True Christianity

4. If, then, thou wouldest have thy works to be sincere and acceptable before God, observe carefully these four general rules: 1. Think humbly of all thine actions, not respecting thyself, but God alone. 2. Let this humility be deeply rooted in thy soul, humbling thyself not only under the hand of God, but under every man, whether small or great, from a hearty sense of thine own unworthiness. 3. Look upon all that thou doest as unprofitable and worthless. 4. Have a profound dread of the secret judgment of God, not, indeed, as proceeding from any doubts about the mercies of God; but, regarding him as thy best friend, be careful to avoid everything that may disoblige or offend him. He that despises these four rules, renders even his best actions impure in the sight of God. But he that carefully attends to them as the rules of action, shall be like a green olive tree in the house of his God, bearing good fruit abundantly. Ps. 52:8.

5. And we must observe that even the most inconsiderable thing thou doest, if it promote the good of thy neighbor, is acceptable to God; whilst he that employs not his talent to that end, shall have a serious account to give at the last day. This is the only use and end of God's gifts, that we should readily and industriously employ them for the benefit of others. Every action, art, employment, and profession, were given by God for this only end. And these are the works which, as our Lord tells us, “are wrought in God” (John 3:21); that is, in faith and charity, directed solely to the glory of God and the benefit of our neighbor, without any prospect of honor or advantage to ourselves, of which every man's own conscience is the proper judge. Consider then carefully with thyself the spring and motives of all thy actions, remembering that if thou neglect or refuse to employ the blessings of God for thy neighbor's benefit, thou must have the same punishment with the slothful servant, who was deprived of his talent which he had hid in the ground, and not employed, and saw it given to another that better knew how to use it. Matt. 25:26. Thus thou losest both the gift and the grace. No less foolish are they who pretend to things above their strength, who talk eloquently and fluently of what they neither practise nor understand. Though these should confidently pretend to speak by the authority of the blessed Trinity, yet is all this nothing but empty boasting, unless they demonstrate that they experimentally know what they so magisterially inculcate.

6. Remember also, that no actions, how great and glorious soever in appearance, which proceed only from ostentation and vainglory, can be well pleasing to God. For as is the principle of our actions, such are also the actions proceeding from it. Whence it follows, that such as regard themselves only, are no better than impostors and hypocrites. Their best works are no better than painted sepulchres, which appear beautiful without, but within are full of nothing but corruption. There is in them no pure love of God, no desire to promote his glory; but only a certain carnal self-love and an insatiable thirst of vainglory.

7. The sum of all is this, that all our works, how specious soever they may appear, if they be directed to any other end but God, are nothing but vanity and idolatry. For he is truly an idolater, who proposes to himself any other end or aim but God. Wherefore, if thou hast any gifts, use them, but take heed that thy heart rest not in them; if it so rest, thou art guilty of idolatry.

Chapter XXIII.

Of The Mystery Of The Cross, By Which We Are Drawn To God

He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.– Matt. 10:38.

Let all that desire to be the true disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, bear their cross in this world, be it what it may; for if thou flee from one, another will meet thee; and do what thou wilt, thou must bear it. But under every cross the hand of God is with us, to lighten it and make it easy, and by his assistance we may bear it with pleasure. But when God withdraws his hand, then, indeed, it is a heavy burden. Now the Son of God bore a very heavy burden, and in the most afflicting circumstances; of which, in their proportion, all his true friends and followers have been partakers. Words cannot express the many and great advantages that are in the cross; forasmuch as God lays it upon us in mere love, that he may thereby draw us to himself, and make us “conformable to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29), and partakers of eternal happiness. The wounds in Christ's sacred feet, should teach us abstinence and patience: abstinence from carnal lusts and fleshly pleasures; and patience under all afflictions and oppositions, whether from within or without. The wounds in his sacred hands, should teach us silence and contempt of worldly things. The wound in his side, should teach us to deny ourselves, and seek for rest and joy in Christ alone. His naked body stretched on the cross, should continually put us in mind, that we must be stripped and bare of all created comforts. For as Christ was fixed naked to the cross, and his garments were parted by lot before his blessed eyes (Ps. 22:18; Matt. 27:35), so, be assured, that if thou art desirous of perfection, thou must be stripped of everything which is not of God. And as every cross, however small, is laid upon thee by the particular order and direction of Providence, so thou oughtest to receive it with thankfulness. For the beloved friends of God have always the greatest share of afflictions. The devil always makes use of our prosperity, as the best season and occasion of our ruin; to prevent which, it pleases God, in mere compassion, to visit his children with a variety of crosses and afflictions, thereby withdrawing us from the love of the world, and disappointing the malicious designs of the tempter. Did we but know how efficacious the cross is in bringing us to God, driving away the devil from us, and entitling us to future glories, we should not only expect it with patience, but run out vigorously to meet it. For so great is the dignity, so transcendent are the benefits of the cross, that God has allotted it as the inseparable companion of all his chosen servants.

