33. Hans Nielsen Hauge's Testament To His Friends

HANS NIELSEN HAUGE'S TESTAMENT TO HIS FRIENDS

As it may happen soon that my hour-glass runs empty, especially may this be expected because I am so very weakened from the great exertions and many sufferings, mainly physical:

Therefore I have decided, in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, with prayer for His enlightenment and leadership, to set forth here my last will, which you friends with friendship, confidence and love you have reciprocated, herewith earnestly are asked and admonished to execute after my death.

1) That spirit of grace and holiness, which has rested upon me, and which you have received, may that spirit still rest upon you and upon all those who hereafter receive Him and believe God's holy Word. {I apply here by memory Elisa works with Elias: For that one needed this one and would not leave him, therefore he received two parts of his spirit also.}

2) The holy God’s Word: Jesus’ teachings first, then the writings of the apostles and the prophets, inasmuch as they concern the soul’s entity, faith and morale, be for you the most holy treasure above all other things in this world.

3) All other writings which have knitted together the contents of the Holy Scripture, also your Catechism and the many you have tested and accepted as good, these you read with an open and believing heart; other untested writings you read with certain reserve, so you don’t set your heart’s confidence in them before you accurately have tested them. This test shouldn’t be done with rumination, nor by imagination, but by prayer to God for the enlightenment of the Holy Ghost, also by concord with all of the sacred Scripture, especially in these points: About those who teach the true belief in Jesus Christ, which redeems from sin, death and the kingdom of Satan, so that they who believe do not live in the kingdom of sin and Satan, but serve God righteously, innocently and blessed. They are not, then, their own, but are His people, and who from their love for Him are very assiduous to good deeds. Also that they in the instruction do not overlook, but teach about the Father and the Holy Ghost and also about the on, so that none of the triune entity is left out or one put higher than the other, for all three are one. Go in for the true doctrine and acknowledge deeply our sin; also about conversion or regeneration, about to love God and your neighbor as yourself (to salvation), so that one renounces oneself to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

Finally, instruct them like Jesus about the narrow gate and the straight road, about temptations and patience to suffer always, as long as we are living here, stay awake, pray and have a degree of fear of falling, if we learned, we stand up, that we work for our salvation with fear and trembling. Never to imagine we have grasped it perfectly, but always hasten forward on the pilgrimage through life, that we shall use violence upon the Kingdom of God, and those who use violence, take it by force. Safety and half- heartedness are regarded as big sins. Also that it is the duty of every Christian to confess the name of God in words and deeds, according to each one’s talent and vigor, so that all endeavor to gather to God’s congregation.

These books which have the above-mentioned points united with the many God’s Word, and do not strive against the order of God in the realm of nature, but instruct correctly to use the spiritual and physical gift with thanksgiving, guard against the scruples of reason, which destroy the spiritual-and for conceited mystery, which will instruct about spiritual things, which they themselves do not understand, or let their teaching rise above the light they are given from God, therefore it gets dark for them and indistinct.

4) None among you yourselves write and have printed your own or anyone else’s writings, nor recommend any new or unknown books, before they are tested in the congregation by the elders. Should any of our fellow-confessionists act against this, then the elders join with the younger who have received the light of God; test the published books; if you find them beneficial, then talk to the one who has published it, and ask why he does not take council with you, and you do not recommend them and otherwise do not help him to profit thereby; however, use the good God’s Word to the enlightenment of others. On the other hand, if you find the published books bad, then not only talk to the publisher about it, but inform also those who might have obtained the books, about their bad teachings, also write to others that they do not have anything to do with it. {If anybody should deem this too hard a censorship, then I think that if a mean or bad person would deceive a spiritual friend in physical things that this one was duty bound to reveal the deception and if possible hinder it. Now, shouldn’t this too be a duty in the spiritual?}

5) You know, friends, that to this day we have absolutely held to the evangelical in accordance with the legitimate Augsburg Confession or the state’s religion; that some have called us a separate denomination, which they absolutely do not have any occasion for, but that we should be called sect, for we have loathed the vices with which many have dishonored the Christian church, and on the other hand applied ourselves to all good virtues in accordance with the Word of God. If we should be called a sect, then let us show in our lives that we ought to be called the virtuous sect or indeed the godly sect, and show in spiritual and temporal acts that these are like the virtues of Jesus. Therefore it is my last will that you hereafter as hitherto fully hold yourselves to our state religion, so that you receive from the official teachers all that pertain to their office. You will then attend church, receive the sacraments, be married by the minister, and at funerals let them officiate in conformity with good order. {The 5th paragraph could have been omitted, as we have never been given to sectarian thoughts or to turn away from the religion of the land, but some outside of our circle have feared that after my passing, you would leave the order of the state, which I do not believe. In any case, this now is a warning.}

