Sermons Volume 4, Sermons on Titus · Sermon 3
SERMON III.
TITUS II.12.
Teaching us, that denying Vngodliness, &c.
II. THE next thing to be considered, is the Lesson that Grace teacheth us, Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World.
But before I enter upon the Discussion of the particular Branches, I shall observe some things in the General.
Observ. 1. Grace teacheth us Holiness. It teacheth by way of Direction, by way Argument, and by way of Encouragement.
1. It teacheth by way of Direction, what Duties we ought to perform, and so it maketh use of the Moral Law as a Rule of Life. The Law is still our Direction, otherwise what we do, cannot be an Act of Obedience. Certainly the Direction of the Law is still in force; for where there is no Law, there is no Transgression; and Duty without a Rule is but Will-worship. If the Law were blotted out, the Image of God would be blotted out; for the external Law is nothing but the Copy of God's Image, that Holiness and Righteousness which is impressed on the Heart. Now Grace doth not blot out the Image of God, but perfects it. In the new Covenant God promiseth to make the Law more legible; Heb. 8.10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my Laws into their Mind, and write them in their Hearts. Well then, we are not freed from the Authority, and directive Power of the Law. Grace adopts, it doth not abolish the Law; the Commands of the Law sway the Conscience, and Love inclineth the Heart, and so it becometh an Act of pure Obedience. Obedience respects the Command, as Love doth the Kindness and Merit of the Lawgiver.
2. It teacheth by way of Argument; it argueth and reasoneth from the Love of God, Gal. 2.20. The Life that I now live in the Flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. There is Grace's Argument, Christ loved me: we should not then be so unkind as to deny God his Honour or Worship, or cherish his Enemies, 2 Cor. 5.14. For the Love of Christ constraineth us. What will you do for God, that loved you in Christ? The Gospel contains melting Commands, and commanding Intreaties. The Law and the Prophets do not beseech, but only command and threaten, but the Grace of God useth a different method in the New Testament.
3. It teacheth by way of Encouragement, as manifesting both Help and Reward. The Gospel doth not only teach us what we ought to perform, but whence we may draw Strength, and how kindly God will accept us in Christ. The Law is a School-master, and the Gospel is a School-master, but in the Discipline and manner of teaching there is a great deal of difference: the Law can only teach and command, but the Gospel is a gentle School-master, it pointeth to Christ for Help; Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me; and to God for Reward, and Acceptance, Heb. 11.16. He that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him. I do but mention these things, because I shall handle the Encouragements hereafter.
Vse 1. Of Information. It sheweth us,
1. What is true Holiness, such as cometh from the Teachings of Grace, obliging Conscience to the Duty of the Law, inclining the Heart to obey out of the sense of God's Love, and encouraging us by Faith drawing Strength from Christ, and looking to God for our Acceptance from him. Some Works of the Unregenerate are materially good, but it is not the Matter maketh the Work good, but the Principle. The Works of unregenerate Men are done by God's Enemies, out of the strength of a corrupt Will for carnal Ends, without any Conscience of God's Will, or Respect to his Glory. But foreign, they are giftless Gifts. But now these done by Persons in a gracious State, are as good Fruit growing on a good Tree. Grace teacheth: he speaketh not of the external Direction of the Gospel, but the internal working of Grace in the Heart, it worketh by Faith, Love and Obedience. Obedience owneth the Obligation, Love inclineth to discharge the Duty, and Faith looketh up to God for Help and Acceptance, that we may do it in Christ, and for Christ's sake to God's Glory. There is a free loving Subjection of the whole Man, inward and outward, to the whole Will of God, with a Desire to please him.
