and be content to be, as God shall appoint,\npoor or rich, cheerful or sad, peaceful or joyless. For thus the soul is\ncleansed from all created images that may crowd into it from without; and\nwhen thus stripped of all rational, sensible, and created things, and\neverything which is not God, she comes at last into her own ground and\ncentre, and there with a pure eye discovers the essential light and\npresence of God. But before this treasure can be obtained, everything else\nmust be forsaken. Blessed and truly happy are they that find it: for being\nentirely divested of all worldly affections, they live in a constant union\nwith God.\n\n2. And now, if a man could with his bodily eyes take a view of such a soul\nas this, he would see the most beautiful creature in the world, shining\nforth in all the transcendent beauties of holiness; for such a soul is\nunited to God, and by consequence is a partaker of His glory, not by\n_nature_, but by _grace_. It desires nothing either in time or eternity\nbut God alone, seeking nothing for its own sake, either spiritually or\nnaturally. On the other hand, could we but see with our bodily eyes a soul\nsunk in the love of itself and the creatures, wholly polluted with the\nlust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; and all\nits corrupt thoughts and imaginations externally figured by visible\ncharacters and impressions; neither earth nor hell could furnish a more\ndreadful monster than this. But in the last great day, when the hearts and\nconsciences of all men shall be laid open (1 Cor. 4:5), and the inward eye\nshall be unclosed, so that every one shall have a full view of himself,\nthen shall such an impure soul see its secret abominations, and find in\nitself an eternal source of sorrow, misery, and torment. On the other\nhand, the pure and divine soul shall forever contemplate in itself the\npresence and kingdom of God, whom it shall forever see as He is, and by\nvirtue of its union with him, possess and enjoy him as its own forever. He\nthat rightly considers this union of the soul with God, shall\nexperimentally understand that expression of St. Paul, that \u201cneither\nheight nor depth can separate us from the love of God.\u201d Rom. 8:39. For if\nit were possible that such a soul should be in hell, yet could it not be\nseparated from the presence and kingdom of God, to which it is most\nintimately united. On the other hand, should a damned spirit, or the devil\nhimself, be admitted into Paradise and heaven, yet could they not be\nexempt from the torments of hell, which they continually carry about in\nthemselves.\n\n\n\n\nChapter V.\n\n\n  Showing How A Man May Be Drawn To God; Also, Wherein Spiritual Poverty\n             Consists; And, What The Degrees Of Humility Are.\n\n\n    _He that humbleth himself shall be exalted._\u2014LUKE 18:14.\n\n\nMany are the means which men make use of to come to a union with God; such\nas reading, and other external exercises of religion. But in truth, next\nto that true, living faith which purifies the soul from the love of the\ncreatures (as has already been shown, and will be further explained below,\nchap. ix), there is no better or easier method than that of _true\nhumility_. This, however, does not consist in words, or in any external\nbehavior; but is seated in the bottom of the soul, so that the man upon\nall accounts, both natural and spiritual, reckons and esteems himself as\nnothing; and being thus truly poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3), he values\nneither wealth nor honor, body nor soul, peace nor joy, nor anything in\nthe world, in comparison with his duty and the glory of God. Yea, should\nit please God to inflict even the agony of hell upon him, he would\nacknowledge that he deserved it; and he would most cheerfully and\ncontentedly submit, esteeming the will of God as the only measure and\nstandard of his duty and happiness, and continuing to offer praise. This\nis that true poverty of spirit which disposes a man cheerfully to part\nwith, or submit to, anything, according to the will of God; after the\nexample of our blessed Saviour, who not only _did_, but also _suffered_\nthe will of his Father (Matt. 26:39), and voluntarily chose the accursed\ndeath of the cross, and therefore was highly exalted by God. Phil. 2:9.\nWhosoever has this humility, is truly poor in spirit; and though he\npossessed the greatest temporal riches, yet would they be no hindrance to\nhis union with God. This is that \u201cpoor man\u201d of whom the Psalmist speaks:\n\u201cThis poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.\u201d Ps. 34:6. And if we could\nsuppose such a one to be at ever so great a distance from God, yet would\nthe most merciful Father, out of his abundant mercy and goodness,\ninfallibly draw him to himself. For the fulness of divine grace chooses to\ndiscover itself in the depth of human misery, and can no more forsake it,\nthan a tender father could leave his beloved son under the agonies of a\ndangerous sickness. Of this we have an instance in the woman of Canaan,\nwho, looking upon herself as no more worthy than a dog, immediately\nobtained help of Jesus. Matt. 15:27, 28. For no man ever yet came to the\nfountain of living truth, but by the way of humility and poverty of\nspirit, arising from a knowledge of his utter unworthiness. He that\nunderstands this, will never think contempt, reproaches, poverty, or the\ncross, either bitter or irksome to him. Yea, rather with the holy\napostles, he rejoices that God has thought him worthy to suffer shame for\nHis name (Acts 5:41), so that God in his glory may enter into his soul in\nhis misery. Hence the truest and safest way of coming to a union with God,\nis that of deep humility and true poverty of spirit.\n\n2. There are six steps or degrees of humility, by which we may arrive at\nthe perfection of spiritual joy and peace. The first step is, that a man\nreckon himself as inferior to all men, and have no desire for the honor\nand esteem of men. The second is, to despise and judge no man, but have a\nconstant eye upon himself. The third is, to refuse and avoid honors that\nare offered; and if they cannot be avoided, to receive them with regret.\nThe fourth, to bear reproaches with joy. The fifth, to converse willingly\nwith men of inferior condition, and be so far from thinking ourselves\nbetter than they, as rather to think ourselves the most miserable of all\nmen, and the chief of sinners. The sixth is, to submit readily and\ncheerfully, not only to our superiors, but even to the least and meanest.\nBy these steps we ascend to the last and highest of all, where is the\nthrone of peace. \u201cThe way is humble,\u201d says Augustine, \u201cbut the country to\nwhich it leadeth is on high.\u201d King Solomon\u2019s throne had six steps\nconducting to it (1 Kings 10: 19); on the top Solomon (that is,\n_Peaceable_, 1 Chron. 22:9) sat enthroned. So when we have ascended the\nsix steps, we shall find the heavenly Prince of Peace\u2014true _peace_ of\nheart. There is no coming to the exalted felicity of the kingdom of God,\nbut by the low valley of humility and self-denial.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VI.\n\n\n                       The Seat Of God In The Soul.\n\n\n    _Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women_?\u2014CANT.\n    6:1.\n\n\nThough our \u201cbeloved\u201d is always with us, yet he never discovers himself but\nwhen the heart is quiet and composed, and all the senses are collected in\nGod. When nothing earthly appears in the understanding, but all its animal\nand worldly wisdom is swallowed up in faith; then the divine light arises,\ndarting light and glory through the benighted soul. This is that darkness\nwhich is the habitation of God; that night, in which the will rests in\nunion with the will of God; and in which the memory forgets all the\nimpressions of the creatures. Then, in a moment, the divine light strikes\nthe understanding, heavenly desires inflame the will, and eternal joys\npossess and fill the memory; yet neither the understanding, the will, nor\nthe memory, can comprehend or retain the transcendent joys with which they\nare visited of God. For this perception is not lodged in the faculties of\nthe soul, but lies hid in the very centre of it. Yea, it may sometimes be\nawakened through the Word, and break forth in words, so that we may cry\nout with St. Augustine\u2019s mother Monica, \u201cLet us fly away, let us fly away\nto the eternal joy.\u201d\n\n2. From this fountain spring all the unutterable groanings of holy souls.\nThis was the sweetness that St. Paul tasted, when he uttered these words,\n\u201cI am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor any other creature,\nshall be able to separate us from the love of God\u201d (Rom. 8:38): meaning\n_that_ love of God to us, which he had tasted in his own soul. Thus St.\nAugustine witnesses of himself, \u201cthat he sometimes felt such exalted joy\nin his inward soul, that if it were but lasting, it could be nothing else\nbut eternal life.\u201d This is that divine pleasure which would fill our\nsouls, and draw them to itself: and by these foretastes we know what\neternal life is; that it is a state in which our souls shall be fully\nsatisfied with heavenly joy and sweetness. Hence the devout soul says, \u201cI\nam sick of love.\u201d Cant. 5:8. That is: \u201cThis is the height of my wishes,\nthis is what I long and sigh after: that I may find my beloved, and be\nsatisfied with his love, and recover my heavenly nobility, which consists\nin union with Christ; that I may nevermore delight in any worldly or\ntransitory things, much less in sins, or sinful pleasures.\u201d\n\n3. This nobility of the soul is but little known to the men of this world,\neven those that are accounted wise and learned: and they that have written\nvolumes about the soul and its faculties, have never come to the\nfundamental point. For Christ is the true strength of the soul, its\nunderstanding, will, and memory; that is, light in its understanding;\npleasure in its will; and joy in its memory. So Christ is the true\nsanctification, glory, and ornament of the soul; so that a man, for the\nlove of Christ, which he experiences in himself, does not desire to sin.\nThus we are told, \u201cWhoso abideth in him, sinneth not. Whosoever is born of\nGod doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot\nsin.\u201d 1 John 3:6, 9. Yea, from this love of Christ arises often joy so\ngreat as to make crosses and afflictions not only tolerable, but even\ndesirable for Christ\u2019s sake (Acts 5:41); so that the cross is turned into\njoy, which is continually springing up from its eternal fountain in the\ncentre of the soul. There God has sanctified a place for himself, and made\nit so peculiarly his own, that neither angel, nor man, nor any other\ncreature, can enter there. Here it is that God delights to dwell, and he\nsuffers no other being to dwell with him. God\u2019s delight is to dwell in a\npure soul. So he tells us, \u201cMy delights are with the sons of men.\u201d Prov.\n8:31. But what this happiness is, or how great this delight is, no man\nknows but he who has experienced it; nor can even he explain it fully in\nwords.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VII.\n\n\n  Of The Dignity Of The Soul; Of True Repentance; And, Of Divine Mercy.\n\n\n    _My house is the house of prayer._\u2014LUKE 19:46; MATT. 21:13; ISA.\n    56:7.\n\n\nThe dignity of the soul consists in this, that it is the habitation and\ntemple of God, in which he takes more delight than in the whole compass of\nheaven and earth. So the believing soul has more of the divine presence\nthan heaven, than all the temples made with hands, yea, than all the\ncreatures in the world. For God communicates his whole treasures of love\nto such a soul; he rejoices and delights in it; yea, through all creatures\nhe seeks to make the soul of man happy and glorious. Wherefore, as God\nshows so much love, and takes so much pleasure in the soul of man, he may\nmore properly be said to dwell in it than in any material buildings, yea,\nthan in heaven itself. Here he displays all the wonders of his providence\nand love; yea, for this very end has he created it with nobler faculties\nthan he has given to the rest of his creatures, that it might be capable\nof these exalted communications of the divine grace. And if God should\nbestow upon the soul anything less than himself, she would reject it as\nbeing too little. Now St. Paul tells us, \u201cGod hath chosen us in Christ\nbefore the foundation of the world.\u201d Eph. 1:4. Let this then be our labor,\nthis our highest endeavor, to be really what we have been from the\nbeginning of the world. And as the soul ought to be the spouse of the Son\nof God, it follows that it is beloved by God above other creatures. It was\nthis love that brought the blessed Jesus down from heaven to be united to\nthe beloved soul which the Father had betrothed to him from all eternity,\nand to bring it back to the great original from which it at first\nproceeded.\n\n2. Now as God has discovered this transcendent love to the soul, it\nfollows that the soul ought to rest in God alone, and not to waste its\nlove on any creature, at which it knows that God will be offended. So\ngreat is the loveliness, so great the beauty that is in God, that if the\nsoul could take ever so remote, ever so obscure a view of it, she would\nnot be separated from him to gain the whole world. The soul, then, which\nis so beloved of God, should be ashamed to fix its love upon any creature\nwhich is offensive to God. She ought to be heartily ashamed and afflicted\nif she has not preferred God before all creatures, proposed his glory in\nall things, and loved him above all things; this is the true contrition\nwhich is acceptable to God. The whole creation naturally loves God more\nthan itself, and spends itself in the execution of his commands; but the\nmiserable sinner loves himself better than his God. If thy sorrow,\ntherefore, proceed merely from a sense of thy own loss, and not of thy\nsins and offences against God, thy contrition is not true, thy sorrow is\nnot acceptable before God. Though there were no heaven to reward thee, nor\nhell to punish thee, yet thou oughtest to be grieved that thou hast\noffended and provoked thy God. For the love of God is very heaven, and his\nanger is hell. But if thou hast in thy heart that contrition which is here\ndescribed, and true faith in Christ, thy sins shall freely be forgiven\nthee. For it is more agreeable to him to forgive sins, than to punish\nthem: not to mention, that as he is our Father, and we are his children,\nhe is obliged in justice to show mercy to us. For if he be our Father, it\nfollows that he has a fatherly affection towards us, which will upon all\noccasions rejoice and triumph against the severity of his justice. To this\nfatherly affection of God, let us perfectly resign ourselves. Whosoever\nrests in this, will be well pleased both with the justice and the mercy of\nGod. For he that truly loves God, will bear patiently all the\ndeterminations of His will, either towards himself or towards any other\ncreature. Let his will be thine; remember the saying of one of old: \u201cI\nwould rather be in hell with God, than in heaven without him.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nChapter VIII.\n\n\nThe Calling Of God Is Earnest And Sincere, And Directs Us To Come To Him.\n\n\n    _He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that\n    he may judge his people._\u2014PS. 50:4. _He hath called us with a holy\n    calling._\u20142 TIM. 1:9.\n\n\nGod, our heavenly Father, by all the methods and arguments of love, is\ncontinually calling and drawing us to himself. So great is his love\ntowards us, that it is as if his own essence and blessedness were affected\nby our wandering from him. Hence, all his works of creation, both in\nheaven and earth, all the wonders of his providence, tend to this one\ngreat end, namely, to recall and bring back fallen man to himself. All his\nwords and all his actions, call to the soul to return to the love of God\nfrom which it fell, by hearkening to the tempting insinuations of Satan.\n\n2. God invites us to believe in his Son, and to follow the steps of his\nmeekness and patience, and by this means, to be reunited to himself, our\nchief Good. For as when God called to Elijah, and the fire passed by, and\nthe strong wind that rent the mountains; yet God was not in them, but came\nat last in the still small voice (1 Kings 19:11, 12); so at this day he\ndescends and manifests himself in humble, quiet, and peaceable souls. And\nas Ahasuerus sustained Esther when she fell down at his feet, for fear of\nhis majesty (Esther 5:2; 8:3, 4); so God comforts and supports the humble\nman, who has a true sense of his own nothingness, and trusts not in his\nown strength. And were not God to support him with the everlasting arm of\nhis omnipotence, he would sink under the apprehensions of his own\nunworthiness. Such a man is so humbled in his own eyes, that he would seem\nto sink below the vilest of all creatures. But no sooner does the mighty\nKing of heaven cast a look upon such an humble soul, but it is\nstrengthened and refreshed with the divine consolation. This is the\nconsequence of true humility, when deeply rooted in the soul; the lower\nthe soul sinks in its own esteem, the higher it rises in the sight of God.\nIf to this there be added, external contempt and reproaches, they sink the\nsoul yet more deeply into self-abasement, and by consequence bring her so\nmuch the nearer to God. This is the soil most fit to produce that peace of\nspirit \u201cwhich passeth all understanding.\u201d Phil. 4:7. This is the fruit of\ntrials, injuries, and afflictions. By these God prepares and purifies thee\nfor himself, that at length thou mayest return to him, and he return to\nthee, and dwell in thee. And this consummation is not to be obtained by\nfine words and airy speculations, but by manifold afflictions. It is not\ntalking or thinking of humility, that makes a man humble; but bearing the\ncross with patience; without which thou hast only the appearance, and not\nthe reality of virtue. Upon this account the man that treats thee with\nreproach and contempt, ought to be regarded as in truth thy benefactor.\nFor these two virtues, meekness and patience, are not to be gained except\nby various conflicts and severe trials, which are very great and grievous\nto human nature. For how canst thou exercise these virtues, unless in the\ntime of suffering? Meekness regards the ground of the soul, which is best\ntried in the hour of adversity. And patience respects the inner man, who\nis to go out with Christ, bearing his reproach. Heb. 13:13. And thus the\nman is conformed to the most holy and innocent life of Christ; and Christ,\nwith his death and passion, lives and governs in him.\n\n3. There is also another, namely, an _inward_ calling of God: when he\nkindles in the devout soul the fire of his love. By this means he conveys\nhimself to the soul, for he himself is love. For it is as impossible to\npossess God without a true perception of his love, as for a man to live\nwithout a soul. For that Christ doth \u201cdwell in our hearts by faith\u201d\n(Ephes. 3:17), is only to be discovered by love ruling in us. 1 John 4:16.\nAnd this divine love cannot rest in our hearts, until they are emptied of\nthe love of the world (1 John 2:15), and entirely and absolutely fixed\nupon God. It will be, therefore, a very useful exercise for a man often to\nexamine his own heart, and see what is uppermost in his affections, God,\nor himself, or any creature: whether he loves life or death: what it is\nthat principally engages his affections, and engrosses his thoughts. If\nupon inquiry thou findest thy heart set upon anything but God, that thou\nhast any affection that does not ultimately centre and terminate in him,\nthen God cannot enter into thy soul, though thou shed as many tears as\nthere are drops in the ocean, and thou must abide forever without him.\nUnhappy mortals, what are you doing? Why do you suffer a deceitful world\nto impose upon you by the love of the creatures, and insinuate itself into\nthe centre of your souls, which God requires to be consecrated to his own\nuse? It was for this end that we came into the world, that by\nmortification of our own will, and contempt of the world and creatures, we\nshould return to God, and be reconciled to him; so that as the body is to\nreturn to the earth again, the spirit should also return to God that gave\nit. Eccl. 12:7. If thou returnest not in this life, thou art undone to all\neternity. By that in which thou hast placed thy joy and thy delight here,\nshalt thou be judged hereafter. Let then this conviction be deeply fixed\nin thy heart: Whensoever thy heart is emptied of the world and the\ncreatures, it shall forthwith be filled with all the fulness of God; yea,\nassure thyself, that were it necessary to leave heaven and earth, God\nwould certainly do it, in order to take possession of a soul thus emptied\nof the world, and prepared to receive him. On the other hand, if thou be\nfull of the world, God cannot enter. The more delight any man takes in the\ncreatures, the farther is he removed from God. How lamentable a case this\nis, I need not stay to explain. This then is a certain conclusion, that\nnot through worldly joys and pleasures, but through many tribulations, we\nmust enter into the kingdom of heaven.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IX.\n\n\n                  The Purifying Influence Of True Faith.\n\n\n    _God purifies their hearts by faith._\u2014ACTS 15:9.\n\n\nThe property of true faith, is to purify the heart from the world, and all\nearthly, vain, and perishing desires; in a word, from all things in which\ncorrupt nature delights itself, whether riches, honors, or pleasures.\nFaith fixes its eye upon those things only, that are invisible and\neternal; and when all impediments are removed, a union quickly follows;\nand there can be no union of things, except they be alike. God is pure\naction, and wheresoever he finds a soul empty of the world, there he\ndelights to operate, and manifest himself, as the spring of life and\ncomfort to the afflicted longing soul. Therefore the usual language of\nChrist in the Gospel to the sick, whom he healed, was, \u201cThy faith hath\nmade thee whole.\u201d Matt. 9:22; 15:28. His meaning was not, that this was\nthe effect of the mere act of faith; but that faith had so cleansed,\npurified, and humbled the soul, that it was now fit for the more exalted\nmanifestations of the divine power and presence. Hence, when our blessed\nLord could find no souls so qualified in Nazareth, he could do no mighty\nworks there. Mark 6:5. For where the creature is, God cannot enter; one\nhinders the other. No man can more heartily desire the assistance of God,\nthan He desires to communicate it to a devout and well-disposed soul. For\nas God fills such a soul with his light, consolation, and gracious\npresence; so the longing soul rises as naturally towards God, as the fire\nburns. When God has once taken possession of such a habitation, he\noperates in it all the wonders of his grace, in which he rejoices as once\nhe did in our Lord Jesus Christ; because in him he accomplished his own\nwill, without any impediment. For no work or action can please him, which\ndoes not begin and end in him. And as God delights thus to operate in man,\nso he continually waits to see when we are fit to receive him; being more\nready to give, than we are either to ask or to receive. Take heed,\ntherefore, that thou neglect not the present opportunity. For after this\nlife is over, we shall all receive according to our works, and according\nto the principle of love that ruled in our hearts, whether it be good or\nbad, God or the creature. And this is so certain, that should all the\nsaints of God intercede with tears of blood for any one man, it would be\nlost labor. For that which has possessed thy heart, and engrossed thy\naffections here, shall be thy lot and portion to eternity.\n\n2. And as true faith purifies the heart from worldly love; so it does also\nfrom inordinate affections, as anger and impatience; planting meekness and\npatience in respect to our neighbor in their stead. For God works nothing\nin the souls of believers, but that which is agreeable to his own nature.\nNow what is He, but mere love, patience, and gentleness itself, as he has\nmanifested himself in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ? As then the love of\nGod overflows towards all men, having mercy upon all; so it produces the\nsame love in every Christian soul, a love free and universal; making no\ndifference either of friend or foe, but being equally united to God, and\nto the whole race of mankind. Moreover, this love rejoices in all the good\nthings that God bestows upon man, and is pleased with that variety of\ngifts which are bestowed upon the several members of Christ\u2019s body; to\neach of which it pays a proper and proportionable respect. For as there is\na mutual agreement between the several members of the natural body, in\nwhich the more ignoble parts, as the hands and feet, serve the more noble,\nas the head, the eyes, and the heart; so ought there to be the same\nagreement between the members of the spiritual body of Christ. Wherefore,\nif we meet with any member of Christ, who is more worthy than ourselves,\nwe ought proportionably to love and esteem him more than ourselves. And\nthe greater the portion of divine grace and favor which he has received\nfrom Jesus Christ, our supreme Head, is, the greater respect and love we\nought to pay him. For this good is common to all, as being derived from\nour universal Head, Christ Jesus. But we cannot enjoy it without charity,\nwhich makes all our neighbor\u2019s blessing our own; and whatsoever we love in\nGod, and for his sake, considered as a universal good, is properly ours.\nAnd as by charity, all our neighbor\u2019s blessings are made our own,\ntherefore, how many, or how great favors soever God bestows upon a good\nman, they are no less mine than his, if I love them as the gifts of God,\nand for His sake. Yea, if any man receive the blessings of God with fear\nand humility, not being exalted with pride and arrogance; and if I can\nbehold them in him, and love them for God\u2019s sake, and as proceeding from\nHim, they are as properly mine as his. This is the way by which we become\nspiritually rich in God, and are made partakers of all the blessings of\nheaven and earth; yea, and of all the happiness that is laid up in store\nfor the children of God, by the mediation of our spiritual Head, Christ\nJesus. So deep, so close is this union, that I am actually and properly\npossessed of all the blessings which our head Christ Jesus has diffused\nthrough all his members, whether men, or angels, in heaven and earth. And\nthe effect of this inward love is patience, by which a man readily and\nwillingly takes up his cross, as a preparation for very exalted gifts of\nGod. For no cross comes without its special grace. This made one of the\nholy men of old exclaim: \u201cHail, bitter cross, full of grace and glory.\u201d\nAnd St. Peter says: \u201cThis is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward\nGod endure grief.\u201d 1 Pet. 2:19.\n\n3. And they, who from love to the cross of Christ, willingly bear their\nown, are thereby made partakers of an eminent pleasure and of peace of\nmind. He, then, that labors under any cross, external or internal, and\nyet, although his heart may bleed, without complaining bears it patiently,\nfor the sake of his suffering Redeemer, may rest assured, that his\nsufferings shall end in glory, and his sorrow shall be turned into joy.\nThe divine consolations are ever at hand to the resigned and patient soul;\nwhich peace is that inestimable pearl, the riches of the inward man, which\nno man can explain or comprehend but he that has it. In a word, this is\nthat \u201cpeace which passeth all understanding,\u201d of which St. Paul speaks in\nPhil. 4:7.\n\n\n\n\nChapter X.\n\n\nShowing How The Natural Light In Us Must Disappear, And The Light Of Grace\n                               Shine Forth.\n\n\n    _God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath\n    shined in our hearts._\u20142 COR. 4:6.\n\n\nWhosoever would have a just notion of the light of nature, and the light\nof grace, must nicely distinguish between the faculties of the soul; that\nis to say, the reason, the will, and the senses, and the pure essence of\nthe soul. (See below, Chap. XXI.) The light of nature resides in the\nreason, will, and senses. These faculties, as long as they keep the soul\nin subjection to them, hinder the divine light of grace from displaying\nitself in the pure essence of the soul; so that before this can rise, the\nother must set. For the light of grace is above all sense and reason; yea,\nis hindered by them. Thou seest, then, how little the natural man can do\nin divine things\u2014even nothing at all.\n\n2. Let us now consider how the light of grace generally arises in the\nsoul. God has the word of grace, which he has commanded to be preached,\nand by which he operates; and this word is spirit and life. John 6:63. And\nthough God by his power and providence is everywhere present, yet his\nproper habitation, in which he peculiarly operates and kindles his divine\nlight, is the soul of man. So that the divine light in the soul proceeds\nnot from the senses, nor from reason, nor any natural faculty; but merely\nand entirely from the operation of divine grace in the soul. And this is\nthe eternal fountain of comfort, peace, truth, wisdom, and life, the chief\nand everlasting happiness of the soul. Thus the only happiness of the soul\nis its union with God, and the operation of his grace: and of this, no\ncreature that has not the image of God, can partake. For nothing but God\u2019s\nown image is capable of his light, his grace, and his wisdom.\n\n3. By this light the soul truly recovers its spiritual strength; that is,\nunderstanding, wisdom, and knowledge in the hidden mysteries of God.\nHereby also is produced in the soul such a high relish of divine love, so\nsweet and pleasant, that she has, as it were, an aversion and dislike of\neverything that is not divine. Hence arise holy desires after goodness,\nflowing from that inward spring in the soul, without the concurrence of\nany creature. The creatures indeed can excite in us admiration and joy,\nbut all by external images and impressions; so that we ought carefully to\ndistinguish between these different motions. The light of grace affects\nthe very centre of the soul, beyond the comprehension of sense or reason.\nSo then, the more thou art purified from, and emptied of, the creatures,\nthe more frequently and plenteously shalt thou be refreshed with the\nvisits of divine light and truth. Now from this light arises the knowledge\nof truth, from which, so soon as a man turns himself, he falls into error.\nFor the region of truth is not without the soul, but within it; and from\nthis light, are darted sometimes such flashes and streams of wisdom as\nshow a man more in an instant than all the men in the world could teach\nhim. Yea, the perception of this light but for a moment, will give the\nattentive soul more joy, comfort, and happiness than all the creatures in\nthe world can afford. And this is transacted in the inmost recesses of the\nsoul. This is the fountain at which the royal prophet David drank, as he\ntells us: \u201cThou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine\nenemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my\nteachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than\nthe ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from\nevery evil way, that I might keep thy word.\u201d Ps. 119:98-101. Thus speaks\nDavid, who, through that whole Psalm, makes it his prayer and request to\nGod that he would let the divine light shine, and the divine Word speak,\nwithin him; that so, by the fear of God, and the diligent keeping of his\ncommandments, he might securely preserve this great internal treasure.\nUpon which account he says that \u201cthe law of God was better unto him than\nthousands of gold and silver.\u201d Ps. 119:72. In short, the soul that is\nsensible of the value and sweetness of this inward and heavenly treasure,\ncan have no relish or esteem for the pomps and pleasures of this world;\nbut will say with Solomon, \u201cVanity of vanities; all is vanity.\u201d Eccles.\n1:2.\n\n4. But as this light cannot shine in a wicked soul (for \u201cwhat communion\nhath light with darkness?\u201d 2 Cor. 6:14), and yet is the greatest blessing\nof the soul, therefore holy David prays (so ardently (Ps. 119), so\ndevoutly, yea, he falls into eloquence so copious as to astonish the\nreader), that it would please God to protect him from the darkness of sin,\nand keep him in his fear. Indeed, so exceedingly plentiful is this light,\nso wonderful is its charity, that, like a flash of lightning, it often\nstrikes the hearts of wicked men, warning them of approaching ruin, and,\nas it were, snatching them from the jaws of destruction; which is\nundoubtedly the effect of this illumination. And in this sense, \u201cthe light\nshineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not.\u201d John 1:5. Now\nthis divine light is hindered from displaying itself in the bottom of the\nsoul by the restless activity of the external senses. For as the ear is\nperpetually longing to hear, the eye always employed in seeing, and the\nheart constantly taken up with external objects, this scatters and\ndistracts the powers of the soul. Whereas, the light of grace cannot shine\nexcept in the most settled and composed frame of spirit; so that from this\ninward principle of light, the senses, the reason, the understanding, the\nwill, and the memory, might be replenished with light and wisdom. For the\nenlightened soul neither sees, nor hears, nor speaks as before. It speaks\nno more the superficial language of the natural man, but words full of\nspirit and life. And now the enlightened soul begins in spirit to\ncontemplate the glory of God, sighing after Him, and saying: \u201cO God, who\nart most beautiful to my eyes, most sweet to my mouth, most charming to my\nears, most dear to my heart!\u201d The works that such a soul performs, are no\nlonger her own, but the works of God; and so much the more noble than her\nown, as God is more noble than all creatures. Then also she comes to\nunderstand, that blessedness cannot be the reward of her own works, but is\nthe gift of the grace of God. So likewise she finds more contentment when\nshe suffers God to act in her, than when she works and labors herself; for\nby this means she has joy and comfort in all her actions, as knowing that\nthey are all wrought in God. John 3:21.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XI.\n\n\n   God, The Light Of The Soul, Directing Us Not To Judge Our Neighbors.\n\n\n    _God is light, and in him is no darkness at all_.\u20141 JOHN 1:5.\n\n\nGod is the supreme, most pure, and beauteous light; flaming with an ardent\ndesire of enlightening the souls of men, and uniting himself to them, if\nnot hindered by the darkness which men \u201clove rather than light.\u201d John 1:5;\n3:19. But the darkness of the soul is the love of itself, and the love of\nthe world, which obstruct the operations of God in us. Wherefore, if the\nsoul would be a partaker of this divine light, let her take care not to be\novercome by the love of the creatures, by covetousness, anger, self-love,\nambition, and the lust of the flesh; for all these are the darkness of the\nworld, in which the god of this world ruleth. 2 Cor. 4:4. A man must then\nforsake himself and all creatures, yea, everything that is not God; this\nis called the forsaking \u201call that he hath.\u201d Luke 14:33. Such a soul is\nfixed entirely upon God, and is enlightened by his truth; and if by the\nwill of Providence he be required to engage in worldly affairs, he does it\nwith humility and fear, still keeping the centre of his soul free from the\ncreature and the world; so that the emanations of divine light are not\nobstructed, but flow in perpetual streams from their fountain, which is\nGod.\n\n2. This inward light breaks forth into external actions, so that\nwhatsoever a man says, or does, or suffers, is no longer an act of his\nown, but of God, to whom he has surrendered and dedicated himself. For how\ncan he act, who is merely passive? So then, whatsoever impression or\nimpulse thou findest in thyself, whether it be a devout desire, a good\nintention, an inclination to prayer or thanksgiving, all is from God, and\nnot from thyself. Submit thyself, therefore, to the mighty hand of God,\nand suffer him to accomplish his will in thee; for so whatsoever thou\ndoest, is in him, and through him, and he worketh in thee. For it is a\nnecessary condition of all good works that they ultimately regard God, and\nbe wrought in him. John 3:21. Hence we should live in him, pray in him,\nand do everything in him. One such work wrought in God, however\ninsignificant it may be in the eye of the world, is of more value in the\nsight of God, than all the actions wrought in human strength. This is the\nspring of true virtue, the essence of which is, that it should begin and\nend in God. But in proportion as the love of the world and the creature\nprevails in thee, thou art farther removed from God: whilst the nearer God\nis to the ground of thy heart, the more deeply and plentifully will he\nshine forth, and manifest himself by works of charity and compassion\ntowards thy neighbor. For our blessed Saviour tells us, \u201cI am the light of\nthe world.\u201d John 8:12. In him, therefore, let us act. Let us cleave to the\nlove of this our Head, that we may be enlightened in Christ.\n\n3. For of all our actions those only may be called \u201clight,\u201d which proceed\nfrom God and diffuse themselves through the darkness and miseries of our\nneighbors, in patience, in meekness, in humility, in consolation, in\ncompassion, in gentle reproofs, and charitable censures. Whereas from an\narrogant love of censuring others arise self-esteem, a high mind,\ncontempt, and insolence toward our neighbors. This is the root of\ninnumerable sins. But as the light of the Holy Spirit cannot enter into\nsuch souls, so where he inhabits, these vices have no place. The man of\nGod judges not his neighbor, unless compelled by necessity; and even then\nhe does it with great gentleness, and in the proper time and place; lest\nwhile he attempt to cure one wound, he should make ten, by an unseasonable\nand improper application. One thing ought carefully to be observed in\nreproving our neighbor, namely, that we should not publish such\nuncharitable reflections upon him, as may in any way injure his\nreputation, either in his spiritual or temporal concerns; but on the\ncontrary, every one should keep himself within the bounds of meekness and\ncharity, lest he endanger his own humility and poverty of spirit. They\nthat delight in uncharitable censures and railing accusations, are like\nthe old serpent; their very breath is infected with his poison, whilst,\nlike him, they delight in being accusers of the brethren. Whilst they know\nnot themselves, they will dare to censure and judge their neighbors.\nConsider, O man, thy perverse heart, and judge thyself, but no one else.\nLuke 6:37. The false light of nature misleads thee, and draws thee blindly\ninto pride, self-love, and rash censures of others. But know that this is\nnot the light of God, but the very darkness of Satan.\n\n4. But the true and divine light always discovers itself in modesty and\nhumility. It hunts not after the empty applause of men, but seeks after\nGod, from whom it proceeded, and into whom it longs and labors to return.\nSuch a man thinks himself the weakest, vilest, and most ignorant of all\nmen; being fully persuaded that whatever good there is in him, it is not\nhis but God\u2019s. Above all things, therefore, endeavor to know thyself, and\ntrouble not thyself about thy neighbor, particularly his faults; lest in\nthe bitterness of thine heart thou be tempted to condemn him; for thereby\nthou canst do great harm to thine own soul. Turn away, then, thy eyes, for\nGod\u2019s sake, from any vices of thy neighbor, and turn into thyself, and see\nwhether thou art not, or hast not been as deep in the mire as he. And if\nthis appear to be the case, consider it in the order of Providence as an\nopportunity of reading thy own defects in the life of thy neighbor, and as\na means of bringing thee to the knowledge of thyself, to true repentance\nand amendment of life. Then turn thine eyes upon thy neighbor, and pray to\nGod for him, that He would be pleased, of his fatherly compassion, to\ngrant unto him also the same knowledge and amendment of life. The man that\nis thus disposed, profits by his neighbor\u2019s faults, and is preserved from\nthe sin of rashly judging or condemning him.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XII.\n\n\nThe Christian Ought Daily, Once At Least, Wholly To Abstract Himself From\nAll External Objects, And Retire Into His Own Soul; The Advantages Of This\n                                 Course.\n\n\n    _Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt\n    bountifully with thee._\u2014PS. 116:7.\n\n\nThe soul of man, flowing out into worldly things, and cleaving entirely to\nthe creatures, is like a wandering sheep. Now, the great Shepherd of souls\ntries, by all the methods of his mercy and wisdom, to bring him back to\nthe fold, by emptying him of the creatures, and filling him with all the\nfulness of God. Thus the royal Psalmist concludes the 119th Psalm: \u201cI have\ngone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant.\u201d This expression, how\noddly soever it may sound to carnal ears, discovers, nevertheless, to the\nspiritual man, the whole work of illumination and divine wisdom. For as\nthe soul of man is placed between time and eternity, so soon as ever it\nturns to time, it forgets eternity, and withdraws every day further and\nfurther from divine things. But if it returns to eternity, then it forgets\nthe creatures, recovers its liberty, draws nearer to God, and is\nthoroughly drawn unto him. For there is nothing dearer to God, than a soul\nabstracted from the creatures, and resigned to him. Then, and not till\nthen, the soul enjoys true peace, tastes the food of life, and feels in\nherself the true fruits of that divine _anointing_, which denominates us\ntruly Christians (the name \u201cChrist\u201d signifying: \u201cThe Anointed One.\u201d)\n\n2. And if these things are so, who can doubt that it is the duty of every\ntrue Christian, if not oftener, yet once a day at least, to taste this\ndivine food of the soul, which is God himself, that thereby he may be\nrefreshed with true peace, and be replenished with the fulness of divine\nlife and grace? Wouldest thou, O man, but thoroughly consider this, thou\nwouldest be much more in love with heaven, than with earth! Wert thou but\nthus disposed, though the burden of a whole kingdom lay upon thy\nshoulders, as it did upon David\u2019s, yet it should be no hindrance to thy\nholy exercises. For the creatures are not in themselves hurtful, but are\nonly so to him whose soul is in captivity to them; or, as it is said, \u201cwho\nsets his heart upon them\u201d (Ps. 62:10), which ought to be entirely\nconsecrated and devoted to God. Upon this foundation stood the Psalmist,\nwhen he cried out, \u201cLord, whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is\nnone upon earth that I desire besides thee.\u201d Ps. 73:25. For so great is\nthe sweetness of divine love, that the soul that has once tasted it,\ndespises sufferings, and looks upon the love or hatred of this world with\nindifference. They that are admitted to these joys, have perpetual peace\nin God with all creatures, whether friends or enemies. To these \u201cthe yoke\nof Christ is easy\u201d (Matt. 11:30); for they are in Christ, and Christ is in\nthem; and his presence makes their burden light, whilst he bears it in\nthem, and they bear it in him. Therefore, such a believer says with St.\nPaul, \u201cI can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.