6) I am specifically mindful of two things which I have feared, a fear which will rest heavy upon me to my last day, namely: if lukewarmness, confidence and discord should sneak in among the faithful. Therefore it is my fervent admonition that you above all things will guard against these dangerous enemies, so they do not gain access, as they have their roots in other sins. Feeling of confidence stems from pride and imagination of being perfect. Lukewarmness is nourished partly by the unstable mind which gets tired from the pure Word of God, which do not appeal to the senses, partly that oneself does not receive enough of esteem and honor, partly from their lazy nature, the world or the love of the flesh, which does not like to do the will of God. Discord is mainly nourished by pride, that one will not admit one’s sin, but rule over one’s fellow men;
--secondly, in jealousy against those who are better; thirdly, from a singular hate against men, and partly because one demands much from others and little or nothing from oneself, beholdest the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in one’s own eye.

You must therefore always keep watch over yourselves and keep an eye on others, so the enemies of your salvation shall not break in. Bear in mind that where two become divided, there the one pulls to his part, and very soon can destroy the glory with which the rays of God’s grace now adorn you. If you notice, any discord or estrangement against each other, which most often comes out in an unreasonable and groundless blame, aspersion and slander in a greater or lesser degree, then sacrifice everything in order to get hold of these yourself or with the help of others, whom you think better qualified than yourself to do so. Point out to those who dispute, the big evil they commit against God and their neighbor as well as themselves, investigate if they both are equally guilty, then punish both equally without distinction. If one has more guilt, then punish him harder and admonish to agreement, but enjoin on the less guilty or (which seldom happens) the innocent, that he forgives, and employ all means to harmony; for of the one who is the better of them one demands most also here, and yet the truth must not suffer by the liar. {For the unclean one could or would rather censure discord and come to harmony with the clean one, which this one must not be instructed to do, but rather stimulated to abstain from.} Will the one or both not listen to your admonition and appeal, then regard them both as infidels or like those whom you regard as not being of your own faith, and don’t want any association with, all in accordance with the word of Jesus in Matthew 18:7; also you make efforts to awaken the lukewarm and let those who feel safe confess their sins.

You know, fellow believers, that occasional discords no doubt have appeared during these 25 years. But, by the grace of God, they have been quelled, and most of them adjusted; at least they have never led to parties who have left the path and voice Jesus has let us hear. For either the guilty one has admitted and regretted his sin, or he has fallen to vices and then left us. But many have feared with me that when I with this tool of mine: my tongue, pen and deed, leave you, then indeed discords might appear, so the one will go hither, the other thither. Guard against this; for nothing is more important than unity.

7) We have never had any ordered church discipline among us, just as we have never kept any record, so neither I nor any of you know how many there really are who profess the faith, the disposition and mutual friendship, although we through communications and those who visit each other can know about both the places where there are few or many, and also know personally the names of many, especially of those who are outstanding in godly practice. You also know that we have absolutely no signs or ceremonies mutually; for only through conversations, actions, partly also through recommendations, do we become intimate with each other.

Those things we ought not to concern ourselves in especially hereafter either; but we have had one by many unnoticed church discipline; for all those who have practiced any vice and not soon repented and mended their ways, they are reduced in our esteem and confidence; if their vices have prevailed with them for a longer time, we have had nothing to do with them, but they themselves have felt they are separated from us and have partly avoided us. Such church discipline will we also keep up hereafter, though in such a way that when the fallen ones repent their sins and will hear the Word of God, then receive them according to their circumstances.

8) In the apostle Paul’s parting with the Ephesians we read in Acts 20:29-30: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things.” Although I hope better at this time, I will anyway warn you with the 31st verse: Watch! For I have known some among us who have made several remarks which are not in accordance with the teaching of Jesus, and have had their own aspirations and ideas. Still worse, there might arise either false ones, who indeed might have great intellect, but use it with wiliness to lead astray the wretched ones, so they impel the control over the Lord’s inheritance, that is to say, they pursue their own honor and advantage and dominance; they want to be loved without loving God and in Him their fellow men; such people will lead you to obedience to them through technicalities of wisdom and instruction which do not give nourishment to your soul. Others step forward in conceit, will affect importance by their spirituality, talk about their feelings; these practice speaking of their inward condition mingled with imagination and qualms of reason, so they in the first affect experience, but soon one can perceive that their words are empty sounds; they have not life and presence of the spirit, they daze but do not shine, for they pursue higher things than are given them, or they have once walked on truth’s path, but have gone off it; still they can speak of what they at that time experienced and now falsely make their own. Some go broken-hearted by hypocrisy, speak with broken voice, others are cheerful. Both borrow from the Scripture words which they according to their knowledge and gift of nature teach others without paying attention to their own hearts, and without having made any conversion themselves. For they are recognized by the fruits and by their inexperience in spiritual things, also that they do not unite all the words of God in their teaching. Be, on your guard against all such people.

