Body of Divinity, Book 9 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the first Commandment.
THou shalt have no other Gods before me.Exod. 20. 3.
SOme Divines *Musc. loc. com. Ford on the Covenant. Master Ball Deut. 4. 35. & 6. 4. Isa. 43. 11. Vide …aronem de praesta…tie & dignitate divinae legis, l. 1. c. 30. & Cartw. in Exod. 20. Matth. 12. 29. Peter Martyr handling the division of the ten Commandments, how the number should be made up, makes that which is commonly called the Preface, (I am the Lord thy God, which are words of a Covenant) to be the first Commandment; and if so, then must justifying saith be enjoyned there. And thus did some of the Fathers, though those words are onelyonly enunciative, and not preceptive. Master Burgesses Vindication of the Moral Law Lecture first. Verba ista Ego sum Dominus Deus tuus, sunt generalis praefatio, aliis tamen litem non movemus qui st atuunt haec verba esse partem primi praecepti, quod Bifariam proponatur, primum quidem affirmativè, quis sit pro vero Deo à nobis agnoscend… ac colendus, deinde negativè, quod nulli alij extra & praeter hunc verum Deum divinus honor ac cultus sit tribuendus. Gerh. loc. commun. tom. tertio. Exod. 20. 3. The matter of the Commandment is delivered in negative terms, by way of forbidding, under which the Precept injoyning the contrary is commanded.judge, that those words, I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, do contain the affirmative part of the first precept, and the latter, Thou shalt have no other Gods before my face, the negative. For these two sentences are elsewhere often joyned together as they be here; and our Saviour citing the first Commandment, rehearseth it thus, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Besides (say they) if the words be not conceived as a form of commandment, yet it must necessarily be understood to command the Worship of the true God, and it so pertains to the understanding of the Precept, that it cannot be separated from it.
Other Divines hold the first words to be a Preface to all the Commandments, Buxtorf de Decalogo saith these words contain an Enunciative not an Imparative speech, therefore they are not a Precept, but rather a general Preface to the whole Decalogue, in which reasons are brought why we are bound to obey him that commands. Wherefore (saith he) they may be added to the first Precept, yet so as they are not to be excluded from the other Precepts, but by an Ellipsis to be understood in every one of them. Other Divines say these words are a perswasion to the keeping of the first Commandment, and that threefold, the first taken from the Name and Soveraignty of God, He is Iehovah, an eternal being in and of himself, who giveth being and continuance to all things, and mightily performeth whatsoever he hath promised. The second, From the right of Federation and Covenant, thy God, He is in special manner the God of his Church, which he hath chosen to be his peculiar Treasure in regard of the Covenant of Grace made with them, Isa. 43. 10. 11. Ier. 12. 31, 33. Isa. 43. 13. The third from a notable particular benefit lately conferred; which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, which he mentions (saith Zanchi… ) 1. For the freshness of the mercy. 2. For the greatness of it. 3. Because that Egyptian bondage was a type and figure of our spiritual bondage.
This that is here spoken (saith Grotius on the Decalogue) is not the Law, but the Preface of the Law. Seneca approves not of a Law with a Preface, because it should command, not perswade; the Philosophers (Plato, Philo,) thought otherwise. Media via optima est (saith Grotius) ut breve sit quod praemittitur, auctoritatem non disputationem praeferens.
The two first grounds of obedience are common to us with them, God is now as much the Lord as ever, and hath pleased to accept us into the same (or a better) Covenant with himself then once he admitted them; and for the last, although in the thing it self it touch us not, yet in the spiritual meaning of it it concerns us as well as them. Magna beneficia auctoritatem conciliare debent praecipienti, Grotius in c. 20. Exod. See Deut. 6. 20, 24.
foreign
Lo Iihieh leka Elohim acharim gual panai
Non erit tibi dii alij super facies meas. Ad verb. non erit; q. d. ne unus quidem Deus alius▪ &c. Cartwr. in loc. Shall not be, for, it ought not to be, or may not be. Jos. 24. 20. Dan. 11. 39. See 1 Sam. 8. 8. Exod. 34. 14. Isa. 42. 8. 1 King. 4. 9. Vox Acherim significat & alios & alienos. Et aliquis potest esse alius, sed non alienus: omnis autem alienus, alius etiam est. Zanchius de primo praecepto. Homo verus, alius est ab alio homine vero, sed non alienus, hoc est, alien…s & diversae naturae. Alienus autem, qui non ejusdem est naturae aut patriae: ut homo depictus, aut mente conceptus, & alienus est à vero homine, & etiam alius. Alienos Deos habere coram Deo à Theologis dupliciter explicatur, ut nimirum vel significet alienos Deos quasi in Dei conspectum producere, inque illius oculis, ut illi aegrè à nobis fiat, colere: vel ita ut intelligatur praeter me; sensusque sit, extra unum illum summum Deum, nulli alij divinitatem, quam ipse Deus ei non concesserit, tribuendam, divinumque bonorem deferendum esse; statuaturque, hoc Deum voluisse dicere: Ita me colas ut omnes alios Deos valere jubeas. Wolkelius de vera religione, l. 4. c. 8. Vide Cartw. in Exod. 20. 3. By having of gods here he means, Thou shalt worship no other gods but me. [Other gods] that is, besides, or with the true Jehovah. [Gods] viz. Idols, to whom the opinion of Idolaters doth falsely attribute some Divinity, 1 Cor. 41. 5. Deodate on Exod. 20. 3.There shall not be to thee other gods, or strange gods before my face. 1. The person spoken to, Thou. Every particular person for himself, be he of what state or condition soever.