\u201d Phil.\n4:13.\n\n3. From what has been said, it appears plainly, how necessary and\nprofitable an exercise it is for every Christian, once a day at least, to\nretire into his own heart, into God, and into Christ, to draw thence true\npeace of soul, and to learn there the true use of temporal blessings. For\nGod does not forbid us the use of these, provided we walk in humility, and\nin his fear, and continue faithful in our attendance upon him. Our misery\nrequires this of us, which in such a soul God will not suffer to last\nlong; and so does, lastly, our daily cross, which Christ by this means\nmakes light and easy to us. Not to say, that thou, O Christian, art\ncontinually admonished by the Spirit of God within thee, to sigh and pray\nfor the love of God, and of God alone, and to grieve within thyself, when\nany worldly impediments draw and separate thee from it. This is the true\nand inward calling of the Holy Ghost, this is the well-beloved\u2019s knocking\nat the door of thy heart (Cant. 1:13; Rev. 3:20), as a living testimony\nthat our hearts ought to be the chamber of our heavenly bridegroom.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIII.\n\n\nShowing How The Love Of God Enters Into The Soul, When It Is Empty Of The\n                          Love Of The Creatures.\n\n\n    _If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in\n    him._\u20141 JOHN 2:15.\n\n\nHe that desires to become the habitation of God, must first divest himself\nof the love of the world, and then exercise himself in the love of God. No\nman can receive the one, without quitting the other; or be filled with the\nSpirit of God, before he be emptied of the spirit of the world. As the\nmagnet by a touch draws iron to it; so God first touches, with his divine\nlove, the soul which he intends to draw and unite to himself.\n\n2. Now this divine love is so great, that, like the sun, it shines upon\nall; yea, it shines more universally than the sun itself, displaying\nitself equally upon all men. So that it is not the fault of God, who is\npure light, and pure love, but of men, if they do not perceive or enjoy\nit. For when God approaches men with the highest love, and most ardent\naffection, he generally finds their hearts full of the love of the world,\nand all uncleanness, that is, of covetousness, pride, lust, hatred, envy,\nand evil thoughts, which force him to retire and to withdraw his graces\nfrom them. Whence it appears, that since God is ready, like the sun in the\nfirmament, to communicate the rays of his light freely to every purified\nsoul, it is not His fault, but theirs, if they are not enlightened by it.\nAs, therefore, we know these things, let us keep ourselves from the love\nof the world, and turn to the living God, watching diligently unto prayer;\nlet us labor earnestly for the love of God in Christ, by which we are\nunited to him. Let us knock at the door of his holy wounds, and from\nthence expect salvation. If we do this, God will open to us, and give us\nadmission into that high state of uniting love, in which we shall be\nrefreshed with all the treasures of God. And who can doubt that the God of\nmercy, the fountain of happiness, will fill the heart of man with greater\nand more substantial joys, than any which this perishing world can afford?\n\n3. Whosoever, therefore, loves God, shall be loved by all the saints and\nholy angels. If I love God, then I share in the love of all the\ninhabitants of the city of God, a love that far surpasses the highest\ndegree of worldly affection. And as all the heavenly host have the highest\nlove of God, and rejoice in his honor, so is their joy proportionably\ngreat at every step of our conversion, and their happiness is enhanced by\nevery advance which we make in the love of God.\n\n4. Now one evidence of divine love is this, that we use the creatures with\nfear and humility. He that is endued with a habit of divine love, whether\nhe eat or drink, or whatever he doth, doth everything like a dutiful son,\nwith reverence and fear, having his eye constantly fixed upon the glory of\nhis Heavenly Father. 1 Cor. 10:31. From this fear of God flow the many\ndeep sighs and passionate groans of the devout soul, which, by degrees,\nraise him from earth to heaven. For he discovers so many corruptions and\nimpurities in himself, obstructing the light and quenching the flames of\nthe Holy Spirit, that he is forced to cry out with St. Paul, \u201cO wretched\nman that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?\u201d Rom.\n7:24. And truly, these sighs and groanings must frequently ascend to the\nmercy-seat of God, that by the assistance of divine grace we may bear up,\nand not faint under the manifold miseries of this wretched state, and the\npressure of a vile earthly body. Thus did all the holy men of old time\nwhen they labored under the sense of spiritual infirmities: they raised\ntheir broken spirits unto God by devout sighs, penitential tears, and\nhumble acknowledgments of their misery, which reverted into their own\nbosoms with a large increase of grace and spiritual strength. He that does\nnot sincerely seek after God, but has his soul intent on something else\nbesides him, shall never find him. On the other hand, he that seeks him\nalone, in the integrity of his heart, shall surely find him, and be\nadmitted to all the blessings and happiness that are to be found in the\npresence of God. He that seeks God in truth, finds God, and all things\nthat are God\u2019s; and whosoever seeks for nothing else, and looks for\nnothing else but God only, unto him God manifests himself, and confers\nupon him all whatsoever is laid up in his divine heart, that the same may\nas properly be said to belong to man, as to God.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIV.\n\n\n                  Of The Exercise Of Patience And Love.\n\n\n    _He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter._\u2014ISA. 53:7.\n\n\nWhosoever would rightly prepare his soul for union with Jesus Christ,\nmust, like him, be clothed with the meekness and patience of the lamb.\nYea, he must have the very same mind that was in Christ, and become a lamb\neven as he was. Let this be thy rule and thy guide in all thy actions. He\ntells us himself, \u201cBehold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of\nwolves.\u201d Matt. 10:16. This is truly thy case; and whatever way thou\nturnest thyself, remember that thou art in the midst of wolves, to whose\nviolence thou art continually exposed; and against this thou hast no other\nremedy but patience, meekness, and submission, according to the example of\nthe Lamb of God, thy Saviour, Jesus Christ. And as this meekness of the\nblessed Jesus was acceptable to his Heavenly Father, so also is thine,\nwhen by patience thou dost triumph over persecution. So that it is thy\nbusiness to submit cheerfully to his will, whensoever he shall be pleased\nto lay his afflicting hand upon thee, either more immediately from heaven,\nor by any suffering which may fall upon thee by means of any creature. It\nmust all be borne with patience, as coming from the hand of God; and\nassure thyself that the faithful Shepherd is at hand to seek and save the\nlost sheep, and bring it home \u201cupon his shoulders, rejoicing.\u201d Luke 15:5.\nThus the patient soul is, by every impetuous wave of affliction, wafted\nnearer to God. But if thy blind carnal reason suggest to thee any excuses\nor objections against thy submission, hearken not to them; but fix thine\neyes upon the exemplary patience of thy Redeemer; look steadfastly to thy\ncrucified Saviour, who did no evil, yet suffered all injuries without\nthoughts of revenge.\n\n2. Endeavor to acquire more and more the meekness of the Lamb, and, above\nall things, preserve the love of God, which cannot abide in a wrathful\nsoul. And here consider well with thyself what that love is. Do not fancy\nit to be that inward joy, that unspeakable pleasure, which sometimes\nelevates devout souls; that is not the essence of love, but the brightness\nof it, differing from its root and cause as much as the light does from\nthe fire whence it proceeds. But the true essence of love to God is, to be\nresigned to the will of God, to depend entirely upon him, and to submit to\nevery affliction as coming immediately from his hand. Thus did Job, who,\ntaking the loss of his children, his goods, his health, and his honor, as\ncoming from the hand of God, still \u201cblessed the name of the Lord.\u201d Job\n1:21. So, too, David humbly submitted to the curses of Shimei, as being\nordered by the Lord. 2 Sam. 16:10. By this means the essence, the root,\nand spring of love, are preserved pure and unshaken; and by love we rest\nin God, and rejoice in all his dispensations. So that if it should please\nGod to sink such a man with Christ to hell, he would not open his mouth,\nbut rest satisfied with the will of God, in which only he finds happiness\nand rest. In this love true peace is to be found, when in God, and for\nGod\u2019s sake, we love everything, crosses and tribulations not excepted.\nTrue love unites us to God, and to all the world: and the happiness of\nsuch a state is inexpressibly great.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XV.\n\n\n Showing How Christ, The Eternal Word Of The Father, Perfects His Work In\n            The Hearts Of The Faithful, By Love And Humility.\n\n\n    _Examine yourselves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus\n    Christ is in you?_\u20142 COR. 13:5.\n\n\nAs the faithful soul is often obliged to bear the temptations and\nsuggestions of the Evil Spirit; so, on the other hand, it receives the\ndivine consolations from the mouth of the eternal Word speaking in it. Of\nthis Tauler speaks: \u201cWe know,\u201d says he, \u201cthat the eternal Word is so very\nnear the ground of the human soul, that its own nature and being are not\nmore essential and familiar to it, than that Word is. This eternal Word is\ncontinually speaking in man, though his perverse heart, deluded by the\ndevil, neither hearkens nor attends to it. For the great adversary makes\nhim deaf by his wicked insinuations, the love of the world, and carnal\ninclinations.\u201d For the devil to this day tempts all men, as he did Eve\n(Gen. 3:4), by those things which he knows to be most agreeable to our\ntempers and inclinations,\u2014by riches, honors, friendships, our own nature,\nthe love of the creatures, and infinite other ways, in which he influences\nand affects our imaginations. For as he is industriously busy about us for\nour destruction, so he narrowly observes the particular bias of our\naffections, and knows all the secret arts of raising our passions; and\nwhen by thus striking our imaginations, he has discomposed our spirits, we\nimmediately become deaf to the calls of the Holy Spirit and the Word.\nThese suggestions of Satan we must oppose; for so far as we attend to\nthem, we are the nearer to our ruin; but if thou stop thine ears to his\ninsinuations, and turn thyself unto God in the centre of thy soul, thou\nhast already conquered him. And as true friends, united in affection, are\nparticularly delighted in mutual conversation; so if thou sincerely love\nGod, thou shalt frequently hear his voice within thee. \u201cIf a man love me,\u201d\nsaith Christ, \u201che will keep my words\u201d (John 14:23): not only those which\nhe hears in the outward and visible temple and congregation of the\nfaithful; but those also which are heard in the true temple of the soul,\nwithout which the outward hearing availeth little. And this inward voice\nof God thou canst not hear, unless the love of God be in thee.\n\n2. \u201cThe most certain token of love to God,\u201d saith St. Gregory, \u201cis this,\nthat we receive all the adversities which God shall think fit to lay upon\nus, without any impatience in thought, word, or actions. If we do this,\nwithout doubt we truly love God; if not, it is certain that we do not love\nhim sincerely, but prefer ourselves and our own things to him; though\nnothing can be properly said to be a man\u2019s own but sin; everything else is\nGod\u2019s.\u201d Take heed, therefore, that thou prefer not even the gifts of God\nbefore Himself; whom if thou love purely and above all things, then thou\nshalt continually hear him speaking peace to thy soul, according to that\nsaying of our blessed Lord, \u201cHe that loveth me, to him will I manifest\nmyself.\u201d John 14:21. This manifestation is made by the opening of the\nunderstanding, by the illumination of the heart, by the spirit of wisdom,\nof understanding, of might, and of fear (Isa. 11:2), and especially by the\npurifying and enlightening of the inward eyes (Eph. 1:18), to see and know\nJesus Christ.\n\n3. But as the devil is wont to stop the inward ears of men by his\nsuggestions; so he also blinds their eyes by self-love, by the love of the\nworld and the creatures, and by inward and outward pride. For as by true\nand genuine love, we hear Christ; so by faith and profound humility, we\nmust see him; for that only can purify our hearts from vain pride. For it\nis not without reason that our blessed Lord tells us, \u201cBlessed are the\npure in heart; for they shall see God.\u201d Matt. 5:8. And for this cause it\nis that God sends us so many crosses and afflictions, that we may thereby\nbe brought into the depths of profound humility, which is an exercise more\nprofitable to us than all the delights and glories of this world. And now,\nthough heaven, and earth, and hell itself, should unite their forces\nagainst thee, yet bear up with constancy and patience, remembering that\nall shall work together for thy good; as it serves to produce in thee true\nhumility, by which thou shalt see Christ. Look at him, O man, and consider\nhow he that is God (John 1:1; Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5), most high and\nomnipotent, by whom were made the heavens and the earth, and who could\neasily again have reduced all things into nothing; yet for the sake of\nthis wretched creature man, submitted himself to the most bitter\nsufferings. Phil. 2:5-8. Be thou, therefore, O sinful and wretched\ncreature, ashamed of that pride, vainglory, and self-love, which have\ntaken possession of thy heart. Learn to submit thyself to every cross that\nshall be laid upon thee, of what sort soever it be, whether inward or\noutward; and so subject thy proud, swelling spirit to the thorny crown of\nChrist, that thou mayest imitate thy humble and crucified Lord by a true\ncontempt of thyself; making this the great end and design of all thy\nactions, to be conformed to the meek and suffering life of the blessed\nJesus, that so thou mayest come to an experimental knowledge of him. For\nwhat avail a few cold, formal reflections upon the sufferings of our Lord,\nwhilst we are destitute of that meek and patient spirit with which he bore\nthem? Of what benefit is it to entertain our fancies with a few dead\nspeculations about his passion, whilst our hearts are full of pride,\nambition, and worldly love? This, surely, is not the way to the true\nvision and experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus\noperates most deeply in the valley of humility. And in this consists the\nessence of humility, that a man look upon himself and all that he ever\nhas, or ever can do, as nothing. For if there be any good in thee, it is\nnot of thyself; it is the gift of God.\n\n4. And this humility thou must practise, if ever thou expect to see\nChrist. For the hidden mysteries and wisdom of God are revealed to the\nmeek and humble, but are hidden from the wise men of this world. Ps. 51:6;\nMatt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 1:20, 26. For in this humility alone consist the\nknowledge and understanding of pure and divine truth, in which is the\nessence of eternal blessedness. In this the greatness of the divine\nmajesty manifests itself, which the more clearly we discern, the deeper\nroot humility takes in our souls. And the most certain sign of divine\nillumination is, that a man grow daily more and more humble, and be less\nfond of himself. For self-love and pride are the fountains of all the\ndarkness, error, and iniquity that are in us. On the other hand, they that\nare truly enlightened by God, glory in contempt and sufferings, and\nrejoice to imitate their suffering Redeemer. This is the groundwork and\nspirit of Psalm 119. The royal prophet well knew that without such a\nthirst after godliness, no divine light and wisdom would enter the soul,\nand no divine answer be given to it. And this is the real purport of that\nlong Psalm.\n\n5. In a word, this humble and resigned state of soul, is that in which God\nparticularly delights to operate. And he that has this, carries in his\nsoul the comfortable presence, and in his body the suffering marks of the\nLord Jesus; and considering himself as unworthy of the least of God\u2019s\nmercies, he uses them all with reverence and fear, having his eye, like a\ngood servant, fixed on his Master; and therefore he is honored with His\nmore immediate conversation, and grace.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVI.\n\n\n            Showing How The Holy Spirit Operates In Our Souls.\n\n\n    _I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the\n    dry ground._\u2014ISA. 44:3.\n\n\nIf after a drought and dearth of three years and a half (such as happened\nin the time of Elijah, 1 Kings 17:1; 18:45), it should please God to send\nrain upon all the earth, one man\u2019s field only excepted; he would truly\nhave reason to think that God was angry with him, and that his case was\nmost deplorably miserable. But how much more miserable and unhappy is he,\nwho, though hungering and thirsting, like a parched ground, after faith,\ncharity, and all Christian graces, yet cannot receive one drop of\nspiritual consolation in the inward ground of his soul!\n\n2. But if this ever happen, it is not God\u2019s fault, for he is ready \u201cto\npour out his Spirit upon all flesh\u201d (Joel 2:28), but man\u2019s, who prepareth\nnot his heart to receive it. The best preparation to receive this holy\nguest, is to turn our hearts by faith and prayer from the world unto God,\nas the Apostles did at Pentecost (Acts 2:4); and whensoever God shall find\nus thus prepared, he will forthwith visit us with all the fulness of\nspiritual blessings. On the other hand, if the heart be full of the world,\nthere will be no room for the Spirit of God to enter; for where the one\nis, the other cannot be. As in nature there is no vacuum, so it is in the\nspiritual world. Let this then be thy care, and this thy chief concern,\nnot to fix thy heart upon any creature, either inwardly or outwardly, not\non the love of thyself, nor upon thine own will, but upon God alone;\nassuring thyself, that this is the most noble and useful exercise for\nthee. As the finest work of the most skilful workman may be broken and\ndestroyed by a heedless child; so it often happens with the works and\ngifts of God, which men destroy by their rash and unadvised management.\nThus they break and deface the most noble designs and operations of the\nSpirit of God within them; they attribute that to themselves which is the\nwork of God, and patch their own vile rags upon the fine linen of Christ\u2019s\nrighteousness. For it is most certain that we are \u201cunprofitable servants\u201d\n(Luke 17:10), and by consequence can do nothing but what is unprofitable.\nAnd, in the same degree, as God is more noble than man, so the works of\nthe Divine Spirit are more noble and precious than those of the human\nspirit. Hence it follows, that if thou wouldest have God to operate more\neminently in thee, thou must surrender all the passions, affections, and\npowers of thy soul, to be possessed, governed, and directed by Him. For\nunless the creature be entirely still, thou canst not hear the voice of\nGod. Think not then that every inward motion which thou perceivest, is the\nwork of God; whereas some are merely the product of thy own flesh and\nblood. Take heed therefore to thyself, and learn to distinguish well, lest\nthou ascribe to God the very operations of the devil.\n\n3. But in order to the more perfect operation of the Holy Ghost in thee,\nthere are two rules proper to be observed: first, that thou turn away\nthine heart from the world, the creatures, thyself, and thine own will and\naffections, that so this Holy Spirit may have room to act freely;\nsecondly, to receive all crosses and afflictions as coming from the hand\nof God, without any respect or reference to the creatures, and to embrace\nthem as preparations for receiving more plentiful communications of divine\ngrace and blessing. Suppose, for instance, thou wert engaged in some good\nwork or act of devotion, and some intimate friend should break in upon\nthee with abusive and reproachful language; if thou couldest bear this\nwith silence and patience, thou mightest be assured that that was the work\nof the Holy Spirit, in order to prepare thee for greater blessings. But if\nwicked thoughts be suggested to thee, by the devil, yet satisfy thyself\nthat they do thee no harm, because they are involuntary. Lastly, if thou\nart engaged in any worldly calling or profession, see that thou perform\nthy duty in it with thine eye fixed upon the glory of God, and the good of\nthy neighbor. By this means all thy works shall be wrought in God, and his\nSpirit.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVII.\n\n\n             Signs Of The Presence Of The Holy Spirit In Us.\n\n\n    _The Comforter will reprove the world._\u2014JOHN 16:8.\n\n\nWhen the Holy Spirit enters into our soul; that is to say, manifests his\npresence by his operations, in the first place, he forthwith reproves in\nus everything that is not divine, such as the lust of the flesh, and the\nlust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16), giving us a sort of\nloathing and abhorrence of them. Whosoever, therefore, lives a carnal\nlife, without such inward admonition of the Holy Spirit, may assure\nhimself that that Spirit is not in him; inasmuch as it is peculiarly his\noffice and character, at all times, to persuade, draw, and invite every\none that will give him room to act freely, to the duties of a Christian\nlife. Thus the Holy Spirit reproves sin. But everything is sin, that\nopposes our obedience to the will of God. And every such act of\ndisobedience, or inclination to it, the Holy Spirit reproves wherever he\nenters.\n\n2. Hence, in the second place, arise spiritual sadness, grief, and inward\nterrors of mind. Of this the children of this world have little\nexperience, though it is one of the surest signs of the presence of the\nHoly Spirit in the soul. But they that are utter strangers to this godly\nsorrow, who run on with delight and satisfaction in the way of the world,\nupon whom all things smile, and who find here their enjoyment, and never\nmeet with any cross; these men, I say, are in a very dangerous state, and,\nbeing destitute of God\u2019s Spirit, are without God in the world. On the\ncontrary, they that are afflicted of God, and are reproved in their\nconsciences by the Spirit of God for every act of disobedience to his\nwill; and are led in the way of the cross, being brought under the\ndiscipline and correction of wisdom, are those in whom the Spirit of God\nprepareth himself an habitation. And this is the second sign of the\npresence in us, of the Holy Spirit.\n\n3. The third sign is, that the Divine Spirit takes away from us all the\nglory of our own merit and righteousness, so that before the righteousness\nof God it falls as a flower of the field, and withers as grass, when the\nspirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. Isa. 40:6, 7. For the Spirit of Christ\nshows us that we have no other solid and stable foundation upon which to\nrest, but the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ. \u201cWoe to our own\nrighteousness,\u201d saith St. Augustine, \u201cif it were to be tried and judged\nwithout mercy by God.\u201d For this reason Isaiah compares it to \u201cfilthy\nrags.\u201d Isa. 64:6.\n\n4. The fourth token of the presence of God\u2019s Spirit, is when a man looks\nupon his neighbor\u2019s faults with compassion, not rudely censuring or\ncondemning him. For a haughty desire to judge others is diabolical,\nproceeding from nothing but pride, contempt of our neighbor, and\nadmiration of ourselves. And where these reign the Holy Spirit cannot\nabide; but wheresoever He is, there a man is careful\u20141. Not to reprove his\nneighbor but upon urgent necessity. 2. To do it in the proper time and\nplace, after the example of our blessed Lord. 3. Not to do it in severe\nterms, but with meekness and humanity. 4. Not to despise his neighbor, nor\nexpose him to the scorn and contempt of others, but to do all from a pure\nprinciple of charity. Let these things sink deeply into thy heart, that\nthou mayest abide in humility, and in the grace of the Holy Spirit, and\nthat he may dwell in thee.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVIII.\n\n\n        Showing How Worldly Pleasures Drive Away The Holy Spirit.\n\n\n    _Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul._\u20141 PETER\n    2:11.\n\n\nThe children of this world earnestly follow the joys and pleasures of it,\nwhich the children of God avoid with all diligence, as so many snares and\ntemptations of the devil, designed to draw them from God, their sovereign\nGood. If thou, O Christian, resolve to preserve this most valuable\ntreasure, be careful to avoid all occasions of losing it. Of this sort are\nall so-called sports, pastimes, and recreations, or those actions which do\nnot in some way tend to the glory of God, and the good of our neighbor.\nAnd though thou art sometimes forced to be present at them, yet be then\ncareful to turn thy thoughts inward, by an elevation of thy heart to God;\nand so thou shalt never lose the comfort and peace of the divine presence\nwheresoever thou art. And whilst thou art faithful in this exercise, the\nworld and all its vanities shall not hurt thee. This was queen Esther\u2019s\ncase, who, though outwardly clothed with royal ornaments, yet was inwardly\nclothed with profound humility. Thus David, in the midst of his glory and\nriches, had nevertheless, humble thoughts of himself. 2 Sam. 6:22. And\nJoseph, in his master\u2019s house, which was full of luxury, yet preserved a\nchaste heart. Gen. 39:9. And this is that true fear of God which keeps his\nfaithful servants from the world and all its vanities, that they lose not\ntheir inward joy and peace of conscience. This \u201cfear of the Lord is the\nbeginning of wisdom.\u201d Ps. 111:10. He that is endued with it will not turn\nhimself to the world, but from the world to God, seeking contentment, joy,\nand peace in Him. This, in short, is the fruit of true contrition; to turn\nus away from all things which are not God, or do not tend to him; and to\nturn us to that chief and true Good, which is God. If we are inwardly\nconscious that we have hitherto neglected this useful exercise, and have\nbeen immersed in the vanities of the world, let the remainder of our lives\nbe spent in bewailing and lamenting our past transgressions, and in\nforsaking and guarding against every approach towards them. If we do this,\nGod will not remember how great sinners we have been, but will rejoice at\nour repentance, not regarding our former iniquities, but our present faith\nand earnest desires of serving God more faithfully than hitherto we have\ndone. But though God so earnestly desires our salvation, yet too many, by\nturning from him to the world, resist his grace and force him out of their\nhearts, notwithstanding all his gracious endeavors to continue there.\n\n2. Therefore it is necessary that every man should die to the world, that\nwould live to God; whence it appears that the major part of mankind are at\nenmity with God. Alas! how many mortifications of the flesh must we\nundergo before our corrupt nature, both externally and internally, is\nperfectly slain in us, and the life of God succeed in its place. Now\ncrosses and trials are as so many remedies applied to our corruption, in\norder to drive out of us the poison of sin, and restore us to the life of\nGod. Whence it appears, that the benefit of afflictions is very great, and\nthat we ought to meet them with contentment and joy, as the means of\npurifying our corrupt nature, and bringing us to a participation of the\ndivine nature. This it is which brings us to the noblest exercise of\nChristian duty, namely, dying to the world, in prosperity and adversity,\nin silence and hope, secretly and inwardly, without the least murmur or\ncomplaint. They who fret, repine, or complain, discover plainly that they\nare unwilling to die to the world, and that they have but little of the\ndivine light in their souls. God cannot live in the soul which is not dead\nto the world; for the more we live after the lusts of corrupt nature, the\nless we live unto God and his holy will. On the other hand, the less we\nlive to the flesh, so much the more we live unto God. Let this, then, be\nour certain rule, that he that would live to the Spirit, must die to the\nflesh. Rom. 8:13.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIX.\n\n\n       Of Inward Prayer, And Of The True Use Of The Lord\u2019s Prayer.\n\n\n    _Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,\n    Father._\u2014ROM. 8:15.\n\n\nAs God operates eminently in humble souls; so the Holy Spirit particularly\nworks in them the gift of filial prayer. Without the Spirit of God there\nis no true prayer; for he it is that cries and groans in the soul, being,\nas it were, its life. Rom. 8:26; Gal. 4:6. For as the soul is the life of\nour body, so is the Spirit of God the life of the soul, being the source\nof all its spiritual life and strength. This Holy Spirit is also the\nwitness of our adoption and regeneration; and he who knows how to use\nthese as he ought, relying, by faith in Christ and love of the Holy\nSpirit, upon the eternal love of his heavenly Father, will ask for, and\nreceive great and heavenly gifts. For so great is the love, so abundant\nthe goodness of God, that he can deny nothing to his children, who ask in\nfaith. But as even faith and prayer are the work and gift of God, so we\nmust daily apply ourselves to Him for the same. Hence arises the true\ninternal prayer of the heart, from a true conversion and inclination of\nour souls and affections to God. This inward prayer pierces the heavens,\nwhilst a man walking in the steps of his Saviour, freely and cheerfully\ntakes up his cross and follows him; not like Simon the Cyrenian, who bore,\nindeed, the cross, but it was because he was compelled to do it. Matt.\n27:32. So great is the love of God, that he does not stay for our prayers;\nbut comes forth freely to meet us, and courts our friendship, entreating\nus to ask pardon for our sins, and to practise the same love towards our\nneighbors which he shows towards us. Happy is he, who truly knows,\nunderstands, and meditates on this boundless love of God in Jesus Christ.\nSuch a man prays more effectually in his heart, than if he used the most\nperfect form of words. One single meditation or devout sigh offered up to\nGod by Jesus Christ, in faith, love, and devotion, is more acceptable to\nGod, than all the parade of external worship.\n\n2. The whole life of a Christian ought to be spent in the exercise of\nlove, and in the imitation of his crucified Lord. He properly is a\nChristian, who does all things from a principle of divine charity, and is\ntransformed by it into the nature of Christ. And can God deny anything to\nso dutiful, loving, and obedient a child when he prays? No, surely. But\nthat we might know how and for what we ought to ask, Christ has taught us\nthe _Lord\u2019s Prayer_, a prayer full of petitions for the most exalted\nblessings. Can there be a greater good than the kingdom of God? For he\nhimself is his own kingdom, extending to all rational creatures. So that\nwhen we pray, \u201cThy kingdom come,\u201d we pray that God would please to bestow\nHimself upon us, with all the riches and blessings of his presence. In\nthis kingdom, therefore, God is our Father, manifesting his paternal love\nand faithfulness to his children, by erecting his kingdom in us, that\ntherein he may perfect his most noble work in us, expressed in this\npetition, \u201cHallowed be thy name;\u201d which is done when the dignity and\nexcellency of the divine name and nature are more deeply discovered in the\nsoul.\n\n3. In this kingdom, which is within us, he works his own will, without any\nimpediment. And so his \u201cwill is done in earth,\u201d namely, in us, \u201cas it is\nin heaven,\u201d that is, in God himself. Hence we understand, that what God\ndesires to bestow, and has commanded us to pray for, is nothing less than\nHimself. This was the promise that he made to Abraham, \u201cI am thy shield,\nand thy exceeding great reward.\u201d Gen. 15:1. Moreover, our Heavenly Father\ngives us \u201cour daily bread;\u201d that is, he appropriates all his creatures to\nour use, testifying thereby the greatness of his love towards us. For the\nheart that is truly devoted to God, and in which he freely executes his\nown will, is capable of receiving the fulness of his grace and blessings.\nSo great are the goodness, love, and mercy of God, that he can deny us\nnothing that is necessary either for the body or the soul; and he best\nknows our necessities. For this end he is daily setting our sins and\nmiseries before our eyes, teaching us to abase ourselves before him, and\nto pray: \u201cForgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass\nagainst us.\u201d For so compassionate is God, that he freely offers us\nforgiveness of sins, and teaches us how to ask it from the heart; that\nthereby we may be assured, that he is more ready to forgive, than we are\nto ask it; and that we may thence learn to exercise the same kindness\ntowards our neighbor, that He exercises towards us. For they that are\ntruly the children of God, exclude no man from their charity, or from the\nlove of God. They have nothing more at heart, than the glory of God, the\nincrease of his kingdom, and the salvation of all men. By this\nacknowledgment of sin, and petition for pardon, the Christian is taught,\nthat in his natural state he is without God and his kingdom; void of\ncomfort, poor and miserable. And, therefore, he is taught to pray, \u201cLead\nus not into temptation,\u201d by which the devil endeavors to draw us from the\nwill and kingdom of God; but that he would \u201cdeliver us from evil,\u201d that\nis, from our own evil will and corrupt nature, which hinder the\naccomplishment of God\u2019s will, and the erecting of his kingdom in us, and\ndeprive him of the honor due unto his name. \u201cFor thine is the kingdom, the\npower and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.\u201d Whilst we receive these as\ncoming from him alone, they still continue to be his. But if we do not\nascribe them to Him alone, we exclude ourselves from his kingdom, his\npower, and his glory, not worthily sanctifying his name, nor obeying his\nwill. And hence it follows, that we also are out of his kingdom, and so\nhave no title to remission of sins and deliverance from evil.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XX.\n\n\nShowing That Humility Must First Be Laid As A Foundation In The Heart, And\n          All Our Works Must Rest On It; Its Blessed Influences.\n\n\n    _Be clothed with humility._\u20141 PETER 5:5.\n\n\nIf thou wouldst build for eternity, let thy foundation be humility; for no\nman can of himself do anything. Wherefore, in all thine undertakings,\nhumble thyself before God, the overflowing fountain of grace and mercy,\nand pray devoutly for his direction and assistance, that all thy labors\nmay be entirely directed to the praise, and honor, and glory of God; and\nremember this, that whatsoever thou doest without the grace of God, can\ntend to nothing but sin and destruction. He that carefully attends to\nthis, submitting himself entirely to the divine will, silently and humbly\ndeploring his own weakness and vileness, and by ardent love devoting\nhimself to God, shall experience in all the powers of his soul the\nwonderful works of God; while, on the contrary, pride is that vice which\nmakes all our works vile and abominable in the sight of God.\n\n2. And alas! why are dust and ashes proud? If we look into our original,\nwe were created out of nothing; of ourselves we are nothing, more fleeting\nthan a vain shadow; so corrupt that nothing but the grace of God restrains\nus from falling into the grossest sins, and sinking into the lowest pit of\ndestruction. We are perpetually exposed to the assaults of the devil,\nagainst whom we have no security but in humility. For this evil spirit,\npuffed up with pride, has all imaginable advantages over the proud man;\nbut flies from the meek and humble. Pride has its root in Satan; but so\nlong as thou canst preserve thy humility, turning thyself to God from all\nthine iniquities, so long he can have no power over thee. How lamentable a\nthing is it then, to see a Christian, furnished with the Word and Spirit\nof God, so tamely give himself up to the devil. Such a one is like a\ncowardly soldier, who, though armed from head to foot, should suffer\nhimself to be stung to death by a wasp. So powerful is the grace of God in\nhumble souls, that if they will be true to themselves the devil can have\nno power over them. And if thou suffer thyself to be thus shamefully\nfoiled, notwithstanding all the assistance offered to thee, what canst\nthou expect at the last day but the insults of those very evil spirits to\nwhom thou hast given so cheap a victory. Consider well, therefore, what a\ngrace and blessing humility is.\n\n3. There is, moreover, in humble souls, a perpetual hungering and\nthirsting after the grace of God, which God never fails to reward by the\nfulness of his blessings, that is, of Himself: for he alone can satisfy\nthe cravings of a thirsty soul. And on this humility is founded true\nrepentance; for when a man sees the vast impurity, the secret malice, the\ndeep corruption of his sinful heart, and bewails all this with sincere\nsorrow, he gladly lays hold of the free grace of Christ by faith, and\nentirely resigns and devotes himself to the will of God. Such a man\u2019s sins\nGod freely pardons, and, as it were, blots them out at once. For when a\nman turns himself from his sins unto God, God immediately turns unto him\nand remembers his transgressions no more.\n\n4. Another property of humility is, that it cheerfully receives every\ncross sent from God as a preparation for greater gifts; it regards not the\nimmediate agents by which the man is afflicted, but looks up to God from\nwhom afflictions come. The humble man rejoices in the cross, saying:\n\u201cHail, blessed cross, unexpected indeed, but not unwelcome. I know that it\nis the will of God by thee to sanctify and consecrate me to Himself.\u201d And,\nlastly, humility keeps a man in peace of mind, as well in adversity as in\nprosperity, as well under the want, as in the abundance of the gifts and\nblessings of God. So that the truly humble man is always easy, whether it\nplease God to give or take away, and nothing can happen to him, to exalt\nor deject him above measure. In him the wonders of divine grace manifest\nthemselves. And whereas he before lived and acted by his own strength, he\nis now supported by God, and in and through Him produces fruit abundantly.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXI.\n\n\n Showing That A Man Ought To Rest In God Alone, And Not In His Gifts; And\n                        That He Must Deny Himself.\n\n\n    _Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous._\u2014PS. 32:11.\n\n\nThe genuine love of God proposes God alone for its end. It delights not in\nthe creatures, but in that supreme, eternal, and uncreated Good, whence\nthey proceeded; and this not only outwardly, but even in the very bottom\nof the soul. For the soul, besides its natural powers, by which it gives\nlife and motion to the body, has a deep and central essence, having no\nrelation to the creature. This is the seat and city of God, abstracted\nfrom all external and earthly things; here the Holy Spirit pours out his\ngifts through all the faculties of the soul, in the different\nmanifestations of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. But when corrupt\nnature begins to delight itself inordinately with these visitations,\nloving the gifts more than the Giver, it immediately pollutes them by\ncorrupt mixtures of self-love. All the love and joy which result thence,\nare blind, vicious, and deceitful. For as the gifts of God are not God\nhimself, so we must not place the same love upon both. Most men rest in\nthe gifts of God, and upon the least perception of divine light in the\nunderstanding, or warmth in the affections, imagine themselves at the\nsummit of perfection; not considering that they are yet far short of it.\nMan was made for greater things, even to receive God into the soul; and\nGod is displeased if we stop short of this. There is nothing he so much\ndesires as to bestow himself upon us, and that after the most exalted and\nglorious way; and certainly the least we can do in return is thankfully to\naccept this divine love, and to delight in God alone.\n\n2. But so corrupt is human nature, and so addicted to self-love, that it\ncatches greedily at everything that may gratify its passions, placing its\nhappiness in those delights, which, like Jonah\u2019s gourd, perish in the\nenjoyment. This satisfaction, though in the gifts of God, defiles them,\nand hinders His operations in us. So great, and so deep, is the corruption\nof our nature, introduced by Original Sin, that scarce one in a thousand\ncan know his secret faults. Ps. 19:12. Hence proceeds that inordinate love\nwhich men have for themselves more than for God. This abyss of corruption,\nthe most learned men could never fully fathom nor explain: and yet much\nmore difficult is it to root it out of human nature. This rooting it out\nis the denying of ourselves, required by our blessed Lord, if we will be\nhis disciples. Matt. 16:24. And yet it is much easier to forsake all\nearthly things, gold, silver, houses, and estates, than to forsake one\u2019s\nself: so deeply is this poison rooted in our nature! But as this\nself-denial is absolutely necessary, so God disposes and prepares us for\nit by various tribulations. This is the only end of all the crosses and\nafflictions, inward or outward, spiritual or bodily, with which he is\npleased to visit us; namely, to bring us to the practice of self-denial.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXII.\n\n\n         Showing How Our Works May Be Rendered Acceptable To God.\n\n\n    _Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires\n    of thine heart._\u2014PS. 37:4.\n\n\nAs man in his natural state is obnoxious to the wrath of God (Eph. 2:3),\nit follows, that all his natural works, how great and good soever they may\nappear in the eye of the world, are subject to it likewise. For, without\nthe grace of God, we can do nothing that is acceptable in his sight; but\nif a man be in a state of grace, then all his works are acceptable to God;\nbecause it is the grace of God which works them in him.\n\n2. Whence it appears, that all manner of gifts whatsoever, as St. Paul\nassures us, are to be ascribed to the grace of God, not to ourselves (1\nCor. 15:10), and that by our own works we can never be justified or saved.\nFor though a man should suffer all the pains of martyrdom; though he\nshould perform all the good actions that were ever done by all the saints\nfrom the beginning of the world, or that ever shall be done; though he\nshould feed upon nothing but thorns, and suffer death, not once, but every\nday; yet could he not thereby, of himself, be able to procure the least\ngrace. Depend not then upon thine own works, but upon the infinite mercies\nof God in Jesus Christ, with a resigned and humble spirit: and then be\nconfident, that the same Jesus will, of his free love and mercy, give thee\nwhatever he shall see expedient for thee. This is the meaning of the\nsaying of our Lord, \u201cWhen ye shall have done all those things which are\ncommanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.