Piety

    MANY believe that spiritual life, that is, the life which leads to heaven, consists in piety, in outward holiness, and in renouncing the world. Yet piety apart from charity, outward holiness apart from inward holiness, and renouncing the world apart from a life in the world, do not constitute spiritual life; but it is constituted by piety flowing from charity; by outward holiness flowing from inward holiness; and by renouncing the world coupled with a life in the world.

    Piety consists in thinking and speaking piously; in praying assiduously, and in behaving then with humility; in attending churches, and in devoutly listening to the preaching there; in partaking frequently during the year of the Holy Supper; and in observing in like manner the other acts of Divine worship, according to the ordinances of the Church. But the life of charity consists in willing and doing good to the neighbour; and in acting from a principle of what is just and fair, and good and true, in every work and in every office; in a word, the life of charity consists in the practice of uses. Divine worship consists primarily in the life of charity, and secondarily in piety. Wherefore, he who separates the one from the other, that is, he who leads a life of piety, and not at the same time a life of charity, does not worship God. It is true, he thinks of God, yet he does not think from God, but from himself; for he constantly thinks of himself, and not at all of the neighbour; and if he does think of the neighbour, he has no respect for him, unless he is of alike quality. He also thinks of heaven as a reward; and for this reason there is in his mind the idea of merit, and also the love of self, as well as a contempt or disregard for uses, and thus of the neighbour; at the same time also there is present with him a faith in his own guiltlessness. From this it may appear, that a life of piety separated from a life of charity, is not the spiritual life which ought to be in Divine worship. (See Matt. vi. 7, 8.)

    Outward holiness is like such piety; but it is not holy with a man, unless his Internal is holy; for the quality of a man's External is according to the quality of his Internal, because the former proceeds from the latter, as an action proceeds from its spirit: outward holiness, therefore, apart from inward holiness, is natural, and not spiritual. For this reason it is that such holiness exists among the wicked just as much as among the good; and that those who place in it the whole of worship, are, for the most part, empty, that is, destitute of the knowledges of good and truth; when yet goods and truths are the very holy things which ought to be known, believed, and loved, because they are from the Divine, and because the Divine is thus within them. Inward holiness, therefore, consists in loving good and truth, because they are good and true, and in loving what is just and sincere, because it is just and sincere. So far as a man loves these in such a manner, so far he himself and his worship are spiritual; because so far he wills to know and to do them: but so far as he does not love them in such a manner, he as well as his worship are natural; and so far he does not will to know and to do them. External worship apart from internal worship may be compared to the life of respiration apart from the life of the heart; but external worship which flows from internal worship may be compared to the life of respiration which is conjoined with the life of the heart.

    With respect to the renunciation of the world: It is believed by many, that renouncing the world, and living in the spirit and not in the flesh, consists in casting away worldly things, which are chiefly riches and places of honour; and, further, in constantly going about, in pious meditation concerning God, salvation, and eternal life; and in spending one's life in prayer, in reading the Word, and pious books, and also in doing penance. But this is not meant by renouncing the world. Renouncing the world means loving God and loving the neighbour; and God is loved when a man lives according to His commandments; and the neighbour is loved, when a man performs uses. In order therefore that a man may receive the life of heaven it is absolutely necessary that he live in the world, and engage in its various duties and vocations. A life sequestered from worldly things, is a life of thought, and of faith separated from a life of love and charity; and in such a life willing good and doing good to the neighbour perish. And when the latter perish, spiritual life is like a house without any foundation, which gradually either subsides, or cracks and gapes open, or else totters until it falls.

    That to worship the Lord is to do good, appears from the Lord's words, in Matthew (vii. 24-27), and in Luke (vi. 47-49), "Therefore whosoever heareth, My words, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a prudent man who built his house upon a rock. But he who heareth My words, and doeth them not, I shall liken unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; or upon the ground without any foundation."

    From this it is evident that a life of piety avails, and is accepted by the Lord, so far is the life of charity is conjoined with it; for this latter life is primary, and such as this latter life is, such is the quality of the former life. It appears, further, that outward holiness avails, and is accepted by the Lord, so far as it proceeds from inward holiness; for such as is the quality of the latter, such is that of the former. And lastly, that a renunciation of the world avails, and is accepted by the Lord, so far as it is carried out in the world; for the world is renounced by those who put away the love of self and the world, and who in every office, in every business, and in every work, act justly and sincerely from an interior, and therefore a heavenly, origin. This origin abides in a man's life when he acts rightly, sincerely, and justly, because it is in accordance with the Divine laws.