2. That Grace and Corruption draw several Inferences and Conclusions from the same Premisses. A Bee gathereth Hony from whence a Spider sucketh Poison. Corrupt Nature is out in Conclusions, Prov. 26.9. As a Thorn goeth up into the Hand of a Drunkard, so is a Parable in the Mouth of Fools. Let us do Evil that Grace may abound, says a corrupt Heart: Let us deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, says a gracious Person. God doth all, says a corrupt Heart, therefore we need but lie upon the Bed of Ease, and expect his Help. No, says a gracious Soul, Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in you, to will and to do of his good Pleasure. The Epicure says the time is short, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die, 1 Cor. 15.32. The Apostle argues otherwise, 1 Cor. 7.29. Brethren, I say unto you, the time is short; it remaineth that they that have Wives, be as tho they had none, &c. So 2 Sam. 7.2. Then the King said unto Nathan the Prophet, See now, I dwell in an House of Cedar, but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains: compared with Hag. 1.2. This People say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's House should be built. Eli said, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is of the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. The King of Israel said, 2 King. 6.33. Behold, this Evil is of the Lord, why should I wait for the Lord any longer? We are apt to stumble in God's plainest Ways: Carnal Logick is one of our greatest Corruptions.
3. That it is the greatest Wrong one can do to Grace, to slacken any part of our Duty for Grace's sake. Jude 4. Vngodly Men, turning the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness, foreign; they hale it besides its purpose. There is no such Teacher of Holiness as Grace, it teacheth and giveth a Heart to learn: They know not what Grace meaneth, that grow wanton, vain and sensual; to make Grace Sin's Lacky, is a vile Abuse. Rom. 6.15. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid. You are under Grace, therefore yield your selves unto God, as those that are alive from the Dead, and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God; ver. 13. As Fulvius said to his Son when he slew him, I begot thee not for Cataline, but for thy Country. God justified us, not that we might live to Satan, but to himself.
Vse 2. Of Trial. Whether we are made Partakers of the Grace of God in the Gospel? Have we these Teachings and Arguings? Many can endure to hear that Grace bringeth Salvation, but that it teacheth us to deny Ungodliness, there they flinch. Men would have us offer Salvation, and preach Promises; but when we press Duty, they cry out, this is a hard saying. The Cities of Refuge under the Law, were all Cities of the Levites, and Schools of Instruction; to note, that whoever taketh Sanctuary at Grace, meeteth Instruction, it is no benefit to thee else. In the general, doth it perswade you to make a willing Resignation of your selves to God? Rom. 12.1. I beseech you therefore, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable Service. Every time you think of Mercy, do ye find some Constraint in this kind? More particularly,
1. Doth it press you to deny Lusts? Ezra 9.13, 14. Seeing thou hast given us such Deliverance as this, should we again break thy Commandments? Doth it recoil upon you? Gen. 39.9. How can I do this great Wickedness, and sin against God? Is this your Kindness to your Friend?
2. Doth it press you to good? 1 John 5.3. This is the Love of God, that we keep his Commandments, and his Commandments are not grievous. When God maketh a motion by his Word, or the Counsels of his Spirit; Well! I cannot deny it, what a small Service is this I owe to God? as Iacob served seven Years for Rachel, and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the Love he had to her, Gen. 29.20. And Shechem underwent the pain of Circumcision for Dinah's sake.
Obs. 2. Grace teacheth us, both to depart from Evil, and also to do Good. Psal. 34.15. Depart from Evil, and do good. Isa. 1.16, 17. Cease to do Evil, learn to do Well. We must do both, because God hates Evil, and delights in Good; we must hate what God hates, and love what God loves. That is true Friendship, eadem velle & nolle, to will and nill the same thing. I durst not sin, God hates it; I durst not omit this Duty, God loves it. Again, our Obedience must carry a proportion with the Divine Mercy. Now God's Mercy is not only privative, but positive; God not only spares and delivers us from Hell, but saves and brings us to Heaven. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield, Psal. 84.11. Not only a Shield to keep us from Danger, but a Sun to afford us Comfort and Blessing. Therefore it is fit our Obedience should be both privative and positive; not only cease to do Evil, but learn to do Well; as the description of a Godly Man runs, Psal. 1.1, 2. Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the Counsel of the Vngodly, nor standeth in the Way of Sinners, nor sitteth in the Seat of the Scornful: But that is not enough, but his delight is in the Law of the Lord. Again, we must have Communion with Christ in all his Acts, in his Death, and in his Resurrection; and therefore we must not only mortify Sin, but be quickned to Holiness of Conversation. He that hath Communion with Christ in one Act, hath Communion with him in all; and therefore if we have been planted together in the likeness of his Death, we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection, Rom. 6.5. We shall be dead to Sin, and alive to God. The same Divine Power that kills the Old Man, quickens the New. Again, I might argue from the Word which is our Rule, for there we have not only Restraints, but Precepts; therefore we must not only escape from Sin, but delight in Communion with God: We must eschew what God forbids, and practise what God commands.