I have reason to hope that as long as you eldest or true children of God live, that you won’t let debauchers have free command, but that you convince them and punish them and also warn the simple-minded people against their debauchment. You know, the blind cannot lead the blind, for then they both fall in the ditch; therefore you must advise everyone, especially those who will instruct others, that they themselves must in their hearts first be converted. I will also utter my heartfelt admonition in the name of the Lord that you true fellow believers, especially the oldest and most gifted in each place, keep a sharp eye on those who will edify others; for it behooves those people to demonstrate in a superior way their faith in a godly life and good deeds, and that he has a firm knowledge of the Word of God, so that it may be understood that he is strengthened by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus to lead a life of a sound and clean doctrine. If you should be informed to the contrary, then admonish him in private; if that is of no avail, then let two more listen to it; if the deviating person will not correct himself, then tell him of his aberration in the presence of as many with whom he gathers. If you yourselves have not strength enough to do this in the place where he is, then ask for help from others who are more strengthened in Christ, or who have received more gifts than you. If he leaves you, then find out where he went, write thither or try to visit those others in order to stop the one who deceives the hearts of the simple minded, who are not wicked, but neither have received enough strength from God to stop the deceivers. {If it seems to someone that I have spoken with too much authority then don’t resent, and consider the truth. It is my intention that this testament should not be much known before I rest in the grave, and then my authority at this time can not harm anyone.} The person who shall teach or instruct others, especially one who travels on such errands, ought not to have become a believer just recently himself, yet this might be done under the watchfulness of the eldest; but none ought to instruct others unless it is proved that he himself is indeed converted, and has shown in his life the worthy fruits of the conversion, and still he is subjected to the eldest’s supervision and close test, that he daily descends into himself so he feels deeply not only his sins but also his own impotence, that he is also tried in temptations and considerable distress, has good foundation and explanation in the Word of God, so nothing contradictory comes up.

Where several are together of those who have received talents to edify others, then after agreement or according to the eldest’s decision only two or three of them, one after the other, speak, and that so no offense happens. If someone goes astray, or it is something to censure in some person’s speech or behavior, convince them as you have been told before about those who will edify others and not walk the straight and narrow path themselves. If he does not correct himself tell it to the congregation and call him an unbeliever, according to Jesus’ word, Matt. 18.

The eldest{By eldest is not meant how many years have gone by since they were awakened, but each such person who has walked in the faith, been active in good deeds; so it doesn’t matter about the years, but it depends on their faith, love, righteousness and experience in spiritual things, also great wisdom.} must not shut their eyes to the vices of their fellow eldest in any ‘kind of vice, but punish them properly as well as every one who has acquired the respect of the faithful and wants to be good Christians; you ought to watch closely such persons, don’t let them get used to flattery and softness, but endure even sharp admonition or solid food.

A person once converted from darkness to light, who later on has been attracted to darkness and done wrong to someone by injustice comes about other people’s property, if such person later has come to repentance and will return to the faithful, but doesn’t right his wrong-doings, then he ought not to be accepted among the faithful or given your heart’s confidence, much less allow him to confess the name of God, speak at edification for others before he has fully amended and indemnified the injured part.

10) Those with whom you have no acquaintance, or those who have conceived other ideas about religion than you, you should bear with and judge as lenient as the verity according to the manifest Word of God permits. For many may have been brought up in an austere, perfunctory concept, and also been charmed by an incorrect exhortation of the Word of. God, yet believe and seek for truth, as God can have many who you don’t know, who love Him. Bear in mind the Lord’s answer to Elijah and this one’s opinion. Therefore deal you kindly with every person; demonstrate willingness to serve and hospitality according to your ability, or just so God’s truth doesn’t suffer in so doing.

You fellow believers, take these points into consideration, and also those which the daily experience teaches you. Then you shall see by the gracious assistance of God, the wicked and insincere, like the self-deceived people, can do nothing against you, but you, through the power of God, our Savior, obtain through your word and example many souls to His Kingdom, to the multiplication of the fruits of your own faith and glorified gladness, and in common praise to the Triune God.

This is my wish, my prayer and only desire, that you will aspire to so infinitely glorious grace, which I feel assured that God our Father through His Son Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit will bestow upon us, who remain faithful to the end, the supreme good, finally, at the end of time to gather in the eternal happiness. Amen.

To be Continued....