The word foreign acher signifieth another God, rather then a strange God, or the God of a strange people, which are thought and called gods, when they are not. In truth there is but one true God; but in the opinion of men that erre and be deceived, there be many gods. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Psal. 81. 9, 10. Exod. 34. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 20. Deut. 32. 17. Lev. 17. 7. Men may in conceit and imagination account something a god which is not, and carry themselves in such sort toward that which is not God, as if it were so.
To have another God, is to have any thing in opinion or affection for God that isPsal. 81. 8, 9. 2 John 9. 1 John 2. 23. Habere est in…us cum agnos…ere in mente, cique corde adhaerere amando, timendo, &c. & externè colere & venerari, sensus igitur est, cave ne quicquam vel mente agnoscas vel corde amplectaris, vel corpore colas ut Deum, praeter me Iehovam Deum tuum, &c. Calv. Inslit. Gen. 6. 11. & 13. 13. 1 Sam. 2. 17. Neh. 9. 28. not God, and to worship it as God, either alone or with the true God. For this is a work of the minde, to have or esteem any for God, sensus est: non modo non pro vero Deo substituendos alios, sed nec assumendos ad eum alios, quod multi faciebant, ut 2 Reg. 17. 33. Grotius.
Before my face] It is as much as against, before, or besides me, coram me, id est, praeter me, Grotius; as Moses saith after, with me. The LXX render it foreign praeter me; Cyprian, absque me. See Deut. 4. 35. It implieth all time and place: As, before the Sun, Psal. 72. 17, is so long as the Sun endureth: so here, before me, is so long as I am, for ever and ever. So that first the Lord signifieth, that he would have no companion to be thrust upon him, or to be placed in his sight, who should be worshipped with him, Deut. 6. 4. Again, that in thought or secret affection we must not admit any strange God, Psal. 44. 20, 21. Lastly, a thing is said to be done in the sight of God, which is done openly with contempt of God, and so here it seems to import the indignity *Particula coram facie mea, indignitatem auget: quod Deus ad Zelotypiam provocatur quoties sigmenta nostra substituimus in ejus locum: quemadmodum si impudica mulier, producto palàm ante oculos mariti adultero, ejus animum magis ureret. Calv. Instit. l. 2 c. 8.of the thing, and the peril adjoyned. We cannot have another God, but we provoke the true God to his face; as if a woman should joyn her self to another man in love, her husband looking on, which should be most impudent and dangerous.
Our principal duty to God is injoyned in the first Commandment, in which all the rest of the Commandments are virtually contained, in so much that no man can transgress any one of them, but withal he transgresseth that, neither can any of them be broken, if that be observed.
The meaning then of this Commandment is:Ford of the Covenant. Lev. 18. 21. 1 Kings 11 5. 2 King. 23. 15. Judg. 2. 13. & 16. 23. 1 Sam. 5. 2. Num. 21. 29. 2 Kin. 5. 18. & 19. 37. 2 Kin. 1. 2. Isa. 37. 38. & 46.
That whereas other people and Nations frame and take to themselves innumerable a gods, as the Ammonites chose Molek, or Melcom, to be their god; the Zidonians, Ashteroth; the Philistims, Dagon; the Moabites, Chemosh; the Syrians, Rimmon; the Assyrians, Nisroch; the Ekronites, Baalzebub; the Babylonians, Bell; the Persians, the Fire; the barbarous Masagete, the Sun; the Egyptians, almost all kinde of Beasts and Birds; the Grecians, dead men; the Romans, whom it pleased the Senate to consecrate of ancient times, and of late whom it pleased the the Pope to canonize. Wherefore though other Nations had other * gods, the true Israelites chosen out of the world to be the Lords people, should acknowledge no Idol of any Nation to be their God, nor frame to themselves any Idol of theirThe summe of the first Commandment is, That we have God to be our God. Down. summe of Divin. 2 Kin. 17. 30, 31. 2 Chr. 25. 14▪ Deu. 7. 16. & 32. 17. 1 Sam. 26. 19. 1 Kin. 11. 4, 5 Cultus naturalis est qui ex ipsa natura Dei pendet, ita ut quamvis nullam legem haberemus divinitus revelatam & praescriptam, si tamen Dei naturam rectè haberemus perspectam ac notam, ex illius idone… contemplatione, omnia illa percipere possemus, Dei gratia auxiliante, quae hac in parte ad officium nostrum spectant. Hic cultus hoc mandato praecipitur. Ames. own devising, or any other thing to be their helper and redeemer, their stay and buckler, which they profess to be no God; but that they cleave to the Lord their God, who is the onelyonly Lord that hath created all things, and adopted them to be his Sons, Deut. 6. 4. Our carriage to God-ward is in one word expressed, when we are commanded to give our selves unto God, Rom. 6. 13. & 12. 1. It standeth in a total and perfect subjecting of our whole souls and bodies to him.
