Section 4
4. A godly man is like God, he has the same judgement with God; he thinks of things as God does; he has a God-like disposition; he partakes of the Divine Nature, 2 Peter 1:4. A godly man does bear Gods Name and Image; godliness is God-likeness. It is one thing to profess God, another thing to resemble him.
A godly man is like God in Holiness: Holiness is the most orient Pearl of the King of Heavens Crown, Exodus 15:11. Glorious in Holiness. Gods power makes him Mighty, his mercy makes him lovely, but his holiness makes him glorious: The Holiness of God is the intrinsic purity of his Nature, and his abhorrency of sin: A godly man bears some kind of Analogy with God in this: He has the Holy Oil of Consecration upon him, Psalm 106:16. Aaron the Saint of the Lord. Holiness is the Badge and Livery of Christs people, Isaiah 63:18. The people of thy Holiness: The godly are as well an Holy as a Royal Priesthood, 1 Peter 2:9. Nor have they only a Frontispiece of holiness, like the Egyptian Temples, which were fair without; but they are like Solomons Temple, which had gold within; they have written upon their heart Holiness to the Lord: The holiness of the Saints consists in their conformity to Gods Will, which is the rule and pattern of all Holiness.
Holiness is a mans glory: Aaron put on garments for glory and beauty, Exodus 28:2. So when a person is invested with the embroidered garment of Holiness, it is for glory and beauty.
The goodness of a Christian lies in his Holiness, as the goodness of the Air lies in the clearness of it; the worth of gold in the pureness.
Question. Wherein do the godly discover their holiness?
Answer. 1. In hating the garment spotted by the flesh, Jude 3. The godly do set themselves against evil, both in purpose and practice; they are fearful of that which looks like sin, 1 Thessalonians 5:22. The appearance of evil may prejudice a weak Christian: If it does not defile a mans own Conscience, it may offend his Brothers Conscience; and to sin against him, is to sin against Christ, 1 Corinthians 8:12. A godly man will not go as far as he may, lest he go further than he should; he will not swallow down all that others (bribed with preferment) may plead for: It is easy to put a golden colour upon a rotten stuff.
2. The godly discover their holiness in being Advocates for Holiness, Psalm 119:46. I will speak of thy Testimonies before Kings, and will not be ashamed. When Piety is calumniated in the world, the Saints will stand up in the defense of it; they will wipe off the dust of a reproach from the face of Religion: Holiness defends the godly, and they will defend Holiness; it defends them from danger, and they will defend it from disgrace.
Use 1. How can those be reputed godly, who are unlike God? They have nothing of God in them, not one shred of holiness: They call themselves Christians, but blot out the word holiness; you may as well call it day at midnight.
So impudent are some, that they boast they are none of the holy ones: Is it not the Spirit of Holiness which marks the sheep of Christ from the goats, Ephesians 1:13. Ye were sealed (or marked) with the Holy Spirit: And is it a matter for men to boast of, that they have none of the Spirits ear-mark upon them? Does not the Apostle say, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord, Hebrews 12:14. Such as bless themselves in their unholiness, had best go ring the Bells for joy that they shall never see God.
Others there are that hate holiness: sin and holiness never meet but they fight: holiness discharges its fire of zeal against sin, and sin spits its venom of malice at holiness: Many pretend to love Christ as a Saviour, but hate him as he is the Holy One, Acts 3:14.
Use 2. Let us labor to be like God in holiness.
1. This is Gods great design he drives on in the world; it is the end of the Word preached: the silver drops of the Sanctuary are to water the seed of grace, and make a crop of holiness spring up: What use is there of the Promises but to bribe us to holiness? What are all Gods Providential Dispensations, but to excite holiness? As the Lord makes use of all the seasons of the year, frost and heat, to bring on the harvest; so all prosperous and adverse providences, are for the promoting the work of holiness in the soul. What is the end of the mission of the spirit, but to make the heart holy? When the air is unwholesome by reason of foggy vapors, the wind is a fan to winnow and purify the air: so the blowing of Gods Spirit upon the heart, is to purify it, and make it holy.
2. Holiness is that alone which God is delighted with: Tamerlane being presented with a pot of gold, asked whether the gold had his Fathers stamp upon it: But when he saw it had the Roman stamp, he rejected it. Holiness is Gods stamp and impress; if he does not see this stamp upon us, he will not own us.
3. Holiness fits us for communion with God: communion with God is a paradox to the men of the world; every one that hangs about the Court, does not speak with the King: We may approach to God in duties, and as it were hang about the Court of Heaven, yet not have communion with God: That which keeps up the intercourse with God is holiness; the holy heart enjoys much of Gods presence; he feels heart-warming and heart-comforting virtue in an Ordinance: Where God sees his Likeness, there he gives his love.
