The Holy Arbor, Chapter 5 · Section 1 · Commandment 1 · Section 1
§. 1. I am the Lord thy God, Thou ſhalt have no other gods but me.
THerefore thou ſhalt have Me, that Jehovah, which have manifeſted my ſelf in the World by my Creation, Preſervation, and Government thereof; that Jehovah, which have declared my ſelf in my Church by the Participation and Manifeſtation of my ſelf to be the true God, that God alone: Therefore Thou ſhalt have none other gods; that is, beſide me the onelyonly true God: neither ſhalt thou have them before me; that is, in my ſight, that is, in thy heart or elſwhere. Now not to have the true God, is either to have no God, or to have more Gods, or another then the known God, or not to acknowledge God to be ſuch unto us as he is manifeſted: Likewiſe not to truſt in God, and to ſubject and ſubmit our ſelves unto God in true humility and patience, not to hope for all good things from him alone, not to love and fear him, for we are here commanded to have the Lord for our God, that is, to love him above all, to fear him above all, to put our whole truſt in him, and to make our prayers to him alone: And he onelyonly hath no other gods, who is ſo dead to the world, and doth ſo adhere to God, that he is neither puffed up with Riches, nor caſt down with Poverty; nor ſwelled with Honor, nor pined with Ignominy; nor made joyful by Life, nor afraid of Death: but this ſufficeth him, That he hath God, knowing his Savior diſdain'd both Riches, and Glory, and Pleaſure, and Life.
The Preface of this Commandment belongeth to the whole Decalogue; and the Commandment it ſelf is mixed with a Negative Prohibition and an Affirmative Command. The Duty enjoyn'd, is, To have and to ſet up in our hearts and practices the Lord Jehovah, and him onelyonly, for our God, which is the main and principal ſcope of the whole Law: And he that will abſtain from the breach of this Commandment, muſt not with the Atheiſt deny him that gave him Being, nor with the Ignorant neglect Divine Knowledge; nor with the Prophane be looſe-minded towards Gods Worſhip; nor with the Covetous Epicures, Self-lovers and Papiſts, rob God of his Honor. Now Atheiſm is a Monſter in Nature, whereby the Creature riſeth againſt the Creator, to diſannul him, to make him without Being, who giveth Being to all; to pull him out of the Throne of Heaven, whoſe Footſtool is the Earth; to put down his Power, who by his Power alone upholdeth all things: And this is when men do but in their hearts imagine that it is all vanity which is ſpoken of God, or that there is no ſuch God as the Word doth deſcribe unto us: And Ignorance is the next door to Atheiſm; for where Ignorance prevaileth, there can be but a poor deal of Love, little Confidence, and ſimple Service done unto the Lord: And Prophaneneſs is a Regardleſneſs of God, when a man being about any villany, remembreth not, or careth not that he is in Gods preſence, nor is daunted by any lets in the way; alſo a Regardleſneſs of the very Worſhip of God, when Prayer, the Word and Sacraments, is not uſed at all, or without all reverence; it maketh the perſons infected herewith, prefer any ſmall worldly thing, either of Pleaſure or Profit, before heavenly things. Laſtly, the Robbing of God of his Honor, is by Inward Idolatry, or of the heart, when Creatures are there ſet up, where onelyonly is the room of the Creator: Now he that deſires to keep this Commandment, muſt endeavor for the Vertues comprehended therein, and they are Knowledge of God, Truſt in God, Humility, Patience, Hope, The Love of God, and The Fear of God.
The Knowledge of God, is, Knowledge.To judge of God as he hath manifeſted himſelf in his Word and Works, and to be moved up by that Knowledge to a Confidence, Love, Fear, and Worſhip of the true God, Rom. 10.14. Joh. 17.3. This true Knowledge of God is the principal part and point of his Worſhip; and he may be known of reaſonable Creatures, ſo far forth as he will manifeſt himſelf to every one: which, if compared with that whereby God knoweth himſelf, is to be accounted unperfect; but, if the degrees thereof be conſidered in it ſelf, it is alſo either perfect or imperfect, yet not ſimply, but in compariſon, that is, in reſpect of the Superior and Inferior degree. The perfect Knowledge of God, is that in Creatures, wherein Angels and Men in the Celeſtial life know God by a moſt clear and bright beholding of the minde: The imperfect, is that whereby men in this life know God, though not ſo much as they could at firſt before the Fall by the benefit of their Creation. Now the ordinary means to know God, and which is preſcribed unto us by God himſelf, is by the ſtudy and meditation of heavenly Doctrine: wherefore we muſt ſtrive this way to know God, and not look for, from God, any extraordinary and immediate Illumination, except he of himſelf offer it, and confirm it alſo unto us by certain and evident Teſtimonies. And this Knowledge muſt be adorned with Practice, without which it is not indeed Knowledge: Whence poor Chriſtians are better taught then great learned men without grace; for no man knoweth more then he practiſeth, becauſe what knowledge ſoever a man hath that he practiſeth not, is but a dead knowledge, an inefficacious knowledge; and indeed, Religion is the Art of holy men, not of learned men: And as Knowledge thus without Practice ſavors of Hypocriſie; ſo Practice without Knowledge tends to Superſtition, the Mother whereof is Ignorance.
To Truſt in God, Faith.is, To be unbottomed of thy ſelf and of every Creature, and ſo to lean upon God, that if he fail thee thou ſinkeſt: And God doth often defer deliverance till the utmoſt extremity, for the tryal of his peoples Faith, and to ſtrip them of other helps, that they may Truſt in him, for till then we truſt not in him as we ought. So that Gods people run another courſe from other men (though they have perſecution here for their pains) becauſe they truſt in the living God; And in a good Cauſe God hath promiſed good Succeſs, therein therefore we are to be guided with as much confidence of ſafety (while we Rule our ſelves therein according to Gods command) as if we had a Prophet immediately ſent us from God. Now the Reaſon why God is ready to help us, if we Truſt in him, is, Becauſe this our Faith in him is an Acknowledging of, and an Attributing to his Power; ſo that our Truſting in God engageth him to help us, though commonly he uſeth not to appear a Deliverer, till his people are brought to the very brink of Ruine.
Humility is a Vertue, Humility.whereby one man thinks better of another then of himſelf, it makes a man vile in his own eyes; and this is one fruit of Faith: for where Chriſt comes to dwell, he comes with a Light, to make a man ſee his ſins, and what a creature he is: Therefore the Spirit of true Chriſtians, is a meek Spirit, they are humble, gentle, and little in their own eyes; they ſet not up Pride and Ambition, as other gods, in their hearts, but think baſely of themſelves, in regard of their own ſins and corruptions, and upon conſideration thereof, are content to give place unto others, and to yield of their own Right for the maintenance of Peace. This is that true Knowledge of a mans own ſelf, which indeed is Neceſſary for man to have, becauſe God will be known by his own Image, which he engraved in mans Nature, and without it we neither aſpire nor attain to that end, to which we were created.
Patience is the Knowledge and Acknowledgement of Gods Majeſty, Patience.Wiſdom, Juſtice and Goodneſs, reſolving through a confidence in Gods Promiſes, and ſo in hope of Gods aſſiſtance and delivering, to obey God in ſuffering thoſe adverſities which he ſendeth us, and willeth us to ſuffer, neither in reſpect of the grief which they bring, to murmure againſt God, or to do any thing againſt his Commandments, but in the higheſt extremity to retain ſtill the confidence and hope of Gods aſſiſtance, and to ask deliverance of him; and by this Knowledge and full perſwaſion of Gods Will, to mitigate and aſſwage our grief. Thus Patience is a voluntary and continual ſuffering for the love of Vertue and Honeſty: Or, it is a Grace of the Spirit, flowing from Grace and Hope, whereby we ſuffer things that are evil, that we forſake not thoſe things which are good, by which we may attain to thoſe that are better. It is the Keeper of all the other Graces, for when we become impatient of any good quality, we preſently fall a committing the contrary Vice.
Hope is a ſure and certain expectation of Everlaſting Life, Hope.freely to be given for Chriſts ſake, and of a mitigation or aſſwagement of preſent evils, and of a deverance from the ſame evils of this life, and an expectation and looking for all Bleſſings neceſſary unto Salvation, according to the Counſel and Will of God: which Hope ſpringeth from Faith; for it is an expectation of ſuch good things to come as God hath promiſed and Faith believed. In expectation eſpecially conſiſteth the very nature of Hope, Rom. 8.24. If we hope, we wait: The proper object of Hope, conſiſteth in good things; herein it differeth from Fear. Theſe good things are not paſt nor preſent, but to come, neither are nor have been ſeen; for, Hope which is ſeen is no hope, Rom. 8.23. They are ſuch good things as God hath promiſed, for true Hope is termed The Hope of the Gospel, Col. 1.23. And ſuch as Faith believeth; for, Faith is the ground of things hoped for, Heb. 11.1. And, By Faith we wait, Gal. 5.5. Faith is the Mother, Hope the Daughter; Faith brings forth Hope, and Hope nouriſheth Faith: for except a man hopes and waits for that which he believes, his Faith will ſoon decay; and according to the quality and quantity of Faith, is the quality and quantity of Hope. Thus Hope diſtinguiſheth the Faith of Chriſtians from the Faith of Devils and Reprobates, and from Temporary Faith. A man hath never Faith to believe, but he hath Hope, which makes him expect what he believes; yet true Hope may be mingled with Fear: for if there be nothing but Hope, it is a ſign that Hope is not good. This lively Hope makes us labor for the accompliſhment of what we believe, it keeps our heads above the waves of Adverſity, without which, of all men a Chriſtian is moſt miſerable, 1 Cor. 15.19. it being ſimply and abſolutely neceſſary to Salvation, for where no Hope is, there is no Faith: And as it is true, That no man can hope, except he firſt believe the Promiſes; ſo it is as true, That Faith is neceſſarily upheld and nouriſhed by Hope. Faith is Hopes Foundation, Hope Faiths Nouriſhment; Faith believes the Promiſes, Hope waits for the fulfilling of them; Faith believeth, and is perſwaded of life Eternal, Hope looketh when it ſhall be revealed: for this cauſe Paul ſaith, We are ſaved by Hope, Rom. 8.24.
The Love of God is a holy Diſpoſition of the heart ariſing from Faith, Love.whereby we cleave to the Lord, with a purpoſe of heart to ſerve him, and to pleaſe him in all things: which Love is ſo Neceſſary to Salvation, as he that hath it not, is in a curſed and damnable condition; he is not in Chriſt if he do not love, for there is a tye between all theſe, Faith, Repentance, Love, therefore they are uſed promiſcuouſly: And indeed, if we Love not God, we rob him, for he bought us to be his; that is, to love him, otherwiſe we rob God of our ſelves. Now the way to Love God, is, To pray earneſtly, to acknowledge the power of the Holy Ghoſt; to go to him, and ſay, Lord, of my ſelf I am not able to do it: This acknowledgement of the power of the Holy Ghoſt, is the way to prevail; for unleſs the Holy Ghoſt kindle this fire of Love in us from Heaven, we ſhall no more have it then cold water is able to heat it ſelf: Though the Preachers ſpeak with the tongues of Angels, yet ſhall we not be brought to love the Lord till he ſhew himſelf to us, till he opens the cloud, and ſhews us the Light of his countenance. It was Moſes his Prayer, Shew me thy Glory; that is, thy Excellency, which is exceeding glorious: Moſes asked not this to no purpoſe, to ſatisfie his fancy, for then the Lord would not have heard him, but that by the better knowing the Lord, he might love him the more; for a principal means to the love of God, is the knowledge of God: and indeed, therefore we love him not, becauſe we know him not: This is the reaſon the Angels and the Saints love him moſt, becauſe they know him moſt; and why in heaven when we ſhall be preſent with him, ſhall we love him ſo abundantly, but becauſe we ſhall then know him face to face.
The Fear of God, Fear.is To acknowledge the infinite Anger of God towards ſin, his great Power to puniſh ſin, his Wiſdom and Juſtice, and that Right and Dominion which he hath over all Creatures: which Fear is a great part of the Worſhip of God, and one infallible Sign of the true Religion; for that Religion is true, wherein God is truly worſhipped, and that is but one, and in it onelyonly men ſhall be ſaved: Which true Chriſtian Religion, is a Spiritual Band, whereby men in a certain holy Reconciliation are made one with God, and are kept in his Love and Fear, that at length they may be made partakers of his heavenly Glory, and of bleſſed Life. And though all grant that to be the true Religion which hath been delivered by God himſelf, yet which may be that Religion delivered from above, will never be agreed on amongſt men, till our Lord Jeſus returning to Judgement decide the Controverſie.
Now we muſt not underſtand this Fear to be a ſervile Fear, ariſing from a knowledge, and an accuſing of ſin, and from a feeling of Gods Judgement and Anger againſt ſin, and is a ſhunning and hatred of God and Puniſhment, not of ſin; and is ſo much the greater, how much the more certain expectation there is of everlaſting Damnation, and how much the greater deſpair there is of the Grace and Mercy of God; But the Fear required in this Commandment, is a Filial Fear, ſuch as Sons bear towards their Parents, who are ſorry for the anger and diſpleaſure of their Father, and yet notwithſtanding are always perſwaded of the love and minde of their Father towards them. So that the Fear of God in the Regenerate in this life, is an acknowledging of ſin and the wrath of God, and an earneſt grief for the ſins committed, for the offending of God, and for thoſe calamities which by reaſon of ſin both we and others ſuſtain, with an earneſt deſire of avoiding thoſe evils by reaſon of the knowledge of that Mercy which is ſhewed unto us through Chriſt, Mat. 10.28. Thus God alone is the proper object of Fear, for what fear is due to man, is due to him onelyonly in and for the Lord, whoſe Image he beareth more eminently by vertue of ſome Authority or Dignity pertaining to him, which is to be feared: And the extent of this Filial Fear of God is ſo large, as without it other holy Duties cannot be well performed: yea, the whole Worſhip of God is often compriſed under it. Thus Mat. 4.10. Chriſt expreſſeth the Text, Deut. 6.13. And thus Mat. 15.9. Chriſt expreſſeth the Text, Iſa. 29.13.
The Vices contrary to the Vertues in general, contained in this Commandment, are chiefly theſe; viz. Atheiſm, Ignorance, Prophaneneſs, Inward Idolatry, Rebellion againſt God, Doubting of his Promiſes, Deſperation, Impatience in Adverſity, Inconſtancy in Gods Worſhip and our own Vocations, Falling away from the Truth of the Goſpel, Raſhneſs, which adventureth upon unneceſſary dangers, under a colour of Gods Providence, Pride, Diſdain, Ambition, and Faint-heartedneſs in good things: All which are forbidden in this Commandment, yea all particular Vices ſpecially contrary to each Vertue commanded therein: The chief of both which are here again touched, in the ſame order they have been already glanc'd at: And firſt of Knowledge.
The Principal Vertue required in this Commandment, is the knowledge of God, which in particular hath four Branches:
1. To know that there is a God; and this is known either by the book of Nature, The Works of God, or the book of Grace, Confeſſing it in our hearts by actions agreeable, as well as by language in our mouthes, elſe we ſin in Atheiſm.
2. To know the true God, elſe we ſin in Idolatry.
3. To know this true God is but one, elſe we ſin in Polytheiſm.
4. To know of what nature this true onelyonly God is, elſe we ſhall do nought but ſin.
The Knowledge of God is either
1. Simply and abſolutely Perfect, whereby God alone knoweth himſelf: Or
2. Not ſimply and abſolutely perfect, whereby Angels and bleſſed men know indeed the whole and intire Nature and Majeſty of God, as being moſt ſimple; but they know it not wholly, that is, they ſo far onelyonly underſtand it, as he revealeth it unto them, and their Natures are capable of.
So likewiſe the Knowledge of God is twofold:
1. General, to know God to be ſuch an one as he hath revealed himſelf in his Word to be: without this we cannot be ſaved, yet this alone doth not ſave.
2. Particular, to know him to be ſuch an one to me in particular, as he hath revealed himſelf in his Word to be in general: This requireth Faith.
Again, the Knowledge of God is twofold; viz.
1. Literal, which hath been in men either from the Creation, or is wrought in their mindes of the Holy Ghoſt by the Word, which hath not accompanying it an endeavor and deſire of framing and conforming themſelves unto the Commandments of God. This is onelyonly a Speculative or Theoretical Knowledge, informing the judgement, but not reforming the minde; and this a wicked man may have in a greater meaſure then ſome Chriſtians, yet notwithſtanding may be damned: for this Knowledge is true onelyonly in regard of the Object, but is falſe in regard of the Effect.
2. Spiritual, or true, lively and effectual Knowledge, which is kindled by the Holy Ghoſt in our mindes according to the Word and by the Word, working in the will and heart an inclination and deſire to know and do what God commandeth. This is Saving or Practical Knowledge, when the whole man is transformed into the obedience required, and labors to practice what he knows of God.
The Imperfect Knowledge of God, which men have in this life, is of two ſorts:
1. Chriſtian or Theological; received from the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apoſtles.
2. Philoſophical; received from the Principles and general Rules naturally known unto men, and from the beholding of the works of God in the nature of things.
The true Knowledge of God neceſſarily required of us, conſiſteth in theſe points; viz.
1. We muſt confeſs and acknowledge him to be the Soveraign and higheſt good, Dan. 4.32.
2. We muſt depend upon him, and put our whole truſt in him alone, not in Men or Angels.
3. We muſt give him thanks for all his Bleſſings, not onelyonly in proſperity, but in adverſity alſo, by doing what he commandeth, and avoiding what he forbiddeth.
4. We muſt ſeek the knowledge of his Ways and Word, and encreaſe in the knowledge thereof.
5. We muſt draw near unto him in time of need, and at all times, as to the Fountain of all goodneſs, with all reverence and humility, by hearty and fervent prayer.
6. We muſt yield all obedience unto him in his Word, without which our Hearing the Word will but haſten and further our Condemnation.
Rules directing us what our Knowledge ought to be:
1. Our knowledge muſt be according to our Age, 1 Cor. 14.20.
2. It ought to be according to the means that God hath afforded us, Heb. 5.12. Luke 12.48.
3. It muſt be anſwerable to the gifts that God hath given us, Mat. 25.14, 15. Luke 12.13.
4. We muſt all labor to have ſo much, as that we may be able to give an account of our Faith, when we ſhall be called thereunto.
We muſt practice what we know of God, for theſe Reaſons:
1. Knowledge without Practice, procures the greater Judgement of God upon us, Luke 12.47.
2. Without Practice we muſt never look to come to Gods Kingdom, Mat. 7.21.
3. By Practice we do glorifie God our heavenly Father, Joh. 15.8.
4. By this Practice we know that we are Gods good Trees, Mat. 7.17.
5. If we Practice not what we know, we are more inexcuſeable then before we had knowledge, 2 Pet. 2.21.
The way or means to attain unto ſound & ſaving Knowledge; viz.
1. Earneſt Prayer to God for the help of his Spirit to aſſiſt us, to illuminate our underſtandings, and to teach us how to profit aright by Reading the Scriptures, Pſal. 119.18. & 66. 2 Chron. 1.10. James 1.5.
2. A careful and reverent Hearing of the Word of God, 1 Cor. 1.21. Rom. 10.14.
3. To exerciſe our ſelves conſtantly in the Reading of the Scripture; To ſearch the Scripture, 2 Tim. 3.15. Pſal. 19.7.
4 Godly Conference one Chriſtian with another, eſpecially with the Paſtor, Mal. 2.7. A ſober and reverent Conference about the Scriptures with others, to miniſter help and comfort one to another.
5. To lay before us the grounds and practice of Chriſtian Religion.
6. To labour for true Humility, 1 Pet. 5.5. Pſal. 25.9.
7. To practice what we know; for Practice begets Experience, and Experience Knowledge.
The Signs of ſound knowledge;
1. When we put all in practice that we know, 1 Joh. 2.3, 4.
2. True love of our Brethren, 1 Joh. 4.7, 8.
3. A faithful hearing of the Word, with care to practice it, 1 Joh. 4.6.
4. A filial Fear of diſpleaſing God in any one action, Mal. 1.6.
5. A true Humiliation in the ſight and knowledge of our ſelves.
Motives to ſtir us up to labor for knowledge
1. The Excellency of it, it is the firſt Grace God beſtows upon any.
2. The Profit of it, Dan. 11.32. Prov. 3.13. Pſal. 91.14. Joh. 27.3.
3. The Neceſſity of it, for without it we are without all ſaving grace, and in no degree to Salvation, Eph. 2.12.
To apply the knowledge of the Nature of God to my ſelf in particular, I muſt know,
1. That he is a Spirit; To worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth.
2. That he is Eternal; To Crown me if I obey him, to Condemn me if I diſobey him.
3. That he is Omnipotent; To relie and depend upon his Providence.
4. That he is Juſt; To leave my wicked ways, and to reſtrain my ſelf from ſin.
5. That he is merciful; To turn unto him by Repentance.
6. That he is Omnipreſent; To carry my ſelf as in his Preſence.
7. That he is Omniſcient; To keep my heart upright before him continually.
8. That he is Infinite; To ſtand in awe, reverence and fear of him.
The Vices repugnant unto the knowledge of God; viz.
1. Atheiſm, which is the Acknowledgement of no God.
2. Ignorance, or not knowing the true God and his Will.
3. Errors conceived, or falſe Imaginations and Opinions of him.
4. Prophaneneſs, which is a Regardleſneſs of God and of his ſpecial Service.
5. Magick, Sorcery or Witchcraft, in ſuch as deſire the help of it, as well as in thoſe who uſe it.
6. Superſtition, Soothſaying, Obſervation of Dreams, Divinations, Signs and Predictions, or Foretellingof Wizards.
7. All truſt or confidence repoſed in the Creature.
8. Idolatry; whether Inward, when another is worſhipped then that one true God, or when the Worſhip of God is given unto Creatures, by Praying unto them, Truſting in them, or Setting the heart upon them, which kinde doth properly belong unto this Firſt Commandment: or Outward, when though the true God is worſhipped, yet after another maner then God himſelf hath preſcribed.
9. The contempt of God, which is to know thoſe things of God which are true, but not to be moved thereby to love him.
Were all the Wiſdom of the Eaſt in one
Compris'd: Couldst thou diſcourſe with Solomon,
From th'Iſop to the Cedar; or of ought
In Heav'n, Earth, Hell: Couldst thou foreſee a Thought,
And ſo prevent it; or by ſtrength of Brain
(When 'tis thought) Argument it back again:
Hadst thou all Arts and Sciences refin'd,
Couldst joyn Eaſt to Weſt, or divide the Winde:
Wer't thou for Wiſdom the Worlds Nource or School,
And knew'st not God, thou wer't a damned Fool.