\u201d Luke 17:10. O merciful\nGod! how poor, how worthless in thy sight is our righteousness; it is no\nbetter than \u201cfilthy rags.\u201d Isa. 64:6. For all the works of good men would\nbe of no value for our justification. Enter then into thy purchased\ninheritance by the surest gate, even the meritorious work of thy blessed\nSaviour. Offer up to God his passion, for the punishments which thou hast\ndeserved; his holy thoughts, for thy polluted imaginations; his many\ndivine words, for thy vain speeches; in a word, all his works, his\npoverty, his patience, his meekness and charity, for all thy defects and\nomissions. Keep thine eyes fixed on the blessed Jesus, and thou shalt\nobtain grace and favor with God. With the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:20),\nreturn to thy offended Father, and he will receive and embrace thee. His\nmercies are unchangeably the same, ready to be communicated to every\nsincere penitent. This he freely offers to all, and nothing is more\nagreeable to him, than to show mercy to him that asks it in faith. For\n\u201chis hand is not shortened, that it cannot save.\u201d Isa. 59:1. And the more\nwretched and miserable thou appearest in his sight, the more welcome shalt\nthou be to Him, who is desirous to enrich thee out of his own treasures.\nThe sins of the whole world, bear no more proportion to his infinite\nmercies, than a single drop of water does to the vast ocean. But as soon\nas thou art in a state of grace, all thy works wrought hence in thee,\nshall be made acceptable to God, through his only begotten Son, by whom\nalone we have access to his mercies. In this faith, in this union with the\nSon of God, thou shalt live. He is that living fountain that purifies all\nour uncleanness, and makes all our works acceptable in his sight. Zech.\n13:1.\n\n3. But still take heed to thyself, and remember that thou rest not even in\nthy spiritual privileges, which, as a child of God, are bestowed upon\nthee, but in God alone, the author and giver of them. Hence we are\ncommanded, \u201cto delight in the Lord\u201d (Ps. 37:4); not in his gifts, but in\nhis glory; that his will may be perfected in us. We must then refer all\nour gifts and graces to their munificent donor, even God. In order to use\nthem aright, let this rule be deeply fixed in our minds. If thou hadst all\nthe gifts and graces which God has bestowed, either in heaven, or on\nearth, with the good works of all the saints that have ever lived; as soon\nas thou beginnest to take an inordinate pleasure in them, and to delight\nin them as a property of thine own, they are immediately defiled with the\nstain and guilt of idolatry. For there is nothing either in heaven or\nearth, in which we ought to rest, but God alone. And when we do this, then\nGod himself is our joy, our delight, our rest, our fulness, our treasure,\nand our refuge; and in this consists the fulness of blessing; we then\nbecome proper vessels of divine grace. For in proud spirits, which are the\norgans of the devil, God cannot operate; but \u201che giveth grace to the\nhumble,\u201d as St. Peter tells us (1 Pet. 5:5), and filleth their souls with\nhis treasures. Inward pride is the fruitful root of all vices. By this the\ndevil keeps his strongholds in the soul, which God alone has a right to\ninhabit. The vine, as to its outward form, seems to be but a useless\nplant, fit for nothing but the fire; and yet, under that mean outside,\nconceals veins of most generous juice. So it is with all those godly\npersons, through whom the Spirit of God operates: they appear in the sight\nof men as vile and contemptible persons; their appearance is humble, and\nvoid of external grandeur; but within, they are full of invaluable\ntreasures, even living streams of blessing flowing incessantly from the\nthrone and presence of God. But they who are puffed up with their gifts,\nwho make a show of their alms, who build altars in churches at their own\ncost, adorning them with their own names, arms, and titles of honor;\nthese, by displaying so industriously their good deeds to the world, have\nindeed received their reward. In the same unhappy state also are they,\nwhose mouths are full of their own wants and unworthiness, continually\ndesiring others to pray for them; not considering that other alms,\nproceeding from an humble, sincere, and devout heart, are a more effectual\nprayer to God, than are all the intercessions of persons who know that\nthese alms are given only for display.\n\n4. If, then, thou wouldest have thy works to be sincere and acceptable\nbefore God, observe carefully these four general rules: 1. Think humbly of\nall thine actions, not respecting thyself, but God alone. 2. Let this\nhumility be deeply rooted in thy soul, humbling thyself not only under the\nhand of God, but under every man, whether small or great, from a hearty\nsense of thine own unworthiness. 3. Look upon all that thou doest as\nunprofitable and worthless. 4. Have a profound dread of the secret\njudgment of God, not, indeed, as proceeding from any doubts about the\nmercies of God; but, regarding him as thy best friend, be careful to avoid\neverything that may disoblige or offend him. He that despises these four\nrules, renders even his best actions impure in the sight of God. But he\nthat carefully attends to them as the rules of action, shall be like a\ngreen olive tree in the house of his God, bearing good fruit abundantly.\nPs. 52:8.\n\n5. And we must observe that even the most inconsiderable thing thou doest,\nif it promote the good of thy neighbor, is acceptable to God; whilst he\nthat employs not his talent to that end, shall have a serious account to\ngive at the last day. This is the only use and end of God\u2019s gifts, that we\nshould readily and industriously employ them for the benefit of others.\nEvery action, art, employment, and profession, were given by God for this\nonly end. And these are the works which, as our Lord tells us, \u201care\nwrought in God\u201d (John 3:21); that is, in faith and charity, directed\nsolely to the glory of God and the benefit of our neighbor, without any\nprospect of honor or advantage to ourselves, of which every man\u2019s own\nconscience is the proper judge. Consider then carefully with thyself the\nspring and motives of all thy actions, remembering that if thou neglect or\nrefuse to employ the blessings of God for thy neighbor\u2019s benefit, thou\nmust have the same punishment with the slothful servant, who was deprived\nof his talent which he had hid in the ground, and not employed, and saw it\ngiven to another that better knew how to use it. Matt. 25:26. Thus thou\nlosest both the gift and the grace. No less foolish are they who pretend\nto things above their strength, who talk eloquently and fluently of what\nthey neither practise nor understand. Though these should confidently\npretend to speak by the authority of the blessed Trinity, yet is all this\nnothing but empty boasting, unless they demonstrate that they\nexperimentally know what they so magisterially inculcate.\n\n6. Remember also, that no actions, how great and glorious soever in\nappearance, which proceed only from ostentation and vainglory, can be well\npleasing to God. For as is the principle of our actions, such are also the\nactions proceeding from it. Whence it follows, that such as regard\nthemselves only, are no better than impostors and hypocrites. Their best\nworks are no better than painted sepulchres, which appear beautiful\nwithout, but within are full of nothing but corruption. There is in them\nno pure love of God, no desire to promote his glory; but only a certain\ncarnal self-love and an insatiable thirst of vainglory.\n\n7. The sum of all is this, that all our works, how specious soever they\nmay appear, if they be directed to any other end but God, are nothing but\nvanity and idolatry. For he is truly an idolater, who proposes to himself\nany other end or aim but God. Wherefore, if thou hast any gifts, use them,\nbut take heed that thy heart rest not in them; if it so rest, thou art\nguilty of idolatry.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIII.\n\n\n        Of The Mystery Of The Cross, By Which We Are Drawn To God.\n\n\n    _He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not\n    worthy of me._\u2014MATT. 10:38.\n\n\nLet all that desire to be the true disciples and followers of Jesus\nChrist, bear their cross in this world, be it what it may; for if thou\nflee from one, another will meet thee; and do what thou wilt, thou must\nbear it. But under every cross the hand of God is with us, to lighten it\nand make it easy, and by his assistance we may bear it with pleasure. But\nwhen God withdraws his hand, then, indeed, it is a heavy burden. Now the\nSon of God bore a very heavy burden, and in the most afflicting\ncircumstances; of which, in their proportion, all his true friends and\nfollowers have been partakers. Words cannot express the many and great\nadvantages that are in the cross; forasmuch as God lays it upon us in mere\nlove, that he may thereby draw us to himself, and make us \u201cconformable to\nthe image of his Son\u201d (Rom. 8:29), and partakers of eternal happiness. The\nwounds in Christ\u2019s sacred feet, should teach us abstinence and patience:\nabstinence from carnal lusts and fleshly pleasures; and patience under all\nafflictions and oppositions, whether from within or without. The wounds in\nhis sacred hands, should teach us silence and contempt of worldly things.\nThe wound in his side, should teach us to deny ourselves, and seek for\nrest and joy in Christ alone. His naked body stretched on the cross,\nshould continually put us in mind, that we must be stripped and bare of\nall created comforts. For as Christ was fixed naked to the cross, and his\ngarments were parted by lot before his blessed eyes (Ps. 22:18; Matt.\n27:35), so, be assured, that if thou art desirous of perfection, thou must\nbe stripped of everything which is not of God. And as every cross, however\nsmall, is laid upon thee by the particular order and direction of\nProvidence, so thou oughtest to receive it with thankfulness. For the\nbeloved friends of God have always the greatest share of afflictions. The\ndevil always makes use of our prosperity, as the best season and occasion\nof our ruin; to prevent which, it pleases God, in mere compassion, to\nvisit his children with a variety of crosses and afflictions, thereby\nwithdrawing us from the love of the world, and disappointing the malicious\ndesigns of the tempter. Did we but know how efficacious the cross is in\nbringing us to God, driving away the devil from us, and entitling us to\nfuture glories, we should not only expect it with patience, but run out\nvigorously to meet it. For so great is the dignity, so transcendent are\nthe benefits of the cross, that God has allotted it as the inseparable\ncompanion of all his chosen servants.\n\n2. Did we thoroughly consider the benefits and honor of the cross, we\nshould think ourselves unworthy of so great a blessing; for great is the\nhonor of being made like unto the Son of God! He was never acceptable to\nthe world, but was its scorn and derision. But now, scarcely one Christian\nin a thousand is come to that perfection, as not to desire to please the\nworld. He that pleaseth the world, cannot, however, please God: and he\nthat is full of the world, is empty of God. But so far as a man dies to\nhimself and the world, so far is Christ, the true life, advanced in him.\nNo man can please God better than by fully submitting to his will. If my\nprince should like to see me in one suit of clothes rather than in any\nother, I should certainly esteem it better than the most gaudy dress. And\nsince my God is better pleased to see me under the cross, I ought\ncertainly to prefer it to all the affluence and glories of the world. But\nperhaps thou art in doubt with thyself, whether the cross which thou\nbearest, has come from God; if so, let this be the test: Whatsoever thou\nsufferest for thine own sake, will be grievous and tedious, but if thou\nsuffer for God\u2019s sake, thy cross will be easy, for God himself will\nlighten it. What matters it then, whether thy load be of the weight of a\nhundred or of a thousand pounds, if He but lend a helping hand, and make\nthy yoke easy and thy burden light. Matt. 11:30. Wherefore, O Lord, lay\nupon me what burden thou pleasest; only assist me in my weakness with the\neverlasting arms of thy omnipotence!\u2014Observe, in the next place, that the\nchoicest blessings of God are bestowed upon us whilst we are under the\ncross; and though they are sometimes bestowed beforehand, yet it is the\ncross that confirms them in the soul; and as it is so very useful and\nnecessary to the soul, God has given a large share of it to his faithful\nfriends and servants, and particularly to his only begotten Son Jesus\nChrist; the advantage it brings with it, making it tolerable and easy to\nbe borne. Devout men submit themselves entirely to God, keeping their\nminds easy and cheerful under all the vicissitudes of life. Particularly,\nthey take care to preserve humility, as the best guard against the\nassaults of their spiritual adversaries. Though God sent his only Son into\nthe world, in order to suffer in his human nature, yet we expect an\nexemption from sufferings. But, be assured that if you would walk in the\nsame way, and rest upon a firm foundation, you must expect to suffer with\nChrist, and in some degree at least, to have your lives conformable to\nhis. Every affliction, how small soever, is a token of divine love,\ncommissioned to visit us for our good. And the united malice of earth and\nhell cannot do the least hurt to a devout man trained up in sufferings,\nand in obedience to the discipline of the cross. The more his enemies\nassault, the higher is he exalted by God. And though he should be thrust\ndown into hell, yet even there would he meet his God, and hell itself\nshould be a heaven and blessedness to him.\n\n3. When God sees a man too weak for a temptation, he refreshes him a\nlittle with his consolations, that he may not entirely sink under it: but\nhe should know, that these intermissions are only allowed him in order to\nrecover his strength, that he may the better bear up against a fresh\nassault. So it pleases the divine love to exercise men, that by various\ntrials and temptations, they may be brought to despise all worldly\nenjoyments, and, like the panting hart (Ps. 42:1), may long for the\nfountains of divine peace and joy, the refreshing streams of life and\nglory. There the weary soul may drink and be satisfied, and quench its\nthirst in those rivers of pleasure which are ever flowing from the tender\nand paternal love of God. This is what the wise men of this world neither\nknow nor understand. For the natural man cannot discern the things of the\nSpirit of God. If the children of a family should plunder the wine-cellar,\nand be intoxicated, whilst the father is asleep in his bed, how would he\nbear it when informed of the matter? Would he not correct their\nextravagance by wholesome severities? Thus God deals with his children. He\nallows them plentiful draughts of spiritual comfort, and refreshes them\nwith his mercies, as with new wine; but when he sees that they are\nimmoderately fond of it, he withdraws it from them, and corrects their\nextravagant joy, by mixtures of gall and wormwood, bringing them thereby\nto a sense of their fault, and of their necessary dependence upon him.\nThey then begin to think meanly of themselves, and to bewail their vain\npresumption, which made them fancy that they could do and suffer anything\nfor God\u2019s sake, whereas now they are ready to sink under a very small\nburden. We know that Christ led the way for us in misery, poverty, and\ncontempt, even unto death; and we must follow him in the same way if we\ndesire to enter into heaven with him. So great is our pride, that God\nsometimes cannot break it, but by some exemplary shame, which quickly\nbrings us to our senses, and shows us our own unworthiness. This is the\nonly means of bringing us to a true knowledge of ourselves. Many a man has\ngone astray for want of these wholesome trials. He that considers this as\nhe ought, will certainly rejoice in shame and reproaches for God\u2019s sake.\nFor whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth in this manner, in order to cure\nhim of his arrogance and pride, and bring him to humble thoughts of\nhimself.\n\n4. Whosoever will follow the blessed Jesus, must \u201cdeny himself, and take\nup his cross.\u201d Many would freely follow him, if they could do it without\ndifficulties and sufferings; but these, aiming chiefly at their own ease,\nwhilst they pretend to follow Christ, will find themselves deceived at the\nlast. For it behooved Christ to die, and to suffer, and to enter into his\nkingdom (Luke 24:26, 46): and if we intend to share with him in the\nglories of his kingdom, we must also be content to share in his\nsufferings; for unless we suffer with him here, we shall never reign with\nhim hereafter. So, then, if we intend to follow him, we must cheerfully\nand contentedly submit to every cross, whether inward or outward, and by\nthis means we shall at length arrive at the glories which he himself\nattained by the cross. How many do we see every day drudging in the\nservice of the world; they venture body and soul; go into foreign\ncountries; rush through fire and sword; and all for the sake of a little\nuncertain honor; and shall not we do as much to purchase the everlasting\nglories of heaven, as they do for the trifling riches and glories of this\nworld? God manifests himself to us under the cross, as much as in the most\ncheerful spiritual visitations; yea, we then receive greater\ncommunications of heavenly joy, when we are most empty of worldly\ncomforts. For as salt preserves flesh from putrefaction; so afflictions\nand temptations keep the soul from falling into sin and misery. And the\ndeeper a man sinks into the centre of humility by the cross, the deeper\ndoes he penetrate into the heart of God, which is always open to receive\nand embrace the mortified and humble soul. This is the great end proposed\nby God, in all his various methods of humbling us; that, being sensible of\nour own great corruption, we may die to ourselves, and live entirely unto\nhim. The saints of old, when under heavy tribulations, could no otherwise\npossess their souls in patience and liberty, than by a total abandonment\nand denial of themselves, being ready to submit to every cross which God\nshould lay upon them, even though it should last during their whole life.\nBy this humility, obedience, and self-denial, they were at last delivered.\nFor the end designed by God in sending crosses upon them, being answered,\nhe was pleased immediately to release them.\n\n5. The last comfort under the cross is, that thou canst not be hurt by it,\nunless it be by thine own fault, by being fretful and impatient under it.\nThou art very much in the wrong, if thou thinkest thyself injured by this\nor that man; they cannot hurt thee if thou keep thy mind steady and even\nunder its burden. Be assured, that so long as thou art master of thyself\nand thy passions, the whole world can do thee no harm. If thou wouldst be\nsafe, then, against the assaults of thine enemy, answer not again; be\nsilent, even as a dead man, in his grave. Every calumny and reproach which\nthe world shall cast upon thee, shall be as rays of light, encircling thy\nhead with a crown of glory. How glorious are the three degrees of\npatience, in which true victory consists! The first is, to suffer without\nmurmuring. The second is, not only to suffer patiently, but even to wish\nfor suffering for Christ\u2019s sake, from a pure love of him. The third is, to\nrejoice in suffering; and this is the most powerful and the greatest\nvictory of all.\n\n\n\n\n\nBOOK IV.\n\n\n\n\nPreface To The Fourth Book.\n\n\n     All Creatures Are Messengers Of God, Intended To Lead Us To God.\n\n\n    _By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are\n    in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or\n    dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created\n    by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all\n    things consist._\u2014COL. 1:16, 17.\n\n\nThe eminent prophet Moses exhibits to us two powerful witnesses of God, in\nthe book of Creation. The first is the universe; the second is the\ninferior world, that is, Man. Both of them, the universe and the heart of\nman, furnish glorious testimony in the Scriptures, by which the Creator\nand Preserver of all things is revealed, and also formed in our hearts.\n\n2. We shall, therefore, introduce in this Book the testimony of both, that\nis, first, of the universe, and secondly, of the inferior world. Thus we\nshall learn that all creatures are, as it were, the guides and messengers\nof God, whereby we are to be brought to Christian knowledge, and also to\nGod in Christ.\n\n3. It is therefore unnecessary to attempt to prove that this Book also\nbelongs to True Christianity, although there are some who might entertain\na different opinion. If they desire additional evidence, they may find it\nin the passage quoted above (Col. 1:16, 17), and also in the Introduction\nof the Gospel according to St. John, and in very many passages of the Old\nand the New Testaments. Let them consider specially Psalms 19; 104; 139;\nand the words of St. Paul in Rom. 8: 22, concerning the groaning of the\nwhole creation, and in 1 Cor. 15:42-52, concerning the resurrection of the\ndead; in that case they will judge me with more gentleness and favor. And\nthey will also assent to the Saviour\u2019s own method of teaching, who used to\nexplain and demonstrate to his disciples and followers the mysteries of\nhis kingdom and of true Christianity, by beautiful illustrations taken\nfrom the book of nature. But if they oppose the very Sacraments\nthemselves, which are so many witnesses and seals of divine grace taken\nfrom the great book of nature, then I refer them to St. Ambrose, Basil,\nTheodoret, and others, who have written largely and learnedly upon the six\ndays\u2019 creation.\n\n4. Thus much may suffice in defence of my method and design; to which I\nbeg leave to subjoin only this admonition, as the great argument of the\nwhole, namely, that it is the duty of a true Christian to use God\u2019s\ncreatures to his honor and glory, so that God in all things may be\nglorified, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\n5. Observe the method by which the creatures lead us unto God. An\nindulgent father invites his children to come to him; and if they are\nbackward, offers them an apple or some other engaging present. This he\ngives, not that the child should be in love with the present, but be\ninduced by it to be more fond of the giver. Just so God deals with us; he\ninvites us by all the engaging invitations and promises of the Gospel; and\nnot content with that, he offers us many great and noble gifts, \u201cdoing us\ngood, and giving us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our\nhearts with food and gladness.\u201d Acts 14:17. All these blessings are so\nmany messengers sent from God to draw us to himself, and to instruct us\nhow to taste the goodness of the Giver and Creator in that of the\ncreature.\n\n6. But so perverse is man, that his heart is set upon his gold and silver,\nhis houses, estates, honors, and pleasures, which, however good in their\nkind, are yet in the sight of God of no value; they are only given us by\nGod, to draw us to himself. For this reason it was, that God made man so\nneedy and helpless a creature, that by the variety of his blessings and\nmultitude of his benefits, he might draw him to himself, and teach him by\nthese various instances of his love and goodness, that all the comfort and\nsweetness which he tastes in the creature, really proceeds from the\nCreator; and that he alone is able to comfort, relieve, and support us,\nwhen these perishing worldly comforts forsake and leave us.\n\n7. But the greatest of all God\u2019s messengers, the most excellent of all his\ngifts, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, in whom are\nall the fulness and perfection of divine love and goodness. His mercy is\nover all his works, and \u201cby him all things were made.\u201d John 1:3. \u201cBy him\nall things consist.\u201d Col. 1:17. \u201cHe upholdeth all things by the word of\nhis power.\u201d Heb. 1:3.\n\n8. Having said thus much by way of preface, I begin the First Part of this\nBook, treating in general of the six days of creation, to promote the\nknowledge, glory, and praise of God.\n\n9. Of man, we shall speak more particularly in the Second Part; and I\nintreat my readers to read the _Conclusion_ to my Second Book, before they\nbegin to judge me. For I again protest and declare that I desire my\nwritings to be understood in accordance with the Symbolical Books of the\nChurch of the Augsburg Confession, and in no other sense.\n\n\n\n\nPart I.\n\n\n      Treating Of The Works Of The Six Days Of Creation, In General.\n\n\n\nChapter I.\n\n\n                   Of Light, The Work Of The First Day.\n\n\n    _God said, Let there be light; and there was light.\u2014He covereth\n    himself with light as with a garment.\u2014God is light, and in him is\n    no darkness at all._\u2014GEN. 1:3; PS. 104:2; 1 JOHN 1:5.\n\n\nIn those words in Job 38:19\u2014\u201cWhere is the way where light dwelleth? and as\nfor darkness, where is the place thereof?\u201d it is intimated that the nature\nof light is very difficult to be explained, and that its original is not\nto be comprehended by finite understandings. For though we know something\nof it by means of sight, yet it is but little; however, let us employ that\nlittle to promote the glory of God.\n\n2. First, then, we say that light is a noble, subtle, and pure principle,\nseparated from the darkness in the morning of the creation, when God\n\u201ccommanded the light to shine out of darkness.\u201d 2 Cor. 4:6. By this the\nworld is enlightened and comforted, and all its beautiful variety is\ndistinctly known and apprehended. By this, as some think, the light of\nlife was conveyed into the great world, incorporating itself with every\ncreature. From this pure brightness and glorious splendor, light and\nbeauty flowed into the sun, constituting it thereby the great luminary of\nthe day, which it governs and directs. Jer. 31:35. Whence, also, the\nCreator himself calls the light _day_. Gen. 1:5, 14.\n\n3. But as it is the duty of a Christian to contemplate the works of God\nwith spiritual eyes, so as therein to see the Creator, and by the work be\nled to praise the Maker; let us take a nearer view of this subject, and\nsee how the light and the sun bear witness of God and Christ.\n\n4. And the first conclusion that naturally presents itself is this: If God\ncreated so beautiful, refreshing, enlivening, clear, and shining a light;\nhow much more lovely, comfortable, and refreshing a light must _He_ be\n_himself_? Therefore, the commentator upon St. Dionysius, to the question,\n\u201cWhy God first of all created light?\u201d answers\u2014Because from his own\nessential light, the visible light almost naturally proceeds, as that\nwhich bears the nearest resemblance to his own nature; and therefore he\ncalls light, a little after, \u201cthe image of the goodness of God;\u201d adding,\nthat the light in God was transcendent and above comprehension; in angels\nand men, intelligible; in the sun, visible.\n\n5. And, whereas God made the light, in order that the true external form\nand beauty of the creatures might be distinctly seen and apprehended, it\nfollows that there is also another secret or concealed light, by which the\ninternal form of the creatures may be likewise known, and from which\nnothing can be hidden. And this light is the eternal wisdom of God, which,\nbeing compared with the natural and created light, has been fitly called\nthe brightness of the everlasting light.\n\n6. Of this St. Dionysius writes in these words. \u201cAs the visible light\ndirects, governs, and fills the visible world; so the incomprehensible and\nheavenly light, fills and enlightens all heavenly spirits. It also\npurifies the soul from darkness and error, and brings it into communion\nwith the light of God. It is at first no more than a twilight, or faint\nglimmering of light; but when it is tasted, loved, and desired, then, in\nproportion to our love, it increases more and more unto the perfect day.\nWherefore this transcendent light exceeds all lights, being, as it were,\nthe centre and fountain of them all. From its fulness it enlightens all\nspirits; and, being the original of all light, it comprehends under it all\nthe degrees of spiritual, angelical, rational, and natural light. And as\nignorance separates deluded souls from the light; so the presence of this\ndivine light, collects, unites, perfects, and delivers from ignorance and\nerror, all that are enlightened by it: it converts them to the truth,\nreducing their various imaginations to the standard of pure and simple\ntruth, and fills their souls with pure and uniform light.\u201d Thus far St.\nDionysius.\n\n7. In the light of the sun, also, shines forth the pure, deep, and ardent\nlove of God. For whom did he create the sun? Certainly not for himself,\nfor he needeth not the sun, nor any other created light, being himself a\nlight infinite and eternal. It was for our sakes, therefore, that he\ncreated it; so that every ray of light proceeding from the sun, is indeed\na ray of divine love towards mankind.\n\n8. And as the eternal wisdom of God is likewise a bright sun, clearly\ndiscovering his mercy and beneficence; therefore, according to the nature\nand properties of the visible sun and light, it may also be called, an\nimage of the divine goodness.\n\n9. The created light determines the order, figures, and distinctions of\nall created things; for without it, the whole world would be nothing but\ndarkness and confusion. So that upon this account also, the light is an\nimage of the divine wisdom.\n\n10. The created light, by its brightness and splendor, causes everything\nto turn to it; so the goodness of God draws all things to itself, as the\ncentre and principle of all things.\n\n11. The light of the sun is pure and spotless; so is the love of God\ntowards mankind. Hence also the divine wisdom, being a spotless light, is,\nagreeably to this property of the sun, the spotless mirror of the divine\nmajesty.\n\n12. As the light flows plentifully and freely from the sun; so the love of\nGod descends plentifully upon us. As the sun shines freely upon all,\nwithout respect of persons; so the divine love overflows upon all mankind.\nAs the light proceeds from the nature and essence of the sun; so does the\nlove of God flow from his very nature and essence.\n\n13. Moreover, as God created the external light for the world and visible\nbodies; so it is worth inquiring, whether he did not at the same time\nprovide an inward and spiritual light for the soul. For God took not less\ncare of the soul, than he did of the body. Now this light of the soul is\nGod the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the ever blessed and\nundivided Trinity, by whom our understandings are enlightened through\nfaith. \u201cArise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is\nrisen upon thee.\u201d Isa. 60:1.\n\n14. Now as the sun enlightens the world, so does Christ enlighten the\nsoul. \u201cThat was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into\nthe world\u201d (John 1:9); and is, therefore, called by the prophet Malachi,\n\u201cThe Sun of righteousness.\u201d Mal. 4:2. St. James calls God, \u201cthe Father of\nlights.\u201d James 1:17. The Holy Ghost appeared upon the Apostles in the form\nof fiery tongues (Acts 2:3); and from this eternal light proceeds the\nlight of grace, the light of wisdom and divine knowledge, the light of\ntruth and life, the light of joy and consolation, the light of God\u2019s\ncountenance, the light of faith and all Christian virtues.\n\n15. This light is the chief beauty and glory of the creatures. God is said\nto be clothed \u201cwith light as with a garment.\u201d Ps. 104:2. \u201cThe glory of the\nLord\u201d (Luke 2:9), is also the beauty of the blessed saints and holy\nangels. The highest majesty and glory of the elect in the other world,\nwill consist in light and splendor. \u201cThe righteous shall shine forth as\nthe sun in the kingdom of their Father\u201d (Matt. 13:43; Dan. 12:3); which is\nalso expressed in the appearance of the woman clothed with the sun. Rev.\n12:1. Lastly, as the light is the greatest ornament of this visible world;\nso the everlasting light shall be the chief glory of the heavenly\nJerusalem. Rev. 21:11.\n\n16. The more light any creature has, the more noble it is. This appears\nfrom the angels, the sun, moon, stars, and precious stones. So virtue\nitself is a most glorious light, and all the redeemed in the next world,\nshall be full of light and glory, and accordingly shall be distinguished,\nas \u201cone star differeth from another star in glory.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:41.\n\n17. Light is refreshing: and who can doubt but, when the day of eternal\nlight arrives, the blessed saints shall be refreshed with joy unspeakable?\nWithout question, the light of the everlasting Sun of righteousness shall\ngive us infinitely more delight and joy, than this created sun, which only\ngives light to a world of misery and sorrow.\n\n18. The light awakens those that sleep; so Christ, our light, rouses us\nfrom the sleep of sin. \u201cAwake, thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give\nthee light.\u201d Eph. 5:14.\n\n19. The light directs the traveller in his way: so saith Christ\u2014\u201cI am the\nlight of the world; he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but\nshall have the light of life.\u201d John 8:12; 13:46.\n\n20. Moreover, as light has a vital power in it; so in Christ, our light,\n\u201cwas life; and the life was the light of men.\u201d John 1:4. \u201cThe Lord is my\nlight and my salvation; he is the strength of my life.\u201d Ps. 27:1.\n\n21. As the light cannot be seen but by itself; so God cannot be known but\nby Himself: \u201cIn thy light shall we see light.\u201d Ps. 36:9.\n\n22. As the external light chases away the darkness, and the spirits of\ndarkness; so Christ, who is the light of God in us, chases away unbelief,\nand all the works of darkness and Satan. God must speak the word in us, as\nhe did at the first creation, \u201cLet there be light!\u201d or we shall for ever\nremain in darkness. This made the Psalmist say, \u201cThou wilt light my\ncandle; the Lord will enlighten my darkness.\u201d Ps. 18:28. \u201cTo give light to\nthem that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.\u201d Luke 1:79. \u201cI saw\nan angel come down from heaven; and the earth was lightened with his\nglory.\u201d Rev. 18:1.\n\n23. When the daylight is gone, the moon, regent of the night, arises with\na pale lustre: so, without the light of Christ, man is nothing but\ndarkness; and the boasted light of reason is but dim obscurity.\n\n24. And as he would be called foolish, who preferred being enlightened by\nthe moon, rather than by the sun; so are they much more foolish, who\nprefer the wisdom of this world, to the eternal wisdom of God in Christ\nJesus. And as none but a madman would make use of the light of a candle in\nsunshine; so no man in his senses would think himself more enlightened by\nworldly wisdom, than by the divine wisdom. Strange madness! that a man\nshould expect more light from the creature, than from the Creator, the\nFather of lights, God blessed for ever! Whosoever duly apprehends my\nmeaning, has in him the beginning of the divine, eternal, and heavenly\nwisdom, which is the subject of the whole 119th Psalm.\n\n25. As the sun is the ornament of heaven, so Christ is the ornament of his\nchurch, and of the new heaven, and new earth in their future glory, where\nit will be manifested to all the elect, that he is \u201cthe brightness of his\nFather\u2019s glory, and the express image of his person.\u201d Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:15.\n\n26. As dwellings are pleasant, in proportion as they receive the light, so\n\u201cGod dwelleth in light.\u201d 1 Tim. 6:16. And the heavenly Jerusalem is\ndescribed as full of sweet and refreshing light. \u201cIt hath no need of the\nsun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God enlightens\nit, and the Lamb is the light thereof.\u201d Rev. 21:23.\n\n27. Ah the light makes all things clear and plain; so there is nothing in\nheaven or in earth, no spirit, no being, nor the very thoughts of the\nheart, that can be hidden from the light of divine wisdom. Heb. 4:12, 13.\nHence the Psalmist says, \u201cThou hast set our iniquities before thee, our\nsecret sins in the light of thy countenance.\u201d Ps. 90:8. And \u201cThou\nunderstandest my thought afar off.\u201d Ps. 139:2.\n\n28. As the light communicates itself to all creatures, and diffuses itself\nover the world; so God communicates himself to all creatures, particularly\nto men, delighting most of all in doing them good.\n\n29. Lastly, the light and sun are a witness of the glorification of our\nsouls and bodies at the resurrection. The glorification of our souls is,\nindeed, in some degree accomplished in this life by the Holy Spirit,\naccording to the words of St. Paul, \u201cWe all, with open face beholding as\nin a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from\nglory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.\u201d 2 Cor. 3:18. These,\nhowever, are but the imperfect beginnings, and first glimpses of eternal\nhappiness; but hereafter both soul and body shall be clothed with\neverlasting light and glory. Hence St. Paul says, \u201cThere is one glory of\nthe sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: so\nalso is the resurrection of the dead.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:41, 42. \u201cThey that be\nwise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn\nmany to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.\u201d Dan. 12:13.\n\n30. Of this we find an image in the transfiguration of our Lord, when \u201chis\nface did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.\u201d Matt.\n17:2. This was the heavenly brightness the splendor of the everlasting\nSun. So the face of Moses shone like the brightness of the sun, so that\nthe children of Israel could not look upon him. Exod. 34:29; 2 Cor. 3:7.\nAnd this was the consequence of only a few days passed in the divine\npresence. How great then must that glory be, which will be the result of\nour eternal union and converse with him! The lustre of the face of Moses\nwas terrible to look on, but the glory of Christ was refreshing and\ncomfortable.\n\n31. Rev. 1:14, 16. The eyes of him that had the seven stars in his hand,\nwere \u201cas a flame of fire.\u201d And the same Jesus Christ, who is the eternal\nlight, shall so glorify us at the last day, that our whole bodies shall\nshine like lightning. Matt. 6:22; Luke 11:36.\n\n\n\nChapter II.\n\n\n                  Of Heaven, The Work Of The Second Day.\n\n\n    _See_ GEN. 1:6-8; PS. 104:6; PS. 19:1.\n\n\nWho can doubt that the admirable and pure structure of heaven, with all\nits wonderful properties, is a strong evidence and witness of God? \u201cWhat\nare heaven and all the beauty of nature\u201d (says one of the ancients), \u201cbut\nan illustrious mirror, in which we view the wonders of their Maker.\u201d For\nif God created all so pure, so glorious, and so firm, that our weak\nunderstandings cannot comprehend or explain it; how pure, how glorious,\neternal, spiritual, unutterable a Being must that God be who created all?\nAnd if He has made so glorious a heaven over men, during their short abode\nhere; how much more illustrious a mansion has he not reserved for us\nhereafter in the region of life and immortality? Hence St. Paul tells us,\n\u201cWe know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we\nhave a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the\nheavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with\nour house which is from heaven.\u201d 2 Cor. 5:1, 2.\n\n2. As to the stupendous height and compass of heaven, to which the earth\nis in comparison no more than a single point; how does it suggest to us\nthe immense and unsearchable power and wisdom of God? \u201cFor as the heavens\nare higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my\nthoughts, than your thoughts, saith the Lord.\u201d Isa. 55:8, 9. Does not its\ncircular roundness remind us of the eternity of God? For of both there is\nneither beginning nor end. Does it not also tell us of his omnipresence?\nFor as the heaven surrounds and encompasses all things, so does the God of\nheaven support and comprehend all his creatures. \u201cWho hath measured the\nwaters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and\ncomprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains\nin scales, and the hills in a balance?\u201d Isa. 40:12.\n\n3. And as, in a circle, no part can be called upper and lower; so God\nfills all things equally. Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of his\nglory; \u201cHe is not far from every one of us; for in him we live, and move,\nand have our being.\u201d Acts 17:27, 28. For though there are antipodes and\nmany other creatures under us, as is demonstrable from the figure of the\nearth; yet by the wonderful power of God the heaven is everywhere over our\nheads, and we look up directly towards it, by reason of its immensity.\n\n4. Does not also the firmament of heaven remind us of the constant,\neternal, and immutable truth of God and his Word? For who is it that\nsupports the heaven? Where are the pillars that sustain it? Or how does it\nhang, but upon the word of God? \u201cThe pillars of heaven tremble,\u201d saith\nJob, \u201cand are astonished at his reproof. He holdeth back the face of his\nthrone, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.\u201d Job 26:9, 11. And if by his word\nhe has so strongly fixed the heavens, who can doubt that he will keep his\nword and promise to us forever and ever? If he support the heavens by the\nword of his power, doubt not but he will also support, protect, and\npreserve thee forever.\n\n5. But, from this created heaven, learn to raise thy thoughts to the\nspiritual heaven (1 Kings 8:27), \u201cwhere are fulness of joy and pleasures\nforever more.\u201d Ps. 16:11. This St. Paul calls \u201cparadise, and the third\nheaven\u201d (2 Cor. 12:2, 4); and \u201cthe glory into which Jesus Christ was\nreceived.\u201d 1 Tim. 3:16. This our Lord himself calls \u201chis Father\u2019s house,\nwhere he prepares a place for us\u201d (John 14:2); and lastly, it is called,\n\u201cthe heaven of heavens.\u201d 1 Kings 8:27.\n\n6. Moreover, by meditation upon this external, transient heaven, thou\nmayest learn to descend into thyself, into thine own heart and soul; for\nthere also is heaven, and the habitation of God. \u201cFor thus saith the high\nand lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, I dwell with him that is of a\ncontrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to\nrevive the heart of the contrite ones.\u201d Isaiah 57:15.\n\n7. Let this external heaven lead thee to the new heaven, of which St.\nPeter speaks: \u201cWe, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a\nnew earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.\u201d 2 Peter 3:13. For though this\nvisible heaven was created in such purity, by God, as not to be subject to\ncorruption; yet \u201cthe heavens are not clean in his sight.\u201d Job 15:15.\nTherefore, \u201cthey shall pass away,\u201d as St. Peter tells us. 2 Pet. 3:10. And\n\u201cthey shall perish, and wax old like a garment, and as a vesture shalt\nthou change them, and they shall be changed.\u201d Ps. 102:27. \u201cI saw a new\nheaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were\npassed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all\nthings new.\u201d Rev. 21:1, 5. \u201cBehold, I create new heavens, and a new earth:\nand the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.\u201d Isa. 65:17.