Vse. Let it press us not to rest in abstaining from Sin meerly. Many are not vicious, but they are not sanctified, they have no feeling of the Power of the new Life. The Pharisees Religion ran upon Negatives; Luke 18.11. God, I thank thee, I am not as other Men are, Extortioners, Vnjust, Adulterers, or even as this Publican. To enforce this, consider, both are contrary to the new Nature; it hates Evil, and loves Good. Where there is Regeneration, there is a putting on, and a putting off; Ephes. 4.22, 23, 24. That ye put off, concerning the former Conversation, the Old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts. And be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind. And that ye put on the New Man, which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness. The new Nature makes Conscience of abstaining from Sin, and obeying God's Precepts. And both are serviceable to the Work of Grace; Grace is obstructed by Sins of Omission and Commission, for Sins increase as well as unfitness for Duty. The Motions of the Spirit are quenched, and Lusts grow prevalent in the Soul, and both are odious to God. A barren Tree cumbers the Ground, and is rooted up as well as the poisonous Herb.
Obs. 3. We must first begin with renouncing Evil; that's the first thing Grace teacheth. Since the Fall, the Method is Analytical, to unravel and undo that which hath been done in the Soul: So it is said of Christ, 1 Iohn 3.8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil. Sin is the first Occupant in the Soul, and claimeth Possession; six thousand Years ago it thrust out Grace, which was the right owner; therefore first there must be a Writ of Ejectment sealed against Sin, that Grace may take the Throne: Dagon must down, e're the Ark be set up. It cannot be otherwise, it must not be otherwise; there must be mortifying and subduing of Sin by Acts of Humiliation and Godly Sorrow, before there will be Experience of Grace.
(1.) It cannot be otherwise, for the Devil hath a right in us, as long as we remain in Sin; therefore there must be a rescue from his Power, Col. 1.13. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. Christ and Satan cannot reign in the same Heart, nor God and the h… World. Ioseph was taken out of Prison, and then preferr'd to Pharaoh. This is …he Method, Luke 1.73. That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies, might serve him without fear, in Holiness and Righteousness before him, all the Days of our lives. Deliverance hath the precedence; first the Thorns must be rooted out, and then the Corn is sowed.
(2.) It must not be otherwise; God will have nothing to do with us, till we have renounced Sin. A plausible Life is but a counterfeit Varnish, like gilding over a rotten Post, or a moral Integrity, till Sin be renounced. The Prodigal left his Husks, and then returned to his Father. This is the Method at our first Conversion: indeed afterwards there is some difference, when once Grace is once planted in the Heart, it hath the advantage of Corruption, and worketh first. Thus it is said of Iob, Chap. 1.1. That Man was perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eschewed Evil. First fearing God, then eschewing Evil. Grace having taken possession, and being seated in the Heart, it works first. Like a Man possessed and seated in his House, he seeketh to expel his Enemy: So at first, way is made for the Operation of Grace, and then all the Work afterwards is the destruction of Sin.
