Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 · Chapter 8 – Chapter 10
CHAP. VIII. Of the bearing of the croſſe which is a part of deniall.
The Chriſtian Croſſe. Mat. 16.141 BVt a godly minde muſt yet aſcend higher, to wit that euerie one take vp his croſſe*. For thoſe whom the Lord hath adopted muſt prepare them ſelues vntounto an hard life, and a life repleniſhed with diuerſe kindes of miſeries. Thus will God exerciſe thoſe which are his: beginning with his firſt begotten Son, he proſecuteth this order toward al his owne children.The cauſe of the croſſe. Heb. 1.8. The firſt fruite of the croſſe is that our weakneſſe may appeare. Inuocation followeth humiliation. The Apoſtle aſſigneth the cauſe, becauſe we muſt learne obedience by thoſe thinges which he ſuffered for vsus.
2 Furthermore we muſt leade our life vnderunder a continuall croſſe for manie reaſons. Firſt that we may the more eaſily beate downe arrogancy, wherby we attribute too much to our owne ſtrength, and that it may more eaſilie appeare how great our weakeneſſe is. Being thus humbled we learne to craue helpe of the power of God, which alone maketh vsus ſtande vpright vnderunder the burthen of afflictions. Dauid proueth by his owne example, that that is moſt profitable euen for the moſt holy men*.Pſal. 30.7. Rom. 5.3.
3 The ſame doth Paule teach, that tribulatiōs engender patience, & patience triall. For the faithfull perceaue that that is true which God hath promiſed, when they ſtand patiently:Whereby the hope of the faithfull is confirmed. thereby alſo their hope is confirmed, to looke for hereafter the truth of God, which they hauehave tried.
4 The Lord hath alſo another ende for which he puniſheth thoſe that be his,That their patience may be tryed. that he may try their patience, that he may teach them obedience. Not that they are able of them ſelues to performe obedience, but that the graces of God may be made manifeſt in his Sainctes. From whence theſe ſpeeches came, that God tempted Abraham,Why God tēpteth thoſe that be his Gen. 22.1 12. and had proofe of his godlineſſe*1 Pet. 1.7. For faith ſayth Peter is tryed by tribulations, as golde is tryed in the furnace by fire.
5 And yet we do not ſee howe neceſſarie obedience is for vsus,A ſimilitude. vnleſſe we therewithall conſider howe great the wantonneſſe of our fleſh is to ſhake of the yoke of God, ſo ſoone as it hath bene but a litle while tenderly handled. For the ſame befalleth it which we ſee in ſtubburne horſes, which if they be well fedde and ſtand idle a fewe dayes, they cannot afterward be tamed, they are ſo ſtout of ſtomacke: God complaineth that the ſame befel the people of Iſraell*.Deut. 32.15.
6 Furthermore our moſt gentle Father hath need not onelyonly to preuent our infirmitie: but alſo oftentimes to correct our faults which are paſt,To correction. that he may make vsus obey him as we ought. Therfore ſo often as we are puniſhed, let vsus by and by call to minde the life which we hauehave ledde before. So we ſhall finde that we hauehave done ſome thing which deſerueth ſuch correction, and that wee are therefore puniſhed,1 Cor. 11.8.32. Pro. 3.11. Heb. 12.8. leſt with this world we be condemned*.
7 Furthermore that is a ſingular comfort, when we ſuffer perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake*.To ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake Mat 5.10. Act. 5.41. For then we ought to bethinke our ſelues of howe great honour the Lord vouchſafeth vsus, in that he doeth giuegive vsus this particular marke of his warfare. And this commeth to paſſe not onelyonly when we ſuffer for defence of the Goſpell, but alſo when we are troubled for anie defence of righteouſneſſe.
8 Therefore ſeeing that the Scripture doth abundantly comfort all thoſe either ſhames or calamities which we ſuffer for defence of righteouſnes: we are too vnthankful vnleſſe we receiue them ioyfully from the hand of the Lord, eſpecially ſeing this kind of croſſe is moſt proper to the faithfull, wherby Chriſt will be glorified in vsus.
