Section 16 of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Graham Dunlop. Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 by John Calvin. Translated by Henry Beverage Chapter 7 A summary of the Christian life of self-denial. The divisions of the chapter are 1. The rule which permits us not to go astray in the study of righteousness requires two things. Viz. That man, abandoning his own will, devote himself entirely to the service of God. Whence it follows that we must seek not our own things, but the things of God. Sections 1 and 2 2. A description of this renovation or Christian life taken from the Epistle to Titus and accurately explained under certain special heads. Section 3 to End Sections 1 Consideration of the Second General Division in regard to the Christian life. It's beginning and some. A twofold respect. 1. We are not our own. Respect to both the fruit and the use. Unknown to philosophers who have placed reason on the throne of the Holy Spirit. 2. Since we are not our own, we must seek the glory of God and obey his will. Self-denial recommended to the disciples of Christ. He who neglects it, deceived either by pride or hypocrisy, rushes on destruction. 3. Three things to be followed and two to be shunned in life. Impiety and worldly lusts to be shunned. Sobriety, justice and piety to be followed. An inducement to right conduct. 4. Self-denial, the sum of Paul's doctrine. It's difficulty. Qualities in us which make it difficult. Cures for these qualities. 1. Ambition to be suppressed. 2. Humility to be embraced. 3. Candour to be esteemed. 4. Mutual charity to be preserved. 5. Modesty to be sincerely cultivated. 5. The advantage of our neighbour to be promoted. Here self-denial most necessary and yet most difficult. Here a double remedy. 1. The benefits bestowed upon us are for the common benefit of the church. 2. We ought to do all we can for our neighbour. This illustrated by analogy from the members of the human body. This duty of charity founded on the divine command. 6. Charity ought to have for its attendants patience and kindness. We should consider the image of God in our neighbours. And especially in those who are of the household of faith. Hence a fourfold consideration which refutes all objections. A common objection refuted. 7. Christian life cannot exist without charity. Remedies for the vices opposed to charity. 1. Mercy. 2. Humility. 3. Modesty. 4. Diligence. 5. Perseverance. 8. Self-denial in respect of God should lead to equanimity and tolerance. 1. We are always subject to God. 2. We should shun avarice and ambition. 3. We should expect all prosperity from the blessing of God and entirely depend on Him. 9. We ought not to desire wealth or honours without the divine blessing nor follow the arts of the wicked. We ought to cast all our care upon God and never envy the prosperity of others. 10. We ought to commit ourselves entirely to God. The necessity of this doctrine. Various uses of affliction, heathen abuse and corruption. 1. Although the law of God contains a perfect rule of conduct admirably arranged, it has seemed proper to our divine master to train his people by a more accurate method to the rule which is enjoined in the law. And the leading principle in the method is that it is the duty of believers to present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is their reasonable service. Romans 12.1 Hence he draws the exhortation, be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The great point then is that we are consecrated and dedicated to God and therefore should not henceforth think, speak, design or act without a view to his glory. What he hath made sacred cannot, without signal insult to him, be applied to profane use. But if we are not our own but the Lord's, it is plain both what error is to be shunned and to what end the actions of our lives ought to be directed. We are not our own, therefore neither is our own reason or will to rule our acts and councils. We are not our own, therefore let us not make it our end to seek what may be agreeable to our carnal nature. We are not our own, therefore as far as possible let us forget ourselves and the things that are ours. On the other hand we are gods, let us therefore live and die to him. Romans 14.8 We are gods, therefore let his wisdom and will preside over all our actions. We are gods. To him then, as the only legitimate end, let every part of our life be directed. Oh how great the proficiency of him who taught that he is not his own has withdrawn the dominion and government of himself from his own reason that he may give them to God. For as the surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves, so the only haven of safety is to have no other will, no other wisdom than to follow the Lord wherever he leads. Let this then be the first step, to abandon ourselves and devote the whole energy of our minds to the service of God. By service I mean not only that which consists in verbal obedience but that by which the mind, divested of its own carnal feelings, implicitly obeys the call of the Spirit of God. This transformation which Paul calls the renewing of the mind, Romans 12.2, Ephesians 4.23, though it is the first entrance to life, was unknown to all the philosophers. They give the government of man to reason alone, thinking that she alone is to be listened to. In short, they assign to her the sole direction of the conduct. But Christian philosophy bids her give place and yield complete submission to the Holy Spirit, so that the man himself no longer lives, but Christ lives and reigns in him. Galatians 2.20.2 Hence follows the other principle that we are not to seek our own but the Lord's will and act with a view to promote his glory. Great is our proficiency when almost forgetting ourselves, certainly postponing our own reason, we faithfully make it our study to obey God and his commandments. For when Scripture enjoins us to lay aside private regard to ourselves, it not only divests our minds of an excessive longing for wealth or power or human favor, but eradicates all ambition and thirst for worldly glory and other more secret pests. The Christian ought indeed to be so trained and disposed as to consider that during his whole life he has to do with God. For this reason, as he will bring all things to the disposal and estimate of God, so he will religiously direct his whole mind to him. For he who has learned to look to God in everything he does is at the same time diverted from all vain thoughts. This is that self-denial which Christ so strongly enforces on his disciples from the very outset, Matthew 16-24, which as soon as it takes hold of the mind leaves no place either first for pride, show and ostentation, or secondly for avarice, lust, luxury, effeminacy or other vices which are engendered by self-love. On the contrary, wherever it rains not, the foulest vices are indulged without shame, or if there is some appearance of virtue, it is vitiated by a depraved longing for applause. Show me if you can, an individual who, unless he has renounced himself in obedience to the Lord's command, is disposed to do good for its own sake. Those who have not so renounced themselves have followed virtue at least for the sake of praise. The philosophers who have contended most strongly that virtue is to be desired on her own account were so inflated with arrogance as to make it apparent that they sought virtue for no other reason than as a ground for indulging in pride. So far, therefore, is God from being delighted with these hunters after popular applause with their swollen breasts, that he declares they have received their reward in this world, Matthew 6-2, and that harlots and publicans are nearer the kingdom of heaven than they. We have not yet sufficiently explained how great and numerous are the obstacles by which a man is impeded in the pursuit of rectitude, so long as he has not renounced himself. The old saying is true, there is a world of iniquity treasured up in the human soul. Nor can you find any other remedy for this than to deny yourself, renounce your own reason and direct your whole mind to the pursuit of those things which the Lord requires of you and which you are to seek only because they are pleasing to him. 3. In another passage, Paul gives a brief indeed but more distinct account of each of the parts of a well-ordered life. The grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Titus 2, 11-14 After holding forth the grace of God to animate us and pave the way for his true worship, he removes the two greatest obstacles which stand in the way, vis, ungodliness to which we are by nature too prone, and worldly lusts which are of still greater extent. Under ungodliness he includes not merely superstition but everything at variance with the true fear of God. Worldly lusts are equivalent to the lusts of the flesh. Thus he enjoins us, in regard to both tables of the law, to lay aside our own mind and renounce whatever our own reason and will dictate. Then he reduces all the actions of our lives to three branches, sobriety, righteousness and godliness. Subriety undoubtedly denotes as well chastity and temperance as the pure and frugal use of temporal goods and patient endurance of want. Righteousness comprehends all the duties of equity in every one his due. Next follows godliness, which separates us from the pollutions of the world and connects us with God in true holiness. These, when connected together by an indissoluble chain, constitute complete perfection. But as nothing is more difficult than to bid a due to the will of the flesh, subdue, nay, of due our lusts, devote ourselves to God and our brethren, and lead an angelic life amid the pollutions of the world, Paul, to set our minds free from all entanglements, recalls us to the hope of a blessed immortality, justly urging us to contend, because as Christ has once appeared as our edema, so on his final advent he will give full effect to the salvation obtained by him. And in this way he dispels all the allurements which be cloud our path and prevent us from aspiring as we ought to heavenly glory. Nay, he tells us that we must be pilgrims in the world, that we may not fail of obtaining the heavenly inheritance. For, moreover, we see by these words that self-denial has respect partly to men and partly, more especially, to God. Sections 8-10 For when Scripture enjoins us in regard to our fellow men to prefer them in honour to ourselves and sincerely labour to promote their advantages, Romans 