Chapter 1: What True Godliness Is

Showing what true Godliness is, as also his pedigree, original, and antiquity,

True Godliness being of late, as well as in former days) become so great a stranger to most men, and indeed not known but by a very few in the world; I shall in the first place, before I treat of his travels and of the entertainment he meets with where he comes, give you a description of him, and the rather because many persons I perceive are subject to so great an error as to take mortality for him; and others out of ignorance (to say no worse) rail, and ignominiously call and abuse him, by the names of singularity, stubbornness, pride and rebellion, as if he were not fit to live or have a being in the world, he being rendered a make-bate, a seditious and common disturber of all kingdoms, cities, towns, and villages wherever he comes and is entertained: Indeed, such a factious and quarrelsome companion, that he is indeed the only cause and stirrer up of all those unhappy differences, divisions, troubles and miseries that are this day in the world, This being so, I conclude nothing is more necessary, than to take off that ugly mask or visard, which his implacable enemies have put upon him, and clear him of all those foul and unjust slanders and cursed reproaches of the sons of Belial; that so he may appear in his own original, primitive and spotless innocency, that none may be afraid of him, or be unwilling to entertain him, nor ashamed to own him, and make him their bosom companion.

Know you therefore in the first place, that Godliness consists in the true and right knowledge of divine truths, or fundamental principles of the Gospel; which all men ought to know and be established in, that would be saved without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness: God manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up to glory. These great truths of the Christian religion are called Godliness; many men conclude it is no matter what faith or principle they hold and cleave to, provided they do but live a sober and honest life, doing to all men as they would be done to, supposing that the whole of religion and Godliness consists in these things; but alas, they are greatly mistaken; Godliness is another kind of thing than they imagine; it is impossible to receive or entertain True Godliness, while we shut out of doors the essentials of the Christian religion; and instead thereof embrace superstition, error and heresy, there being damning principles as well as damning practices (2 Peter 1:2-3).

Now should any demand further, to hear more particularly what those principles of divine truths, or fundamentals of Christian faith be, which are the essentials of True Godliness.

1. I answer the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, or the three distinct subsistences in the glorious deity.

2. The unity of the two natures in the person of Christ, namely that he is really God and man, in one person David's Lord, and yet David's Son; David's Root, and yet David's offspring.

3. The doctrine of atonement, or that plenary satisfaction and reconciliation the Lord Jesus has made by his glorious [reconstructed: undertaking] on man's behalf.

4. The doctrine of justification by faith alone, or the imputation of Christ's righteousness to those who do believe.

5. The doctrine of regeneration, resurrection, judgment, the world to come, etc. Now I say in the true knowledge of these and such like principles of divine truths, and being truly established in the steadfast belief thereof, does True Godliness in part consist. But secondly, Godliness, as to his inward and more hidden parts and power, is a holy conformity to these sacred and divine principles which natural men may understand religion by; but True Godliness consists in the light of supernatural truths and life of grace, God manifesting himself in the light of those glorious principles, and working the life of supernatural grace in the soul by the Holy Ghost, it consists in the saving and experimental knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, in having all the evil qualities of the soul removed, and heavenly habits infused in their place, or in a gracious conformity, disposition and affections of the heart to God, cleaving to all truths made known to us, to find the powerful influences of the Gospel and Spirit of Christ upon us, whereby our souls are brought into the image and likeness of his death and resurrection; this is True Godliness, it is not a bare living up to the natural principles of morality, nor a simple knowledge of the letter of the word, or an historical, notional, or dogmatical knowledge of the sacred Gospel, and the precepts thereof, but in a faithful living up to the supernatural principles of grace and the Gospel, discharging our duties with as much readiness and faithfulness towards God as towards man, so that our conscience may be kept void of offence towards both. It consists in forsaking of every sin, and not only to leave it, but to loath it as the greatest evil, and to cleave to God in sincerity of heart, valuing him above all who is the chiefest good, and from a principle of divine love, willingly subjecting to all his laws and appointments; Godliness makes a man say with the Psalmist, whom have I in heaven but you? (Psalm 73:25) Non amat Christum, amat aliquid plus quam Christum, says Augustine, he loves not Christ at all, that loves him not above all: He that entertains True Godliness, is as much for the work of religion, as for the wages of religion: Some there be who serve God, that they may serve themselves upon God, but a true Christian desires grace, not only that God would glorify him in heaven, but that he may glorify God on earth: He cries, Lord, rather let me have a good heart than a great estate; though he loves many things besides God, yet he loves nothing above God. This man fears sin more than suffering, and therefore he will suffer rather than sin: He is like a palm tree, he always flourishes best when he is pressed down most. This may serve in the second place, to discover what the inward life and power of True Godliness is.

