A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 157 (Question 47)
SERMON CLVII.
QUESTION XLVII.
WHAT is Forbidden in the Firſt … Commandment?
ANSWER.
WE Firſt Commandment Forbiddeth …aying, or not worſhipping and glo… the true God, as God, and our … or giving that Worſhip and Glory … other, which is due to him alone.
THE right ſlating of a Truth, is the way … to have the beſt diſcovery of Falſehood. … we are well informed what is Duty, … therein a good Rule, by which to …e what is Sin. Having therefore ob… …at is required in the Firſt Command, … …ut confider what is contrary to this, … conclude it to be Sin. However, … a Chriſtians whole Life is concerned … Law, the Holy Scriptures which are … Directory, are accommodated …to our … as well as Direction, by telling us … Duty, and that is Šin, and our ſpiritual … …ands in need of it. This Method is … purſued in our Catechiſm, which I … …eavour to follow: Though having … Precept, the Prohibition may be …ly laid open.
Have been formerly put in mind, that … two ways in which Men may ſin … every Command of God, either by … or Commiſſion; either by neglecting to … …ing required, or by doing that which … …en. And the reaſon of this is, be… every Precept, there is either expreſt, or neceſſarily implied, ſomething Poſ…ive and ſomething Negative. We have heard what are the Doties required in the Firſt Command, it now follows that we obſerve how it may be …iclated, either by Neglect or Tranſgreſſion. Now the Sins mentioned in this Anſwer, are to be reduced to three Heads, as they ſtand in Oppoſition to the three Duties, in which the former was ſummed up. Accordingly, all the Breaches of this Command may be conſidered, as they refer to one of theſe three Heads, viz. Atheiſm Contempt, and Idolatry. And we may take a ſhort account, of the more remarkable things that belong to either of theſe
I. ATHEISM; which is expreſſed by the denying of God: And this is oppoſed to our knowing and acknowledging of God, which is the Duty of all Men, and he that doth not thus know and acknowledge him, doth interpretatively or conſequentially deny him. Now there are diverſe ſorts and degrees of this Atheiſm, and the things wherein it is expreſſed are almoſt uncountable; and there are ſome remains of it, in the beſt of God's People in this Life, by reaſon of remaining Original Sin in them. The firſt general Diſtribution of Atheiſm is into that which is Profeſſed, and that which is Practical, and we have the ground for this in, Tit. 1.16. They profeſs that they know God, but in works they deny him.
1. AS to profeſſed Atheiſm, it may come under a double Conſideration, viz. either when Men do in terms deny the Being of a God, or when they maintain ſuch Principles as neceſſarily infer ſuch a Denial. And here,
(1) WHETHER there be any thorough profeſſ Atheiſt in the World, who doth abſolutely deny the Being of a God, is queſtioned by many, and may ſo be with a great deal of Reaſon: and if there have any ſuch been, who were ſo left to a reprobate ſenſe, they have juſtly been accounted Prodigies. And indeed, there are ſo many Demonſtrations of a Deity, in the very light of Nature, and legibly written in the Works of Creation and Providence, and ſo accommodated to the Conviction of a natural Conſcience, that Men muſt wilfully ſhut their Eyes, nay be judicially blinded, if they do not reſign themſelves up to the evidences of it; as hath formerly been diſcovered. Hence the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 1.19, 20. Becauſe that which may be known of God, is manifeſt in them, for God hath ſhewed it unto them. For the inviſible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. And the Philoſopher could obſerve, that there is no Nation ſo barbarous or brutiſh, but which have the notices or diſcoveties of a Deity among them: The Impreſſions whereof enforce them to profeſs and practice ſome ſort of Divine Worſhip.
(2.) THAT there are too many that maintain ſuch Principles, as carry in them Atheiſtical Inferences or Concluſions, is too notorious to be denied, and may therefore be here enquired after.
2. PRACTICAL Atheiſm is when Men live as if they did not believe that there is a God. And this Carriage of theirs hath a convincing Language in it, and thoſe that obſerve it may ſafely conclude upon it, as Pſal. 36.1 The tranſgreſſion of the wicked ſaith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before their eyes. And let it be obſerved, that to this practical Atheiſm I refer, not only what Men Do, which contradicts any point of Natural Worſhip, but al;ſo what they Neglect to do according to the directions of it. But becauſe the moſt of theſe things will fall under the Second Head propoſed, I ſhall here only obſerve the Things wherein the Atheiſm it ſelf here forbidden, is to be diſcovered; viz.
