25 September 2020

Luther and Lewis

Observe, however, that Mary does not say He breaks the seats, but He casts the mighty from their seats. Nor does she say that He leaves those of low degree in their low degree, but exalts them. For while the world stands, authority, rule, power, and seats must remain. But God will not long permit men to abuse them and turn them against Him, inflict injustice and violence on the godly, and enjoy it, boast of them, and fail to use them in the fear of God, to His praise and in defense of righteousness.—Martin Luther, Magnificat, AE 21:344.

The proper good of a creature is to surrender itself to its Creator—to enact intellectually, volitionally, and emotionally, that relationship which is given in the mere fact of its being a creature. When it does so, it is good and happy. Lest we should think this a hardship, this kind of good begins on a level far above the creatures, for God Himself, as Son, from all eternity renders back to God the Father by filial obedience the being which the Father by paternal love generates in the Son. This is the pattern which man was made to imitate.—C. S. Lewis, Business of Heaven, p. 241. 

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