Thirdly, that you may have a complete and perfect knowledge of him, it may not be amiss if I describe or give you the character of his form and external parts, together with the very fashion he continually wears or goes in.

First, then know you that the form or external parts of True Godliness are very comely and beautiful, and no marvel it is so, seeing he was formed and fashioned by the wisdom of the only wise God our Savior; the works of whose hands being all glorious; but this (namely) the formation of Godliness being one of the chiefest, highest and most admirable contrivances of his eternal wisdom, must of necessity excel in glory, sweet odor and amiableness; his form and external beauty therefore is such, that he needs no human artifice to paint or adorn him, or any ways to illustrate or set off his beauty and sweet comeliness of his countenance; for there is nothing defective as to his Evangelical and Apostolical form, as he came out of his great Creator's hands; and as there is nothing from head to foot that is superfluous, more than needs or might be spared, so every line and lineament, veins, nerves and sinews of him are in such an exact and admirable order placed, that is to his beauty there can be no addition. Every one therefore that goes about to take from, add to, or alter anything, touching the form of True Godliness, mars instead of making, and defiles instead of beautifying; besides God has strictly forbidden anything of this nature to be done, no man is to set up his post by the Lord's post. Add you not to his word, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar (Proverbs 30:6), namely by fathering that upon God which is none of his; do not the Papists call those superstitious and vain ceremonies, used in their church, by the name of God's worship, and what is this less than the putting a lie upon him; besides it reflects upon the wisdom of God; to attempt to change or alter anything of the form of Godliness, as if he did not know best how, and in what way, or after what manner he himself would be worshipped: but must be beholden to man for his help, wisdom and rare contrivances, touching many things that are by the Papists called decent and necessary; also does it not reflect upon the care and faithfulness of God, insomuch, that he should not himself take care to lay down in his blessed word many things, which are very necessary to be added to the form of Godliness, which man's care and wisdom is fain to supply.

Therefore from hence all may perceive, that True Godliness never alters his physiognomy, nor changes his countenance, he is the very same and not altered in the least from what he was in the Primitive Time; in fact, and there is indeed nothing in the world he hates more than those pompous garbs, superstitious vestments, and other fooleries that are used in the Popish Church; as crossings, chrysoms, salt, spittle, oil, and holy water, with divers other [reconstructed: ridiculous ceremonies], which are so numerous, they are too tedious here to reckon up, therefore take heed you do not take the counterfeit form of Godliness, for the true form; for as there is a counterfeit Godliness, so there is a counterfeit form of Godliness which the counterfeit or false Godliness always wears; it is also needful to note one thing more, lest you are deceived, namely you must be sure to receive the power of Godliness, with his form; for his form without his inward life and power will do you no good; it is but as the body without the soul, or the shell without the kernel, or the cabinet without the jewel; neither ought any to slight his form, for you may remember what the Apostle speaks of the form of doctrine (Romans 6:17), and of the form of sound words (2 Timothy 1:13); for as the true faith must be held fast, so must the profession of it also, you may it is true meet with a shell without the kernel, but it is rare to meet with a kernel without the shell.

