True Christianity Part 33

As their sufferings here abound, so also shall their consolations abound there. 2 Cor. 1:5. The greater afflictions are on earth, the greater joy and glory are in heaven. 2 Cor. 4:17.

6. And this is the reason why G.o.d makes many people sorrowful; namely, that he may dwell in their hearts; for he delights to dwell nowhere more than in a poor and contrite spirit. Ps. 34:19; Isa. 66:2. G.o.d fills us here with his grace, that he may fill us hereafter with his glory, even as he fills and illuminates the heavenly Jerusalem. Rev. 21:23.

7. IV. The love of G.o.d shines forth also out of the creatures. When St.

Paul would desire for his Ephesians the best, the highest, and the most glorious thing, he wishes that they might know the love of G.o.d, and be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the same. Eph. 3:18. He means to say so much, that the love of G.o.d is higher than heaven, deeper than the sea, broader than the earth, longer than it is from east to west, according to Psalm 103:11.

12. In a word, heaven and earth are full of the love of G.o.d: for all that G.o.d hath created, be it visible or invisible, he hath created for this end, that his inexpressible goodness and love might therein be manifested.

And, therefore, he hath given to man both inward and outward senses, that thereby he might perceive the goodness and love of G.o.d. For all that man can apprehend by his understanding, thoughts, mind, and reason, as well as what he apprehends with his outward senses, altogether bears witness to the love of G.o.d. All that man hath, is a testimony of the love of G.o.d; yea, all creatures, visible and invisible, are, as it were, so many messengers of G.o.d, declaring unto us his love; and he speaks to us through them, saying, "Behold the heaven and earth, and all creatures! I have created all out of love to man." And whenever we perceive the pleasantness of the creatures, we perceive the goodness of G.o.d; so that both with our inward and outward senses we can taste and see that the Lord is good, according to the words of the 34th Psalm, ver. 8.

8. The sun speaks to us by its light and warmth, as if it said: "Look upon me, the greatest and the brightest creature among all visible things: He must be great that made me." Ps. 19:1, etc. But not only through beautiful creatures doth G.o.d speak to us, but also through the most despicable worm, as if G.o.d did say: "Lo, thou art beholden to me thy Creator, that I, who could have made thee a worm, have, out of mercy, made thee a man." Here remember him who said: "I am a worm, and no man." Ps. 22:6. Thus G.o.d speaks unto man through all the creatures, declares his love to him, and invites, leads, and draws us unto himself. This is that wisdom of G.o.d which in all places uttereth "her voice in the streets," which "rejoiceth in the habitable part of the earth, and whose delights are with the sons of men." Prov. 1:20; 8:31.

9. Indeed, if we consider the matter aright, we are encompa.s.sed by the love of G.o.d, even as we are all inclosed under heaven, seeing that "in G.o.d we live, and move, and have our being." Acts 17:28. Man can go nowhere, but the love and goodness of G.o.d follow after him, and call him through all the creatures, nay, through his own heart and conscience, saying: "Whither wilt thou go, beloved child? Whither shalt thou flee from my presence? If thou ascendest up into heaven, I am there. If thou makest thy bed in h.e.l.l, behold I am there. If thou takest the wings of the morning, and dwellest in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall my hand lead thee, and my right hand shall hold thee." Ps. 139:7, etc. Therefore, come unto me, and acknowledge my love and grace, with which I meet thee in every creature. Hast thou sinned, grace abounds with me; hast thou left me, my love and mercy have not yet rejected thee, but are continually hastening after thee, have been calling to thee, and, as a wandering sheep, have sought after thee. And if thou believest not these many testimonies of all the creatures, believe the testimony of my dear Son, how I have loved the world in him. John 3:16. "Thou canst nowhere find rest for thy soul except here; turn which way thou wilt, thou must and canst only rest in my love and grace." O how blessed is the heart which understands that heaven and earth are full of the love of G.o.d, and that he has as many witnesses of his love as there are creatures! But the greatest and highest witness of all is the Son of G.o.d.