The kinde of croſſe moſt proper to the faithfull. 1 Pet. 4.11.9 But Paule hath finely deſcribed the conflict which the faithfull do ſuffer againſt the natural feeling of ſorow, in theſe words,*2 Cor. 4.8. In all thinges we are put to diſtreſſe, but we are not made ſorowfull: we labour, but we are not forſaken: we are caſt downe but we periſh not. Therefore to beare the croſſe patiently,The conflict of faith. is not vtterly to become like blockes. For Chriſt mourned and wept at his owne and at other mens aduerſities.* Yea they are called bleſſed which mourne*Mat. 5.4..Ioh. 17.20.
10 Theſe thinges are ſpoken to this ende, that godly mindes may be called backe from deſpaire, leſt they vtterly renounce the ſtudie of patience, becauſe they can not put of the naturall affection of ſorowe. For the Scripture giueth to the holy ones the praiſe of patience, when they are ſo troubled with the hardneſſe of aduerſitie, that they are not diſcouraged nor throwen downe: they are ſo pricked with bitterneſſe, that they be alſo delited with ſpirituall ioy. They are ſo preſſed with ſorowe, that being comforted with the cōfort of God, they receaue comfort againe. They will alwayes cō clude thus, The Lord would hauehave it ſo: therfore let vsus follow his will.
11 By that which is ſayd it appeareth what difference there is betweene the patience of Philoſophers and Chriſtians.The difference betwene the pacience of the philoſophers and that of Chriſtians. For the Philoſophers bring none other reaſon, but becauſe it muſt be ſo. For it were in vaine to ſtriue againſt the ſtreame. But Chriſtians conſider a farre other thing in the will of God: namely firſt iuſtice and equitie: then the care of our ſaluation: therefore we muſt willingly ſuffer whatſo euer God will.
CHAP. IX. Of the meditation of the life to come.
1 ANd with what kinde of tribulation ſoeuer we be diſtreſſed,The end of tribulation, we muſt alwayes hauehave reſpect to this ende: that we acquaint our ſelues to contemne this preſent life, and that we be rayſed vp thereby to thinke vponupon the life to come. And becauſe God doth know that we are too much ſet vppon the louelove of this world, he vſeth this moſt fitte meane of the croſſe, to ſhake of our ſluggiſhneſſe, leſt that we ſticke too faſt in that louelove.
2 For betweene theſe two there is no meane, either we count the earth vile,2. Extreames to be fled or elſe it holdeth vsus faſt bound with an intemperate louelove of it. Therefore if we hauehave anie care of eternity, we muſt diligently applie our ſelues in this, that we get our ſelues out of theſe euill fetters.A ſimilitude. A Caution
3 But let the faithfull acquaint them ſelues with ſuch contempt of this life, as may neither engender hatred thereof,This lyfe is the bleſſinge of God. nor vnthankfulneſſe toward God. For this life, howſoeuer it is full of miſeries it notwithſtanding reckened among the bleſſings of God which are not to be deſpiſed.
4 Therefore what ſoeuer is taken away from the wicked louelove of it, ought to be added to the deſire of a better life. Thoſe thought moſt truly, who thought it the beſt not to be borne, and the next to die quickely. For being deſtitute of the light of God,It had bene better for the wicked either not to hauehave bin borne or to dye quicklie thē to liue what could they ſee in this life which was not vnhappie and miſerable? But they did all thinges without profite. But the faithfull which hauehave the knowledge of true religion, will ſay, If heauen be our countrey, what other thing is the earth but exile? If it be the chiefe felicitie to enioy the preſence of God, is it not a miſerable thing to want it? Therefore this life in compariſon of the life to come is eaſilie contemned: but we muſt neuer hate it, ſaue onelyonly inaſmuch as it keepeth vsus ſubiect to ſinne. Therefore if it become vsus to die and liue to the Lord, let vsus leaue the terme of life and time of death to his pleaſure: yet ſo that we be enflamed with deſire thereof. And let vsus deſpiſe this life in compariſon of the immortalitie to come, and let vsus wiſhe to forſake it ſo often as it ſhall pleaſe the Lorde,Rom. 7.22 Phil. 1.25. Note. becauſe of the bondage of ſinne.
Death is not to be feared5 And this is like to a monſter, that in ſteed of that deſire of death, manie are ſo affrayed of it, that they quake when they heare any mentiō made of it.
Obiect. But there is nothing which doth not deſire to continue.
An. Therefore wee muſt hauehave reſpect vntounto the immortalitie to come, where we ſhall hauehave a ſtable condition, which is no where to be ſeen here*.2 Cor. 5.2. Rom 8.19. The ioye of the faithfull. Luk, 21.82. The Lord fetteth a firme argument of perfect ioy from hence: Reioyce ſaith he, and lift vp your heads: for your redemption draweth neere*.
