maintain to his dying day Chap. 27. 5. between which there is a vast difference so it is here Only mark that which is called chastity in the Heathens is called Holiness in Christians twice in 1 Thess 4. 4 7. as if it were no small piece of Sanctification in them 2. Affirmatively It is an holy disposition wrought by the Spirit of God whereby the Soul is enabled to act religiously toward God and man in the whole conversation in some measure To open a window and give light to this Description by taking it into parts 1. It s an holy disposition That which is here rendred godliness is translated holiness Acts 3. 12. where the same word is used 2. Wrought by the Spirit of God John 1. 13. which were born not of blood that is of natural generation nor of the will of the flesh that is not by the power of corrupted will nor of the will of man of any motion or indowment of the best moral heroical man but of God viz. of the Spirit of God by whom we are said to be wrought to the self same thing 2 Cor. 5. 5. as Stone and Wood are hewed and squared by Masons and Carpenters for the building 3. The Soul this is the subject of this and all other Theological vertues 4. It enables Habits whether infused or acquired enable the soul to act as in the eye the faculty of seeing enables for the act of seeing 5. Religiously i. e. suitably to godly principles 6. Toward God so godliness is taken for the inward and outward acts of his Worship Tit. 2. 12. Soberly in respect of our selves righteously in respect of our neighbours and godly in respect of God himself 1. Tim 2 2. in all godliness and honesty Godliness in reference to the First Table and honesty in reference to the Second Table 7. And towards man 1 Tim. 6 6. Godliness with contentment which holds forth the whole duty of man Eccl. 12. 13. 8. In the whole conversation as here 2 Tim. 3. 12. They that will live godly in Christ 2 Pet. 3. 11. in all holy conversation and godliness the words are in the plural number conversations godlinesses as blood runs through all the veins in the body and the threads through the cloth so godliness runs through the whole conversation 1 Thess 5. 23. The God of Peace sanctifie you wholly 9. In some measure Our state here is imperfect 1 Cor. 13. 9. What is the Form of Godliness Answ There is a substantial form Phil. 2. 6 7. The form of God the form of man that is true God and true man for substance 2. An accidental form Mark 16. 12. Christ appeared in another form In this last sense it is taken here But we shall know what the form of godliness is by the power of it Now the Power of godliness imports 1. A Principle of grace and holiness which is called a well of water John 4. 14. an ingrafted word Jam. 1. 21. an incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. the Spirit that dwels in us 1 Cor. 3. 16. an abiding seed 1 John 3. 5. an unction 1 John 2. 27. a root implanted Matth. 13. 21. Job 19. 28. the life of God Eph. 4. 17. the Image of God Col. 3. 10. the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. A bare Picture of a man though never so curiously and artificially drawn is but a form of a man because it wants a Soul and life as a true man hath Rev. 3. 5. a name that thou livest Where there is no Soul of a man there is no power of a man Formal Professors are like hollow Trees in an old Wood tall perhaps but pithless sapless lifeless or like a Bulrush the caul is green and fresh but pill it and what do you find in it but a spongeous unsubstantial substance as One saith The Lamps of the five wise and of the five foolish Virgins did burn and blaze alike but there was no oyl in the vessels of the foolish Matth. 25. 3 4. Now he that hath the power of godliness hath a Principle of Grace 2. Practices suitable to such a principle A dead carcass may have all the lineaments and parts of a true body but it wants the soul and living actions A man that is indeed alive puts forth acts of life so it is with a true Christian he breaths Lam. 3. 56. Psa 42. 1. as the hart panteth c. He sees a beauty in grace and filthiness in sin a Formalist doth not Isa 53. 2. He hears as the Learned Isa 50 4. He smells a sweet favour in Christs Name Cant. 1. 3. He tasts how gracious the Lord is 1 Pet. 2. 3 1. But contrarily he that hath but a face is like these Idols Psal 135. 16 17. they have eyes but see not c. Living and dead branches are in Christ by profession but the dead ones receive no sap bring forth no fruit True some works may be done by a Formal Professor but such as are called dead works Heb. 9. 14. because there is no life in them as you shall hear anon Excellent speech becomes not a fool no more then a ring of gold in a Swines snout 3. The Property which is strictly called Power that is the vigour vivacity vertue efficacy of both 1 Cor. 4. 20. The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power 1 Thes 1. 5. Not in word only but in power Counterfeit Balsom is like to the true but it wants the property of healing The power of godliness is in some respect like Christ that riseth with healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. that secretly and insensibly sends forth a vertue to dry up in some measure the bloody issue of sin Mark 5. 29 30. That is an observable place Joh. 10. 10. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly so the Books have it but it is not a comparative word in the Greek It may be better rendred abundantly that is a fat and vegetous life So is the verb to be understood 1 Cor. 8. 