10. V. We know also the love of G.o.d, from the amiableness of his own being. From the visions of the prophets, and the Revelation of St. John, we can observe that G.o.d Almighty is so lovely and beautiful, as infinitely to transcend all the beauty and loveliness of the world. He is the beauty of all things beautiful, and the loveliness of all things lovely, the life of all the living. He is ALL. An ancient father has said: "G.o.d is so lovely and beautiful, that if a man were in a fiery furnace, and saw the beauty and glory of Him but for a moment, the greatest torment would be changed into the greatest joy;" as it happened to St. Stephen, when he saw the glory of G.o.d, and said: "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of G.o.d." Acts 7:56. G.o.d is so lovely and beautiful, that if a man saw him for a thousand years together, it would seem to him but one hour. For in beholding the loveliness and glory of G.o.d, all time is swallowed up; so that the more any one sees G.o.d, the more he desires to see him; the more he loves G.o.d, the more he will love; and the more he praises G.o.d, the more will he praise him; according to the words of Xystus, an ancient teacher: "Devout souls can never be satiated with the love and praise of G.o.d." Hence, although the holy angels have seen G.o.d from the beginning of their creation, they have not yet seen him enough; and although they have praised him from the beginning, they have not yet praised him enough: for "G.o.d is more to be praised, than all praise can express; and more lovely, than the love of all the creatures can reach." G.o.d is infinite in his beauty, loveliness, and glory; therefore no creature can love him enough. G.o.d is so amiable, that the more one loves him, the more one desires to love him. He is so to be praised that the end of his praises cannot be attained; so lovely to be looked upon, that looking upon him never makes us weary; so comfortable to be heard, that he never can be heard enough. Tauler says, "If one might taste but a drop of the perfect love of G.o.d, all the joys and pleasures of this world would be changed to us into the greatest bitterness." The saints have endured the greatest torments for the sake of the love of G.o.d, and have given up their lives; and if they had a thousand bodies, they would hazard them all, that they might keep the love of G.o.d; as the Psalmist says, "Thy loving kindness is better than life; therefore my lips shall praise thee." Ps. 63:3. G.o.d is so high, so n.o.ble, and so pure a Good, that the more any one knows him, the more he loves him. He is so tender and perfect a sweetness, that the more one tastes of him, the sweeter he becomes; and the more one loves him, the more his loveliness increases. Blessed is the soul which is filled with the love of G.o.d. He will be conscious in his soul of such amiableness as cannot be found in time among creatures.

11. Behold now, ye children of men, how deceived ye are by the love of the world. What is it which any man can obtain by the love of temporal things, but sorrow, trouble, loss of time, unprofitable words (of which an account must be given), wranglings, fightings, and a burdened conscience? Surely all the children of men shall one day sorely repent that they have so much loved the world, and the things therein: according to the warning given us by St. John, saying, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the l.u.s.t of the flesh, and the l.u.s.t of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world pa.s.seth away, and the l.u.s.t thereof; but he that doeth the will of G.o.d abideth for ever." 1 John 2:15, etc. Therefore every man ought to mourn all the days of his life that he ever loved anything more than G.o.d only. If G.o.d pours into thy heart his love, so that thou lovest him above all things, then he has given thee the best thing he hath, even _Himself_.

Chapter XXVII.

Showing How The Lord Jesus Manifests Himself To The Loving Soul As The Highest Love And The Highest Good.

_To him that loveth me, I will manifest myself._-JOHN 14:21.

If thou duly considerest Christ crucified thou wilt see nothing in him but pure, perfect, and unutterable love, and he will show thee his heart, and say, "Behold, in this heart there is no deceit and no lie (Isaiah 53:9), but the highest faithfulness and truth are there. Incline thy head unto me, and rest upon my heart; open thy mouth, and drink out of my wounds the sweetest love, which out of the heart of my Father springs up and flows through me."

2. When thou shalt have tasted this love, thou wilt forget and despise, for its sake, all the world, and be desirous of nothing else but of this love. Thou wilt say to thy Lord, "O Lord, give me nothing more than the sweetness of thy love; nay, if thou wouldst give me the whole world, I would desire nothing else but thee and thy love."

3. O happy is the soul which feels this love! for in that soul Christ is truly known, and manifested to be nothing else but pure love, and to be the love of the souls of men. These words state a most happy experience; for that Christ is the love of our soul he clearly shows by his spiritual coming and delightful refreshing of the soul; and when the soul tastes but a drop thereof it is filled with joys. For infinite love is so great that our hearts cannot comprehend it. This the holy martyr Ignatius owned, who always used to call the Lord Jesus, his Love, and said: My Love is crucified.