12-10, Philippians 2-3, he gives us commands which our mind is utterly incapable of obeying until its natural feelings are suppressed. For so blindly do we all rush in the direction of self-love that everyone thinks he has a good reason for exalting himself and despising all others in comparison, if God has bestowed on us something not to be repented of. Trusting to it, we immediately become elated and not only swell, but almost burst with pride. The vices with which we abound, we both carefully conceal from others and flutteringly represent to ourselves as minute and trivial. Nay, sometimes hug them as virtues. When the same qualities which we admire in ourselves are seen in others, even though they should be superior, we, in order that we may not be forced to yield to them, maliciously lower and carp at them. In like manner, in the case of vices, not contented with severe and keen animadversion, we studiously exaggerate them. Hence the insolence with which each, as if exempted from the common lot, seeks to exalt himself above his neighbour confidently and proudly despising others, or at least looking down upon them as his inferiors. The poor man yields to the rich, the plebeian to the noble, the servant to the master, the unlearned to the learned, and yet everyone inwardly cherishes some idea of his own superiority. Thus each flattering himself sets up a kind of kingdom in his breast. The arrogant to satisfy themselves pass censure on the minds and manners of other men, and when contention arises, the full venom is displayed. Many bear about with them some measure of mildness so long as all things go smoothly and lovingly with them. But how few are there who, when stung and irritated, preserve the same tenor of moderation? For this there is no other remedy than to pluck up by the roots those most noxious pests, self-love and love of victory. Philonikia, Kai Philautia. This the doctrine of Scripture does. For it teaches us to remember that the endowments which God has bestowed upon us are not our own, but His free gifts, and that those who plume themselves upon them betray their ingratitude. Who maketh thee to differ, saith Paul, and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? 1 Corinthians 4-7 Then by a diligent examination of our faults let us keep ourselves humble. Thus while nothing will remain to swell our pride there will be much to subdue it. Again we are enjoined whenever we behold the gifts of God in others so to reverence and respect the gifts as also to honour those in whom they reside. If God having been pleased to bestow honour upon them it would ill become us to deprive them of it. Then we are told to overlook their faults not indeed to encourage by flattering them but not because of them to insult those whom we ought to regard with honour and goodwill. In this way with regard to all with whom we have intercourse the behaviour will be not only moderate and modest but courteous and friendly. The only way by which you can ever attain to true meekness is to have your heart imbued with a humble opinion of yourself and respect for others. 5. How difficult it is to perform the duty of seeking the good of your neighbour and to leave off all thought of yourself and in a manner ceased to be yourself you will never accomplish it. How can you exhibit those works of charity which Paul describes unless you renounce yourself and become wholly devoted to others? Charity says he 1 Corinthians 13.4 Suffereth long and is kind Charity envies not Charity vaunteth not itself is not puffed up doth not behave itself unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked etc. Were it the only thing it required of us to seek not our own nature would not have the least power to comply she so inclines us to love ourselves only that she will not easily allow us carelessly to pass by ourselves and our own interests that we may watch over the interests of others nay spontaneously to yield our own rights and resign it to another. But Scripture to conduct us to this reminds us that whatever we obtain from the Lord is granted on the condition of our employing it for the common good of the Church and that therefore the legitimate use of all our gifts is a kind and liberal communication of them with others. There cannot be a sureer rule nor a stronger exhortation to the observance of it than when we are taught that all the endowments which we possess are divine deposits entrusted to us for the very purpose of being distributed for the good of our neighbour but Scripture proceeds still farther when it likens these endowments to the different members of the body 1 Corinthians 12 12 No member has its function for itself or applies it for its own private use but transfers it to its fellow members nor does it derive any other advantage from it than that which it receives in common with the whole body. Thus whatever the pious man can do he is bound to do for his brethren not consulting his own interest in any other way than by striving earnestly for the common edification of the Church. Let this then be our method of showing goodwill and kindness considering that in regard to everything which God has bestowed upon us and by which we can aid our neighbour we are his stewards and are bound to give account of our stewardship moreover that the only right mode of administration is that which is regulated by love. In this way we shall not only unite the study of our neighbour's advantage with regard to our own but make the latter subordinate to the former unless we should have omitted to perceive that this is the law for duly administering every gift which we receive from God. He of old applied that law to the minutest expressions of his own kindness. He commanded the first fruits to be offered to him as an attestation by the people that it was impious to reap any advantage from goods not previously consecrated to him. Exodus 22 29 and 23 19. But if the gifts of God are not sanctified to us until we have with our own hand dedicated them to the giver it must be a gross abuse that does not give signs of such dedication. It is in vain to contend that you cannot enrich the Lord by your offerings though as the psalmist says thou art my Lord, my goodness extendeth not unto thee yet you can extend it to the saints that are in the earth Psalm 16 2 and 3 and therefore a comparison is drawn between sacred oblations and arms as now corresponding to the offerings under the law. 6. Moreover that we may not weary in well-doing as would otherwise forthwith and infallibly be the case we must add the other quality in the apostles enumeration charity suffereth long and is kind and is not easily provoked. 1 Corinthians 13 4 The Lord enjoins us to do good to all without exception though the greater part if estimated by their own merit are most unworthy of it. But Scripture subjoins a most excellent reason when it tells us that we are not to look to what men in themselves deserve but to attend to the image of God which exists in all and to which we owe all honour and love but in those who are of the household of faith the same rule is to be more carefully observed in as much as that image is renewed and restored in them by the Spirit of Christ. Therefore whoever be the man that is presented to you as needing your assistance you have no ground for declining to give it to him say he is a stranger the Lord has given him a mark which ought to be familiar to you for which reason he forbids you to despise your own flesh Galatians 6 10 say he is mean and of no consideration the Lord points him out as one whom he has distinguished by the lustre of his own image Isaiah 58 7 say that you are bound to him by no ties of duty the Lord has substituted him as it were into his own place that in him you may recognise the many great obligations under which the Lord has laid you to himself say that he is unworthy of your least exertion on his account but the image of God by which he is recommended to you is worthy of yourself and all your exertions but if he not only merits no good but has provoked you by injury and mischief still this is no good reason why you should not embrace him in love and visit him with officers of love he has deserved very differently from me you will say but what has the Lord deserved whatever injury he has done to you when he enjoins you to forgive him he certainly means that should be imputed to himself in this way only we attain to what is not to say difficult but altogether against nature we should love those that hate us render good for evil and blessing for cursing remembering that we are not to reflect on the wickedness of men but look to the image of God in them an image which covering and obliterating their faults should by its beauty and dignity allure us to love and embrace them we shall thus succeed in mortifying ourselves if we fulfill all the duties of charity those duties however are not fulfilled by the mere discharge of them though none be omitted unless it is done from a pure feeling of love for it may happen that one may perform every one of these officers insofar as the external act is concerned and be far from performing them a right for you see some who would be thought very liberal and yet accompany everything they give with insult by the haughtiness of their looks or the violence of their words and to such a calamitous condition have we come in this unhappy age that the great of part of men never almost give arms without contumely such conduct ought not to have been tolerated even among the heathen but from Christians something more is required than to carry cheerfulness in their looks and give attractiveness to the discharge of their duties by courteous language first they should put themselves in the place of him who they see in need of their assistance and pity his misfortune as if they felt and bore it so that a feeling of pity and humanity should incline them to assist him just as they would themselves he who is thus minded will go and give assistance to his brethren and not only not taint his acts with arrogance or upbraiding but will neither look down upon the brother to whom he does a kindness as one who needed his help or keep him in subjection as under obligation to him just as we do not insult a diseased member when the rest of the body labours for its recovery nor think it under special obligation to the other members because it has required more exertion than it has returned a communication of officers between members is not regarded as at all gratuitous but rather as the