A Form of Godliness — No Godliness Without the Power

_2 Tim. 3:5_Having a form of Godliness, but denying the power of it; from such turn away.

You know the point that we delivered to you in the morning out of these words; That

It is Godliness that is required of every man, that is only acceptable to the Lord. We gave you the reasons of it, and made some Use of it. And before we come to the other point, or to some further Use that we should make of this, we will add a word or two to that which we prest in the morning, that we should not content our selves with any thing but godliness. For we are apt to be deceived in this case, to mistake, and to think that our common care of serving God, and that moral vertues and civility are godliness. But it is enough for you to know that the Lord accepts nothing but that which is more then nature, that which himself has wrought in us by his holy Spirit. Aristotle himself, though a Heathen man, was able to say, that natural vertues are very like the true, they come so near it, that there is nothing more like. As natural meekness will do as much as the best moral meekness; no as much as any spiritual meekness: stupidity will do as much as Christian courage, and natural temperance and ability in a man to rule and govern himself. There are many of these natural vertues, which for the outside (for I speak of that) and for the shew, for some kind of performance, may go as far as those that are spiritual. But there is a great difference between them; because the one sort proceed but from nature, and they look but to a mans self. And you shall find they alway have this property, they are done without difficulty, without resistance, without any reluctancy, therefore they are not praise-worthy, there is no thanks for any man to do such an action.

Indeed they are beautiful things as I told you then, the flowers of the grasse, the flower of the flesh is beautiful, they are the works of Gods own hand, for he has wrought them in us, but he himself must have the glory, and not we. That which we must look for is spiritual vertues, spiritual graces, which the Apostle exhorts us to, Add to your patience, vertue, to vertue, temperance, and brotherly kindness, and then to all add godliness. Godliness which makes a man look to God, it has alway the flesh to resist it, it does what it does with some difficulty and reluctancy. For the stream of nature is still running a contrary way. This is that you must labor for; therefore remember this rule, that godliness is something alwayes above nature. If therefore there be no more in you then what you have by nature, or by education, or practice, be assured it is not right. As you see it in the earth, the earth is able to bring forth grass, and some kind of flowers of it self; but if you will have it bear corn and wine, things of a more pretious nature, there must be plowing, and sowing, and planting; there must be some other seed cast into it then is found in the earth: there must be some work of man upon it. So it is with our hearts, by reason of those engravings of the moral Law, and the work of nature in us, we are able to do much, we are able to bring forth many excellent flowers, we are able to do many things that are very good and beautiful, though they be not spiritually so. But that which is godliness, that is it which must be wrought by a supernatural power, there must (to follow the metaphor) be plowing and sowing: that is, no man living has this thing which we call godliness in him, but it must be wrought after this manner.

First, there must be a plowing of the heart, he must be humbled, he must be taught to know that he is a child of wrath, a man that never has had any of this plowing, that has never been thus humbled in the sence of sin, and the apprehension of Gods wrath, he may be assured that he has nothing in him but nature, he has nothing in him that is of a supernatural work, that is, the work of the sanctifying Spirit, he has nothing of that yet wrought in him, for that is never done without plowing.

Again, this is not all; for a man may be plowed, he may have quick and sharp terrors of conscience, and yet have no feed sown; there may be harrowing you know where there is no fowing. It was the case of Judas and Achitophel, and so it is the case of divers others, and therefore we must go further; there must be seed thown into the heart by the hand of God, by the sanctifying spirit; that is, after a man heart has been thus hurried, he must come home to God by Christ, and have his heart calmed by the assurance of Gods love. When he is thus united to Christ by faith, after he has been humbled, then the Lord soweth seed; what seed? The immortal seed of his Word, which by the operation of the sanctifying Spirit of God, works that in the heart which is above all natural principles. Now when this is done, there is a crop which God is delighted in, a crop pleasing and acceptable to him. For we shall never bring forth fruit to the spirit, till the same spirit has sown our hearts with these spiritual and supernatural graces.