Obs. 4. It is not enough to renounce one Sin, but we must renounce all. For when the Apostle speaks of denying Ungodliness, he intends all Ungodliness: Compare this with 1 Pet. 2.1. Wherefore laying aside all Malice, and all Guile and Hypocrisies; and Iam. 1.21. Wherefore lay apart all Filthiness, and superfluity of Naughtiness. All Sins must be renounced, little Sins and great Sins. Great Sins, as Adultery, Drunkenness, and the like, are manifest, Gal. 5.19. that is, Nature doth abhor them, they stink and smell rank in Nature's Nostrils, even to a natural Conscience. Then for little Sins; Matth. 5.19. Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments, and teach Men so to do, shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is spoken of Ministers principally, whoever shall give licence by the Gospel to the least Sin, either break it himself, or teach Men so to do, shall have no place, no room among Gospel-Ministers. No Sin can be little that is committed against the great God. Sins are not to be measured by the smallness of the Occasion, or by the suddenness of the Act, but by the Offence done to God, to an Infinite Majesty. The less the Sin, the greater many times it is. It argues much Malice to break with God upon every slight Occasion; there is more unkindness in it, and the more contempt of God; and it argues the greater depravation of Nature. As a little Weight will make a Stone move downward, because of its natural Inclination; so it is a sign we have an inclination that way, when a small Matter can draw us from God. Again, secret Sins must be eschewed, as well as Publick; Isa. 55.7. Let the Wicked forsake his Way, and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts; the Thought as well as the Way is to be forsaken. By Way is meant his outward course of Life, by his Thoughts is meant the hidden workings of his Spirit. Nothing more transient and sudden than the Thought; therefore as we must not do Evil before Men, so we must not think Evil before God. God seeth the Thought, as well as Man the Actions, and infinitely more: The Thoughts are visible to him, and these fall under a Law as well as our Actions. Again, Sins of Temper, to which we are more incident, as well as other Sins to which we have less inclination, they must be mortified. Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him; and I kept my self from mine Iniquity. That Sin which we call ours, should be most watched against, and most hated above all others. As a Man should be afraid of the Meat of which he hath once surfeited, so the Sin that hath once prevailed over us, we should be more cautious against. It is nothing for a sordid Spirit to be less proud, or a proud Man to be less covetous; or a covetous Man to be less sensual, or a sensual Man to be less passionate; still a Christian is tried by the revenge he takes upon his own Sin, his master-Lust. Again, not only Sins which lie at a distance from our Interest, but Sins that bring us most Profit and Advantage: In these things God tries us, it is the offering up of our Isaac, our Darling. In a corrupt World, some things bring Credit and Profit; but as for the right Hand, the right Eye, we must pluck out the one, and cut off the other: Mat. 5.29, 30. If thy right Eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell. And if thy right Hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell. Cannot we do so much for God, and for Grace's sake?
I might give you several Reasons; one Sin is contrary to God as well as another. There's the same aversion from an eternal Good in all things, though the manner of Conversion to the Creature be different. Again, one Sin is contrary to the Law of God as well as another; there's a contempt of the same Authority in all Sins. God's Command binds, and it is of force in lesser Sins as well as greater; and therefore they that bear any respect to the Law of God, must hate all Sin. Psal. 119.113. I hate vain Thoughts; but thy Law do I love. God hath given a Law to the Thoughts, to the sudden workings of the Spirit, as well as to Actions that are more deliberate: and therefore if we love the Law, we should hate every lesser Contrariety to it, even a vain Thought. And all Sin proceedeth from the same Corruption; therefore if we would subdue and mortify it, we must renounce all Sin. He that hateth any Sin as Sin, hates all Sin; for there's the same reason to hate every Sin. Hatred (Philosophers say) is to the whole Kind. A Man that hates a Toad as a Toad, hates every one of the Kind; with the same kind of hatred must we hate every Sin. Again, one Sin let alone is very dangerous. One Leak in a Ship, if unstopped and neglected, may endanger the Vessel. One Sin let alone, and allowed and indulged, may quite ruin the Soul. A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump. A Man may ride right for a long time, but one turn in the end of his Journey brings him quite out of the way. If you do many things, yet if you commit any Sin with leave and licence from Conscience, you are guilty of all Sin: James 1.10. Whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all: As one condition not observed, forfeits the whole Lease. There is an Indenture drawn between us and God, and every Article of this Covenant must be observed. If we willingly give way and allowance to the least Breach, we forfeit all the Grace of the Covenant.
Vse 1. Direction what to do in the Business of Mortification. We must deny all Ungodliness, not a Hoof must be left in Egypt. Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin; and in demolishing the old Building, not one Stone must be left upon another.