\nHow beautiful, how illustrious will be this city of God, this heavenly\nJerusalem, whose builder and maker is God! Or who can declare the glory of\nthat happy place? \u201cEye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered\ninto the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that\nlove him.\u201d 1 Cor. 2:9. Hence the Evangelist St. John describes the new and\nheavenly city by all the precious and costly things in nature. See Rev.\n21:11, 18-21. In a word, this is that heaven in which \u201cGod will be all in\nall.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:28.\n\n\n\nChapter III.\n\n\n Of The Separation Of The Waters From The Dry Land, The Work Of The Third\n                                   Day.\n\n\n    _God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together\n    unto one place, and let the dry land appear. And God called the\n    dry land, earth._\u2014GEN. 1:9, 10. _The earth is full of the goodness\n    of the Lord._\u2014PS. 33:5; 104:24.\n\n\nThe earth is a heavy and gross substance, separated from the waters, and\nfixed by the power of God to be the receptacle of all the heavenly\ninfluences. This globe hangs in the air by the power of the Almighty, and\nis replenished with the vital seeds of all trees, plants, and vegetables.\n\n2. The stupendous structure and foundation of the earth is a most\nwonderful witness of the power of God. For by what pillars is the earth\nsupported? Or where are its foundations?\n\n3. Some have disputed whether the dry land be founded in the waters; or\nwhether, as being the heavier substance, it sink to the lowest place so as\nto be the foundation of the waters.\n\n4. The patrons of the first opinion build upon these testimonies: \u201cHe hath\nfounded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.\u201d Ps. 24:2.\nAnd, \u201cHe stretched out the earth above the waters.\u201d Ps. 136:6. To which\nmay be added the testimony of St. Chrysostom, that \u201cGod laid the\nfoundation of the earth upon the water.\u201d\n\n5. Others assert the contrary, 1. Because the earth is heaviest, and\ntherefore sinks to the lowest place, where it naturally remains fixed and\nimmovable; for if the earth should move out of its place, it must move\nupwards, which is contrary to nature. And for this they quote, \u201cWho laid\nthe foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.\u201d Ps.\n104:5. 2. They allege the experience of seamen, who sound the bottom of\nthe sea; and explain those passages of the Psalms which mention the\nseparation of the waters of the dry land, as Moses describes it. Gen. 1:9.\n\n6. But on what does this vast terraqueous globe depend? Who bears it up?\nWhere are the pillars of it? \u201cHe hangeth the earth upon nothing,\u201d (Job\n26:7), saith Job. For it hangs in the midst of heaven, borne up in the\nair, begirt with the waters, \u201cThou coveredst it with the deep as with a\ngarment.\u201d Ps. 104:6. The air and water support one another; the clouds,\nthough vast masses of water, are yet supported by the air from falling;\nfor the power of sustaining is a property of the air. \u201cHe bindeth up the\nwaters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them.\u201d Job\n26:8.\n\n7. The stability of the earth in the waters, and in the centre of the vast\nexpanse of air, is a very clear argument of the divine omnipotence; \u201cWhere\nwast thou (saith the Lord to Job), when I laid the foundations of the\nearth? Who hath laid the measures thereof? Who laid the corner-stone\nthereof?\u201d Job 38:4-6. Thence, we learn, that the foundation of the earth\ncould not be comprehended by human understanding, but must be counted\namong the infinite wonders of Omnipotence. \u201cTherefore,\u201d saith the\nPsalmist, \u201cwill not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the\nmountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof\nroar and be troubled; though the mountains shake with the swelling\nthereof?\u201d Ps. 46:2, 3. And that this is an argument of the wisdom of God\nis plain from Prov. 8: 29, 30; where wisdom says of herself, \u201cWhen he\nappointed the foundations of the earth, I was with him, etc.\u201d\n\n8. And this is the earth of which the Psalmist says, \u201cGod hath given it to\nthe children of men.\u201d Ps. 115:16. But though, as to its external form, it\nappear to be a hard, dead, dry, and cold mass, yet is it in truth,\nenriched by God with a wonderful variety of blessings, fruitful energy,\nand seminal virtues. These never rest; but are always active to produce\nfruits, adorned with agreeable forms, odors, tastes, and colors, with\nexternal signatures of their inward virtues and qualities.\n\n9. So, then, from the earth proceed all the varieties of plants and\nvegetables, having exchanged their old attire for a new and delicate\ndress. The tattered garments of the preceding year being decayed and dead,\nthey come forth with exquisite beauty, odor, and color, and, as it were,\npreach to mankind in words such as these: \u201cLook upon us, ye unbelieving\nsons of men; we were dead, and are now alive again. We have laid aside our\nold garments and bodies, and are now renewed. Do ye also imitate us; \u2019put\noff the old man, and put on the new\u2019 (Eph. 4:22-24); being renewed in your\neternal fountain and original, which is God, your Creator, in whose image\nye were created. If ye do this, then in the day of the righteous judgment\nof God, when ye have lost your old bodies, ye shall, like us, come forth\nout of the earth (1 Cor. 15:42), with new bodies, clothed with immortal\nglory, of which our new-born beauty is but a faint resemblance. And whilst\nye are in this world, take not too much thought for the body. Matt. 6:25,\netc. Consider us, whom the God of nature has annually, for so many\nthousands of years since the first creation to this time, provided with\nbeautiful clothing, as an argument of his bounty and goodness. Consider\nour virtues and qualities, which are given not for our, but for your\nbenefit; we bloom and blossom, not for our good, but yours; yea, the\nblessing of God blossoms through us.\u201d\n\n10. Among the vegetables, also, a man may discern many thousands of\nwitnesses of the goodness and omnipotence of God. Here we have a perfect\ncollection of drugs and simples, an admirable and complete herbal; yea, a\nliving one, not furnished with faint draughts and dead pictures; but\ngraved with living characters and impressions, to be read by every curious\nspectator, but not to be fully understood by any, except by Him that made\nthem. And till we come fully to understand their divine signatures, we\ncannot so perfectly know the wonders of Providence contained under them.\n\n11. Every herb and plant has its proper signature, which is nothing less\nthan the inscription and handwriting of God, whereby he has most\nwonderfully and beautifully distinguished them all according to their\nvirtues and qualities; and in many of them, the outward form is a token of\ntheir inward virtues. The turf we tread upon is furnished both with food\nand medicine. Yea, in the smallest grain or seed is manifested the\nunsearchable wisdom of God. He has created nothing in vain, and the\nminutest part of the creation is not to be overlooked or despised, since\nwe know not the thousandth part of its virtues.\n\n12. But if from their external forms we descend to their internal, and\nextract their spirit by chemical processes, separating that pure essence,\nwhich being full of high medicinal virtue, is lodged by God in the outward\nbody, as a diamond in a casket, then, indeed, we shall truly taste the\ngoodness of God in the virtues of his creatures, and bless him with a\ngrateful heart, for the many comfortable medicines which he has provided\nfor miserable man.\n\n13. Consider, moreover, how the bountiful Creator has provided not only\nfor man, but also furnished \u201cfood for all flesh.\u201d Ps. 136:25; 145: 15. He\ncauseth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of men,\n\u201cthat he may bring forth food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad\nthe heart of man.\u201d Ps. 104:14, 15. So that we may properly call the earth\nthe treasury or storehouse of God, in which are laid up a variety of\nblessings both for man and beast: upon which account the Psalmist says,\n\u201cthe earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.\u201d Ps. 33:5.\n\n14. A very wonderful effect of this divine goodness is, that _bread_\nsustains the whole body, so that in one single morsel is contained the\nnourishment of all the members of the body. And because of this nutritive\nquality that is in bread, therefore, the eternal Son of God calls himself\nthe \u201cbread of life\u201d (John 6:35); denoting his power of nourishing and\nsustaining the _whole man_, body, soul, and spirit.\n\n15. It is no less wonderful, that the greatest tree, with its root, trunk,\nboughs, leaves, seed, flowers, and fruit, should be contained in a very\nsmall seed; and that every year the same plants and trees, with their\nrespective fruits and seeds, should appear in their proper order and\nseason. All this must be resolved into the principle of the seed,\ncontaining in it all those powers, which successively display themselves\nin so great a variety of size, thickness, height, and breadth.\n\n16. Notice also, how the grass, upon which the cattle feed, becomes food\nfor man; being converted into the milk and flesh of the creatures that eat\nthem. Even our beds and clothes grow out of the earth, since both sheep\nand birds live upon the fruits of it.\n\n17. I shall not in this place speak particularly of trees and plants:\notherwise, perhaps, I should have taken notice of the fig-tree which was\naccursed by our blessed Saviour (Matt. 21:19); of the olive-tree, whose\nleaf the dove brought into Noah\u2019s ark (Gen. 8:11); of the palm-tree, to\nwhich the flourishing state of the righteous is compared (Ps. 92:12); of\nthe cedars, and of the spices, of which Moses made the holy ointment\n(Exod. 30:23); of the generous spikenard, which is a type of the Holy\nSpirit, and of the resurrection of the dead, being used in embalming\nbodies, in order to preserve them from putrefaction; of the vine, and\nvarious vegetables; from which the Holy Ghost draws beautiful similitudes,\ndesigned to illustrate and explain to us the mysteries of the kingdom of\nGod.\n\n18. Of the fruitfulness of the earth, David speaks thus: \u201cThou visitest\nthe earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of\nGod which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so\nprovided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou\nsettlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou\nblessest the springing thereof: thou crownest the year with thy goodness,\nand thy paths drop fatness.\u201d Ps. 65:9-11. That is, every month produces\nits peculiar fruit out of its treasury, the bosom of the earth.\n\n19. This natural fertility of the earth has been very much restrained by\nthe curse of the Almighty; hence the tares which choke the good corn.\n\u201cCursed is the ground,\u201d saith God, \u201cthorns and thistles shall it bring\nforth to thee.\u201d Gen. 3:17, 18. Fruitfulness, therefore, must be regarded\nand prayed for, as the gift and blessing of God, without which, a man can\nneither plough, sow, nor plant with success: \u201cfor it is God that giveth\nthe increase.\u201d 1 Cor. 3:6. Thus we are to understand the words, \u201cA\nfruitful land turneth he into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that\ndwell therein.\u201d Ps. 107:34.\n\n20. Let our meditations on the fruitfulness of the earth, carry our\nthoughts to that new earth which we expect, \u201cwherein dwelleth\nrighteousness.\u201d 2 Pet. 3:13. There the curse, to which the present earth\nis in bondage, shall have no place; it shall be the region of perfect\nblessedness and life eternal. This is the new paradise, full of celestial\nsweetness, joy, and pleasure: then shall we truly sing this song, \u201cthe\nflowers appear on the earth.\u201d Cant. 2:12.\n\n21. I come next to the mountains, which by their height and beauty are no\nsmall ornament to the earth. The mountains are, in a more particular\nsense, the treasury of God, in which all kinds of metals are prepared.\nThey are, as it were, so many chemical furnaces, in which the matter of\nall metals and minerals is separated and matured. It has been observed,\nthat the best simples grow upon high mountains; and whensoever they are\ntransplanted into gardens, they degenerate and lose their virtue. Hence it\nwas said of Hippocrates that the herbs which he used in the practice of\nmedicine, were generally gathered from hills and mountainous places.\n\n22. The mountains ought to remind us both of the protection of God (and so\nthe expression is used in Scripture\u2014\u201cI will lift up mine eyes unto the\nhills, from whence cometh my help;\u201d Ps. 121:1); and also of the Church of\nGod. \u201cThe mountains shall bring peace, and the little hills by\nrighteousness.\u201d Ps. 72:3.\n\n23. Under this head, also, we may consider the springs and rivers of\nwaters that run through the valleys, adorning, enriching, and beautifying\nthe earth. For though, in strict propriety, the fountains belong to the\nwork of the fifth day; yet the royal Prophet couples the mountains and\nsprings together, because the rivers arise from the hills. Ps. 104:10.\n\n24. Solomon tells us, \u201cAll the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not\nfull; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return\nagain.\u201d Eccles. 1:7. Though the waters, passing out of the sea through the\nearth, are sweetened by percolation; yet they do not everywhere break\nforth, nor form springs in all places, but according to the order and\nappointment of God. So saith the Psalmist, \u201cHe sendeth the springs into\nthe valleys.\u201d Ps. 104:10. And their continual streams are not only a great\nblessing, and a miracle of divine power, but are also an apt\nrepresentation of eternal life.\n\n25. If God take so much care of the beasts of the earth, shall he not much\nmore take care of us? If \u201cthe beasts of the field cry unto him, when the\nrivers of waters are dried up\u201d (Joel 1:20), how much more ought we to call\nupon him in all our distresses? And, whereas, those places are generally\nmost pleasant, where there is the greatest plenty of springs and rivulets:\nso thither the birds generally resort, and \u201csing among the branches.\u201d Ps.\n104:12. It is as if God had taken care to fill even the forests with their\nmusic, that so every place might resound with his praises, and that man\nmight learn, even from the animals, that not only himself, but all\ncreatures were made to praise and glorify God.\n\n26. Natural fountains, of which some are well known as possessing healing\nvirtues, should remind us of the fountain of grace and salvation, the\nwater of life, even Jesus Christ. \u201cWith joy shall ye draw water out of the\nwells of salvation.\u201d Isa. 12:3. \u201cWith thee is the fountain of life; in thy\nlight shall we see light.\u201d Ps. 36:9. \u201cHo! every one that thirsteth, come\nye to the waters.\u201d Isa. 55:1. \u201cThe Lamb which is in the midst of the\nthrone shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of\nwaters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.\u201d Rev. 7:17.\n\n27. The 104th Psalm, which gives us a beautiful account of the work of the\nthird day, takes particular notice of seven illustrious creatures of God,\nall proceeding from the earth, and all capable of a spiritual sense.\nFirst, he speaks of the earth in general; that God laid its foundations,\ndivided it from the waters, adorned it with mountains, and watered it with\nsprings. Thence descending to particulars, he takes notice of its\nremarkable productions. 1. The dew, wherewith He waters the mountains. 2.\nThe grass. 3. Bread. 4. Wine. 5. Oil, or balsam. 6. The fruits of trees.\n7. Birds and beasts: all which are plainly expressed in the 104th Psalm.\n\n28. Thus he speaks: \u201cHe watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is\nsatisfied with the fruit of thy works.\u201d Ps. 104:13. Thus we often see with\nadmiration, the clouds hovering upon the mountains, and dropping showers\nof plenty upon the hills, as \u201cthe bottles of heaven\u201d (Job 38:37); and then\nGod doth truly water the hills from above. Sometimes, also, he sends his\ndew, refreshing them with great plenty. Thus were continually watered\nlittle Hermon, in Judea, and the mountains of Gilboa, where Saul and\nJonathan, his son, were slain. Therefore David said, \u201cYe mountains of\nGilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you.\u201d 2 Sam.\n1:21.\n\n29. It is the property of dew to make the ground rich and fruitful, and to\nrefresh the flowers scorched with excessive heat; whence, at last, the\nbees by wonderful art draw their honey. Sometimes we see a sort of\nhoney-dew lying upon the leaves, as did the manna heretofore. Just so the\nGospel is like a spiritual honey, the dew of the Holy Spirit.\n\n30. It is not without reason that peace is compared to dew. Ps. 133:1, 3.\nFor as the dew is generated by the morning, so peace proceeds from Jesus\nChrist, who is himself the morning star, and the Prince of peace. Where\nChrist liveth, reigneth, and worketh, there is perpetual peace. \u201cThe\nkingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.\u201d\nRom. 14:17. \u201cBlessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the\nchildren of God.\u201d Matt. 5:9. Such are begotten of God, as the dew is of\nthe morning; and as the dew makes all things lively, fresh, and\nflourishing, so also does peace; which, therefore, every good man ought to\nbeg of God, the Father of peace.\n\n31. And whereas, in the last place, it is said that \u201cthe earth is\nsatisfied with the fruit of God\u2019s works,\u201d it suggests that the Word of God\nthe Creator, is still as powerful and efficacious as formerly it was, when\nhe spake the word, saying, \u201cLet the earth bring forth grass, the herb\nyielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit.\u201d So that all things,\nfrom the beginning of the world to this day, spring from the Word of God,\nas from an eternal root of divine blessing.\n\n32. Secondly, the Psalmist says, \u201cHe causeth the grass to grow for the\ncattle.\u201d Verse 14. Nor is that the least of God\u2019s blessings; for how could\nso many wild as well as tame beasts, that minister to the necessities of\nman, subsist, were the grass to fail? And it is wonderful that when, in\nvery dry weather, one would not think there could be grass enough to\nsupport the beasts that are to eat it, yet they still live upon it. Thus\nit seems to grow as much by night as it is eaten by day.\n\n33. Hence, we learn how merciful God is to mankind, and how liberally he\nprovides for our necessities; and, though the grass may seem to be the\nleast and meanest of all the blessings of God, yet we cannot be\nsufficiently thankful for it. So true is it that the least of God\u2019s\nblessings exceeds our highest gratitude.\n\n34. The grass may also furnish us with proofs of the Divine Providence. 1.\nHe that considers that God takes care of the grass of the ground, cannot\nquestion, but that he takes much more care of him and his affairs,\naccording to Matt. 6:30. 2. It may put us in mind of our own vanity. For\n\u201call flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of\nthe field.\u201d Isa. 40:6. 3. It may also minister comfort under afflictions\nand persecutions, according to Psalm 37:1, 2. \u201cFret not thyself because of\nevil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity; for\nthey shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.\u201d\n\n35. Thirdly, \u201cHerb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food\nout of the earth: and bread, which strengtheneth man\u2019s heart.\u201d Ps. 104:14,\n15. Now the very notion of bread implies in it a great variety of divine\nblessings. First, it reminds us of God\u2019s paternal affection towards us;\nfor a father naturally cares and provides for his children. So Matt. 7:9,\n\u201cWhat man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread will he give him a\nstone?\u201d Let us remember, then, that God is our Father; and that we are\nneedy and indigent creatures, subject to infirmities and necessities. So\nthat our very hunger and thirst are so many monitors to lead us unto God;\nand every morsel of bread we eat, should put us in mind of the paternal\naffection and goodness of God.\n\n36. (2) Let us admire and reverence the wise dispensation of Providence,\nwhich assigns to every man his convenient portion of bread, so that no man\nhas reason to complain that he is forgotten before God. Heb. 13:5.\n\n37. (3) From bread we may learn the wisdom of God. In Psalm 104:14, God is\nsaid \u201cto bring forth herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth\nfood (or bread) out of the earth.\u201d The bread which we eat is, at first,\nnothing but grass, which, growing up into ears, and into the perfect\ngrain, supplies us with bread, which at last is converted into our body\nand blood. This miraculous operation gives us an image of our creation;\nforasmuch as even to this day he makes the flesh and blood of man out of\nthe earth; so that we may properly call it our mother, and say that \u201cin\nGod we live, and move, and have our being.\u201d Acts 17:28. The nutritive\nvirtue of bread is the Word of God. If God should withdraw it, then all\nflesh and blood would wither and decay as a flower, or as the grass of the\nfield. Therefore, man doth not live by bread alone. Matt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3.\n\n38. The specific property of bread is indicated in these words; \u201cBread,\nwhich strengtheneth man\u2019s heart.\u201d Ps. 104:17. Every other kind of food, by\nbeing daily eaten, becomes unwelcome to us; but bread never does. So that\nbread is a universal food, and seems to contain in it all the nutritive\nqualities of every other sort of food, all of which borrow their virtues\nfrom it; as the planets derive their light from the universal luminary,\nthe sun. And this we may conceive to be the reason of the great virtue\nthere is in bread, that, being the most common and ordinary food, every\nman might find in it wherewithal to support life, though he should have\nnothing else. In a word, whatever we eat or drink, ought to be looked upon\nas a miracle of divine wisdom and goodness.\n\n39. Lastly, the strengthening faculty of bread, puts us in mind of \u201cthe\nbread of life,\u201d which is Christ. So we read in John 6:35. \u201cI am the bread\nof life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on\nme shall never thirst.\u201d For in this bread of life, all the power of God is\ncontained; because \u201cit pleased God that in him all fulness should dwell\u201d\n(Col. 1:19); \u201cand that of his fulness have all we received, and grace for\ngrace\u201d (John 1:16); and by him, \u201cwe might be filled with all the fulness\nof God.\u201d Eph. 3:19. Blessed is he that eateth this bread! Earthly bread\ncannot save us from death, but he that eateth of Christ, the bread of\nlife, shall never die.\n\n40. The fourth thing mentioned is \u201cwine, that maketh glad the heart of\nman.\u201d Ps. 104:15. How wonderful is the love of God towards us, who is so\nfar from desiring to have us oppressed with sorrow, that he has provided\neven natural means to refresh and comfort us! And as for the dejected and\nbroken spirit, he refreshes that by the generous wine of the Holy Spirit,\ndrawn from the living vine, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the wine\nmentioned in the Song of Solomon, \u201cHe brought me to the banqueting-house\u201d\n(Cant. 2:5); (or _house of wine_, as the margin reads it.) This was the\nspiritual wine the holy prophets drank of (Isa. 12:2; 61:10; and Ps. 34:1;\n63:11), which made them break forth into songs of joy and exultation.\n\n41. Wine again was given by God to strengthen the sick. For wine has a\nspirit in it adapted to quicken the vital motions of the heart. This is\nanother instance of the wonderful love of God; yet it serves to put us in\nmind of a greater; namely, of that most generous wine which was pressed\nfrom the bloody wounds of the true vine, the Lord Jesus Christ, and which\nis the only sovereign remedy for the diseased soul. \u201cHe washed his\ngarments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.\u201d Gen. 49:11.\n\n42. Lastly, it was also given that the aged, whose lamp of life is almost\nspent, might invigorate the languid flame, and make it burn the brighter.\nThis may put us in mind of the spiritual old age of the Church. For as the\nsight, hearing, and all the other powers of nature, are broken by age; so\nnow faith is extinguished, charity is cold, hope languishes, and the whole\nspiritual body of Christ decays every day more and more. \u201cWhen the Son of\nman cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?\u201d Luke 18:8. But God promises\nthe faithful, that he will \u201crenew their strength, that they may mount up\nas eagles\u201d (Isa. 40:31): and he declares, that he will \u201ccarry them even to\nold age.\u201d Isa. 46:4. To which also belongs that promise, \u201cThey shall still\nbring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.\u201d Ps.\n92:14.\n\n43. The fifth thing is, \u201cOil to make his face to shine.\u201d Verse 15. By this\nwe are to understand, the precious ointment used among the Jews, and other\nEastern nations, when they were more than commonly joyful, or intended to\ntreat their guests after the best fashion; and which diffused a wonderful\nvigor through their whole bodies. In this sense we are to understand Psalm\n23:5. \u201cThou anointest my head with oil.\u201d So our blessed Saviour, when he\nwas entertained by Simon, was anointed with oil. Matt. 26:7. He upbraids\nanother of that name, a Pharisee, that he had not shown him the same\nrespect. \u201cMy head with oil (saith he) thou didst not anoint; but this\nwoman hath anointed my feet with ointment.\u201d Luke 7:46.\n\n44. So great was the virtue of these Eastern unguents, that they used them\nin embalming the dead; and by that means preserved them many hundred years\nfrom corruption; as appeared in the body of Alexander the Great, which was\nfound in the time of Augustus, as fresh as if it had been interred but\nyesterday, though it had lain above three hundred years. And this balsam\nis a proper representation of that oil, with which the Son of God,\naccording to his human nature, was anointed without measure. Hence the\nPsalmist says, \u201cTherefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of\ngladness above thy fellows\u201d (Ps. 45:7): and \u201cOf his fulness have all we\nreceived\u201d (John 1:16); which is nothing else but that unction by which he\nteacheth us all things (1 John 2:20), and by which our souls shall be\npresented before God wholly beautiful, and adorned with the gifts of the\nHoly Spirit: \u201cwhen this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this\nmortal shall put on immortality.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:53.\n\n45. The sixth thing mentioned is this, \u201cThe trees of the Lord are full of\nsap: the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted.\u201d Ps. 104:16. There are\nmany remarkable things to be considered in trees; of which, two are more\nparticularly noticed in Holy Scripture. The first is, that, whereas, they\nseem to be dead all the winter, yet upon the return of the spring, they\nare full of sap, and produce, first, leaves, and afterwards, fruit, in a\nmanner truly wonderful, and such as no art can imitate. For where is the\nartist, who from the juice of any vine, can form a grape? The birch-trees\nso overflow with sap in spring-time, that men can tap them like a cask. In\nFerro, one of the Canary Islands, as it is said, there is no spring,\nriver, or rain; but there are certain trees, from the leaves of which\nthere drops so great a quantity of water, as is sufficient for the\ninhabitants.\n\n46. And whereas it is said that \u201cthe Lord hath planted them,\u201d we must\nunderstand it of his creating word (Gen. 1:12), by the power of which new\ntrees daily arise to supply the place of those that die or are cut down.\nThis blessing will abide in the earth as long as it lasts, because the\npower of the Lord is the universal source of all things that arise out of\nthe earth. Now the trees, with their fruits, may remind us of that divine\ncharity which ought to be in us. For as these freely bestow their several\nfruits upon man; so ought we to be affected towards God and towards one\nanother; \u201cthat we may be trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord,\nthat he may be glorified.\u201d Ps. 92:13. Lastly, they remind us of the tree\nof life, with its fruits, even Jesus Christ crucified; of which, whosoever\neateth, shall live forever. Rev. 22:2.\n\n47. Seventhly, the birds are a very great ornament of the earth. They\nbuild upon the trees and help to furnish our tables. \u201cThere the birds make\ntheir nests; as for the stork, the fir-trees are her house.\u201d Psalm 104:17.\nAnd \u201cKnowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth?\nWho hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the\nwild ass? Gavest thou wings and feathers unto the ostrich? what time she\nlifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider. Doth the\nhawk fly by thy wisdom? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make\nher nest on high?\u201d Job 39:1, 5, 13, 18, 26, 27.\n\n48. From all this we may learn that God made not the earth to be desolate,\nbut has allotted its deserts and wildernesses to be inhabited by birds and\nwild beasts, that his bounty to man, and his magnificence might be made\nknown by the multitude of his creatures; his omnipotence, by his works;\nand his wisdom, by that infinite variety of distinct properties which he\nhas bestowed upon the creatures. \u201cEvery beast of the forest is mine, and\nthe cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains;\nand the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not\ntell thee; for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the\nflesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?\u201d Ps. 50:10-13. What then is\nthe sacrifice that God expects? \u201cOffer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy\nvows unto the Most High; and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will\ndeliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.\u201d Ver. 14, 15.\n\n\n\nChapter IV.\n\n\n         Of The Sun, Moon, And Stars, The Work Of The Fourth Day.\n\n\n    _See_ GEN. 1:14; PS. 104:19.\n\n\nThe stars are bright heavenly bodies, fixed in the firmament of heaven by\nthe word of the Most High. They enlighten the earth, distinguish the night\nfrom the day, and adorn the heavens; and they are signs and tokens of\nnature, of judgment, of mercy, of seasons, days, and years. 1 Cor. 15:41;\nGen. 1:14.\n\n2. \u201cLift up your eyes on high,\u201d saith God, \u201cand behold who hath created\nthese things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all\nby names.\u201d Isa. 41:26. We ought, therefore, according to his command, to\ncontemplate these glorious works of his hands, and learn thence to admire\nand adore the power and wisdom of him who made them. For \u201cthe heavens\ndeclare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork.\u201d Ps.\n19:1.\n\n3. With regard to the magnitude of the sun and moon, St. Basil thus speaks\nin his sixth Homily upon the works of the six days: \u201cI conceive that the\nsun and moon are styled by Moses great lights, not only because they\nexceed the lesser stars in magnitude; but because they are so exceedingly\nlarge that they can fill not only the whole heaven, but even the earth and\nseas with their light. And as they always appear equally large, both in\ntheir rising and setting, it follows that they must be incredibly large;\nbecause notwithstanding the whole breadth of the earth, they always appear\nof equal size.\u201d\n\n4. If a man were to see a globe of fire as large as a vast mountain, or a\nlarge city in flames, moving to and fro in the air, he would look upon it\nwith astonishment and terror. Now it is demonstrable that the globe of the\nsun is many times greater than the earth; whence we may conjecture how\ngreat and inconceivable a space in the heavens the sun must take up. Yea,\nthe least of the stars in the firmament of heaven are very vast in\ncompass, and are greater than the earth; and yet in the firmament there\nare many thousands of these stars, which by reason of their vast distance\ncannot be discerned by us with the naked eye.\n\n5. Here human reason is at a stand; for no created mind can conceive of\nthe dimensions of heaven. Hence it is that the Holy Scripture, speaking of\nGod\u2019s infinite compassion, compares it to the greatness of heaven. \u201cFor as\nthe heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that\nfear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our\ntransgressions from us.\u201d Ps. 103:11, 12. For though \u201cthe earth is full of\nthe goodness of the Lord\u201d (Ps. 33:5), yet is the compass of it too small\nto be compared with the infinite goodness of God. Hence the Holy Spirit\nbids us look up to the height of heaven, furnished with innumerable\nglorious bodies, all full of the goodness of God, and vastly larger than\nthis lower world.\n\n6. Moreover, the incomprehensible greatness of the divine power is\nmanifested, not only in the bulk of the heavenly bodies, but also in their\nconstant and regular revolutions; for who can observe without wonder and\nadmiration, such prodigious bodies, not only pendent in the air, but\nmoving up and down in it with constant regularity? And how great and\nincomprehensible a space must they have to perform their courses in, and\nat the same time so determined and settled, that they never exceed their\nappointed limits, nor interfere with each other in their revolutions?\nDavid truly pronounces, that God \u201cby wisdom made the heavens.\u201d Ps. 136:5.\nHow excellent, how transcendently excellent must that wisdom be, which can\nguide and govern the infinite host of heaven with such admirable order,\nand call them all by their names?\n\n7. It is wonderful also, that these vast shining bodies should have, as it\nwere, a motion in themselves, so that they cannot for one moment, stand\nstill in their courses; for the whole heavenly order would then be\ndisturbed, and the stars themselves, together with their motion, would\nlose their vital power, even as men die, when the motion of their lungs\nfails. The least star never stands still, but is perpetually in quick and\ninconceivable motion.\n\n8. If the motion of one planet only be so stupendous, what shall we say of\nthat innumerable multitude of stars, each of which has its particular\ncourse and revolution? And if any man could but for an hour take a view of\nall their distinct motions, he would be able to unfold to us very\nsurprising things.\n\n9. The consideration of the motions and multitude of these stars may\nremind us of those bright and invisible stars, the angels of God. This\nseems to be hinted in the Revelation of St. John, where the Son of God\nappears with seven stars in his hand (Rev. 1:16), which are the seven\nspirits or angels sent forth into all the earth. To this the Book of Job\nalludes, \u201cWhen the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God\nshouted for joy\u201d (Job 38:7): by which the writer leads us from the natural\nstars to the holy angels. For if God has created so great a multitude of\nstars, who can doubt that he has a much greater multitude of celestial\nspirits, who praise him without ceasing?\u2014\u201cPraise ye him, sun and moon;\npraise him, all ye stars of light.\u201d Ps. 148:3.\n\n10. The revolution of the heavens is, by the all-wise Creator, appointed\nas the measure of time; in which appear the stupendous providence,\neconomy, and wisdom of God. To this head we are to refer the ages of the\nworld, and their distinct epochs, the ending of monarchies, the seventy\nyears of the Babylonish captivity, Daniel\u2019s seventy weeks, the periods of\nkingdoms, and the times of Antichrist, both in the book of Daniel and the\nRevelation, with other things of the same nature, which wonderfully\nconfirm and illustrate the providence and wisdom of God. And whereas our\nSaviour tells us, that \u201cit is not for us to know the times or the seasons\nwhich the Father hath put in his own power\u201d (Acts 1:7); this is to be\nunderstood of such a knowledge only as was foreign to the duty of an\napostle, not serving either to the edification of the church, or the\npropagation of the Gospel. The words also may mean that no time or place\nought to be prescribed to our blessed Lord for the erecting and\nestablishing of his kingdom; of which he himself is the only proper judge.\nOur business is only to be witnesses of his kingdom, and to do our best to\npromote it, leaving the times and seasons to God alone. Moreover, the\ndisciples at that time, had wrong views of the nature and design of his\nkingdom, and those words may be looked upon as a proper rebuke of their\nerroneous opinions about a temporal kingdom.\n\n11. And as for the times and seasons of our worldly affairs, even these\nare under the disposal and direction of God, whensoever we devoutly submit\nour concerns to him, begging his direction and assistance; as plainly\nappears in the case of Abraham\u2019s servant, who prayed to God, that he would\n\u201csend him good speed that day.\u201d Gen. 24:12.\n\n12. Our blessed Saviour argues with the Jews from those signs in the\nheavens, which the common experience of the times had remarked (Matt.\n16:2, 3; Luke 12:54-56), thereby leading them to observations of a higher\nnature, and putting them in mind of those signs which were to usher in and\nattend the appearance of the Messiah. The words in St. Matthew are these:\n\u201cWhen it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.\nAnd in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day, for the sky is red and\nlowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye\nnot discern the signs of the times?\u201d So that our Saviour\u2019s conclusion runs\nthus: If ye attend to the natural signs, and by the face of the sky can\njudge rightly of the weather, why do ye not attend to the signs of the\npresent period, and conclude that the times of the Messiah are come?\n\n13. The words in St. Luke run thus: \u201cWhen ye see a cloud rise out of the\nwest, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye\nsee the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to\npass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth;\nbut how is it that ye do not discern this time?\u201d So that our Lord\nconcludes thus: As by the natural signs of heaven, ye judge rightly of the\nweather, because ye see the effect follow; so by the signs and miracles\nwhich ye see, ye ought to be convinced, that the Messiah is really come.\nBut, hypocrites as ye are, ye retain the one, and neglect the other,\nthough of the highest importance to you.\n\n14. As to the operations of heaven, we must first observe, that they have\nnothing in their own nature hurtful to mankind, as some pretenders would\npersuade us; but that our sins and wickedness are the true cause why God\narms the creatures unto vengeance, and makes use of them to punish a\nrebellious world. Thus he punished the sins of the old world by a rain of\nforty days, which caused the flood. Gen. 7:12. And thus the sin of Sodom\ndrew down fire and brimstone from heaven. Gen. 19:24.\n\n15. In the same manner we are punished even at this day; sometimes by\nexcessive heats; at other times by violent cold, rains, or drought; at\nother times by thunder, hail, fire, insects, or infected air, which like\nthe fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, fall from heaven. But as the\nEgyptian plagues had no power over the children of Israel (Exod. 8:22), so\nthese punishments never hurt the children of God, if they live in his\nfaith and fear. Thus it is said, \u201cThe Lord is thy shade upon thy right\nhand; the sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.\u201d Ps.\n121:5, 6. The same Psalm advises us, to \u201clift up our eyes unto the hills,\nfrom whence cometh our help,\u201d that by the grace and favor of God we may\nescape these evils.\n\n16. And as God makes use of the heavens and heavenly bodies, as\ninstruments of vengeance against the wicked, so he employs them sometimes\nas means of protection and blessing to the righteous. Thus we read, \u201cThey\nfought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera\u201d\n(Judg. 5:20): not unlike to which, is the story of the Emperor Theodosius,\nwhose enemies were routed by a sudden tempest of wind and rain.\n\n17. The productions of heaven God in his due time dispenses out of his\ntreasures, for the benefit and advantage of this lower world; God so\ndisposing and ordering things, that the inferior creatures receive of the\nsuperior, and all nature hangs together, as it were, in one chain. And\nthis connection of nature and providence is finely described by the\nprophet Hosea, \u201cIt shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, I will\nhear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear\nthe corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel.\u201d Hosea\n2:21, 22. In this place the prophet presents us with the entire order of\nnature, beginning at the first cause, which is God. \u201cI (saith he) will\nhear the heavens,\u201d namely, when, in the great drought, the heaven shall\nscorch with excessive heat, and the channel of the heavenly influences\nshall, as it were, be dried up, so that they cannot convey fruitful\nseasons to the earth: then I will hear the distress of the heavens, I will\ncover them with clouds.\n\n18. And whereas the prophet adds, \u201cThe heavens shall hear the earth,\u201d that\nhas relation to the secondary causes. For as the earth depends on the\nheavens, it follows, that when the operations of the heavens are, as it\nwere, hindered, the earth can produce nothing that is good. And when the\nearth is broken or chapped by excessive heat, it, as it were, opens its\nmouth and entreats for rain. \u201cAnd the earth shall hear the corn, and wine,\nand oil;\u201d that is, forasmuch as the vegetables depend upon the earth for\ntheir moisture; therefore, whensoever the earth is dry and cannot supply\nthem with nourishment, the vegetables solicit moisture of it, as a thirsty\ninfant would appeal to its mother.\n\n19. I proceed, next, to the benefits which God bestows upon us by the\nlight of the sun and moon. And these we must consider in the fear of God,\nand show how we may enjoy and use them, both in a natural and spiritual\nsense. \u201cTell me (saith God to Job), where is the way where light dwelleth?\nand as for darkness, where is the place thereof? Canst thou bind the sweet\ninfluences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring\nforth Mazzaroth in his season, or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?\nKnowest thou the ordinances of heaven? Canst thou set the dominion thereof\nin the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance\nof waters may cover thee?\u201d Job 38:19, 31-34. In these words God represents\nto us his infinite power and wisdom, such as no mortal can search out or\naccount for, much less imitate. For so unable is the wisest man to form\nlight or darkness, that he cannot so much as produce a blade of grass.\n\u201cNot unto us (then), O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory\u201d\n(Ps. 115:1); for thou hast made all these things, and thy hand hath formed\nthem. \u201cHe appointed the moon for seasons; the sun knoweth his going down\u201d\n(Ps. 104:19); alluding to the work of the fourth day, when God said, \u201cLet\nthere be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from the\nnight: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for\nyears. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day,\nand the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also.\u201d Gen.\n1:14-16.