[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 pro- pounded to him, Abrenuncias ? dost thou renounce? Oredis ? dost thou believe ? Spondes ? dost thou promise to walk before God in all holy obedience ? And the person answered, Ahrenuncio, I do renounce ; Credo, I do believe ; and, Spondeo, I do undertake. This was tnat which Peter calls, ' the answer of a good conscience towards God,' 2 Peter iii. 21, when in the presence of God they can answer to all these demands.
SERMON IV.
TJiat denying unjodliness, (&c. — Titus ii. 12.
Now let me open the thing itself. In ungodliness there is something negative, and that is denying God his due honour ; and something positive, and that is putting actual contempt upon him.
First, For the negative part, when God is denied his honour. Ifow to find out how this is done, let us a little inquire what is the special and peculiar honour which God challengeth to himself. It stands in four things — to be the first cause, the chiefest good, the supreme authority and truth, and the last end. And therefore, when we do not acknowledge him to be the first cause, the cliiefest good, the supreme authority and truth, and the last end, we rob him of the glory of his Godhead, and are guilty of this which the apostle calls ungodhness. I shall go over these branches.
First, God must be honoured as the first cause, which giveth being to all things, and hath his being from none ; and so we are bound to know him, to depend upon him, to observe his providence, and to acknowledge his dominion over all events or things which happen in the world ; and so far as any of these are neglected, so far are we guilty of ungodliness. Well, then, under this head —
1. Ignorance is a branch of ungodliness ; and I name it in the first place because it is the cause of all our disorder in worship and conver- sation. This is the first cause of all wickedness, to be ignorant of God. The apostle seconds the observation: 3 John 11, 'He that doeth evil hath not seen God.' Certainly he that makes a trade of sin hath not a right sight and sense of God ; he knows not God. A true sight
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and sense of God keepeth tlie soul from sin. There is nothing that keeps in the fire of religion, nor maintains respect between man and man, nothing that preserves honesty and piety so much, as right thoughts and apprehensions of God. But now generally people are ignorant of God ; they know him as blind men do fire. A man that is born blind can tell there is such a thing as fire, because he feels it warm ; but what kind of thing it is he that never saw it cannot tell. So the whole world and conscience proclaim there is a God ; the blindest man may see that ; but little do they know of his nature and essence, what God is according as he hath revealed himself in the word. Look, as the Athenians built an altar, and the inscription was 'AyvooaT(p Qew, ' To the unknown God,' Acts xvii. 23, so do most christians worship an unknown God ; and as Christ taxed the Samaritans, John iv. 22, ' Ye worship ye know not what,' so generally do people worship they know not what. Ask them what God is and whom they worship, they cannot tell ; they are carried on by custom and dark and blind super- stition, and they mutter over their prayers to an unknown power ; such blind and wild conceits have they of the nature of God till they see him by the light of his own Spirit. This ignorance is sad, because it is a sign of no grace, and it is a pledge of future judgment. In these days of gospel light, it is a sign of no grace : Jer. xxxi. 34, ' They shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord' God hath no child so Httle but he knows his Father. In the days of the gospel, now it is so clearly preached, it is required of the meanest sort as well as those that have the advantages of better educa- tion. And it is a pledge of future judgment : 2 Thes. i. 8, Christ will come ' in flaming fire, to render vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel.' We have low thoughts of the guilt of ignorance, and think God will not be severe against such. Many ignorant creatures are harmless, and do no wrong ; but to live and die in ignorance, is a matter of sad consequence. There is vengeance for pagans that know not God by showers of rain and fruitful seasons ; and indeed they principally are intended. Divide men into two sorts, those that have only the light of nature, sense, and reason to guide them, and those that havethelight of the gospel: there is vengeance forpagans, that have no other apostles sent to them but those natural apostles of sun, moon, and stars. They had light shining to them in God's works, and they had sense and reason, eyes to see the light; and so they were bound to know the first cause, and might see God working and guid- ing all things in the world ; but there is much more vengeance for christians, for those that have God's word, the light of faith, and yet shut their eyes against the light. Usually come and talk with men, they will acknowledge they are poor ignorant creatures, and God that made them will save them, though the scripture speaks quite contrary : Isa. xxvii. 11, ' This is a people of no understanding; therefore he that made them will not have mercy upon them, and he that formed them will show them no favour.' God is exceeding angry when all advan- tages of light are lost. A pagan is ignorant of God, but you are worse, being unteachable. He that hath only sun and moon to teach him shall be damned for his ignorance of God ; but if you do not profit by the light of the gospel, to conceive more worthily of the nature and glory of God, your judgment will be greater.