Monday, June 05, 2006
From 'Spiritual Refining' by Anthony Burgess
Although external obedience and outward actions of piety are not to be rested on, yet this external obedience is necessary.
First, because outward actions are a complement and a perfection of the inward habits of grace; God hath put all the internal habits of grace in the heart, that they might produce external operations in our lives, and when they do so, they attain their ultimate perfection. Aristotle placed happiness in the actions of the soul, not in habits and faculties, because they are not the most excellent: It is not therefore enough for a man to please himself with contemplative good affections, but he also to demostrate his grace in the powerful operations thereof.
Secondly, outward acts of obedience are necessary because the commands of God do expecially oblige to these. Thus thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and this is his commandment to believe on him: Howsoever therefore that actions are not sufficent, unless they flow from supernatural principles within, and an inward rectitude of the frame of the heart; yet the commands of God do bind to these, as those whereby God is most glorified, it being not the having of a thing so much as the exercising of it, which makes us acceptable to him that employeth us therein.
p. 91
Related Tags: Anthony Burgess, grace, salvation, obedience
First, because outward actions are a complement and a perfection of the inward habits of grace; God hath put all the internal habits of grace in the heart, that they might produce external operations in our lives, and when they do so, they attain their ultimate perfection. Aristotle placed happiness in the actions of the soul, not in habits and faculties, because they are not the most excellent: It is not therefore enough for a man to please himself with contemplative good affections, but he also to demostrate his grace in the powerful operations thereof.
Secondly, outward acts of obedience are necessary because the commands of God do expecially oblige to these. Thus thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and this is his commandment to believe on him: Howsoever therefore that actions are not sufficent, unless they flow from supernatural principles within, and an inward rectitude of the frame of the heart; yet the commands of God do bind to these, as those whereby God is most glorified, it being not the having of a thing so much as the exercising of it, which makes us acceptable to him that employeth us therein.
p. 91
Related Tags: Anthony Burgess, grace, salvation, obedience
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Johnnie,
Have you ever considered using technorati tags for these posts? They are really wonderful and if you tagged them, more people could find them!
Here's a link to a Ultraseeker, the technorati tag tool I use.
http://www.ultraseeker.com/tagbuilder/
Don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings if you don't use them. Just thought I'd mention it!
Kim
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Have you ever considered using technorati tags for these posts? They are really wonderful and if you tagged them, more people could find them!
Here's a link to a Ultraseeker, the technorati tag tool I use.
http://www.ultraseeker.com/tagbuilder/
Don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings if you don't use them. Just thought I'd mention it!
Kim
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