payment of that which being due by the law of nature it were monstrous to deny for this reason he who has performed one kind of duty will not think himself thereby discharged as is usually the case when a rich man after contributing somewhat of his substance delegates remaining burdens to others as if he had nothing to do with them everyone should rather consider that however great he is he owes himself to his neighbours and that the only limit to his beneficence is the failure of his means the extent of these should regulate that of his charity 8. The principal part of self-denial that which as we have said has reference to God let us again consider more fully many things have already been said with regard to it which was superfluous to repeat and therefore it will be sufficient to view it as forming us to equanimity and endurance first then, in seeking the convenience or tranquility of the present life scripture calls us to resign ourselves and all we have to the disposal of the Lord to give him up the affections of our heart that he may tame and subdue them we have a frenzied desire an infinite eagerness to pursue wealth and honour intrigue for power accumulate riches and collect all those frivolities which seem conducive to luxury and splendour on the other hand we have a remarkable dread a remarkable hatred of poverty mean birth and a humble condition and feel the strongest desire to guard against them hence, in regard to those who frame their life after their own counsel we see how restless they are in mind how many plans they try to what fatigues they submit in order that they may gain what avarice or ambition desires or on the other hand escape poverty and meanness to avoid similar entanglements the course which Christian men must follow is this first they must not long for or hope for or think of any kind of prosperity apart from the blessing of God on it they must cast themselves and there safely and confidently recline for however much the carnal mind may seem sufficient for itself when in the pursuit of honour or wealth it depends on its own industry and zeal or is aided by the favour of men it is certain that all this is nothing and that neither intellect nor labour will be of the least avail except insofar as the Lord prospers both on the contrary his blessing alone makes a way through all obstacles and brings everything to a joyful and favourable issue secondly though without this blessing we may be able to acquire some degree of fame and opulence as we daily see wicked men loaded with honours and riches yet since those on whom the curse of God lies do not enjoy the least particle of true happiness whatever we obtain without his blessing must turn out ill but surely men ought not to desire what adds to their misery 9 therefore if we believe that all prosperous and desirable success depends entirely on the blessing of God and that when it is wanting all kinds of misery and calamity await us it follows that we should not eagerly contend for riches and honours trusting to our own dexterity and aciduity or leaning on the favour of men or confiding in any empty imagination of fortune but should always have respect to the Lord that under his auspices we may be conducted to whatever lot he has provided for us first the result will be that instead of rushing on regardless of right and wrong by wiles and wicked arts and with injury to our neighbours to catch at wealth and seize upon honours we will only follow such fortune as we may enjoy with innocence who can hope for the aid of the divine blessing amid fraud, rapine and other iniquitous arts as this blessing attends him only who thinks purely and acts uprightly so it calls off all who long for it from sinister designs and evil actions secondly a curb will be laid upon us restraining a too eager desire of becoming rich or an ambitious striving after honour how can anyone have the effrontery to expect that God will aid him in accomplishing desires at variance with his word what God with his own lips pronounces cursed never can be prosecuted with his blessing lastly if our success is not equal to our wish and hope we shall however be kept from impatience and detestation of our condition whatever it be knowing that so to feel would to murmur against God at whose pleasure riches and poverty, contempt and honours are dispensed in shorts he who leans on the divine blessing in the way which has been described will not in the pursuit of those things which men are want most eagerly to desire employ wicked arts which he knows would avail him nothing nor when anything prosperous befalls him will he impute it to himself and his own diligence or industry or fortune instead of ascribing it to God as the author if while the affairs of others flourish his make little progress or even retrograde he will bear his humble lot with greater equanimity and moderation than any a religious man does the moderate success which only falls short of what he wished for he has a solace in which he can rest more tranquilly than at the very summit of wealth or power because he considers that his affairs are ordered by the Lord in the manner most conducive to his salvation this we see is the way in which David was affected who while he follows God and gives up himself to his guidance declares neither do I exercise myself in great matters or in things too high for me surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother Psalm 131 1 & 2 10 nor is it in disrespect only that pious minds ought to manifest this tranquility and endurance it must be extended to all the accidents to which this present life is liable he alone therefore has properly denied himself who has resigned himself entirely to the Lord placing all the course of his life entirely at his disposal whatever may happen he whose mind is thus composed will neither deem himself wretched nor murmur against God because of his lot how necessary this disposition is will appear if you consider the many accidents to which we are liable various diseases ever in a non-attack us at one time pestilence rages at another we are involved in all the calamities of war frost and hail destroying the promise of the year cause sterility which reduces us to penury wife, parents, children, relatives are carried off by death our house is destroyed by fire these are the events which make men curse their life detest the day of their birth execrate the light of heaven even sense your God and as they're eloquent in blasphemy charge him with cruelty and injustice the believer must in these things also contemplate the mercy and truly paternal indulgence of God accordingly should he see his house by the removal of kindred reduced to solitude even then he will not cease to bless the Lord his thought will be still the grace of the Lord which dwells within my house will not leave it desolate if his crops are blasted mildewed or cut off by frost or struck down by hail and he sees famine before him he will not however despond or murmur against God but maintain his confidence in him we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever Psalm 79 13 he will supply me with food even in the extreme of sterility if he is afflicted with disease the sharpness of the pain will not so overcome him as to make him break out with impatience and expostulate with God but recognising justice and lenity in the rod will patiently endure in short whatever happens knowing that it is ordered by the Lord he will receive it with a placid and grateful mind and will not contumaciously resist the government of him at whose disposal he has placed himself and all that he has especially let the Christian breast eschew that foolish and most miserable consolation of the heathen who to strengthen their mind against adversity imputed it to fortune at which they deemed it absurd to feel indignant as she was as Cornos aimless and rash and blindly wounded the good equally with the bad on the contrary the rule of piety is that the hand of God is the ruler and arbiter of the fortunes of all and instead of rushing on with thoughtless violence dispenses good and evil with perfect regularity End of Section 16 Section 17 of Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3 This is a LibriVox recording. 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For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3 by John Calvin Translated by Henry Beverage Chapter 8 Of Bearing the Cross One Branch of Self-Denial The four divisions of this chapter are first the nature of the cross its necessity and dignity Sections 1 and 2 second the manifold advantages of the cross described Sections 3 to 6 Third the form of the cross the most excellent of all and yet it by no means removes all sense of pain Sections 7 and 8 Fourth a description of warfare under the cross and of true patience not that of philosophers after the example of Christ Sections 9 to 11 Sections 1 what the cross is by whom and on whom and for what cause imposed its necessity and dignity Sections 2 the cross necessary one to humble our pride Sections 2 to make a supply to God for aid example of David Sections 3 to give us experience of God's presence Sections 3 manifold uses of the cross Sections 1 produces patience hope and firm confidence in God gives us victory and perseverance Faith invincible Sections 4 to frames us to obedience example of Abraham this training how useful Sections 5 the cross necessary to subdue the wantonness of the flesh this portrayed by an opposite simile various forms of the cross Sections 6 Sections 3 God permits our infirmities and corrects past faults that he may keep us in obedience this confirmed by a passage from Solomon and an apostle Sections 7 singular consolation under the cross when we suffer persecution for righteousness some parts of this consolation Sections 8 this form of the cross most appropriate to believers and should be born willingly and cheerfully this cheerfulness is not unfeeling hilarity but while groaning under the burden waits patiently for the Lord Sections 9 a description of this conflict opposed to the vanity of the Stoics illustrated by the authority and example of Christ Sections 10 proved by the testimony and uniform experience of the elect also by the special example of the apostle Peter the nature of the patience required of us Sections 11 distinction between the patients of Christians and philosophers the latter pretend a necessity which cannot be resisted the former hold forth the justice of God and his care of our safety a full exposition