8 are we the better that is fatter or stronger and then the sense is that they might have life not meerly a life for so hath the prisoner and the sick man but a sound vigorous and comfortable life If a soul had not pardon of sin it would not resist sin if it had no power against sin it could not resist sin so much power as the soul hath to resist sin so much power sin loseth Sin may remain in the best but doth not reign Rom. 16. 4. Sin shall not have dominion I deny not this vigour is not felt nor perhaps exerted in case of Satanical temptation spiritual desertion and sad transgression as with David Psal 51. If Christians should not sometimes have dead hearts they would have proud hearts But this is not ordinary 3. What is it to deny the power of godliness Answ Not verbally so much as really
to parents unthankfull and which is strange unholy ver 2. and yet have a form of godliness without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers Divels as the word signifies c. ver 3. and yet have a form Traytors c. ver 4. and yet have a form of godliness Such were those Israelites who are called Rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrha Isa 1. 10. to 16. Such were they mentioned Jer. 7. 9 10. Who did steal murder commit adultery swear falsely and burn incense to Baal yet they did stand before the Lord in his house Such were they in Ezek. 33. 31 32. It s good therefore to try whether we be not the men and women having but a Form But secondly I must premise these Rules or Cautions 1. It is not simply sinful to have a form All shews of Religion are not unwarrantable but where there is no substance Though all is not gold that glisters yet true gold will glister A man cannot carry a candle in a Lanthorn except a dark one but the light will be seen through the horns of it There is a Spanish Proverb Three things cannot be kept in viz. a Cough Fire and Love to which you may well add grace of which shews are not only allowed but commanded Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine c. Phil. 2. 16. holding forth the word of life as the Admiral-ship holds out its Lanthorn behind that the rest of the Fleet in a foggy day or dark night may steer their course accordingly 1 Pet. 2. 9. that ye should shew forth the praises or vertues of him But to be a shell without a kernel as they say of Halifax-nuts that is naught 2. I deny not but there may be some Reality even in Formality as to the third ground Matth. 13. 20. there was a real cause viz. the Spirit of God though by an inferior and common operation and a real effect joy though it was but temporary and a real subject an hearer a rational creature Indeed a Picture of a man hath no life though it seem to see c. but comparisons run not as they say on four feet Real I say in opposition to imaginary not to hypocritical I confess it is very hard to distinguish between the form and power of godliness The Tares mentioned Matth. 13. were so like the Wheat in those Countries that it was no easie matter to distinguish them therefore Christ would not have them pulled up True Balsom cannot at least for a while be distinguished from counterfeit Is 1. 25. and take away thy Tin Tin we know is so like to Silver that some are deceived therewith so is the form like to the power There is a likness between a Bristol and an Indian Diamond yet a skilful Jeweller can distinguish if I fall short impute it to want of skill not of will The Characters now are branched into Negative and Affirmative 1. Negative which are five in Number He hath but a form of godliness where there is 1. No Sense of the burden of sin or of Gods wrath or the woful condition of man by nature If he never felt any trouble of mind any affliction of spirit for a state of unregeneracy or for some special corruption he hath but a form I know that Matthew without any trouble of spirit that we read of was called from the receit of Custom and God opened the heart of Lydia without sensible pangs and Timothy it's thought suckt in grace together with his mothers milk but this is not Gods ordinary way The Lord himself humbled Adam Gen. 3. before he preached the Gospel the promised seed to him Peters hearers Acts 2. 37. were pricked at heart as with the Pâ—ntosa needle or dagger before they were comforted Paul himself was unhorst and laid level with the ground before he had a principle of grace insused Therefore the Spirit is called the Spirit of bondage Rom 8. 15. because it is the work of the Spirit to convince a sinner of his bondage to sin Satan and Gods wrath before he becomes a Spirit of Adoption 2. No Serving the Lord in private and secret Good Joshua resolved that he and his house would serve the Lord. Cornelius Acts 10. 2. a devout man and prayed to God alwaies Look the Title of the 30th Plalm at the dedication of the house of David teaching us that our houses should be little Sanctuaries and Oratories for the Worship of God To prove Job an Hypocrite it was charged though falsely on him that he did restrain Prayer before God A true Christian hath secret sins to bewail and secret mercies to beg and there Christ is held by the Soul in the Galleries What is Prayer but a friendly conference a familiar talk with God Now thou canst pray thou saist in the Church but no Prayer at all in thy house in thy closet When did Jesus Christ see thee upon thy knees in secret Thou art a meer stranger to God and com'st not at him 3. No Seeking the Lord for himself but for a mans own self Isal 9. 13. neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts with Hos 7. 10. nor seek him the Lord for all this I dout not but they prayed and sought the Lord that plough was not to stand still but it was for themselves Zach. 7. 5 6. When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh moneth 〈…〉 all fast unto me even unto me when you did eat and drink did ye not eat for your selves and drink for your selves It should be to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. that is the ultimate end The Hawk may sore high but he hath an eye on the prey below Self and nothing but self is sought as the last and highest end by him that hath but a form He looks asquint at his own credit profit c. as those slaunting Preachers did Phil. 1. 15 16. or â—s Israel who was an empty Vine bringing forth fruit to her self being the plenty was bestowed on their Altars as next words shew and so on themselves 4. No Stability in any good course or company James 1. 8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his wayes Mark a double-minded man in allusion to Psal 12. 2. A double heart a heart and an heart is unstable as a bowl on a smooth table ready to run with every tick of the finger Off and on in duty up and down in Religion in good company he seems to be demure in bad company debaucht perhaps like water that conforms it self to the figure of the vessel whereinto it is put True it is a good man may be disadvantaged by the society with the bad but this is not usual and it is lamented sadly Ps 120. 5. Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech Is 6. 5. Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwelt in the midst of a People of unclean lips which brings me to the last
the Spirit to them that ask him Spare to speak and spare to speed He that hears the Ravens that cry to him may hear thee though thou beest as black as a Raven I come now to the third Use of Instruction in a word or two to them that have the power of Godliness 1. Lament and bewail with tears of blood that so many living in the bosom of the Church have but a Form of Religion as those that do deny Original Sin who yet with Nepthali give goodly words Gen. 48. 21. and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. I would be loth to be uncharitable but I assure you I have not so much charity to think that they who deny Original Sin have such experience of their naughty hearts and such acquaintance with the Scriptures that they talk of They are strangers to the power of godliness that are strangers to the power of Original corruption 2. Civil honest men that are deadly Enemies to the power of Religion whose character you may find in Prov. 30. 13. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet not washed from their filthiness from excrementitial filth as the word signifies 3. That upstart Generation of late Quakers who have the knack of railing and reviling Gods Ministers and people See Jam. 1. 26. If any man among you seeem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is in vain 4. Profane men who carry the black brand of sin and Hell in their face and forehead who profess themselves to be Christians and take it in snuf if they be reputed otherwise when they live like Pagans Some think my Text to be understood of these 5. Formal Professors that pray in the Church for holiness and purity of living yet prate against piety and purity and live in all unholiness and impurity As he saith in another case Joel 3. 14. Multitudes multitudes in the valley of Decision So multitudes multitudes of them that have but a Form of Devotion in the valley of vision in the Church and Land where preaching hath been vouchsafed so long This is a Lamentation and and shall be for a Lamentation Ezek. 19. 14. 2. Beware of them who have but a Form of godliness confide not in them The close of the verse in my Text is from such turn awy The old Latin hath it shun them converse not with them in a needless and familiar manner or thus be averse to them for a Bishop and so every Christian must not only shun such but set themselves against such By this it is evident that Paul doth not only speak of future time but shews that in that present Age such kind of Formalists whom he doth here decipher should not be nay were not wanting store enough Phil. 3. 2. Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the Concision It 's said three times beware as if we could not be too wary according to the Lawyers Maxim Abundance of Caution doth no harm at all Beware therefore of Dogs that though they have a form of Religion yet are covetous v. 2. with Is 56. 10. greedy Dogs that can never have enough Beware of evil workers that Judaizing seem to be zealous for the Law when their lives are bad or are not conversant bona side in the Gospel the work of the Lord Beware of the Concision who urging the Ceremonial Law constraining others to be circumcised Gal. 6. 12. to cut off the fore-skin of the flesh when themselves were cutters and renters of the Churches of Christ And the rather are we to be cautious of such Because 1. Of the Resemblance between the Form and the Power of Religion and therefore more apt to be deceived Matth. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves Apes are somewhat like Men and Wolves like Dogs Silly Souls are much taken with such shews as children with gauds and gugaws Col. 2. 