This only I add, that when I have exhorted you not to content your selves with moral vertues, that you may know in a word what this godliness is. That it is first a thing that is alway exercised with reluctancy, alway with difficulty, you shall alway find a contrary stream of corrupt nature running against it, you shall alway find the flesh rebelling against it. And secondly, it is alway wrought with plowing and sowing. And if you find not these two in your selves, be assured that that which is in you is not godliness. So much for this first Consectary or Use that we draw from this doctrine.

Secondly, we must exhort you from hence now to do the thing, and exalt God for God in your hearts; to be godly men, (to use the phrase of Scripture) to make him your God, and to have no other gods before his face. You will say, What other gods? Not to make your riches your god, as covetousness is called Idolatry, not to make your belly your god. Now that is but a part for the whole; that is, to make no kind of creature your god, nothing in the world; not to make the praise of men your god, &c. Now what is it to make these things a mans god? It is to exalt these things for God in a mans heart, when you place your summum bonum in any of these, that if they be taken from you, you think your selves undone, and if you enjoy them, you think your selves well, and in a happy condition. In a word, it is to do the same to these that you should do to God. When a man shall think, well, I live in credit among men, I have a good estate, I am at liberty, and all things go well with me, I am now well, and if I be put off from this condition, if my estate be taken away, if my credit with men be taken away, then I am undone; when a mans heart is thus affected with these things, he makes them his God; for he gives them that which is proper to God, to think that these things can make him happy or miserable.

Therefore you shall observe that the phrase of Scripture Ro. 3:10. is, that they have not the fear of God before their eyes. That is, a man that does exalt God in his heart, he looks upon God altogether, he is alwayes before his eyes. That is he thinks himself happy so long as he has his favour, he fears nothing but the loss of that, therefore whatever he does he has still his eye upon God, As when a man fears any thing he will be sure to have his eye upon that, because that is the thing which he thinketh can do him good or hurt. So I say when a man has God before his eyes, when he feareth him altogether, when he dares do nothing without his warrant, this is to exalt him for God.

Contrary to this was Davids miscarriage, 2 Sam. 12. You have (says God by Nathan to him) cast my commandments behinde your back. Indeed David did it out of infirmity upon a special temptation; but when a man shall do it in his general course, that he shall alwayes cast God behind his back; this is not to exalt God for God in his heart, but to cast him away. And a man is said to cast him away, when he is not still observing of him, when he is not alway seeing what his will is, and what his commandments are.

Therfore we should labor to do what the Psalmist prayeth for, that the Lord would turn away our eyes and our hearts and affections from regarding vanity, that is from receiving any thing into our hearts which is vanity, that so our hearts may be placed upon God altogether, to fear him, to delight in him and nothing besides. This is the thing we ought to do to the Lord; and this is Godliness, this is to exalt him.

Now to do this we must do two things.

First, To look for all from God. And then the second will easily follow, we shall be ready to do all for God, I say to do this effectually.

First, We must learn to know God aright, to have our hearts so filled (as it were) so satisfied and contented with him, that we need to look for nothing else. When a mans heart looks upon God as an adaequate object, as the main principle of his happinesse, that the having of him is essential, and substantial to his happiness, and he looks upon all other things but as accessories only, he cares not how other things go; he has learned so far to know God, that his heart is fully satisfied with him, he is content to have communion with him though he have him alone. So that he looks upon riches, and poverty, upon honour, and disgrace, upon good report, and evil report, as upon things of smaller moment, that if the worst befal, it is no great matter, because he has the Lord. He that has the sun-shine what cares he for a candle? A man that sees God, and enjoyes him, and is satisfied with him, he regards not other things.

And then when a man sees God is this manner, the second will follow, he will be ready to do all for him: for those two will follow one another. As the yvie though it have no root of it self, it cleaves fast to the tree, and depends upon it. Let a man be brought once to this, to see that he has nothing of his own, and that God is all in all to him, he will easily depend upon God, and cleave to him; but still remember that God be all in all. That as it is said (Col. 3.) of Christ, there is in him neither Iewnor Gentile, but Christ is all in all to us. That is, we must make God all, and he must be so in all things. And in this we fail for the most part; we can be content to have God for part, but to make him our all, to seek all our comfort from him, all our happiness, and to do it not only in some things but in all things, in this we come short. But when we are able to do this, to look upon God as all in all to us, then we shall be ready to do all to him: and that is the other thing that we must do, to refer all to him to care for nothing but to please him, to do all in sincerity, to do it to the Lord.

