Chapter 7. The Sum of a Christian Life, Where Is Treated of the Forsaking of Ourselves

Although the law of the Lord has a most aptly well-disposed order to frame a man's life, yet it seemed good to the heavenly schoolmaster to instruct men yet with a more exact rule to the same standard that he had set forth in his law. And the beginning of that rule is this: that it is the duty of the faithful to yield their bodies to God a living, holy and acceptable sacrifice to him: and that therein stands the true worshipping of him. From this is gathered occasion to exhort men, that they do not apply themselves to the fashion of this world, but be transformed in renewing of their mind, that they may prove what the will of God is. Now this is a great thing, that we be consecrated and dedicated to God: that we should from thenceforth think, speak, imagine, or do nothing but to his glory. For the thing that is consecrated cannot be applied to unholy uses, without great wrong done to him. If we be not our own, but the Lord's, it appears what error is to be avoided, and to what end all the doings of our life are to be directed. We are not our own: therefore let neither our own reason nor our own will bear rule in our counsels and doings. We are not our own: therefore let us not make this the end for us to tend to, to seek that which may be expedient for us according to the flesh. We are not our own: therefore so much as we may, let us forget ourselves and all things that are our own. On the other side, we are God's: therefore let us live and die to him. We are God's: therefore let his wisdom and will govern all our doings. We are God's: therefore let all the parts of our life tend toward him as their only lawful end. Oh how much has he profited, that having learned that himself is not his own, has taken from himself the rule and government of himself to give it to God. For as this is the most strong working pestilence to destroy men, that they obey themselves: so it is the only haven of safety, neither to know nor will anything by himself, but only to follow God going before him. Let this therefore be the first step, that man depart from himself, that he may apply all the force of his wit to the obeying of the Lord. Obeying I call not only that which stands in obedience of the word, but that by which the mind of man, void from his own sensuality of flesh, bends itself wholly to the will of God's Spirit. Of this transformation (which Paul calls renewing of the mind) — as it is the first entry into life — all the Philosophers were ignorant. For they make only reason the governess of man: they think she only ought to be heard: finally to her only they give and assign the rule of manners. But the Christian Philosophy bids her to give place, and to yield and be subject to the Holy Spirit: so that man now may not live himself, but bear Christ living and reigning in him.

From this follows also this other point, that we seek not the things that be our own, but those things that be according to the will of the Lord, and that make for the advancement of his glory. This is also a proof of great profiting, that in a manner forgetting ourselves, and altogether leaving the regard of ourselves, we labor to employ our study to God and his commandments. For when the Scripture bids us to leave private regard of ourselves, it does not only root out of our minds the covetousness of having, the greedy seeking for power and favor of men: but also roots out ambition and all desire of worldly glory, and other more secret pestilences. Truly a Christian man must be so fashioned and disposed, to think throughout all his life, that he has to do with God. In this way, as he shall examine all his doings by God's will and judgment: so he shall reverently direct to him all the earnestly bent diligence of his mind. For he that has learned to look upon God in all things that he has to do, is therewith turned away from all vain thoughts. This is that forsaking of ourselves, which Christ even from their first beginning of instruction so earnestly gave in charge to his Disciples: which when it once has gotten possession in the heart leaves no place at all, first neither for pride, nor disdainfulness, nor vainglorious boasting, then neither for covetousness, nor filthy lust, nor riotousness, nor daintiness, nor for other evils that are engendered of the love of ourselves. Contrariwise wherever it reigns not, there either most filthy vices do range without shame, or if there be any trace of virtue, it is corrupted with perverse desire of glory. For show me a man, if you can, that unless he have forsaken himself according to the commandment of the Lord, will of his own free will use goodness among men. For all they that have not been possessed with this feeling, if they have followed virtue, they have done it at the least for praise's sake. And all the Philosophers that ever most of all affirmed that virtue was to be desired for its own sake, were puffed up with so great pride, that it appeared that they desired virtue for no other thing, but that they might have matter to be proud upon. But God is so nothing at all delighted, neither with those gapers for the people's breath, nor with these swelling beasts, that he pronounces that they have already received their reward in the world, and makes harlots and Publicans nearer to the kingdom of heaven, than them. And yet we have not thoroughly declared with how many and how great obstacles man is hindered from that which is right, so long as he has not forsaken himself. For it was truly said in time past, that there is a world of vices hidden in the soul of man. And you can find no other remedies, but denying yourself, and leaving regard of yourself, to bend your mind to seek those things that the Lord requires of you, and to seek them therefore only because they please him.