of this difference Sections 1 the pious mind must ascend still higher namely with the Christ calls his disciples when he says that every one of them must take up his cross Matthew 16 verse 24 those whom the Lord has chosen and honored with his intercourse must prepare for a hard, laborious, troubled life a life full of many and various kinds of evils it being the will of our heavenly Father to exercise his people in this way while putting them to the proof having begun this course with Christ the first born he continues it towards all his children for though that son was dear to him above others the son in whom he was well pleased yet we see that far from being treated gently and indulgently we may say that not only was he subjected to a perpetual cross while he dwelt on earth but his whole life was nothing else than a kind of perpetual cross the apostle assigns the reason though he was a son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered Hebrews 5 verse 8 why then should we exempt ourselves from that condition to which Christ our head behoved to submit especially since he submitted on our account that he might in his own person exhibit a model of patience wherefore the apostle declares that all the children of God are destined to be conformed to him hence it affords us great consolation in hard and difficult circumstances which men deem evil and adverse to think that we are holding fellowship with the sufferings of Christ that as he passed to celestial glory through a labyrinth of many woes so we too are conducted thither through various tribulations for in another passage Paul himself thus speaks we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God in Acts 14 verse 22 and again that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable under his death Romans 8 verse 29 how powerfully should it soften the bitterness of the cross to think that the more we are afflicted with adversity the shoreer we are made of our fellowship with Christ by communion with whom our sufferings are best to us but tend greatly to the furtherance of our salvation 2 we may add that the only thing which made it necessary for our Lord to undertake to bear the cross was to testify and prove his obedience to the Father whereas there are many reasons which make it necessary for us to live constantly under the cross feeble as we are by nature and prone to ascribe all perfection to our flesh unless we receive as it were ocular demonstration of our weakness we readily estimate our virtue above its proper worth and doubt not that whatever happens it will stand unimpaired and invincible against all difficulties hence we indulge a stupid and empty confidence in the flesh and then trusting to it wax proud against the Lord himself as if our own faculties were sufficient without his grace this arrogance cannot be better repressed than when he proves to us by experience not only how great our weakness but also our frailty is therefore he visits us with disgrace or poverty or bereavement or disease or other afflictions feeling altogether unable to support them we forthwith in so far as regards ourselves give way and thus humbled learn to invoke his strength which alone can enable us to bear up under a weight of affliction nay, even the holiest of men however well aware that they stand not in their own strength but by the grace of God would feel too secure in their own fortitude and constancy were they not brought to a more thorough knowledge of themselves by the trial of the cross this feeling gained even upon David in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psalm 30 verses 6 and 7 he confesses that in prosperity his feelings were dulled and blunted so that, neglecting the grace of God on which alone he ought to have depended he lent to himself and promised himself perpetuity if it so happened to this great prophet who of us should not fear and study caution though in tranquility they flatter themselves with the idea of greater constancy and patience yet humbled by adversity they learn the deception believers I say warned by such proofs of their diseases make progress in humility and divesting themselves of a depraved confidence in the flesh but take themselves to the grace of God and when they have so but taken themselves experience the presence of the divine power in which is ample protection 3 this Paul teaches when he says that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience God having promised that he will be with believers in tribulation they feel the truth of the promise while supported by his hand they endure patiently this they could never do by their own strength patience therefore gives the saints an experimental proof that God in reality furnishes the aid which he has promised whenever there is need hence also their faith is confirmed for it were very ungrateful not to expect that in future the truth of God will be as they have already found it firm and constant we now see how many advantages are at once produced by the cross overturning the overweening opinion we form of our own virtue and detecting the hypocrisy in which we delight it removes our pernicious carnal confidence teaching us when thus humbled to recline on God alone so that we neither are oppressed nor despond then victory is followed by hope inasmuch as the Lord by performing what he has promised establishes his truth in regard to the future were these the only reasons it is surely plain how necessary it is for us to bear the cross it is of no little importance to be rid of your self-love and made fully conscious of your weakness so impressed with the sense of your weakness as to learn to distrust yourself to distrust yourself so as to transfer your confidence to God reclining on him with such heartfelt confidence as to trust in his aid and continue invincible to the end standing by his grace so as to perceive that he is true to his promises and so assured of the certainty of his promises as to be strong in hope 4 another end which the Lord has in afflicting his people is to try their patience and train them to obedience not that they can yield obedience to him except insofar as he enables them but he is pleased thus to attest and display striking proofs of the graces which he has conferred upon his saints lest they should remain within unseen and unemployed accordingly by bringing forward openly the strength and constancy of endurance with which he has provided his servants he is said to try their patience hence the expressions that God tempted Abraham Genesis 21 verse 1 and 12 and made proof of his piety by not declining to sacrifice his only son hence too Peter tells us that our faith is proved by tribulation just as gold is tried in a furnace of fire but who will say it is not expedient that the most excellent gift of patience which the believer has received from his God is applied to uses by being made sure and manifest otherwise men would never value it according to its worth but if God himself to prevent the virtues which he has conferred upon believers from lurking in obscurity nay lying useless and perishing does a right in supplying materials for calling them forth there is the best reason for the afflictions of the saints since without them their patience could not exist I say that by the cross they are also trained to obedience because they are thus taught to live not according to their own wish but at the disposal of God indeed did all things proceed as they wish they would not know what it is to follow God Seneca mentions that there was an old proverb when anyone was exhorted to endure adversity follow God thereby intimating that men truly submitted to the yoke of God only when they gave their back and hand to his rod but if it is most right that we should in all things prove our obedience to our Heavenly Father certainly we ought not to decline any method by which he trains us to obedience 5 still however we see not how necessary that obedience is unless we at the same time consider how prone our carnal nature is to shake off the yoke of God whenever it has been treated with some degree of gentleness and indulgence it just happens to it as with refractory horses which if kept idle for a few days at hack and manger become ungovernable and no longer recognize the rider whose command before they implicitly obeyed and we invariably become what God complains of in the people of Israel waxing gross and fat we kick against him who reared and nursed us Deuteronomy 32 verse 15 the kindness of God should allure us to ponder and love his goodness but since such is our malignity that we are invariably corrupted by his indulgence it is more than necessary for us to be restrained by discipline from breaking forth into such petulance thus lest we become emboldened by an overabundance of wealth lest elated with honor we grow proud lest inflated with other advantages of body or mind or fortune we grow insolent the Lord himself interferes as he sees to be expedient by means of the cross subduing and curbing the arrogance of our flesh and that in various ways as the advantage of each requires for as we do not all equally labor under the same disease so we do not all need the same difficult cure hence we see that all are not exercised with the same kind of cross while the heavenly physician treats some more gently in the case of others he employs harsher remedies his purpose being to provide a cure for all still none is left free and untouched because he knows that all without a single exception are diseased 6 we may add that our most merciful father requires not only to prevent our weakness but often to correct our past faults that he may keep us into obedience therefore whenever we are afflicted we ought immediately to call to mind our past life in this way we will find that the faults which we have committed are deserving of such castigation and yet the exhortation to patience is not to be founded chiefly on the acknowledgement of sin for scripture supplies a far better consideration when it says that in adversity we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Corinthians 11 verse 32 therefore in the very bitterness of tribulation we ought to recognize the kindness and mercy of our father since even then he ceases not to further our salvation for he afflicts not that he may ruin or destroy but rather that he may deliver us from the condemnation of the world let this thought lead us to what scripture elsewhere teaches my son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a father the son