For otherwise, it is not godliness, you may do much, but you may do it for by-ends, for vain glory, for selfrespects: but that which we exhort you now to is, to do it for the Lord in sincerity. For the Lord has a quick eye, he observes narrowly whatever you do, what ends you have in all your actions. It may be you do much, but if it be not done for him, you have a reward indeed, but this is not that which is acceptable to God. For as it is said of the word of God, Heb. 4. that it divides between theflesh and the spirit, between the marrow and the bones. What is the meaning of that? that is, it divides between the actions of the flesh, and of the spirit. That when any man does a business of the Lords, the word discernes it, because it. is the word that comes from the spirit. So here when we do any business, the Lord sees how far the spirit has a hand in it, and how far the flsh, and he discerneth exactly between them, though it be as near as the bone, and the marrow. As if he should say, even as the bones, and the marrow, even as the joynts and the sinnews, the eye of man cannot see into them, yet the Lord searcheth the reins to the bottom, he discerneth what of the flesh, and what of the spirit is in every action. And my brethren, you should learn to do thus to your selves, to judge your selves after this manner; to consider in all the actions you do, whether you do them in sincerity to the Lord: for it is godliness no further, it, is something it may be which is good, some moral vertues it may be, or else an act of Religion, and public worship, but it is not godliness except it be done for the Lord. Therefore you must do thse two things, [〈◊〉] him for God in your hearts, look for all from him, care for no comfort but what comes from him, it is no matter what you loose so you have him, you reckon him the main, you reckon him essential to your happiness. Other things if they be better or worse, so it is, it is no no great matter. And again to do it in sincerity as to God.

Last of all, if this be the thing that the Lord looks for from you, then labor to excel in it, because it is the best excellency you have: for that in a man which is only acceptable to God is certainly the best thing in him, and the more he excels in such a thing, the more acceptable. Every man seeks after excellency, why should we not labor to excel in this? that is labor to be very godly to do very much for the Lord. Every man is ready to do something for some body, he will do something for his friend, for his Wife, for his Children, for his Prince, for his countrey, and it is well, you should do all this: but now look upon the Lord, and see in how many respects you are bound to him more then to all these. And think if I ought to do for all these, how much more ought I to do for the Lord? And therefore consider what you have to do and how much you are bound to him, and labor to excel in godliness, that is to do much for God. A man will do much for himself, he will devise what is for his own good, he will project it, and study it with solicitousness; now a man is bound to love God above himself, and therefore to do more for God then for himself. This is a thing that is much forgotten among us, and by those whom we call godly men, they forget it, they think not what they have to do for the Lord.

You have many opportunities afforded to you, remember that to be a godly man, is as you have opportunities, as to do much for God, so to do much to him. God observes what talents every man has, what occasions, what hints every man has to do him service, what advantages, what power he has in his hand, and he looks that all these should be improved for his advantage. It is no better then thievery, and robbery to take these from God, and to bestow them upon your selves. As you reckon it in a steward to be the greatest theft to turn his masters good and benefit to his own profit: so when a man shall have an eye to himself in all these things, it is an extream robbery of God, for you knew you should use them all for God. And the more you do for him (for he sees it, and observes it) will recompence every man a hundred fold. No man payes wages so as he does: but we will not stand to urge this; because I would not be kept from handling that which is the main scope of this text.

Having a form of Godliness but denying the power of it.

The second point that we would deliver to you, it lies so plain that there needs no further opening of the text for the gathering of it, it is this, that

Most men have but a form of Godliness, though the Lord requirethe power of it.

We will even deliver it plainly as it lies. It is a point that needs no proof, and I wish it did, I wish that it were not written in Capital letters in the fore-heads of most men, that he that runs may read it. For if we look about us we shall see a form of Godliness every where: but the power and life of it is exceeding rare. Our business will be rather to consider the cause of this disease. What the reason is that the form of godliness is to be found frequently enough, and the power and life of godliness is so rare, and so seldom to be seen. And we shall find these reasons of it.

