Johann Arndt

True Christianity Johann Arndt

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1809 edition. Excerpt: ...the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward." All which do with one consent proclaim, that God will not accept the repentance of any man, or hear his prayer, or accept his alms and oblations, unless he first be reconciled to his Heighbour, and make him all the restitution that is in his power...'..! '.'. CHAP. XXX. 1 COR. xiii. 4, 5, 6,7.--Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charily envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed ufi, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily firo.voked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, beUeveth all things, hafieth all things, endureth all things. $ 1. AS the tree of life was planted in the midst of paradise, bearing fruits that made him live forever who ate thereof; so has the Lord in the midst of the paradise of the christian church, set up Jesus Christ, as a means to give life and nourishment to all such as unfeignedly believe in his name; he being the ever-springing tree of life in the midst of this paradise of God. The whole substance of the christian religion consists properly in faith and in love. As by faith in Christ, the life of a christian is most endeared to God; (the life he lives being not so much his own, as the life of Christ in him) so love proves in him the very productive principle of all such charitable acts as relate to his neighbour. By faith he takes, as it were, of the tree of life; by love he digests what he has taken, and sets forth the virtue thereof by suitable works of charity. As it is impossible to please God without faith, so is it impossible to serve our neighbour without love. And so true is it, that all virtues, how shining soever they be, are without charity, of no...