in whom he delighteth Proverbs 3 verse 11 and 12 when we perceive our father's rod is it not our part to behave as obedient docile sons rather than rebelliously imitate desperate men who are hardened in wickedness God dooms us to destruction if he does not, by correction call us back when we have fallen off from him so that it is truly said if you be without chastisement then ye are bastards and not sons Hebrews 12 verse 8 we are most perverse then if we cannot bear him while he is manifesting his goodwill to us and the care which he takes of our salvation scripture states the difference between believers and unbelievers to be that the latter as the slaves of inveterate and deep-seated iniquity only become worse and more obstinate under the lash whereas the former, like freeborn sons turn to repentance now therefore choose your class but as I have already spoken of this subject it is sufficient to have here briefly adverted to it 7 there is singular consolation moreover when we are persecuted for righteousness sake for our thought should then be how high the honour which God bestows upon us in distinguishing us by the special badge of his soldiers by suffering persecution for righteousness sake I mean not only striving for the defence of the gospel but for the defence of righteousness in any way whether therefore in maintaining the truth of God against the lies of Satan or defending the good and innocent against the injuries of the bad we are obliged to incur the offence and hatred of the world so as to endanger life, fortune or honour let us not grieve or decline so far to spend ourselves for God let us not think ourselves wretched in those things in which he with his own lips has pronounced us blessed Matthew 5 verse 10 poverty indeed considered in itself is misery so are exile, contempt, imprisonment, ignominy in fine death itself is the last of all calamities but when the favour of God breathes upon us there is none of these things which may not turn out to our happiness let us then be contented with the testimony of Christ rather than with the false estimate of the flesh and then, after the example of the apostles we will rejoice in being counter- worthy to suffer shame for his name Acts 5 verse 41 for why, if, while conscious of our innocence we are deprived of our substance by the wickedness of man we are, no doubt, humanly speaking, reduced to poverty but in truth our riches in heaven are increased if driven from our homes we have more welcome reception into the family of God if vexed and despised we are more firmly rooted in Christ if stigmatised by disgrace and ignominy we have a higher place in the kingdom of God and if we are slain entrance is thereby given us to eternal life the Lord having set such a price upon us let us be ashamed to estimate ourselves at less than the shadowy and evanescent allurements of the present life 8 since by these and similar considerations scripture abundantly solaces us for the ignominy or calamities which we endure in defence of righteousness we are very ungrateful if we do not willingly and cheerfully receive them at the hand of the Lord especially since this form of the cross is the most appropriate to believers being that by which Christ desires to be glorified in us as Peter also declares 1 Peter 4 verse 11 and 14 but as to ingenuous natures it is more bitter to suffer disgrace than a hundred deaths Paul expressly reminds us that not only persecution but also disgrace awaits us because we trust in the living God 1 Timothy 4 verse 10 so in another passage he bids us after his example walk by evil report and good report 2 Corinthians 6 verse 8 the cheerfulness required however does not imply a total insensibility to pain the saints could show no patience under the cross if they were not both tortured with pain and grievously molested were there no hardship in poverty no pain in disease no sting in ignominy no fear in death where would be the fortitude and moderation in enduring them but while every one of these by its inherent bitterness naturally vexes the mind the believer in this displays his fortitude that though fully sensible of the bitterness and laboring grievously he still withstands and struggles boldly in this displays his patience that though sharply stung he is however curbed by the fear of God from breaking forth into any excess in this displays his alacrity that though pressed with sorrow and sadness he rests satisfied with spiritual consolation from God 9. This conflict which believers maintain against the natural feeling of pain while they study moderation and patience Paul eloquently describes in these words we are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Corinthians 4 verse 8 and 9 you see that to bear the cross patiently is not to have your feelings altogether blunted and to be absolutely insensible to pain according to the absurd description which the Stoics of old gave of their hero as one who divested of humanity was affected in the same way by adversity and prosperity grief and joy or rather like a stone was not affected by anything and what did they gain by that sublime wisdom they exhibited a shadow of patience which never did and never can exist among men nay rather by aiming at two exact and rigid patients they banished it altogether from human life now also we have among Christians a new kind of Stoics who hold it vicious not only to groan and weep but even to be sad and anxious these paradoxes are usually started by indolent men who employing themselves more in speculation than in action can do nothing else for us than beget such paradoxes but we have nothing to do with that iron philosophy which our Lord and Master condemned not only in word but also by his own example for he both grieved and shed tears for his own and others woes nor did he teach his disciples differently you shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoice John 16 verse 20 and lest anyone should regard this as vicious he expressly declares blessed are they that mourn Matthew 5 verse 4 and no wonder if all tears are condemned what shall we think of our Lord himself whose sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Luke 22 verse 44 Matthew 26 verse 38 if every kind of fear is a mark of unbelief what place shall we assign to the dread which it is said it no slight degree amazed him if all sadness is condemned how shall we justify him when he confesses my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death 10 I wish to make these observations to keep pious minds from despair lest from feeling it impossible to divest themselves of the natural feeling of grief they might altogether abandon the study of patience this must necessarily be the result of those who convert patience into stupor and a brave and firm man into a block scripture gives saints the praise of endurance though afflicted by the hardships they endure they are not crushed though they feel bitterly they are at the same time filled with spiritual joy though pressed with anxiety breath exhilarated by the consolation of God still there is a certain degree of repugnance in their hearts because natural sense shuns and dreads what is adverse to it while pious affection even through these difficulties tries to obey the divine will this repugnance the Lord expressed when he thus addressed Peter verily verily I say unto thee when thou wast young thou girdest thyself and walketh wither thou wouldst but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee wither thou wouldst not John 21 verse 18 it is not probable indeed that when it became necessary to glorify God by death he was driven to it unwilling and resisting had it been so little praise would have been due to his martyrdom but though he obeyed the divine ordination with the greatest alacrity of heart yet as he had not divested himself of humanity he was distracted by a double will he thought of the bloody death which he was to die struck with horror he would willingly have avoided it on the other hand when he considered that it was God who called him to it his fear was vanquished and suppressed and he met death cheerfully it must therefore be our study if we would be disciples of Christ to imbue our minds with such reverence and obedience to God as may tame and subjugate all affections contrary to his appointment in this way whatever be the kind of cross to which we are subjected we shall in the greatest straits firmly maintain our patience adversity will have its bitterness and sting us when afflicted with disease we shall groan and be disquieted and long for health pressed with poverty we shall feel the stings of anxiety and sadness feel the pain of ignominy contempt and injury and pay the tears due to nature at the death of our friends but our conclusion will always be the Lord so willed it therefore let us follow his will nay, amid the pungency of grief, among groans and tears this thought will necessarily suggest itself and incline us cheerfully to endure the things for which we are so afflicted 11 but since the chief reason for enduring the cross has been derived from a consideration of the divine will we must in few words explain where in lies the difference between philosophical and Christian patience indeed very few of the philosophers advanced so far as to perceive that the hand of God tries us by means of affliction and that we ought in this matter to obey God the only reason which they adduce is that so it must be but is not this just to say that we must yield to God because it is in vain to contend against him for if we obey God only because it is necessary provided we can escape we shall cease to obey him but what scripture calls us to consider in the will of God to be different namely first justice and equity and then a regard to our own salvation hence Christian exhortations to patience are of this nature whether poverty or exile or imprisonment or contumely or disease or bereavement or any such evil affects us we must think that none of them happens except by the will and providence of God moreover that everything he does is in the most perfect order what do not our numberless daily faults deserve to be chastised more severely and with a heavier rod than his mercy lays upon us is it not most right that our flesh should be subdued and be as it were accustomed to the oak so as not to rage and wanton as it lists are not the justice and the truth of God worthy of our suffering on their account but if the equity of God is undoubtedly displayed in affliction we cannot murmur