A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 15
CHAP. 15.
Of the first Commandement.
The 1. Commandement is of the inward worſhip of God, in the
Vnderſtanding,
Knowledge.
Faith.
Wil and affection, aboue all to
LoueLove him.
Feare him.
Reuerence him.
EXOD. 20. 3. Thou ſhalt hauehave no other Gods before mee.
Q. WHat is the firſt Commandement?
A. Thou ſhalt hauehave no other gods before mee.
Q. What is the dutie required in this Commandement?
A. The inward worſhip of God: as appeareth by the words before me, that is that whereof I alone take notice. Where wee muſt take heede wee imagine no likeneſſe of God, thereby ſetting vp an Idoll in our hearts; which wee ſhall doe, if wee liken him to any thing whatſoeuer, ſubiect to the ſenſe or imagination of man.
Q. Wherein conſiſteth the inward worſhip of God?
A. In two things, (according to the inward man): firſt, in the vnderſtanding: 2. In the will and affections.
Q. VVhat is required in the Vnderstanding?
A. The knowledge of God, and of his Attributes, 1. Chron. 28. 9.properties, and actions, ſo farre forth as he hath reuealed himſelfe in his word and workes. Secondly, Faith, John 17. 3.both in beleeuing the things that are written of him, and applying to our ſelues his promiſes.
Q. VVhat is contrary to this?
A. Confidence and truſt in our ſelues, or in our Ierem. 17. 5. Pſal. 62. 10.friends, honour, wiſedome, money, learning, or credit, &c. which are but meanes giuen vsus of God, whereby to glorifie him the better.
Q. What is our duty to him, in regard of theſe, and all other good meanes?
A. Firſt, to truſt in God, no leſſe when wee hauehave them, then when we want them. Secondly, by hope, Iohn 13. 15.patiently to attend for al things that we need, at Gods hands: not onelyonly when we hauehave the meanes, but alſo when we want all apparant meanes; as was the condition of the Iſraelites in the deſert: yea, when the meanes ſhall ſeeme contrary, as it was in the caſe of the Pſalm. 37. 7. & 22. 4. 5. Dan. 3. 17. 18.three companions of Daniel, & of Daniel himſelfe; and as Iob profeſt he would do, ſaying, I will trust in God although Iob. 13. 15.he kill me. Thirdly, by humility, to caſt our ſelues downe before God, acknowledging our inſufficiency in our ſelues; and therewith alſo to ſeaſon all our behauiour, both towards God, and man. Contrary whereunto is preſumption, whereby wee vſe to glorie and boaſt of our ſelues, and our owne ſtrength and goodneſſe.
Q. VVhat is required in the will and affections?
A. In the will and affections is required, firſt to louelove Deut. 6. 5.God; that as wee know and beleeue that hee is good, yea the chiefeſt good; ſo wee louelove him aboue all: John 14. 15. 21. 23. Pſal. 119. 97.which louelove (for that we cannot louelove God in himſelf) is then in truth in vsus, when wee louelove his word and Commandements.
Q. What is contrary to this louelove of God?
A. Such a louelove of our ſelues, and of worldly 1. John 2. 15. Exod. 32. 32. Rom. 9. 3.pleaſures, as cauſeth vsus to leaue thoſe duties vndone, which God requireth of vsus: whereas the true louelove of God will moue vsus, with Moſes, and Paul, to wiſh our ſelues accurſed, rather then that the glory of God ſhould any thing at all be ſtained by vsus.
Q. What further is required?
A. To feare him aboue all others, becauſe hee (aboue Matth. 10. 28. 1. Pet. 3. 6.all others) is moſt powerfull and iuſt.. And this feare is then in vsus, when it is ſtronger to moue vsus to good, then the feare of men, to moue vsus to euill. Secondly, when we doe not the good wee doe, onelyonly, or principally for feare of danger from men, but for feare of God.
Q. What is yet further required in the inward worſhip?
A. The reuerénce of the Maieſty of God, in regard wherof we ſhould carry ſuch a holy ſhamefacednes in all our actions, that no vnſeemly behauiour proceed from vsus, that may any waies bee offenſiue to him; of which, if men be ſo carefull in the preſence of Princes, who are but mortall men: how much more carefull ought we to be therof, in the preſence of the Almighty and moſt glorious God? Which holy Reuerence of God, was ſpecially prefigured in the Ceremoniall Deut. 23. 12.—14.Law, where it was required, that whē men would eaſe themſelues (according to the courſe of nature), they ſhould goe without the Hoſt, and carrie a paddle with them, to couer their feet, becauſe (ſaith the Lord), I am in the middest of you: whereby the filthineſſe, and impurity of the mind was forbidden, more then of the body, and the equity hereof reacheth alſo vntounto vsus.
Q. VVhat is contrary to this reuerence of the Maiesty of God?
A. Irreuerence, or prophaneſſe, when men regard not how baſely, and vilely, and vnſeemely they behaue themſelues before God.
And thus much of the Inward Worſhip of God: the Outward Worſhip of God followeth. Of which more generally in the Second Commandement; more particularly in the third and fourth.