Updated: Guidelines for True Christian Living

Update: You can download a PDF of the book here.

I have completed my translation of French Huguenot preacher Pierre Allix’s Guidelines for True Christian Living. You can read it by clicking on the title of the book. Here is my preface to the book:

Our catechisms cover the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. We do well to master them. However, there are few resources that set forth in a simple way how to live a Christian life. I believe that Peter Allix’s book does just that. If you take into account the 50 principles that he sets forth here, I believe you will be much better equipped to live a godly life. This book is simple enough that young children can understand it. I intend to use this book to teach my children the basics of godly living. I will be gratified if others put it to the same use.

And here are a few highlights from the book:

1. To fail to reflect upon our conduct is to live without reason. But to not consider the state of our heart each day is to live without piety and godliness. We must see what good acts we have omitted and what sins we have committed. (9)
2. We may think we are innocent because we do not commit any great crimes. But let’s be honest. Most of the things we do are far removed from the real purpose of our lives. Oftentimes, we just waste time doing nothing. This negligence is not innocent, even though it may not be the most criminal. (11)
3. Let us be ashamed at such an imperfect Christianity. Let us be ashamed to do less by the fear of Jesus Christ, by this Jesus whom we ought to love, than by the fear of men who are not worthy of either our love or fear.
4. If we do not hate envy because it sucks the life from the envious and tears them up inside or because it takes pleasure in the filth with which it nourishes itself, let us at least hate it as the source of the miserable crime the Jews committed in delivering Jesus Christ to death. (29)
5. Let us make a covenant with our eyes to never let enter into our souls any obscene thought. But if they violate this covenant, may our heart, moved by the cross of Jesus, smother at birth the thoughts that could carry us toward impurity. (31)
6. David declares that he could not allow slanderers in his court. Do we think that Jesus Christ will receive into heaven those who tear apart their brothers without pity and who take pleasure in such a cruel action? (32)
7. If someone took away our freedom to read the Bible, wouldn’t we regard this prohibition as the greatest of our miseries? But when God commands us to meditate on it day and night, we will we commit the injustice of not reading it to acquire knowledge and of being ignorant of its most important lessons. (42)
8. The Eucharist speaks to us of the expiation of our crimes as well as their horror, of the indescribable love of God and of the thankfulness and devotion that we ought to have to Jesus Christ. To participate in the sacrament without weeping over our sins and departing from them, without loving Jesus Christ and consecrating ourselves to Him is to partake unto our condemnation. (45)
9. He begins the calling of His disciple by calling two brothers. Why would He do this, other than to emphasize that he wanted brotherly love to unite all His disciples and that concord would be the distinctive characteristic of Christianity? (46)
10. Let us rebuke him with tenderness. If we rebuke him with firmness, may it never appear with bitterness or violence in our speech. Since love causes us to act, let us persuade him by our manners that it is love and not an intention to insult him by rebuking him that makes us speak.

Read it all here.