In another place the same Paul does more plainly, although shortly, go through all the parts of a well-ordered life, saying: The grace of God that brings salvation to all men has appeared and teaches us, that we should deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and that we should live sober-minded, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mighty God, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all unrighteousness, and to purge us a peculiar people to himself fervently given to good works. For after that he has set forth the grace of God to encourage them, to make ready the way for us to worship God, he takes away two steps that do most hinder us, that is to say, ungodliness, to which we are naturally too much inclined, and worldly desires, which extend further. And under the name of ungodliness, he not only means superstitions, but also comprehends all that disagrees with the earnest fear of God. And worldly lusts are in effect as much as the affections of the flesh. Therefore he commands us in respect of both the tables of the law, to put off our own wit, and to forsake all that our own reason and will informs us. And all the doings of our life he brings into three parts, sobriety, righteousness, and godliness: of which sobriety without doubt signifies as well chastity and temperance, as a pure and moderately sparing use of temporal things, and a patient endurance of poverty. Righteousness contains all the duties of equity, to give every man his own. The third is godliness, that separates us from the defilements of the world, and with true holiness joins us to God. These things, when they are knit together with an inseparable knot, make a full perfection. But for as much as nothing is more hard, than forsaking the reason of the flesh, indeed subduing and renouncing her desires, to give ourselves to God and our brethren, and to strive for an angelic life in the filthy state of this earth: therefore Paul, to free our minds from all snares, calls us back to the hope of blessed immortality, admonishing us not to strive in vain: because as Christ has once appeared the redeemer, so at his last coming, he shall show the fruit of the salvation that he has purchased. And thus he drives away the enticements that blind us, and make us not to aspire as we ought to the heavenly glory: indeed he teaches that we must travel as men being from home in this world, that the heavenly inheritance be not lost or fall away from us.

Now in these words we perceive, that the forsaking of ourselves has partly respect to men, and partly, indeed chiefly to God. For whereas the scripture bids us so to behave ourselves with men, that we prefer them before us in honor, that we faithfully employ ourselves wholly to procure their benefits: therefore it grieves such commandments as our mind is not able to receive, but first being made void of natural sense. For (with such blindness we run all into love of ourselves) every man thinks himself to have a just cause to advance himself, and to despise all other in comparison of himself. If God has given us any good gift, by and by bearing ourselves bold of it we lift up our courage, and not only swell, but in a manner burst with pride. The vices with which we abound, we do both diligently hide from others, and to ourselves we flatteringly portray them as light and slender, and sometimes embrace them for virtues. And if the same good gifts, which we praise in ourselves, or better do appear in others, lest we should be compelled to give place to them, we do with our enviousness deface them and find fault with them. If there be any faults in them, we are not contented severely and sharply to mark it, but we also odiously amplify it. Hereupon grows that insolence, that every one of us, as though he were privileged from the common estate, would be higher than the rest, and carelessly and proudly set light by every man, or despise them as inferiors. The poor yield to the rich, base people to gentlemen, servants to their masters, unlearned to the learned: but there is no man that does not nourish within himself some opinion of excellence. So every man in flattering himself, bears a certain kingdom in his breast. For presumptuously taking upon themselves somewhat whereby to please themselves, they judge upon the wits and manners of other men. But if they come to contention, there bursts out their poison. For many do make a show of great meekness, so long as they find all things gentle and lovely: but how many a one is there that keeps that continual course of modesty, when he is pricked and stirred to anger? And there is no remedy hereof but that the most hurtful pestilence of love, of sovereignty and self-love be rooted out of the bottom of their hearts, as it is rooted out by the doctrine of the Scripture. For there we are so taught, that we must remember that the good gifts that God has given us, are not our own good things, but the free gifts of God, of which if any be proud, they reveal their own unthankfulness. Who makes you to excel? Paul says, if you have received all things, why do you boast as if they were not given you? Then, that we must with continual acknowledging of our faults, call ourselves back to humility. So shall there remain in us nothing to be proud of, but there shall be much matter to abase ourselves. Again, we [reconstructed: are] commanded, whatever gifts of God we see in other men, so to reverence and esteem those gifts, that we also honor those men in whom they be. For it were a great lewdness for us, to take from them that honor, which God has vouchsafed to give them. As for their faults, we are taught to wink at them, not to cherish them with flattering, [reconstructed: but] that we should not by reason of those faults triumph against [reconstructed: them], to whom we ought to bear good will and honor. So shall it come to pass, that with whatever man we have to do, we shall behave ourselves not only temperately and modestly, but also gently and friendly. As a man shall never come any other way to true meekness, but if he have a heart endowed with abasing of himself, and reverencing of others.

