True Christianity: A Treatise on Sincere Repentence, True Faith, the Holy Walk of the True Christian, Etc.Arndt, Johann
Religion
True Christianity: A Treatise on Sincere Repentence, True Faith, the Holy Walk of the True Christian, Etc.
Arndt, Johann
Christian life; Christianity
16. And, alas! O Lord, how often have we inadvertently slain our neighbor
with thoughts, words, hatred, envy, anger, revenge, and unmercifulness!
Let us, therefore, fly upon the wings of faith and repentance, to the
sanctuary of the grace of God, and to the merit and cross of Christ. No
sooner do we arrive there, but we are safe; nor will the avenger measure
to us again with that measure with which we served our neighbor. For by
those cities of refuge, Christ Jesus is signified and represented. He is
the true _Bezer_, that is, a _fenced tower_, according to that saying of
Solomon: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth
into it, and is safe.” Prov. 18:10. He also is the true _Ramoth_, which
signifies _exalted_: for Christ is the Most High (Isa. 52:13; 57:15), “And
at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth.” Phil. 2:10. Nor have we any
other _Golan_ besides him; which, as the word imports, is a _heap_ or
_multitude_, a storehouse of all manner of celestial gifts. Hence, we read
in the Psalms: “With the Lord there is mercy; and with him is plenteous
redemption.” Psal. 130:7. And in the epistle to the Romans: “The Lord is
rich unto all that call upon him.” Rom. 10:12.
17. And this is the _third_ part of inward, spiritual, and true worship,
arising from the knowledge of God. This knowledge is also the source of
repentance, as repentance is of remission of sins, and each rests on an
experimental knowledge of God, as on a proper foundation to sustain it.
18. Thus is the letter of the law of Moses changed into spirit, or into an
inward, holy, and new life; and its sacrifices are converted into
unfeigned repentance. Hereby we offer up unto God our body and soul,
together with the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Hereby we ascribe
unto him alone, our knowledge, conversion, justification and remission of
sin, that God alone may be all in all, and his grace be worthily
acknowledged, and celebrated with thankful hearts and tongues unto all
eternity. This, then, as hath been already mentioned, is the true worship
of God, of which the prophet says: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is
good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to
love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Mic. 6:8. O when, therefore,
shall we wretched mortals become truly penitent, that we may obtain this
gracious pardon of sin? For without penitence it is impossible we should
secure unto ourselves so incomparable a mercy. For how can sin be
remitted, when there is no sense of sin, no sorrow affecting the mind, no
hunger after divine grace? And how can he grieve for sins, who utterly
refuses to abandon them, and to change his life for a better? May God, for
Christ’s sake, turn us, that so we may be truly turned! Lam. 5:21.
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