Hugo Grotius · 109 of 132

SECT. XI. The conclusion to the Christians; who are admonished of their duty upon occasion of the foregoing things.

HAVING finished this last dispute, I come now to the conclusion, which regards not strangers but Christians of all sorts and conditions: briefly shewing the use of those things which have been hitherto said; that those which are right may be done, and those which are wrong may be avoided. First, that they lift up undefiled hands to that God who made all things, visible and invisible, out of nothing; with a firm persuasion that he takes care of mankind, since not a sparrow falls to the ground without his leave: and that they do not fear them who can only hurt the body, before him who hath an equal power over both body and soul: that they should trust not only on God the Father, but also on Jesus, since there is none other name on earth by which we can be saved: which they will rightly perform, if they consider that not they, who call one by the name of Father, and the other by the name of Lord shall live eternally; but they who conform their lives to his will. They are moreover exhorted carefully to preserve the holy doctrine of Christ, as a most valuable treasure; and to that end, often to read the sacred writings; by which no one can possibly be deceived, who has not first deceived himself. For the authors of them were more faithful, and more full of the divine influence, than either willingly to deceive us in any necessary truth, or to hide it in obscurity; but we must bring a mind prepared to obey, which if we do, none of those things will escape us, which we are to believe, hope, or do; and by this means, that spirit will be cherished and excited in us, which is given us as a pledge of future happiness. Further, they are to be deterred from imitating the heathen; first, in the worship of false gods, which are nothing but empty names; which evil angels make use of to turn us from the worship of the true God; wherefore, we cannot partake of their rites, and at the same time be profited by the sacrifice of Christ. Secondly, in a licentious way of living. having no other law but what lust dictates, which Christians ought to be the furthest from; because they ought not only far to exceed the heathen, but also the scribes and pharisees among the Jews; whose righteousness, which consisted in certain external acts, was not sufficient to secure them a heavenly kingdom. The circumcision made with hands availeth nothing now, but that other internal circumcision of the heart, obedience to the commands of God, a new creature, faith which is effectual by love, by which the true Israelites are distinguished, the mystical Jews, that is, such as praise God. The differences of meats, sabbaths, festival days, were the shadows of things, which really are in Christ and Christians. Mahometanism gave occasion for mentioning the following admonitions: it was foretold by our Lord Jesus, that alter his time there should come some who should falsely say they were sent of God; but though an angel should come from heaven, we are not to receive any other doctrine than that of Christ, confirmed by so many testimonies. In times past, indeed, God spake in many and various manners to the pious men that then were; but last of all he was pleased to call us by his Son, the Lord of all things, the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his substance; by whom all things were made, which were or shall be; who acts and upholds all things by his power; and who having made atonement for our sins, is advanced to the right hand of God, having obtained a higher dignity than the angels; and therefore nothing more noble can be expected than such a lawgiver. They may also take occasion from hence to remember, that the weapons appointed for the soldiers of Christ are not such as Mahomet depends upon, but proper to the Spirit, fitted for the pulling down of strong holds, erected against the knowledge of God, the shield of faith, which may repel the fiery darts of the devil; the breastplate of righteousness, or holiness of life; for a helmet which covers the weakest part, the hope of eternal salvation; and for a sword, the word delivered by the Sprit, which can enter into the innermost parts of the mind. Next follows an exhortation to mutual agreement, which Christ seriously commended to his disciples when he was about to leave them: we ought not to have amongst us many masters, but only Jesus Christ: all Christians were baptized into the same name, therefore there ought to be no sects or divisions amongst them: to which that there may be some remedy applied, those words of the apostle are suggested, to be temperate in our wisdom, according to the measure of the knowledge God has afforded us: if any have not so good an understanding of all things, that we bear with their infirmities, that they may quietly, and without quarrelling, unite with us: if any exceed the rest in understanding, it is reasonable he should exceed in goodwill towards them: and as to those who in some things think otherwise than we do, we are to wait till God shall make the hidden truth manifest unto them: in the mean time, we are to hold fast, and fulfil those things We are agreed in. Now we know in part; the time will come when all things shall be most certainly known. But this is required of every one, that they do not unprofitably keep by them the talent committed to their charge, but use their utmost endeavours to gain others unto Christ; in order whereunto, we are not only to give them good and wholesome advice, but to set before them an example of reformation of life; that men may judge of the goodness of the master by the servant, and of the purity of the law by their actions. In the last place, we direct our discourse, as we did in the beginning, to common readers, beseeching them to give God the glory, if they receive any good from what has been said; and if there be any thing they dislike, let them impute it to the errors all mankind are prone to fall into; and to the place and time in which this was delivered, more according to truth than elaborately.