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{Sermons on John 1:47
The Doctrine Propounded: Godliness Is No Fantasy}
A sincere, godly person is no fanatic. Godliness is no fantasy. As there is an Israelite in vain imagination, so there is an Israelite indeed. As there is godliness in show, so there is true godliness; godliness is no fantasy.
The great design of Satan and his instruments is against godliness; to resist it, to disgrace it, and if it were possible, to root it out from under Heaven. But godliness shows itself to be what it truly is in its own luster, glory, and excellency. Thus all such attempts against it are likely to be vain and ineffectual. Therefore the plot is to cast a mist before the eyes of this completely blind world, and to make them believe that there is no such thing as godliness, or that it is something other than what it actually is, to wit, that it is mere fantasy with nothing in it. That which people call godliness is just imagination, a mere dream of some brain-sick people who think themselves wiser and holier than the rest of the world. They are strongly opinionated in their ways and intoxicated with their own imaginations. They themselves are the most in-the-dark and mistaken of all people, even while they would persuade others that they are in the dark and under strong delusions.136
Now, this is such a mischievous contraption to hinder the propagation of the Gospel and to hold people back from that true godliness that is necessary to salvation, and without which they perish everlastingly. Therefore, through the grace of God, I will prove, and make as evident as the light, the truth of the doctrine proposed: godliness is no fantasy. And, of all people in the world, it is most unjust and unreasonable to label as fanatics the sincerest and strictest godly people. By “godliness,” I mean that sincere and strict profession and practice of Christianity that is greater than and beyond the measure of the common sort of people who call themselves Christians. I mean that which the Scriptures calls pure religion, the power of godliness, walking with God, walking in the Spirit, and living in all good conscience.
136Today, this false accusation flows naturally from atheism, Darwinism, Communism, agnosticism, moral relativism, post-modernism, “liberal” theology, and so on.
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