The general duty of this Commandment is, That in mind, will, affections, and2 Chr. 28. 9. Deut. 4. 4. & 10. 12. 21. & 30. 20. Deut. 11. 22. Jos. 22. 5. Job. 19. 25. Exod. 15. 11. Psal. 86. 10. Job 9. 4, 5. Psal. 77. 13. Isa. 57. 15. Job 37. 23. Joel 2. 17. & 3. 16, 17. Zach. 8. 8. & 10. 6. Isa. 41. 10 13, 14. & 43. 37. Psal. 48. 14. the effects of all or any of them, we take the true God in Christ to be our God▪ Soveraign, Helper, Portion, and Redeemer, Almighty, most Wife, Righteous, Just, True, Holy, Good, Gracious, Merciful, Long-suffering, and Patient. For God must be known, acknowledged and worshipped, according as he hath revealed himself in the Covenant of Grace, but he is our God in Jesus Christ. Also the formal consideration of the Object, to wit, Why such acts of Worship are and ought to be performed unto God; are the Wisdome, Goodness, Justice, Grace, Mercy and Power of God, specially in the face of Jesus Christ, and acts performed of him by them, and according to them.
The Promise implied in this Precept is, That God will be our God, King, Protector and Father; That he will use his Power, Wisdome, Goodness, and Mercy, for the effecting of our salvation, the supply of our wants, the pardon of our sins, the defeating of our enemies, the perfecting of his graces in us, and the full accomplishment of happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.
One Reverend Divine (now with God) saith, The duties required more particularly, may be referred to two heads: Some respect the Essence and Nature of God, some the Authority and Dominion of God, even as Subjects owe some things to their Prince in regard of his Person, some things in regard of his Power of Government; so do we the Creatures to our King and Creator.
The former may fitly be tearmed duties of dependance, because they do naturally flow from that total dependance upon God the first being, which must needs be found in all secondary beings, and because they be certain necessary acknowledgements of our such dependance. The latter may be termed Duties of Conformity, because in and by them we do conform our selves unto the Will and Authority of God, and by both become perfectly subject unto him. Duties of dependance in general, are those by which we exercise all the powers of our souls upon God, principally and above all other things, (so far as his excellent Nature is fit to be their object) for seeing He is the most excellent of all things, and doth please to make known unto us his excellencies, we should labour to be wholly united to him that is so excellent. Duties of Conformity in general, are all those by which we order the powers of our souls toward other things, according to his good will and pleasure made manifest unto us. Our duty concerning God, is to know him and his will, to believe in him according to his Promises, to remember him alwaies, and to esteem him above all things, to trust wholly upon him, to love, desire, fear, and delight in him above all other things, and with all our hearts. Our duty in respect of good things Spiritual and Temporal, is to exercise our wils, affections, thoughts, speeches, much more on Spiritual good things then Temporal, and to keep them very moderate towards earthly benefits. Our duty concerning sin, is to hate it, fly from it, grieve for it, be ashamed of it, and angry with it more then any natural evil thing.
The particular duties here required are:
1. Perfect knowledge of God in Christ, which is a conceiving and apprehendingIsa. 19. 21. Job 22. 21. Joh. 17. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Hos. 6. 6. 1 Chro. 28. 9. Jer. 9. 23. Hos. 4. 1, 2, 3. Rom. 10. 14. Deu. 6. 1. Psal. 9. 10, 11. Iam. 3. 17. of him to be such a one as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works, specially in the Covenant of Grace, and that for measure and degree fully. We cannot comprehend God as he is in himself, but as he hath manifested himself we ought to know him, for knowledge is the guide of the affections, the beginning of grace, the ground of Worship. When we know God as he hath manifested himself, then do we come to believe, desire, fear and love him, and trust in him, as he requireth. We cannot have God our God till we come to know him in Christ, therefore it is promised to all the godly in the new Covenant, they shallJer. 31. 33. Deum colit qui novit. Seneca. Deut. 32. 31. Psal. 87. 4. & 89. 6, 7. Col. 1. 9, 10. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Tim. 4. 25. Deut. 4. 35, 39. Isa. 43. 10. Hos. 6. 3. Tit. 1. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 8. Ephes. 4. 13. 1 John 5. 20. all know me.
2. Acknowledgement, which is an effectual and affectionate perswasion of the heart, not onelyonly that God is, but that he is the onelyonly Lord, Eternal and Almighty, most Wise, most Holy, most Righteous, most Gracious and Merciful, most Faithful and True; the Creator, Governour, and Preserver of all things, the Supreme Soveraign Judge of all the world, and peculiarly the God and Saviour of his people that he hath chosen unto himself, and with whom he hath entred Covenant of his free mercy in Jesus Christ.
3. Estimation, which is a most high prizing of God according to his WorthPsal. 73. 25. Psal. 4. 6. Mat. 13. 43. Phi. 3. 6. Cant. 1. 2. & 8. 7. Job 28. 15, 16. Psal. 63. 3. 1 John 5. 10. Deut. 13. 4. Acts 11. 23. 1 Cor. 7. 35. Josh. 23. 8. Numb. 14. 11. and Dignity, as the chief Good, and our onelyonly all-sufficient portion: The estimation we have of any thing must be correspondent to the goodness of it. But God is good above measure, and our estimation of him should know no measure.