Now how hard is it, for you to do your duty in seeking the profit of your neighbor? You shall labor in vain, unless you depart from regard of yourself, and in a manner put off yourself. For how can you perform these things that Paul teaches to be the works of charity, unless you forsake yourself, to give yourself wholly to others? Charity (says he) is patient and gentle, not proud, not disdainful, envies not, swells not, seeks not her own, is not angry, etc. If this one thing be required, that we seek not the things that are our own, we shall do no small violence to nature, which so bends us to the only love of ourselves, that it does not easily suffer us negligently to pass over ourselves and our own things, to watch for other men's commodities, yes, to depart with our own right to resign it to another. But the Scripture, to lead us there as it were by the hand, warns us that whatever gracious gifts we obtain of the Lord, they are committed to us upon this condition, that they should be bestowed to the common benefit of the church: and that therefore the true use of all God's graces is a liberal and bountiful communicating of them to others. There can be no certain rule, nor more forceable exhortation could be devised for the keeping of the same, than when we are taught that all the good gifts that we have, are things of God delivered, committed to our trust upon this condition, that they should be disposed to the benefit of our neighbors. But the Scripture goes yet further, when it compares them to the powers with which the members of man's body are endued. No member has his power for himself, nor applies it to his private use: but pours it abroad into the other members of the same body, and takes no profit thereof, but such as proceeds from the common commodity of the whole body. So whatever a godly man is able to do, he ought to be able to do it for his brethren, providing none otherwise privately for himself, but so that his mind be bent to the common edification of the church. Let this therefore be our order for kindness and doing good: that whatever God has bestowed upon us, whereby we may help our neighbor, we are the stewards thereof, and bound to render account of the disposing of it. And that the only right disposing is that which is tried by the rule of love. So shall it come to pass, that we shall always not only join the travail for other men's commodity with the care of our own profit, but also set it before the care of our own. And that we should not happen to be ignorant that this is the true law of disposing all the gifts that we receive of God, he has in the old time set the same law even in the smallest gifts of his liberality. For he commanded the first fruits of corn to be offered to him, by which the people might testify that it was unlawful for them to take any fruit of the goods that were not first consecrated to him. If the gifts of God be so only then sanctified to us, when we have with our own hand dedicated them to the author thereof, it is evident that it is an untrue abuse thereof that does not favor of such dedication. But it shall be vain for you to go about to enrich the Lord with communicating to him of your things. Therefore since your liberality can not extend to him, as the Prophet says, you must use it toward his saints that are in earth. Therefore alms are compared to holy oblations, that they may now be correspondent to these of the law.

But, that we should not be weary with doing good (which otherwise must needs come quickly to pass) that other thing must be adjoined which the Apostle speaks of, that charity is patient and not moved to anger. The Lord commands to do good to all universally, of whom a great part are most unworthy, if they be considered by their own deserving. But here the Scripture helps with a very good means, when it teaches that we must not have respect to what men deserve of themselves, but that the image of God is to be considered in all men, to which we owe all honor and love. But the same is most diligently to be marked in them of the household of faith, in so much as it is in them renewed and restored by the Spirit of Christ. Therefore whatever man you light upon, that needs your help, you have no cause to withdraw yourself from doing him good. If you say that he is a stranger: but the Lord has given him a mark, that ought to be familiar to you, by the reason that he forbids you to despise your own flesh. If you say that he is base and nothing worth: but the Lord shows him to be such a one, to whom he has vouchsafed to give the beauty of his image. If you say that you owe him nothing for anything that he has done for you: but God has set him as it were in his place, in respect of whom, you know so many and so great benefits with which he has bound you to him. If you say that he is unworthy that you should labor anything at all for his sake: but the image of God whereby he is commended to you, is worthy that you should give yourself and all that you have to it. But if he has not only deserved no good at your hand, but also provoked you with wrongs and evil doings: even this is no just cause why you should cease both to love him and to do for him the dutiful works of love. You will say, he has far otherwise deserved of me. But what has the Lord deserved? Who, when he commands you to forgive all in which he has offended you, truly he wills the same to be imputed to himself. Truly, this is the only way to come to that which is utterly against the nature of man, much more is it hard for man. I mean, to love them that hate us, to recompense evil with doing good, to render blessings for reproaches: if we remember that we must not consider the malice of men, but look upon the image of God in them, which defacing and blotting out their faults, does with the beauty and dignity of itself allure us to embrace it.

Therefore this mortification shall then only take place in us, when we perform the duties of charity. But it is not he who performs them, that only does all the dutiful works of charity, although he leave none of them undone, but he that does them of a sincere affection of love. For it may happen, that a man may fully perform to all men all that he owes, so much as concerns outward duties: and yet he may be far from the true performing of it. For you may see some that would seem very liberal, which yet give nothing but either with pride of look, or with churlishness of words they upbraid it. And we have come to such wretchedness in this unhappy world, that almost no alms are given of any men, or at least of the most part of men, without reproaching. Which perversity should not have been tolerable among the very heathen. For of Christians is somewhat more required than to show a cheerfulness in countenance, and make their doings lovely with gentleness of words. First they must take upon them the personage of him whom they see to need their help, and then so pity their case, as if themselves did feel and suffer it: so that they may be carried with feeling of mercy and gentleness even as they would be to help themselves. He that shall come so minded to help his brethren, will not only not defile his doings with any arrogant or upbraiding, but also neither will despise his brother to whom he does good as one needing his help, nor tread him under foot as one bound to him: no more than we use to reproach a sick member, for easing whereof the whole body labors, or to think it specially bound to the other members, because it has drawn more help to it than it has recompensed. For it is thought that the common sharing of duties between members of one body, has no free kind of gift, but rather that it is a payment of that which being due by the law of nature it were monstrous to deny. And by this reason it shall follow, that he may not think himself discharged that has performed one kind of duty, as it is commonly used, that when a rich man has given anything of his own, he leaves other charges to other men, as not belonging to him. But rather every man shall think thus with himself, that he is altogether debtor to his neighbors, and that he must determine no other end of using his liberality, but when ability fails, which however large it be, must be measured by the rule of charity.

