Handbook of Consolations

For the Fears and Trials That Oppress Us in the Stuggle with Death

Gerhard, Beckwith

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2009
• eBook ISBN: 9781498274487
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

Johann Gerhard (1582-1637) was one of the leading dogmatic theologians of his time and was the authoritative voice of seventeenth-century Lutheran Orthodoxy. Yet, he also published numerous devotional works and meditations that were meant to be used in the daily lives of ordinary believers. The Handbook of Consolations sought to provide comfort and encouragement not only to those approaching death, but also to those who provided care for the sick and dying. Gerhard himself was no stranger to sickness and death, having lost his infant son and young wife, and faced numerous life-threatening illnesses throughout his life.In this pastoral work, which is the first complete English translation based on Gerhard's original Latin to be published since the seventeenth century, Gerhard brings together his extensive understanding of Scripture, theology, and church history in a practical and easy-to-understand manual that is as relevant and meaningful in the twenty-first century as it was in Gerhard's day.

Handbook of Consolations

for the Fears and Trials That Oppress Us

in the Struggle with Death

Preface

To my most venerable and renowned friends, surpassing all in piety, erudition, and reputation; lord and master Johann Schroeder, outstanding theologian, most worthy bishop of the church of Nuremberg; lord Martin Gnüge and most worthy lord Johann Aldenburg, court preachers at Saxe-Coburg; most faithful lords and colleagues of the church at Coburg; all especially held as friends and brothers in Christ Himself.

My very venerable and renowned friends, colleagues, and brothers in Christ whom I dearly regard, if you would permit me to apply that definition of Platonic philosophy, namely, that it is the contemplation of death, to the true divine wisdom of Christianity, I would not, in my opinion, go against the truth, seeing that its beginning and end consists of a contemplation of death.1 By the word death, I understand both Christ’s death and our own. Indeed, the death of Christ and His suffering is the essence of Christianity, which is why the Apostle Paul resolved to know nothing among the Corinthians but Christ crucified and dead (1 Cor 2:2).2 By Christ’s death our sins have been expiated, Satan’s power destroyed, the New Covenant confirmed, and the fears we associate with our own death lessened. Contemplation of the death of Christ, therefore, ought never to recede from our memory. Nor should our own death be forgotten at any time during our own life. As death awaits us every day, let us likewise expect it every day. As Jerome says, “He who daily remembers that he will die is one who easily despises all worldly things.”3 Indeed, he, who prepares himself for a happy death by a true and serious conversion, labors after sincere godliness, patiently endures adversity, and with heartfelt feeling burns with an ardent desire for eternal life. Moses prays, Teach us, O Lord, to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom (Ps 90:12). A great part, therefore, of Christian wisdom consists of the constant contemplation of death.

It is in the interest of our eternal salvation that we should take time to study something that, properly speaking, we shall make use of only once. It is appointed for all to die; but to die with piety, to die in Christ, to die happily is not for everyone. Therefore, the soul must be prepared for that blessed ability to die well and must be armed with the shield of the Word and prayer. For if, at any time, our clever enemy conspires against our salvation and tries to rob us of it with all his might, it will certainly be at the last hour of our life. It is for this reason that some of the ancients say that the infernal serpent bites the heel, for he knows that if he is overcome by us in that final conflict all is well on our part; it will be our eternal disgrace and doom, however, if the balance of our life, like a play, is well acted in parts, but in that final climatic moment, we conduct ourselves in a dishonorable and cowardly manner. For this reason, he assaults our heart with various trials, as with battering rams, in times of sickness and in our struggle with death; for this reason, he throws those flaming darts at us with all his might; and for this reason we feel so deeply that horror and suffocating anxiety as we approach the gates of death. Blessed is the one who prevails at this point. Blessed is the one who remains faithful unto death for he shall be a partaker of all the good things promised in the book of Revelation to the resolute soldiers of Christ.

What is life? It is death, for into death our old age slowly gives way,

and though in that moment life and death appear conjoined,yet Christ is our Captain and door of Life,

who renders dead our death by His very own.The one whose hope reclines in Him alone

will be free from the wound of eternal death.Though this hope of ours be pressed by many a storm,

when the struggle of life touches the threshold of death,the work and task is this—to win that final battle,

lest life should fail us on the threshold of Life.

Since I not long ago published An Explanation of the History of the Suffering and Death of Christ in an effort to encourage the minds of the godly with a proper meditation of Christ’s death, I thought it would be of some value if I also offered them a meditation on our own death.4 It is for this purpose that I have written this Handbook of Consolations for the Fears and Trials of Death That Oppress Us in the Struggle with Death. Yet this Handbook is also for my own private use as I too bear a sickly body and frail vessel. Moreover, death recently made a very grievous visit to my house, and there are many other reasons why I should fear that my own life will not be long.5 Therefore, it is an appropriate time for me to strengthen and prepare my soul for that final contest. Since I am surrounded by so many domestic evils, I devoted a few days to the pious contemplation of this little book, and when I saw that my meditations could perhaps be of some value to others, I did not oppose making them available to the public.

It is proper, however, that I should state at the beginning of this treatise that I have written not for the complacent, the unrepentant, and the hard of heart, but for those with a contrite, broken, and troubled conscien...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Introduction
• Abbreviations
• Handbook of Consolations for the Fears and Trials That Oppress Us in the Struggle with Death