4. Faith, which is a lively motion of the heart, whereby the soul doth invincibly cleave and stick unto God in Christ, and unto the word of his Covenant, as containing the chief good of man. To believe is not barely to assent to the thing which is propounded, to be believed for the authority of the speakers, who cannot lie, as the assenter is perswaded: but to adhere to the Word of Truth as certain, good, and sweet, both simply and in comparison. Two things are required in Faith: Something true and good to be believed; and a firm certain assent and adherence to it. Thus we are commanded to believe in God through Jesus Christ;John 14. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 21. 1 Joh. 5. 10, 11. Acts 16. 31. Isa. 28. 16. Rom. 9. 33. 1 Pet. 2. 6. Psal. 4. 5. &. 22. 4. & 25. 2. Psal. 16. 1. & 118. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 5. Eph. 3. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Zanch. de redempt. l. 1. c. 13. Jer. 17. 5. Confidence is the vertue of resting upon God wholly for the attaining of all good things according to his Word. Psal. 9. 10. 2 Chr. 20. 20. Psal. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 4. 19. & 5. 7. Psal. 37. 5. & 81. 4. & 62. 8. & 71. 5. Psal. 11. 1. & 135. Job 13. 15. Psal. 56. 3. & 57. 1. Psal. 16. 1. & 25. 1, 2. Isa. 50. 10. Psal. 20. 7. 1 Sam. 30. 6. neither doth Faith respect the Promises, Narrations and Prophecies of the Word onelyonly, but the Commandments and Threatnings also, Psal. 119. 66. 2 Chron. 34. 19, 21, 27. Ioh. 3. 5. By Faith we possess the Lord as our own, and hold fast unto him in whom all help and comfort is to be found.
5. Confidence, or Affiance, whereby we trust, lean, rely, or stay upon the Grace of God in Christ Jesus, with assured security in the way of his Commandments for pardon of sin, deliverance from all evil, and the supply of all good Temporal and Spiritual, according to his faithful and never-failing promise. This is ever joyned with the true knowledge of God, and in nature is of great affinity, or rather all one with justifying Faith. Who so reposeth all his confidence in God, he taketh him in so doing for his God. We are to trust in God for the giving and maintaining of all our good both temporal and eternal, leaning on him for all defence and deliverance from evils spiritual, yea and corporal; casting all our care on him, having no confidence in the flesh; no duty is more frequently pressed in Scripture, then this of confidence in God.
Hope in God is an inseparable companion of Trust, which is an assured quiet expectation of what good promised is not yet accomplished, grounded upon the free and undeserved kindness and grace of the Lord in Christ Jesus, Psal. 119. 166. Heb. 11. 1. Lam. 3. 24. Rom. 15. 4. Hope is commanded in many passages of Scripture, commended by many promises, Psal. 27. 14. & 31. 14. & 34. 8. Lam. 3. 26. Psal. 37. 7. & 131. 3. & 130. 5. Mic. 7. 7. Isa. 8. 17. Psal. 119. 43. Isa. 30. 18. Psal. 146. 5. & 40. 4. & 84. 12. Isa. 6. 8. Psal. 147. 11. Psal. 33. 18, 19. Psal. 31. 24. & 33. 20. Psal. 35. 21. & 37. 9. 34. Psal. 9. 18. Isa. 49. 23. & 40. 31.
6. Love of God in Christ, which is a spiritual motion in the reasonable part,John 15. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 6. Deut. 4. 4. Joh. 5. 42. John. 2. 15. & 3. 17. Amor est unio amantis cum re amata. presupposing Knowledge and Affiance, whereby the soul goeth forth to embrace and possess God as the chief Good, and with most pure, earnest, and constant affection to maintain communion with him. Love is an affection of union, it knits to the thing beloved, and would not want the possession of it. Love (we see) makes man and woman one, and so doth couple us to God. The body is carried by weight into his proper place, so is the soul by love, which is the weight of the soul, *Amor meus pondus meum. Aug. Psal. 31. 23. Deut. 10. 12. & 11. 1. & 30. 16. Josh. 23. 11. & 22. 5. Causa diligendi Deum, Deus est. Modus, sine modo diligere. Bern. de diligendo Deo. Multum quippe meruit de nobis qui & immeritis dedit scipsum nobis. …bid. Nimis durus est animus qui dilectionem etsi non vult impendere, nolit rependere.unto its proper object. Many promises are made to them that love the Lord, Psal. 91. 14. & 145. 20. Psal, 63. 8. 1 Iohn 4. 7. Iohn 16. 27. 1 Iohn 4. 16. Iohn 14. 23. & 16. 27. Rom. 8. 28. Psal. 145. 20. Deut. 30. 19, 20. 1 Corin. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 12. & 2. 5. God is the proper Object of Love, He is the chief good, absolute, allsufficient, the rest and stay of the minde, beyond which nothing can be desired, in whom incredible joy and comfort is to be found and possessed for evermore. God by Covenant is our God, our Father, our Husband; He hath loved us, and we ought to love him again. His love to us is free and of meer grace; our love to him is debt, many wa…es due from us, and deserved by him. Adam was to love God his Creator and happiness: but Christians must love God as he is become their God in Christ, in whom they are knit unto him. The object of Charity is God in Christ, God is to be loved in Christ, in whom he is well pleased, and greatly delighted in us. Love of God must be most fervent, and abundant more for degree and measure then to our selves or all creatures; yea it must be with the whole power of our souls, it is the summe of the Law, Matth. 10▪ 37.John 14. 21. & 8. 4…. & 15. 9. & 16. 27. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Deu. 6. 5 Deu. 10. 12, 20▪ 1 Per. 2. 17. Levit. 19. 14. Hag. 1. 2. Jon. 1. 9. Mal. 2. 5. Deut. 28. 58. Prov. 1. 7. Timor cultus & timor culpae. It is the grace of not daring to offend God. Mal. 1. 6. Deut. 10. 17. Psal. 76. 7, 8. & 66. 4…5. 2 Chr. 19. 7. Jos. 4. 24. Dan. 6. 26, 27. Deut. 13. 4. Prov. 3. 7. Psal. 5. 7. & 2. 11. & 33. 8. & 76. 11. Eccles. 12. 13. Hab. 3. 16. Mat. 10. 28. Jer. 10. 7. & 5. 22. Psal. 130. 4. Psal. 119. 120. Job 31. 23. Luke 14. 26.