or struggle against them without inequity we no longer hear the frigid cant yield because it is necessary but a living and energetic precept obey because it is unlawful to resist bear patiently because impatience is rebellion against the justice of God then as that only seems to us attractive which we perceive to be for our own safety and advantage here also our heavenly Father consoles us by the assurance that in the very cross with which he afflicts us he provides for our salvation but if it is clear that tribulations are salutary to us why should we not receive them with calm and grateful minds in bearing them patiently we are not submitting to necessity but resting satisfied with our own good the effect of these thoughts is that to whatever extent our minds are contracted by the bitterness which we naturally feel under the cross to the same extent will they be expanded with spiritual joy hence arises thanksgiving which cannot exist unless joy be felt but if the praise of the Lord and thanksgiving can emanate only from a cheerful and gladdened breast and there is nothing which ought to interrupt these feelings in us it is clear how necessary it is to temper the bitterness of the cross with spiritual joy for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the three divisions of this chapter first the principal use of the cross is that it in various ways accustomed us to despise the present and excites us to aspire to the future life sections one and two second in withdrawing from the present life we must neither shun it nor feel hatred for it but desiring the future life gladly quit the present at the command of our sovereign master sections three and four third our infirmity in dreading death described the correction and safe remedy section six sections one the design of God in afflicting his people one to accustom us to despise the present life our infatuated love of it afflictions employed as the cure two to lead us to aspire to heaven two excessive love of the present life prevents us from duly aspiring to the other hence the disadvantages of prosperity blindness of the human judgment our philosophizing on the vanity of life only of momentary influence the necessity of the cross three the present life and evidence of the divine favor to his people and therefore not to be detested on the contrary should call for thanksgiving the crown of victory in heaven after the contest on earth four weariness of the present life how to be tempered the believers estimate of life comparison of the present and future life how far the present life should be hated five Christians should not tremble at the fear of death two reasons objection answer other reasons six reasons continued conclusion section one whatever be the kind of tribulation with which we are afflicted we should always consider the end of it to be that we may be trained to despise the present and thereby stimulated to aspire to the future life for since God well knows how strongly we are inclined by nature to a slavish love of this world in order to prevent us from clinging too strongly to it he employs the fittest reason for calling us back and shaking off our lethargy every one of us indeed would be thought to aspire and aim at heavenly immortality during the whole course of his life for we would be ashamed in no respect to excel the lower animals his condition would not be at all inferior to ours had we not a hope of immortality beyond the grave but when you attend to the plans wishes and actions of each you see nothing in them but the earth hence our stupidity our minds being dazzled with the glare of wealth power and honors that they can see no father the heart also engrossed with avarice ambition and lust is weighed down and cannot rise above them in short the whole soul ensnared by the allurements of the flesh seeks its happiness on the earth with this disease the Lord makes his people sensible of the vanity of the present life by a constant proof of its miseries thus that they may not promise themselves deep and lasting peace in it he often allows them to be assailed by war, tumult or rapine or to be disturbed by other injuries that they may not long with too much eagerness after fleeting and fading riches or rest in those which they already possess or at least restricts them to a moderate allowance at one time by exile, at another by sterility at another by fire or by other means that they may not indulge too complacently in the advantages of married life he either vexes them by the misconduct of their partners or humbles them by the wickedness of their children or afflicts them by bereavement but if in all these he is indulgent to them lest they should either swell with vain glory or be elated with confidence by diseases and dangers he sets palpably before them how unstable and evanescent are all the advantages competent to mortals we dually profit by the discipline of the cross when we learn that this life, estimated in itself is restless, troubled, in numberless ways wretched and plainly in no respect happy that what are estimated its blessings are uncertain, fleeting, vain and vitiated by a great admixture of evil from this we conclude that all we have to seek or hope for here is contest that when we think of the crown we must raise our eyes to heaven for we must hold that our mind never rises seriously to desire and aspire after the future until it has learned to despise the present life Section 2 for there is no medium between the two things earth must either be worthless in our estimation or keep us enslaved by an intemperate love of it therefore if we have any regard to eternity we must carefully strive to disencomber ourselves of these fetters moreover since the present life has many enticements to allure us and great zemblance of delight, grace and sweetness to soothe us it is of great consequence to us to be now and then called off from its fascinations for what prey would happen if we here enjoyed an uninterrupted course of honour and felicity when even the constant stimulus of affliction cannot arouse us to a due sense of our misery that human life is like smoke or a shadow is not only known to the learned there is not a more trite proverb among the vulgar considering it a fact most useful to be known they have recommended it in many well-known expressions still there is no fact which we ponder less carefully or less frequently remember for we form all our plans just as if we had fixed our immortality on the earth if we see a funeral or walk among graves as the image of death is then present to the eye I admit we philosophise admirably on the vanity of life we do not indeed always do so for those things often have no effect upon us at all but at the best our philosophy is momentary it vanishes as soon as we turn our back and leaves not the vestige of remembrance behind in short it passes away just like the applause of a theatre at some pleasant spectacle forgetful not only of death but also of mortality itself as if no rumour of it had ever reached us we indulge in supine security as expecting a terrestrial immortality meanwhile if anyone breaks in with the proverb that man is the creature of a day we indeed acknowledge its truth but so far from giving heed to it the thought of perpetuity still keeps hold of our minds who then can deny that it is of the highest importance to us all I say not to be admonished by words but convinced by all possible experience of the miserable condition of our earthly life since even when convinced we scarcely cease to gaze upon it with vicious stupid admiration as if it contained within itself the sum of all that is good but if God finds it necessary so to train us it must be our duty to listen to him when he calls and shakes us from our torpa that we may hasten to despise the world and aspire with our whole heart to the future life Section 3 still the contempt which believers should train themselves to feel for the present life must not be of a kind to beget hatred of it or ingratitude to God this life though abounding in all kinds of wretchedness is justly classed among divine blessings which are not to be despised wherefore if we do not recognise the kindness of God in it we are chargeable with no little ingratitude towards him to believers especially it ought to be a proof of divine benevolence since it is wholly destined to promote their salvation before openly exhibiting the inheritance of eternal glory God is pleased to manifest himself to us as a father by minor proofs that is the blessings which he daily bestows upon us therefore while this life serves to acquaint us with the goodness of God shall we disdain it as if it did not contain one particle of good we ought therefore to feel and be affected towards it in such a manner as to place it among those gifts of the divine benignity which are by no means to be despised were there no proofs in scripture they are most numerous and clear yet nature herself exhorts us to return thanks to God for having brought us forth into life granted us the use of it and bestowed upon us all the means necessary for its preservation and there is much higher reason when we reflect that here we are in a manner prepared for the glory of the heavenly kingdom for the Lord hath ordained that those who are ultimately to be crowned in heaven must maintain a previous warfare on the earth that they may not triumph before they have overcome the difficulties of war and obtained the victory another reason is that we here begin to experience in various ways a foretaste of the divine benignity in order that our hope and desire may be wetted for its full manifestation when once we have concluded that our earthly life is a gift of the divine mercy of which agreeably to our obligation it behoves us to have a grateful remembrance we shall then properly descend to consider its most rigid condition and thus escape from that excessive fondness for it to which, as I have said, we are naturally prone section 4 in proportion as this improper love diminishes our desire of a better life should increase I confess indeed that a most accurate opinion was formed by those who thought that the best thing was not to be born the next best to die early for being destitute of the light of God and of true religion what could they see in it that was not of dire and evil omen nor was it unreasonable for those who felt sorrow and shed tears at the birth of their kindred to keep holiday at their deaths but this they did without profit because devoid of the true doctrine