Having thus briefly given you the description both of the inside, and outside power and form of True Godliness; we shall proceed to treat of his pedigree, and show you whose offspring he is, you by his name may easily read from where he descends, and learn what a noble patronage he is of, he is indeed high-born, the great and glorious offspring of the Lord Jehovah, the Almighty Prince of Heaven and Earth, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the universal monarch of the world, whose kingdom rules over all; and as this is his noble extract and renowned descent, so likewise he is always in high esteem and favor with his glorious Prince, for there is none, no not one in Heaven or earth that he loves and takes more delight in, than in True Godliness; nor is there any indeed more like him, or does more lively represent him in all the earth; for he bears his express, sweet and heavenly image; indeed, and such a venerable respect and gracious esteem has he of him, that those who love him, he loves; those who hate him, he hates; those who receive him he receives; and those who reject him he rejects; where he comes to dwell, there God, Christ and the Holy Ghost dwells.

Godliness is of great antiquity; indeed according to the description we gave you of him: In the first place, we may well say he is without beginning of days, for Truth (for sometimes he bears that name) dwelt in God from everlasting, though in time manifest or made known to men, and that in various ways and manners, according as God in wisdom saw good. But if we speak of his antiquity, in respect of his dwelling here below, the first man that knew him was Adam, who while he stood in the state of innocency enjoyed some part of his sweet company but by the malice of a great and potent enemy he was abused, and his image so defaced and marred, that he forsook his habitation, which was the ruin and utter undoing of our first parents and their whole posterity: and had not the Father of True Godliness, the King of Heaven and Earth, found out through his infinite wisdom, a way to recover man from his lost estate Godliness had made his abode no longer in this world, for by means of corruption of nature there was begotten and brought forth a cursed monster of ugly shape, whose name was Vice, namely Lust, who found so much favour with Adam's children, that Godliness was utterly discountenanced; and though he was the offspring of Heaven (as you heard before) and the only delight of Jehovah (and to man the greatest friend and chief benefactor in all the world, striving to enrich him, cheer his heart, and to make him truly noble and renowned on earth, and bring him back into his former primitive glory, and thereby at last make him eternally happy in Heaven) yet he was neglected and lamentably slighted, that there was but only one of Adam's offspring cared for him at that time, and he too for entertaining of him with that just and good respect he deserved, was by his brother, whose name was Cain, basely murdered; so that Godliness by this perceived very early what kind of usage and entertainment among the children of men he was like to meet with; and truly never was there any one so nobly descended, and of such an excellent, peaceable and sweet a nature and behavior, generally so dealt with as Godliness has been, from the beginning to this very day; (except the Prince of Godliness himself) yet he found some friends after Abel was slain, who entertained him kindly, and though they were reproached, hated, and persecuted for showing favour to him, yet they never lost anything by him, but on the contrary were infinite gainers, for he never came empty handed to any man's house, but always brought plenty of good things along with him, indeed, such things, the worth and value of which no mortal is able to compute; (as I'll show hereafter, God assisting) indeed, so great a friend he was to the next man, which I find eminently embraced him, that he saved him from the grave, he sent him to Heaven without calling at the gate of death; his name as I remember, was Enoch, and it is not to be thought what sweet and heavenly communion, true joy and felicity this good man had with Godliness, for the space of three hundred years, for so long they abode together on earth, and now dwell together with the Father of True Godliness, and his only begotten Son in Heaven. Some time after this great prince (for so they are all made who entertain True Godliness) was carried to Heaven, a sad disaster [reconstructed: befell] the world (I mean the enemies of Godliness) for so it was, that cursed monster and offspring of Hell (namely) Vice, finding such great [reconstructed: favour] with the men of the generation, they delighting in nothing more than in sin and wickedness, hating God and his true and lovely offspring Godliness, it provoked him to take vengeance upon them, and utterly to destroy them from off the earth; and this was done by a fearful and amazing flood of water: Now, this heavy judgment was brought, I say, upon the men of that generation for their slighting, neglecting, and basely contemning of Godliness, and sad it was to consider how generally men were at that time out of love with him, for there was not one in ten thousand but hated him, and loved vice and ungodliness far better than he; indeed, to tell you plainly, there was but one man in all the world who was an eminent lover of this noble and high-born prince, Godliness, whose name was Noah, though it is not to be doubted but his wife and sons, especially two of them, were in some measure favourites of him likewise: But mark how at that time it fared with this holy man and his family, who were friends to Godliness, never a one of them were destroyed by that flood; we may well say, Godliness is profitable to all things, and blessed are all they who love and kindly entertain him; for had it not been for Godliness, Noah had doubtless perished as well as others.

