The godly man is one that, being formerly in a state of sin and misery, both strange and backward to God and heaven and a holy life, and prone to earthly, fleshly pleasures is now, by the powerful work of the word and Spirit of God, converted to sincere faith and repentance; broken-hearted for his former sin and misery, flying to Christ as the only hope and physician of his soul, and so is made a new creature, having his heart set upon God and everlasting life, and despising all the pleasures of the flesh and the things of this world, in comparison of his hopes of glory; hating all known sin, and not willfully living in any, and loving the highest degree of holiness, and willing to use the means that God has appointed to destroy the remnants of sin, and bring him nearer to perfection. This is a truly godly man. And he who is not such is ungodly. He that yet remains in his natural, depraved state, and is unacquainted with this great and holy change; that has any sin that he had rather keep than leave, and any that he willfully lives in; and willfully neglects known duties, as one that had rather be free from them than perform them, and had rather live a fleshly than a spiritual and holy life, and is more in love with the creature than with God—with his life on earth in flesh and sin, than a life with God and his saints in perfect holiness—this man is undoubtedly a wicked and ungodly man, however civilly or religiously he seem to live in the world. |