Why the Grace of God Is Turned into Wantonness
"Section 3
Want of heat, intention, and liveliness in religion. If God is not served in fervency of spirit lust will. If Satan cannot keep from religious exercises he tempts to lukewarmness, yea, key-coldness in the performance of them. By Satan's deadening and flattening instinct a drowsy tiring in good things steals upon the body and spirit. Faint fighting is not likely to overcome lust, nor faint service of God mortify it. How few there in a Christian congregation super-abounding in spiritual joy, always pleasant and merry in the Lord, fervent in spirit, day and night meditating in the law of God, lifting up pure hands in prayer, solicitous observers and students of their own hearts. zealous witnesses of sweet holy affections, long watching? The whole of piety of a regular conversation is a delicious feast, yea, it exceeds the sweetness of the honey and the honey comb. Alas, how many are there who in an impartial inquest will be found remiss in the studies of holiness, fainting under Christ's easy yoke and light burden whose compunction is short and rare, conversation natural, speech without circumspection, prayer without intention of heart, reading without edification, good purpose without execution, religious exercise without fervency, who in the ways of godliness lack the whips and spurs, but in the too prone and nimble motions of dissolute looseness need curbing bites. Licentious courses are so strong and impetuous that the modest shame of uncomeliness, the bridle of reason, yea, the fear of hell can hardly restrain them? No wonder if corruption is daring, dissolute, and potent when religious exercises are flat, dead, cold, and feeble. We do not blush to pray to God without due attention and fervor of spirit. He who has no sweet communion with God will seek it in the world, and in pleasing his enticing lusts. When the mind is senseless in reading and meditation, and affections are dull, corruption will be lively. . ." pg.107.108 Nicolas Claget 'The Abuse of God's Grace'
Want of heat, intention, and liveliness in religion. If God is not served in fervency of spirit lust will. If Satan cannot keep from religious exercises he tempts to lukewarmness, yea, key-coldness in the performance of them. By Satan's deadening and flattening instinct a drowsy tiring in good things steals upon the body and spirit. Faint fighting is not likely to overcome lust, nor faint service of God mortify it. How few there in a Christian congregation super-abounding in spiritual joy, always pleasant and merry in the Lord, fervent in spirit, day and night meditating in the law of God, lifting up pure hands in prayer, solicitous observers and students of their own hearts. zealous witnesses of sweet holy affections, long watching? The whole of piety of a regular conversation is a delicious feast, yea, it exceeds the sweetness of the honey and the honey comb. Alas, how many are there who in an impartial inquest will be found remiss in the studies of holiness, fainting under Christ's easy yoke and light burden whose compunction is short and rare, conversation natural, speech without circumspection, prayer without intention of heart, reading without edification, good purpose without execution, religious exercise without fervency, who in the ways of godliness lack the whips and spurs, but in the too prone and nimble motions of dissolute looseness need curbing bites. Licentious courses are so strong and impetuous that the modest shame of uncomeliness, the bridle of reason, yea, the fear of hell can hardly restrain them? No wonder if corruption is daring, dissolute, and potent when religious exercises are flat, dead, cold, and feeble. We do not blush to pray to God without due attention and fervor of spirit. He who has no sweet communion with God will seek it in the world, and in pleasing his enticing lusts. When the mind is senseless in reading and meditation, and affections are dull, corruption will be lively. . ." pg.107.108 Nicolas Claget 'The Abuse of God's Grace'