Now let us more fully declare the principal part of forsaking ourselves, which we said to have respect to God. We have said much of it already, which it were superfluous to rehearse again: it shall be sufficient to speak of it so far as it frames us to quietness of mind and sufferance. First therefore in seeking the commodity or quietness of this present life, the Scripture calls us to this end, that resigning ourselves and our things to the Lord's will, we should yield to him the affections of our heart to be tamed and subdued. To count wealth and honors, to compass authority, to heap up riches, to gather together all such follies as serve for royalty and pomp, our lust is outrageous, and our greediness infinite. On the other side of poverty, ignobility, and base estate, we have a marvelous fear and marvelous hatred, that move us to toil by all means to avoid them. Hereby a man may see, how unquiet a mind they have, how many shifts they attempt, with what studies they weary their life, that frame their life after their own devise: to attain those things that their affection of ambition or covetousness requires, and on the other side to escape poverty and baseness. Therefore the godly must keep this way, that they be not entangled with such snares. First let them not either desire, or hope for, or think upon any other means of prospering, than by the blessing of the Lord: and therefore let them safely and boldly rest themselves upon it. For however the flesh thinks itself sufficient of itself, when it either toils by its own diligence, or endeavors with its own study, or is helped by the favor of men to the attaining of honor and wealth: yet it is certain, that all these things are nothing, and that we shall nothing prevail with wit or toil, but in so much as the Lord shall prosper both. But on the other side his only blessing finds a way through all stops, to make all things proceed with us to a joyful and lucky end. Then however we may most of all obtain any glory or wealth without it (as we daily see the wicked to get heaps of great honors and riches) yet for as much as they upon whom rests the curse, feel no parcel of felicity, we can obtain nothing without his blessing that shall not turn us to evil. And it is not at all to be coveted, that makes men more miserable.

Therefore if we believe that all the means of prosperous success and such as is to be wished, consists in the only blessing of God, which being absent, all kinds of misery and calamity must happen to us: this remains also, that we do not greedily endeavor to wealth and honors standing upon our own finesse of wit or diligence, nor leaning to the favor of men, nor trusting upon a vain imagination of fortune, but that we always look to the Lord, to be led by his guiding to whatever lot he has provided. So first it shall come to pass, that we shall not violently rush to the catching of riches and invading of honors, by wrong, by guile and evil crafty means, or extortion with doing injury to our neighbors, but shall only follow those fortunes that may not lead us from innocence. For who may hope for the help of God's blessing among frauds, extortions, and other subtle means of wickedness? For as God's blessing follows no man but him that thinks purely, and does rightly, so it calls back all them from whom it is desired, from crooked thoughts, and corrupt doings. Then, we shall be bridled that we burn not with immeasurable desire of growing rich, nor ambitiously gape for honors. For with what face may a man trust to be helped of God, to obtain those things that he desires against his word? For God forbid that God should give the help of his blessing to that which he curses with his own mouth. Last of all, if it succeeds not according to our wish and hope, yet we shall be restrained from impatience, and from cursing our estate whatever it be: because we know that that is to murmur against God, at whose will riches and poverty, baseness and honors are disposed. Briefly, he that rests himself in such sort as is aforesaid upon the blessing of God, neither will by evil subtleties hunt for those things that men are wont outrageously to covet, by which crafty means he thinks that he shall nothing prevail: nor if anything happen prosperously will impute it to himself, and to his own diligence, endeavor or to fortune, but will assign it to God the author. But if while other men's estates do flourish, he goes but slenderly forward, indeed or slides backward, yet he will bear his ill fortune with greater quietness and moderation of mind, than a profane man will bear a meanly good success, which is not altogether so good as he desired: because he has a comfort wherein he may more quietly rest, than upon the highest top of wealth and authority: because he accounts that his things are ordered by God as is available for his salvation. So we see that David was minded, and yields himself to be ruled by God, he declares himself to be like to a weaned child, and that he walks not in high things or marvelous above himself.

And the godly minds ought to have that quietness and sufferance not only consisting in this behalf: but also it must extend to all chances to which our present life is subject. Therefore no man has rightly forsaken himself, but he has so resigned himself up wholly to the Lord, that he suffers all the parts of his life to be governed by his will. He that is so framed in mind, whatever happen, will neither think himself miserable, nor will with enviousness against God complain of his fortune. How necessary this affection is, shall hereby appear, if you consider to how many chances we be subject. Various kinds of diseases do trouble us, sometimes the pestilence cruelly reigns, sometimes we are sharply vexed with calamities of war, sometimes frost or hail devouring the hope of the year brings barrenness, that drives us to dearth: sometimes our wife, parents, children or kinsfolk are taken away by death, our house is consumed with fire: these be the things at chancing whereof men curse their life, detest the day of their birth, have heaven and light in execration, murmur against God, and (as they be eloquent in blasphemies) accuse him of injustice and cruelty. But a faithful man must even in these chances behold the merciful kindness and fatherly tenderness of God. Therefore whether he see his house destroyed, his kinsfolk slain, yet he will not therefore cease to praise God, but rather will turn himself to this thought: yet the grace of the Lord that dwells in my house, will not leave it desolate. Or if when his corn is blasted or bitten, or consumed with frosts, or beaten down with hail, he see famine at hand, yet he will not despair, nor speak hatefully of God, but will remain in this confidence, We are yet in the Lord's protection, and sheep brought up in his pastures: he therefore will find us food even in extremest barrenness. Or if he be troubled with sickness, even then he will not be discouraged with bitterness of sorrow, to burst out into impatience and quarrel thus with God: but considering the righteousness and leniency in God's correction, he will call himself back to patience. Finally, whatever shall happen, because he knows it ordained by the hand of God, he will take it with a well pleased and thankful mind, lest he should stubbornly resist his authority, into whose power he has yielded himself and all his. Therefore let that foolish and most miserable comfort of the heathen be far from a Christian man's heart, which to strengthen their minds against adversities, did impute the same to fortune, with whom they counted it foolish to be angry, because she was blind and rash, that blindly wounded both the deserving and undeserving. For on the contrary this is the rule of godliness, that the only hand of God is the judge and governor of both fortunes, and that it runs not forward with unadvisedly sudden rage, but with most orderly justice deals among us both good things and evil.