4. In this love of Christ all our works ought to be done (1 Cor. 16:14); and then they proceed from Christ out of true faith, and are well-pleasing to G.o.d, whether we eat, or drink, or sleep, or perform the duties of our calling. All that comes forth of a believing love is made pleasant to G.o.d and men; for it is done and wrought in G.o.d. John 3:21.

5. Although this love of Christ is the highest good in heaven and upon earth (for all good things are contained therein), yet is G.o.d so willing and ready to bestow it upon us, that he hath sent, even his dear Son, into this misery, to make us partakers in him of this inexpressible treasure, through faith. And he is much more ready to give us this precious good than we are to receive it.

6. This love, "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 5:5), when felt in us, affords us more joy than all the world can give. And if all creatures were present, a believing and loving soul would part with them, yea, not so much as look upon them, because of the superabundant sweetness of the love of G.o.d. And if all creatures should begin to speak, the voice of the love of G.o.d would be stronger and more delightful than the voice of all the creatures. For this love binds and unites the mind unto Christ, and replenishes it with all good. This precious good is indeed known, seen, and tasted in the spirit, but no words can express it.

All words are much too weak to set forth even the shadow thereof; and no man's tongue can reach that precious and lovely good of which the spirit of man is sensible. Therefore also St. Paul says, that he heard in paradise words that were "unspeakable." 2 Cor. 12:4.

7. And when this precious good withdraws from the soul, there is then greater sorrow than if all the world had been lost. Then the soul calls and cries, "O thou delightful love, I have scarcely tasted of thee; why dost thou forsake me? My soul is as a child that is weaned of his mother Ps. 131:2. Oh, thy loving-kindness is better than life! (Ps. 63:3); let me taste thereof. My soul thirsteth for thee (Ps. 42:2) only, and nothing else can satisfy me, or make me joyful."

This holy love causes also, that without it the whole life is imbittered to a believing and loving soul, and is accounted as death and misery. Yea, for the sake of this love, man desires to die, to put off the earthly tabernacle, and to be at home, and present with the Lord, according to the words of St. Paul. 2 Cor. 5:8.

Chapter XXVIII.

Showing How The Highest Good Is Perceived And Tasted In The Soul.

_O taste and see that the Lord is good._-PS. 34:8.

G.o.d is an eternal, perfect, infinite, substantial, communicative Good, full of love and joy; and therefore he desires to be known in living faith, in spirit, and in truth. This cannot however be, except a man really taste and feel in his heart the goodness, sweetness, loving-kindness, and comfort of G.o.d.

2. If this were to be performed there must needs be in man something conformable to G.o.d, and capable of knowing him, that so we might be made partakers of the highest good. Now this is the soul of man: into the soul G.o.d was willing to pour forth his goodness, yea, to dwell there, and to manifest and make known himself more and more.

3. But since man has lost this sovereign good by sin, and the devil has obtained a habitation in, and possession of, him; working in man all his own works, as pride, covetousness, l.u.s.t, anger, envy; man, therefore, "through the faith of the operation of G.o.d" (Col. 2:12), must be turned again from the world unto G.o.d, from Satan unto Jesus Christ (Acts 26:18), and Satan with his works must be driven out and be utterly dispossessed.

As long as Satan works in man, G.o.d works not in him; His works are hindered, so that the soul cannot taste that G.o.d is good. Indeed, the reason why there are so few that know G.o.d aright is, that in the greatest number of men the works of darkness and of Satan have the ascendency. The most part adhere to the world, to the creatures, and to themselves.

4. But they who will rightly know and taste the Lord's goodness, must be joined unto him, and be one spirit with him. 1 Cor. 6:17. And the more this is done the more does G.o.d manifest himself in the believing, loving soul; the more the heart is turned from the world unto G.o.d, the more G.o.d is united to the soul. All love to the world and to the creature must be turned out, if the love of G.o.d ever enter in. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15. Where G.o.d finds a soul empty of the world, he fills it with heaven, with himself, and with all his goodness. The more the heart is emptied of love to the world, the more G.o.d fills it with his light and comfort. "Therefore," as an ancient father says, "in an empty, still, and quiet soul, it can be better felt than expressed what G.o.d is."