First, Men will have a form of godliness: because there must be something to satisfie that conscience which every man has. For there is a natural conscience which the Apostle speaks of, Romans 2:16. speaking of the Gentiles he says this of them, their thoughts accusing or excusing one another. So that there is a natural conscience even in men that yet know not God aright. Now that natural conscience must have something to satisfie it, it will not be at rest else: Now because men are unable to judge, and discern aright, therefore a form of godliness is enough for them, they are quieted, and satisfied and contented with that, although they have not the power of it it self. Even as children you know are contented with counters, because they do not know their worth. Satan deals with us in this case as we do with them, when they cry, and are unquiet, such flight things of no moment contents us though they be as empty, and as beggarly as counters, and rattles, because men are not able to judge what the conscience will have: something it must have to satisfie it. he gives us that which is but a form, which is but counterfeit, that has not the power, and life of godliness: and hence it is that men are contented with it.

Secondly, Another cause, why the form is found every where, but not the power, it is because the form of godliness is very easie, but the power and life of it is very hard and difficult. It is an easie thing to do the things wherein the shew, and the form consists. It is an easie thing to come to Church, to hear the word, to here prayers; it is an easie thing to read a prayer every day in private, it is an easie thing to have such a formality in serving of God, these are things that are done with facility. But come now to the power and life of godliness, that mortifieth your lusts, that subdueth you and keeps in your affections, that searcheth your heart, and your inward intentions, that requireth other aims, and ends. It is another thing to do this; it is a very hard thing, for a man to cross himself, to deny himself. Let any man examine himself in those things to which he is strongly enclined, when he shall find in himself that he has such, and such opportunities, in such, and such companies, in such, and such occasions, how hard a thing it is for him now to stick to the rule, and to subdue, and mortifie his sinful lusts. I say the power of godliness does this.

And again, it does not suffer you to do holy duties in a customary manner; but you do them in another manner, you do not only pray, but your prayers will be frequent, and fervent. And so for hearing, your hearing will be in another manner, it will be hard and difficult, though the form be easie. And because it is easie, therefore it is that men content themselves only with a form of Religion, but deny the power of it.

Again, Thirdly, another cause of it is this. Satan resists you not when there is but a form, nor the world opposeth against you, when there is but a form. For Satan knowes that the form of Godliness alone will never hurt him, and therefore he does not trouble men, nor is he busie to withdraw men out of that form by any temptation; but now when he comes to a man that sets upon godlinesse indeed, there he will not be idle, but be ready to betray him every way, and will leave no temptation unattempted; because he knows that the power of godliness plucketh a man out of the power of Satan. And as Satan resists not, so the world does not much resist it, because it does not much cross the world; for the world will surely resist that which crosseth it. By the world I mean the multitude of men, the common sort of men, I say such as these resist not the form of godliness, because it crosseth them not. Indeed the power and life of godliness is very cross to the World: those that are strict to practise indeed according to their knowledge, that have Religion not only in shew, but in truth, that walk exactly and precisely according to the Rule, these men go a contrary course to the world, they go against the crowd, and against the stream of the world, and therefore the crowd of the world goes against them; for the world loves her own: now a form of godliness may be notwithstanding, a man may be the worlds own; but when a man has the power of godliness he is not the worlds own, but he is anothers; and therefore is it that men hate and oppose, and cry down the power of godliness. Hence it is too that men are so discouraged in labouring after the power, and that it is so rare among men, because the world so opposeth, and hates it.

And not only so, this is not all, but the flesh resists it: the flesh does not much resist the form, because there is no great contrariety between the form and the flesh; therefore you see carnal men, Papists, &c. that know not the power of godliness; they will be very exact in all. formal performances of duties. But now the flesh resisteth the power of godliness, it runs with a strong stream against it, it fights against it. So that hence it is you see, that the power of godliness is so rare, because that the devil, the world and the flesh, resist the power, and they do not so to the form. And this is the third cause, why the form is so common, and the power and life is so rare, and seldom found among us.