Although the law of the Lord has a most finely ordered arrangement for shaping a person's life, the heavenly Teacher saw fit to instruct people with an even more precise rule leading to the same goal He had already set forth in His law. That rule begins here: it is the duty of the faithful to present their bodies to God as a living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice — and in this consists the true worship of Him. From this comes the exhortation that we must not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may prove what the will of God is. This is a great thing — that we be consecrated and dedicated to God, and that from that point on we think, speak, imagine, and do nothing except for His glory. For what is consecrated cannot be applied to unholy uses without doing great wrong to Him. If we are not our own but the Lord's, it becomes clear what errors are to be avoided and toward what end all the actions of our life must be directed. We are not our own: therefore let neither our own reason nor our own will govern our counsels and actions. We are not our own: therefore let us not set as our goal seeking what is expedient for us according to the flesh. We are not our own: therefore as much as we are able, let us forget ourselves and all that belongs to us. On the other side, we are God's: therefore let us live and die to Him. We are God's: therefore let His wisdom and will govern all our actions. We are God's: therefore let all the parts of our life move toward Him as their only lawful end. How greatly has he profited who has learned that he is not his own, and has taken from himself the rule and governance of himself to give it to God! For just as the most powerful pestilence destroying people is that they obey themselves — so the only haven of safety is to know nothing and will nothing of oneself, but only to follow God as He goes before. Therefore let this be the first step: that a person depart from himself, to apply all the force of his mind to obeying the Lord. By obeying I mean not only external conformity to the Word's commands, but the kind of obedience in which the human mind — emptied of its own fleshly impulse — bends itself wholly to the will of God's Spirit. This transformation — which Paul calls the renewing of the mind — is the first entry into life, and of it all the philosophers were ignorant. They make reason alone the ruler of a person; they say reason alone ought to be heard; and to reason alone they give and assign the governance of conduct. But Christian philosophy commands reason to yield and submit to the Holy Spirit — so that a person may no longer live for himself, but bear Christ living and reigning in him.

From this also follows the next point: that we seek not what belongs to ourselves, but what accords with the Lord's will and advances His glory. This is also a sign of great progress: that in a manner forgetting ourselves, and giving up concern for ourselves altogether, we labor to devote our attention to God and His commandments. For when Scripture tells us to set aside private regard for ourselves, it roots out not only greed for possessions and the hungry pursuit of power and human approval, but also ambition and all desire for worldly glory, and other more hidden evils. Truly, a Christian must be so fashioned and disposed as to keep in mind throughout all his life that he has to do with God. In this way, as he examines all his actions by God's will and judgment, he will reverently direct all his earnest and focused effort toward Him. For the one who has learned to look to God in everything he does is thereby turned away from all empty thinking. This is the self-denial that Christ so earnestly commended to His disciples from the very beginning of their instruction — and once it has taken hold of the heart, it leaves no room: no room first for pride, arrogance, or vainglorious boasting, and then no room for greed, filthy desire, excess, self-indulgence, or the other evils that are bred by self-love. Wherever it does not reign, either the most shameful vices roam about freely, or whatever trace of virtue exists is corrupted by the perverse desire for praise. Show me, if you can, anyone who — unless he has denied himself according to the Lord's command — will freely do good to others. All who have not been possessed by this disposition, if they have pursued virtue, have done so at least for the sake of praise. And all the philosophers who most strongly insisted that virtue should be desired for its own sake were so puffed up with pride that it was clear they desired virtue for no other reason than to have something to be proud of. But God takes no pleasure at all either in those who hunt for people's applause or in these proud beasts — He declares that they have already received their reward in this world, and He says that tax collectors and prostitutes are nearer to the kingdom of heaven than they are. And yet we have not fully stated how many and how great the obstacles are that hinder a person from what is right, as long as he has not denied himself. It was truly said long ago that a whole world of vices lies hidden in the soul of man. And the only remedy is this: denying yourself and setting aside concern for yourself, to bend your mind to seeking what the Lord requires of you — and to seek it for this reason alone: that it pleases Him.