5. If then a man would really know that G.o.d is good, even the highest Good, he must taste his goodness in his heart. The Scripture testifies thereof outwardly, but the heart must feel it inwardly, and must taste the living word. It must "taste the good word of G.o.d and the powers of the world to come." Heb. 6:5. Thou canst never better understand that G.o.d is kind and loving, than when thou feelest his comfort. None can better teach thee that G.o.d is a Being full of joy than G.o.d himself, when he rejoices in thee. And so it is also with all other things of G.o.d. If he do not perform, and himself work all in thee, thou wilt never come to a living knowledge of him. "To know G.o.d without G.o.d, is impossible," says St.

Augustine. Therefore, that man will never be able to know rightly what G.o.d is, unto whom G.o.d does not make known and manifest himself. But when a heart feels the living word of G.o.d, then it knows and understands that G.o.d is all, all-good, and the true, perfect, eternal Good, and better than all for which any heart can wish or desire.

6. When this is known and tasted in the soul, according to the words of Psalm 63:3, "Lord, thy loving-kindness is better than life;" then the soul begins to scorn the world with its joys and pleasures. She has in G.o.d satisfaction, even full satisfaction, and, in short, ALL. For the world, with all that is in it, is made up only of individual things, which are imperfect and inconstant; but G.o.d is the true, perfect, universal, and eternal unchangeable Good.

7. For this reason David says, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord?

and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." Ps. 73:25. This is the language of a soul which has tasted the perfect good, from which all love to the world and creatures is removed, and which has no pleasure nor delight in the world and in earthly things, but in G.o.d alone, the highest Good. And this is the true, sensible, and experimental knowledge of G.o.d, nay, the true love of G.o.d above all things, which is felt and tasted in the heart; for when G.o.d is rightly known, he is loved, praised, and honored above all things.

8. Now, if we have the eternal, perfect good, wherein there is all good, and which alone is ALL, why should we love that which is imperfect? For where the true, perfect good is known, there it is also beloved above all imperfect things, that is, above all creatures whatsoever.

9. Thus the living knowledge of G.o.d expels the love of the world; and thus man begins to despise the world, with all the vanities thereof, saying, with King Solomon, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity;" nay, all under the sun "is vexation of spirit." Eccles. 1:2, 14. Thus love to the world is abolished in the heart, and there remains only love to G.o.d, and to the eternal good which abideth for ever.

Chapter XXIX.

Showing How The Loving Soul Considers G.o.d In His Benefits As The Most Liberal Bountifulness.

_In this was manifested the love of G.o.d towards us, because that G.o.d sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved G.o.d, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins._-1 JOHN 4:9, 10.

All that G.o.d does with reference to man, be it benefits or punishments, he does to this end, that man, who is turned away from him, may be turned to him again.

2. But man is foolish and brutish, like the beasts (Ps. 32:9), and does not understand the reason for which G.o.d bestows upon him so great benefits, namely, that thereby he might be invited and encouraged to love G.o.d: nor does he, on the other hand, consider why G.o.d punishes him, namely, that he may turn himself unto G.o.d.

3. Let us consider, first, bodily and temporal benefits, and then those that are spiritual and eternal.

4. I. G.o.d has created nothing, either visible or invisible, which may not be serviceable to man. The invisible creatures which minister to us, are the holy angels (Heb. 1:14), whose wisdom, strength, diligence, and watchfulness over us, are declared and praised in many places of Scripture; so that even many angels wait upon one man: witness the history of the patriarch Jacob and the prophet Elisha. Gen. 32:1, 2; 2 Kings 6:17.

Because many evil spirits lie in wait for one man, seeking to destroy him; therefore also many holy watchers are ordered by G.o.d for his defence. That there is joy also in the presence of the angels, over our repentance and prayers, the Lord teaches us. Luke 15:10. This benefit, because it is bestowed upon us after an invisible manner, many people little consider; but a wise man, who considers not only the visible world, but the invisible also, understands well, that in the invisible world, wherein G.o.d dwelleth, there is much greater glory, and there are much greater numbers or hosts, and greater princ.i.p.alities and dominions (Col. 1:16) than in this visible world. And as G.o.d makes his own ministers and princes defend and watch over us, it is plain that this is an exceedingly great benefit; even as that is to be accounted an honor and favor, when a prince appoints his own ministers to conduct and defend one that is to travel through a wilderness or through a hostile country.