But to proceed in this brief history of the antiquity of Godliness, it would not be amiss if we speak a little of the next man after Noah who entertained him, and how he was blessed in so doing; his name at first was Abram, but afterwards he was called Abraham: This man lived for some time among a blind, heathenish, and idolatrous people, and was ignorant of True Godliness; but when he became acquainted with him, few men ever loved him better, for he made him his bosom companion, and chief delight (and so indeed must every one that entertains him) and hereby he became great, and his glory and renown was spread abroad; indeed he was by this means so honoured, that he was called the Friend of God, and the father of all true lovers of Godliness; and besides the outward blessings, this faithful man reaped as the fruit or donation of Godliness; (which were many, for he had much cattle, manservants, camels and asses, so that he became very great) he was blessed with all spiritual blessings; (namely) he had sweet fellowship and communion with God, abounding in faith, love, and joy in the Holy Ghost; the covenant of grace was also renewed to him, with a gracious promise, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed; for he having received Godliness as his choicest companion, and chief delight, Godliness brought along with him the promises of this life, and that which is a thousand times better (namely) the life which is to come.

But now near where this faithful man dwelt, there was a city, in fact more than one, whose inhabitants were utter enemies to Godliness, and lovers of that ugly and base-born monster and spawn of the devil, vice, abounding in all manner of horrible wickedness, who for this very reason were destroyed with their cities by fire and brimstone from heaven; yet nevertheless, before they were consumed (so great a lover is Jehovah of Godliness) that he told Abraham, if there were but ten righteous persons in that city, namely such who had entertained Godliness, and were true lovers of him, he would spare the city for their sakes; but it appeared there was but one man who showed him countenance, and was in love with him. And yet before the city was burned, the angels bid him haste and be gone; for Godliness was such a sure defense to him, the angel could do nothing till he was gone forth: Sodom could not take fire while righteous Lot was in it.

I might proceed further, and show you who they were that entertained Godliness in the succeeding ages, for the space of more than two thousand years, and what great blessings he brought to them, and what they suffered for his sake; but I can but give a brief hint or two upon this account; it is known to all what Joseph suffered for him by his envious brothers, and how Godliness advanced him for his integrity to him at last. Moreover the children of Israel after Joseph was dead, were through that love they bore to him, grievously oppressed by the mighty king of Egypt, but it proved his own utter ruin in the end. David, for the love he bore to him, was for many years together greatly persecuted, but afterwards Godliness raised him to great honor, and made him very [reconstructed: rich], and sat a crown upon his head; all along I might show you in ancient days he was very much hated and persecuted; in fact, some of his true friends and favorites, were for his sake cast into a fiery furnace, and another into a lion's den, yet they never lost any thing by him, nor did they ever repent the entertainment they gave him. If we should come lower into the times of the Gospel, it is well known what usage he met with in our Lord and Savior Jesus and his blessed Apostles; afterwards also by the heathen emperors, he was most abominably hated and persecuted, and all those who entertained him were put to all manner of cruel deaths and torments imaginable. Lastly, we might also show you what hard usage he met with by counterfeit Godliness, I mean Papistry, for near 1200 years, how many of his dear children and servants have for the sake of him been burned to death, and otherwise tormented in most nations of Europe, but let what has been said suffice, touching the antiquity, gray hairs, and usage of True Godliness in former days.