1. In your Purpose and Resolution, you must make Satan no Allowance; he standeth lurking, as Pharaoh did with Moses and Aaron; first he would let them go three days into the Wilderness; then he permitted them to take their little Ones with them, but they would not go without their Cattel, their Flocks and their Herds also; they would not leave any thing, no not a Hoof behind them. So the Devil would have a part left as a Pledg, that in time the whole Man may fall to his share. 2 Kings 5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant, that when my Master goeth into the House of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my Hand, and I bow my self in the House of Rimmon; when I bow my self in the House of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing. We would grant Christ any thing, so he would excuse us in our beloved Sins. We complain of the Times, and set up a Toleration in our Hearts, some right Hand, or right Eye, that we are loth to part with; something there is wherein we would be excused, and expect an allowance; either outward, as in Fashions, Customs, ways of Profit and Advantage; or inward, some Passions and carnal Affections that we would indulge. Grace will not stand with any allowed Sin. Herod did many things, but he kept his Herodias still. He turneth from no Sin, that doth not in his Purpose and Resolution turn from all Sin; he doth not break off an acquaintance with Sin, but rather make choice what Sin he will keep, and what he will part with. The Apostle speaks, Col. 2.11. of putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. We must not cut off one Member, or one Joint, but the whole Body, totum Corpus, licet non totaliter, the whole Body of Sin, tho we cannot wholly be rid of it. Dispense not there, where Christ hath not dispensed.
2. We should often examine our Hearts, lest there lurk some Vice, whereof we think our selves free. Lament. 3.40. Let us search and try our Ways, and turn again to the Lord. Compleat Reformation is grounded upon a serious search and trial. As those that kept the Passeover were not to have a jot of Leaven in their Houses, and therefore they were to search their Houses for Leaven; such a narrow search should there be to discover whatever hath been amiss. Commune with your selves, Is there not a jot of Leaven yet left? somewhat that God hateth? some correspondence with God's Enemies? Is there nothing left that is displeasing to God? Thus should we often bring our Hearts and our Ways, and the Word together.
3. Desire God to shew you if there be any thing left that is grievous to his Spirit. Job 34.32. That which I see not, teach thou me. There are many Sins I see, but more that I do not see, Lord, shew them to me. So David appealeth to God, who must judg and punish Conscience; Psal. 139.23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my Heart; try me, and know my Thoughts; and see if there be any wicked Way in me, and lead me in the Way everlasting. Can you thus appeal to God, and say, Lord, I desire not to continue in any known Sin?
4. When any Sins break out, set upon the mortification of them. Do not neglect the least Sins, they are of dangerous Consequence, but renew thy Peace with God, judging thy self for them, and mourning for them, avoiding Temptations, cutting off the Provision for the Flesh. 1 Cor. 9.27. But I keep under my Body, and bring it into subjection. The Leper was to shave off his Hair; and if it grew again, he was still to keep shaving. Corruption will recoil, but still we must use the Razor of Mortification, tho it be such a Sin as the World taketh no notice of, and others would not make Conscience of.
Vse 2. Of Trial. Do we renounce all Sin? But you will say, Who can say I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my Sin? Prov. 20.9.
I answer;
1. It must be done in Purpose and Resolution. In Conversation there is an intire surrender of the Soul to God: to reserve any Sin, is to part stakes between Him and Satan, not to leave Sin, but to chuse it. But now in Vow and Purpose we must forsake every Sin; Psal. 119.57. I have said, that I would keep thy Word. And this Purpose must be intire, without Exception and Reservation; so that if they sin, it is besides their purpose.
2. There must be a serious Inclination of the Will against it. Carnal Men will profess a Purpose and saint Resolution; but there is no Principle of Grace to bear it, no Bent of the Will against it. Psal. 109.104. I hate every false Way. A Child of God doth not escape every false Way, but he hateth it, the Inclination of the New Nature is against it; and therefore Sin is not committed without Resistance, there are Dislikes and Denials in the renewed part; there is a fear of Sin beforehand, and a present striving against it, and an after-grief for it: The Consent is extorted by the Violence of a Temptation, and retracted by Remorse; for Remorse is as the withdrawing of the Consent, so that it is besides the Inclination of the Will.