We will add yet one cause more of this general disease, why we have the form without the power: that is, because in men there is a common light which will go so far as to approve of the formality of Religion; but they want so much light as to distinguish of the power and life of Religion, to approve that. I speak now of a mans own heart, not of others. There are two things in Religion; there is a formality, a common care of worshipping God, a form of godliness. And there is besides this, the life and the power: that which is called the new creature, that which is called regeneration, that which is called the change of the heart. Now a man that has the common light, that is not yet sanctified, he can go so far as to approve the first, to say, it is good in me, and it is good in others, it is fit that God should be worshipped, something should be done. A man has as much light as the moral Law, and as a common illumination can afford him. And therefore we see men that are not yet regenerate, that are not acquainted with the life of Religion, they can approve of moral honesty, of just dealing between man and man, of a common care of serving of God, which indeed is good and excellent; only we find fault with this, that there is no more; if there be no more, it is but a form. Now I say, the common light which every man has, will go so far as to approve this. But come now to the life and power, there is required a sanctified light, a peculiar light, which is given but to few: no man has it till he be regenerate and born again, till God has put it into him by his holy Spirit. Now because this light is rare, it is but thin sown: hence it is that there are but few that find out the beauty and excellency of the power of godliness, but rather dislike it, and disapprove it, because they have not light enough to see it. But the common light is frequent and ordinary, and hence it is that the form of godliness is common, whereas the life and power is rare.

And you may add this to it, that is the reason why men are so shie of it, every man wonders at it, as things that are rare, every man wonders at them, as we do at new fashions, as men gaze at new Stars and Comets. The form because it is common, it is therefore approved, it passeth among men without wondring; but the other is rare and seldom found, and therefore it is gazed at, and wondred at, and pointed at. But though this be common among men, and brings men but to the form of godliness, yet the Lord requires the power of godliness; it is not the form alone that God regards. And what need we add any reason for this? you know men regard not complements and shews, they look to reallities; Therefore we will rather hasten to make some use of it.

If this be so, that the form of godliness is so common without the power, let every man look the more carefully to it, that it be not his case. In epidemical diseases, that run over a people, or a City, or a Country, if a man have but the beginning of such a sickness [〈◊〉] sickness which is but like it, he is very curious, [〈◊〉] the disease is common. If any of us have a disease lie the plague, we will be exceeding careful, to be [〈◊〉] whether it be the plague or no: especially at those times when it is a common disease. This therefore should make us more careful to examine and search our hearts, whether we have this disease or no, this form of godliness without the power. For it is a very dangerous disease; though many of the other diseases named in this Chapter seem to be more hainous, that men should be traiterous, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God, &c. yet I say there is no disease so dangerous as this, because it breeds in a man a false opinion of peace. A man thinks he is in a good estate when he is not; he thinks all is well with him when it is not so: therefore it is a more dangerous disease then any of the other here mentioned. As we say of a Consumption in the first beginning of it, there is nothing that is more hardly discerned, nor nothing more difficulty cureable and dangerous then it is afterward. So we may say of a form of godliness without the power, there is nothing more hardly discerned, and nothing more dangerous, nothing more killing. And I wish that we were as careful to find out the Symptoms of the diseases of our souls, as we are of the diseases of our bodies. But the truth is, we make it the least of our care, and the least of our study, and enquiry to acquaint our selves with those spiritual distempers, the issues whereof must needs be death. And the worse the soul is, the less it feels. The more sick any man is of this disease, of having a form of godliness without the power, the less ready, and the more backward he is to examine whether he be sick of it or no. That is the general fault of men, they will not try and examine themselves.