2. Did we thoroughly consider the benefits and honor of the cross, we should think ourselves unworthy of so great a blessing; for great is the honor of being made like unto the Son of God! He was never acceptable to the world, but was its scorn and derision. But now, scarcely one Christian in a thousand is come to that perfection, as not to desire to please the world. He that pleaseth the world, cannot, however, please God: and he that is full of the world, is empty of God. But so far as a man dies to himself and the world, so far is Christ, the true life, advanced in him. No man can please God better than by fully submitting to his will. If my prince should like to see me in one suit of clothes rather than in any other, I should certainly esteem it better than the most gaudy dress. And since my God is better pleased to see me under the cross, I ought certainly to prefer it to all the affluence and glories of the world. But perhaps thou art in doubt with thyself, whether the cross which thou bearest, has come from God; if so, let this be the test: Whatsoever thou sufferest for thine own sake, will be grievous and tedious, but if thou suffer for God's sake, thy cross will be easy, for God himself will lighten it. What matters it then, whether thy load be of the weight of a hundred or of a thousand pounds, if He but lend a helping hand, and make thy yoke easy and thy burden light. Matt. 11:30. Wherefore, O Lord, lay upon me what burden thou pleasest; only assist me in my weakness with the everlasting arms of thy omnipotence! – Observe, in the next place, that the choicest blessings of God are bestowed upon us whilst we are under the cross; and though they are sometimes bestowed beforehand, yet it is the cross that confirms them in the soul; and as it is so very useful and necessary to the soul, God has given a large share of it to his faithful friends and servants, and particularly to his only begotten Son Jesus Christ; the advantage it brings with it, making it tolerable and easy to be borne. Devout men submit themselves entirely to God, keeping their minds easy and cheerful under all the vicissitudes of life. Particularly, they take care to preserve humility, as the best guard against the assaults of their spiritual adversaries. Though God sent his only Son into the world, in order to suffer in his human nature, yet we expect an exemption from sufferings. But, be assured that if you would walk in the same way, and rest upon a firm foundation, you must expect to suffer with Christ, and in some degree at least, to have your lives conformable to his. Every affliction, how small soever, is a token of divine love, commissioned to visit us for our good. And the united malice of earth and hell cannot do the least hurt to a devout man trained up in sufferings, and in obedience to the discipline of the cross. The more his enemies assault, the higher is he exalted by God. And though he should be thrust down into hell, yet even there would he meet his God, and hell itself should be a heaven and blessedness to him.

3. When God sees a man too weak for a temptation, he refreshes him a little with his consolations, that he may not entirely sink under it: but he should know, that these intermissions are only allowed him in order to recover his strength, that he may the better bear up against a fresh assault. So it pleases the divine love to exercise men, that by various trials and temptations, they may be brought to despise all worldly enjoyments, and, like the panting hart (Ps. 42:1), may long for the fountains of divine peace and joy, the refreshing streams of life and glory. There the weary soul may drink and be satisfied, and quench its thirst in those rivers of pleasure which are ever flowing from the tender and paternal love of God. This is what the wise men of this world neither know nor understand. For the natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit of God. If the children of a family should plunder the wine-cellar, and be intoxicated, whilst the father is asleep in his bed, how would he bear it when informed of the matter? Would he not correct their extravagance by wholesome severities? Thus God deals with his children. He allows them plentiful draughts of spiritual comfort, and refreshes them with his mercies, as with new wine; but when he sees that they are immoderately fond of it, he withdraws it from them, and corrects their extravagant joy, by mixtures of gall and wormwood, bringing them thereby to a sense of their fault, and of their necessary dependence upon him. They then begin to think meanly of themselves, and to bewail their vain presumption, which made them fancy that they could do and suffer anything for God's sake, whereas now they are ready to sink under a very small burden. We know that Christ led the way for us in misery, poverty, and contempt, even unto death; and we must follow him in the same way if we desire to enter into heaven with him. So great is our pride, that God sometimes cannot break it, but by some exemplary shame, which quickly brings us to our senses, and shows us our own unworthiness. This is the only means of bringing us to a true knowledge of ourselves. Many a man has gone astray for want of these wholesome trials. He that considers this as he ought, will certainly rejoice in shame and reproaches for God's sake. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth in this manner, in order to cure him of his arrogance and pride, and bring him to humble thoughts of himself.