3. There must be Endeavours against it. The Case of Obedience must be universal, though the Success be not answerable; Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy Commandments; not when I have kept them, but when I have a respect to them all: We should never be able to look G…od in the Face, if our Acceptance lay upon keeping all his Commandments; but we must respect them all, and endeavour to keep them all, and dispense with our selves in no known failing; and still the Work of denying all Sin must be carried on by degrees.
Thus much for the General Observations.
—Denying Vngodliness.
Having observed something from the general view of this Verse, I come to handle the particular Branches; and here let me first speak of the privative part, Denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts; and the first thing to be denied is Vngodliness.
First, I shall open the Terms of the Text. And,
Secondly, The thing it self.
First, In the Explication of the Terms, I shall shew,
1. What is meant by Vngodliness.
2. What by denying it.
1. What is meant by Vngodliness; a Sin much spoken of, but little known. The word foreign in its native Signification implies a denial of Worship. Worship you know is the chiefest and most solemn Respect of the Creature to God; and therefore when we deny any part of that Service, Respect, Honour and Obedience which we owe to God, it is called foreign, want of Worship; as foreign, right Worship, is put for the whole Subjection and Obedience of the Creature to God.
(1.) Ungodliness is sometimes applied to Pagans, and to Men that never acknowledged the true God, 1 Pet. 4.18. If the Righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the Vngodly and the Sinner appear? The Ungodly being there opposed to the Righteous, and to the House of God, must needs be those that live without the Pale, Pagans and Heathens that were never acquainted with the true God.
(2.) Ungodliness is sometimes put to imply the unjustified Estate, or our Condition by Nature. And thus the Apostle when he speaks of Abraham and David, gives God this Title and Appellation, Rom. 4.5. God that justifieth the Vngodly: And Rom. 5.6. Christ died for the Vngodly. The Reason why Ungodliness is put for the natural State before Conversion and Justification, I suppose, is, because the Septuagint always renders foreign by foreign; now foreign signifies restless, turbulent; but usually it is translated Vngodly, Psal. 1.1. Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the Counsel, foreign of the Vngodly. Now because such kind of Persons are usually brought forth to Judgment, and condemned, therefore it is put for condemned Persons; as Psal. 109.7. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned; in the Hebrew it is foreign exeat impius, let him go out guilty or wicked, as in the Margent of our Bible. Certainly in that place, Rom. 5.6. Christ died for the Vngodly; the Apostle, to amplify the Love of Christ in dying for us, alludeth to the Custom of the Jews, who were wont to divide the People into three parts, foreign, or foreign, good and gracious Men; foreign, just Men; and foreign, wicked Men. For the good Men, a Man would even dare to die; by which are meant not only the just, but the bountiful Soul, that did good in his place, and deserved Love and Respect. For a just Man one would scarcely die: by the just Men are meant those of a rigid Innocency and strict Justice as to Matters external. But now saith the Apostle, we were neither good nor righteous Men, but were of the other sort, Vngodly, Wicked, liable to the Process of the Law, and yet Christ died for the Vngodly.