7. Fear, which is a retiring or flying back from a thing, if good, because it is too high and excellent, above the reach and without the extent of our power and condition; if evil, because it is hard to be escaped. The fear of God is an affection of heart, arising from the apprehension of Gods infinite Majesty and absolute Soveraignty, both by Creation and Covenant, whereby we are drawn to behave our selves more reverently, dutifully, uprightly, respectively, before him, then before the greatest Monarch in the world, and stand prepared to walk before him in holy manner, shunning his displeasure, and avoiding whatsoever might procure it. God is to be feared in respect of his incomprehensible greatness, absolute Soveraignty as Lord and Father; and exact righteousness, whereby he judgeth every man without respect of persons; great Power and tender Mercies, whereby he is ready to pardon them that humble themselves, and intreat his favour. God is absolutely called Fear, Isa, 8. 12, 13. as unto whom all fear and dread is due. Thus Iacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac, Gen. 32. 42, 53.
Reverence differs from simple fear, which respecteth a thing as evil, and so we are not bound to have it working, but when we have occasion to conceive of God as angry, and doth look to things as excellent, and therefore must move so often as we have occasion to conceive of his Excellency, Heb. 12. 28.
8. Humility, when rightly discerning the infinite distance and difference thatIsa. 40. 15, 16, 17. Humilitas propriè respicit subjectionem hominis ad Deum. T. Aqu. 2. 2. q. 162. art. 5. & 161. art. 1. ad arg. 5. 2 Sam. 7. 18. 1 Chron. 29. 14▪ 15, 16. Gen. 22. 10. See Gen. 18. 27. 1 Cor. 12. 11. is betwixt God and us, acknowledging his unspeakable Excellency, and our most vile baseness in comparison of him; his riches of Grace, and our poverty; his Power, and our weakness; his free undeserved Mercy, and our misery; we submit our selves to the good pleasure of his will, wholly depend upon his Grace, and ascribe every blessing we receive to his meer favour, every good thing in us, or that is done by us, to his free goodness.
9. Patience, which is a full purpose of heart, arising from the acknowledgementRom. 12. 12. 1 Thess. 1. 3. Heb. 12. 1. Jam. 1. 2. & 5. 8. Rom. 5. 4. Psal. 38. 13, 14. & 39. 9. Jer. 14. 22. Matth. 11. 29. Joy is pu… for Hope, Isa. 8▪ 6. Spes enim bono gaudium parit. Deut. 12. 12. & 16▪ 14. Psal. 32. 11. Iohn 3. 1. Phil. 4. 4. 1 Thess. 5. 16. Psal. 97. 12. Ier. 9. 23. 1 Cor. 1. 31. 2 Cor. 10. 17. Psal. 48. 11. Ioy in God is that Grace whereby the soul doth rest it self contented and satisfied in God, as in its sole and perfect happiness. Psal. 4▪ 6, 7. of Gods Wisdome, Majesty, Power, Goodness, Providence and Mercy, with all quietness, and without any pining, reluctation or fainting, revolting or tempting of God, though the senses and appetite cannot but feel a repugnancy, to sustain any evil that He will inflict upon us.
10. Joy, whereby the soul doth receive comfort and content in a good thing, and is moved to embrace and possess the same. And because God is the chief good, therefore ought the soul to be moved with more vehement and fervent motions of gladness, for his Love, Favour, Good Will, and excellent Glory, then for any or all other things whatsoever. What we make our chiefest Joy, that is our God: for the heart resteth principally in that with which it is most delighted, Iob 31. 25. It appears evidently by Gods Word, that as a Father would have his children to live cheerfully, so would God, and therefore doth he so much call upon them to rejoyce, Psal. 60. 19. & 68. 3. Psal. 33. 1. & 149. 1, 2.
11. Zeal, or fervour of will, whereby the soul is moved and carried towardsPsal. 69. 9. & 119. 139. G… 4. 8. Exod. 32. 19. Num. 15. 9. 2 Pe…. 2. 8. 1 Kings 19. 10. Psal. 119. 136▪ Matth. 4. …4. I…h. 2. 14. 5, 16. Ier. 23. 9, 10, 11. Act. 17. 16, 17. God with the strongest, hottest, and most fiery inclinations, willing his Grace, Favour and Glory, infinitely above all things, because it is the highest of all things that are to be loved, willed, desired, or cared for; and detesting, loathing, abhorring, whatsoever tendeth to his dishonour. Examples of thi… zeal we have in Moses, Phineas, Lot, Elias, David, Iohn the Baptist, and Christ himself. In Ieremy, Paul, Peter, and many others.
