By Johann Gerhard, 1606
What disturbs you, my soul? What do you still doubt about the God’s mercy? Remember your Creator, who created you without you, who formed your body in secret when your frame was formed in the depths of the earth (Psalm 139:15). Would he who undertook your care when you did not yet exist, who fashioned you according to his image, not also act with concern for you in things now?
I am a creation of God. I turn to my Creator. But even if my nature has been infected by the devil, if I have been injured and wounded by robbers, that is to say by sins, nevertheless my Creator still lives. The One who created me will also be able to restore me. He who created me without any evil will be able to raise me up from every evil, that is, from the suggestion of the devil, the transgression of Adam, which is also properly my own action, having entered into me and worked through my whole substance.
My Creator will be able to restore me, provided that he merely wishes to do so. Surely he wants to for who indeed has hatred for his own work? Are we not in his presence as clay in the hands of the potter (Jeremiah 18:6)? Even if he would have hatred for me, he doubtless created me out of nothing. “He is the Savior of all, most especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10).
Very marvelously I am created. Most marvelously I am redeemed. It never has shone forth more clearly that the Lord loves us, than in his passion and wounds. Truly that one, on account of whom the one and only Son has been sent out from the bosom of the Father, is loved by him. In addition, if you do not desire my salvation, Lord Jesus, why did you descend from heaven? Indeed, you have descended into the earth, into death, into the cross.
So that the slave may be redeemed, the Son has been seized. Certainly then the human race has been embraced with a great Love, who on account of the redemption of the human race, handed over His Son to be afflicted, beaten, and crucified. He who has redeemed us is truly beloved in every way, and very precious. Beloved therefore and great is the compassion of the Redeemer.
Anyone can see that God loved his chosen sons with a very equitable love, with his one and only Son. To whom, indeed, may we extend something dearer than that which has been extended to us? In order that he might have adopted sons, he did not spare his natural and co-essential Son. How great it is then that he has prepared mansions for us in his heavenly house by giving his Son, “in whom is all the fullness of the deity” (John 14:2; Colossians 2:9)?
Certainly where the fullness of the deity is, there also is the fullness of eternal life and glory. For if in Christ He has given the fullness of eternal life, how will he deny even the smallest part of it? Surely, the heavenly Father has embraced his adopted sons with a great love on account of which he handed over his one and only Son.
Surely the Son, who handed himself for our sake, has enveloped us with a great love. In order to make us wealthy he endured extreme poverty. He indeed had nowhere to rest his head (Matthew 8:20). In order to make us sons of God he himself was born a man. He also did not once despise working for us after he had accomplished our redemption but still intercedes for us since he is seated at the right hand of the Divine Majesty (Romans 8:34).
What necessary for my salvation will I not receive since the one obtaining salvation has bestowed it upon me? How will the Father despise the Son who has become obedient to Him all the way to death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8)? How will the Father reject the Son from whom He has already accepted the ransom?
Although my sins accuse me, I trust in this Intercessor. He who excuses is greater than he who accuses. Although my weaknesses terrify me, I glory in his strength. Although Satan accuses me, this Mediator now excuses me. Although heaven and earth and my iniquities mark me as a criminal, it suffices for me that the Creator of heaven and earth and righteousness itself makes supplication for me.
It suffices for me to know the Merit whom my merit could not substitute. It suffices for me to have propitiation from him whom alone I have sinned against. Whatever he has determined not to impute will thus be as if it had never happened. Neither does it trouble me that my sins are serious, various, and often repeated.
Indeed, unless I am overwhelmed with sin, I would not desire His righteousness. Unless I have a disease, I would not seek the help of medicine. He is the Physician (Matthew 9:12). He is the Savior (Matthew 1;21). He is Righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). “He is not able to disown himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). Have mercy on me, O Medicine, O Savior, O Righteousness, Amen.