There are two things that keep men off from discerning aright whether this disease be in them or no. The one is unwillingness to search and examine, wherein men do like to a man that has a broken Estate; he is alway unwilling to search and to dive into the bottom, he is loath to be discouraged, loath to be disquieted. And another is, disability to judge. One of these two keep us off, either our unwillingness to search, or our inability to judge. But now this I say to you, though I should say no more, me thinks this should be enough. It is a disease of the soul, and it is a dangerous disease, it concerns your lives. But for the other, our disability to judge; we may say something more of that. Children and fools, weak men, they are deceived with counterfeit things, that have but a shew and appearance; so are the great part of the world deceived with this: they would try, but are not able. Therefore that you may know what this power of godliness is, we will in brief shew you what is meant by it, that you may learn to get it; and how it differs from the shew and form of godliness. And this we will do exceeding briefly. And we will declare it to you what this power of godliness is, and how it differeth from the form; by these five expressions which will be as so many differences arising from the very Word.

As first of all, when it is godliness indeed, it differeth from the form, even as true things differ from that which is counterfeit. That is, it is true godliness, and the other is but counterfeit. Now a thing is said to be counterfeit, when it has many properties of the true, and many qualities of the true; but yet it wants that same property, that we say is inseperable to the true. The form of godliness has many things in it like godliness; but that which indeed distinguisheth it, that wherein the truth of godliness consisteth, that it lacks.

But you will say, how shall we know this?

You shall know it partly by the wearing, and by the use. A counterfeit thing is discovered by the use, as counterfeit colours they wear out, they last not long; a counterfeit drug is known by the working of it: a bow that is not sound, but rotten, you shall know it when it is used. When a friend is put to it, and comes to the tryal, you shall know whether he be counterfeit by that. So put this godliness to the act, see what it is when you come to performances, when you come to bring things into execution, you shall find, if there be nothing but a form, it will fail you in those cases. It will not do the thing, it carries a shew indeed, but when you come to real and spiritual performances of the duties of godliness, when it comes to the wearing, when it comes to the use, there it fails and holds not out.

And again, as it is discerned by this, so likewise there are some certain properties of it, which the form of godliness always wants. For as all graces have some peculiar properties, as effectual faith, diligent love, and patient hope, so has godliness. Now it is too large a point to run through the properties of godliness, but a wise man that has his senses rightly exercised, he needs not to stand to examine the truth of his godliness by the use and wearing of it, but he may examine it by that he has learned, by that which he knows to be the true properties of it. As a skilful man needs not to try the drug he has, by the operation and working of it, because he is skilful. Take a man that is accustomed to taste wine, a small taste serves his turn, by that he can presently discern of the quality and properties of that wine, whether it be strong or small, although he drink not much of it. You should learn to have this skill, and that is the thing we teach you to be accustomed to know the true from the false. It concerns you much, it concerns you above all other things. If you buy cloth that you take to be well wadded or dyed in grain, if afterward you find it to be but a washy color, it is but the loss of that cloth. And so if counterfeit gold be put upon you, it is but the loss of that gold. But if it come to this, what do you lose by it? you lose the salvation of your souls. What if a man have a counterfeit deed of his Lands? he loseth but his Estate; but if a man have a counterfeit pardon, it costs him his life, he loseth that by it. Such is this godliness, your life and salvation depends upon it. Therefore try it, not only by the use of it, but by those rules and properties that have been given you. This is one way to know it. It is true Godliness, and not counterfeit.

Secondly, the second way, taken from the word here we find, it is powerful, whereas the form is weak, and powerless, and inefficatious, having a form of godliness (says the Apostle) but denying the power. So that if you would know whether it be right godliness indeed that you have, consider whether it have the power of godliness or no, whether it be strong in you; for if it be weak and inefficatious, that it is able to do little, certainly it is not godliness. And therefore you may know it by the strength of it, it is powerful. As you may see by all that which makes up godliness. The Word of God is a powerful Word, that Word that begets this godliness. Therefore the Apostle says, 1 Thessalonians 1:5. The Gospelcame to you not in word, but in power. And St. Paul speaking of it in another place, he says, It is the power of God to salvation. I say it is a powerful Word that does the thing for which it is sent; It has such a power to heal the soul of a man that is sick to death. As we say of Medicines, that they are good when they are powerful, to do the thing that they are applied for. So this Word is powerful to work this change, to beget godliness.

