Vital Godliness
Devotional Book Reviews
What does it mean to "put" the
Christian life into practice? How should Christians think about the
Christian walk in general?
Vital Godliness: a Treatise on Experimental and
Practical Piety
by William Plumer
Sprinkle
Publications, Harrisburg, VA:1993.
Hardback,
610 Pages.
I
have found that in the realm of godly writers, the closer one moves to
the contemporary scene the more the books become shallow and irrelevant
for true godliness and practical piety. However, sometimes there are diamonds found among the dross.
It is the case with a 19th century Presbyterian
minister by the name of William Plumer (pronounced Ploo-mer).
Sprinkle Publications has done well to publish his books.
One
of the books written by Plumer is his work on practical piety.
It describes those who would “make their calling and election
sure.” His work helps the
Christian examine himself in light of essential Gospel truth, or those
aspects of vital godliness which show forth the fruit of a regenerate
Christian. He covers the
elements of true conviction and the fruits which should flow from such
convictions before God.
Not
only does Plumer cover the truth and fruit of a regenerate life, but he
also extricates many of the professors of Christianity from their false
security. He shows how men
may deceive themselves into believing that they are truly saved, when
they are not. The outward
working of religious exercises do not always point to a converted heart
– and more times than naught they are but the seeds sown on the rocks
or shallow ground. They
have a form of godliness about them, but deny the power.
Plumer
has divided the book into 25 chapters.
In them he covers such topics as “A Sense of Wretchedness,”
“Conviction-Conversion,” “Faith,” “Repentance,” “The Fear
of God,” “Love to God,” “Love to Christ,” “Love to Our
Neighbor,” “Patience,” “Joy,” and “Zeal.”
The book even has an excellent index in the back for looking up
such topics.
This
books belongs in the realm of the Puritans.
Though Plumer lived some 200 years later, the essence of his work
is still very much Puritanical, or Biblical.
I would recommend it to anyone desiring to engage in a hearty
self-examination of their life and walk.
It will help assure the Christian of his salvation, and weed out
the Gospel hypocrite from his self-deception.
Some
Quotes:
“God’s
Word clearly teaches that there is a fear connate with true religion.”
“Humility
loves to depend on God, even when His fatherly displeasure is expressed
against us.”
“He
does not really confess sin who does not forsake it.”
“Repentance
belongs exclusively to the religion of sinners.”
“Old
Christians speak much of faith, and always love to have the truth
concerning it clearly explained.”
“All
serious declensions in religion begins in negligence of closet
duties.”
“In
practical religion there is no greater mistake than the persuasion that
if we are pleased with ourselves, God is also pleased with us.”
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