12. An earnest and constant desire of Gods presence in Heaven, Cant. 8 14. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22. 20. Each thing by nature doth covet perfection in its kinde; and what nature hath taught every thing in its proper kind, that Grace hath taught Christians in the best kinde, viz. to desire perfect communion with God, in whose presence is fulness of joy for evermore, It cannot be that God should be known to be good, clearly, distinctly, certainly, and not be desired. And if we know God to be the chiefest of all good things, we cannot but set our affections upon him, and covet above all things in the world to dwell in his presence.
Hitherto of those particular duties whereby we take God to be our God in minde, will and affections: now let us hear what be the effects of these.
1. Meditation, which is a staying of the minde in the serious thought and considerationMans imagination or thinking power is to be set upon God with most life, earnestness, and constancy, he is to frame in his soul thoughts of his excellency continually. Psal. 139. 17, 18. Psal. 63. 6. Psal. 119. 44▪ 97. Mat 6. 21. Mal. 3. 16. of Gods Power, Goodness, Grace, Mercy, Love and Wisdome, shining in the Word and Works of God, specially in Jesus Christ the brightness of his glory, with an holy delight and admiration at that most perfect and Divine Excellency which casteth forth the comfortable beams thereof, upon the soul of him that so thinketh upon them. Each particular duty before mentioned calleth for meditation, knowledge is not gotten without meditation, meditation kindleth love, and love carrieth the thoughts after it. Reverence is not raised without meditation, and being raised keepeth the heart within compass, that it doth not straggle up and down. The glory of God as it shineth in Jesus Christ is most amiable and delightsome, that if once it be truly discerned, we shall take great pleasure to behold and view it. What actual sight is to the eye, that thought is to the mind: Glorious pleasant objects draw the eye after them, and what is apprehended to be Divine, Excellent, Pleasant, Beautiful and Comfortable, that will take up the mind. If all thoughts affect and profit according to the nature of the object about which they are exercised, then seeing God is the best, most excellent, most glorious object, the minde that is most serious in the meditation of his Grace, Power andPsal. 104. 34. Love in Jesus Christ, is best refreshed and most perfected. We should think upon God in most serious manner, constantly upon all occasions and opportunities withPsal. 143. 5. & 105. 2. P…. 63 6. livelihood and power, being most affected and taken up with the thought of God in Jesus Christ.
2. Perpetual and continual remembrance of God, whereby we call back toWe must remember nothing so firmly nor so often as God. Psal. 22. 27. Eccles. 12. 1. Prov. 2. 1. Psal. 77. 3. Psal. 42. 6. & 78. 34, 35. Psal. 63. 6. & 119. 55. Isa. 63. 7. & 64. 5. Psal. 20. 7. Num. 15. 39. 40. minde what we know and have learned of God, his Power, Mercy, Love, Longsuffering, and represent him as present to the soul. The Name of the Lord is most sweet, the remembrance of his Holiness, the prop of confidence, the solace of the heart in time of distress. See 1 Sam. 30. 6.
3. Reverent and faithful Invocation, wherein we request of God in the Name of Christ all good things whereof we stand in need, and that both in prosperity,1 Thess. 5. 13. Psal. 147. 2. Psal. 33. 1. Psal. 145. 5. Psal. 147. 13. & 979. 1 Chr. 29. 12. 1…. Psal. 148. 1 and adversity, 1 Thess. 5. 17. Ephes. 6. 16. Iames 5. 16. Psal. 50. 15. & 38. 10 Matth. 7. 7.
4. Thanksgiving or celebration of Gods Name, whereby we magnifie his Power, Goodness, Wisdome, Grace and Mercy, freely acknowledging every good and perfect gift to come from above. God is the highest Majesty, who oweth nothing to any man, from whom we receive body, soul, life, and whatsoever we injoy, unto whom we are unable to requite the least kindness vouchsafed.He cals upon all creatures to praise God; meaning, men should take occasion from all these to praise him. Deut. 6. 13. & 10. 20. Isa. 19. 18. Isa. 65. 16. & 45. 23. Ier. 12. 16. Psal. 63. 11. Gen. 14. 22. Rev. 10. 5, 6. Our tongues should be more plentifully busied in speaking of Gods Excellencies to his honour, then of any or of all other things. Mans speech should more readily, constantly, largely be set on work in talking of God to his glory, then of the whole world besides,
5. Holy and religious swearing, which is a calling of God to witness that we speak as our minde conceiveth.
6. Religious and Divine Adoration, Psal. 95. 6. The Greek word notes as much as to fall upon the knees, or to worship by falling down at the knees of another,Matth. 8. 2. Mark 1. 40. Luke 5. 12. Exod. 34 8. 2 Chro. 20. 18. Exod. 4. 31. 1 Kin. 19. 18. Matth. 2. 11. Adoration is implied in this. One Evangelist saith, that the Leper worshipped Christ; another reciting the same History, That he kneeled down unto him; and a third, That he fell upon his face. In Hebrew there be divers words to express it, which signifie to bow the whole body, to kiss the mouth, to bend the knee, to fall prostrate on the face. But in all three *foreign significat sese instar humilis catelli ad pedes alicujus sui domini provol…cre at que prosternere, honoris ac reverentiae causa, quasi illius pedes deosculaturum. Valla deducit Adoro ab ad & oro. Orare autem est ore precari: sicut supplico est plicando caput aut genu aliquid petere, Zanch. de religione, Vide plura ibid. Vide Jun. Thes. Theol. de Adoratione.Languages it noteth an outward reverence, shadowing the internal affection of the heart, Adoration implieth in it three Acts: First, An apprehension of the excellency of that which is adored. Secondly, An Act of the Will, desiring to do something to testifie our acknowledgement of this greatness, and our subjection and inferiority. Thirdly, An outward expressing of the same.