4. A godly man resembles God — he sees things the way God does, he has a God-like character, and he partakes of the divine nature, as 2 Peter 1:4 says. A godly man bears God's name and image — godliness is God-likeness. There is a great difference between professing God and resembling Him.
A godly man resembles God in holiness. Holiness is the most radiant jewel in the crown of the King of Heaven. Exodus 15:11: Glorious in holiness. God's power makes Him mighty, His mercy makes Him lovable, but His holiness makes Him glorious. The holiness of God is the essential purity of His nature and His deep hatred of sin. A godly man reflects something of this in his own life — the holy oil of consecration is upon him. Psalm 106:16: Aaron, the holy one of the Lord. Holiness is the mark and garment of Christ's people. Isaiah 63:18: The people of Your holiness. The godly are a holy priesthood as well as a royal one, as 1 Peter 2:9 says. And they do not merely have a holy exterior, like the Egyptian temples that were impressive on the outside — they are like Solomon's temple, which was overlaid with gold within. Written on their hearts is: Holiness to the Lord. The holiness of the saints consists in their conformity to God's will, which is the standard and pattern of all holiness.
Holiness is a person's glory. Aaron put on garments for glory and beauty, as Exodus 28:2 says. In the same way, when a person is clothed with the embroidered garment of holiness, it is for glory and beauty.
The goodness of a Christian lies in his holiness, just as the goodness of the air lies in its purity and the worth of gold lies in its fineness.
Question: How do the godly show their holiness in practice?
Answer: 1. By hating the garment stained by sin, as Jude 3 says. The godly set themselves against evil, both in their intentions and their actions. They are careful to avoid even the appearance of evil, as 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says. Even the appearance of evil can harm a weaker Christian — and if it does not corrupt one's own conscience, it may offend a brother's conscience, and to sin against him is to sin against Christ, as 1 Corinthians 8:12 says. A godly man will not push as far as he is permitted to go, lest he end up going further than he should. He will not swallow everything that others — bribed by ambition or advantage — may argue for. It is easy to put a golden color on rotten material.
2. The godly show their holiness by defending holiness publicly. Psalm 119:46: I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed. When godliness is attacked and slandered in the world, the saints stand up in its defense and wipe off the reproach that has been cast on religion. Holiness defends the godly, and they in turn defend holiness — it protects them from danger, and they protect it from disgrace.
Application 1: How can people be called godly who are nothing like God? They have nothing of God in them — not a trace of holiness. They call themselves Christians, but they have erased the word holiness from the title. You might as well call midnight the middle of the day.
Some are so brazen that they boast they are not among the holy ones. But is it not the Spirit of holiness that distinguishes Christ's sheep from the goats? Ephesians 1:13: You were sealed — or marked — with the Holy Spirit. Is that something for a person to boast about — that none of the Spirit's marks are on them? Does the apostle not say that without holiness no one will see the Lord, as Hebrews 12:14 declares? Those who congratulate themselves on their unholiness had better ring the bells for joy, since they will never see God.
There are others who actively hate holiness. Sin and holiness never meet without fighting — holiness fires its zeal against sin, and sin spits its venom of malice against holiness. Many claim to love Christ as a Savior, but hate Him as the Holy One, as Acts 3:14 describes.
Application 2: Let us press on to be like God in holiness.
1. This is God's great purpose in the world. It is what the preaching of the Word is designed to accomplish — the silver drops of the sanctuary are meant to water the seed of grace and produce a harvest of holiness. What purpose do the promises serve, if not to win us over to holiness? What are all of God's providential dealings but instruments to stir up holiness? Just as God uses all the seasons of the year — frost and heat alike — to bring on the harvest, so both prosperity and hardship are meant to advance the work of holiness in the soul. What is the purpose of the Spirit's coming, if not to make the heart holy? When air becomes unhealthy because of thick vapors, the wind acts as a fan to clear and purify it — in the same way, the breath of God's Spirit upon the heart is meant to purify it and make it holy.
2. Holiness alone is what God delights in. Tamerlane, when presented with a pot of gold coins, asked whether the gold bore his father's stamp. When he saw it bore the Roman stamp, he rejected it. Holiness is God's stamp and mark — if He does not see this stamp on us, He will not recognize us as His own.
3. Holiness fits us for communion with God. Communion with God is a mystery to worldly people. Not everyone who hangs around the royal court actually gets to speak with the king — we may approach God in religious duties and hover around the court of heaven, yet not truly enjoy communion with Him. What keeps the connection with God alive is holiness. The holy heart enjoys much of God's presence and feels heart-warming, heart-comforting power in the means of grace. Where God sees His own likeness, there He gives His love.
