IT will first be enquired, What Godliness is?1
Answ. I answer in general, Godliness is the sacred impression, and workmanship of God in a man, whereby of carnal he is made spiritual. When Godliness is wrought in a person, he doth not receive a new soul, but he hath another spirit, Numb. 14. 24. The faculties are not new, but the qualities; the Strings are the same, but the Tune is mended. Concerning Godliness, I shall lay down these seven Maxims or Positions.
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Godliness is a Real thing, it is not […], but […]; Godliness is not the feaverish conceit of a sick brain; a Christian is no Enthusiast, one whose Religion is made up all of Fancy; Godliness hath Truth for its foundation; it is called the way of Truth,2 Psal. 119. 30. godliness is a ray and beam that shines from God: if God be true, then godliness is true.
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Godliness is an intrinsecal thing: it lies chiefly in the heart. Rom. 2. 29. Circumcision is that of the heart. The dew lies on the leaf, the sap is hid in the root. The Moralists Religion is all in the leaf, it consists only in Externals3but godliness is an holy sap which is radicated in the soul.4 Psal. 51. 6. in the hidden part, thou shalt make me to know wisdom. The Chalde expounds it, In the close place of the heart.
3, Godliness is a supernatural thing: by nature we inherit nothing but evil. Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh, the motions of sin did work in our members: we did suck in sin, as naturally as our Mothers milk; but godliness is the wisdom from above, Jam. 3. 17. it is breathed in from heaven. God must light up the Lamp of Grace in the heart: Weeds grow of themselves, flowers are planted. Godliness is a Coelestial Plant, that comes from the New Hierusalem: Therefore it is called a fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5. 22. A man hath no more power to change himself than to create himself.
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Godliness is an extensive thing; it is a sacred leaven that spreads it self into the whole soul. 1 Thess. 5. 23. The God of peace sanctifie you wholly. There is light in the understanding, order in the affections, pliableness in the will, exemplariness in the life. We do not call a Blackamore white because he hath white teeth: he is not godly who is good only in some part. Grace is called the new man, Col. 3. 10. not a new eye, or tongue, but a new man: he who is godly is good all over; though he be regenerate but in part, yet it is in every part.
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Godliness is an intense thing; it doth not lye in a dead formality and indifferency, but is vigorous and flaming, Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in spirit.5 We call water hot, when it is so in the third or fourth degree. He is godly whose devotion is inflamed, and his heart boyls over in holy affections.
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Godliness is a glorious thing: As the Jewel to the Ring, so is Piety to the Soul bespangling it in Gods eyes. Reason makes us Men, Godliness makes us earthly Angels; by it we partake of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Godliness is neer a kin to Glory, 2 Pet. 1. 3. Glory and Vertue. Godliness is glory in the […]eed, and glory is godliness in the flower.
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Godliness is a permanent thing. Aristotle saith, denominations are given from the habit. We do not call him sanguine that blusheth, but who is of a ruddy complexion (1 Sam. 17. 42)A blush of godliness is not enough to denominate a Christian, but godliness must be the temper and complexion of the soul. Godliness is a fixed thing: There is a great deal of difference between a Stake in the Hedge, and a Tree in the Garden; a stake rots and moulders, but a tree having life in it, abides and flourisheth. When godliness hath taken root in the soul, it abides to eternity. 1 Ioh. 3. 9. his seed remaineth in him· Godliness being engraven in the heart by the Holy Ghost, as with the point of a Diamond, can never be raced out.