7. Seeking the Lord and his favour, specially if we have turned away from2 Chron. 17. 3. Act. 15. 17. Isa. 55. 6. Isa. 31. 1. Psal. 27. 8. Zeph. 2. 3. Psal. 83. 16. & 78. 34. Psal. 10. 4. & 14. 2. & 69. 6. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Mat. 10. 32, 33. 2 Chron. 25. 3. Iam. 4. 12. Mat. 23. 9. him. To seek the Lord, is to bend all our senses and strength to know God aright, have communion with him, enjoy his favour, and worship him purely according to his Ordinance, 2 Chron. 31. 21. Iob 8. 5. Ezra. 6. 21.
8. Offering and making Vows unto the Lord alone, Isa. 19. 21. Psal. 116. 14. & 76. 11. Gen. 28. 20. Deut. 23. 21,
9. Profession of Gods Name, Deut. 26. 17. Isa. 44. 5. & 43. 7. Psal. 22. 23. & 119. 46.
10. Free and voluntary submission of minde and conscience to the Lord alone, as the onelyonly Law▪giver, King and Saviour of his people.
This Commandment is broken two waies:
1. By failing to give God that honour which is due unto him, and that either for substance or degree, matter or measure, in whole or in part.
2. By giving his Divine Honour unto any other in whole or part, absolutely or in degree, in profession or truth.
The special sins condemned are:
1. Atheisme, when the heart denieth God in his Deity or Divine Attributes, as Wisdome, Justice, Mercy, Omnipresence. And this is secret or open: Open, when a man maintaineth that conceit expresly in his minde: Secret and in the bud, when he is over-ruled with this vice, though he form not such a proposition in hisPsal. 10. 4. 11. & 14. 1. Mal. 3. 14. Psal. 94. 7. Ephes. 2. 12. minde. Atheism is an high transgression of this Commandment, for he that denieth the Godhead, cannot glorifie God in spirit and truth. Besides, every Atheist maketh himself God, in that he thinketh he is of and by himself, and not of and for the Lord that made Heaven and Earth.
2. Ignorance of God in Christ, under which dulness to conceive of him, and carelesness to seek after the knowledge of him, are comprehended. Ignorance ofPsal. 14 2. 3. … Thess. 4. 13. God, so far as He hath obscured himself from us, is no sin, Prov. 30. 1, 2. Rom. 11. 34. Ignorance of the secrets of God is a holy ignorance, Deut. 29. 29. We must know all that we need, and all that we may, but must not presume above that which isRom. 12. 3. 2▪ Cor. 12. 4. meet to understand. That ignorance of God, so far as he hath most clearly and carefully revealed himself in his Works and Word, is that which is here condemned. This ignorance is privative or corruptive: both sinful in nature, though not equal in guilt or danger. Privative ignorance is the simple want of that knowledge of God and Christ that should be had: Corruptive is joyned with a perverse disposition, whereby the minde is not onelyonly blinded, but become grossely carelesse of the knowledge of God and godlinesse, if not perverted with false and sinfull opinions.
3. Curiosity, when men busie themselves in prying into the secrets of Gods nature and works, or turn their search after him into meer disputes and idle speculations. This perverse desire of knowing the truth is a disease that hath endangeredDeut. 29. 29. Act. 1. 7. Luk. 13. 24. many. Our first Parents were bewitched with a desire of more knowledge then the Lord knew to be good for them, and so attempting to do what was forbidden, they fell from that good estate in which they were created. The Lord hath fully manifested himself in the face of Jesus Christ, so far as it is needfull or profitable for us to know him: and it is our duty to contain our selves within the bounds andJohn 21. 22. limits prescribed of the Lord.
4. Errour or heresie concerning God and Christ, as when we conceive amisse1 John 2. 22. & 5 10. Gal. 5. 20. Col. 2. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 4, 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. of the Properties of God, his Covenant, the unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons; the Person and Office of Christ. Heresie is Idolatry, for it transformeth the Majesty of God, the Person or Office of Christ: Every lie of God is a kinde of Idolatry, but heresie ascribeth unto God devised Properties, turneth his glorious Essence into a lie.
5. Want of acknowledgement, when God is known in a sort, but not with affectionIsa. 1. 3. Jer. 2. 8. & 8. 7. 1 Sam. 2. 12. 2 Pet. 3. 5 Psal. 28. 5. Ps. 106. 7. Deu. 29. 4. Isa. 5. 13. Psal. 92. 6. and effect, as he ought to be, and that either for substance or degree. The sons of Eli were sons of Belial, they knew not the Lord; we cannot think them to be utterly destitute of all knowledge of God: but they did not acknowledge his power, love and Soveraignty as they professed. It is noted as the sinne of Israel, that they understood not the wonders of the Lord, that is, they did not wisely consider or acknowledge them.
6. Disesteem or contempt of God in Christ, when his favour is not esteemedIsa. 53. 3. & 5. 12. Mat. 22. 5. Heb. 2. 3. Luk. 14. 18. Heb. 12. 25. or not according to the worth and excellency. Contempt of God is discovered by contempt of his Word, Luk. 16. 16. & 10. 16. Iob 21. 14. & 22. 17. Psal. 50. 17. Prov. 1. 25. If we regard not instruction, cast behinde our backs, despise his threatnings, neglect his promises.
