The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Proto-Calvinism

People often think of predestination as something John Calvin (1509-1564) invented but in 1545 a primer or manual of prayers known as King Henry's Primer was published in English. It was apparently partly translated from the Latin of 1498. It contained this prayer (my italics).
 
O Jesu, King most worthy to be loved, and friend most to be desired, have mind of the sorrow that thou hadst when thou beheldest in thy mirror of thy most clear majesty the predestination of all thy chosen souls, that should be saved by the merits of thy passion; for mind of the deepness of thy great mercy which thou hadst upon us, lost and desperate sinners, and namely for the great mercy that thou shewedst to the thief that hung on the cross, saying this, This day thou shalt be with me in paradise, I pray thee, benign Jesu, to shew thy mercy on me in the hour of my death. So be it.
 
(See R Bainton, Women of the Reformation in France and England, p 168)

No comments: