One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 17
SERMON XVII. Of the Knowledge and Worſhip of the One true God: And the contrary thereto, viz. Idolatry.
JOH. 17.3.
To Know thee the OnelyOnly true God, and Jeſus Christ, whom thou haſt ſent.
WE have finiſhed that duty which is ſaid to be the Means to Eternall Life; We come to the Object, which is twofold:
1. The true God, and thus Heathens and Pagans are excluded.
2. Chriſt Jeſus, and thus the Jews, who though they know the true God, yet becauſe they deny Chriſt, are out of the way to heaven; and ſo ſome Heretiques alſo, who deny Chriſt to be our Mediator.
Let us conſider the firſt Object, To know thee the only true God; by this we ſee that Opinion, which aſſerts the poſſibility of the Heathens ſalvation, to fall to the ground, becauſe they are wholly ignorant of the true God: It's Chriſt that ſaith thus, therefore our underſtandings muſt be captivated.
Obſerv. There is one true God only to be known and ſerved by men. Explicatory conſiderations.Obſ. That there is one true God only, to be known and ſerved by man. Although to us Chriſtians this may ſeem a needleſſe point, yet as the Scripture hath recorded this as moſt uſefull to the Church, ſo all Chriſtians may finde much neceſſity in the opening of it, and great practicall uſe. Conſider then theſe particulars.
1. There are made and conſtituted many gods by mans vanity, and there is one onelyonly true God indeed. The Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 8.4, 5. hath given us this diſtinction,I. Though many Gods conſtituted by mans vanity, yet there is but one true God. where having aſſerted, that an Idol is nothing, viz. formaliter, though it be made of wood or ſtone, and have rich ornaments, yet the thing ſignified is nothing. Though there are Sunne and Starres, yet as made Gods, ſo there is no ſuch thing: Though there were ſuch men as Saturn and Jupiter, yet relatively as Idols repreſenting a God, they were a non-entity. He brings this verſe in by way of accuſation to anſwer the objection: There are, ſaith he, foreign, there are many that are called Gods: The whole world is full of ſuch; they have their Celeſtes, Acrii, Terreſtes, Marini, as many Gods as creatures almoſt; but to us, viz. Beleevers, there is one only true God the Father: So that you ſee there is one reall exiſtent true God, and there are many fictitious and conſtituted Gods made by man, which the Scripture cals Idols, and that by very ſignificant names: Sometimes by a word that ſignifieth nothing, ſometimes by a lye and vanity, ſometimes by dung and dirt that is rowled up and down, ſometimes by ſcar-crows, or terricula muta, and very often by abomination. The beginning and progreſſe of this Idolatry is handled by Learned men, and Learned Tractates are written de Diis Syris, de Diis Romanorum and Germanorum, in all which we may mourn over that horrible blindneſſe and folly which doth ſeize upon all men by nature, and we may bleſſe God for the Chriſtian Religion, which hath made us to caſt off all thoſe abominable Idolatries.
2. We come to have knowledge of the only true God three waies,II. God is known three waies.
1. By the book of nature, which is called implanted or ingrafted knowledge. No man is or can be a naturall Atheiſt; in affections he may be, wiſhing there were no God, but in judgement he cannot, till by accumulated ſinnes he hath given himſelf up to all ſtupidity.
2. By the book of the creatures; and this is called acquired knowledge. The Apoſtle, Rom. 1. mentioneth both theſe: This later is obtained by the conſideration of the world, inſomuch that the moſt Atheiſticall men, when they have conſidered the greater world, and eſpecially man in all his curious parts, have been forced to acknowledge ſome wiſe and ſupream power the maker of theſe things, as it's ſaid of Galen.
3. There is the book of Gods Word; and by this we have a revealed knowledge, and this only doth direct in the true way to ſerve him acceptably. Therefore all the world is ſaid to lie in darkneſſe, and light comes only by the Scripture. This is the great mercy of God to manifeſt from heaven what he is, and how he will be worſhipped.
3. Conſider that our knowledge even at the higheſt is very imperfect;III. Our knowledge of God is very imperfect. it's but apprehenſive, not comprehenſive, which made an ancient ſay, De Deo etiam vera dicere periculoſum eſt, becauſe we are ſubject to ſuch ignorance and blindneſſe, God himſelf doth only comprehend himſelf; we know him obſcurely, and therefore he is ſaid to dwell in light inacceſſible, 1 Tim. 6.16. As the eye cannot penetrate into the glorious nature of the Sunne, no more can we ſearch into the deep things of God. Therefore Divines ſay we have a twofold way of knowing God, the one is affirmative and poſitive, when thoſe perfections we ſee in creatures we attribute to God in a ſupereminent manner: Thus we ſay he is wiſe, he is juſt, he knoweth, he willeth, but after a more tranſcendent way of perfection then man doth. The ſecond way is by negation, or removing imperfections from him, and this indeed is commended as a better way then the former: We can more eaſily deſcribe God, by ſaying what he is not, then what he is; he is not a body, and when we ſay a Spirit, then we runne to a negative again, not a finite limited Spirit. In this life every mans knowledge is imperfect, we know but in part, Paul ſaid ſo, that was wrapped up into the third heavens, 1 Cor. 13. And although in heaven our knowledge ſhall be perfected, deſcribed by that expreſſion, We ſhall ſee him face to face, yet even then it cannot be comprehenſive of the whole nature of God, there being no proportion between a finite faculty and an infinite object.
In the fourth place, take notice that this expreſſion, the true God, IV.may be taken in a twofold ſenſe, as truth is divided into veritas rei, and veritas conceptus, the truth of the thing, and the truth of conceiving of it: Now the Heathens when they worſhipped Jupiter as the chiefeſt and higheſt God, there was the truth of the thing, there was a ſupream and a chief that they intended, but there was no truth in their conceptions and apprehenſions about him; therefore they added many other gods to him: Such a diſtinction as this the Apoſtle inſinuates, Acts 17.23. where reproving them for their Idolatry, and telling them of an Altar with this inſcription, To the unknown God, whom (ſaith he) you ignorantly worſhip, we declare to you. It was a true God they worſhipped when they conceived of one ſupream above the reſt, but they had no true or right thoughts about him. Hence what the Poet ſaid of Jupiter, the Apoſtle owneth as of the true God, for we are his offspring, Acts 17.28. Now their thoughts were Idolatricall about the true God, as Rom. 1. turning his Image into the ſimilitude of creatures; and then they ſuperadded other Gods, which made Tertullian ſay, Deus non erit Deus, niſi homini placuerit. The ſumme of this particular is no more, then that even in their Polytheiſm and multiplied Idolatry that the Heathens lived in, there was a generall implyed aſſent that there was a God; ſo that although there was no truth at all in their apprehenſions, yet ſomething there was in the object generally conſidered, but not as it was particularly terminated upon any one thing.
V. The inſufficiency of naturall and acquired knowledge to guide us in the worſhip of God and way to ſalvation.5. The revealed knowledge of God onelyonly by the Word is able to guide us in the worſhip of God, and in the way to ſalvation. All naturall knowledge and acquired is altogether inſufficient, and that in theſe reſpects.
1. They fail of ſaving knowledge in the integrity of parts; for although ſomething may be known of God, yet that is very little in reſpect of the many things they are groſſely ignorant of; for if that knowledge we have here, though by grace out of the Scripture, be ſo obſcure, and but a childes knowledge in reſpect of that we ſhall have in heaven, what a ſhadow of knowledge then, rather then true knowledge, is that we have by nature? ſo that it faileth in many neceſſary particulars, it's lame in eſſentiall things.
2. This faileth in the purity of it. Whatſoever knowledge the greateſt naturaliſt hath, though never ſo heightened, yet it's mixed with much droſſe, it hath many abſurd and erroneous intertextures with it; ſo that Rom. 1. even thoſe that profeſſed themſelves wiſe, are ſaid to be become vain in their imaginations: There was great vanity and uncertainty, yea abſurdities in their aſſertions; the Greek word the Apoſtle applieth to them foreign, they became fooliſh, it's applied to ſalt that hath loſt its ſeaſoning, and then is it good for nothing. Thus theſe were deprived of all right and ſound judgement.
3. It faileth in reſpect of clearneſſe and evidence. Hence the whole world is ſaid to lye in darkneſſe, 1 John 2.11. The Platoes, the Ariſtotles of the world, were like the Sodomites groping in the dark, that could not feel what they ſought for, but the Word of God, that is wonderfully commended for the clearneſſe and brightneſſe of the light it brings with it.
4. It faileth in reſpect of the efficacy: All that knowledge they had did not ſerve to purifie their lives, to cleanſe them from their wickedneſſe, but they detained the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, Rom. 1. And if you ſay many Chriſtians that have great revealed knowledge are not yet cleanſed from their impieties; There is as much prophanneſſe, yea ſometimes more then have been in Heathens: Some Heathens would loſe all they had rather then ſwear, they did ſo fear an oath. Baſil upbraideth Chriſtians with this. Of another Heathen it was ſaid, You may ſooner put the Sunne out of its courſe, then make him do what is unjuſt: As alſo of Cato, either drunkenneſſe was not a ſinne, or Cato was not drunk: but are there not thouſands of Chriſtians, and that with much knowledge, great underſtanding in the Scripture and Religion, yet runne into all this exceſſive wickedneſſe? It's true, and wo be to thoſe that make it true; but then you muſt remember, that there is a meer barren brain knowledge, and a gracious practicall knowledge: Now where this later is, there is alwaies a clean and pure life; as for the other, it's not ſo much a knowledge, as a profeſſion of it; They profeſſe they know God, but in works they deny him, Tit. 1.16. therefore the Scripture complaineth of ſuch as not knowing God, The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Aſſe his maſters crib, but Iſrael hath not known me ſaith God, Iſa. 1.6. We might adde more things, but I ſhall ſpend the other part by way of Uſe in practicall corollaries of great uſe in our lives.
As in the firſt place we may be informed,Inferences. How great and grievous a ſin Idolatry is. No wonder if the Prophets are ſo ſevere againſt it,The ſinfulneſs of Idolatry. and that it be made the chief cauſe of all the Nationall calamities that come upon a Nation; for in reference to this ſinne doth the Scripture peculiarly ſpeak of Gods jealouſie, nothing provoketh God ſo much as that. Now this Idolatry is of two ſorts, either firſt, When we ſet up a falſe God for the true; ſo did all the Heathens, when they worſhipped the hoſt of heaven, or their other conſtituted Gods. Or ſecondly, When the true God is worſhipped, but after a falſe and unlawfull manner. The firſt Commandment forbids the former Idolatry; the ſecond, the later. God forbad the Iſraelites to worſhip him under any repreſentation whatſoever, ſo that though it were the true God they worſhipped, yet if not after the ſame manner he commanded, this was idolatry. Thus when the Iſraelites made a calf, they intended thereby a worſhip to the true God, therefore they ſaid, To morrow ſhall be a feaſt to Jehovah, Exod. 32.5. It was Jehovah the God of Iſrael they intended to worſhip, but they would make ſuch an Image or repreſentation that they had ſeen in Egypt. And thus alſo in Popery, all the water of Tyber cannot waſh them clean from Idolatry; for although their Learned men runne to multitude of diſtinctions, ſometimes between an Idol and an Image, whereas they differ only as Greek and Latine, foreign is maguncula, a diminutive of foreign; ſometimes about Religious worſhip primary and ſecondary, as if we ſhould ſay, a primary and ſecundary Deity, and when they have diſputed all they can, they confeſſe ignorant people commit much Idolatry, and that he muſt be very Metaphyſicall that can in his worſhip make ſuch diſtinctions; yea they diſpute, Whether it be not a dangerous and offenſive Propoſition, to ſay, Imagines ſunt adorando. Take we heed then of this Idolatry, and the rather, becauſe it's a ſinne all are prone unto: Conſider the Jews, though immediatly trained up, and inſtructed by God about his worſhip; though often and often grievouſly plagued for it, yet upon all temptations they would runne into it again: and the Heathens, Rom. 1. even the wiſeſt of them, were moſt abſurd in their Idolatry: Rome had a Temple called foreign, wherein they would have all kinde of Gods, and there was nothing ſo much as love to Idolatry, that made men ſo oppoſite to the Chriſtian Religion, yea though the Prophet deſcribeth the bruitiſhneſſe of the Idolater, that with one piece of wood makes an Idol, with another makes a fire: Well doth the Scripture compare Idolaters unto the Idols themſelves, they are nothing, empty, they do not underſtand; and the more ſubtle and ſpecious idolatry is, as in Popery, be thou the more afraid of it. It's a bold and unheard of expreſſion of Valentia the Jeſuite, that ſaith, There is a lawfull Idolatry. What will not men ſay, rather then come out of Egypt?
