Marrow of Modern Divinity - Fisher - XII - Chapter 4

Required reading
Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 4 (Of the heart's happiness, or soul's rest).

My summary
Today we conclude Part 1 and say goodbye to Nomista and Antinomista. 

The subject of today's reading is how to obtain happiness.

Firstly we see that there is no happiness for the soul till it come to God.

Secondly we look at the ways that the soul is kept from happiness in God by:
(i) making the senses a god;
(ii) by making theological study a god;
(iii) by making religious exercises a god;.

Then finally we are told that we must find happiness in Christ.

What grabbed me
Good section on how to obtain that elusive thing called happiness.

Fisher also nicely treads the fine line between not condemning the sensual delights of this world, but pointing out that they should not be the subject of our true enjoyment: 'I pray you, do not mistake me; I do not speak as though I would have you stoically to refuse the lawful use of any of the Lord's good creatures, which he shall be pleased to afford you, neither do I prohibit you from all comfort therein; but this is it which I do desire, namely, that you would endeavour to attain to such a peace, rest, and content in God, as he is in Christ, that the violent cry of your heart may be restrained, and that your appetites may not be so forcible, nor so unruly as they are naturally, but that the unruliness thereof may be brought into a very comely decorum and order: so that your sensual appetites may, with much more easiness and contentedness, be denied the objects of their desires, yea, and contented [if occasion be] with that which is most repugnant to them, as with hunger, cold, nakedness, yea, and with death itself. For such is the wonderful working of the heart's quiet and rest in God, that although a man's senses be still exercised in and upon their proper objects, yet may it be truly said, that such a man's life is not sensual. For indeed his heart taketh little contentment in any such exercises, it being for the most part exercised in a more transcendent communion with God, as he is in Christ.'

Because we have Christ, we should be happy when we have plenty of sensual delights, but also happy when we lack all sensual delights.

Next week's reading
Commence Part Two by reading everything up to the end of the point about the first commandment.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.