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
previously put to death by sincere sorrow and a thorough knowledge of sin?
Do not, therefore, imagine that repentance is a slight and easy work.
Remember the solemn and severe language of the Apostle Paul, when he
commands us to mortify and crucify the flesh, with the affections and
lusts, to offer the body as a sacrifice, to die unto sin, to be crucified
unto the world. Col. 3:5; Rom. 6:6; 12:1; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 5:24; 6:14.
Truly, none of these things can result, when we gratify the flesh. Nor do
the holy prophets employ cheerful terms when they call for a contrite and
broken heart, and say: “Rend your heart—weep and lament.” Joel 2:13, 17;
Jer. 4:8. But where is such repentance now exhibited? The Lord Jesus
Christ, when alluding to it, demands that we should deny ourselves, and
renounce all that we have, if we desire to be his disciples. Luke 9:23;
Matt. 16:24. Verily, all this can never proceed from a gay, trifling, and
light mind; of this the evidence may be found in the seven Penitential
Psalms of David. The Scriptures abound in illustrations of the jealousy of
God, who demands both repentance and its fruits, without which eternal
salvation cannot be obtained. But afterwards the consolations of the
Gospel manifest their power. And both such repentance, and such
consolation, are solely the work of the Spirit of God, through the Word.
8. Now this Book which I have written, specially treats of such sincere
and earnest repentance of the heart, of the exhibition of faith in the
life and conduct, and of the spirit of love which should animate all the
acts of the Christian; for that which proceeds from Christian love, is, at
the same time, the fruit of faith. It is true that I have referred to some
earlier writers, such as Tauler, Thomas á Kempis, and others, who may seem
to ascribe more than is due to human ability and works; but my whole Book
is designed to counteract such an error. I would, therefore, kindly
request the Christian reader to remember the great object for which I
wrote this Book. He will find that its main purpose is this: To teach the
reader how to perceive the hidden and connate abomination of Original Sin;
to set forth distinctly our misery and helplessness; to teach us to put no
trust in ourselves or our ability; to take away everything from ourselves,
and to ascribe all to Christ, so that He alone may dwell in us, work all
things in us, alone live in us, and create all things in us, because he is
the beginning, middle, and end, of our conversion and salvation. All this
has been plainly and abundantly explained in many passages of this Book;
and, at the same time, the doctrines of the Papists, Synergists, and
Majorists, have been expressly refuted and rejected. The doctrine,
moreover, of justification by faith, has been set forth in this Book, and
especially in Book II., in the most pointed and explicit manner. In order,
however, to obviate all misapprehensions, I have subjected the present
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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