7. Incredulity, when the heart is dis-joyned from God by unbelief▪ Of thisJam. 1. 8. John 20. 27. Luk. 24. 25. Mark 9. 24. there be divers degrees. The first is, doubting through weaknesse, a disease which the weak Christian laments and would fain have amended in himself. The second, when explicitely and in act those things be not firmly, distinctly manifested. The third is flat infidelity with misbelief, when the corrupt minde of man denying to yeeld assent to the truth of God, doth foster false or presumptuous conceits of Gods Majesty contrary to that he hath revealed.
8. Distrust, wavering or shaking out of fear of not obtaining what the LordZeph. 3. 2. hath promised, whether it concern this life or the life to come, and that either for want of the things themselves, or of the causes which we judge necessary for the obtaining of what is promised.
9. Desperation of Gods Power, Mercy or both.Gen. 4. 13. 1 Thess. 4. 13. Isa. 28. 15, 17. Mat. 24. 37. Ps. 30. 6. Num. 30 31. Isa. 32. 9. 11.
10. Presumption and carnal security, when men rashly hope that they shall obtain their desire of God, but not according to his promise.
11. Defect or want of love, whether in respect of quantity, quality, act or continuance, 1 Cor. 16. 22.
12. Want of fear or reverence, when men live without reverence, care or fear of God and his judgements against sinne, whether for substance orDeut. 17. 13. & 13. 11. Jer. 5. 22. Zech. 1. 11. Deut. 28. 58, 59. Eccles. 8. 13. degree.
13. Pride, being a lifting up of our selves above and against God, overvaluingSuperbia est perversae celfitisdinis appetitus. Isa. 2. 11, 12. & 9. 8, 9. Eze. 2. 10 Ex. 5. 21. & 14 11. & 17. 2, 3. Job 33. 13. our selves, and undervaluing him, 1 Timothy. 3. 2. Psalme 101. 5. Isaiah 16. 6.
14. Impatience, when we will not rest in the will of God nor expect his aid, and the accomplishment of his promises, but mislike the Lords doings, grudge under his crosses, blame his government, and faint under the burden.
15. Carnall Joy, when men take more pleasure in sinne, wealth, friends,1 Cor. 3. 2. Amos 6▪ 3, 4, 5. Ho…. 9. 1. Isa. 22. 13. John 16. 20. lands, wife, children, wit, and such like, then in the favour of God, or at least joy so in these things, as that their joy is in whole or part with-drawn from God.
16. Lukewarmnesse, when men receive and professe the truth, but want the heat of love and zeal, Revel. 3. 15.
17. Sensuality, when men eagerly pursue their contentment in earthly things, but regard not the love or favour of God, or at least are willing to be strangers from him for ever, so they may enjoy the desires of their souls here below.
18. Loosenesse, when the minde is carried from God, and doth range abroad in idle thoughts, or abundantly pursue, and follow thoughts of earthly and transitory things.
19. Forgetfulnesse, when men put God out of minde and carelesly cast awayDeut. 6. 12. & 8. 11. & 32. 18. 2 King. 17. 38. Psal. 144. 53. Isa. 62. 7. all remembrance of him, when it should do us good, or we should give him glory.
20. Neglect of prayer, he robs God of his glory that runs not unto him in all necessities by hearty supplication.
21. Invocation of false gods, Wood, Stone, or Saints departed. Herein thePsal. 42. 20, 21. Ezek. 18. 12, 13. Papists teach the breach of this Commandment, in that they perswade and commend the Invocation of Saints departed, as Intercessours to God by their prayersThey call the Virgin Mary, the mother of mercy and compassion, the hope of our salvation. They pray unto the Crosse, O Crux, ave spes unica, hoc passionis tempore, A…ge piis justitiam, Reisque dona veniam. and merits. And not only so, but they pray to them that are no Saints, but rather hypocrites, to them that never were, and to the crosse, saying to the dumb stock, Arise, it shall teach me.
22. Dulnesse or hardnesse of heart, when the soul is so stupid and senslesse, fastMark 16. 14. & 10. 5. Mat. 19. 8. Job 17. 7. Mark 3. 5. locked up, that the mercies of God, and his sweet promises do little or nothing effect. It is a spiritual sottishnesse or distemper, that neither the word nor works of God c…n kindly work upon us.
23. Unthankfulnesse, when men devour the blessings of God, and return noRom. 1. 21. praise unto him for them.
24. Idolatrous swearing by Idols or false gods, by the Saints departed or anyExod. 23. 13. Jer. 5. 7. Zeph. 1. 5. Deut. 6. 13 meer creature.
25. Divine Adoration of that which is no god. The Papists adore, 1. The Pope, to whom they attribute divine honour. 2. Images, with the same adoration with the samplar, appointing only a respective difference, viz. that the principal is worshipped simply and for it self; but the Image in regard of the similitude and reference to the principal. 3. The Bread and Cup of the Eucharist. 4. The Saints departed.Zeph. 1. 6. Amos 4. 10. Ier. 4. 1. Dan. 9. 13. 2 Chr. 16. 12. Deut. 12. 30. & 11. 16
26. Neglect to seek God, or return unto him when we have gone astray, or be warned by his Prophets or corrections. And enquiring after or seeking unto strange gods.