The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 94
MEDITAT. XCIV. Of Idolatry.
THat the Servants of the God of this World are worldly men, will not be doubted by any; but, poſſibly, it will be doubted who are his Servants. All wicked men that love … work the Works of darkneſs and unclean…cſs, … …ndeed his Servants: but they are in Scripture alſo call'd his Children, therefore I ſhall refer that general conſideration of them to that Head. More eſpecially, Idolatry is the ſervice of the Devil, and Idolaters are his Servants.
It is moſt generally ſuppoſed, that the Apoſtaſie and Ruine of the Devils, was their aſpiring to be as God: And the higheſt pitch of Pride is deſcribed by this; This was the Satanical ſuggeſtion that prevail'd with Eve to eat the forbidden Fruit, Ye ſhall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.
Though the Devil miſt of it then, and miſcarry'd fouly in his attempt; yet ſuch is the pride of his Nature, and his Envy and Malignity againſt God, that ſtill it is his deſire to be taken for a God.
He has prevail'd with many, ſo to be eſteemed and worſhip'd; if not for Love, yet for Fear: as they report of the Indians that worſhip him, Ne noceat, leſt he ſhould do them a miſchief.
He has put off himſelf to ſome as a great Benefactor to Mankind, and ſo has obtain'd a reverential Worſhip. The Devil at Delphos had obtain'd ſo much Reputation, as that the People generally conſulted him about future Contingencies, which is a Divine Honour and Sacrifice to him there and elſewhere.
It was the Pride of the Devil that ſuggeſted to the Philoſophers a twofold eternal Principle, Boni & Mali, to make himſelf an Anti-Deity, rather to be the God of Miſchief, than no God at all.
And from the ſame proud Nature it was, that he directed all the ancient Heathens to feign a God of Hell, as well as of Heaven; a Pluto, as well as a Jupiter.
Whether it was his Pride or Malice that put him upon tempting Chriſt, to fall down and worſhip him, I cannot tell; but certainly he muſt needs have an high opinion of himſelf, that durſt make ſuch a bold motion to the Son of God. Yea, … him to be ſuch a Fool, as not to know him to be the Son of God; it muſt needs argue a proud conceit of himſelf, to ſuggeſt ſuch a thing to any Son of man that was in his right wits.
It muſt be confeſt, this is the groſſeſt ſort of Idolatry; and, poſſibly, ſome will deny that it is poſible that any ſhould be ſo groſs as to commit it: But the Apoſtle puts it out of doubt, ſaying, The things that the Gentiles ſacrifice, they ſacrifice to Devil…, not to God.
There are indeed other ſorts of Idolatry more common, when men worſhip the Sun and Moon for Gods; or intentionally, and yet remotely, worſhip the true God, by the medium of Images made with hands. To think theſe Images are Gods, is exceeding groſs: And yet it ſhould ſeem by the Prophet Iſaiah, as if ſome were ſo groſs as to eſteem them ſo. But ſuppoſe they only fanſie that theſe Images are only inhabited by ſome ſpecial preſence of the Deity, ſtill it is Idolatry, and an interpretative worſhiping of the Devil; for it is a ſervice that God has forbidden, and the Devil invented.
Nay, ſuppoſe theſe Images to be only Monitory, and to be of no further uſe, than to put in mind of God, or to excite Devotion; yet how can it eſcape the Brand of Idolatrous Will-worſhip? For who has required this at mens hands? Yea, who knoweth not, That God hath flatly forbidden the worſhiping of him by the likeneſs of any thing in Heaven or Earth, or under the Earth?
This, I ſuppoſe, was the Caſe of the Golden Calves, which no one ever imagin'd to reſemble the Deity, nor to be inſpired or inhabited by them; only they ſerved to put in mind of God, and excite Devotion: And yet this Mcſcholatrye was curſed and abhorred of God; and ſo were all thoſe that were addicted to it.
And art thou ſo groſs, O my Soul, and ſo ſunk into matter, that thou canst not ſee God, except thou look out at the eyes of the Body! Canst thou not direct thy Devotions to the inviſible God, except thou fix thy corporeal ſight upon matter? Be aſham'd, O Noble Spirit, of the imputation of ſuch groſsneſs and weakneſs, and be afraid of ſuch boldneſs; lest the jealous God ſhould interpret that damnable Idolatry, which poſſibly thou art not convinc'd of, but yet hast a ſuſpicion of, and at best hast no need of. Canſt thou not as well worſhip and pray to the inviſible God, without the help of a monitory Image, as love and delight in thy abſent Friend, without the aſſiſtance of his Picture, or a Preſent? How doſt thou think to ſee and ſerve God ſhortly, when thy bodily eyes ſhall be full of duſt, and all corporeal Organs ſo utterly out of Tune, that thou ſhalt not be able to make uſe of any of them? Do that now, which thou muſt do then.
And if there be any need of any Monitor, of any viſible help to Devotion, (inaſmuch as in this complex ſtate, I find my Soul to be much aſſiſted by my Senſes, or at leaſt, that it does deſire and depend upon their help and direction) Lord, from what Object ſhould I rather look for Direction and Admonition, than from thoſe that do moſt clearly repreſent thy infinite Power and Wiſdom! The things that thou haſt made do more clearly demonſtrate the inviſible things of thee, even thy Eternal Power and Godhead, than all makements of mortal men can do. Shall I, that have the Heavens above me, the Seas round about me, and the Earth under my Feet, need any humane Figment, to repreſent thee to me, or me, admoniſh me of thy Divine Perfections?
If I muſt have have an Image, Is not this glorious, beautiful World a more excellent, a more lively one, than any thing that man can make of Gold, that is one of the meaneſt things in it? That very light, yea, if it be but the light of a Candle, whereby I may ſee my monitory Image, has more in it to admoniſh me of my God, and direct me to him, than the Image that I ſee by it.
Lord, Help me devoutly and ſeriouſly to obſerve and contemplate the operation of thy hands; to regard the footſteps of thy Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs in the whole Creation; to riſe up by every thing that I ſee, and hear, and taſte, to the meditation and love of thy Name; and by all theſe, to excite my ſelf to a dependance upon thy Power and Goodneſs! And then, I ſhall find no need of Admonition, Direction, or Excitation from any workmanſhip of man; the fineſt of which, is not nigh ſo regardable or worſhipful, as the skill of the Mechaniſt that made it.