Chapter 8

Use 2. My next Use is to exhort those who wear the Mantle, and in the judgment of others are looked upon as godly, that they would persevere, Hebrews 10:23. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith. This is a seasonable Exhortation in these times, when the Devil's Factors are abroad, whose whole work is to unsettle people, and make them fall off from that former strictness in Religion which they have professed: It is much to be lamented to see Christians

1. Wavering in Religion: How many do we see desultorii ingenii, unresolved and unsteady: Like Reuben, unstable as water, Genesis 49:4. These the Apostle fitly compares to waves of the Sea, and wandering Stars, Jude 13. They are not fixed in the principles of godliness. Beza writes of one Bolsechus, his Religion changed like the Moon: Such were the Ebionites, who kept the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian: Many Professors are like the River Euripus, ebbing and flowing in matters of Religion; they are like reeds, bending every way, either to the Mass or the Alchoran: They are like the Planet Mercury, which does vary, and is seldom constant in its motion: When men think of heaven, and the recompense of reward, then they will be godly; but when they think of Persecution, then they are like the Jews, who deserted Christ, and walked no more with him, John 6:66. Did men's faces alter as fast as their Opinions, we should not know them: to be thus vacillating and wavering in Religion, argues lightness: Feathers are blown any way, so are feathery Christians.

2. It is to be lamented to see men fall from that godliness which once they seemed to have; they are turned to worldliness and wantonness, the very mantle of their Profession is fallen off; and indeed if they were not fixed stars, it is no wonder to see them falling stars. This spiritual Epilepsy, or falling-sickness, was never more rife; this is a dreadful sin, for men to fall from that godliness they seemed once to have. Chrysostom says, Apostates are worse than they who are openly flagitious, they bring an evil report upon godliness: The Apostate (says Tertullian) seems to put God and Satan in the balance, and having weighed both their services, prefers the Devil's service, and proclaims him to be the best Master, in which respect the Apostate is said to put Christ to open shame, Hebrews 6:6.

This will be bitter in the end, Hebrews 10:38. What a worm did Spira feel in his Conscience? How did Stephen Gardiner cry out in horror of mind upon his Death-bed, that he had denied his Master with Peter, but he had not repented with Peter.

That we may be [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉][〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], steadfast in godliness, and persevere, let us do two things.

1. Let us take heed of those things which will make us by degrees fall off from our profession.

1. Let us beware of covetousness, 2 Timothy 3:2. Men shall be covetous, verse 5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power. One of Christ's own Apostles was caught with a silver bait: Covetousness will make a man betray a good cause, and make shipwreck of a good Conscience. I have read of some in the time of the Emperor Valens, who denied the Christian Faith, to prevent the confiscation of their goods.

2. Beware of unbelief, Hebrews 3:12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. No evil like an evil heart, no evil heart like an unbelieving heart; why so? It makes men depart from the blessed God; he that believes nor God's mercy, will not dread His Justice; Infidelity is the Nurse of Apostasy; therefore unbelieving and unstable go together, Psalm 78:22. They believed not in God, verse 41. They turned back and tempted God.

3. Take heed of cowardliness; he must needs be evil, who is afraid to be good, Proverbs 29:25. The fear of man brings a snare. They who fear danger more than sin, to avoid danger will commit sin. Origen out of a spirit of fear, offered Incense to the Idol. Aristotle says, the reason why the Chameleon turns into so many colors, is through excessive fear: Fear will make men change their Religion, as often as the Chameleon does her color. Christian, you who have made a profession of godliness so long, and others have noted you for a Saint in their Calendar, why do you fear, and begin to shrink back? The Cause is good which you are embarked in; you fight against sin; you have a good Captain which marches before you; Christ the Captain of your Salvation, Hebrews 2:10. What is it you fear? Is it loss of liberty? What is liberty worth, when Conscience is in bonds? Better lose your liberty and keep your peace, than lose your peace and keep your liberty: Is it loss of Estate? Do you say as Amaziah, 2 Chronicles 25:9. What shall we do for the hundred Talents? I would answer with the Prophet, The Lord can give you much more than this: He has promised you in this life a hundred-fold, and if that be not enough, He will give you life everlasting, Matthew 19:29.

2. If you would hold fast the profession of godliness, use all means for perseverance, 1. Labor for a real work of Grace in your soul; Grace is the best fortification, Hebrews 13:9. It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.

Question. What is this real work of Grace?

Answer. It consists in two things.

1. It lies in a heart-humbling work: The thorn of sin pricked Paul's Conscience, Romans 7:9. Sin revived, and I died. Though some are less humbled than others, as some bring forth Children with less pangs, yet all have pangs.

2 Grace lies in a heart-changing work, 1 Corinthians 6:11. But you are washed, but you are sanctified; A man is so changed, as if another soul did live in the same body; if ever you would hold out in the ways of God, get this vital principle of grace; why do men change their religion, but because their hearts were never changed? They do not fall away from grace, but for want of grace.