\n\n20. How wonderful is the increase and decrease of the moon; sometimes it\nseems to be shut up in darkness, and again, in its season, to emerge by\ndegrees into a fulness of light. And these varieties God hath appointed\nfor a regular distinction of the times and seasons of the year, and of the\naffairs and business of mankind. Without this distinction of the months\nand other divisions of time, there could be no order in the church of God,\nor in civil governments, or in the economy of private families; but all\nwould be disorder and confusion.\n\n21. And how abundantly is the wisdom of God displayed, even in this\ncertain course of the moon, and distinction of seasons! In all states and\nconditions, the chief part of prudence is to preserve good order, and to\nobserve the proper opportunities of acting; these are the distinguishing\naccomplishments of a wise ruler, and of a prudent head of a family. This,\nindeed, is the principal thing to be regarded in every action; he that\nacts unseasonably, acts to little or no purpose. God himself hath ordered\nall things in measure, and number, and weight; and every season has its\nproper opportunities and blessings attending it. \u201cTo every thing there is\na season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.\u201d Eccles. 3:1. And\nas the choosing of the proper season is truly a happiness, so it is also a\nblessing from God, of whom, therefore, we ought to ask it by prayer.\n\n22. By the words, \u201cThe sun knoweth his going down\u201d (Ps. 104:19); the royal\nprophet suggests to us the seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn,\nwinter, and the distinguishing of days, being some longer, and some\nshorter; all which are of very great use to mankind.\n\n23. And who can consider these amazing acts of divine power and wisdom,\nwithout admiration and praise to the Author of nature? This astonishing\norder of nature appeared so glorious to the ancient heathens, that they\nworshipped even the sun for their God, as being the greatest and most\nsplendid of all objects, and as enlightening all the world. This was a\nconclusion for blind, corrupt reason to draw, though every part of the\ncreation, to pure and right reason, fully manifests and discovers the\nbeing and excellencies of the Creator. A certain Indian king having heard\nof Jesus Christ, and the necessity of believing in him, because he died\nfor us, gave this answer: \u201cFor my part, I had rather believe in the sun\nthat never dies, than in a mortal God.\u201d This was the effect of human\nblindness, against the corrupt influences and prejudices of which, God has\ntaken particular care to warn us: \u201cLest thou lift up thine eyes unto\nheaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all\nthe host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them,\nwhich the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole\nheaven.\u201d Deut. 4:19.\n\n24. As to the magnitude of the sun, moon, and stars, it is an error to\nimagine that they are really no larger than they appear to us. For though\nthe moon and some of the planets are less than the earth, yet the sun may\nbe plainly and infallibly demonstrated to be many times larger; and that\nit appears so small to us, is owing to the immensity of its distance.\nOcular demonstration convinces every man of this, that the more remote any\nobject is, the less it appears. A nice disquisition of these matters the\nunlearned must leave to astronomers, and be content religiously to admire\nwhat they do not understand.\n\n25. And, here, how ought we to magnify and adore the omnipotence and\nwisdom of God, who appointed the sun to be the light and ornament of the\nday, and the moon of the night. For light is the highest beauty of all\nthings. If we highly admire a well-built house with a fair prospect,\nfurnished with good statues and pictures, and painted with great variety\nof colors, how much more ought we to look up with gratitude and\nastonishment to heaven, adorned with lights so many, and so stupendous.\n\n26. How profound is the wisdom of God, who \u201ctelleth the number of the\nstars, and calleth them all by their names\u201d (Ps. 147:4, 5); to which is\nimmediately subjoined, \u201cGreat is our Lord, and of great power; his\nunderstanding is infinite.\u201d How ought we then to depend upon this wisdom,\nand be satisfied with all its determinations concerning us, and not charge\nhim with folly, by pretending to be wiser than He is! \u201cFor the foolishness\nof God is wiser than men.\u201d 1 Cor. 1:25.\n\n27. The certain and regular course of the sun and moon, reminds us of the\ntruth of God, and the certainty of his promises: such are those of sending\nthe Messiah, of the revolutions of certain states and kingdoms, and other\ndeliverances of mankind; all which appeared in their time. Thus saith the\nLord by the prophet Jeremiah, \u201cIf my covenant be not with day and night,\nand if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; and if ye\ncan break my covenant, that there should not be day and night in their\nseason; then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant.\u201d Jer.\n33:20, 21, 25.\n\n28. At our blessed Saviour\u2019s passion, the darkness that overspread the\nworld did, as it were, represent the terrors of his death, and all those\nbarbarous impieties that were acted against him (Matt. 27:45); for the sun\nand moon were then as mirrors, in which might be read the sins and\niniquities of mankind; which, like the sin of Sodom, mounted up to heaven,\nand drew down vengeance upon the world. Gen. 18:20. So every eclipse of\nthe sun points out to us that internal and spiritual blindness of heart\nwhich reigns in every one of us; and that as plainly as if a voice should\ncall to us, saying, \u201cLook upon me, for you yourselves are in the same\ncondition.\u201d And when the heaven is red as blood, and seems to be on fire,\nit appears to speak to us in words like these: \u201cLook up to me, and think\non that day when I shall burn with real flames.\u201d So, in short, we may\nconsider all things as upbraiding us with our iniquities, and warning us\nto repent. What is the thunder, but the terrible voice of heaven, at which\nthe earth trembles, and by which God speaks to the impenitent world? What\nis an earthquake, but a lecture of repentance? The same may be said of\nstorms and tempests at sea, and of all disorders in the inanimate\ncreation.\n\n29. The sun, moon, and stars, are witnesses of the divine goodness, and of\nthat eternal light which enlightens, comforts, and refreshes every man\nthat cometh into the world. For as God is in himself invisible and\nincomprehensible, we should, by the direction of the natural light, aspire\nto the knowledge of Him that made it; and by the beauty of the created, be\ndrawn to the love of the uncreated light. And as we naturally take\npleasure in the outward light, as the most beautiful object in the\ncreation; so ought we, with our whole hearts, to love Him who is light\neternal, and to walk and rejoice in his light, by withdrawing ourselves\nfrom the darkness of sin. \u201cFor what fellowship hath righteousness with\nunrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what\nconcord hath Christ with Belial?\u201d 2 Cor. 6:14, 15.\n\n30. Lastly, the visible sun should put us in mind of Jesus Christ, the\nspiritual and eternal \u201cSun of righteousness.\u201d Mal. 4:2. For as that shines\nequally upon all men; so Christ freely bestows himself, and the light of\nhis grace, upon all that will receive him. Thus he saith, \u201cI am the light\nof the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall\nhave the light of life.\u201d John 8:12.\n\n\n\nChapter V.\n\n\n     Of The Waters, And Their Productions, The Work Of The Fifth Day.\n\n\n    _See_ GEN. 1:20-22; PS. 104:25.\n\n\nThat is unquestionably the best philosophy which gives the best account of\nthe works of God. And this knowledge every true lover of God ought to\nseek, that he may thereby know how many glorious creatures God has created\nfor our use and benefit. Let the pretenders to philosophy look to it, that\nthey spend not their time in inquiries, which, instead of teaching them\ntrue knowledge, lead them into ignorance and forgetfulness of God and his\ncreatures.\n\n2. The first thing to be observed and admired, is the mutual relation\nsubsisting between the different parts of created nature. Thus the heavens\ngenerate rains, dews, winds, and cooling breezes in the air; and then send\nthem down to us. So the earth produces its fruits in the air; and they\nbud, blossom, and ripen, and are nourished by the air, without which they\nwould quickly languish and die.\n\n3. Among the productions of the watery element, are the rivers. In one\nplace springs up the Rhine, in another the Danube; here is the Elbe, there\nthe Nile. As from one bough of a great and fruitful tree, spring many\nlittle branches, and much fruit; so one great branch of the world of\nwaters, as the Rhine or the Danube, is connected with rivulets, lakes, and\nfountains, which all flow into it.\n\n4. As for the living creatures that arise from the sea, they are without\nnumber, God having blessed it with so great fruitfulness, both for its\nvast extent, and the use and benefit of mankind, that out of this vast\nrepository there arise, at certain seasons, prodigious quantities of fish,\nvarying in their kinds every month. For such is the nature of sea-fish,\nthat they are not to be caught except at certain seasons.\n\n5. And here it is observable, that the sea and all its productions, have\ntheir proper order, time, and motion, appointed to them by God. So in the\nheavens, the stars have their stated times, regular order, motion, rising,\nand setting. The earth at certain seasons produces different fruits and\nvegetables; and, in that sense, is in perpetual motion, and never rests\nuntil it has brought forth all its fruits. So likewise the sea has its\nlaws of motion, flux and reflux, and produces all its fruits at such\nappointed seasons as may best serve the use and benefit of man.\n\n6. Let us now take a survey of the wonderful power and wisdom of God in\nthe sea, and inquire what spiritual inferences may be drawn from it. \u201cWho\nhath shut up the sea with doors,\u201d saith God to Job, \u201cwhen it brake forth,\nas if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment\nthereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, and brake up for it\nmy decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou\ncome, and no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? Hast thou\nentered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of\nthe depth?\u201d Job 38:8-11, 16. In these words, God points out the great and\ndreadful ocean as an obscure image and resemblance of his unsearchable and\nincomprehensible power. For it is a very surprising miracle, that God\nshould by his word alone, as with bars and doors, inclose the sea so\nstrongly, that it should not be able to overflow its bounds. No less\nwonderful is its ebbing and flowing; so that the sea, being, as it were,\nconscious and mindful of the divine command, so soon as it touches the\nearth, seems to fly back and retire in a fright, as at the presence of God\nhimself, like Jordan and the Red Sea. Josh. 3:16; Ps. 114:3. \u201cHe gathereth\nthe waters of the sea together, as a heap; he layeth up the deep in\nstorehouses.\u201d Ps. 33:7.\n\n7. God tells Job, that he has \u201cmade the clouds to be the garment thereof,\nand thick darkness a swaddling band for it\u201d (Job 38:9); which plainly\nappears, when its waves roll and toss themselves up to the clouds, that,\nas it were, receive them into their embraces, and cover them with darkness\nand horror, so that they seem to be blended with each other. Then appear\nthe mighty wonders of God, which a man cannot behold without fear and\nastonishment, as it is described in Psalm 107:25, etc.\n\n8. To this work of the fifth day, belongs also that passage of the\nPsalmist: \u201cSo is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping\ninnumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships; there is\nthat leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein.\u201d Ps. 104:25, 26.\n\n9. As for the greatness of the sea, who can but admire the power of God,\nwhich, notwithstanding that so much water flows into the sea every day,\nand has, from the beginning, yet suffers not its waters to exceed their\nappointed quantity? And though its waves sometimes rage and swell, and\nlift themselves like mountains; yet are they quickly put at rest, and\nsettled within their proper bounds. These are clear demonstrations of the\nmighty power of God.\n\n10. Here too we may not improperly speak of the islands. Who can behold,\nwithout wonder, several large and populous countries, and entire kingdoms,\nlying in the midst of the sea, as if they had been planted there? Who can\ntell on what foundations they are built, and what it is that keeps them\nimmovable in the midst of violent storms and tempests? Some of them,\nencompassed with vast rocks growing out of the sea, seem to be built and\nfounded on them. Upon the whole, their fruitfulness, tillage, and the\noccasion and manner of their being peopled, are what we may rather admire\nthan understand. So that the sea is as populous as the earth. For as the\nearth is much less than the sea, it is probable that God would not suffer\nthe greatest part of the globe to be uninhabited, and therefore he planted\nit with islands: so that none of the miracles and blessings which he works\nin the sea, might escape the observation of mankind. Therefore, to these\nislanders also did he send the Gospel of truth, by his holy Apostles,\n\u201cshaking both the sea and the dry land, after the Desire of all nations\nwas come.\u201d Hag. 2:6, 7.\n\n11. No less wonderful is the vast multitude of creatures that inhabit the\nsea; for some affirm that there is as great abundance and variety of them\nin the sea, as on the land. Who can behold without astonishment,\nprodigious shoals of fish rising from the depths of the sea, like a flock\nof sheep, and offering themselves to the use and necessities of mankind?\nSo that the sea is a great storehouse of God, out of which he feeds the\ngreatest part of mankind, and out of which, too, he produces many other\nexcellent works, such as pearls, amber, and coral.\n\n12. I might here mention the many bold voyages that have been performed\nwithin the memory of us and our fathers, to the most distant parts of the\nEast and West; and all this chiefly by the assistance of the magnet, which\nseems to have nothing in it either of beauty or use, and yet the greatest\nthings are performed by it. By this the pilot steers his ship, and keeps\nhis way in the pathless waters; and by constantly pointing to the pole, it\nguides the mariner to his intended port. Of these voyages, and of the\nislands, countries, people, and other useful discoveries, there are many\nvolumes extant, to which I refer the reader.\n\n13. The huge whales, mentioned by David (Ps. 104:26), give us a great idea\nof the mighty power of God. Of this God himself takes notice when he talks\nwith Job: \u201cHis bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like\nbars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God. He drinketh up a river\nand hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. By\nhis neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the\nmorning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.\nOut of his nostrils goeth smoke, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. When\nhe raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid; by reason of breakings they\npurify themselves. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the\nsea like a pot of ointment.\u201d Job 40:18, 19, 23; 41:18-21, 25, 31.\n\n14. Thus much for the greatness of the sea; which is a very striking\nillustration of the power of God. \u201cWho hath measured the waters in the\nhollow of his hand?\u201d saith Isaiah. Isa. 40:12. To which the Psalmist\nanswers, \u201cWhatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in the\nearth, in the seas and all deep places.\u201d Ps. 135:6. All that remains is,\nto praise, honor, and glorify the wisdom of God, which is so wonderfully\nmanifested in the deep; the riches of his goodness in that vast variety of\nfishes, and other productions of the sea, for the use and benefit of man;\nand in a word, to adore and magnify him in all his works.\n\n15. Let us consider how this doctrine of the sea may bring to our\nremembrance that twofold sea mentioned in Scripture: the sea of affliction\nand misery, and the sea of grace and comfort; the depths of misery, and\nthe abyss of divine mercy. For what is this life and world of ours but a\ntroublesome and tempestuous sea? As the sea is never at rest, but is\nperpetually ruffled with winds and waves, so is the life of man. Sometimes\nwe fancy ourselves safe and out of danger, when suddenly a stormy wind\narises, and the floods swell, to the great danger both of body and soul.\nAs the sea has its ebb and flow, so has the life of man. Hence we read\nthat the Lord dries the sea, the waters of the great deep. Isa. 51:10;\nJer. 31:35; Ps. 107:25. Moreover, as the freshest waters when they come\ninto the sea grow salt, so all the pleasures, glories, honors, and riches\nof this mortal life, however sweet and pleasant at first, soon grow bitter\nand unsavory. And all that cleave to them, thereby forfeit the sweet\nconsolations of heaven, and are drowned and overwhelmed in bitter fears\nand perplexing sorrows.\n\n16. As the sea has many rocks and quicksands, on which vessels split and\nare lost, so in human life, many there are who split upon the rocks of\ncovetousness, and run foul of the quicksands of worldly pleasures, and are\nlost to all eternity. As the sea, after some days, throws up the carcasses\nthat have been cast into it, so the world vomits us out, after it has\nentertained us a little while; so that it is our highest wisdom to look\nout betimes for a haven of salvation in the land of the living. As the\nmariner sails at random without his compass, and has no certain guide but\nhis needle, which is continually pointing to the pole, so Jesus Christ is\nour loadstone, continually drawing our hearts towards him and heaven, that\nwe may not float up and down at random, or be lost in the sea of this\nworld. As the depth of the sea is unsearchable, according to Job, \u201cHast\nthou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the\nsearch of the depth?\u201d (Job 38:16); so is our life an unsearchable abyss of\nmisery and sorrow. Whence the Psalmist says, \u201cOut of the depths have I\ncried unto thee, O Lord.\u201d Ps. 130:1. And, \u201cDeep calleth unto deep at the\nnoise of thy waterspouts; all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.\u201d\nPs. 42:7. So that our life is nothing but a vast sea of calamity and\nsorrow.\n\n17. To this abyss of misery and sin we must oppose the abyss of grace and\nconsolation. And the first comfort is the boundless mercy of God, which is\nhigher than the heavens, and deeper than the sea. Of this the prophet\nMicah speaks, \u201cHe will have compassion on us, and cast all our sins into\nthe depths of the sea.\u201d Micah 7:19. As the Egyptians were drowned in the\nRed Sea (Exod. 14:28), so must all our sins be drowned and washed away in\nthe blood of Christ. And though the abyss of our misery be ever so great,\nyet the merits of Jesus Christ are greater.\n\n18. A second comfort is, the consideration of the many wonders that God\nhas wrought in the water; and that the blessed Jesus assisted his\ndisciples when they were in danger by sea. Matt. 8:26. He stretched out\nhis hand to Peter when he was afraid of sinking. Matt. 14:31. So, at this\nday, he is never nearer to us, than when we are sinking in the floods of\naffliction; and we never so fully experience his presence and assistance,\nas when we are under the cross. \u201cWhen thou passest through the waters, I\nwill be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.\u201d\nIsa. 43:2.\n\n19. A third consolation is contained in these words of the prophet\nZechariah: \u201cIt shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from\nJerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the\nhinder sea.\u201d Zech. 14:8. So also the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47:8) saw a\nstream of water flowing out of the temple near the altar into the sea,\nhealing and quickening everything that was touched by it. This signifies\nthe fountain of grace and consolation opened by the Holy Spirit, by the\npreaching of the Gospel, whereby the bitter waters of affliction are to be\nrefreshed and sweetened; so that the cross shall be no longer a Dead Sea,\nbut a water of life, and a well of salvation. According as it is said, \u201cIn\nthe multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.\u201d Ps.\n94:19.\n\n20. A fourth consolation against the stormy sea of this world, is\ncontained in Psalm 65:7. \u201cGod stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of\ntheir waves, and the tumult of the people.\u201d As if he had said, When all\nthings threaten ruin and destruction, when wars rage, and desolation seems\nto be at hand; then can God easily still the waves. So did the blessed\nJesus, Matt. 8:26. \u201cThe lord on high is mightier than the noise of many\nwaters.\u201d Ps. 93:4.\n\n\n\nChapter VI.\n\n\n           Of The Living Creatures, The Work Of The Sixth Day.\n\n\n    _And out of the ground the Lord formed every beast of the field,\n    and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam, to see what\n    he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living\n    creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all\n    cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the\n    field._\u2014GEN. 1:24; 2:19, 20.\n\n\nHere Adam gave an illustrious proof of the divine wisdom implanted in him\nby God, to the honor and praise of Him that gave it. He beheld His wisdom\nand goodness in the variety of his creatures; he considered the distinct\nforms, figures, proportions, and colors of them all; he distinctly viewed,\nand understood the nature of the living animals by the light of divine\nwisdom; and, upon a full survey of the properties of every creature, he\ngave them proper and significant names, expressing their several natures.\nFrom this natural knowledge of all creatures, he called her that was made\nout of his rib, _Woman_, because she was taken out of man; afterward,\n_Eve_, as being \u201cthe mother of all living.\u201d Gen. 2:23; 3:20.\n\n2. So, even at this day, God shows to us the natures and properties of all\ncreatures in his holy Word, that we may thereby be led to praise and\nmagnify the wisdom and goodness of Him that made them. Thus Job says\n(12:7, 8), \u201cAsk now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls\nof the air, and they shall tell thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall\nteach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.\u201d See also\nChap. 39. He leads us, as it were, into every part of the brute creation,\nputting us in mind of the many wonders of divine power and mercy\nmanifested in every one of them. So Jeremiah sends us \u201cto the stork and\nthe crane, the turtle, and the swallow, who know the appointed time of\ntheir coming.\u201d Jer. 8:7. Isaiah sends us \u201cto the ox and the ass, who know\ntheir master\u2019s crib\u201d (Isa. 1:3); David and Job, \u201cto the young ravens that\ncall upon God\u201d (Ps. 147:9; Job 38:41); David again, \u201cto the deaf adder\nthat stoppeth her ear\u201d (Ps. 58:4); Isaiah, \u201cto the cockatrice\u2019 eggs and\nvipers\u201d (Isa. 59:5); Jeremiah, \u201cto the sea monsters, that draw out the\nbreast, and give suck to their young ones;\u201d adding, \u201cthe daughter of my\npeople is become cruel like the ostriches in the wilderness.\u201d Lam. 4:3. So\nthe Song of Solomon speaks of the \u201cyoung hart, the dove, and the foxes\u201d\n(Song of Solomon 2:9, 14, 15); David, \u201cof the hart panting after the\nwater-brooks\u201d (Ps. 42:1); Solomon, \u201cof the ant\u201d (Prov. 6:6); David and\nIsaiah, \u201cof the eagles.\u201d Ps. 103:5. \u201cThey that wait upon the Lord shall\nrenew their strength,\u201d like the eagles. Isa. 40:31. Lastly, Habakkuk and\nJeremiah speak of the wolves, leopards, and lions, sent to be executioners\nof divine vengeance. Hab. 1:8; Jer. 5:6.\n\n3. So also in the New Testament, the blessed Jesus speaks of the sparrows,\nnot one of which falleth to the ground without the knowledge of our\nheavenly Father. Matt. 10:29. Thus he speaks \u201cof the wisdom of serpents,\nand the harmlessness of doves\u201d (Matt. 10:16); of \u201cthe hen gathering her\nchickens under her wings\u201d (Matt. 23:37); of \u201cthe eagles\u2019 following the\ncarcass\u201d (Matt. 24:28); of \u201cthe dogs that eat the crumbs that fall from\ntheir masters\u2019 table.\u201d Matt. 15:27. So he describes his own sheep, with\ntheir several properties. John 10:27, 28. Lastly, he talks of the scorpion\nand serpent, which no father would give to his children when they ask for\nan egg or a fish. Luke 11:11, 12.\n\n4. Here it may be considered why the blessed Jesus himself is compared to\na lamb (Isa. 53:7), to express his exemplary meekness and patience. Why\ndid the blessed Spirit light upon the Son of God in the form of a dove\n(Matt. 3:16), but because the mourning of a dove (Isa. 38:14) resembles\nthe mourning of the spirit in the hearts of the faithful. Hence Hezekiah\nsays of himself: \u201cI did mourn as a dove.\u201d Isa. 38:14. Why had \u201cthe four\nliving creatures the faces of a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle\u201d? Ezek.\n1:10; Rev. 4:7. They express to us the four mediatorial offices of Christ:\nhis incarnation, sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension.\n\n5. Here also we may consider the wonderful providence of God, whereby he\nprotects, sustains, and nourishes all his creatures. Thus in Psalm 65\nDavid celebrates the paternal mercies of God towards all creatures. Again,\n\u201cO Lord, thou preservest man and beast.\u201d Ps. 36:6. This consideration\nshould strengthen our faith and secure our perseverance in prayer, under\nall the wants and necessities of soul and body. And whereas David mentions\nthe word _flesh_, \u201cto thee shall all flesh come\u201d (Ps. 65:2); this seems to\nhave a particular regard to our bodily wants and sufferings (as we are\nflesh and blood), such as hunger, cold, nakedness, etc.; and should, at\nthe same time, put us in mind of our own vileness and corruption, which is\nfrequently in Scripture expressed by the word _flesh_. Isa. 40:6. The\nprophet gives us further comfort, by adding, that there is no man so vile\nand contemptible as to be despised or forgotten before God. This is\nexpressed to us in these words: \u201cThou who art the confidence of all the\nends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea.\u201d Ps. 65:5.\nAs if he had said: So great is the love of God to mankind, that\nwheresoever they are, whether by land or sea, he still takes care to\nprotect and defend them. And whereas he adds, \u201cThou makest the outgoings\nof the morning and evening to rejoice\u201d (ver. 8); his meaning is, that, as\nGod feeds and nourishes all creatures, so he comforts and refreshes them,\ntoo, according to the words of St. Paul, \u201cfilling our hearts with food and\ngladness.\u201d Acts 14:17. For it is no small blessing to feed upon his\ncreatures with a cheerful mind, to begin the labors of the day with devout\nprayers and praises, and to conclude them with thanksgiving. Lastly, he\nassigns the cause, in these words: \u201cThe river of God is full of water\u201d\n(ver. 9); that is, the fountain of divine bounty, mercy, and goodness,\noverflows to all his creatures, upon which our being and comforts entirely\ndepend.\n\n6. To this also may be referred that passage of the Psalmist, \u201cAll wait\nupon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.\u201d Ps.\n104:27. And not only so, but he represents also the brute creatures as\nsensible of this dependence upon God, \u201cThe young lions roar after their\nprey, and seek their meat from God\u201d (Ps. 104:21); intimating thereby, that\nGod, the Preserver of nature, is moved to pity and to assist the\ndistresses and sufferings of every creature; and that the wants of every\npart of his creation, whether animate or inanimate, are a sort of silent\nprayer to the great author and preserver of their being. And this is\ncalled by St. Paul, \u201cthe earnest expectation of the creature.\u201d Rom. 8:19.\nHere let us consider likewise what an infinite variety of creatures there\nare contained in the air, earth, and sea, and that God has mercifully\nprovided for the comfortable subsistence of every one, in a way suitable\nto their proper natures. And if God takes such care of the meanest of his\ncreatures, it would be wrong to imagine, that man, created in _his own\nimage_, should be neglected or forgotten by him.\n\n7. And since there are more creatures in the earth, air, and sea, than\nthere are men in the whole world; and the providence of God is extended to\nthe meanest and smallest of his creatures, how is it possible that man\nshould be forgotten,\u2014_man_, that lives, moves, and has his being in him;\n\u201cfor in him we live, and move, and have our being,\u201d saith St. Paul (Acts\n17:28),\u2014_man_, that is sustained by his power: for \u201che upholdeth all\nthings by the word of his power\u201d (Heb. 1:3)\u2014_man_, whom he has made with\nhis own hand; according to Isaiah 64:8. \u201cO Lord, thou art our Father; we\nare the clay, and thou art the potter, and we all are the work of thy\nhand;\u201d\u2014_man_, whom he has redeemed by the blood of his only begotten Son,\nand sealed with his Holy Spirit? In a word, God can no more forget man,\nthan he can forget Himself. So that we have all the reason in the world to\ndepend upon him, that he will give us meat in due season.\n\n8. The Psalmist goes on: \u201cThat thou givest them, they gather: thou openest\nthy hand, they are filled with good.\u201d Ps. 104:28. In these words is\nexpressed that power, whereby the creatures are preserved. And this\nconsists in a certain natural sagacity or instinct implanted in them by\nGod, by which every one of them is prompted to look out, and procure such\nthings as are proper for the support of life and being. And the pleasure\nwhich they receive in this exercise, is a sort of gratitude and\nacknowledgment to God whom they seem to look upon and rejoice in, as their\nMaker, Preserver, and Benefactor.\n\n9. Now if God takes so much care for the comfortable subsistence of all\nhis creatures, we cannot think that he made man for perpetual anguish and\nsorrow, but must conclude that he is pleased to see us innocently cheerful\nin the fear of God. So, in Psalm 90:15, we are directed to pray, that God\nwould make us glad according to the days wherein he afflicted us; and the\nyears in which we saw evil. He promises his servants that they shall eat,\ndrink, and rejoice (Isai. 65:13); and from the words of David, it plainly\nappears that he intends to feed his servants, not sparingly, but\nplentifully and bountifully; to which end, he maketh his paths drop\nfatness. Ps. 65:11. Experience itself also teaches us, that all creatures\nare so plentifully fed by God, that, at proper seasons, the birds of the\nair, the wild beasts of the forest, the cattle in the fields, and the fish\nof the sea, offer themselves, fattened and prepared, for the use and\nnourishment of man; and in that sense also \u201chis paths drop fatness.\u201d So\nwonderful is the providence, so transcendent is the wisdom, so great is\nthe concern of God, to provide for all the necessities of his children.\n\n10. And then the Psalmist adds, \u201cThou hidest thy face, they are troubled;\nthou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou\nsendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of\nthe earth.\u201d Ps. 104:29, 30. His meaning is, that the life of all creatures\nis nothing else but the breath of God. This quickening virtue and power of\nGod, is that word by which all things were made. \u201cBy the word of the Lord\nwere the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his\nmouth.\u201d Ps. 33:6. And this word was not an empty sound, but became the\nlife of all creatures, resting upon them as a principle of life and power;\nas St. Paul tells us, \u201cthe Lord upholdeth all things by the word of his\npower.\u201d Heb. 1:3. So that the life and being of all things as much depend\non God, as the shadow of a tree does upon the substance.\n\n11. Thus when God withdraws this word of life, or vital power, from the\ncreatures, they immediately sink into their primitive nothingness. The\nwhole world is full of God, \u201cof whom, and through whom, and to whom are\nall things.\u201d Rom. 11:36. He is said to be \u201cabove all, and through all, and\nin us all\u201d (Eph. 4:6): so that \u201cthe Lord is the strength of our life.\u201d Ps.\n27:1; Deut. 30:20. For as men of sorrowful and distressed spirits perceive\na true and vital power in the word of God; so there is in all creatures a\nsort of natural and vital power, which is nothing else but the _Word_ of\nCreation. By virtue of this Word also, all the creatures are blessed and\ndo multiply. By this, the face of the earth is every year renewed by a\nsuccession of plants, fruits, and living creatures, as if there were a new\nworld every year. \u201cWhile the earth remaineth,\u201d saith God to Noah,\n\u201cseed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day\nand night, shall not cease.\u201d Gen. 8:22. By the same blessing, the world is\npreserved to this day.\n\n12. This wonderful and universal Providence of God, consists chiefly in\nthree things. First, in his _knowledge_. \u201cKnown unto God are all his works\nfrom the beginning of the world.\u201d Acts 15:18. By this infinite and\nincomprehensible wisdom, he knows, sees, and hears all things; therefore\nhe is called in Scripture, \u201cthe God that liveth and seeth.\u201d Gen. 16:14\n(margin). No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and\nopen in his sight. Heb. 4:13. And he is called \u201cthe Living,\u201d not only\nbecause he himself liveth forever, but also because he is the life of all\nthings.\n\n13. The second head of divine Providence, is the fatherly _goodness_ of\nGod (Matt. 6:26), by which He taketh care of all things: \u201cHe maketh his\nsun to rise on the evil, and on the good.\u201d Matt. 5:45. So, then, if his\nmercy be not only extended to the least, but even to the undeserving parts\nof his creation; how ungrateful are we, if we entertain any suspicions of\nso indulgent a Father. And if nothing be done upon earth but by his\nappointment and direction, we may hence learn to submit with patience to\neverything that befalls us, without repining or murmuring against God;\nfirmly believing that he careth for us, and by his unsearchable wisdom\nordereth all things for our good and his own glory. On the other hand, if\nhe take from us our riches, honors, health, and other worldly blessings,\nwe must resign them with cheerfulness, and say with Job, \u201cThe Lord gave,\nand the Lord hath taken away.\u201d Job 1:21. That good man gave thanks to God\nfor his adversity, as well as for his prosperity; and the former very\noften proves the greater blessing of the two.\n\n14. The third head of God\u2019s universal providence over all his creatures\nis, his _omnipotence_. By this he is always present to his creatures,\ngoverning and preserving them; by this he governs the hearts of all men,\nand turneth them which way he pleases. Ps. 33:15. Whence it follows, that\nin all our thoughts, words, and actions, we ought to have a lively and\ndevout sense of the divine omnipresence, and dread to do anything that is\nhateful in his sight. For as is the clay in the hand of the potter, so are\nmen in the hand of God, even as we read in Jeremiah, \u201cArise and go down to\nthe potter\u2019s house: and I went down, and behold, he wrought a work on the\nwheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the\npotter; so he made it again another vessel, etc.\u201d Jer. 18:2. The prophet\nintimates thereby that God, who afflicteth and breaketh us to pieces, can\nalso heal and restore us again.\n\n15. Moreover, as we are assured that God is everywhere present, and\npreserves and governs everything, it follows that he is so careful of his\nown servants, that not a hair of their heads can fall to the ground (Matt.\n10:30; Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34) without his permission; and that he\npreserveth and keepeth us in the midst of our enemies, as we have it\nfrequently expressed in the Psalms. Ps. 23:4; 27:1; 121:5. So when we are\nin distress, and there are no apparent hopes of relief, we should support\nourselves with this consideration: that the Lord himself, \u201cgreat in\ncounsel, and mighty in work\u201d (Jer. 32:19), who laid our cross upon us, can\neasily lighten it, or strengthen us to bear it. Let us \u201ccommit our way\nunto the Lord\u201d (Ps. 37:5), like Abraham, who was ready to offer up his\nonly son, without questioning how God could perform his promise to him,\nbut cast all his care upon God. Gen. 22:8; Rom. 4:18; Heb. 11:19.\n\n16. And then, the consideration of God\u2019s providence raises in us faith,\nhope, and patience, of which we have examples in Job, David, and Christ\nhimself. The blessed Jesus, knowing that he was appointed by God to die,\npreserved his meekness and patience all the days of his life, yea, even in\nthe very agonies of death. Phil. 2:8. Thus David patiently endured\nbanishment for years, attended with injuries, reproaches, poverty, and\ncontempt; knowing assuredly that it was God that laid it upon him. This\nmakes him cry out, \u201cThou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the\nlifter up of mine head.\u201d Ps. 3:3. To which may be referred that passage,\n\u201cThe Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and\nbringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and\nlifteth up.\u201d 1 Sam. 2:6, 7.\n\n17. But before we conclude this subject, we must say something\nparticularly of man, the crown and masterpiece of the creation, of his\nexcellence and prerogatives, which must be very great, forasmuch as God\nhimself has declared, that \u201chis delights are with the sons of men.\u201d Prov.\n8:31. For if all things were created for the use of man, and he is the end\nof this visible creation, it follows that he is the perfection of it.\nReason itself convinces us, that whatsoever is the end and perfection of\nall things, must be more excellent than all others. So, then, all the\nbeauty of fountains, fields, flowers, trees, fruits, and woods, yea, and\nall the glittering brightness of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars, are not\nto be compared with, the native and original excellence of man, for whose\nsake and benefit they were all created. For as Solomon in all his glory\nwas not to be compared with the flowers of the field (Matt. 6:29); so the\nexcellence of man, especially as to his soul, far transcends not only the\nexternal glory of Solomon, but all the beauties of this lower world, yea,\nand of the sun itself.\n\n18. And as for the soul, we may judge of its excellency and beauty by the\nform and comeliness of the body which God has prepared for its reception\nand residence. He provided a comely mansion for so excellent a guest. So,\nif we should see the spotless beauty of the original human body, we should\neasily judge of the beauty of its divine inhabitant. Even now, in this\ncorrupt and depraved state of nature, we see what attractive charms there\nare in beauty. Moreover, we may judge yet farther of the beauty of human\nnature, by the glories of the place in which God at first placed man;\nwhich was _Paradise_ itself, a garden full of joy and celestial pleasures,\ninfinitely exceeding all the glory and beauty of the present world. For if\nthe place were so glorious, what must the owner of it be, for whose sake\nit was created?\n\n19. Another great argument of the dignity of human nature is, that the\nangels themselves are appointed to minister unto us (Heb. 1:14); and that\nwe were created, as it were, by a particular decree of the ever-blessed\nTrinity. \u201cLet us make man,\u201d saith God, \u201cin our image, after our likeness.\u201d\nGen. 1:26. So that how great soever our dignity may be, by that singular\ndecree and counsel by which we were made, yet that which arises from the\nimage of God, in which we were created, is much greater. Therefore, when\nhe created the sun, moon, and all the host of heaven, he but spake the\nword, and they were made. But when he was about to make man, the greatest\nand noblest of all his works, he ushers it in with a kind of solemnity,\nsaying, \u201cLet us make man.\u201d How wonderful is that counsel! How solemn is\nthat decree! How transcendent is the dignity of human nature!\n\n20. For though the sun, moon, and stars, and all the lower world, were\nmade with wonderful wisdom and power; yet that deliberation does not seem\nto have been used there as in the creation of _man_; forasmuch as in him,\nthe glory and majesty of God were more particularly and gloriously to be\nmanifested. All the other creatures bear upon them certain marks and\nsignatures of divine goodness and power, but man is the very image and\nlikeness of God. For it is not said, Let us make man in the image of the\nsun, or of the moon, or of the angels; but \u201cin our likeness,\u201d that our own\nimage may be clearly represented in him.\n\n21. Consider, therefore, the beauty and dignity of thy soul, which is\ncreated in the image and likeness of God, so that the glories of the\ndivine majesty are, in a certain proportion, transferred to thee. How much\nreason have we then to avoid all impurity and uncleanness, that we defile\nnot the beauty of the divine image. For if we are thereby exalted to the\nhighest glory and honor that our nature is capable of, how unworthy and\nungrateful would it be, to pollute it by any uncleanness, and so forfeit\nthat glory which God has bestowed on us.\n\n22. How highly is a picture or statue prized, that is well executed by an\neminent hand! Could such a picture or statue be endued with understanding,\nhow would it esteem its maker, and take all opportunities of showing its\nown gratitude, and its maker\u2019s glory! How senseless then, how ungrateful\nis man, to forget the hand that formed him! to despise that excellent\nbeauty with which his Maker endued him! to pollute it with all kinds of\nimpurity! Plato, himself, a pagan, has told us, that \u201cthe beauty of the\nsoul consists in virtue and piety.\u201d But did we only consider the union of\nour souls with God and Christ, the righteousness of Christ wherewith our\nsouls are clothed, as with a garment of glory and immortality (Isa.\n61:10), we should more easily understand what the true and inward beauty\nof our souls is, which depends entirely upon that of Jesus Christ. And if\nit be so, who can question but that the soul is most exquisitely\nbeautiful, since it derives its beauty from Him who is beauty itself?\n\n23. To this belongs that passage of the prophet Ezekiel, \u201cThy renown went\nforth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my\ncomeliness which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God.\u201d Ezek. 16: 14.\nIf children partake of the beauty of their parents according to the flesh;\nit is reasonable to believe, that our souls, by spiritual regeneration,\nreceive a spiritual beauty from God. Moreover, it cannot be doubted that\nthey are the most beautiful of all creatures, since the Son of God himself\ndoes not disdain to betroth himself unto them, and to adorn them with his\nown light and beauty. Upon this account, the faithful soul is called, \u201ca\nking\u2019s daughter, all glorious within, whose clothing is of wrought gold.\u201d\nPs. 45:15. If a plebeian woman be ennobled by marriage with a husband of\nquality, can we doubt but that the faithful soul, by being married to the\nmost noble and beautiful spouse, shall also partake, in a high degree, of\nHis beauty and glory. Upon this Iren\u00e6us has a fine thought. He says, that\n\u201cthe glory of man is God, but the receptacle of all the operations of\ndivine wisdom and goodness, is man.