2. Is God the only true God, then obſerve the firſt Commandment,Ʋſe 2. Let us have no other Gods beſides him; for not only the Heathen that worſhips Stock and Stone, is an Idolater, but every Chriſtian that puts this hope and confidence in any creature, that placeth the chiefeſt of his affections and deſires otherwiſe then on God, he is a ſpirituall Idoloter. Thus covetouſneſſe is called Idolatry, Col. 3.5. Charge them that are rich, that they truſt not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, ſaith Paul, 1 Tim. 6.17. If I have made gold my hope, ſaith Job, chap. 31.24. There is no earthly covetous man that placeth his affections and truſt in wealth, but he renounceth the only true God, and yet how hard is it to have wealth, and not to put confidence in it; for whereas our Evangeliſt ſaith, It's as hard for a rich man to be ſaved, as a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, another ſaith, for a rich man that truſts in his riches: Take heed then of this ſubtill ſpirituall ſinne; Is thy heart inwardly ſupported? Do thy ſpirits riſe becauſe of thy wealth? this is Idolatry. So likewiſe the voluptuous man, he maketh his pleaſures, his luſts, a God; Whoſe belly is their God, Phil. 3.9. Yea no godly man can with ſuch hearty affections and joy conſtantly ſerve God, as the voluptuous man doth his luſts; ſo that whatſoever a mans heart doth inordinately runne out upon, that creature he loveth more then God, this makes him an Idolater: As he ſaid of Baal, Why halt ye between two, If God be God ſerve him? If Baal be God ſerve him? So we may ſay, Why halt ye between God and the creature? If God be the only true God, let him have the only true love and joy of thy ſoul? If riches and luſts be God, then let them have all thy heart.
As there is practicall Idolatry, ſo there is doctrinall Idolatry, viz. When we attribute that to our own power or free will which belongs only to God. Thus all thoſe proud and arrogant opinions which advance free-will, make it able to work with God in converſion, this is to derogate from God, he ſhall not then be the God from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed. The Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 8.2. ſaith, To us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and to him are all things, ſo that God is there made the firſt cauſe of all the good things we have, and the ultimate end to which we do referre all. Certainly if it be a forſaking of God to ſet up any Authors for temporall mercies and temporall ſalvations, then much more for ſpirituall; for which is greater, the work of nature or the work of grace? Therefore let us walk humbly, and becauſe he is the onelyonly true God, from whom are all things, and to whom, let us ſay, Not to our own power, but thy grace, be all glory given.
Ʋſe 3.3. Is God the onelyonly true God? Then let thoſe that know him and obey him, walk with all comfort and encouragement: He is the true God, and ſo will never fail thee; he hath a twofold truth, firſt, a truth of his eſſence, he is God and none elſe beſide him; and oppoſite to this an Idol is called a lye, and nothing: How ſhould this ſupport us, that the God whom we ſerve is God indeed! How often did the Prophets bid the Idolaters fly to their Idols, pray to their Idols, and ſee if they could help them? As he is thus true in his Eſſence, called therefore the living God, ſo he is alſo true in his Promiſe, in his Word; and this the Scripture ſpeaks of often: and although his Promiſe be of it ſelf true that we need not doubt, yet he added his Oath alſo, that ſo we might not be ſhaken in our minde. Though it be ſaid of man, he is a liar, and there is no truſt to be put in the great one of the world, yet in God there is no change, or ſhadow of change. Though therefore the Olive tree fail, and the Fig tree do not bloſſom, Hab. 3.17. though every thing in this world lieth and proveth falſe, yet thou maieſt put confidence in God.
