Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n
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A65555
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A practical and plain discourse of the form of godliness, visible in the present age and of the power of godliness: how and when it obtains; how denied or oppressed; and how to be instated or recovered. With some advices to all that pretend to the power of godliness. By Edward Lord Bishop of Cork and Rosse.
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Wettenhall, Edward, 1636-1713.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing W1512; ESTC R222295
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59,356
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200
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another state Tell them further That besides their outward actions they are to look to the inward temper and disposition of their Hearts that in all Offices God more regards this than the outward performance 't is very well if one in more than I will name know what you mean They who are to instruct common people personally in order to their Salvation know this to be a sad truth God forbid but that I should think even amongst ordinary plain people there are diverse who can give a better account of themselves and many more who understand and have a sense of a great deal more than they are able to express but that will easily be discern'd by any prudent persons who have to deal with them in their spiritual concerns Notwithstanding I still insist upon this that there is no one of Experience Judgment and Sincerity in the Work of the Ministry but will confess things generally stand as I have stated them It is the great complaint in which we all joyn and under the apprehension of which we mourn that the sense of God and Religion is grown a very rare thing in the world This then being admitted as a truth as upon common experience considering particularly the practice and state of the Age it must be that even the generality of those who profess to be concern'd in Religion or to make Religion a great part of their business in life are only imployed in some outward Offices and parts of it or haply some empty pretences to it being in the mean while very ignorant what the due effects of the Power of Godliness are and unaffected or unexperienced in and for the main unsensible of the methods by which Godliness obtains power over men it follows That the great business of the generality of men in the matter of Religion at present is fairly to raise and maintain a Form of Godliness which was the first part of the Charge § 3. And from the same Evidence the Second Part is is most easily conclusible For if common and sad Experience speak the generality of those who profess Religion to be of such temper as said and that there be on all hands few comparatively who have a real sense of Godliness certainly few there needs must be who are careful to live conform to the Christian Law or Rule for without such sense and it deeply too imprinted on and daily kept alive in the heart this never will be done And again if of the multitude of Professors on all hands as above very few comparatively understand what a Christian Frame and Spirit mean and we will add as little value it if further they understand not the ways of getting or keeping the same all which are partly evident before partly consequent upon one another then must the getting and keeping such Spirit be the Care and Exercise of very few comparatively forasmuch as it cannot be conceived men should make that matter of their Care and Exercise which they neither understand nor value Nay which reduces the paucity yet to a narrower compass too many of those who have knowledge enough to qualifie them for this temper are wanting in their diligence both to get and keep it that is they maintain not a constant and conscientious endeavour of Conformity to the Christian Law Wherefore the gaining and keeping a true Christian Spirit and living conform to the Christian Law or Rule is the Care and Exercise of very few which was the second part of the Charge And so what the Apostle foretold of the last days appears to be sadly verified in these The generality have a Form of Godliness but deny the Power of it § 4. I know it will be pleaded in mitigation of this guilt that much of it is due to Ignorance for so it will be said it has been argued in the Proof Now it will be hard to plead mens Ignorance to be matter of such dreadful Guilt when Ignorance ordinarily imports rather Infirmity I answer hereto though I made use of the multitudes ignorance in Spirituals as what seemed to me the most obvious convincing argument to prove the Age generally very guilty of Formality yet it will not follow that all the Formality of the Age much less all the Sin that accompanies and flows from it proceeds from Ignorance There has been enough said above of oppressing Conscience overpowering its dictates and holding the truth in unrighteousness to take off such trifling excuses and extenuatory Plea's as these Besides though it were admitted most of our Formality did come from the peoples Ignorance yet the Question will be Whose fault is that Ignorance These very persons we charge have knowledge enough to set up and maintain a Form of Godliness How came they by that knowledge but from the Gospel And does not that Gospel most plainly present unto us the whole Christian Faith and Law and that with Evidences sufficient to persuade the Belief of the one and enforce the Practice of the other Doth it not require us to try our selves and actions thereby In a word Hath not this the Grace of God bringing Salvation appeared or been made manifest unto all of us Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world Can there be found on Earth such an Enemy to the empty Form of Godliness or such an instrument to convey the Power of Godliness into mens Hearts as the Gospel If we are ignorant therefore and being ignorant formal and sensless in to the bargain the greater is our Sin Our Ignorance is and needs must be voluntary and chosen so must our unbelief our heedlesness our unconcernedness our formality and our very denying the Power of Godliness And whether we have run into this guilt through sloth and negligence or perverseness and obstinate design it is but reflecting on what has been abovesaid and inquiring into our own Consciences answerably and we may fitly take the measure of our stature in sin § 5. Indeed so far have I been from straining truth in setting forth the guilt of the present Age in this case that the numbers of those who are guilty are greater than has yet been represented I have been able to conclude the Charge just considering only that portion of men who amongst us seem to make Religion somewhat of their business and concernment But how great a part may we find within the pale of the Church who indeed call themselves Christians at least are content people should reckon them in to the common number of those that profess the Religion of the Country whom truly any man vers'd abroad in the world would not account by their manners to be so much as civil Turks or Heathens In truth as the world goes we must acknowledge within our bowels three rates of Christians We have first Christians only in Name We have secondly Christians in Name and Form and undoubtedly there are amongst us if on Earth Christians