4. Whosoever will follow the blessed Jesus, must “deny himself, and take up his cross.” Many would freely follow him, if they could do it without difficulties and sufferings; but these, aiming chiefly at their own ease, whilst they pretend to follow Christ, will find themselves deceived at the last. For it behooved Christ to die, and to suffer, and to enter into his kingdom (Luke 24:26, 46): and if we intend to share with him in the glories of his kingdom, we must also be content to share in his sufferings; for unless we suffer with him here, we shall never reign with him hereafter. So, then, if we intend to follow him, we must cheerfully and contentedly submit to every cross, whether inward or outward, and by this means we shall at length arrive at the glories which he himself attained by the cross. How many do we see every day drudging in the service of the world; they venture body and soul; go into foreign countries; rush through fire and sword; and all for the sake of a little uncertain honor; and shall not we do as much to purchase the everlasting glories of heaven, as they do for the trifling riches and glories of this world? God manifests himself to us under the cross, as much as in the most cheerful spiritual visitations; yea, we then receive greater communications of heavenly joy, when we are most empty of worldly comforts. For as salt preserves flesh from putrefaction; so afflictions and temptations keep the soul from falling into sin and misery. And the deeper a man sinks into the centre of humility by the cross, the deeper does he penetrate into the heart of God, which is always open to receive and embrace the mortified and humble soul. This is the great end proposed by God, in all his various methods of humbling us; that, being sensible of our own great corruption, we may die to ourselves, and live entirely unto him. The saints of old, when under heavy tribulations, could no otherwise possess their souls in patience and liberty, than by a total abandonment and denial of themselves, being ready to submit to every cross which God should lay upon them, even though it should last during their whole life. By this humility, obedience, and self-denial, they were at last delivered. For the end designed by God in sending crosses upon them, being answered, he was pleased immediately to release them.

5. The last comfort under the cross is, that thou canst not be hurt by it, unless it be by thine own fault, by being fretful and impatient under it. Thou art very much in the wrong, if thou thinkest thyself injured by this or that man; they cannot hurt thee if thou keep thy mind steady and even under its burden. Be assured, that so long as thou art master of thyself and thy passions, the whole world can do thee no harm. If thou wouldst be safe, then, against the assaults of thine enemy, answer not again; be silent, even as a dead man, in his grave. Every calumny and reproach which the world shall cast upon thee, shall be as rays of light, encircling thy head with a crown of glory. How glorious are the three degrees of patience, in which true victory consists! The first is, to suffer without murmuring. The second is, not only to suffer patiently, but even to wish for suffering for Christ's sake, from a pure love of him. The third is, to rejoice in suffering; and this is the most powerful and the greatest victory of all.

Book IV

Preface To The Fourth Book.

All Creatures Are Messengers Of God, Intended To Lead Us To God

By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.– Col.1:16, 17.

The eminent prophet Moses exhibits to us two powerful witnesses of God, in the book of Creation. The first is the universe; the second is the inferior world, that is, Man. Both of them, the universe and the heart of man, furnish glorious testimony in the Scriptures, by which the Creator and Preserver of all things is revealed, and also formed in our hearts.

2. We shall, therefore, introduce in this Book the testimony of both, that is, first, of the universe, and secondly, of the inferior world. Thus we shall learn that all creatures are, as it were, the guides and messengers of God, whereby we are to be brought to Christian knowledge, and also to God in Christ.

3. It is therefore unnecessary to attempt to prove that this Book also belongs to True Christianity, although there are some who might entertain a different opinion. If they desire additional evidence, they may find it in the passage quoted above (Col. 1:16, 17), and also in the Introduction of the Gospel according to St. John, and in very many passages of the Old and the New Testaments. Let them consider specially Psalms 19; 104; 139; and the words of St. Paul in Rom. 8: 22, concerning the groaning of the whole creation, and in 1 Cor. 15:42-52, concerning the resurrection of the dead; in that case they will judge me with more gentleness and favor. And they will also assent to the Saviour's own method of teaching, who used to explain and demonstrate to his disciples and followers the mysteries of his kingdom and of true Christianity, by beautiful illustrations taken from the book of nature. But if they oppose the very Sacraments themselves, which are so many witnesses and seals of divine grace taken from the great book of nature, then I refer them to St. Ambrose, Basil, Theodoret, and others, who have written largely and learnedly upon the six days' creation.

4. Thus much may suffice in defence of my method and design; to which I beg leave to subjoin only this admonition, as the great argument of the whole, namely, that it is the duty of a true Christian to use God's creatures to his honor and glory, so that God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

5. Observe the method by which the creatures lead us unto God. An indulgent father invites his children to come to him; and if they are backward, offers them an apple or some other engaging present. This he gives, not that the child should be in love with the present, but be induced by it to be more fond of the giver. Just so God deals with us; he invites us by all the engaging invitations and promises of the Gospel; and not content with that, he offers us many great and noble gifts, “doing us good, and giving us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Acts 14:17. All these blessings are so many messengers sent from God to draw us to himself, and to instruct us how to taste the goodness of the Giver and Creator in that of the creature.