of faith they saw not how that which in itself is neither happy nor desirable turns to the advantage of the righteous and hence their opinion issued in despair let believers then, in forming an estimate of this mortal life and perceiving that in itself it is nothing but misery make it their aim to exert themselves with greater relacrity and less hindrance in aspiring to the future and eternal life when we contrast the two the former may not only be securely neglected but in comparison of the latter be disdained and contempt if heaven is our country what can the earth be but a place of exile if departure from the world is entrance into life what is the world but a sepulchre and what is residence in it but immersion in death if to be freed from the body is to gain full possession of freedom what is the body but a prison if it is the very summit of happiness to enjoy the presence of God is it not miserable to want it but whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord 2 Corinthians 5 verse 6 thus when the earthly is compared with the heavenly life it may undoubtedly be despised and trampled underfoot we ought never indeed to regard it with hatred except insofar as it keeps us subject to sin and even this hatred ought not to be directed against life itself at all events we must stand so affected towards it in regard to weariness or hatred as while longing for its termination to be ready at the Lord's will to continue in it keeping far from everything like murmuring and impatience for it is as if the Lord had assigned us a post which we must maintain till he recalls us Paul indeed laments his condition in being still bound with the fetus of the body and sighs earnestly for redemption Romans 7 verse 24 nevertheless he declared that in obedience to the command of God he was prepared for both courses because he acknowledges it as his duty to God to glorify his name whether by life or by death while it belongs to God to determine what is most conducive to his glory Philippians 1 verses 20 to 24 wherefore if it becomes us to live and die to the Lord let us leave the period of our life and death at his disposal still let us ardently long for death and constantly meditate upon it and in comparison with future immortality let us despise life and on account of the bondage of sin long to renounce it whenever it shall so please the Lord section 5 but most strange to say many who boast of being Christians instead of us longing for death are so afraid of it that they tremble at the very mention of it as a thing ominous and dreadful we cannot wonder indeed that our natural feelings should be somewhat shocked at the mention of our dissolution but it is altogether intolerable that the light of piety should not be so powerful in a Christian breast as with greater consolation to overcome and suppress that fear for if we reflect that this our tabernacle unstable, defective, corruptible fading, pining and putrid is dissolved in order that it may forthwith be renewed in shore perfect, incorruptible, in fine, in heavenly glory will not faith compel us eagerly to desire what nature dreads if we reflect that by death we are recalled from exile to inhabit our native country, a heavenly country shall this give us no comfort but everything longs for permanent existence I admit this and therefore contend that we ought to look to future immortality where we may obtain that fixed condition which nowhere appears on the earth for Paul admirably enjoins believers to hasten cheerfully to death not because they would be unclothed but clothed upon 2 Corinthians 5 verse 2 shall the lower animals and inanimate creatures themselves even wooden stone as conscious of their present vanity long for the final resurrection that they may with the sons of God be delivered from vanity Romans 8 verse 19 and shall we, endued with the light of intellect and more than intellect, enlightened by the spirit of God when our essences in question rise no higher than the corruption of this earth but it is not my purpose nor is this the place to plead against this great perverseness at the outset I declared that I had no wish to engage in a diffuse discussion of common places my advice to those whose minds are thus timid is to read the short treatise of Cyprian de Mortalitate unless it be more accordant with their deserts to send them to the philosophers that by inspecting what they say on the contempt of death they may begin to blush this however let us hold as fixed that no man has made much progress in the school of Christ who does not look forward with joy to the day of death and final resurrection 2 Timothy 4 verse 18 Titus 2 verse 13 for Paul distinguishes all believers by this mark and the usual course of Scripture is to direct us thither whenever it would furnish us with an argument for substantial joy look up says our Lord and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Luke 21 verse 28 is it reasonable I ask that what he intended to have a powerful effect in stirring us up to alacrity and exaltation should produce nothing but sadness and consternation if it is so why do we still glory in him as our master therefore let us come with a sound of mind and how repugnant so ever the blind and stupid longing of the flesh may be let us doubt not to desire the advent of the Lord not in wish only but with earnest sighs as the most propitious of all events he will come as a redeemer to deliver us from an immense abyss of evil and misery and lead us to the blessed inheritance of his life and glory section 6 thus indeed it is the whole body of the faithful so long as they live on the earth must be like sheep with the slaughter in order that they may be conformed to Christ their head Romans 8 verse 36 most deplorable therefore with their situation be did they not by raising their mind to heaven become superior to all that is in the world and rise above the present aspect of affairs 1 Corinthians 15 verse 19 on the other hand when once they have raised their head above all earthly objects though they see the wicked flourishing in wealth and honor and enjoying profound peace indulging in luxury and splendor and reveling in all kinds of delights though they should moreover be wickedly assailed by them suffer insult from their pride be robbed by their avarice or assailed by any other passion they will have no difficulty in bearing up under these evils they will turn their eye to that day Isaiah 25 verse 8 Revelation 7 verse 17 on which the Lord will receive his faithful servants wipe away all tears from their eyes clothe them in a robe of glory and joy feed them with the ineffable sweetness of his pleasures exalt them to share with him in his greatness in fine admit them to a participation in his happiness but the wicked who may have flourished on the earth he will cast forth in extreme ignominy will change their delights into torments their laughter and joy into wailing and gnashing of teeth their peace into the gnawing of conscience and punish their luxury with unquenchable fire he will also place their necks under the feet of the godly whose patience they abused 4 as Paul declares it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who were troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven 2 Thessalonians 1 verses 6 and 7 this indeed is our only consolation deprived of it we must either give way to despondency or resort to our destruction to the vain solace of the world the psalmist confesses my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slept for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked psalm 73 verses 3 and 4 and he found no resting place until he entered the sanctuary and considered the latter end of the righteous and the wicked to conclude in one word the cross of Christ then only triumphs in the breasts of believers over the devil and the flesh sin and sinners when their eyes are directed to the power of his resurrection end of section 18 section 19 of Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3 by John Calvin translated by Henry Beverage Chapter 10 how to use the present life and the comforts of it the divisions of this chapter are 1. the necessity and usefulness of this doctrine extremes to be avoided if we would rightly use the present life and its comforts sections 1 and 2 2. one of these extremes that is the intemperance of the flesh to be carefully avoided 4 methods of doing so described in order sections 3 to 6 sections 1. necessity of this doctrine use of the goods of the present life extremes to be avoided 1. excessive austerity 2. carnal intemperance and lasciviousness 2. God by creating so many mercies consulted not only for our necessities but also for our comfort and delight confirmation from a passage in the Psalms and from experience 3. excessive austerity therefore to be avoided so also must the wantonness of the flesh 1. the creatures invite us to know, love and honour the Creator 2. this not done by the wicked who only abuse these temporal mercies 4. all earthly blessings to be despised in comparison of the heavenly life aspiration after this life destroyed by an excessive love of created objects 1. intemperance 5. second impatience and immoderate desire remedy of these evils the creatures assigned to our use man still accountable for the use he makes of them 6. God requires us all our actions to look to his calling use of this doctrine it is full of comfort 1. by such rudiments we are at the same time well instructed by Scripture in the proper use of earthly blessings a subject which informing a scheme of life is by no means to be neglected for if we are to live we must use the necessary supports of life nor can we even shun those things which seem more subservient to delight than to necessity we must therefore observe a mean that we may use them with a pure conscience whether for necessity or for pleasure this the Lord prescribes by his word when he tells us the two his people the present life is a kind of pilgrimage by which they hasten to the heavenly kingdom if we are only to pass through the earth there can be no doubt that we are to use its blessings only so far as they assist our progress rather than retard it accordingly Paul not without cause admonishes us to use this world without abusing it and to buy possessions as if we were selling them 1 Corinthians 7 30 and 31 but as this is a slippery place and there is great danger of falling on either side let us fix our feet where we can stand safely there have been some good and holy men who when they