Chapter 2

It will first be enquired, What Godliness is?

I answer in general, Godliness is the sacred impression, and workmanship of God in a man, whereby of carnal he is made spiritual. When Godliness is wrought in a person, he does not receive a new soul, but he has another spirit, Numbers 14. 24. The faculties are not new, but the qualities; the Strings are the same, but the Tune is mended. Concerning Godliness, I shall lay down these seven Maxims or Positions.

1. Godliness is a Real thing, it is not [Greek text], but [Greek text]. Godliness is not the feverish conceit of a sick brain; a Christian is no Enthusiast, one whose Religion is made up all of Fancy. Godliness has Truth for its foundation; it is called the way of Truth, Psalm 119. 30. Godliness is a ray and beam that shines from God: if God is true, then godliness is true.

2. Godliness is an intrinsic thing: it lies chiefly in the heart. Romans 2. 29. Circumcision is that of the heart. The dew lies on the leaf, the sap is hid in the root. The Moralist's Religion is all in the leaf, it consists only in externals but godliness is a holy sap which is rooted in the soul. Psalm 51. 6. In the hidden part, thou shalt make me to know wisdom. The Chaldee expounds it, In the close place of the heart.

3. Godliness is a supernatural thing: by nature we inherit nothing but evil. Romans 7. 5. When we were in the flesh, the motions of sin did work in our members: we did suck in sin, as naturally as our Mother's milk; but godliness is the wisdom from above, James 3. 17. It is breathed in from heaven. God must light up the Lamp of Grace in the heart: Weeds grow of themselves, flowers are planted. Godliness is a Celestial Plant, that comes from the New Jerusalem: Therefore it is called a fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5. 22. A man has no more power to change himself than to create himself.

4. Godliness is an extensive thing; it is a sacred leaven that spreads itself into the whole soul. 1 Thessalonians 5. 23. The God of peace sanctify you wholly. There is light in the understanding, order in the affections, pliableness in the will, exemplariness in the life. We do not call a Blackamoor white because he has white teeth: he is not godly who is good only in some part. Grace is called the new man, Colossians 3. 10. not a new eye, or tongue, but a new man: he who is godly is good all over; though he be regenerated but in part, yet it is in every part.

5. Godliness is an intense thing; it does not lie in a dead formality and indifference, but is vigorous and flaming, Romans 12. 11. Fervent in spirit. We call water hot, when it is so in the third or fourth degree. He is godly whose devotion is inflamed, and his heart boils over in holy affections.

6. Godliness is a glorious thing: As the Jewel to the Ring, so is Piety to the Soul bespangling it in God's eyes. Reason makes us Men, Godliness makes us earthly Angels; by it we partake of the divine nature, 2 Peter 1. 4. Godliness is near akin to Glory, 2 Peter 1. 3. Glory and Virtue. Godliness is glory in the seed, and glory is godliness in the flower.

7. Godliness is a permanent thing. Aristotle says, denominations are given from the habit. We do not call him sanguine that blushes, but who is of a ruddy complexion. A blush of godliness is not enough to denominate a Christian, but godliness must be the temper and complexion of the soul. Godliness is a fixed thing: There is a great deal of difference between a Stake in the Hedge, and a Tree in the Garden; a stake rots and molders, but a tree having life in it, abides and flourishes. When godliness has taken root in the soul, it abides to eternity. 1 John 3. 9. His seed remains in him. Godliness being engraven in the heart by the Holy Ghost, as with the point of a Diamond, can never be razed out.

The first question to address is: what is godliness?

In general terms, godliness is the sacred work of God in a person, by which someone who was once worldly is made spiritual. When godliness is worked in a person, he does not receive an entirely new soul — but he receives another spirit, as Numbers 14:24 says. The faculties are not new, but their qualities are; the strings are the same, but the tune has been improved. Concerning godliness, I will lay down seven key principles.

1. Godliness is a real thing — it is not mere appearance, but substance. Godliness is not the feverish fantasy of a sick mind; a Christian is not an enthusiast whose religion is built entirely on feelings and imagination. Godliness has truth as its foundation; it is called the way of truth in Psalm 119:30. Godliness is a ray of light that shines from God — if God is true, then godliness is true.

2. Godliness is an inward thing — it lives chiefly in the heart. Romans 2:29: Circumcision is that of the heart. The dew lies on the leaf, but the sap is hidden in the root. The moralist's religion is all in the leaves — it consists only in outward actions — but godliness is a holy sap rooted in the soul. Psalm 51:6: In the hidden part, You shall make me know wisdom. The Chaldean translation renders it: In the secret place of the heart.

3. Godliness is a supernatural thing — by nature we inherit nothing but evil. Romans 7:5: When we were in the flesh, the sinful passions worked in our bodies. We took in sin as naturally as a mother's milk, but godliness is the wisdom from above, as James 3:17 says. It is breathed into us from heaven. God must light the lamp of grace in the heart — weeds grow on their own, but flowers must be planted. Godliness is a heavenly plant that comes from the new Jerusalem, which is why it is called a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. A person has no more power to change himself than to create himself.

4. Godliness is an extensive thing — it is a sacred leaven that spreads through the entire soul. 1 Thessalonians 5:23: The God of peace sanctify you wholly. There is light in the understanding, order in the affections, pliability in the will, and uprightness in daily life. We would never call someone who has white teeth a white person if their skin is dark — and a person is not godly if he is only good in some one area. Grace is called the new man in Colossians 3:10 — not a new eye or tongue, but a new man. The godly person is good all over; though he is regenerated only in part, that work touches every part of him.

5. Godliness is an intense thing — it does not consist in dead formality or half-hearted indifference, but is vigorous and fiery. Romans 12:11: Fervent in spirit. We call water hot when it has reached a high temperature. The person who is godly has an inflamed devotion, and his heart overflows with holy passion.

6. Godliness is a glorious thing — just as a jewel adorns a ring, piety adorns the soul and makes it shine in God's eyes. Reason makes us human, but godliness makes us earthly angels; through it we partake of the divine nature, as 2 Peter 1:4 says. Godliness is closely related to glory — 2 Peter 1:3 puts them together: glory and virtue. Godliness is glory in seed form, and glory is godliness in full bloom.

7. Godliness is a permanent thing. Aristotle said that names are given based on a person's settled character. We do not call someone red-faced because he blushes once, but because he has a naturally ruddy complexion. A brief flush of godliness is not enough to make someone a Christian — godliness must be the settled character and disposition of the soul. Godliness is a stable thing: there is a great difference between a stake in a fence and a tree in the garden — the stake rots and crumbles, but the tree, having life in it, endures and flourishes. When godliness has taken root in the soul, it abides to eternity. 1 John 3:9: His seed remains in him. Godliness, having been engraved in the heart by the Holy Spirit as with the point of a diamond, can never be erased.