6. But so perverse is man, that his heart is set upon his gold and silver, his houses, estates, honors, and pleasures, which, however good in their kind, are yet in the sight of God of no value; they are only given us by God, to draw us to himself. For this reason it was, that God made man so needy and helpless a creature, that by the variety of his blessings and multitude of his benefits, he might draw him to himself, and teach him by these various instances of his love and goodness, that all the comfort and sweetness which he tastes in the creature, really proceeds from the Creator; and that he alone is able to comfort, relieve, and support us, when these perishing worldly comforts forsake and leave us.

7. But the greatest of all God's messengers, the most excellent of all his gifts, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, in whom are all the fulness and perfection of divine love and goodness. His mercy is over all his works, and “by him all things were made.” John 1:3. “By him all things consist.” Col. 1:17. “He upholdeth all things by the word of his power.” Heb. 1:3.

8. Having said thus much by way of preface, I begin the First Part of this Book, treating in general of the six days of creation, to promote the knowledge, glory, and praise of God.

9. Of man, we shall speak more particularly in the Second Part; and I intreat my readers to read the Conclusion to my Second Book, before they begin to judge me. For I again protest and declare that I desire my writings to be understood in accordance with the Symbolical Books of the Church of the Augsburg Confession, and in no other sense.

Part I.

Treating Of The Works Of The Six Days Of Creation, In General

Chapter I.

Of Light, The Work Of The First Day

God said, Let there be light; and there was light. – He covereth himself with light as with a garment. – God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.– Gen. 1:3; Ps. 104:2; 1 John 1:5.

In those words in Job 38:19 – “Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof?” it is intimated that the nature of light is very difficult to be explained, and that its original is not to be comprehended by finite understandings. For though we know something of it by means of sight, yet it is but little; however, let us employ that little to promote the glory of God.

2. First, then, we say that light is a noble, subtle, and pure principle, separated from the darkness in the morning of the creation, when God “commanded the light to shine out of darkness.” 2 Cor. 4:6. By this the world is enlightened and comforted, and all its beautiful variety is distinctly known and apprehended. By this, as some think, the light of life was conveyed into the great world, incorporating itself with every creature. From this pure brightness and glorious splendor, light and beauty flowed into the sun, constituting it thereby the great luminary of the day, which it governs and directs. Jer. 31:35. Whence, also, the Creator himself calls the light day. Gen. 1:5, 14.

3. But as it is the duty of a Christian to contemplate the works of God with spiritual eyes, so as therein to see the Creator, and by the work be led to praise the Maker; let us take a nearer view of this subject, and see how the light and the sun bear witness of God and Christ.

4. And the first conclusion that naturally presents itself is this: If God created so beautiful, refreshing, enlivening, clear, and shining a light; how much more lovely, comfortable, and refreshing a light must He be himself? Therefore, the commentator upon St. Dionysius, to the question, “Why God first of all created light?” answers – Because from his own essential light, the visible light almost naturally proceeds, as that which bears the nearest resemblance to his own nature; and therefore he calls light, a little after, “the image of the goodness of God;” adding, that the light in God was transcendent and above comprehension; in angels and men, intelligible; in the sun, visible.

5. And, whereas God made the light, in order that the true external form and beauty of the creatures might be distinctly seen and apprehended, it follows that there is also another secret or concealed light, by which the internal form of the creatures may be likewise known, and from which nothing can be hidden. And this light is the eternal wisdom of God, which, being compared with the natural and created light, has been fitly called the brightness of the everlasting light.

6. Of this St. Dionysius writes in these words. “As the visible light directs, governs, and fills the visible world; so the incomprehensible and heavenly light, fills and enlightens all heavenly spirits. It also purifies the soul from darkness and error, and brings it into communion with the light of God. It is at first no more than a twilight, or faint glimmering of light; but when it is tasted, loved, and desired, then, in proportion to our love, it increases more and more unto the perfect day. Wherefore this transcendent light exceeds all lights, being, as it were, the centre and fountain of them all. From its fulness it enlightens all spirits; and, being the original of all light, it comprehends under it all the degrees of spiritual, angelical, rational, and natural light. And as ignorance separates deluded souls from the light; so the presence of this divine light, collects, unites, perfects, and delivers from ignorance and error, all that are enlightened by it: it converts them to the truth, reducing their various imaginations to the standard of pure and simple truth, and fills their souls with pure and uniform light.” Thus far St. Dionysius.

7. In the light of the sun, also, shines forth the pure, deep, and ardent love of God. For whom did he create the sun? Certainly not for himself, for he needeth not the sun, nor any other created light, being himself a light infinite and eternal. It was for our sakes, therefore, that he created it; so that every ray of light proceeding from the sun, is indeed a ray of divine love towards mankind.

8. And as the eternal wisdom of God is likewise a bright sun, clearly discovering his mercy and beneficence; therefore, according to the nature and properties of the visible sun and light, it may also be called, an image of the divine goodness.