(3.) The Word is yet more specially used for the Transgressions of the first Table: Rom. 1.18. The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness, and Vnrighteousness of Men. There all Sin is distinguished into two Branches and Kinds, Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness. Vngodliness, that respects their Carriage towards God; and Vnrighteousness, their Carriage towards Men: and in this sense it is taken here; Vngodliness is put for that part of Sin, whereby we rob God of his Honour, Respect and Service established by the first Table: and Worldly Lusts, for all those Sins by which we wrong our selves and others. Vngodliness then is not giving God his Right, and due Honour. And therefore that you may conceive of it aright, let me tell you, that there are four particular Notions ingrafted in the Heart of Man, which are the Ground and Foundation of all Religion. (1.) That God is, and is one. (2.) That God is none of those things which are seen, but something more excellent. (3.) That God hath a care of Human Affairs, and judgeth with Equity. (4.) That this God is the Maker of all things that are without himself. These are grafted in the Heart of Man by Nature, and are the Sum and Foundation of all Religion. Now to these four Principles are suited the four Commands of the first Table. The first Principle is, That God is, and is one; and in the first Commandment there is God's Unity clearly established; Thou shalt have no other Gods besides me. The second Principle is, That God is none of those things which are seen, but something more excellent. And in the second Commandment we have God's invisible Nature; for Images are forbidden upon that ground, because God cannot be seen: Deut. 4.12. You saw no Similitude, only you heard a Voice. The third Principle is, That God hath a care of Human Affairs, and judgeth with Equity. And in the third Commandment, you have the Knowledg of Human Affairs, even of a Man's Thoughts, ascribed to God, for that is the Foundation of an Oath, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. The chief intent of that Commandment is to forbid Perjury, it also forbids rash Swearing, and mentioning the Name of God without Reverence; for in an Oath God is invoked as a Witness, as one that hath Knowledg even of the Heart, there his Omniscience is acknowledged. And in an Oath God is appealed to as a Judg and Avenger, there his Justice and Power is acknowledged. For the fourth Principle, That this God is the Creator and Governour of all things that are without himself; that is established in the fourth Commandment, by the Law of the Sabbath: For the Sabbath at first was instituted for this very purpose, to meditate upon God as a Creator; a Day on purpose is instituted to keep up the Memorial of the Creation of the World.
Well then, you see what is the Foundation of Godliness. Now out of these speculative Notions practically flow of their own accord, to wit, That God alone is to be worshipped, obeyed, honoured, trusted: And as far as we set up other Confidences, or are ignorant of the Excellency of the true God; or so far as we deny God his Worship and Service, or serve him after an unworthy manner, by superstitious or idolatrous Worship, or carelesly and hypocritically; or so far as we have gross Opinions of his Essence, or exclude the Dominion of his Providence, or cease to call upon his Name; so far we are guilty of Ungodliness, as will appear more fully hereafter.
The second Question, What it is to deny Vngodliness? Denying is a word that properly belongs to Propositions. We are said to deny, when we contradict what is affirmed: but by a Metaphor it may be applied to Things which the Will refuseth; as some are said to deny the Power of Godliness, 2 Tim. 3.5. when they check and resist it, and will not suffer Godliness to work, tho they take up a Form of it. Now there's a great deal of reason for that Phrase, whether we look to the inward Workings of the Heart, or to the outward Profession which they made in those days.
1. If you look to the inward Workings of the Heart, all things are managed in the Heart of Man by rational Debates and Suggestions; and we deny when we refuse to give Assent to ungodly Thoughts, Suggestions and Counsels. Before Sin be fastned upon the Soul, there is some ungodly Thought, some Counsel, which when we suppress, and will not hearken to those Thoughts which Sin stirs up, we are properly said to deny it. Every Corruption hath a Voice: If Envy bids Cain, Go, kill thy Brother, he hearkens to it. Ambition speaks to Absalom thus, Go, rise up against thy Father: and Covetousness speaks to Iudas, Go, betray thy Lord: So Ungodliness hath a Voice. Carnal Affection, urged by Satan, bids us neglect God, or serve him in a slight manner, mind thy own business, favour thy self. Corruption awakened by Satan, will sollicite to Evil. Now suppressing and smothering such Thoughts and Suggestions with Hatred and Detestation, is fitly exprest by refusing to hearken to Sin's Voice, or denying Vngodliness.
2. Some ground there is for the Expression, if we look to the Custom of those Times. In making an outward Profession, probably here is some Allusion to the ancient manner of Stipulation. When any came to be admitted into the Church, there were Questions propounded to him, Abrenuncias? Dost thou renounce? Credis? Dost thou believe? Spondes? Dost thou promise to walk before God in all holy Obedience? And the Person answered, Abrenuncio, I do renounce; Credo, I do believe; and, Spondeo, I do undertake. This was that which Peter calls, The Answer of a good Conscience towards God, 2 Pet. 3.21. when in the presence of God they can answer to all these Demands.