2 If you would hold on in godliness, be deliberate and judicious, weigh things well in the balance, Luke 14:28. Which of you intending to build a Tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost: Think with yourselves, what it will cost you to be godly, you must expect the hatred of the world, John 15:19. The wicked hate the godly for their piety. It is strange they should do so; do we hate a flower because it is sweet? The godly are hated for the perfume of their graces; is a Virgin hated for her beauty? The wicked hate the godly for the beauty of holiness, which shines in them; and secret hatred will break forth into open violence, 2 Timothy 3:12. Christians must count the cost before they build; why are people so hasty in laying down Religion, but because they were so hasty in taking it up?

3 If you would hold fast your profession, get a clear distinct knowledge of God, know the love of the Father, the merit of the Son, the efficacy of the Holy Ghost: Such as know not God aright, will by degrees renounce their profession: The Samaritans sometimes sided with the Jews, when they were in favor, afterwards they disclaimed all kindred with the Jews, when they were persecuted by Antiochus; and no wonder they did shuffle so in their religion, if you consider what Christ says of the Samaritans, John 4:22. You worship you know not what; they were enveloped with ignorance; blind men are apt to fall, so are they who are blinded in their minds.

4 If you would persist in godliness, enter upon it purely, out of choice, Psalm 119:30. I have chosen the way of truth: espouse godliness for its own worth; he that would persevere, must rather choose godliness with reproach, than sin with all its worldly pomp; he who takes up religion for fear, will lay it down again for fear; he who embraces godliness for gain, will desert it when the jewels of preferment are pulled off; be not godly out of a worldly design, but a religious choice.

5 If you would persevere in godliness, labor after integrity; this will be a golden pillar to support you; a tree that is hollow, must needs be blown down; the hypocrite sets up in the trade of religion, but he will soon break, Psalm 78:37. Their heart was not right with Him, neither were they steadfast: Judas was first a sly hypocrite, and then a Traitor; if a piece of copper be gilded, the gilding will wash off, nothing will hold out but sincerity, Psalm 25:21. Let integrity preserve me: How many storms was Job in? Not only Satan, but God Himself set against him, Job 7:20. which was enough to have made him desist from being godly, yet Job stood fast, because he stood upright, Job 27:6. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go, my heart shall not reproach me, so long as I live: those colors hold best, which are laid in oil; if we would have our profession hold its color, it must be laid in the oil of sincerity.

6 If you would hold out in godliness, hold up the life and fervor of duty, Romans 12:11. Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord: We put coals to the fire to keep it from going out, when Christians grow into a dull formality, they begin to be dispirited, and by degrees abate in their godliness; none so fit to make an Apostate, as a lukewarm professor.

7 If you would persevere in godliness, be much in the exercise of self-denial, Matthew 16:24. let him deny himself, self-ease, self-ends; whatever comes in competition with, or stands in opposition to Christ's glory and interest, must be denied; Self is the great snare, self-love undermines the power of godliness. The young man in the Gospel, might have followed Christ, but that something of self hindered, Matthew 19:20, 22. Self-love, is self-hatred, he will never get to heaven, that cannot get beyond himself.

8 If you would hold on in godliness, preserve a holy jealousy over your hearts, Romans 11:20. Be not high-minded, but fear: he that has Gunpowder in his house, fears lest it should catch fire; sin in the heart is like Gunpowder, it may make us fear, lest a sparkle of temptation falling upon us, should blow us up: There are two things may make us always jealous of our hearts; the deceits of our hearts, and the lusts of our hearts: When Peter was afraid he should sink, and cried to Christ, Lord save me, then Christ took him by the hand and helped him, Matthew 14:31. But when Peter grew confident, and thought he could stand alone, then Christ suffered him to fall. Oh let us be suspicious of ourselves, and in a holy sense, clothe ourselves with trembling, Ezekiel 26:16.

9 If you would continue your progress in godliness, labor for assurance, 2 Peter 1:10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: He who is sure God is his God, is like a Castle built upon a rock, all the powers of Hell cannot shake him: How can he be constant in religion, who is at a loss about his spiritual estate, and knows not whether he has grace or no? It will be a difficult matter for him to die for Christ, who does not know that Christ hath died for him; assurance establishes a Christian in shaking times; he is the likeliest to bear witness to the truth, who has the spirit of God bearing witness to his heart, Romans 8:16. Oh give diligence! be much in prayer, reading, holy conference; these are the oil, without which the lamp of assurance will not shine.

10 If you would hold out in godliness, lay hold of God's strength; God is called the strength of Israel, 1 Samuel 15:29. It is in His strength we stand, more than our own; the child is safest in the Nurse's hands; it is not our holding God, but His holding us, preserves us; a little pinnace tied fast to a rock, is safe, so are we, when we are tied to the rock of ages.

Application 2. My second application is an exhortation to those who wear the cloak of godliness and are regarded by others as believers: hold fast. Hebrews 10:23: Let us hold firmly to the confession of our hope. This word is especially timely now, when the devil's agents are everywhere working to unsettle people and draw them away from the strict religious commitment they once professed. It is deeply grieving to see Christians —

1. Wavering in religion. How many are we seeing who are unsettled and unsteady — like Reuben, unstable as water, as Genesis 49:4 says. The apostle rightly compares such people to waves of the sea and wandering stars in Jude 13. They have no firm footing in the principles of godliness. Beza wrote of one Bolsecus whose religion changed like the moon. The Ebionites were like this — they kept both the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian. Many professing Christians are like the river Euripus, which flows and ebbs back and forth in religion. They are like reeds that bend any direction — toward the Mass or toward other false religions. They are like the planet Mercury, always varying and rarely constant in its path. When people think of heaven and the reward waiting for them, they want to be godly. But when they think of persecution, they become like those Jews who abandoned Christ and walked with Him no more, as John 6:66 records. If people's faces changed as fast as their opinions, we would not recognize them. This kind of wavering in religion reveals shallowness. Feathers float wherever the wind blows — and so do lightweight Christians.

2. It is also grieving to see people fall away from the godliness they once seemed to have. They have turned back to worldliness and self-indulgence, and the very cloak of their profession has slipped off. If they were never fixed stars, it is no surprise to see them become falling stars. This spiritual falling-sickness was never more widespread. It is a dreadful thing for people to abandon the godliness they once appeared to have. Chrysostom says apostates are worse than those who are openly wicked, because they bring a bad reputation on godliness. Tertullian says the apostate seems to place God and Satan on a scale, and having weighed both, chooses the devil's service and declares him the better master. For this reason the apostate is said to put Christ to open shame, as Hebrews 6:6 says.

This will be bitter in the end, as Hebrews 10:38 warns. What anguish did Spira feel in his conscience? How Stephen Gardiner cried out in horror on his deathbed — he had denied his Master like Peter, but he had never repented like Peter.

To remain steadfast in godliness and persevere, we must do two things.

1. Guard against the things that will cause us to drift gradually from our profession.

1. Beware of greed. 2 Timothy 3:2: Men will be lovers of money — and verse 5: having a form of godliness but denying its power. Even one of Christ's own apostles was caught by the lure of silver. Greed will cause a person to betray a good cause and shipwreck a good conscience. I have read of some in the time of Emperor Valens who renounced the Christian faith to prevent their property from being seized.

2. Beware of unbelief. Hebrews 3:12: Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. There is no evil like an evil heart, and no evil heart like an unbelieving one. Why? Because it leads people to abandon the living God. The person who does not trust God's mercy will not fear His justice. Unbelief is the mother of apostasy. That is why unbelieving and unstable go together. Psalm 78:22: They did not believe in God — verse 41: They turned back and tested God.

3. Guard against cowardice. Anyone who is afraid to be good must have a bad heart already. Proverbs 29:25: The fear of man brings a snare. Those who fear danger more than sin will commit sin to avoid danger. Origen, out of fear, offered incense to an idol. Aristotle says the chameleon changes colors so often because of excessive fear. Fear can make people change their religion as often as the chameleon changes color. Christian, you who have professed godliness so long, and others have counted you among the saints — why do you now fear and begin to pull back? The cause you have enlisted in is good. You are fighting against sin. You have a good commander marching before you: Christ, the captain of our salvation, as Hebrews 2:10 says. What is it you are afraid of? Is it losing your freedom? What is freedom worth when your conscience is in chains? Better to lose your freedom and keep your peace than to keep your freedom and lose your peace. Is it the loss of your property? Are you asking like Amaziah in 2 Chronicles 25:9: What shall we do about the hundred talents we have spent? I would answer with the prophet: The Lord can give you far more than this. He has promised a hundredfold in this life, and if that is not enough, He will give you eternal life, as Matthew 19:29 says.

2. If you want to hold on to your profession of godliness, use every means available for perseverance. First, labor for a genuine work of grace in your soul. Grace is the strongest fortress. Hebrews 13:9: It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace.

Question: What is this genuine work of grace?

Answer: It consists of two things.

1. It involves a humbling work in the heart. The thorn of sin pierced Paul's conscience. Romans 7:9: Sin revived and I died. Some people are humbled less than others — just as some mothers have easier labor than others — but all go through the labor.

2. Grace involves a transforming work in the heart. 1 Corinthians 6:11: But you were washed, but you were sanctified. A person is so changed that it is as if a different soul were living in the same body. If you want to persevere in the ways of God, you need this living principle of grace. Why do people change their religion? Because their hearts were never changed. They do not fall away from grace — they fall away for want of grace.

