Godliness
Believed on in the world.
Received up to glory.
First, For the preface, whereby he makes way to raise up the spirit of Timothy, and in him us, unto a reverent and holy attending to the blessed mysteries that follow.
'Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.'
In this preface, there is first the thing itself, 'godliness.'
Then the description of it, it is a 'mystery.'
And the adjunct, it is a 'great mystery.'
And then the seal of it, it is a great mystery 'without all controversy;' by the confession of all, as the word ὁμολογουμένως signifies. There are none that ever felt the power of godliness, but they have confessed it to be a 'great mystery.'
Godliness is a 'mystery,' and a 'great mystery;' and it is so under the seal of public confession. To observe somewhat from each of these.
'Godliness.'
1. Godliness is either the principles of Christian religion, or the inward disposition of the soul towards them, the inward holy affection of the soul. The word implieth both: for godliness is not only the naked principles of religion, but likewise the Christian affection, the inward bent of the soul, suitable to divine principles.
There must be a godly disposition, carrying us to godly truths. That godliness includes the truths themselves, I need go no further than
the connection. In the last words of the former verse, the church is 'the pillar and ground of truth;' and then it follows, 'without controversy, great is the mystery'—he doth not say of truth, but—'of godliness;' instead of truth he saith godliness.
The same word implies the truths themselves, and the affection and disposition of the soul toward them. 'Truths,' to shew them that both must alway go together. Wheresoever Christian truth is known as it should be, there is a supernatural light. It is not only a godly truth in itself, but it is embraced with godly affections. These blessed truths of the gospel, they require and breed a godly disposition; the end of them is godliness; they frame the soul to godliness. Thus we see the truths themselves are godliness, carrying us to God and holiness.
That I need not much stand on. But that there must be an affection answerable, and that this truth breeds this, is a little to be considered. Why is religion itself called faith, and the grace in the soul also called faith? To shew that faith, that is, the truth revealed
(as we say the 'apostles' faith'), it breeds faith, and must be apprehended by faith. Therefore one word includes both the object, the thing believed, and likewise the disposition of the soul to that object. So here 'godliness' is the thing itself, the principles of religion; and likewise the disposition of the soul that those truths work, where they are entertained as they should be. Hence follows these other truths briefly.
1. First of all, That no truth breeds godliness and piety of life but divine truths; for that is called 'godliness,' because it breeds godliness. All the devices of men in the world cannot breed godliness. All is superstition, and not godliness, that is not bred by a divine truth.
2. Again, hence, in that divine truth is called godliness, it shews us, if we would be godly we must be so from reasons of Christianity; not, as I said, by framing devices of our own, as graceless foolish men do; as we see in popery, it is full of ceremonies of their own devising. But if we will be godly, it must be by reasons and motives from divine truth. That breeds godliness. It is but a bastard godliness, a bastard religion, that is from a good intention, without a good ground.
Therefore the word implies both the tenet, the doctrine, and the frame of soul answerable to that doctrine. Good principles, without an impression of it on the soul, is nothing. It will but help us to be damned; and godliness, without a frame of doctrine, is nothing but superstition. Godliness in doctrine frames the soul to godliness in conversation. There are many that, out of a natural superstition
(which is alway accompanied with a poisonful malicious disposition against the truth of God), they will have devices of their own; and those they will force with all their power. But if we will be godly, it must be from reasons fetched from divine truth.
3. Again, hence we may fetch a rule of discerning when we are godly.
What makes a true Christian? When he nakedly believes the grounds of divine truth, the articles of the faith, when he can patter* them over—doth that make a true Christian? No. But when these truths breed and work 'godliness.' For religion is a truth 'according to godliness,' not according to speculation only, and notion.
Wheresoever these fundamental truths are embraced, there is godliness with them; a man cannot embrace religion in truth, but he must be godly. A man knows no more of Christ and divine things, than he values and esteems and affects, † and brings the whole inward man into a frame, to be like the things. If these things work not godliness, a man hath but a human knowledge of divine things; if they carry not the soul to trust in God, to hope in God, to fear God, to