\u201d\n\n24. Lastly, as it is beyond all controversy, that the most high God\nparticularly delights to dwell in the soul of man; that he has sanctified\nit to be the temple of the Holy Ghost, the habitation of the Father, and\nthe bride-chamber of the most beautiful spouse, the Lord Jesus Christ, we\nmay therefore conclude that the soul is the most beautiful of all\ncreatures. And as Ezekiel tells us that \u201cour soul is perfected by the\ncomeliness of God\u201d (Ezek. 16:14); how great must that beauty, how rich\nmust that attire, how transcendent must those ornaments be, which so great\nand noble a spouse can bestow upon the bride which he has prepared for\nhimself? O how wonderful is this grace! How incredible is the beauty which\nGod bestows upon human souls! Could it but be seen by mortal eyes, it must\ncharm the most stupid beholder. And this beauty increases every day by our\nprayers, and devout approaches to God. So that \u201cwe are changed from glory\nto glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.\u201d 2 Cor. 3:18. For if the face of\nMoses, after conversing a few days with God, shone with the brightness of\ndivine glory (Exod. 34:35); how much more shall our souls, by the same\nconversation, be enlightened and beautified with higher degrees of light\nand glory?\u2014Of this subject we shall speak more fully in Part II, of this\nFourth Book, which refers to man in particular.\n\n\n\n\nPart II.\n\n\n                        Treating Specially Of Man.\n\n\n\nChapter I.\n\n\n                   God, An Infinite And Eternal Being.\n\n\n    _Ah, Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by\n    thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too\n    hard for thee._\u2014_The Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is\n    his name; great in counsel, and mighty in work._\u2014JER. 32:17-19.\n\n\nGod is the origin of the life and being of all creatures: whence it\nfollows, that he was before all creatures, both an eternal Being, and\neternal Life itself; otherwise he could not have given life and being to\nhis creatures. But the infinity of God yet more plainly appears from the\nmind and thoughts of man. For as the mind of man can in a moment run\nthrough the whole circle of heaven, and comprehend in imagination all the\ncreatures of the universe; it follows, that God who made him, comprehends\nall these things in a more perfect manner, and by consequence must be\ninfinite.\n\n2. All the attributes of God are essential to him. As therefore he is\ninfinite, so are his essence and life also infinite. For essence and life\nare inseparable from him. Moreover, as he has endued the soul of man with\nwisdom and understanding, it follows that the understanding and wisdom of\nGod must be infinite. For whatsoever is in God, is essentially and\neternally in him. And as the unity of the divine nature is so perfect that\nhis wisdom cannot be separated from his essence and life, it follows that\nboth are alike infinite and eternal.\n\n3. But if the wisdom of God be eternal and infinite, it will follow that\nHe knoweth all things from eternity. Moreover, as his essence is\nunchangeable, equally filling all places; so his understanding does not\nproceed by way of rational connection, or discursive operation from one\nidea to another. He knoweth and understandeth all things in an instant,\nand to him there is nothing past or to come, but the whole circle of\neternity is present to him. For as God stands in need of no creature to\nadd anything to the perfection of his being, so neither does he need any\ncreature with respect to his understanding. And as he is God,\nindependently of all creatures; so he penetrates and comprehends all\nthings in himself. So that the sands of the sea, and the drops of the\nrain, and eternity, are alike known to him. And not so much as a bird of\nthe air, or a hair of our heads, can fall to the ground without him. Matt.\n10:29, 30. He knoweth the days of the world, every hour and moment of\ntime, with its several periods and revolutions; nor is anything under the\nheavens hidden from him. For as by his infinite power he created all\nthings, so by his infinite wisdom he understands and comprehends all\nthings; even the most secret thoughts of man. Ps. 139:2, &c.\n\n4. Moreover, as his essence, life, and wisdom, so also his power is\ninfinite, and all are equally incapable of any addition or diminution.\nLastly, forasmuch as no creature can oppose or set bounds to his power,\ntherefore, he is Almighty. All which must necessarily be, forasmuch as his\nessence, life, wisdom, and power, are inseparable.\n\n\n\nChapter II.\n\n\n                          God, The Supreme Good.\n\n\n    _For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things._\u2014ROM.\n    11:36.\n\n\nAs He must be the chief and only good, in whom all good things are\ncontained; it follows that glory and praise belong to God alone, because\nfrom him, and by him, and for him, are all things.\n\n2. All the goodness that is found scattered up and down among the\ncreatures, is in a most perfect and excellent manner and degree contained\nin him. So that whosoever turns himself to the creatures, and cleaves unto\nthem, will always find himself poor, needy, and distressed: whilst he that\nturneth unto God with his whole heart, pursues the chief and most perfect\ngood, and shall be blessed in the enjoyment of it: ever rich, ever at\nease, ever blessed in the fruition of his God. By this it appears that\nperfect happiness is not to be found in the enjoyment of the creatures,\nand that they who fix their hearts and desires on the world, can expect\nnothing but anguish, disquiet, and disappointments, both in life and in\ndeath; for they have not that chief good, which alone can satisfy and make\nhappy the soul of man.\n\n\n\nChapter III.\n\n\n  Man, The Most Noble Of All Creatures, And Made For The Service Of God.\n\n\n    _Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and\n    not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his\n    pasture._\u2014PS. 100:3.\n\n\nAll the creatures, in their several kinds and orders, were created by God\nfor the use and benefit of man. Thus we see corn and pasture produced,\nthese feeding the living creatures, and all serving for food to mankind.\nOne assists another, the higher wheel setting the lower in motion, and all\nin a wonderful harmony concurring to one great end, which is the use and\nbenefit of man.\n\n2. Now, if all this be for his sake, he is certainly more noble than they\nall; and hence he should learn what dependence he has upon God, and what\nduty and service he owes to Him who has appointed all the creatures, in\ntheir order, to minister to his necessities.\n\n3. And, as all the creatures seem to aim at no other end than the use and\nservice of man, and seem to rest and be satisfied in obtaining that end;\nso ought man likewise to show the same diligence and faithfulness in the\nservice of God, that the creatures show to him. All his works and labors\nought to be directed to this one end, namely, to accomplish the will of\nGod, and do nothing but that which is well-pleasing in his sight. For as\nall things are incessantly employed in serving man, the noblest of all\ncreatures, so there is all the reason in the world that he should be as\nconstant and assiduous in the service of God, who is perfection itself,\nand to whom alone he is indebted for that superiority which he has over\nthe rest of the creatures.\n\n\n\nChapter IV.\n\n\n  God Made Man In His Own Image, In Order That He Might Delight In Him.\n\n\n    _My delights were with the sons of men._\u2014PROV. 8:31.\u2014_The Lord\n    shall rejoice in his works._\u2014PS. 104:31.\n\n\nEvery artist has a love for the works of his own hands, and that induces\nhim to take so much pains about them. \u201cGod saw every thing that he had\nmade, and, behold, it was very good.\u201d Gen. 1:31. But if he took so much\ndelight in the general survey of his works, how much greater pleasure must\nhe take in man, whom he created after his own image.\n\n2. For the more anything resembles ourselves, the more tenderly do we love\nit. A father has a stronger affection for his son, who partakes of his own\nnature, than for a house which he himself has builded, though ever so\nexact and regular in itself.\n\n3. Moreover, as God takes pleasure in a creature made to resemble himself,\ntherefore, it was necessary, that after the other creatures were formed,\nhe should create man in his own image, in whom he might rest and delight\nhimself. And as similitude is the foundation of friendship and society,\nand everything naturally associates with its like, it follows that God, in\nmaking man after his own image, intended to delight and rejoice Himself in\nhim; so that man ought likewise to cleave unto his God, and to delight and\ntake pleasure in conversing with Him.\n\n4. Further, as God is the most perfect love, he could not but desire to\ncommunicate himself, and all his blessings, to some other being. That\ncould not be done, however, without making some being like himself; and as\nthere was no such being then in nature, capable or worthy of such divine\ncommunications, therefore he created man in his own image, which consists\nchiefly in perfect love.\n\n5. And, lastly, as there is naturally a reciprocal love betwixt the giver\nand the receiver of any benefit; hence it follows, that it is the duty of\nman to worship with the highest affection and most ardent love, his\nheavenly Benefactor, who so affectionately desires to communicate himself,\nand all the riches of his goodness, to his unworthy creatures.\n\n\n\nChapter V.\n\n\n              That God By His Love Bestows Himself Upon Us.\n\n\n    _God is love._\u20141 JOHN 4:16.\n\n\nAs man devotes himself entirely unto God by love, so God bestows himself\nentirely upon man also by love. And as that love of his is in the highest\ndegree of perfection, he cannot but give us Himself: for the highest\ninstance of love is to bestow one\u2019s self upon the person we love. And as a\nconsequence of this perfect love, He bestowed himself upon us in his only\nbegotten Son.\n\n2. This is the true spring of the incarnation, passion, and death of the\nSon of God. Thus our blessed Saviour pronounces these words of comfort,\n\u201cGod so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son\u201d (John 3:16);\nthat is, God loved the world with an entire and perfect love, and\ntherefore gave us his Son. But as the eternal love of God is the fountain\nof eternal life to the world; and that eternal love is manifested by\nChrist Jesus, in and by whom we have everlasting life, therefore, our Lord\nfurther adds: \u201cthat whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have\neverlasting life.\u201d\n\n\n\nChapter VI.\n\n\n    Showing How Much Man Is Indebted To God For His Everlasting Love.\n\n\n    _We love him, because he first loved us._\u20141 JOHN 4:19.\n\n\nIn every benefit or gift there are three things to be considered: the\ngiver, the receiver, and the gift itself. As, then, there is a natural\nobligation upon the receiver to the giver, it is manifest, that since man\nhas received all that he has from God, so he owes all to him, and is under\nthe strictest obligations of love and obedience to his great benefactor.\n\n2. And as man consists of body and soul, so God has abundantly provided\nfor the comfort and happiness of both.\n\n3. As for his body, it is sustained and refreshed by the various\nproductions of nature, so that the whole creation seems to call upon him,\nand put him in mind of his Creator: \u201cConsider,\u201d it saith, \u201cO man, the\nbenefits which thy Maker has bestowed upon thee, and what returns of\ngratitude and service thou owest him for the same. I (saith the heaven),\ngive thee daylight to work in, and send darkness in which thou mayest\nsleep and take thy rest. I give thee the pleasant spring, the warm summer,\nthe fruitful autumn, and the cold winter, in their proper seasons. I\n(saith the air), supply thee with breath, and every kind of birds. By me\n(saith the water), art thou washed, and thy thirst is quenched; by me thou\nart supplied with all kinds of fish. I bear thee and sustain thee (saith\nthe earth), and satisfy thee with bread, wine, and flesh; by all which\nthou mayest know how much thou art beloved by Him who made thee, and me\nfor thy use; all of whose favors are as so many bonds and obligations upon\nthee.\u201d\n\n\n\nChapter VII.\n\n\n            Of The Things That Instruct And Comfort The Soul.\n\n\n    _Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of\n    the air, and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth, and it\n    shall teach thee._\u2014JOB 12:7, 8.\n\n\nLet us now see what provision God has made for the comfort and instruction\nof the _soul_ of man. Here we shall find every creature in one way or\nanother, subservient to this end. And, first, I shall speak of the\npleasure which man receives from the creatures.\n\n2. Man alone has the privilege of really enjoying what he possesses. Other\ncreatures, being void of understanding, have no relish of those blessings\nfrom which man receives very great comfort; gold, silver, and precious\nstones, have no intelligence. But man, being endowed with an understanding\nmind, reflects with gratitude and pleasure upon the goodness of God, who\nhas provided so many beautiful creatures for his use and benefit. O the\nwonderful goodness of God, who has made all the excellencies of the\ncreatures subservient to the happiness of man; so that they are the\nchannels of conveying that happiness to us, which they themselves are not\ncapable of enjoying! Thus the sweetness and goodness of the water, the\nfragrance and beauty of flowers, the light and glory of the sun, moon, and\nall the host of heaven, yield no pleasure to themselves, but all unite to\npromote the happiness of man. Nay, without them, man would have no\nenjoyment at all in this world; nor could he have any notion of the\ndignity and pre-eminence of his nature above that of other creatures, but\nby comparing his condition with theirs. This shows him the transcendent\ngoodness of God, manifested to him above all the rest of the creation;\nthis teaches him to be thankful for his beautiful form and stature, his\nerect countenance, but above all, for his rational soul, created after the\nimage of God. From all which it appears, that the knowledge of a man\u2019s\nself is his highest wisdom, and the want of it, the most deplorable folly.\n\n3. Moreover, the creatures were made, not only for the delight of man, but\nalso to be his monitors and instructors. For from them we may learn, that\nour chief good consists not in worldly and outward enjoyments; such as\neating, drinking, and the gratifying the other bodily appetites, all which\nare common to the beasts as well as to us; and this is a convincing\nargument, that man, being of a more noble frame and nature than they,\nought to look for other meat and drink, and other pleasures suitable to\nthe higher nobility of his nature, which the inferior creatures cannot\nshare with him. I need not here mention, that the greatest part of human\nwisdom arises from the contemplation of the creatures. Thus our music came\nfrom the sound of metals; our skill in medicine, from other creatures; and\nour astronomy, from the stars; which still farther illustrates my first\nobservation, that the whole world was created for the sake of man, for\nwhich he owes never-ending thanks to his munificent Creator.\n\n\n\nChapter VIII.\n\n\n              Of The Obligations Under Which Men Lie To God.\n\n\n    _O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.\n    A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand\n    this._\u2014PS. 92:5, 6.\n\n\nThe obligations which man lies under to God, are as many and as great, as\nare the favors which he has received from him, or the excellencies which\nhe has bestowed upon all the creatures. For as every creature was made for\nhis use and benefit, so ought his gratitude to rise in proportion for them\nall. If a king should bestow great estates and honors upon a company of\nchildren in the same family, and but one of the number had age and sense\nenough to know the greatness of the favor and honor done to them, he alone\nis certainly obliged to thank him in the name of all the rest, and would\nbe guilty of ingratitude if he did not. So in this world, the rest of the\ncreatures are like children, that know not the worth and value of God\u2019s\nblessings, as man does; he is, therefore, alone obliged to adore and\npraise him in the name and stead of all the rest, and is highly ungrateful\nif he does not.\n\n\n\nChapter IX.\n\n\n  Man Even More Indebted To God For Inward, Than For Outward Blessings.\n\n\n    _And the fear of you shall be upon every beast of the earth._\u2014GEN.\n    9:2.\n\n\nAs man knows himself to be the most excellent of all creatures, so ought\nhe to be more thankful to God for the perfections of his own being and\nnature, than for those of all the rest of the world. For as all things\nelse were made for his sake, he must of necessity be more perfect and\nexcellent than they. The sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven, those\nglorious bodies, all wait upon man, and do him service. This they do, not\non account of his body, which, considered in this corrupt state, is less\nexcellent than theirs; but on account of his soul, as to which he is in\nevery respect superior to them. For the very notion of servitude implies a\nsuperiority in the person to whom the service is paid: so that it would be\nunnatural for those glorious bodies to do that service to man, if he had\nnot an immortal soul, and by consequence, a more excellent nature than\nthey.\n\n2. And on account of the immortality of the soul, it is an unworthy thing\nfor a man to fix it upon anything that is mortal and perishing; because it\nis incapable of uniting with anything but what is immortal, and\nparticularly with God himself. The body, indeed, is connected with\ncorporeal objects, and is capable of terrestrial enjoyments; but the soul\nshould be united solely with God; so that, as a king, he might be\nenthroned and bear rule in her; and in this consists the excellency of man\nabove all other creatures, that his soul is the throne, the image, and\nhabitation of God. Greater honor than this no creature is capable of\nreceiving; therefore man is the most excellent of all, and is infinitely\nindebted to the Author and Giver of such inestimable benefits.\n\n\n\nChapter X.\n\n\n        Of The Wisdom Which God Has Shown In The Formation Of Man.\n\n\n    _O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them\n    all._\u2014PS. 104:24.\n\n\nThere are three orders in the natural body. The first is to the body the\nsame that the husbandmen and laborers are to the state; being employed in\nraising the appetite, digesting and concocting the food, separating the\njuices, and in all the other inferior offices of the animal economy. This\nlower faculty works night and day, for the security and preservation of\nthe others. For such is the constitution of human bodies, that if the\nlower faculties be out of order, or cease to operate, the superior, which\ndepend upon them, cannot subsist.\n\n2. The next faculty is the sensitive, diversified by the five perceptions\nof seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling, which are all more or\nless noble, the one than the other. The sight is more noble than the\nhearing, because objects are seen at a much greater distance than they are\nheard. The hearing is more noble than the taste, as being capable of\nexerting itself at a greater distance. And for the same reason, the taste\nand smelling are more noble than the feeling, which is the weakest and\nlowest of all.\n\n3. The third order, which is the highest and most noble of all, answers to\nthe government in the state, and is divided into the reason, the will, and\nthe memory. These govern and command the faculties, having each a function\ndistinct from the rest. These are not corporeal, as the others, but\nstrictly mental faculties; and are, therefore, more noble and excellent.\nBesides which, they are also endued with that perfect liberty, that they\ncannot be compelled to anything. For who can force the will to desire that\nfor which it has no mind; or to hate that which it loves? The will is\naltogether free, and cannot be forced. These are clothed with virtues\nproper to each of them; as the will with righteousness; the understanding\nwith wisdom; the memory with eloquence, etc. This is the economy settled\nby God in human nature.\n\n\n\nChapter XI.\n\n\n              Of The Obligations Man Lies Under Towards God.\n\n\n    _What hast thou that thou didst not receive?_\u20141 COR. 4:7.\n\n\nThere are two very general and comprehensive favors, for which man is\nexceedingly obliged to God; the one visible and corporeal, which is this\nworld; the other spiritual and invisible, which is the love of God.\n\n2. And though this latter is indeed the first, as being the foundation of\nall his other blessings, which are no more than infinite rivulets flowing\nfrom this universal fountain of divine love; yet, because it is invisible,\nthe folly of man hardly considers it as any mercy at all. So that man,\nbeing delighted only with visible things, does not regard or consider that\nthe love which is concealed under them, is greater and better than the\nthings themselves. In a word, as smoke is a sign of fire, so are the\nblessings of God a certain proof of his love towards us.\n\n3. Since, then, the gifts and blessings of God are, as it were, certain\nsteps by which to mount up to God himself, it follows, that his love is as\ngreat as his gifts are; and as he made the whole world for the sake of\nman, and formed all creatures for his use, and regards them only as they\nserve and minister to his beloved creature, man; as he has exalted and\nloved him above all creatures, and as this love of God is the most\nsincere, pure, safe, and in a word, the highest good, which prompted him\nto form and love man, not for any advantage which He was to reap from him,\nbut out of the overflowings of his free grace and boundless love; from all\nthese considerations, I say, it is plain that man is more indebted to God\nfor this love, than for all the particular gifts and favors that God can\nbestow, and man receive.\n\n4. There are two things to be considered in every favor: the love that\nprecedes and influences the giver, and the gift itself, which is the\nconsequence of that love. The former is not only more noble and valuable\nthan the latter, but is in all respects equal to the person that shows it.\nHence, it follows, that the love of God is as infinitely good and great as\nGod himself. This confirms the position first laid down, that man is more\nobliged to God for his love, than for any or all of his particular graces\nand favors. And as man cannot subsist a moment without the favor and mercy\nof God (for on Him his breath and life entirely depend), it is plain that\nhis obligations to God are greater than those of all the creatures\nbesides.\n\n\n\nChapter XII.\n\n\n        Of Answering The Obligations Which Man Lies Under To God.\n\n\n    _I will love thee, O Lord, my strength._\u2014PS. 18:1.\n\n\nAs God has freely and graciously bestowed all his gifts and blessings on\nman, he thereby obliges him to make some satisfaction and return for all\nthese mercies. Now man can offer and dedicate nothing unto God, but what\nis entirely in his own power; so that all his outward goods and riches,\nare not a proper offering for God.\n\n2. But as God has bestowed on him his greatest blessing, which is his\nlove, so he expects to be requited with love again. And as the love of God\nto man is in the highest degree of perfection, so the love that he\nrequires from us ought to be perfect, \u201cwith all our heart, with all our\nsoul, with all our mind, and with all our strength.\u201d Mark 12:30. And how\njust this return is, both nature and reason may convince us. For nothing\nis more natural and reasonable than to love them that love us, and to\nproportion our love to theirs; whosoever does not this, is ungrateful and\nunworthy of that love which he refuses to requite. And when God does not\nmeet with this reciprocal love from man, as he very seldom does, he has\nthen just reason to complain of injustice and ingratitude; for he requires\nnothing from man but love, in return for all that infinite love and mercy\nwhich he has shown to him.\n\n3. Moreover, such is the nature of love, so sweet, so pure, so free, and\nso acceptable is it, that neither fear, nor honor, nor any other thing, is\ngood or desirable, but as it is sweetened with love. No man ever was so\ngreat, as to despise the love of his inferiors; but the greater a man is,\nthe more does he court the love and esteem of those below him. Yea, so\ntrue is this, that God himself, the most mighty and excellent of all\nbeings, is so far from despising the love of mankind, that he earnestly\ncourts and desires it. This then being certain, that love is the greatest\ntreasure any man has, he is obliged to offer it to God, who has bestowed\nthe fulness of his love upon man.\n\n4. By what I have here advanced I would not be understood to mean that\nthis perfect love, since the fall, is wholly in our own power, or that by\nit we can make a perfect return to God for all his benefits. My only\ndesign is to show that we are convinced in our own consciences, not only\nfrom the Word of God, but also from the light of nature, that we ought to\nlove God as he has loved us.\n\n\n\nChapter XIII.\n\n\n      Showing That God\u2019s Love Appears In All His Works, Even In His\n                              Chastisements.\n\n\n    _He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us\n    according to our iniquities._\u2014PS. 103:10.\n\n\nAs love is the root and principle of all the divine acts and operations,\nit follows that even afflictions, which are the work of God, proceed from\nlove, and ought to be received by man as instances of God\u2019s favor. For\nlove is the root of all the operations of God.\n\n2. Hence no man ought to murmur against God when He corrects him, or\nrepine at His chastisements, or quarrel with His judgments. Our sufferings\nare not chargeable upon God, but upon ourselves. It would become us much\nbetter to bear his corrections without remitting our love towards him;\neven as he punishes us, and yet tenderly loves us still. This would be a\ntrue instance and proof of the sincerity of our love to God.\n\n3. And though there is no proportion between the love of God towards man,\nand the love which the most perfect Christian bears to God, the one being\ninfinite and the other finite; yet is it our duty continually to aim at\nthe highest degrees attainable by us. We should endeavor that our love may\nbe holy, pure, sincere, and persevering, even in the midst of sufferings\nand afflictions; as the love of God towards us is ardent, pure,\nunchangeable, and everlasting, even whilst he punishes and afflicts us for\nour sins. If we do not this, we are the most ungrateful of all his\ncreatures; every one of which, in its order and capacity, answers the\ntranscendent love of God with a pure love and obedience.\n\n\n\nChapter XIV.\n\n\n      Showing How, And On What Account, Man Is Obliged To Love God.\n\n\n    _If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it\n    would utterly be contemned._\u2014CANT. 8:7.\n\n\nHitherto we have distinctly considered the obligations that man lies under\nto God; which is a doctrine founded upon that natural relation that is\nbetween the giver and the receiver; and this is, as it were, a perpetual\nlight of nature, to direct us to the several branches of our duty to God.\nFor as God has bestowed freely upon man everything that he possesses\n(whence the obligation arises), it plainly follows that man is obliged to\noffer up and restore unto God all that he has received from him. On the\nother hand, if God had given nothing, and man received nothing, there\nwould have then been no obligation, nor any rule or measure of duty.\n\n2. But as the love of God is the first and chief benefit which he has\nbestowed on man; so it is but just and reasonable that he who has so loved\nus should be loved by us again. Man, then, has nothing from himself, nor\nfrom others originally, but all things from God; and by consequence, is\nobliged solely to God. And this obligation cannot otherwise be discharged\nthan by loving him entirely with all our hearts and with all our strength.\n\n3. Lastly, as man continually depends upon God for his life and being; as\nhe continually enjoys His favors and blessings, and, by His command and\norder, the service and assistance of the creatures; nothing less can be\nexpected from so dependent a being, than love to Him who has so generously\nand bountifully blessed him.\n\n\n\nChapter XV.\n\n\nShowing That All The Creatures Continually Remind Us Of The Love Which We\n                               Owe To God.\n\n\n    _Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her\n    voice?_\u2014PROV. 8:1.\n\n\nAs God has loved man above all the creatures, or, to speak more properly,\nhas loved him only, having created them all for his sake; so this\nperpetual love of God calls upon us, and exhorts us to love him with all\nour hearts; yea, all the creatures of the universe, whilst by God\u2019s\ncommand they serve us, and minister to our necessities, do, as it were,\nwith united voices call aloud, and put us in mind of the natural\nobligations we are under to magnify and adore, to serve and love so\ngracious a Benefactor, and that freely and willingly; even as they, by\nGod\u2019s command, freely and cheerfully assist and minister to us.\n\n2. And as their love and service to us are not false and hypocritical, but\nsincere and faithful; so ought ours to be to our Creator. As they employ\ntheir whole strength night and day to serve us; so ought we night and day\nto be diligent and earnest in the service of God. As all the creatures, in\ntheir order, serve and minister to man alone; so ought all the powers of\nour souls and bodies to be employed solely in the service of God. And as\nthe greatest natural pleasure which man has in this world, arises from the\nuse and enjoyment of the creatures; so nothing is more acceptable to God\nthan the sincere services of a devout soul; nothing delights him more than\nlove, arising from a lively faith in Christ, operating in a free and\nwilling spirit. From what has been said, it is plain that the creatures\nexhort and instruct mankind to love God: 1. With all their strength; 2.\nFreely and willingly; 3. Heartily and sincerely; 4. Solely and entirely.\n\n\n\nChapter XVI.\n\n\n    A General Rule, Teaching Us How To Answer Our Obligations To God.\n\n\n    _Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant\n    fruits._\u2014CANT. 4:16.\n\n\nAs the creatures are appointed by God to obey man; so man is obliged to\nlove God, and in this the creatures are our monitors. Thus the trees\nfurnish us with ripe, sweet, perfect, and pleasant fruits; which, if they\nwere unripe, sour, or rotten, nobody would taste or care for. So it is not\nsufficient for man to offer his service, his love, fear, and honor unto\nGod, unless they be genuine and perfect in their kind, being made\nacceptable unto God through Christ and in Christ, by the Holy Ghost, who\nproduces in us all true and perfect fruits. This then is the great end for\nwhich we must labor, by faith and prayer, that we may bring forth fruits\nacceptable to God: like the trees which spend the whole twelve months of\nthe year in laboring to produce fruits wholesome and pleasant to the\neater; for God will no more accept our unripe, sour, or bitter works, than\nwe ourselves would relish sour and unripe fruits.\n\n2. Moreover, as the trees serve us, and naturally provide for our pleasure\nand benefit; so is it our duty to serve God \u201cout of a pure heart, and of a\ngood conscience, and of faith unfeigned\u201d (1 Tim. 1:5), without hypocrisy\nand sinister designs, that both we and our works may be acceptable in his\nsight. In a word, that universal rule which holds in nature, must\nnecessarily be transferred to our love and duty to God, namely, that a man\nought never to cease from laboring, till he has brought forth fruits\nacceptable to God: on the other hand, that all superstition, will-worship,\nand hypocrisy, are as hateful and abominable in the sight of God, as\nunripe or rotten fruits are to us.\n\n\n\nChapter XVII.\n\n\n     Showing That The Christian Who Loves Not God Is Without Excuse.\n\n\n    _This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his\n    commandments are not grievous._\u20141 JOHN 5:3.\n\n\nAs God has implanted in every man a faculty of willing or desiring, which\nwe call the will, which is also the seat of love, both which mutually\ndepend on each other; and as man knows that the chief Good is to be loved\nby him, and that God is that chief Good; hence it follows, that he alone\nhas a natural knowledge both that he ought to love God, and also of the\nreasons that oblige him to it.\n\n2. For as brute creatures are fond of their benefactors; so man is under\nthe highest obligations to love God, from whom he has received all that he\nhas; and if he do not, he is more stupid and ungrateful than the beasts\nthat perish. Rom. 12:9; Isa. 1:3. Moreover, as it is the nature of love to\nexclude all weariness and sadness (which are the effects of hatred and\ndispleasure), and to sweeten and soften all the labors and difficulties\nthat may attend the service of the person beloved (1 Cor. 13:4, etc.); so\nwe are obliged to express our love to God, by all possible tokens of\nsatisfaction and joy; since love is the happiness and comfort of our\nsouls. And in this appear the kindness and love of God towards man, that\nhe does not exact of us a hard, severe, and painful service; but only the\nsweet, the joyful, the comfortable exercise of love. Love casts out fear,\nanguish, and torment; otherwise it ceases to be love. Love conquers all\ndifficulties, and drives away all sorrow, filling the soul with joy and\ngladness; so that if we love not God, we are without excuse.\n\n3. By this I do not mean, that man, since the fall, can by his own\nstrength and power, perfectly love God as he ought; but to show that every\nman is convinced in his own conscience, that he ought to love him as well\nas he can; that he who does not, is worse than the beasts; and that both\nnature and religion oblige us thereto.\n\n\n\nChapter XVIII.\n\n\n     Showing That Our Duty To God Tends To Promote Our Own Happiness.\n\n\n    _By thy commandments is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them\n    there is great reward._\u2014PS. 19:11.\n\n\nHaving sufficiently proved, in the first and second Chapters, that God is\nan absolute, infinite, and superabundant Good, having all perfection in\nand of himself, and receiving no benefit from the service and worship of\nthe creature; it follows, that all our religious services, as they cannot\nbe enjoined without a purpose, so they must tend directly to _our_ benefit\nand advantage. All the time and pains, therefore, which we spend in the\nservice of God, are really and truly laid out in the service of ourselves.\n\n2. For so great are the kindness and love of God towards men, that He has\npointed out to them the path of love, that they might walk in it, and\ndrink plentifully of the waters of life. O the boundless love of God, who\nhas made even our duty to be our happiness!\n\n3. But here we must not think that we can merit anything by the services\nwhich we pay to Him; for, in truth, all the blessings that we receive\neither in this life or the next, are solely owing to the free grace and\nfavor of God. The sense and meaning of this Chapter then is this: that the\nvirtues or vices of men are neither profitable nor hurtful unto God, but\nonly unto themselves.\n\n\n\nChapter XIX.\n\n\n The Service Which The Creatures Render To Man, Compared With That Which\n                           Man Renders To God.\n\n\n    _My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life\n    unto thy soul._\u2014PROV. 3:21, 22.\n\n\nAs we have already shown that there are two sorts of services; one which\nthe creatures render to man, and the other which men render to God, both\ntending to the sole happiness of man; it remains now that we show the\nresemblance and relation that subsists between them. As for the service of\nthe creatures, it is not in the power of man to make any retribution for\nthe good they do us (for everything that we have is God\u2019s): nor indeed is\nit fit to do this, because all the goodness of the creatures is no more\nthan a little stream of divine goodness, flowing to us through them; and\nto Him alone, the Author and Fountain of all good, all our love and\ngratitude are due. So then, though a man cannot subsist one moment without\nthe assistance of the creatures, yet are they not the proper objects of\nour love, but God alone; who, by their services, endeavors to oblige and\ndraw us to a reciprocal love and service to himself. For what advantage is\nit to us, to live by the help of the creatures, unless we live unto God.\n\n2. This then is the intention of God: to instruct us, by the cheerful\nservices which the creatures pay to us, how cheerfully we ought to love,\nto serve, and obey him. For as man cannot live without the help of the\ncreatures, such as the air and universal nature; so he spiritually dies\nunto God whenever he ceases to obey him and to live in Christ. Moreover,\nas the life of man is nothing worth, if it be not godly and devout; so the\nservice of the creatures profits him nothing, if he also be not active and\ncheerful in the service of God. And as the natural life is nothing, when\ncompared with a life of godliness and devotion; so the service we pay to\nGod, profits us much more than all the service the creatures pay to us.\n\n3. Nay, he that serveth not God, is not worthy of the service of the\ncreatures; for as they were made for the service of man, so man was made\nfor the service of God; and all the duty they pay to us, is only to\nencourage us in our duty to our Maker. When this end is not answered, we\nmay not only be said to use the creatures in vain, but to abuse them. The\nend of all that has been said, is this: that as God has commanded the\ncreatures to contribute to the support of our natural life, he thereby\ninstructs us to devote and dedicate that life entirely to His honor and\nservice.\n\n\n\nChapter XX.\n\n\n               All Things Are Preserved By The Hand Of God.\n\n\n    _The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but\n    his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake\n    him._\u2014EZRA 8:22.\n\n\nAs man, the noblest of the creatures, cannot subsist one moment without\nthe help of those that are much inferior to himself; it follows, that\ntheir being, and the qualities by which they help and assist us, are\nentirely owing to God. Whosoever denies this, must believe that they who\nwant not our help, must be more worthy than we, who cannot subsist without\ntheirs.\n\n2. But the more natural conclusion would be, that if man cannot subsist\nwithout their help, they who are so much more ignoble than he, must\nlikewise depend on some superior being for their support and preservation.\nBut as He that supports the creatures, also supports mankind by their\nmeans, it is plain, that he can be nothing less than the Creator and Maker\nof all things. For nothing can preserve our being, but he that gave it,\nand that is God, who ordained the creatures for our sakes, and man for his\nown.\n\n\n\nChapter XXI.\n\n\n  Showing That From The Service Of Man And The Creatures, A Union Takes\n              Place Between The Visible World, Man, And God.\n\n\n    _Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art\n    great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O\n    king of nations?_\u2014JEREM. 10:6, 7.\u2014_If then I be a father, where is\n    mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear?_\u2014MAL. 1:6.\n\n\nLet us now consider and admire the wonderful union of all the creatures\nwith God, by that double service of which we have spoken. For as all the\ncreatures were made for the use of man, thence arises a certain relation\nor union between man and them; as there is by our duty and service to God,\nbetween us and him. For as God intended to draw man to himself by the\ncords of love, so he commanded all the creatures to do service unto man,\nas being created for his use alone; and this is a strong obligation upon\nus to love, serve, and honor _him_.\n\n2. Hence we may learn, that all the duty they pay to us, or we to God,\ntends solely to the good and benefit of man. As for the other creatures,\nthey reap no benefit or advantage from their several labors and services,\nbut only that every one is looked upon to be more or less excellent, in\nproportion to the service they respectively do to man. So likewise God\nreceives no advantage from our services to him; but the greater love any\nman has for God, the more noble he is, and the greater benefit he\nreceives. Whence it appears, how wonderfully this twofold service unites\nthe creatures to man, and man to God,\n\n3. And would to God that the bond of union which is between God and man,\nwere as strong as that which is between man and the creatures! They are\nincessantly employed in the service of man, and never act in a manner\ncontrary to this design of their creation; but man, on the other hand,\nbursts the yoke, and breaks the bonds of duty which God has laid upon him,\ndebasing himself below the beasts, though so much more noble than they.\nNow if the laws of nature and reason require the creatures to be obedient\nto man, as their lord, how much more just and reasonable is it, that man\nshould be obedient unto God? For as the soul is much more noble than the\nbody, so is the inward and spiritual service of God much more excellent\nthan that external and bodily service of the creatures. And thus by the\nduty and service of man to his Maker, are all the creatures united unto\nGod, and perfected in charity, that they may not be created in vain.\n\n\n\nChapter XXII.\n\n\n   From The Love Which We Owe To God, Proceeds That Which We Owe To Our\n                                Neighbor.\n\n\n    _This commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love\n    his brother also._\u20141 JOHN 4:21.\n\n\nAs we have already shown above, that our love is entirely due to God, and\nthat this is the first and chief obligation upon us; hence it follows,\nthat it would be highly unjust to alienate that love from him, and fix it\nupon any other object. As God has appropriated all his love to us, so\nought we entirely to consecrate ours to him. For though the creatures\nindeed do us good, yet they are only agents, and, in truth, _God_ does us\ngood by their means, forasmuch as he supports, enables, and commands them\nto minister to our necessities. Whence it follows, that man also, being a\ncreature of God, appointed to minister to his neighbor, if he does him any\nservice, ought not to claim any honor or love for himself, which are due\nto God alone.\n\n2. But as man is obliged to love God above all things, so he is thereby\nbound to unite his will and love with the will and love of God, and to\nlove all mankind as created in the image of God, as freely and sincerely\nas God himself loves them. And he that saith he loves God, and loves not\nhis brother, created in the image of God, is a liar, and the truth is not\nin him; for every one that truly loveth God, will love his brother also.\n\n\n\nChapter XXIII.\n\n\n                     Man Is Made In The Image Of God.\n\n\n    _And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our\n    likeness._\u2014GEN. 1:26.