In another place the same Paul goes through all the parts of a well-ordered life more plainly, though briefly, saying: 'The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.' Having set forth the grace of God to motivate them and clear the path for the worship of God, Paul removes two obstacles that most hinder us: ungodliness, to which we are naturally far too inclined, and worldly desires, which extend even further. Under the name of ungodliness he means not only superstition, but includes everything that is opposed to genuine fear of God. And worldly lusts amount essentially to the cravings of the flesh. Therefore he commands us, in light of both tables of the law, to set aside our own judgment and to give up everything that our own reason and will would direct us toward. He brings all the actions of our life under three headings: sobriety, righteousness, and godliness. Sobriety without doubt refers to chastity and temperance, as well as a pure and moderate use of earthly things and patient endurance of poverty. Righteousness contains all the duties of fairness — giving every person what is due them. Godliness is the third — it separates us from the defilements of the world and joins us to God in true holiness. When these are bound together with an inseparable bond, they constitute full perfection. But since nothing is harder than forsaking the reasoning of the flesh — indeed subduing and renouncing its desires, giving ourselves to God and to our neighbor, and striving for an angelic life in this filthy earthly condition — Paul, to free our minds from all entanglements, calls us back to the hope of blessed immortality. He reminds us not to strive in vain, since just as Christ appeared once as Redeemer, at His final coming He will display the fruit of the salvation He has purchased. In this way Paul drives away the enticements that blind us and prevent us from aspiring toward heavenly glory as we ought — teaching us that we must travel through this world as strangers far from home, lest the heavenly inheritance be lost or slip away from us.

We see from these words that self-denial has reference partly to other people and partly — indeed chiefly — to God. When Scripture tells us to conduct ourselves toward people in such a way that we honor them above ourselves and faithfully devote ourselves wholly to promoting their well-being, it calls for a disposition our minds cannot receive unless they are first emptied of their natural inclination. For with what blindness we all rush into self-love: every person thinks he has a just reason to exalt himself and to look down on everyone else by comparison. If God has given us any good gift, we immediately seize on it as a reason to feel bold and confident — not only swelling with pride, but nearly bursting with it. The vices we are full of we diligently hide from others, while to ourselves we flatteringly portray them as light and trivial, sometimes even embracing them as virtues. And if those same good gifts that we praise in ourselves appear in others — often surpassing our own — we, unwilling to yield to them, defame them with envy and find fault with them. If others have faults, we are not content to note them firmly and move on, but amplify them with ugly exaggeration. From this springs the arrogance by which each of us acts as if he were specially privileged above the common level — looking down on every other person carelessly and proudly, or despising them as inferiors. The poor yield to the rich, the common people to the gentry, servants to masters, the uneducated to the learned — and yet there is no one who does not secretly nurse some opinion of his own superiority. So every person, flattering himself, carries a kind of kingdom in his own chest. Presumptuously finding in themselves whatever pleases them, they pass judgment on the wit and conduct of everyone else. But let contention arise, and their poison bursts out. Many show great gentleness so long as everything goes smoothly and pleasantly. But how many maintain that consistent pattern of modesty when they are provoked and stirred to anger? There is no cure for this except to tear out from the bottom of the heart the deadly pestilence of the love of rank and self-love, as the teaching of Scripture tears it out. For there we are taught that the good gifts God has given us are not our own possessions but free gifts of God — and anyone who is proud of them reveals their own ingratitude. 'Who made you to differ from one another?' Paul says. 'If you received all things, why do you boast as if you had not received them?' Then we are taught to continually call ourselves back to humility by acknowledging our faults. This leaves nothing in us to be proud of — but much reason to humble ourselves. Further, we are commanded that whatever gifts of God we see in other people, we should so honor and esteem those gifts that we also honor the people in whom they reside. It would be great wickedness to strip from them the honor that God has chosen to give them. As for their faults, we are taught to overlook them — not to flatter them into continuing, but so that we do not use those faults as a reason to despise people to whom we owe goodwill and honor. The result will be that with whatever person we have to deal, we will conduct ourselves not only with restraint and modesty, but also with gentleness and friendliness. For a person will never come to true humility by any other path than by having a heart that is formed to abase itself and to honor others.

Now how difficult it is to do your duty in seeking your neighbor's good! You will labor in vain unless you depart from concern for yourself and in a manner put yourself aside. For how can you perform what Paul describes as the works of love unless you forsake yourself in order to give yourself wholly to others? 'Love,' he says, 'is patient and kind, not proud, not arrogant, does not envy, does not boast, does not insist on its own way, is not irritable,' and so forth. If this one requirement — that we not seek our own things — is demanded of us, we will be doing great violence to our nature, which bends us so thoroughly toward self-love that it does not easily allow us to pass ourselves and our concerns aside and watch for what benefits others, or to surrender what is rightfully ours to another. But Scripture, as if taking us by the hand to lead us there, warns us that whatever gifts of grace we receive from the Lord are entrusted to us on this condition: that they should be spent for the common benefit of the church. Therefore the true use of all God's gifts is a generous and liberal sharing of them with others. No more reliable rule, no more powerful motivation could be found for keeping this principle than when we are taught that all the good things we have are things belonging to God, entrusted to us on the condition that they be administered for the benefit of our neighbors. But Scripture goes even further when it compares these gifts to the capacities with which the members of the human body are endowed. No member has its capacity for itself, nor uses it for its own private benefit — instead it pours it out to the other members of the same body, and receives benefit from it only through the common good of the whole body. So whatever a godly person is capable of doing, he ought to be able to do it for his brothers, providing for himself privately in no other way than by having his mind set on the common building up of the church. Let this therefore be our guiding principle for kindness and doing good: that whatever God has entrusted to us by which we can help our neighbor, we are the stewards of it and are accountable for how we use it. And the only true use of it is what is tested by the rule of love. This will result in our not only joining labor for others' benefit with care for our own well-being, but actually placing others' benefit ahead of our own. And so that we do not remain ignorant that this is the true law of stewardship for all the gifts we receive from God, He established this same law even in the smallest tokens of His generosity in the old covenant. He commanded the firstfruits of grain to be offered to Him, by which the people testified that it was unlawful to enjoy any produce of their goods before it was first consecrated to Him. If God's gifts are consecrated to us only when we have with our own hand dedicated them to their Author, then any use of them that does not reflect that dedication is a profane misuse. But it will be useless for you to try to enrich the Lord by giving things to Him. Therefore, since — as the prophet says — your generosity cannot reach Him directly, you must exercise it toward His saints who are on earth. This is why alms are compared to holy offerings, so that they may correspond now to what those offerings were in the old covenant.