in the world as being such upon the observance or neglect of which by the irrefragable Ordination of the God of Truth our Eternal Happiness or Misery depends It is to be lamented this is a part of Christian Knowledge not only too much wanting in the world but too little studied by the generality of Christians and no doubt not without the great prejudice of the Power of Godliness Further 3. It is necessary that in the particulars of our Life and Actions these Principles thus understood and believed be actually attended unto in order to the Governing our selves thereby For we see it too sadly true men may understand and believe what partly through infirmity and natural inadvertency partly through negligence and grossness they too little heed Therefore that Godliness may have its due power all who consider the case will easily acknowledg it indispensibly necessary men endeavour to maintain a constant attention unto or habitual sense of the Christianity they believe The Rule of Practice or Christian Law then must as neer as can be ever be set and kept before us to examine thereby all actions that pass us or the occasions and exercise whereof occur whether the Actions are good or whether evil In like manner also the great points of Faith especially such influential ones as the Nature of God his Omniscience Justice Goodness c. the certainty of Judgment to come with the like must be ever before us to incite and quicken us as well to eschew the evil as choose the good This is in Davids language having respect unto Gods Statutes continually Psalm cxix 117. And in nothing more than in this the holy sorce and effectual working of Faith and good Conscience jointly appears the Power of Godliness I mean when Conscience judges rightly according to the Divine rule what is Duty what is Sin and Faith over-aws or sways the whole man to act accordingly Both which may happily succeed or come to pass if we understand believe and in our particular practise attend unto the Principles of Godliness but never can otherwise And this I may call the truest account of Sanctification or Gods working Holiness in the Hearts of men and I may justifie my saying so from the Apostles words Acts xxvi 18. sanctified through Faith which is in Christ especially if I add hereto 4. That for the asserting Godliness into its full power it is necessary we not only in some particular instances conform our actions to the Christian Law but by constant endeavour of conscientious observance study to habituate our selves to such confirmity We must stirnp the Grace of God in us 2 Tim. 1. 6. and rowse all our strength if in any instances Duty or obeying good Conscience seem at first difficult It is Practice that makes men holy I deny not Divine assistance or Grace but rather ground all holy practice thereon This only I mean Godliness gets not its due power over us but by something of Custom and Exercise We say commonly one Act does not denominate and indeed there is great reason for neither does it much change a man He 's wicked with a witness and so bad as scarce ever Man or Devil was found who has not in some single act or other complyed with the Dictates of good Conscience but there must be frequent acts of that sort to beget either a custom or facility of such compliance So that I say if we intend Godliness shall have its power on us we must endeavour to inure our selves to such honest conscientious practice as described We must not idly expect I know not what inspiration or infusion of virtuous habits into our Souls but co-operate with the Grace of God towards the introducing them It is the Apostles Command Exercise thy self unto Godliness 1 Tim. iv 7. And we need not doubt but the method will be successful Exercise thy self to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be practising daily in it and it will obtain through the Grace of God a due power over thee The sum then of what we have said on this point is to the end Godliness may have its power over any persons it is necessary that the Principles of Godliness that is the Doctrine of Christian Faith and of Christian Life be duly by them understood be firmly believed be further particularly in practice attended to and that lastly they endeavour to inure themselves into a compliance with them and habitual observance of them for in this method and by these steps it is rationally intelligible and accountable how Godliness may obtain power over men and in any other method to expect it is a presumptuous not to say Enthusiastical though God knows too frequent an Extravagance § 3. Now by what we have thus discours'd it is easie to collect when Godliness may be said to have its due Power namely when in aman the Belief of the Doctrine of Godliness and good Conscience prevail generally to regulate and govern the mans Life and Heart or in plainer terms if plainer can be When through the Grace of God in such method as above set down the man is brought over from a worldly vain or loose life to a fix'd purpose of heart not to allow himself in the Practice of any known sin nor in the neglect of any known Duty and this purpose be firmly keeps to and puts in practice endeavouring withal to maintain perpetually such a temper of mind whence may flow a Life so regular such Persons as these there are in the World and in such as these I say and in no others let men pretend what they will is the Power of Godliness to be found All this will be most plain and together fortified by the Evidence if illustrated by an Example or two out of the Holy Scripture And first as to the prevalence of Godliness or good Conscience so as to allow a mans self in the practice of no sin A fitter instance cannot well be found than that of Joseph Genes xxxix The Temptation is well enough known and the concurrence of Circumstances such as gave it a strange recommendation His age he young His condition a Servant and she his Mistriss The advantages likely to befall him hereby Nothing already was kept from him in the house but her ver 9. This would have made him absolute Her importunity She spake to him day by day ver 10. And as to opportunity None of the men of the house were within ver 11. Now see how the power of Godliness works and so proportionably it will on such occasions wherever it is In general 1. He understood the Doctrine of Godliness and knew Adultery to be a great sin and wickedness ver 9. 2. He not only Believes it to be so but as to God believes privacy could not conceal it from God both these he expresly professes How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God 3. He particularly amidst all these conspiracies of Tempters and Temptation attends not only as