saw intemperance and luxury perpetually carried to excess if not strictly curbed and were desirous to correct so pernicious and evil imagined that there was no other method than to allow man to use caporial goods only in so far as they were necessaries a council pious indeed but unnecessarily austere for it does the very dangerous thing of binding consciences in closer fetters than those in which they are bound by the word of God moreover necessity according to them was abstinence from everything which could be wanted so that they held it scarcely lawful to make any addition to bread and water others were still more austere as is related of Cretities the Theban who threw his riches into the sea because he thought that unless he destroyed them they would destroy him many also in the present day while they seek a pretext for carnal intemperance in the use of external things and at the same time would pave the way for licentiousness assume for granted what I by no means concede that this liberty is not to be restrained by any modification but that it is to be left to every man's conscience to use them as far as he thinks lawful I indeed confess that here consciences neither can nor ought to be bound by fixed and definite laws but that scripture having laid down general rules for legitimate uses we should keep within the limits which they prescribe two let this be our principle that we are not in the use of the gifts of providence when we refer them to the end for which their author made and destined them since he created them for our good and not for our destruction no man will keep the true path better than he who shall have this end carefully in view now then we consider for what end he created food we shall find that he consulted not only for our necessity but also for our enjoyment and delight thus in clothing the end was in addition to necessity cummeless and honour and in herbs, fruit and trees besides their various uses gracefulness of appearance and sweetness of smell were it not so the prophet would not enumerate among the mercies of God wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shine Psalm 104 verse 15 the scriptures would not everywhere mention in commendation of his benignity that he had given such things to men the natural qualities of things themselves demonstrate to what end and how far they may be lawfully enjoyed has the Lord adorned flowers with all the beauty which spontaneously presents itself to the eye and the sweet odor which delights the sense of smell and shall it be unlawful for us to enjoy that beauty in this odor? what? has he not so distinguished colours as to make some more agreeable than others has he not given qualities to gold and silver ivory and marble thereby rendering them precious above other metals or stones in short has he not given many things of value without having any necessary use 3 have done then with that inhuman philosophy which in allowing no use of the creatures but for necessity not only maliciously deprives us of the lawful fruit of the divine beneficence but cannot be realised with our depriving man of all his senses and reducing him to a block but on the other hand let us with no less care guard against the lusts of the flesh which if not kept in order break through all bounds and are as I have said advocated by those who, under pretense of liberty allow themselves every sort of licence first one restraint is imposed when we hold that the object of creating all things was to teach us to know their author and feel grateful for his indulgence where is the gratitude if you so gorge or stupefy yourself with feasting and wine as to be unfit for officers of piety or the duties of your calling where the recognition of God if the flesh, boiling forth in lust through excessive indulgences infects the mind with its impurity so as to lose the discernment of honour and rectitude where thankfulness to God for clothing if on account of sumptuous raiment we both admire ourselves and disdain others if from a love of show and splendour we pave the way for immodesty where our recognition of God if the glare of these things captivates our minds for many are so devoted to luxury in all their senses that their mind lies buried many are so delighted with marble, gold and pictures that they become marble-hearted are changed as it were into metal and made like painted figures the kitchen with its savoury smells so engrosses them that they have no spiritual savour the same thing may be seen in other matters wherefore it is plain that there is here great necessity for curbing licentious abuse and conforming to the rule of Paul make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Romans 13 verse 14 where too much liberty is given to them they break forth without measure or restraint 4 there is no sureer or quicker way of accomplishing this than by despising the present life and aspiring to celestial immortality for hence two rules arise first it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that use this world as not abusing it 1 Corinthians 7, 29 and 31 secondly we must learn to be no less placid and patient in enduring penury than moderate in enjoying abundance he who makes it his rule to use this world as if he used it not not only cuts off all gluttony in regard to meat and drink and all effeminacy, ambition, pride, excessive shows and austerity in regard to his table, his house and his clothes but removes every care and affection which might withdraw or hinder him from aspiring to the heavenly life it was well said by Cato luxury causes great care and produces great carelessness as to virtue and it is an old proverb those who are much occupied with the care of the body usually give little care to the soul therefore while the liberty of the Christian in external matters is not to be tied down to a strict rule it is however subject to this law he must indulge as little as possible on the other hand it must be his constant aims not only to curb luxury but to cut off all show of superfluous abundance and carefully beware of converting a help into a hindrance another rule is that those in narrow and slender circumstances should learn to bear their wants patiently that they may not become immoderately desirous of things the moderate use of which implies no small progress in the school of Christ for in addition to the many other vices which accompany a longing for earthly good he who is impatient under poverty almost always betrays the contrary disease in abundance by this I mean that he who is ashamed of assorted government will be vain glorious of a splendid one he who not contented with a slender feels annoyed at the want of a more luxurious supper will intemperately abuse his luxury if he obtains it he who has a difficulty and is dissatisfied in submitting to a private and humble condition will be unable to refrain from pride if he attain to honour let it be the aim of all who have any unfaigned desire for piety to learn after the example of the apostle both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Philippians 4 verse 12 scripture moreover has a third rule for modifying the use of earthly blessings we have already adverted to it when considering the offices of charity for it declares that they have all been given us by the kindness of God and appointed for our use under the condition of being regarded as trusts of which we must one day give account we must therefore administer them as if we constantly heard the words sounding in our ears give an account of your stewardship at the same time let us remember by whom the account is to be taken that is by him who while he so highly commends abstinence sobriety, frugality and moderation abominates luxury, pride, ostentation and vanity who approves of no administration but that which is combined with charity who with his own lips has already condemned all those pleasures which withdraw the heart from chastity and purity or darken the intellect 6 the last thing to be observed is that the Lord enjoins every one of us in all the actions of life to have respect to our own calling he knows the boiling restlessness of the human mind the fickleness with which it is born hither and thither the eagerness to hold opposites at one time in its grasp, its ambition therefore lest all things should be thrown into confusion by our folly and rashness he has assigned distinct duties to each in the different modes of life and that no one may presume to overstep his proper limits he has distinguished the different modes of life by the name of callings every man's mode of life therefore is a kind of station assigned him by the Lord that he may not be always driven about at random so necessary is this distinction that all our actions are thereby estimated in his sight and often in a very different way from that in which human reason or philosophy would estimate them there is no more illustrious deed even among philosophers than to free one's country from tyranny and yet the private individual who stabs the tyrant is openly condemned by the voice of the heavenly judge but I am unwilling to dwell on particular examples it is enough to know that in everything the call of the Lord is the foundation and beginning of right action he who does not act with reference to it will never, in the discharge of duty, keep the right path he will sometimes be able perhaps to give the semblance of something laudable but whatever it may be in the sight of man it will be rejected before the throne of God and besides there will be no harmony in the different parts of his life hence he who only directs his life to this end will have it properly framed because free from the impulsive rashness he will not attempt more than his calling justifies knowing that it is unlawful to overleap the prescribed bounds he who is obscure will not decline to cultivate a private life that he may not desert the post at which God has placed him again in all our cares, toils, annoyances and other burdens it will be no small alleviation to know that all these are under the superintendence of God the magistrate will more willingly perform his office and the father of a family can find himself to his proper sphere everyone in his particular mode of life will, without repining, suffer its inconveniences, cares, uneasiness and anxiety persuaded that God has laid on the burden this too will afford admirable consolation that in following your proper calling no work will be so mean and sordid as not to have a splendour and value in the eye of God