Ʋſe 4.4. Is God the onelyonly true God? Then what cauſe have we, who are called to the true knowledge of him, to bleſſe and praiſe his Name, that he ſuffered us not to periſh in our black and horrible darkneſſe; for what are we more then all thoſe Heathens and Pagans that ſit in darkneſſe, and have no light? Why ſhould God cauſe the Sun to ſhine on thee, to pity thee, and ſuffer others to walk and ſtumble in their darkneſſe? What cauſe have we Chriſtians to honour God! How great will our condemnation be if we neglect ſo great ſalvation! Our Saviour would have affected the people of Capernaum, Mat. 11.23. and other places with this mercy. He was the light that came into the world, and men love darkneſſe rather then light, John 1. Now in theſe reſpects we ſhall be found very guilty and ſinfull.
1. If we do not highly prize and eſteem the knowledge of the true God, if the means of this heavenly wiſdom be not more then any other mercy whatſoever: But oh how great is our condemnation in this particular! The more and the longer we have enjoyed the light of Gods Word, the more we have deſpiſed it and contemned it. This will provoke God to do with us, as he did to the Jews, and to other Churches who are now made waſte and become a wilderneſſe, he will take the light away, and carry it to a people ſitting in darkneſſe, that will make better uſe of it.
2. Our condemnation will be great, if we do not come to the knowledge of God, when we have the means. Some have not the knowledge of God, ſaith Paul, I ſpeak it to your ſhame, 1 Cor. 15. Oh, to how many perſons, to how many families may we ſay you have not the knowledge of God! What, ſhalt thou be in the School of Chriſt, and yet know no more then an Heathen, how inexcuſable is it?
3. This alſo will greatly condemn, if we do not live according to the knowledge of this true God. If our lives are full of Atheiſm, full of ungodlineſſe, how ſhall we be able to appear at the dreadfull judgement ſeat! when God ſhall ſay, You were no Heathens, you were no Pagans, you cannot plead, Lord, we have not known thee, we have not heard of thee; Oh how ſhould our hearts bleed within us to think, it will go worſe with us then Jews or Heathens, becauſe we have enjoyed more.
5. Is God the true God,Ʋſe 5. Then how great and hainous a ſinne is it to have any communion or commerce with the devil or his inſtruments, and yet this is a ſin too commonly practiſed. If men have loſt any thing, if they be in any pain or diſeaſe, then they preſently run to ſuch as they call wiſe men, though they be indeed the devils fools: What is this but to renounce God and to renounce your baptiſme? If you have loſt your goods, you will go and loſe your ſouls to: We reade of Ahaziah, 2 King. 1.6. when his childe was ſick, he would go to Baal, to know whether his childe ſhould recover or no; but with what a dreadfull meſſage doth Gods Prophet entertain him, telling him, his childe ſhould die, withall ſaying, Is it becauſe there is not a God in Iſrael that thou doeſt ſo? May not we ſay ſo, when you go to the devils inſtruments, witches, wiſe men and ſorcerers, Is it becauſe there is not a true God in heaven? Some have queſtioned whether ſuch as compact with the devil, and uſe familiar ſpirits can poſſibly repent and be ſaved, they doubt whether they are in a capacity of ever having eternall life; but that is too rigid, for we reade of Manaſſes, a great ſinner in this kinde, one that was given to witchcraft, and uſed a familiar ſpirit, yet he prayed and humbled himſelf, and God accepted of him: So we reade of ſome converted by the Apoſtles preaching, that brought in all their conjuring books and burnt them, Act. 19.19. Though therefore no doubt is to be made but upon their repentance God will forgive, yet it is a great and a grievous ſinne, it's a renouncing of God and your Baptiſm. Take heed then of ever doing ſo, and if thy heart hath been ſo graceleſſe and wicked heretofore, oh abhorre thy ſelf, let thy conſcience cry out, I have committed a great and abominable ſinne, thou art the chiefeſt ſinner of many thouſands. We ought to have no communion with the devil, though he had power to foretell and ſo do good to thee, as he hath not any further then God may reveal to him. When the devils confeſſed Chriſt was the true Son of God, he rebuked them, and would not own ſuch a confeſſion: So Paul alſo, Act. 16.16. would not own a confeſſion though true, becauſe by one poſſeſſed by the devil. Be aſhamed of the name of a Chriſtian, and renounce thy baptiſm if thou ſhouldſt over do ſuch ſins again.