But so that we do not grow weary of doing good — which would quickly happen otherwise — there must be added what the apostle speaks of: that love is patient and not provoked to anger. The Lord commands us to do good to everyone without distinction, and a large part of them are quite unworthy if judged by their own merits. But here Scripture provides a very helpful principle: it teaches that we must not look at what people deserve from us, but must consider the image of God in them — an image to which we owe all honor and love. And this principle is to be applied most diligently to those of the household of faith, in whom the image has been renewed and restored by the Spirit of Christ. Therefore, whatever person you encounter who needs your help, you have no reason to withdraw from doing him good. If you say he is a stranger — the Lord has given him a mark that should be familiar to you, since God forbids you to despise your own flesh. If you say he is lowly and worthless — the Lord shows him to be someone on whom He has bestowed the beauty of His own image. If you say you owe him nothing for anything he has done — God has placed him, as it were, in His own position, in whose regard you know how many great benefits have bound you to God. If you say he is unworthy that you should exert yourself at all for his sake — the image of God by which he is commended to you is worthy for you to give yourself and all you have in its honor. But if he has not only done nothing good for you but has provoked you with wrongs and injuries — even this is no just reason to stop both loving him and doing the dutiful works of love for him. You will say: he has treated me very differently. But what has the Lord deserved of you? When He commands you to forgive everything in which this person has offended you, He wills that offense to be charged to His own account. Truly, this is the only way to arrive at what is utterly against man's nature and all the more difficult for him — that is, to love those who hate us, to repay evil with good, to return blessings for reproaches. This becomes possible when we remember that we must not consider the malice of people, but instead look at the image of God in them — which, overshadowing and covering their faults, draws us with the beauty and dignity of itself to embrace them.

This mortification will take hold in us only when we are actually performing the duties of love. But it is not the person who merely performs them — even if he leaves none undone — who truly fulfills love. It is the one who performs them from a genuine affection of love. For it is possible to fulfill every outward duty toward all people and yet be far from truly fulfilling them. You may observe some people who seem very generous, yet they give nothing without either looking down with pride or stinging with harsh words. And we have come to such a sorry state in this unhappy world that almost no alms are given — at least not by most people — without accompanying reproach. Such behavior would not have been tolerated even among the pagans. But from Christians something more is required than showing a pleasant face and making their actions agreeable with gentle words. They must first take on the condition of the person they see needing their help — and then feel for that person's situation as if they themselves felt and bore it — so that they are moved by genuine compassion and tenderness, just as they would be if they were helping themselves. The person who comes to help his brother in this spirit will not only not defile his actions with any arrogance or reproach, but will neither look down on the brother he is helping as someone in need of his charity, nor trample him underfoot as someone now indebted to him. This is no more appropriate than reproaching a sick limb for whose relief the whole body labors, or treating it as specially obligated to the other members because it has received more help than it has repaid. For the mutual sharing of duty among the members of one body is considered not a free gift but rather a payment of what nature's law requires — and to deny it would be monstrous. From this it follows that a person may not think himself discharged by performing one kind of duty, as the common practice goes — where a rich man, having given something of his own, considers all further obligation to belong to others and not to him. Rather, each person should think of himself as wholly indebted to his neighbors, and should set no limit to his generosity except the limit set by his own capacity — however great that capacity may be, it must always be measured by the rule of love.