6 For if the faithfull be in this life as ſheepe appointed to bee ſlaine, that they may bee made like to Chriſt their head: ſurely they were in a moſt miſerable caſe, vnleſſe they did raiſe and lift vppe their head aboue all earthlie things,Rom. 8.36. 1 Cor. 15.19. Apo. 7.17. where the Lord ſhall wipe away all their teares*. This is righteouſneſſe as Paul witneſſeth*2 Theſſ. 16, to graūt releaſe to thoſe which are vniuſtlie troubled. Therefore I will conclude in one worde: the croſſe of Chriſt doth then onelyonly triumph in the hearts of the faithfull, ouer the Diuell, the fleſh, ſinne, and the wicked,The triumphe of the croſſe if they turne their eyes toward the power of the reſurrection.
CHAP. X. How we muſt vſe this life and the helpes thereof.
1 BY ſuch introductions the Scripture doth wel inſtruct vsus,The vſe of earthlie goodes. what is the right vſe of earthlie goods. For if we muſt liue, we muſt alſo vſe the neceſſarie helpes of life. Neither can we auoide euen thoſe things which ſeeme rather to ſerue for pleaſure then neceſſitie. Notwithſtanding wee muſt vſe a meane,Neceſſaries of life. that wee may with a pure conſcience vſe them, whether for neceſſity or delectation. For if we muſt paſſe through the earth as pilgrimes, no doubt we muſt vſe the good things thereof ſo far as that they may rather helpe then hinder our courſe.Thinges which delight. A Caution. 2 Cor. 7.31.
2 Therefore let this be a principle that the vſe of gods gifts ſwarueth not, when it is referred vntounto the end appointed of God, for God hath created all thinges for our good, and not to our deſtruction. Nowe if we conſider to what end hee hath created food,The end of food. wee ſhall finde that he meant to prouide not onelie for neceſſitie, but alſo for delectation. So in apperrell comelineſſe, in hearbes, trees and fruites, beſides diuers vſes, we hauehave diuerſity of taſt, colour, ſmell and ſhapes.
3 Notwithſtanding on the otherſide we muſt diligentlie preuent the luſt of the fleſh, which vnleſſe it be brought in order doeth by and by breake out. Firſt of all it ſhall be brideled with one bridle, if we ſet downe,A Caution. The wantōnes of the fleſh. that all thinges are therefore created for vsus, that wee may knowe the authour thereof, and giuegive him thankes for his tender kindeneſſe toward vsus.
4 But there is no certainer way then that which is made to vsus by the contempt of this preſent life, and by the meditation of heauenlie immortalitie. For therupon folow two rules: the firſt is, that thoſe which vſe this world, be ſo minded as if they did not vſe it*.The firſt rule touching aboū dance. 1 Cor. 7.31. Secondly, that they doe no leſſe patientlie abide penurie, then moderatelie ſuffer aboundance. For thoſe which are much occupied about the bodie, are for the moſt part negligent in caring for the ſoule.
The other rule touching Penurye.5 The other rule is that thoſe whoſe ſubſtaunce is not great, doe know how to ſuffer want and ſcarcitie patientlie, that they bee not carefullie moued with immoderate deſire of riches. For he which wil bluſh when he weareth a ſimple garment, will glorie in a gorgeous. Therefore let all thoſe endeuour thē ſelues to come to this point, who hauehave a deſire to liue godlily, that they may learne by the example of the Apoſtle*, to be ful & to be hungrie: the third rule ſetteth downe,Phil. 4.12. 3 Rule of louelove toward a mans neighbour. that we muſt giuegive an account of that which is committed vntounto vsus, and as it were of our ſtewardſhip, euen to God, who alloweth none other diſtribution of Goods, but that which is ioined with louelove.
6 Laſt of all, that is to bee noted that the Lorde cōmandeth euerie one of vsus in al the actions of his life to looke vntounto his vocation:4 We muſt hauehave a reſpect to our calling. leaſt through fooliſh vnaduiſedneſſe or a wauering conſcience all things be turned topſituruie. And from this we ſhall hauehave excellent comfort, becauſe there ſhall bee no worke ſo vile and baſe, which (if thou doe onelie obey thy vocation) ſhall not ſhine in the ſighte of God.