23. Which have a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility c. 2. Because of the Rottenness of such who not only fail us when we have most need like water-brooks in Summer Job 6. 15. but hurt us the more Prov. 25. 19. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt A broken tooth doth but pain a hungry man chewing a piece of bread or meat a dislocated leg hinders a man from flying in time of danger and if he make an essay he is more tormented They that have been seemingly our greatest friends have really proved our greatest foes None are sorer persecutours then Formal Professors our Stories tell us the husband hath carried a fagot to burn therewith his wife Therefore listen to that grave serious and seasonable counsel Mic. 7. 5. Trust ye not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide keep the door of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosom For the son dishonoureth the Father the daughter riseth up against her mother a mans enemies are the men of his own house No bands of Relation can hold them in but they will discover themselves to be Lyons and Tygers c. Who were they that had a hand in persecuting Paul and Barnabas but the Devout women Acts 13. 50. or Religious women who were Jewish Proselytes ignorant of Christ and fit instruments to prevail with their husbands to drive away Paul and Barnabas Lastly This may comfort true Nathanaels in whose spirit there is no predominant guile who through free grace have the Form and Power of Godliness too in some measure I would not have my Sun set in a cloud Let this Cordial be boxed up against the time of trouble and reproaches of ungodly men Whatsoever venom graceless men spit in their faces yet they may rejoyce in this that they are not in this black Bill but their names are written in Heaven Luke 10. 20. FINIS Luke 1. 6. Ruth 2. 20. Mark 7. 3. 6. Philip. 1. 6. Col. 2. 6 7. Chrysost in loc a Pisc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Beza c Cypr. d Syr. v. Ambr. Genev. e Syr. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. g Ames Coron p. 377. h Trap. i Prov. 7. 17. k Maldon ☜ Just Mart. Resp ad Qu. 3. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o Mat. 8. 19 20. p Mat. 19. 16. 22. q Mat. 16. 18. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s Act 5. 1. 2 3 c. Vse 1. t Theophil in loc u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 w M. Mede Apostasy p. 64. x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y Acts 9. z Josh 24. 15. a Calv. b Cant. 7. 5. c Hos 10. 1. * Rivet Loc. d Gen. 34. 1 2. e Diodat f See Assembl Annotat g Chrysol Serm. 93. h Annor i Maldoitat ex Euthym k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quia Evangelistae notanter dicunt Christum 2a 3a vice eundem sermonem in precibus suis dixisse ex eo immote colligitur VARIATIS precum verbis scepum sensum eorum fuisse cundem in varium Gerhard Harm c. 2. p. 23. l Quod non Legimus non Credimus Hier. m Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 21. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Acts 25. 23. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s Mercer t Fullers Church Hist l. 5. p. 172. s 40. u Poma coatacta cinerescunt Tert. p. 101. c. 40. w Hom. of the right use of the Church part 2. x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y Apud Xenoph. z Diodat a Bern. Epist 112. b Austin c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prono q. praecipiti corpre feruntur ad forum Beza Annot. c A Lapide d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Estius f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tumor Dan. Heins Si dixisti Satis est periisti h Phill. 3. 5 6. i Mat. 7. 2 3. k Mat. 23. 24. Vse 2. l Nil praeter te Domine Aquin. * Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie sonat humile virgulium haud repens vixque in terra appareus Gembr in lot Myricam etiam significat quae est herba humilis spreta abjecta Mercer * Such as formerly took up Christianity as the Court-fashion now left it and whom Ethelherts smiles had made Converts Eadbald's frowns quickly made Apostates Full. Church Hist Cent. 7. b. 2. p. 70. m Miserius est perdidisse quam omnino non accepisse Tertull. de poeniten n 1 Kings 8. 22 to 54. o Nehem 9. 4 c. p Multi in terris manducint quod apud inseros digerunt Aust q T. C. r D. H. H. Annot. in loc * Significatur eventus scelera ipsius justo Dei judicio consecutus Proprium i. o. quia ipsi melius conveniebat quam Apostolica functio H. Grot. in loc s Potest esse visibilis forma palmitis etiam extra vitem sed tamen invisibilis radicis victum habere non potest extra vitem Aug. Serm. in Mat. t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic respondet Hebraee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod 70 vertunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. H. Grot. Use 3. u T. C. w Qui profitentur se Christiaons cum sint nequissimi opere et sensu perversi Ambr. in loc x Devita y Non satie est vitare sed eos aversari imo iis adversari A Lap. z Esti a Abundans cautel a non nocet a Gro. b Simiae imitantur homines sicut lupi canes quibus similes sunt Cyp. ad Job c See Riber loc Parentes propinqui credentium omnia jura sanguinis necessitudinis violabant non solum odio novae Religionis sed ut periculum suum vitantes d Beza vulg