\n\n\nAll the creatures, in their different orders and degrees of subordination,\nmay be said to imitate their Maker. Those beings that are endued with life\nand sense come nearer to him than the vegetable; the rational, than the\nirrational. As, then, all the creatures in their order seem respectively\nto approach nearer and nearer unto God, and man is the end and perfection\nof them all, it follows, that he must be in the highest degree of\nconformity and likeness unto God.\n\n2. For as the wax represents the perfect impression of the seal, so God\nhas fixed a stamp or impression of himself upon all creatures; but to man,\nbefore his fall, he gave his own image and the brightness of that glory,\nwhich the rest of the creatures partake of in lower degrees. Thus it\nappears from the orders of created beings, that man was entirely created\nafter the image of God. And as God is a pure spirit, a holy, just, and\nunderstanding mind, so there is in man a spiritual and understanding soul,\nin which the brightness and glory of the divine image shone and manifested\nitself.\n\n\n\nChapter XXIV.\n\n\n           That Man Is Obliged To Love His Neighbor As Himself.\n\n\n    _He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love._\u20141 JOHN\n    4:8.\n\n\nAs we were all originally created in the image of God, and he is\nendeavoring to restore in us this lost image by the Holy Spirit, and to\nsave us in Jesus Christ, it follows, that we ought to love our neighbors,\nand look upon them not as aliens and strangers, but as our kindred and\nbrethren, having all received from the same God and Father, our life, and\nbreath, and all things. We ought to regard them with the same affection\nthat we do ourselves, that so the image of God, renewed in us by Christ,\nmay not suffer by our fault. Since, then, there is but one image of God in\nus all, and we have but one Redeemer and one Holy Spirit, how strong ought\nthe bond of love and unity to be betwixt those who represent but one great\nbody, and where all are members one of another? For as our Maker justly\nclaims the first place in our love, so the second is certainly due to them\nthat are created in his image. And because this image resides more\nparticularly in the soul, we are thereby obliged to wish as well to the\nsouls of our neighbors as to our own; so then every man is bound to love\nhis neighbor as to love his God, and that is a necessary consequence of\nthis. For as God has loved man from all eternity, and still continues to\nlove us, by providing plentifully for all the wants of soul and body; he\ndesigns thereby, as with the cords of love, to draw us to himself, and to\nteach us that as he loves us, so ought we also to love one another.\n\n2. Moreover, as religion or the worship of God regards chiefly the good\nand benefit of the worshipper, it follows, that the love of our neighbor,\nwhich arises from our love of God, necessarily tends to the same end. Or\nshall we say that the image of God in man is profitable to the giver, and\nnot to the receiver? Lastly, as the love of God and of our neighbor is the\nfirst and chief duty of man, it must of necessity be also his chief and\ngreatest good; yea, the root and fountain of all the blessings which he\ncan possibly enjoy; so that nothing can strictly be called good to him,\nthat proceeds from any other principle. The more, therefore, we increase\nand improve in the love of God and of our neighbor, the more do we improve\nin blessedness and happiness.\n\n\n\nChapter XXV.\n\n\n All Mankind Are To Be Considered As One Man, Or As Being Many Members Of\n                             One Great Body.\n\n\n    _Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do\n    we deal treacherously every man against his brother?_\u2014MAL. 2:10.\n\n\nAs all the creatures, the fire, air, earth, water, sun, moon, and stars,\nequally and without any respect of persons, serve and minister to mankind,\ndoing the same service to the poor as to the rich; to the peasants as to\nthe citizens; to him that labors for his bread, as to him that sitteth on\nthe throne; by this God teaches us to look upon our neighbor as part of\nourselves, and all of us together as making up but one man. And as he has\ncommanded all the creatures to pay honor and obedience to man, he designs\nthereby to instruct us that we are the image of God, and ought to live in\na constant imitation of him.\n\n2. If we do not this, and accept not the service of the creatures with\nthanksgiving, we are unworthy of the least service from them. Now as the\ncreatures pay equal service to all men, solely on account of the image of\nGod which they bear, how much more incumbent is it upon us to love and\nhonor our neighbor, as bearing that divine image. So that the creatures\nthemselves instruct us by their example in the duties which we owe to one\nanother; for as they regard all mankind but as one man, so ought we to do\nlikewise.\n\n3. Lastly, forasmuch as all of us enjoy the love and favor of the same\nGod; are all equally created in the same image; as the love of God is\nuniversal to us all, and his blessings equally bestowed on all; as we all\nlabor under the same necessities, and stand in need of the same mercies,\nand are obliged to pay him the same duty and service; as we are all\npartakers of the same nature, and bear the same name (for the poorest and\nmeanest is as truly a man as the greatest); as we all receive an equal\ntribute of service from the creatures; and, as it is appointed for us all\nonce to die; upon all these accounts we are, each one, obliged to love our\nneighbors as ourselves, and promote peace, unity, and charity among\nourselves.\n\n4. From all that has been said, it appears, that there is a twofold\nbrotherhood among men: First, as we are all the creatures of God, and owe\nto him our being, and all the comforts and supports of it, as well as the\nother creatures; and secondly, as we are distinguished from the rest of\nthe creatures, and have a closer and more heavenly relation one to\nanother, being all created in the image and likeness of God. But there is\nyet a much more noble brotherhood discovered to us in the Gospel, by which\nwe are all brethren of, and in, the Lord Jesus Christ, and members of his\nspiritual body under Him, our Head, of whose fulness we all receive our\ndifferent measures and proportions of grace. Ephes. 1:23.\n\n\n\nChapter XXVI.\n\n\n            Charity, The Foundation Of The Greatest Strength.\n\n\n    _Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of\n    peace._\u2014EPH. 4:3.\n\n\nAs the greatest strength arises from concord, and the greatest weakness\nfrom discord; it follows, that the closer this concord is, the greater\nwill the strength be. But in order to be united among ourselves, it is\nnecessary that we begin first with being united unto God. The closer our\nunion is with God, the stronger will it be with our neighbors. For it is\nimpossible that he who is sincerely and heartily united to God by love,\nshould hate his neighbor, whom God so sincerely loves. Yea, the more\nardently any man loves God, the more tenderly will he love his neighbor;\nand the more he loves him, the closer will he be united to him.\n\n2. Upon the diminution or increase of our charity, therefore, depends the\ndecay or increase of our union; and when both are perfect, the strength\narising from them is invincible. Whence it plainly appears, that when men\nlove God, they must of necessity love one another, and are thereby united\nin a perfect bond of union and peace. But when once they come to forget\nGod, and to care for nobody but themselves, then faction and discord\narise, which end in ruin and confusion. Here we see the advantages of\nconcord, and the many public and private blessings that flow thence; and\nhow all the miseries that attend confusion and discord, rob us of those\nblessings, which every single person may enjoy in the safety and peace of\nthe public. In a word, so great are the benefits of this universal love of\nGod and man, that so long as it is preserved, no power can destroy or hurt\nus.\n\n3. Hitherto we have been ascending by gradual steps, from the lowest\ncreatures to God, our chief Good, being taught and convinced by the\ncreatures, of the obligations under which we are to love and worship God.\nHence we descend again from the Creator to the creature; that is, from the\nlove of our Creator, to the love of the creatures.\n\n\n\nChapter XXVII.\n\n\n              Of The Nature, Properties, And Fruits Of Love.\n\n\n    _Take heed that the light which is in thee be not darkness._\u2014LUKE\n    11:35.\n\n\nThat nothing is properly our own but our love, is too plain to need any\nproof. Hence, if our love be good, and rightly applied, our hearts and the\ntreasures that are in them, are good likewise; but if otherwise, then we\nourselves and all that we have, are evil. It is our love only that makes\nus either good or bad. And as, when our love is right and duly placed,\nthere can be nothing better; so, when it is otherwise, there can be\nnothing worse.\n\n2. And, since we can call nothing our own but our love, it follows, that\non whatsoever being we place our love, to that we dedicate ourselves and\nall that we have. Whensoever we abuse or misapply our love, we throw away\nand lose all that we have. So then, if all our goodness consist in the\nrectitude of our love, and all our evil in the misapplying of it; it\nfollows, that virtue itself is nothing else but our love, truly and\nproperly placed; and vice nothing else but a perverse and irregular love.\nWhosoever considers these properties of love, cannot be ignorant wherein\nthe greatest good, and the greatest evil of man, consist.\n\n\n\nChapter XXVIII.\n\n\n Love Unites Him Who Loves With The Person Loved, And Transforms Into The\n                               Same Nature.\n\n\n    _God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and\n    God in him._\u20141 JOHN 4:16.\n\n\nLove unites itself to the beloved object, because it is the nature of love\nto communicate itself willingly and freely to every person or being that\nis disposed to receive it. For love is a free gift, and cannot be obtained\nby force. And as it is the nature of a gift, to be entirely in the power\nof him to whom the last owner gave it; so our love is entirely\nappropriated to him on whom we have bestowed it, so that we truly give up\nourselves to that thing on which we fix our love. Thus the beloved is\nunited with the lover, and they two become one, not by constraint or\nforce, but freely, willingly, and joyfully: and so he who loves is made\none with the thing beloved, and love takes its denomination from its\nobject. Hence we read of _carnal_ love, _earthly_ love, and _divine_ love,\neach taking its name and character from the objects on which it is fixed.\nThus then every man has it in his power to be changed with freedom and\nease into a being more noble than himself.\n\n2. Moreover, as the will, without controversy, undergoes a change in love,\nand every change ought to be from an ignoble to a more noble state of\nbeing (as we see the elements are changed into plants and herbs, and these\ninto the flesh of living creatures, and they again into the substance of\nhuman bodies), it would, therefore, be unnatural to fix our love upon,\nand, consequently, to be united and changed into, anything that is meaner\nthan ourselves, but rather upon God, the best and supreme Being; to whom,\naccording to the order of nature, our love and will ought to be united.\nThus we hear, as it were, the whole creation calling to us, and putting us\nin mind of the supreme excellency of God; upon which account He, and He\nalone, is worthy of our love.\n\n\n\nChapter XXIX.\n\n\n Nothing Is Worthy Of Our Love, But That Which Can Make Us More Noble And\n                                  Pure.\n\n\n    _Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world._\u20141\n    JOHN 2:15.\n\n\nAs our love is the most noble present we can make, and has a power of\nchanging our will into the nature of the thing beloved, so that we are\nunder the control of that which we heartily love; it follows, that we act\nmeanly and unworthily, when we give to anything that is vile and earthly,\nthe power of enslaving our will, which is a spiritual faculty, and,\nconsequently, more noble than anything corporeal: and that he is very\nunhappy and foolish, who places his love on his body, and the\ngratifications of sense, for instance, on his furniture, equipage, houses,\nand estates; all which debase the soul, and can yield it no satisfaction\nin trouble, no comfort in the hour of death, or in the day of judgment.\nNothing can do this but God, who is the highest and chief Good, and alone\nis worthy of our love.\n\n2. We must not, therefore, waste our love on anything that is not sensible\nof the honor we pay it, nor able to make us a worthy return for it, much\nless on things that corrupt and debase it, making it earthly, sensual, and\nunprofitable. On the other hand, as God loves us above all creatures, he\ndeserves a suitable love from us; and that not only as he raises and\nennobles our love, but as he requites us with his own, which is infinite,\nuncreated and eternal.\n\n\n\nChapter XXX.\n\n\nOur Chief Love Is Due To God, As The First And Last, The Beginning And The\n                            End Of All Things.\n\n\n    _He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are\n    judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is\n    he._\u2014DEUT. 32:4.\n\n\nNot only the universal voice of nature, but our own consciences also bear\nwitness that our chief and highest love is due to God. 1. Because he is\nour chief and eternal Good. 2. Because not only man, but all other\ncreatures derive their being from him. 3. Because the love and goodness of\nGod are conveyed unto man by all the creatures. Whence it follows, that\nGod, who is the fountain of goodness and love, deserves to be loved by us\nmore than any creature, yea, than all the creatures put together; they\nbeing no more than means or instruments of conveying to us the\ntranscendent and eternal love of God. So that our love is never true,\nright, regular, or reasonable, but when it is fixed upon God; which may be\nproperly called the rectitude of our will.\n\n2. On the other hand, when self-love predominates, and a man makes all his\nlove centre upon himself, that love is unnatural, preposterous, unjust,\nand irregular, a direct opposition to God, and the root and seed of all\nsin and iniquity. For what can be more unjust and ungrateful than to\nwithdraw our love from God, who alone has a right to it, and to fix it\nupon ourselves or upon any creature? This, in short, is the highest\ninjustice, and the highest violation of the laws of nature, as well as of\nGod.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXI.\n\n\nHe Who Principally Loves Himself, Actually Sets Up Himself In God\u2019s Stead.\n\n\n    _O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion\n    of faces._\u2014DAN. 9:7.\u2014_Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto\n    thy name give glory._\u2014PS. 115:1.\n\n\nAs God is the beginning and end of all things, so the first and chief love\nof man is due to him. And whosoever transfers it to any other object,\nreally and truly makes that his god; which is the greatest affront that\ncan be offered to his divine Majesty. For as it is the nature of love to\nunite the lover with the thing beloved, so the fixing of our love upon any\ncreature separates and alienates us from the Creator. Whosoever\nprincipally loves himself, certainly loves everything else solely for his\nown sake; which he ought to love purely for the sake of God; and so all\nhis love is founded in and upon himself, which ought to be fixed entirely\nupon God.\n\n2. Hence he is employed in doing his own will instead of God\u2019s; he usurps\nGod\u2019s right; attempts to invade his kingdom; sets up an authority in\nopposition to God\u2019s kingdom; and actually rebels against his Maker and his\nGod.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXII.\n\n\nLove To God, The Source Of All That Is Good; Self-Love, The Source Of All\n                                  Evil.\n\n\n    _O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine\n    help._\u2014HOS. 13:9.\n\n\nLove is the efficient cause of all things; and as there are two sorts of\nlove, the love of God and the love of ourselves, and as these are directly\nopposite to each other, it follows, that the one must be extremely good,\nand the other extremely evil. But forasmuch as it is plain that the\npreference is to be given to divine love, it follows, that this alone is\ngood. For the love of God is a divine seed in us, from which no evil, but\nall good things proceed. This love unites itself to its object, which is\nGod, its chief, its only Good, in whom it rests, triumphs, and rejoices,\neven as God does in it. For joy and pleasure arise from love, as we learn\nin Psalm 18:1, 2. This spreads itself over all the world, and, like God,\nits author and object, communicates and bestows itself upon every worthy\nreceiver. And truly, as love finds all things in God, and is happy in the\nenjoyment of him, it stands in need of no creature.\n\n2. But as from divine love proceeds nothing but good, so from self-love\nproceeds nothing but evil. This is the root of all the iniquity, sin,\nblindness, ignorance, and misery, of which human nature is capable. By\nthis a man makes his own will his god; and, as the true God is the\nfountain of all good, so this false god, this vain idol, our self-will, is\nthe fountain of all evil. Moreover, as the creatures which we are so fond\nof, are made out of nothing, and are so weak and uncertain that they are\nalways tending to their original state, and, in the meantime, are nothing\nbut poverty, misery, and sorrow; it follows, that as man is changed into\nthe nature of the thing which he loves, he must likewise partake of their\ninconstancy, their poverty, and misery, and can have no rest in the\nenjoyment of them. If the creature is vanity and sorrow, the heart that\ncleaves to the creature enters into its vanity, and must be partaker of\nits sorrow.\n\n3. Thus self-love, when it rules and is uppermost in men, makes them\nenemies to God, fills them with all iniquity, and brings them into\nsubjection to the creatures. As the love of God dilates and enlarges the\nsoul, so the love of ourselves contracts and straitens it, making it\nunjust, corrupt, proud, and covetous. As the love of God makes us quiet,\neasy, peaceable, and benevolent; so the love of ourselves makes us\nunquiet, turbulent, and ill-natured. As the love of God reinstates us in\nthe liberty of the sons of God; so self-love makes us slaves to the\ncreatures. The one gives us firmness and constancy of mind and will; the\nother makes us inconstant and changeable. The one makes a man courteous,\ncourageous, generous, and obliging; the other makes him sour, timorous,\nmean, and an enemy to everybody but himself.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIII.\n\n\n                Of The Love Of God, And The Love Of Self.\n\n\n    _The carnal mind is enmity against God._\u2014ROM. 8:7.\n\n\nAs it is plain that by the love of God, or the love of self, all the\nmotions and operations of our will are governed and directed, and that all\nother desires and inclinations have their birth and bias from them; it\nfollows, that upon them depends all our knowledge, either of good or evil.\nFor as the love of God is the principle by which we know and judge of all\nthe good that is in man; so self-love discovers to us all the evil. And\nwhosoever understands not what self-love is, knows not what evils there\nare in man; just as he that understands not the love of God, cannot know\nthe good that is in Him. For no man can judge of either good or evil who\nknows not the springs and fountains from which they flow. The love of God\nis a shining light, discovering to us not only itself, but its enemy,\nwhich is self-love; on the contrary, self-love is a thick darkness,\nblinding the eyes of men, that they cannot see the good or evil that is in\nthem. These, then, are the two roots of good and evil, which, whosoever is\nignorant of, cannot rightly judge of either.\n\n2. For as man consists of two parts, namely, soul and body; so in respect\nof one, he sets his heart upon honors, dignities, and preferments; whilst\nthe other tempts and draws him to fleshly and sensual pleasures. So that\nwhosoever thus loves himself, must be a slave either to honor or pleasure,\nwhich he looks upon as his greatest happiness, as gratifying that\ninclination to himself, which is uppermost in his heart. And from these\ntwo kinds of self-love spring many others, as various as are the means and\ninstruments of obtaining the honors, or fulfilling the lusts, which have\ntaken possession of our hearts. And these are chiefly three: 1. Pride, or\nan inclination to be eminent and popular in the world. 2. Pleasure and\nluxury, by which we indulge and gratify the flesh. 3. Covetousness, or an\ninordinate love of worldly things. Whosoever eagerly seeks honor, cannot\nbut hate everything and every person that stands in his way and hinders\nhis designs; whence proceed anger, revenge and envy of all those who are\npossessed of any advantages which we want, or which seem to eclipse or\nlessen the figure which we desire to make in the world. Hence also proceed\nindolence and sloth, and a mean fear of laboring or sufferings, both of\nwhich are ungrateful to flesh and blood. In a word, all sins and\niniquities proceed from this fruitful fountain of self-love.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIV.\n\n\n             Love To God, The Only Source Of Peace And Unity.\n\n\n    _Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of\n    perfectness._\u2014COL. 3:14.\n\n\nIf all men had an equal love for God, the supreme Good, they would then\nall be of one heart and of one mind, and the sincerity and unanimity which\nthey would manifest in the love of God, would cordially unite them to each\nother.\n\n2. But instead of this, every man loves himself, and pursues the\ninclinations of his own heart, so that hardly two can agree together. For\nas he whose heart is set upon honor, cannot but hate and envy every one\nthat is preferred before him; so from these different interests and\ninclinations, nothing can proceed but emulation, strife, and discord.\nMoreover, as he that pursues his own will, and courts the esteem of men,\nmakes himself his own god, there must by consequence be as many of these\nidols and false gods as there are proud, ambitious men in the world. Hence\narise envy, hatred, wars, and fightings, whilst every one is bent upon\nincreasing and defending his own grandeur, in opposition to that of his\nneighbors. Hence it plainly appears that as the love of God is the bond of\npeace and union; so self-love is the root and cause of all the discord and\ncontention that is in the world.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXV.\n\n\n                    Showing How We Ought To Love God.\n\n\n    _Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart,\n    and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned._\u20141 TIM. 1:5.\n\n\nThere is no better way of convincing a man than by appealing to his own\nconscience. There, as in a glass, we may read our duty much more plainly\nthan ten thousand teachers can instruct us. We have already shown that it\nis a point of natural equity to love God above all things, and that he who\ndoes otherwise, sets himself up as his own idol. And now, if any man\ndesire to know to what his duty to God obliges him, let him look into\nhimself, and examine his own heart, and conclude that whatsoever he would\nhave done for himself, _that_ he is obliged to do for God. Therefore, as\nself-love is natural to us all, we must reverse that, and offer to God\nthat which we unjustly arrogate to ourselves, by loving him as we have\nhitherto loved ourselves.\n\n2. Wherefore, as thou now lovest thine own will, and endeavorest to\ngratify it in all things, so thou must, for the future, prefer the will of\nGod to thine own will, and think it better to submit to God\u2019s good\npleasure than to humor and gratify thyself. Thou art in love with honor\nand esteem, and wouldest have everybody bow to thy superior merit and\ncharacter; turn now this inclination of thine, and apply it to promote the\nglory of God, and pray that all men may unite to do the same. As thou hast\nhitherto been angry with every one that has opposed thee in thy pursuits\nof glory, so oughtest thou now to oppose those that oppose the glory of\nGod.\n\n3. Whilst thy heart is full of self-love, thou art greedy of praise, and\nwouldest have everybody think and speak well of thee; do thou the same for\nGod; labor and pray that God may be glorified by all men, and that every\ncreature may praise and magnify His name. As thou art very industrious to\nbe thought a man of truth and honesty, and wouldest be very uneasy to be\ncounted a liar; so oughtest thou also cheerfully and industriously to\npropagate and vindicate the truth and veracity of God. From all which it\nappears that every man may read in the book of his own conscience the\nobligation he is under to love and honor God rather than himself.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVI.\n\n\n                  Divine Joy, The Fruit Of Divine Love.\n\n\n    _Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice._\u2014PS. 5:11.\n\n\nThe end and perfection of everything is the fruit it bears, or the effects\nit produces, which are as various as the seeds from whence they spring.\nTherefore, as there are two different seeds or roots in man, namely, the\nlove of God and the love of ourselves, which are diametrically opposite to\neach other; so likewise are the fruits which they produce. Now the end and\nfruit of all human actions is either joy or sorrow. Joy, as it is a good\nfruit, must necessarily proceed from a good root; and sorrow, being evil,\nmust proceed from an evil root; that is, in short, all true joy must\nproceed from the love of God, and all sorrow and anguish of mind from the\nlove of ourselves.\n\n2. For as all joy arises from love, and depends upon it, such as is the\n_love_, such also must be the _joy_. If the love be divine, the joy will\nbe divine; if earthly, the joy also will be earthly. Now so long as our\nhearts are united to God by true love, they cannot but rejoice and be\nhappy in him. This is a foretaste of eternal life, in which both our love\nand our joy shall be completed and perfected together. Therefore, as we\nshall there live eternally unto God, so our love also shall be eternal;\nand as our love shall be perfected, so it shall be united with a perfect,\nabsolute, infinite, and eternal good, being itself also perfect,\nunchangeable, constant, and eternal. And from a love so pure, immaculate,\nand heavenly, shall flow a river of joy, divine, pure, precious, full of\nrapture, full of grace, glory, and immortality.\n\n3. For eternal life itself is nothing but this eternal joy, with some\ndrops of which, faithful souls, even in this life, have been often\nrefreshed and comforted. This is the meaning of that passage in Canticles\n2:4, \u201cHe brought me to the banqueting-house: stay me with flagons, comfort\nme with apples.\u201d And whosoever has tasted of this joy, can have no relish\nfor worldly pleasures. But as that proceeds from the true love of God,\narising from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, it follows, that if we desire\nto obtain so great a good, and, by tasting some drops of this sweetness,\nto enjoy this earnest and foretaste of everlasting life, it must be\nobtained by a lively faith, operating by divine love. Whence St. Paul\ntells us that \u201cthe love of Christ passeth knowledge.\u201d Eph. 3:19.\n\n4. And as this divine love is not a thing _without_ us, but _within_ us,\nit follows that this does not depend upon our external goods or\npossessions, such as riches, honors, learning, meat, or drink, or any\nother outward blessing; but that all these things are contained _in it_.\nAnd as this love shall attain its full perfection in the other life, so\nthe peace and joy that flow from it, shall be perfect and everlasting.\nThis treasure a man shall have in himself, and no one shall take it from\nhim; he shall have a river of living pleasure rising up in himself,\nindependent of all external blessings and comforts. And as no man knoweth\nthis treasure, but he that has it; so he that has it, is in perfect ease;\nhe envies nobody, covets nothing, thirsts after nothing but the fulness\nand perfection of divine love.\n\n5. The first fruits of this treasure may be possessed by faithful souls\neven in this life, without lessening the reversion in the next life; yea,\nit rather increases and spreads itself to infinite degrees, so that though\nall mankind should unite together in this divine love, they would be no\nhinderance to each other, but would rather increase and improve their\nunited stock of love and joy. For the more earnestly any man loves God,\nthe greater is his joy. And if it be so in this world, how great shall our\njoy be in the next, when God shall pour out the fulness of his joy and\nlove upon his elect, and He himself shall be \u201call in all.\u201d 1 Cor. 15:28.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVII.\n\n\n                     Of The Evil Fruits Of Self-Love.\n\n\n    _Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: and let your laughter be\n    turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness._\u2014JAMES 4:9.\n\n\nAs true and divine joy proceeds from true and divine love, so nothing can\nproceed from false love but false joy. For as self-love aims at nothing,\ndelights in nothing but honors, riches, and sensual and worldly pleasures,\nall which are fading, perishing, and subject to a thousand casualties;\ntherefore the man whose heart is set upon them, cannot but be always\nfearful, apprehensive, and jealous of every accident that may deprive him\nof his happiness; so that his joys are never solid or lasting, but false\nand perishing, mixed with fears and cares, and ending in disappointment\nand sorrow. For as the seed is, such is the fruit.\n\n2. Now we have already shown, that self-love is corrupt, impure, unjust,\nabominable, and unnatural, the seed and root of all evil, the parent of\nweakness, blindness, error, and death. And the fruit or joy arising from\nit is of the same sort, unjust, impure, opposed to God, to our neighbor,\nand to all righteousness; it rejoices in iniquity, and contempt of God.\nAnd if it be a sin only to love anything which God hateth, how much more\ngrievous a sin must it be to delight and rejoice in it? Such a joy as\nthis, which is opposite to the nature of every creature, and contrary to\nthe nature and express will of God, cannot but end in everlasting sorrow,\ndeath, and darkness.\n\n3. For as divine joy brings us nearer and nearer to God; so carnal joy\ncarries us farther and farther from him. Divine joy makes us the friends\nof God; but worldly joy makes us his enemies. The former confirms and\nstrengthens the will in the love of God, makes the conscience easy,\ncheerful, and happy; the latter disquiets and torments the soul, making it\nturbulent, restless, and uneasy. That may be obtained without labor or\ncharge; this requires both, and all too little to support and secure it.\nThe one produces, improves, and preserves love, peace, and friendship\namong men; the other creates discord, contentions and quarrels, wars,\nviolence, and bloodshed. From the one all good, from the other all evil\nthings proceed. The one is a lively, salutary, and sober joy, full of\nvirtue, full of pleasure, and acceptable to God; the other is fleshly,\nvicious, dishonest, base, and hated of God. The one increases our devout\nlongings after God and goodness; the other inflames our corrupt desires.\nThat enlightens the understanding, filling it with divine light and\nwisdom; this darkens and blinds it, and fills it with ignorance and error.\nThat is true and substantial; this treacherous, deceitful, and false.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXVIII.\n\n\n    Everlasting Sorrow And Death, The End Of Self-Love And Carnal Joy.\n\n\n    _If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die._\u2014ROM. 8:13.\n\n\nAs we have already shown everlasting joy to be the genuine fruit of divine\nlove; it follows, that without that love, we cannot be partakers of the\njoy, but must sit down at the last in eternal anguish and distress. For\nwhen the condemned sinner comes to reflect and consider, that by his own\nfault, he has irrecoverably lost all the blessings of a happy eternity,\nhow great must his sorrow, how bitter must his grief be! Annihilation\nitself would be to him a blessing; but alas! he wishes for it in vain, he\nmust bear his burden, and undergo his punishment to all eternity.\n\n2. This must raise in him an eternal hatred and abhorrence of himself, and\nall his adherent impurities and sin; which, whether he will or not, will\nforever stare him in the face, revenging, as it were, upon him the past\nsacrilege of his self-love.\n\n\n\nChapter XXXIX.\n\n\n         All That We Have Must Be Offered And Consecrated To God.\n\n\n    _O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord\n    our maker._\u2014PS. 95:6.\n\n\nAs we are assured that God is our Creator, Preserver, and loving Father,\nto whom can we more reasonably pay our honor, duty, and service, than to\nhim? Whom shall we rather implore and pray to, whom shall we rather praise\nand glorify, than him that made us? Whom shall we rather trust? In whom\nshall we rather hope? Whom shall we rather love? In whom shall we rather\nrejoice and be happy? Shall we not love him, who hath created us in his\nown image? Shall we not honor him, who has exalted us above all creatures?\nShall we not devote ourselves entirely to him, who has given himself\nentirely unto us? Who created us for the end that we might live, abide,\nand rejoice with him forever? Shall we not love and honor him, who has\nadopted us for his children?\n\n2. Think, therefore, and consider with thyself, O man! that as God has\ngiven thee a rational soul, so thou oughtest to consecrate all the powers\nand faculties of it to his honor and service. He has given thee the\nfaculty of loving: therefore love him; he has given thee understanding:\nendeavor to know him; he has given thee fear: therefore fear him; the\npower of honoring: therefore honor him; the gift of prayer: therefore pray\nto him; of praise and thanksgiving: therefore praise his name. He has\ngiven thee the power of believing, hoping, and trusting: therefore depend,\nand trust, and hope in him; of rejoicing: therefore rejoice and be glad in\nhim. Lastly, as all things are in him, and he has an infinite power of\ndoing all things, consider this with thyself, that if thou rest and\nrejoice in him alone, thou shalt in him possess all things.\n\n3. And hence arises the true and genuine worship of God. He that loves\nhim, honors him; he that loves him not, affronts him. So likewise he that\nfears him, honors him; he that fears not, despises him. And all the other\nvices and virtues are of the same nature. By obedience, God is honored,\nand he is dishonored by disobedience; the same may be said of faith, hope,\ncharity, and gratitude.\n\n4. From all this it appears, that there is nothing better, more honorable,\nor more profitable for man, than to honor God; and nothing more base and\nabominable than to dishonor him.\n\n\n\nChapter XL.\n\n\n      He Can Never Praise And Glorify God, Who Seeks His Own Glory.\n\n\n    _Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give\n    glory._\u2014PS. 115:1.\n\n\nHe that in all things seeks not the glory of God, and endeavors to promote\nit, does not act like a creature of God, but directly opposes his Maker,\nand all his designs, seeing he made all things for his own glory. And he\ndoes even worse, who measures all things no otherwise than as they\ncontribute to the raising of his own glory and honor. Such a one usurps\nthe honor due to God alone, and, like the rebel Lucifer, sets himself in\nGod\u2019s throne.\n\n2. And this he does not only in his own soul, but endeavors to lead others\ninto the same guilt, by filling their hearts, which ought to be thrones\nand temples of God, with the same notions of love and honor to himself, as\nhe has entertained in his own mind; endeavoring as much as in him lies, to\ndispossess his Maker and settle himself in his room. But what greater sin\ncan there be than this? Now as the consequence of this irregular loving\nand honoring a man\u2019s self is, that it makes him the enemy of God, and\ncasts him out of his presence into the pit of destruction, it follows,\nthat he who would be the friend of God, must hate and deny himself.\n\n3. Return, therefore, and repent, O man! believe in Christ and live in him\nas a new creature, and he will receive thee and comfort thee. But to\nothers, who persist in their rebellion and continue in their corruptions,\nhe shall say at the last day: \u201cI never knew you: depart from me, ye that\nwork iniquity!\u201d Matt. 7:23. Moreover, as the love of Christ is our chief\ngood, our highest wisdom, and the perfection of our knowledge, and\nself-love is perfectly opposite to it: let us be persuaded to cast out the\nlove of ourselves and of the world, that the love of Christ may enter into\nour hearts. This is that love which perfects and accomplishes our\nChristianity, and with this do thou, O God, refresh and satisfy our souls\nfor ever and ever. Amen.\n\n\n\nConclusion.\n\n\n1. The title \u201cTrue Christianity\u201d is prefixed to these Four Books for the\nreason that true faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the righteousness\nwhich proceeds from faith, constitute the fountain from which the whole\nChristian life must flow. I have, accordingly, written, not for heathens,\nbut for Christians; who have, it is true, adopted the Christian faith, but\nwhose life does not accord with it, and who deny, or will not understand,\nthe power of faith. 2 Tim. 3:5. I have written, not for unbelievers, but\nfor believers; not for those who are yet to be justified, but for those\nwho are already justified. Hence, this whole work on daily repentance and\nChristian love, ought to be understood in no other sense, than that faith\nmust go before as a light in our path, and that it is the foundation of\nall. Let no one, by any means, suppose that anything is here ascribed to\nour carnal free will or to good works; our sole object is to persuade you,\nas you are a Christian, and are anointed with the Spirit of God, to let\nChrist live in you, and rule in you, and to let the Holy Spirit govern\nyou, in order that your Christianity may not be hypocrisy.\n\n2. Hence, too, Part II. of this Fourth Book is not to be so understood, as\nif we could love God from our own carnal will; for love is a fruit of the\nHoly Spirit. This Part II. is, on the contrary, only intended to show\nthat, besides the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, even our own heart and\nconscience may teach us, from the book of nature, and the light of nature,\nthat we are bound to love God on account of his great love bestowed upon\nus, and manifested through the means of all his creatures. Such an\nargument, derived from nature, ought to convince every man, whether he be\na heathen or a Christian, a believer or an unbeliever; and no one can\nrefute it. For, granting that God has bestowed so many mercies on us, who\ncan deny that we are in gratitude obliged to so gracious a benefactor? And\nas he calls and invites us to love him, by all the creatures which are\nbestowed in common upon all mankind, who can deny that the love of God is\ndiscovered to us in the book of nature, and that the heathens themselves\nmay be convinced by arguments drawn thence? \u201cThe works of the Lord are\ngreat, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.\u201d Ps. 111:2. And,\n\u201cThou Lord, hast made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the\nworks of thy hands.\u201d Ps. 92:4. How can these works be more effectually\npraised, than in this manner? The Lord God give us understanding and\nwisdom, that we may know him and praise him for all his works, both here\nand forevermore. Amen.\n\n\n\n\n\nINDEX.\n\n\nThe Roman Numerals indicate, respectively, the Four Books; the first\nArabic numeral which follows, designates, in every case, the _Chapter_;\nthe second, with any that may follow, refers to one or more _Sections_ of\na chapter. The references to the INTRODUCTION, the PREFACES, the two PARTS\nof BOOK IV., etc., will be readily understood.\n\nA.\n\nABRAHAM\u2014an example of patience, II. 47. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 the time when the promise was given to him, I. 12. 7.\n\nABSOLUTION FROM SIN, I. 21. 13.\n\nAGRICOLA, INTROD. \u00a7 15.\n\nADAM\u2014his fall, I. Chap. 2; II. 17. 9; II. 34. Sect. 4. 1.\n\nADAM AND CHRIST, contrasted, II. 7. 1-6.\n\nAFFLICTION\u2014its uses, II. 5. 3; II. 35. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 none for which God has not provided consolation, II. Chap. 48.\n\nAHAB\u2014his delusion, I. 38. 13.\n\nANGER of GOD\u2014what is meant by the expression, II. 42. 11.\n\nANTINOMISTIC CONTROVERSY, INTROD. \u00a7 15.\n\nAPOLOGY of Augsburg Confession, INTROD. \u00a7 25.\n\nAPOSTASY\u2014when man is guilty of it, II. 23. 4.\n\nARNDT\u2014account of his life, INTROD. \u00a7 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 his motives in writing the \u201cTrue Christianity,\u201d PREF. to Book I. 1;\n            INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 20, 21, 24, 31.\n\u2014\u2014 his orthodoxy, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 22, 24, 25, 40.\n\u2014\u2014 his religious character, INTROD. \u00a7 26.\n\u2014\u2014 popularity of his \u201cTrue Christianity,\u201d INTROD. \u00a7 31.\n\u2014\u2014 translations of it, INTROD. \u00a7 33, and Note.\n\u2014\u2014 his death, INTROD. \u00a7 22.\n\nASCENSION of Christ (see CHRIST, etc.), II. XXV. 11.\n\nASPIRATIONS of the believer, I. 11. 11.\n\nAUGSBURG, CONFESSION OF\u2014Conclusion of Book II., p. 374.\n\u2014\u2014, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 24, 25.\n\u2014\u2014, PREF. to Book I. 8.\n\nAUGSBURG INTERIM, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 12, 15.\n\nAUGSBURG, PEACE OF, INTROD. \u00a7 12.\n\nAUGUSTINE\u2014quoted, III. 6. 2.\n\nB.\n\nBABYLAS, II. 45. 8.\n\nBAPTISM\u2014a means to attain the new birth, I. 3. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 a renewal of the covenant with God, II. 2. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 what is received therein, III. 1. 4.\n\nBELIEVING SOUL, a\u2014its beauty, III. 4. 2.\n\nBIRTH (see NEW BIRTH; REGENERATION)\u2014twofold, I. 3. 2, etc.\n\nBLESSEDNESS of the true believer, I. 8. 7; I. 11. 10; I. 12. 5; I. 13. 6;\n            I. 22. 10; I. 34. 17; I. 36. 7.\n\nBOEHM, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 32, 34, 35.\n\nBONAVENTURA\u2014a saying of his, II. 6. 6.\n\nBOOK OF LIFE, I. 11. 1.\n\nBREAD, IV. Part I., Chap. 3. 14. 35-39.\n\nC.\n\nC\u00c6SAR, JULIUS, I. 27. 5.\n\nCALLING OF GOD\u2014inward, III. 8. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 outward, III. 8. 1.\n\nCALUMNY\u2014consolations, II. 17. 4, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 consolatory Scripture passages, II. 17. 13, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 how to be overcome, II. Ch. 17.\n\u2014\u2014 why the Lord permits it, II. 17. 9.\n\nCATECHISM, Five Parts of Luther\u2019s, III. 1. 4.\n\nCATECHISMS, LUTHER\u2019S TWO, INTROD. \u00a7 25.\n\nCHADDOCK, REV. C., INTROD. \u00a7 36.\n\nCHARITY (see LOVE, etc.)\u2014the foundation of strength, IV. Part 2, Ch. 26.\n\nCHRIST (see ASCENSION; DEATH; INCARNATION; MERIT; RESURRECTION, etc.)\u2014all\n            recovered in him, that was lost in Adam, II. 34., Sect. I.\n\u2014\u2014 denied and crucified again, I. 9. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 encouragements derived from his sufferings, II. 18. 9; II. 45. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 furnishes a pattern of prayer, II. 20. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 his complaint, continued, II. 15. 1-6.\n\u2014\u2014 his humiliation, II. 13. 5, etc.; Ch. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 his humility, and its lessons, II. 12. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 his kindness, II. 8. 8; II. Ch. 26.\n\u2014\u2014 his life, a mirror for us, II. 11. 3; II. 14. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 his patience, the consideration of which alleviates the burden of the\n            cross, II. Ch. 56.\n\u2014\u2014 his perfect obedience, II. 19. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 his Person is indivisible, II. 10. 15.\n\u2014\u2014 his poverty, II. 13. 2, etc.; II. 14. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 his righteousness, III. 1. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 his sufferings, foreknown to him, II. 18. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 his three kinds of trouble, II. 15. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 how he humbled himself, II. 13. 8, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 how he perfects his work in the hearts of the faithful, III. Ch. 15.\n\u2014\u2014 how he manifests himself to the soul, II. Ch. 27.\n\u2014\u2014 our example, I. 1. 7; I. 3. 10; I. 11. 2; I. 15. 6; I. 37. 11; I. 39.\n            7; II. 13. 1; II. 44. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 our help in prayer, II. 38. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 teaches us how to bear the cross, II. 15. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 the image of God, I. 1. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 the only Head of the Church, II. 16. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 the only Saviour, I. 12. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 the true Book of Life, II. Ch. 13; II. 19, 1-9.\n\u2014\u2014 the two Natures of, in one Person, II. 6. 1; II. 52. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 the union of the two Natures of, indissoluble and eternal, II. 6. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 washing the feet of his disciples, II. 21. 3.\n\nCHRIST, what an excellent gift he is, II. 1. 5. (a)\u2014(b).\n\u2014\u2014 what he is to the soul, II. 1. 4, (b); III. 6. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 wherein his highest glory consisted, II. 16. 3, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 why he took upon himself our nature, I. 3. 6; I. 11. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 why his sufferings were so severe, II. 18. 2-8.\n\nCHRIST CRUCIFIED\u2014benefits of the contemplation of, II. 20. 15.\n\u2014\u2014 what he teaches us, II. 19. 2, etc.\n\nCHRISTIAN, THE\u2014a stranger and pilgrim, I. 17. 4, 7.\n\u2014\u2014 demonstrated by practising the word of God, II. 5. 4, 5.\n\u2014\u2014 his manner of using temporal things, I. 17. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 is anointed and baptized with the Holy Spirit, II. 35. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 the false, condemned, I. 7. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 value of the name, II. 11. 2.\n\nCHRISTIANITY\u2014wherein it consists, PREF. to Book I. 5; I. 39. 7.\n\nCITIES OF REFUGE, I. 21. 15, 16.\n\nCOMFORT, HEAVENLY\u2014how to taste it, I. 36. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 why God sometimes delays to afford it, II. Ch. 55.\n\nCOMMANDMENTS, TEN\u2014a test, II. 4. 3.\n\nCONCLUSION of Book II. page 374.\n\u2014\u2014 of Book IV. page 488.\n\nCONSCIENCE\u2014pangs of, II. 10. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 three qualities impressed on it, I. 7. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 _see also_ I. 23. 9; IV. Part 2. 35. 1.\n\nCONSOLATION\u2014in affliction, II. Ch. 48.\n\u2014\u2014 means of obtaining it, II. 48. 10, etc.\n\nCONTEMPT of the world\u2014how to bear it, II. 15. 7-16.\n\nCONVERSATION of a believing soul with God, II. Ch. 39; II. 48. 13.\n\nCONVERSATION between faith and the mercy of God, II. Ch. 40.\n\nCONVERSION (see REPENTANCE, etc.)\u2014pardon bestowed after it, I. 37. 21.\n\u2014\u2014 a work of divine grace, II. 9. 9.\n\nCORRUPTION of human nature (see ORIGINAL SIN)\u2014early and later\n            manifestations, I. 2. 5, 6.\n\u2014\u2014 its ultimate result, I. 2. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 its greatness, I. 8. 8; I. 11. 5, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 the knowledge of the, I. 42. 3.\n\nCOVENANT of grace\u2014a source of consolation, II. 2. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 the remembrance of the, a help in prayer, II. 38. 11.\n\nCOVETOUSNESS\u2014its folly, I. 17. 7.\n\nCREATION\u2014work of the First Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 work of the Second Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 work of the Third Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 work of the Fourth Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 work of the Fifth Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 work of the Sixth Day of, IV. Part I. Ch. 6.\n\nCREATURES of God\u2014how they furnish evidence of divine love, II. 26. 7,\n            etc.; II. 29. 5, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 how they invite us to praise God, II. 42. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 when converted into idols, I. 18. 9.\n\nCREATURES, The living\u2014all remind us of the love which we owe to God, IV.\n            Part II. Ch. 15.\n\u2014\u2014 the work of the Sixth Day, IV. Part I. Ch. 6.\n\nCROSS, The\u2014how to bear it, I. 40. V.\n\u2014\u2014 taking it up, II, 10. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 the benefits of it, II. 46, 15.\n\u2014\u2014 the mystery of it, III. Ch. 23.\n\nCross of Christ\u2014I. 4. 4-6; I. 15. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 a branch of it, II. 18. 1.\n\nCRYPTOCALVINISTIC Controversy, INTROD. \u00a7 15.\n\nCYPRIAN\u2014quoted, PREF. to Book III. 5.\n\nD.\n\nDARKNESS, Spiritual, I. 11. 3.\n\nDAVID, King, I. 17. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 his example, II. 5. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 reason of his desire to lead a holy life, II. 5. 6.\n\nDEATH, II. 8. 11; II. 57. 20, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 consolations, and remedies against the fear of, II. Ch. 57.\n\u2014\u2014 persons raised from, II. 57. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 Spiritual, I. 41. 11, 12.\n\u2014\u2014 three kinds of, I. 12. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 why the time of it is concealed from us, II. 8. 11.\n\nDEATH of CHRIST (see Christ), II. 2. 7; II. 25. 9; II. 26. 3; II. 57. 2.\n\nDEVIL; see SATAN.\n\nDEPENDENCE on self\u2014a grievous sin, II. 23. 2, etc.\n\nDEPRAVITY, Human; see CORRUPTION; ORIGINAL SIN.\n\nDESPAIR, I. 40. VIII.\n\nDEVOTIONS, Private, III. Ch. 12.\n\nDIONYSIUS, ST.\u2014quoted, IV. Part I. 1. 6.\n\nDOCTRINE of Christ, II. 25. 8.\n\nDOCTRINE, Purity of\u2014declared by Arndt to be \u201cthe foremost point of true\n            Christianity,\u201d INTROD. \u00a7 24.\n\u2014\u2014 how preserved, I. 38. 11; I. 39. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, I. 39. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 maintained by Paul and others, I. 39. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 the example of Christ, of the prophets, and of the apostles in this\n            respect, I. 39. 4.\n\nDUTY to our neighbor (see LOVE), I. 31. 4.\n\nDYING\u2014daily, to the world, II. 10. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 to the flesh and sin, I. 12. 8, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 unto self, I. 13. 1, etc.\n\nE.\n\nEATING of Christ, The\u2014what it is, I. 36, 10.\n\nEISLEBEN, INTROD. \u00a7 22.\n\nELECTION of grace, I. 38. 6, 7.\n\nENEMIES\u2014how to be treated, I. 40. X.\n\nENLIGHTENED, To be, I. 37. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 when impossible, I. 37. 7-9.\n\nENVY, I. 40. XI.\n\nETERNITY of future punishments, I. 7. 5; II. 8. 13.\n\nEXAMPLE of Christ (see CHRIST; SAINTS)\u2014advantage of following it, I. 38.\n            9.\n\nEXAMPLES\u2014of Moses and David, in praising God, II. 41. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 of pardoned sinners, II. 2. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 of persons raised from death, II. 57. 8.\n\nEXISTENCE of God\u2014taught by the conscience, I. 7. 2.\n\nEXORCISM, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 6-8.\n\nEXPOSITION of the consolation given in 1 Cor. 1:3-7\u2014II. Ch. 48.\n\nF.\n\nFAITH\u2014as distinguished from hope, II. 50. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 a weak faith, I. 5. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 a weak faith is, nevertheless, _faith_, II. 51. 9, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 by it, the soul is united to Christ, III. 3. 3.\n\nFAITH, comfort for those who are weak in, II. Ch. 51.\n\u2014\u2014 examples confirming it, I. 13. 3-5.\n\u2014\u2014 gives quietness to the soul, II. 34. Sect. 7. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 it renews the whole man, III. 3. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 its glory, III. 3. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 its influence, I. 5. 2; I. 5. 9; I. 6. 6; I. 11. 4; I. 39. 10; I. 5. 9;\n            II. 4. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 its purifying influence, III. Ch. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 its strength varies, II. 51. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 its victory, III. 3. 5, 9.\n\u2014\u2014 means for strengthening it, II. 51. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 the source of all the Christian virtues, PREF. to Book I. 6. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 the true source of religion, II. 4. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 the true way of obtaining the believer\u2019s inward treasure, III. 2. 1,\n            etc.\n\u2014\u2014 the work of God, I. 34. 14; II. 51. 2, 15.\n\u2014\u2014 what it is, I. 5. 1; I. 21. 9; I. 34. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 working by love, I. 24. 12; I. 32. 1.\n\nFALL of Adam\u2014how it was occasioned, I. 2. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 its consequences, I. 2. 1, 3, 4.\n\nFASTING, II. 9. 15, etc.\n\nFEDDERSON, INTROD. \u00a7 36.\n\nFLESH\u2014its conflict with the Spirit, I. 16. 2, etc.\n\nFLOURISHING like a palm tree\u2014explained, I. 22. 4.\n\nFOLLOWING Christ\u2014I. 37. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 the sum of Christianity, I. 18. 2.\n\nFORMULA of Concord, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 15, 24, 25; PREF. to Book I. 8; Conclusion\n            of Book II. p. 374.\n\nFRUITS\u2014the marks of true and false Christians, I. 39. 9.\n\nFUTURE punishments, Eternity of, I. 7. 5.\n\nG.\n\nGLORIFICATION of our bodies, II. 57. 13.\n\nGLORY, Eternal\u2014the consideration of it alleviates the burden of the cross,\n            II. 56. 3, etc.\n\nGOD (see LOVE to)\u2014all things preserved by his hand, IV. Part II. Ch. 20.\n\u2014\u2014 as infinite Omnipotence, II. Ch. 31; IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 described by the prophet Joel, II. 9. 22-27.\n\u2014\u2014 his calling is earnest and decisive, III. Ch. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 his goodness or grace, II. 37. 5; IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 13.\n\nGOD, his incomparable glory, II. 42. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 his infinity and eternity, IV. Part. II. Ch. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 his knowledge, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 his love a help in prayer, II. 38. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 his love appears in all his works, IV. Part II. Ch. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 his mercy, II. 8. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 his omnipresence, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 15.\n\u2014\u2014 his omniscience, II. 34. Sect. 6; IV. Part II. 1. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 his seat in the soul, III. Ch. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 his veracity, II. 57. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 his wisdom, shown in the formation of man, IV. Part II. Ch. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 how illustrious, II. 42. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 how manifested, II. 37. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 invites all men to pray, II. 34. Sect. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 is love, II. Ch. 26.\n\u2014\u2014 manifestations of his wisdom, II. Ch. 33.\n\u2014\u2014 manifested as the Supreme Beauty, II. Ch. 30.\n\u2014\u2014 must be distinguished from his creatures and his gifts, III. Ch. 21;\n            III. 22. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 not to be sought in any particular place, for he is everywhere, II. 34.\n            Sect. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 operations of his righteousness, II. 32. 3, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 reasons, convincing us that he hears our prayers, II. 37. 12, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 the amiableness of his Being, II. 26. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 the eternal Wisdom, II. Ch. 33.\n\u2014\u2014 the folly of rejecting him, I. 36. 18.\n\u2014\u2014 the fountain of life and all good, II. 37. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 the highest righteousness and holiness, II. Ch. 32.\n\u2014\u2014 the light of the soul, III. Ch. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 the Omniscient, knows what we need before we ask him, II. 34. Sect. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 the only source of true happiness, I. 36. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 the Supreme Good, II. Ch. 28; IV. Part II. Ch. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 the temporal and spiritual benefits which he has bestowed, considered,\n            II. Ch. 29.\n\u2014\u2014 what he is, I. 1. 6; I. 37. 2.\n\nGODLINESS\u2014two motives recommending the study of it, I. 40. 1.\n\nGODLY Sorrow (see SORROW for Sin), I. 8. 7; I. 11. 4; I. 20. 20.\n\nGRACE\u2014indispensable, I. 41. 28; II. 9. 11.\n\n\u2014\u2014 its influence and blessed results, I. 34. 7, etc.\n\nGREGORY, ST.\u2014quoted, III. 15. 2.\n\nGROWING in grace, I. 23. 4; I. 37. 19.\n\nH.\n\nHARDNESS of heart, I. 38. 3, etc.\n\nHATRED\u2014of self, I. 14. 1; I. 14. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 of vices, but not of men, I. 40. XII.\n\nHEART, Paternal, of God, II. 8. 5.\n\nHEART, Purity of\u2014watching over it, I. 40. II.\n\nHEART, Blindness of\u2014its results, I. 41. 19.\n\nHEART\u2014its state, II. 4. 3; II. 7. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 must be changed, II. 9. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 regarded by God, II. 4. 4.\n\nHELL, Eternal pains of, I. 7. 5; II. 8. 13.\n\nHEAVEN, the work of the Second Day, IV. Part I. Ch. 2.\n\nHOLY SPIRIT\u2014how he is driven away by worldly pleasures, III. Ch. 18.\n\u2014\u2014 how he operates in our souls, III. Ch. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 office of the, II. 35. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 our help in prayer, II. 38. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 signs of his presence in us, III. Ch. 17.\n\u2014\u2014 truly God, II. 37. 21.\n\nHOPE\u2014Christ its object, II. 12. 2; II. 50. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 how tested in seasons of affliction, II. Ch. 50.\n\u2014\u2014 what it is, II. 50. 1.\nHONOR, Worldly\u2014how to be received, II. 22. 7, 8.\n\nHUMAN nature\u2014one argument of its dignity, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 19.\n\nHUMILITY (see PRIDE)\u2014a means of union with God, III. 5. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 exemplified by Jesus, II. 21. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 explained; its happy influence, etc., I. 19. 1-16.\n\u2014\u2014 how we are taught to practise it, II. 21. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 it must be laid as a foundation in the heart, III. Ch. 20.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, III. 15. 4, 5.\n\u2014\u2014 its power, II. Ch. 21.\n\u2014\u2014 six steps or degrees of it, III. 5. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 what constitutes it, III. 8. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 without it, all prayer is in vain, II. 21. 4.\n\nHYPOCRISY, I. 12. 11.\n\nI.\n\nIDOLATRY, II. 22. 3-6.\n\nIGNATIUS, II. 45. 8.\n\nIMAGE of God in man\u2014how man lost it, I. 1. 8; I. 41. 11.\n\nIMAGE of God,\u2014originally shone forth in man\u2019s soul, I. 41. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 the different modes in which it appears in man, I. 1. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 what it is, I. 1. 1; I. 41. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 what it was intended to teach, I. 1. 5, 9.\n\u2014\u2014 why it was impressed on man, I. 1. 2.\n\nIMAGE of Satan, I. 41. 23.\n\nIMPUTATION (see MERIT)\u2014of the merit of Christ, I. 8. 17.\n\u2014\u2014 of the righteousness of Christ, I. 4. 7.\n\nINABILITY of man, I. 34. 2, 7; II. 6. 4, 8.\n\nINCARNATION of Christ (see CHRIST, etc.), I. 11. 9; I. 31. 9; I. 34. 4; I.\n            37. 11; II. 25. 7; II. 26. 2; II. 34. 2; IV. Part II. Ch. 5.\n            2.\n\nINDWELLING of Christ in man, I. 5. 9.\n\nINHERITANCE from Adam, I. 3. 5.\n\nINJURIES\u2014viewed as trials of the heart, I. 40. IX.\n\nINTERIM, AUGSBURG, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 12, 15.\n\nJ.\n\nJACQUES, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 32, 37, 38.\n\nJOY\u2014divine and worldly, incompatible with one another, I. 20. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 Divine, the fruit of divine love, IV. Part II. Ch. 36.\n\u2014\u2014 Heavenly, how to be accepted, I. 40. VI.\n\u2014\u2014 in God, originally perfect, I. 41. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 of eternal life, II. 8. 14.\n\nJUDGMENT, Last, II. 8. 12.\n\nJULIAN the Apostate, I. 38. 2.\n\nJUSTIFICATION, I. 5. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 derived from God alone, II. 6. 8.\n\nK.\n\nKNOWLEDGE of Christ, etc.\u2014its excellence, I. 40. XV.\n\u2014\u2014 what is comprehended in it, I. 41. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 wherein it consists, I. 39. 5.\n\nKNOWLEDGE of God\u2014his knowledge, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 wherein it consists, I. 11. 18; I. 21. 6, etc.\n\nKNOWLEDGE\u2014of grace, I. 21. 5, 16, 17.\n\u2014\u2014 of sin, I. 21. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 of the Scriptures\u2014vain, without a holy life, I. 35. 1, etc.\n\nL.\n\nLAURENTIUS VALLA\u2014a saying of his, II. 5. 4.\n\nLAW, Inward\u2014its lessons, I. 7. 1-3.\n\nLAZARUS, the friend of Christ, II. 13. 4.\n\nLEARNING, Human\u2014is distinct from godliness, I. 36. 14.\n\nLEYSER, P., INTROD. \u00a7 2.\n\nLIFE, Holy\u2014proceeds from a renewed heart, I. 22. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 rules for leading it, I. 40. 1, etc.\n\nLIFE of Christ (see EXAMPLE), I. 10. 2; I. 11. 16; I. 14. 8, etc.; I. 37.\n            8.\n\nLIFE of the Christian\u2014a continual renewing of the image of God, I. 41. 2.\n\nLIFE, Spiritual, I. 11. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 abolished in the carnal man, I. 41. 18.\n\u2014\u2014 different degrees of, PREF. to Book I. 1.\n\nLIFE, Unholy, I. 10. 1, 3.\n\u2014\u2014 its effects, I. 38. 1, etc.; I. 39. 6.\n\nLIGHT\u2014Natural, in the understanding, I. 41. 17, 26; III. Ch. 10.\n\u2014\u2014of grace, III. Ch. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 of nature, I. 7. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 of the sun and moon; its benefits, IV. Part I. Ch. 4. 19.\n\u2014\u2014 the work of the First Day, IV. Part I. Ch. 1.\n\nLIVING in Christ, I. 6. 2-5; I. 36. 1, etc.\n\nLORD\u2019S Prayer\u2014its true use, III. Ch. 19.\n\nLORD\u2019S Supper\u2014therein Christ\u2019s true body and blood are received, III. 1.\n            4.\n\nLOVE (see SELF-LOVE)\u2014a bond of union, IV. Part II. Ch. 28.\n\u2014\u2014 evils proceeding from the want of it, I. 31. 5; I. 35. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 four particulars concerning it, I. 24. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 four properties of it, II. 24. 17.\n\u2014\u2014 how it is to be guided, II. 24. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 in it are contained all the duties of a Christian, I. 35. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 its distinguishing feature, I. 35. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 its fruits, I. 30. 1-14; I. 32. 6; II. 24. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 its nature, properties, and fruits, IV. Part II. Ch. 27.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, I. 30. 1; I. 32. 7; I. 35. 7-9.\n\u2014\u2014 its noble character, II. Ch. 24.\n\u2014\u2014 its pleasantness, I. 24. 8; I. 29. 11, 12.\n\u2014\u2014 misguided, II. 24. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 mistakes made in reference to it, II. 24. 2, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 never faints, I. 24. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 the sure test of a Christian, I. 24. 7.\n\nLOVE, Our\u2014is not a hard work, I. 24. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 is the end of the Commandment, I. 24. 5; I. 26. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 reasons why it is due to God alone, I. 18. 12; II. Ch. 24; II. 29. 13;\n            IV. Part II. Ch. 30.\n\nLOVE,\u2014what alone is worthy of it, IV. Part II. Ch. 29.\n\nLOVE of Christ\u2014the blessedness which it confers, II. Ch. 27.\n\nLOVE to Christ, I. 14. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 signs of its existence, II. Ch. 25.\n\nLOVE to God, I. 24. 2; I. 29. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 a remedy against profane love, I. 28. 5; III. 13. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 how it enters into the soul, III. Ch. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 is due to him, I. 28. 1, 4.\n\u2014\u2014 its influence, I. 24. 16; I. 28. 2; I. 28. 7; II. 24. 12, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 its nature, I. 28. 8; IV. Part II. Ch. 35.\n\u2014\u2014 no excuse for the want of it, IV. Part II. Ch. 17.\n\u2014\u2014 obtained by prayer, I. 24. 17.\n\u2014\u2014 out of a pure heart, I. 24. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 Pure, teaches how to pray, II. 24. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 the source of all that is good, IV. Part II. Ch. 32.\n\u2014\u2014 unchanged, I. 24. 23.\nLOVE of God to man, I. 25. 1-6.\n\u2014\u2014 how manifested. II. Ch. 26.\n\nLOVE, False, I. 28. 3; I. 35. 6; II. 24. 4, etc.\n\nLOVE to our enemies\u2014why they should be loved, I. 27. 1-9.\n\nLOVE to our neighbor, I. 24. 3; I. 24. 18-21; I. 29. 3-10.\n\u2014\u2014 a duty, I. 25. 2; IV. Part II. Ch. 24.\n\u2014\u2014 its source, I. 26. 5; I. 28. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 motives to practise it, I. 26. 6-16.\n\u2014\u2014 proceeds from the love which we owe to God, IV. Part II. Ch. 22.\n\nLOVERS of the world\u2014how they are deceived, II. 26. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 their conduct, I. 36. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 their punishment, I. 18. 10, 11.\n\u2014\u2014 their spiritual state, I. 17. 9; I. 36. 2.\n\nLUSTS of the flesh\u2014how to be subdued, II. Ch. 18.\n\nLUTHER\u2014his successful opposition to the papacy and other sects, I. 39. 2.\n\nM.\n\nMAJORISTIC Controversy, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 15, 19.\n\nMAN\u2014general rule on the subject, IV. Part II. Ch. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 his liberty of choice, I. 17. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 his natural state, II. 5. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 how much he owes to God, IV. Part II. Ch. 6; Ch. 8; Ch. 9; Ch. 11; Ch.\n            12.\n\u2014\u2014 like a shadow, is nothing, II. 10. 13, 14.\n\u2014\u2014 only a pilgrim on earth, I. 13. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 the image of God, I. 1. 6; IV. Part II. Ch. 23.\n\u2014\u2014 what, and why made, IV. Part II. Ch. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 why he should love God, IV. Part II. Ch. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 why made in the image of God, IV. Part II. Ch. 4.\n\nMAN, The Inward\u2014Outward, I. 16. 1.\n\nMAN, The Natural, II. 5. 5.\n\nMAN, The Old\u2014New, I. 15. 1, etc.; I. 16. 11; II. 7. 1.\n\nMARKS of love to Christ, II. Ch. 25.\n\nMARTYRS\u2014false, I. 35. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 spiritual, II. 53. 20.\n\u2014\u2014 their fidelity, II. 45. 7.\n\nMEEKNESS, II. 47. 2.\n\nMEPHIBOSHETH, II. 10. 6.\n\nMERIT of Christ (see IMPUTATION), I. 14. 7; I. 31. 8; I. 34. 1; II. 2. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 an infinite satisfaction, II. 2. 11, 12.\n\nMICAH, the prophet\u2014pointing out the fountain of consolation, II. 49. 4.\n\nMUHLENBERG, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 34. 41.\n\nMUSIC\u2014its origin, IV. Part II. Ch. 7. 3.\n\nMUSIC, Divine\u2014several kinds, in the Old Testament, II. 41. 10.\n\nMUENZER, Thomas, INTROD. \u00a7 15.\n\nN.\n\nNAME of God\u2014doing all things in it, I. 18. 5.\n\nNARROW way in Christ\u2014chosen by the Christian, II. 34. Sect. 4.\n\nNEIGHBORS (see LOVE)\u2014judging them, III. Ch. 11.\n\nNEW BIRTH (see BIRTH; REGENERATION)\u2014how effected, I. 3. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 it alone renders our works acceptable to God, I. 31. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 its fruits, I. 11. 17.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, I. 3. 8; I. 41. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 what it is, I. 5. 2, 4.\n\nO.\n\nOATH, Divine\u2014a source of consolation, II. 2. 2-5.\n\nOBEDIENCE of Christ, II. 2. 13.\n\nOFFERINGS brought to God, I. 40. VII.\n\nOIL, IV. Part I. Ch. 3. 43, 44.\n\nOLD MAN, The (see MAN)\u2014encouragement derived from the strife with, I. 16.\n            11.\n\nOMNIPRESENCE, Omnipotence, etc.; see GOD.\n\nORIGINAL Sin (see CORRUPTION), I. 2. 8; I. 41. 13, etc.; I. 42. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 its nature set forth in Book I.; PREF. to Book II. 2.\n\nOSIANDRIAN Controversy, INTROD. \u00a7 15.\n\nP.\n\nPALATINATE, The, INTROD. \u00a7 17.\n\nPARACELSUS, INTROD. \u00a7 28.\n\nPATIENCE, Christian\u2014consolations, II. 47, 17.\n\u2014\u2014 examples of, II. 47. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 motives to, II. Ch. 46.\n\u2014\u2014 produced by divine consolations, II. Ch. 45.\n\u2014\u2014 reasons for exercising it, II. Ch. 44.\n\u2014\u2014 Scriptural sentences respecting it, II. 47. 4-15.\n\u2014\u2014 sustained by the truth and promises of God, II. Ch. 49.\n\u2014\u2014 what it is, II. 44. 1; II. 45. 1; II. 47. 2, 3; III. Ch. 14.\n\nPERFECTION, Absolute\u2014not attainable, I. 11. 11; II. 51. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 not found in this world, II. 4. 2.\n\nPERFECTION of the Christian life\u2014wherein it consists, PREF. to Book III.\n            7.\n\nPERICLES, I. 27. 5.\n\nPETER and Paul\u2014their religious character, I. 17. 12.\n\nPHOCION, I. 27. 5.\n\nPILGRIMAGE, Our\u2014its nature, I. 17. 10.\n\nPLATO, II. 30. 4.\n\nPOOR and contrite, The\u2014acceptable to God, I. 19. 11-16.\n\nPOVERTY of spirit, III. 5. 1.\n\nPR\u00c6TORIUS, INTROD. \u00a7 1.\n\nPRAISE to God\u2014benefits and efficacy of, II. Ch. 41.\n\u2014\u2014 offered by holy men, II. 42. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 reasons for offering it daily, II. Ch. 42.\n\u2014\u2014 to offer it, man\u2019s greatest privilege, II. 43. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 to offer it, the most honorable employment of men, II. Ch. 43.\n\u2014\u2014 when offered, a source of consolation, II. 48. 14.\n\nPRAY, To\u2014sinful, whether in dependence on our own merit, or to forbear on\n            account of our unworthiness, II. 34. Sect. 9.\n\nPRAYER\u2014a consolation against the fear of death, II. 57. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 all men invited to it, by God, II. 34. Sect. 7.\n\nPRAYER\u2014a means of obtaining consolation in affliction, II. 48. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 a protection against calumny, II. 17. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 benefits of continual, II. 34. Sect. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 certainty that it will be heard, II. 49. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 conversation of a believing soul with God, in, II. Ch. 39.\n\u2014\u2014 efficacy of the prayer of faith, II. 41. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 encouragements to, II. 20. 11, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 encouragements to, and lessons on, II. 34. Sect. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 evils which follow the neglect of, II. 34. Sect. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 in Psalm 109:1, etc., explained, II. 16. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, I. 42. 4 (e); II. 5. 4; II. Ch. 20.\n\u2014\u2014 internal, II. 20. 4; III. Ch. 19.\n\u2014\u2014 its benefits, power, and ground, II. Ch. 36.\n\u2014\u2014 its numerous qualities, offices, etc., II. 36. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 mental, II. 20. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 oral, II. 20. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 pattern of, furnished by Christ, II. 20. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 reasons why God certainly hears it, II. Ch. 37.\n\u2014\u2014 seven helps for our infirmities in, II. Ch. 38.\n\u2014\u2014 strengthens faith, II. 51. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 secret, II. 36. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 supernatural, II. 20. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 taught by love to God, II. 24. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 temptations, when we pray, II. 20. 16, 17.\n\u2014\u2014 the sign of a true Christian, II. Ch. 35.\n\u2014\u2014 the worshipper not restricted to any certain times of, II. 34. Sect.\n            11.\n\u2014\u2014 vain, without humility, II. 21. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 when acceptable to God, II. 20. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 when not heard, II. 37. 23, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 wherein it consists, II. 20. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 why it is enjoined, II. 20. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 why we should commune with God in prayer, II. 34. Sect. 5.\n\nPREFACE (Author\u2019s) to Book I. p. xxxix.\n\u2014\u2014 Book II. p. 157.\n\u2014\u2014 Book III. p. 375.\n\u2014\u2014 Book IV. p. 423.\n\nPRIDE (see HUMILITY), I. 31. 1, etc.; I. 39. 8; III. 20. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 influence of, II. 22. 2, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 its properties, III. 20. 1-4.\n\nPRIDE\u2014remedy against spiritual, II. 7. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 spiritual, I. 42. 4.\n\nPRIESTHOOD of Christ, II. 2. 15.\n\nPRODIGAL Son, Parable of, II. 8. 2, etc.; II. 10. 7.\n\nPROMISES, Divine\u2014the chief source of the Christian\u2019s consolation, II. 2.\n            1; II. 45. 6.\n\nPROVIDENCE\u2014a source of comfort, II. 45. 2; IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 of God; three things wherein it consists, IV. Part I. Ch. 6. 12. etc.\n\nPSALMS\u2014six, called Golden Songs, II. 43. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 suited to various circumstances, II. 41. 12.\n\u2014\u2014 the Penitential, I. 4. 9, note.\n\nPUNISHMENTS, Future\u2014eternity of, I. 7. 5.\n\nPUNISHMENTS, Temporal, II. 8. 9; II. 8. 13.\n\nR.\n\nRATIONALISTS, INTROD. \u00a7 40.\n\nRECONCILIATION to our neighbor, I. 29. 1, 2.\n\u2014\u2014 enforced by three arguments, II. 4. 4. a. b. c.\n\u2014\u2014 the terms of, I. 29. 14.\n\nREFUGE, Cities of, I. 21. 15, 16.\n\nREGENERATION (see NEW BIRTH)\u2014by divine goodness, II. 9. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 how effected, I. 3. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 in what it consists, I. 3. 7; II. 9. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, I. 41. 27.\n\u2014\u2014 men invited to, II. 9. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 produced by divine threatenings, II. 9. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 whence it proceeds, I. 3. 11, 12.\n\nREMISSION of Sins\u2014follows repentance, I. 8. 12, 16.\n\u2014\u2014 is not granted without repentance, I. 34. 12.\n\nRENEWAL in Christ, I. 3. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 continued, I. 22. 4, etc.\n\nREPENTANCE (see CONVERSION)\u2014a quality of it, I. 29. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 daily, I. 20. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 founded on humility, III. 20. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 four properties of, II. 10. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 illustrations of, I. 21. 12; II. 8. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 its fruits, I. 42. 2; II. 9. 28.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, I. 8. 1-15; I. 37. 10; I. 37. 22, 23.\n\u2014\u2014 manner of, II. 9. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 motives to, II. 9. 22, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 the source of the Christian\u2019s life, PREF. to Book I. 1.\n\nREPENTANCE\u2014what it is, I. 4. 1-11; I. 8. 2; I. 21. 10; II. 3. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 when it is unfeigned, II. 10. 14.\n\u2014\u2014 without reconciliation and restitution, not acceptable to God, I. 29.\n            19.\n\nRESURRECTION of Christ (see CHRIST), II. 25. 10; II. 57. 4.\n\u2014\u2014 its fruit, II. 57. 11.\n\nRESURRECTION of our bodies\u2014a ground of comfort, II. 57. 3.\n\nREVELATION\u2014punishment of those who reject it, I. 7. 7, 8.\n\nRIGHTEOUSNESS\u2014by faith, II. 3. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 whence it proceeds, I. 5. 8; II. 3. 4.\n\nRIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ\u2014made our own, II. 3. 6.\n\nRIGHTEOUSNESS, Our\u2014its foundation, I. 3. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 whence it proceeds, II. 3. 1, etc.\n\nS.\n\nSAINTS\u2014example given by them, II. 17. 4, 5; II. 17. 10; II. 44. 8; II. 52.\n            15; II. 54. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 their constant practice, I. 20. 18.\n\u2014\u2014 their example, a help in prayer, II. 38. 5-8.\n\u2014\u2014 their example, a source of comfort, II. 45. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 their temptations, II. 52. 2, etc.\n\nSATAN\u2014his character, I. 41. 22.\n\u2014\u2014 his fall, I. 31. 7; II. 17. 9.\n\u2014\u2014 his fiery darts, II. 52. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 his image in man, I. 2. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 his want of power, II. 53. 2, 3.\n\nSCHWENKFELDT, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 14, 24.\n\nSCRIPTURES (see WORD)\u2014their purpose, I. 6. 8, 9.\n\nSEA, The\u2014lessons taught by it, Ch. 5. 15.\n\nSEEKING after God\u2014two ways, III. 4. 1.\n\nSELF-DENIAL, I. 4. 3; I. 14. 6; I. 15. 4, etc.; II. 7. 2; II. 10. 2; III.\n            23. 4.\n\nSELF-LOVE, I. 31. 1, etc.; IV. Part II. Ch. 33.\n\u2014\u2014 its actual result, IV. Part II. Ch. 31.\n\u2014\u2014 its dangers, I. 14. 2, etc.; I. 31. 3; I. 31. 7; I. 14. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 its evil fruits, IV. Part II. Ch. 37; Ch. 38; Ch. 40.\n\u2014\u2014 its remedy, I. 31. 8.\n\u2014\u2014 its source, I. 31. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 the source of all evil, IV. Part II. 32. 2, 3.\nSELF\u2014worship of, II. 23.\n\nSERVETUS, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 15, 16.\n\nSIN (see ORIGINAL SIN; REMISSION)\u2014never comes alone, I. 37. 18.\n\nSLANDER, see CALUMNY.\n\nSLOTH\u2014to be shaken off, II. 5. 7.\n\nSMALCALD Articles, INTROD. \u00a7 25.\n\nSOLOMON\u2019S throne, III. 5. 2.\n\nSORROW for Sin (see GODLY sorrow)\u2014its happy influence, I. 20. 7.\n\nSORROW\u2014worldly, and, godly, I. 40.\n\nSOUL\u2014its dignity, III. 7. 1; IV. Part I. 6. 18-24.\n\u2014\u2014 its image shining forth originally in the body, I. 41. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 its original holy nature, I. 41. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 the habitation of the Holy Ghost, II. 35. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 the things that instruct and comfort it, IV. Part II. Ch. 7.\n\nSPIRIT and flesh (see HOLY SPIRIT)\u2014conflict between them, I. 16. 2, etc.\n\nSTARS, The, IV. Part I. Ch. 4.\n\nSTRASBURG, INTROD. \u00a7 2.\n\nSUBSTANCE of the Christian religion\u2014is faith and love, I. 30. 1.\n\nSUPPER, The Lord\u2019s\u2014wherein Christ gives us his body and blood, II. 10. 6;\n            III. 1. 4.\n\nSYMBOL, what\u2014INTROD. \u00a7 41, Note.\n\nSYMBOLICAL Books, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 22, 24, 25, 40, 41, 42; PREF. to Book I. 8;\n            Conclusion of Book II.\n\nSYNERGISTIC Controversy, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 15, 19.\n\nT.\n\nTALENTS\u2014not they, but faith and love required, I. 32. 1, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 why bestowed, I. 32. 4.\n\nTAULER,\u2014PREF. to Book I. 8; INTROD. \u00a7 29.\n\u2014\u2014 quotations from, II. 53. 20; III. 1. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 subject of his Sermons, I. 37. 16.\n\nTEMPORAL things\u2014design of their creation, I. 17. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 loss of, I. 20, 21, 22.\n\u2014\u2014 preference of, offensive to God, I. 18. 1, etc.\n\nTEMPTATIONS, Spiritual\u2014comforting instructions for those who labor under\n            them, II. Ch. 52; II. Ch. 53; II. Ch. 54.\n\u2014\u2014 God refreshes the weak in, III. 23. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 not tokens of God\u2019s anger, II. 53. 13.\n\u2014\u2014 origin of, II. 52. 4-7.\n\u2014\u2014 reasons why they are sent, II. 52. 7, etc.; II. 53. 4, etc.\n\nTESTIMONY of the Spirit, II. 2. 9.\n\nTHEOLOGY\u2014what it is, PREF. to Book I. 2.\n\nTHIRST\u2014ours, and Christ\u2019s, I. 36. 24.\n\nTHIRTY Years\u2019 War, INTROD. \u00a7 22.\n\nTHOMAS \u00e1 Kempis, PREF. to Book I. 8; INTROD. \u00a7 29.\n\nTITUS, the Roman emperor, I. 27. 5.\n\nTRINITY, Holy\u2014benefits conferred by, II. 29. 10.\n\u2014\u2014 dwelling in the hearts of believers, III. 1. 1.\n\nTREASURE, Internal\u2014means of attaining it, III. Ch. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 of the believer, III. Ch. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 what it is, and on what it depends, III. Ch. 3.\n\nU.\n\nUNBELIEF\u2014its fruits, I. 37. 4.\n\nUNION with Christ\u2014of the highest necessity, II. 6. 3.\n\nUNION with God, II. 6. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 a property of true repentance, II. 10. 15.\n\u2014\u2014 its necessity, II. 28. 4.\n\nV.\n\nVANITY and emptiness of man, II. 23. 1.\n\nVENGEANCE of God\u2014set forth by Moses, II. 32. 7, 8.\n\nVICE\u2014abounding among Christians, I. 7. 6.\n\nVINCENT, ST., II. 45. 8.\n\nVIRTUE\u2014false love of, II. 24. 9.\n\nW.\n\nWARFARE, Spiritual\u2014an encouraging evidence, I. 16. 11.\n\u2014\u2014 even in the godly, I. 16. 7.\n\nWATERS\u2014separated from the land, the work of the Third Day, IV. Part I. Ch.\n            3.\n\u2014\u2014 they, and their productions, IV. Part I. Ch. 5.\n\nWEIGEL, INTROD. \u00a7 28.\n\nWILDENHAHN, INTROD. \u00a7\u00a7 10, 26, 30.\n\nWILL of man\u2014originally conformed to the will of God, I. 41. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 what it now is, II. 6. 7.\n\nWINE, IV. Part I. Ch. 3. 40-42.\n\nWISDOM\u2014how to be acquired, II. 5. 1.\n\nWOMAN of Canaan, The, III, 5. 1.\n\nWORD of God (see SCRIPTURES)\u2014its graciousness and efficacy, I. 36. 20, 21.\n\u2014\u2014 not a dead letter, I. 6. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 reading, etc., it, a protection against calumny, II. 17. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 who reject it, I. 38. 8.\n\nWORD and Sacraments\u2014means of grace, II. 9. 7.\n\u2014\u2014 strengthen faith, II. 51. 16.\n\u2014\u2014 their design, I. 38. 1.\n\nWORKS\u2014how judged, I. 33. 1; II. 5. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 how they may be rendered acceptable to God, III. Ch. 22.\n\u2014\u2014 their source must be faith, I. 33. 4; II. 22. 1.\n\u2014\u2014 they cannot justify, I. 5. 6.\n\u2014\u2014 worth, their, how to be judged, II. 4. 5.\n\nWORKS, Good\u2014God alone the Author, I. 21. 21.\n\nWORLD\u2014its vanity, II. 57. 17, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 necessity of withdrawing from it, I. 23. 2.\n\u2014\u2014 relinquishing it, I. 20. 25.\n\nWORLDLY pleasures\u2014drive away the Holy Spirit, III. Ch. 18.\n\nWORLDLY society, I. 23. 5, etc.\n\nWORSHIP, True\u2014of God, I. 21. 3, etc.\n\u2014\u2014 required, on our own account, I. 21. 21, 22.\n\u2014\u2014 seated in the heart, I. 21. 19; I. 26. 3.\n\u2014\u2014 three things belonging to it, I. 21. 5.\n\u2014\u2014 wherein it consists, I. 26. 2.\n\nY.\n\nYOKE of Christ, I. 4. 6; I. 11. 13.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFOOTNOTES\n\n\n    1 A very accurate and interesting \u201cLife of John Arndt,\u201d was published\n      in English by Rev. Dr. J. G. Morris, of Baltimore, in 1853, which\n      presents the principal events that belong to Arndt\u2019s history, and\n      furnishes a faithful portraiture of his personal character.\n      Wildenhahn\u2019s work, admirably translated by Rev. G. A. Wenzel, now of\n      Pittsburg, Pa., was published as a serial in the \u201cLutheran and\n      Missionary,\u201d about three years ago. This work, in a permanent form,\n      would be a rich addition to our English religious literature.\n\n    2 The first Latin translation, published at Leipsic in 1704, was\n      prepared by the joint labors of Dr. J. G. Dorscheus and Dr. J. G.\n      Pritius. (The latter published about the same time his _Introductio\n      in lectionem N. T._, etc., which was highly valued, and passed\n      through several editions; our own copy is dated 1737.) An extended\n      Preface was furnished by Pritius. The whole is presented in a single\n      and very clumsy volume.\u2014The Latin translation published by Mr. Boehm\n      in London, 1708, and dedicated to his patron, Prince George,\n      appeared in two neat and convenient volumes, and is far superior to\n      the continental edition. Copies of these editions, which are now\n      rarely to be found, were obtained by us from the very rich\n      collection of such works, belonging to Rev. Dr. C. P. Krauth, of\n      West Philadelphia.\n\n    3 The term \u201cSymbol\u201d\u2014a word derived from the Greek\u2014was applied, at a\n      very early period of the Christian Church, by Greek-speaking\n      Christians, to the \u201cApostles\u2019 Creed,\u201d in the sense of a \u201ctoken or\n      mark of recognition.\u201d He who knew and adopted that Creed, viewed\n      thus as _a symbol_, was recognized as a Christian; he who knew it\n      not, or who rejected it, was not a Christian, but a Jew or heathen.\n      After diverse creeds had been formed and adopted in the course of\n      time, the word SYMBOL was retained, as applicable to a particular\n      _creed_ or _confession of faith_. Hence the term \u201cSymbols,\u201d or its\n      equivalent, \u201cSymbolical Books,\u201d was gradually applied to the several\n      Lutheran Creeds which Arndt mentions with such reverence and love,\n      as we have seen above.\n\n    4 [These are Psalms, 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143.]\n\n\n\n\n\n<pre id=\"pg-footer\">","title":"True Christianity: A Treatise on Sincere Repentence, True Faith, the Holy Walk of the True Christian, Etc.","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":301432}