(1.) IGNORANCE of God. This belongs to the Character of an Atheiſt, Pſal. 14.2. It is true the Infinite Perfections of the Divine Nature are incomprehenſible by a Creature. Hence that, Job 11.7, &c. Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? cauſt thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? There is therefore an Ignorance which is not a Sin, but only argues the finite Capacity of a created being. For it is ſaid of God, 1 Tim. 6.16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man bath ſeen, nor can ſee. But then there was a concreated Knowledge of God, beſtowed on Man at firſt, by vertue of the Divine Image imprinted on his mind, which he loſt by the Fall, and therewith contracted a ſinful Ignorance, the remains whereof are in the beſt of Men here. Whence his Complaint of himſelf, Prov. 30.2, 3. Sorely I am more brutiſh then any man and have not the underſtanding of a man. I have neither learned wiſdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. But this wofully prevails in … generate Men, who, as they know him … neither do they ſeek to know him, but con… themſelves in their ignorance of him, Jo… …. 17. Which ſaid unto God, Depart from us? And this renders them altogether incapable, of paying him that Natural Worſhip which … his due.
(2.) THE denying to God of his Divine … ſection. God hath made himſelf known … the Creature in his back Parts, i. e. by … diſplay of his Attributes, which are to be … in his Word and Works. Now theſe … butes of his are, in him, his own able … Being, tho' our manner of Conception … tains them diſtinctly; ſo that to da… … one of theſe unto him, is to attempt the … bing him of his Deity. To confeſs a God … yet to queſtion or diſ-believe his Infinite … ternity, Omniſcience, Omnipreſence, &c. … contradiction unto ſuch an Acknowledge … for theſe Perfections are inſeparable from … Being. They therefore were guilty of … Pſal. 94.7. Yet they ſay, the Lord ſhall … neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it. … they with whom he ſo expoſtulates, Jo…, … 23. Am I a God at bend, ſaith the Lord, and … a God after off? And they, Pſal. 78.19. … the… ſpake againſt God; they ſaid, Can God … niſh a table in the wilderneſs?
(3.) SUCH as call in queſtion his Pro… Epicureiſm is Atheiſm. To acknowledge … God, but to deny him to be any w… … cerned in the Management of the A… the Creation, an idle God, who looks … nothing, but letteth every thing go as … while he takes his eaſe and pleaſure … Heavens; a God that is neither H… … Just, neither Rewards Righteouſneſs, … Puniſheth Sin, is Atheiſm in a prodigi… … gree, and contradicts all the true reſe… … of a Diety. The very Heathen acco… … thoſe for Atheiſts, who diſcharged God … the care of the World, as a thing to… … for him, and about which he would … cern himſelf. Such were they, Ex… … Pſal. 10.11.
(4.) SUCH as diſown the Divine S… … How far the Light of Nature did at … quaint Men, with the Doctrine of a … of Perſons, in the Unity of Eſſence, is … for us to determine; but that God, … his Word revealed this Truth to fall … is certain; and for one that profe… … revealed Religion, yet to confeſs one … deny that this One God, is Father, Son … …it, every one of them true God, and … One & the ſame God, is to incur the … Atheiſm. And therefore to deny the … ry of the Son and Spirit; and ſo make, … a Created God, and the other a meer … a branch of this Sin. Nor can Men … God aright, except they pay their W… to each of theſe perſons as God. Hence … Joh. 5.23. That all m…n ſhould honour the … as they honour the Father. He that honou… not the Son, honoureth not the Father which … for him. Deiſm therefore, which removes … from Religion, naturally iſſues ….
… SUCH as Atti…te to God, things in… with his being and Profeſſion. For … to ſay, that they before there is a …, and withal to fancy him to be ſuch, as … make him as bad as the vileſt to Crea… is horrible Atheiſm. For Sinners to … an idea of God, after their own ima…, and ſuitable to their mind is to make … God. Such were they, Pſal. 50.21. … …g b…eſt that I was altogether ſuch an one …ſelf. When Men think that he ap… of 5th, and likes all that they like, … in effect deny him to be God. Now … Atheiſm is directly forbidden us in … Command, as that which is directly … to Natural Worſhip.