So the Holy Ghost is a spirit of power, and therefore Act. 10:38. It is said, that Iesus Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. That is, wherever the Holy Ghost is, there is much power accompanying of it, therefore you have them commonly put together, the Holy Ghost and Power. Till you be indued with power from on high, that is, till you receive the Holy Ghost that shall make you powerful. Even so certainly it is, that as the Word and the Holy Ghost, which make up godliness in the hearts of men are powerful and mighty, so is godliness it self very powerful.

You will say powerful, in doing what?

It is powerfull in bringing all into subjection to it, it brings every thought, and every lust, and every unruly affection into subjection. It is as a powerful Kingdom set up in the heart of a man: for there is a Kingdom of Christ, which is set up in the heart of the regenerate, and he rules by his Scepter, the rod of his mouth, his word, and that Kingdom is powerful to bring all into subjection. As it is, 1 Corinthians 4:19:20. The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. That is the Kingdom of God, whereever it is found, whereever it is set up in a mans heart that is regenerate; it not only teaches him what he shall do, consisting in word; but it powerfully ruleth there; it brings all into subjection there: it makes a man strong to bring down all his lusts, to mortifie all his corruptions. That as we say of a good rider, he is powerful to master, and to break the horse, he is powerful to guid, and to over-rule him. Such a thing is godliness in a mans heart. Let a mans heart be never so rebellions; yet when this Kingdom comes, it is a Kingdom of power, it brings all into subjection.

So again it is powerful in enabling us to perform, not only to purpose, and intend well, but it enableth us to do also, it does not only breed in us good conceptions as oft-times men have, but when the children come to the birth, there is no power to bring forth. So many times men have good purposes, and desires, but there is no power to bring them into execution. But now this godliness enableth us to do, to perform all that we purpose.

Again it enableth us to resist. When a temptation comes a weak man is not able to stand out, the bankes are too weak for the stream, they are not able to resist the billowes, the tempest; but godliness makes a man powerful to do all this. The form is but weak, it makes you able to desire, or to purpose, and resolve it may be, but it does not bring the thing to act, it does not overcome, and overmaster your unruly lusts, it brings not all things into subjection. It enableth you to take good purposes to your selves, but you have not ability to perform those good purposes. They are in a weak heart, like new wine in old vessels, they are weak they last not, they continue not there. So it is where there is this form only, and no more, men purpose well; but have no strength to bring them forth. And so again where there is but a form you are weak in resistance, you are not able to stand out against temptations, but when you are assaulted with sutable temptations agreeing with your own lusts, when the occasion is present, and the temptation is strong, you are able to do nothing by way of resistance when there is but a form. But where there is true godliness, there is a power, and ability. You see these two things then, It is true, and not counterfeit, whereas the form is counterfeit. Secondly, where there is godliness indeed there is a power; but where there is a form only there is weakness, and no power. I will but name the rest.

Thirdly, Where there is true godliness, there is substance; where the other is only, there is but a shaddow of it.

You will say what is the substance?

The substance is that reality in every duty. As for example, to receive the Sacrament, to receive it after a common fashion as men do it, that come to it out of custom, with some kind of slight, and overly preparation; but they fail in the substance; the substance of receiving is to receive it with faith, and love. And so again to hear the word: to hear it negligently in a common fashion, is but the shaddow of hearing; there is something like to hearing, which carrieth a resemblance of it; but the substance of hearing is to hear, so as to practise, to hear and obey; to hear so that the word may work powerfully upon your hearts: this is the reality, and substance of it. And so to pray, in a customary manner is the shaddow; to do it in an humble and holy fashion is the substance, and reality. Godliness if it be right it is substantial. It is not a meer shaddow, and resemblance. But I can but point at things.

Again Fourthly. Godliness wheresover it is indeed, it goes through with the work, it brings the thing to pass; but where there is only a form, it sits down in the middle, it gives over, it holds not out.

Fifthly, And lastly, to conclude all, the form is but partial, but true godlines is total, and universal, it makes a man do every thing, it makes a man able to suffer every thing. Where there is but the form only, it makes a man but partial in the duties of godliness, he is but here, and there in it. These things I should have enlarged; but so much shall serve for this time, and for this Text.