I. What we are to understand by " godliness "— The frame of mind which we may conceive the
angels to enjoy, would be by no means suited to our state : we are sinners, redeemed sinners ; and there- fore " godliness " must include such a frame of mind as becomes persons in our condition. In this view, it implies,
1. An affiance in God through Christ —
[This is the foundation of all true religion. Whatever a man may possess without this, he has not one particle of real godliness. If we could suppose him to be as just and honest, as kind and amiable, yea, as devout and fervent, as ever man was, still, if he had not the heart of a sinner, of a sinner justly condemned, and delivered from condemnation solely by the blood of Christ, he would be utterly destitute of true religion ]
2. A devotedness to God in Christ —
[This must spring from the former : for though faith and practice differ from each other, as much as the root of a tree does from the fruit it bears, yet we must by no means separate them, since they are equally essential to real godliness. A re- formation of the external conduct, or a partial surrender of the heart to God, will not suffice : if we would be approved by God, we must have " our whole selves, body, soul, and
spirit, sanctified" to his service And as Christ is the
only mediator through whom we approach to God, so must Christ, that is, God in Christ, be our only Lord and Go- vernor.]
When we have just views of the nature of god- liness, we shall see,
II. Its connexion with contentment —
Such godliness as has been described must bring contentment along with it, since all who possess it must feel,
1. A consciousness that they deserve the miseries of hell—
[No person can have an entire affiance in God through Christ, till he have felt his desert of God's wrath and indigna- tion. And can such a person be discontented with any lot that may be assigned him ? Must he not, even in the most afflicted situation, say, " Shall a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?" Will he not call every