[3.] The word is yet more specially used for the transgressions of the first table : Eom. i. 18, ' The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.' There all sin is dis- tinguished into two branches and kinds — ungodliness and unrighteous- ness. Ungodliness, that respects their carriage towards God ; and unrighteousness, their carriage towards men : and in this sense it is taken here. Ungodliness 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 ourselves and others. Ungodliness, 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
VeR. 12.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. "^
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 command- ment 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. iv. 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 knowledge of human affairs, and 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 knowledge even of the heart ; there his omniscience is acknowledged ; and in an oath God is appealed to as a judge and avenger ; there his justice and power is acknowledged. For the fourth principle, that this God is the creator and governor 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 practicals 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 carelessly 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.
2. What it is to deny ungodliness ? Denying is a word that pro- perly belongs to propositions. AVe 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. iii. 5, when they check and resist it and will not suffer godliness to work, though they take up a form of it. Now there is 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, sugges- tions, and counsels. Before sin be fastened 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,
78' SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. IV.
rise up against thy father ; and covetousness speaks to Judas, 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 thyself. Corruption awakened by Satan will solicit to evil. Now suppressing and smothering such thoughts and suggestions with hatred and detestation is fitly expressed by refusing to hearken to sin's voice, or ' denying ungodliness.'