Now let us describe more fully the chief aspect of self-denial — the part we said has reference to God. We have already said much about it, which it would be unnecessary to repeat. It will be enough to speak of it as far as it shapes us for contentment and patient endurance. When Scripture addresses the seeking of convenience and comfort in this present life, it calls us to this end: that surrendering ourselves and our things to the Lord's will, we yield to Him the passions of our heart to be tamed and subdued. To seek wealth and honors, to grasp for authority, to heap up riches, to accumulate all the things that serve for display and pomp — our craving is boundless and our greed infinite. On the other side, toward poverty, obscurity, and low social standing, we have a deep fear and strong aversion that drive us to labor by every means to avoid them. From this one can see what a restless mind people have, how many schemes they attempt, with what anxious effort they wear out their lives when they manage their lives by their own design — striving to attain what their ambition or greed demands, and straining equally to escape poverty and obscurity. Therefore the godly must take a different path, so as not to be caught in such traps. First, let them neither desire, hope for, nor even think of any means of prospering except through the Lord's blessing — and let them rest in it confidently and freely. For however much the flesh considers itself self-sufficient when it labors diligently on its own, strives with its own effort, or finds help from others in attaining honor and wealth — it is certain that all of these things amount to nothing, and that nothing we accomplish through our own intelligence or toil will succeed except to the extent that the Lord prospers it. On the other hand, His blessing alone opens a way through every obstacle, making everything proceed to a joyful and successful outcome. Although we might seem to obtain glory or wealth without His blessing — as we see daily that the wicked heap up great honors and riches — yet since those upon whom His curse rests experience no portion of true happiness, everything we obtain without His blessing will only turn to our harm. And the thing that makes people more miserable is not at all to be coveted.

Therefore if we believe that all the means of good and desirable success lie in God's blessing alone — and that without it, every kind of misery and calamity must befall us — it follows that we must not greedily pursue wealth and honors by depending on our own cleverness and diligence, leaning on the favor of people, or trusting in some vague notion of fortune. Instead we must always look to the Lord, to be guided by His direction to whatever lot He has appointed. This will first result in our not violently rushing to seize riches or grab honors by dishonesty, deceit, wicked scheming, or extortion that harms our neighbors — but following only those paths that do not lead us away from integrity. For who can hope for the help of God's blessing through fraud, extortion, and other underhanded wickedness? Just as God's blessing follows only the person who thinks purely and acts rightly, so it calls back from crooked thoughts and corrupt conduct all who desire that blessing from Him. Then we will be restrained from burning with uncontrolled desire for wealth or ambitiously craving honors. For how can a person expect to be helped by God to obtain what God's own Word forbids? God forbid that God should give His blessing's support to the very things He curses with His own mouth. Finally, if things do not succeed according to our wish and hope, we will be restrained from impatience and from cursing our situation — whatever it may be — because we know that this is to murmur against God, in whose hands the distribution of riches and poverty, obscurity and honor, rests. In brief, the person who rests on God's blessing in the manner described above will neither chase by crafty schemes after what people commonly pursue with such recklessness — thinking that such cunning will gain him nothing — nor, when something goes well, will he credit it to himself, his own diligence, effort, or fortune, but will assign it to God as its Author. But if while others flourish he advances only slowly, or even slips backward, he will bear his difficult circumstances with greater calm and moderation of mind than a godless man bears even modest success that falls somewhat short of his desires — because the godly person has a comfort in which he may rest more quietly than upon the highest peak of wealth and power. He reckons that his affairs are ordered by God in whatever way best serves his salvation. This was David's disposition — he submitted to be ruled by God, described himself as like a weaned child, and said he did not occupy himself with things too great or too wonderful for him.

Godly minds must cultivate this contentment and patient endurance not only in this one area but extending to all the circumstances to which our present life is subject. No one has truly denied himself unless he has surrendered himself wholly to the Lord, allowing all the parts of his life to be governed by God's will. A person formed in this way, whatever happens, will neither think himself miserable nor bitterly accuse God of injustice. How necessary this disposition is becomes clear when you consider how many accidents we are exposed to. Various diseases trouble us; sometimes pestilence rages cruelly; sometimes we are sharply afflicted by the calamities of war; sometimes frost or hail destroys the year's harvest and brings famine; sometimes a wife, parents, children, or relatives are taken by death; a house is consumed by fire. These are the things at whose occurrence people curse their lives, detest the day of their birth, despise heaven and the light, murmur against God, and — as if eloquent in blasphemy — accuse Him of injustice and cruelty. But a faithful person must even in these circumstances behold God's merciful kindness and fatherly tenderness. Therefore, even if he sees his house destroyed or his relatives slain, he will not on that account stop praising God — but will turn to this thought: 'Yet the Lord's grace that dwells in my house will not leave it desolate.' Or if, when his grain is blighted, ravaged by frost, or beaten down by hail, he sees famine approaching, he will not despair or speak hatefully against God, but will remain in this confidence: 'We are still under the Lord's protection, sheep kept in His pastures — He will therefore find us food even in the most extreme scarcity.' Or if he is burdened with sickness, he will not let the bitterness of pain drive him to burst out in impatience and quarrel with God — but, considering the righteousness and gentleness in God's correction, he will call himself back to patience. In short, whatever happens, because he knows it is ordered by God's hand, he will receive it with a willing and thankful mind — lest by stubbornly resisting God's authority he dishonor the One to whose power he has surrendered himself and all that belongs to him. Therefore let the foolish and utterly miserable comfort of the pagans be far from a Christian's heart. To steel their minds against adversity, the pagans attributed it to fortune — whom they thought it foolish to resent, since she was blind and rash, dealing wounds indiscriminately to the deserving and undeserving alike. The rule of godliness is the opposite: God's hand alone is the judge and governor of all outcomes, and it moves not with thoughtless and sudden caprice but with perfectly ordered justice, distributing both good and evil among us.