2. If you want to continue in godliness, be deliberate and thoughtful — weigh things carefully in the balance. Luke 14:28: Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost? Ask yourself honestly what it will cost you to be godly. You must expect the world's hatred. John 15:19. The wicked hate the godly for their piety. Strange as this seems, it is true. Do we hate a flower for its fragrance? The godly are hated precisely for the sweet scent of their graces. Is a woman hated for her beauty? The wicked hate the godly for the beauty of holiness that shines through them. And hidden hatred will eventually break out into open violence, as 2 Timothy 3:12 says. Christians must count the cost before they begin building. Why do people give up their religion so quickly? Because they took it up so quickly.

3. If you want to hold your profession firm, get a clear and solid knowledge of God. Know the love of the Father, the merit of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who do not truly know God will gradually walk away from their profession. The Samaritans sided with the Jews when the Jews were in favor, then denied all connection with the Jews when the Jews were being persecuted by Antiochus. No wonder they were so inconsistent in their religion — as Christ Himself said of the Samaritans in John 4:22: You worship what you do not know. They were wrapped in ignorance. Blind people are prone to falling, and so are those who are spiritually blind in their minds.

4. If you want to persist in godliness, embrace it freely, out of genuine choice. Psalm 119:30: I have chosen the way of truth. Embrace godliness for its own worth. The person who wants to persevere must be willing to choose godliness with reproach rather than sin with all its worldly glory. The person who takes up religion out of fear will lay it down again out of fear. The person who embraces godliness for personal gain will abandon it when the rewards are taken away. Do not be godly as a worldly strategy — be godly as a genuine and heartfelt choice.

5. If you want to persevere in godliness, pursue integrity. Integrity is a golden pillar that will hold you up. A hollow tree must eventually fall in the storm. The hypocrite sets up shop in religion, but he will soon go bankrupt. Psalm 78:37: Their heart was not right with Him, neither were they steadfast. Judas was first a silent hypocrite and then a traitor. If copper is gilded, the gold will wash away in time. Only sincerity holds. Psalm 25:21: Let integrity preserve me. Consider how many storms Job weathered. Not only Satan but God Himself seemed to be against him, as Job 7:20 says — enough to make anyone quit godliness. Yet Job stood firm because he stood upright. Job 27:6: My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live. Colors hold best when laid in oil. If we want our profession to hold its color, it must be grounded in the oil of sincerity.

6. If you want to hold out in godliness, keep the life and energy of your duties burning. Romans 12:11: Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. We add coals to a fire to keep it from dying out. When Christians sink into dull formality, they begin to lose heart, and their godliness gradually fades. No one is more likely to become an apostate than the lukewarm professor.

7. If you want to persevere in godliness, practice self-denial. Matthew 16:24: Let him deny himself — his personal comfort, his personal agenda. Anything that competes with or stands against Christ's glory and interests must be denied. Self is the great snare. Self-love quietly undermines the power of godliness. The rich young man in the gospel could have followed Christ, but something of self stood in the way, as Matthew 19:20-22 records. Self-love is really self-destruction. The person who cannot get beyond himself will never get to heaven.

8. If you want to hold on in godliness, maintain a holy wariness about your own heart. Romans 11:20: Do not be conceited, but fear. A person who keeps gunpowder in his house lives carefully, knowing it could catch fire. Sin in the heart is like gunpowder — it makes us fear that a spark of temptation might blow us up. Two things should keep us always watchful: the deceitfulness of our hearts and the desires of our hearts. When Peter was afraid of sinking and cried out, Lord, save me, Christ took him by the hand and held him up, as Matthew 14:31 records. But when Peter grew confident and thought he could stand on his own, Christ allowed him to fall. Let us distrust ourselves, and in a holy sense clothe ourselves with trembling, as Ezekiel 26:16 says.

9. If you want to continue making progress in godliness, labor for assurance. 2 Peter 1:10: Be diligent to make your calling and election sure. The person who is certain that God is his God is like a castle built on a rock — all the powers of hell cannot shake him. How can someone be consistent in religion when he is uncertain about his spiritual condition and does not know whether he has grace or not? It will be hard to die for Christ if you do not know that Christ has died for you. Assurance steadies a Christian when times are turbulent. The person most likely to bear witness to the truth is the one who has the Spirit of God bearing witness to his heart, as Romans 8:16 says. Be diligent! Be much in prayer, reading, and godly conversation. These are the oil without which the lamp of assurance will not burn.

10. If you want to hold on in godliness, take hold of God's strength. God is called the strength of Israel in 1 Samuel 15:29. It is in His strength, not our own, that we stand. A child is safest in the nurse's arms. It is not our holding God but His holding us that keeps us safe. A small boat tied fast to a rock is secure — and so are we when we are anchored to the Rock of Ages.