… …NTEMPT. This is expreſſ in not …ping and Glorifying him as God, and …. This we obſerved contains in it …tance of Natural Worſhip: The neg… …refore of it muſt needs be a deſpiſing …; which is directly contrary to that … of him, which this Procept re…. Sinners are therefore charged with … of God. which is the fruit and dis… of Atheiſm in them. And there are … things here alſo, which are the Effects … Sin, as flowing from Contempt, viz.
… WHEN Men neglect the Duties of Natural … that God requires of them. And the … conſideration of his being God, carries … with it of theſe Duties: What …ties are, hath been formerly taken … and how the Light of Nature, offers … of their being Duties. Now vo… or careleſly to neglect theſe Duties, …piſe the Authority of God, and the … Conſcience ſpeaking to us in his …: and in nothing more is this diſcover… in a living in the neglect of Prayer …. There is no Duty of Worſhip which … Conſcience, doth more fully con… of, than this. And for Men, who …knowledge their whole dependance to … God, to omit ſeeking to him, and … their requeſts before him, for … of which they ſtand in need, it … they deſpiſe him. Hence that, … 15. What is the Almighty, that we ſhould …? and what profit ſhould we have if … unto him. On this account natural … awfully threatned for their neglect … talling on his Name, Jer. 10.25.
… WHEN Men Renounce their Dependance … for all Good. This alſo is to deſpiſe … he is glorifyed by our accounting … All, ſo he is contemned when we … reliance any where elſe, and not on …. And there are many ways in which … is practiſed. Partly, by the fore… Neglect of Praying to God. For therein …ſy, that we think we can do well e… without him, which derogates from his …ory. Partly, when Men rely upon other things for good, and not upon God. We read of ſuch, Pſal. 20.7. Some truſt in chari…s, and ſome in herſes. Theſe contemn God, when they truſt to their own Wiſdom and Induſtry, and do not refer themſelves to the …uprea…s Government of God, when they go to Second Cauſes, and not to the Firſt; when they pay their Acknowledgment; of what they have Succeſs in not to God, but to themſelves of other Creatures, Hab. 1.16. They who can place their re…tance, any where elſe but on God, for any thing; or whoſe returns for Good received, reach no higher than Second Cauſes, do therein deſpiſe God, Iſai. 22.10, 11.
3. WHEN Men put the Fear of God away from them. There is a reverential Pent, which all owe to God, and without the exertiſe of it, they cannot Worſhip him aright, nor yet maintain a due reſpect of him, in them. It is the demand, Jer. 10.7. Who could not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain. Here alſo there are diverſe ways, in which this irreverence and want of fear is manifeſted: When Men are not awed; with the due conſideration of his glorious Majeſty, ſo as to acknowledge the infinite diſtance there is between him and them, and thereupon to carry it with all ſubmiſſiveneſs to him; when his Authority is not ſufficient Obligation upon their Coſciences, to eng… them to conſtant Obedience to him, and reſolutely to withſtand all Temptarlo… that are offered to us, to draw us from out Duty: When Men dare to break his Laws, & …tanſgreſs his Commands, and are uncon…rn…d about his holy diſpleaſere, but can boldly run the adventure of it, as if they did not expect it, or not regard it: When after they have finned, they lie quietly under the guile of it, and do not make it their buſineſs to ſeek to be reconciled again. All theſe, and whatſoever elſe is not this Nature, flow from Mens undervaluing thoughts of God, Pſal. 36.1.
WHEN Men do not Love God above …il…. That there is a love of other things, not only lawful, but a Duty, is certain; but in nothing do we more glorify God, than in placing our beſt Love upon him, and ſo ſubordinating our Love of every thing elſe hereto, as to hate them comparatively with our loving of him, as, Luk. 14.26. When therefore other things, are not only loved equally with God, but are advanced above him in our Affections, and have more of our Hearts than he hath, we do therein really diſ…iſe him. This was their Sin. Rom. 1.25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worſhipped and ſerved the creature more than the Creator, who is bleſſed for ever. Amen. When Men can adventure to diſpleaſe God to gratify Men; when the Command of God, hath not that influence upon us, which the Authority of a Man hath, and we can do more for him, than for God, it proves that we do not love him as God. In a word, when they can take more content in any thing elſe than in him, he is diſpiſed.
5. WHEN Man nouriſh in themſelves deſ…air of God's Mercy, and dare not place their whole … and reliance upon him. When Man ſit under the Goſpel diſcoveries of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, and yet, under Convictions of Sin, put away Hope and refuſe to receive the Encouragements, given to Sinners to come to him, for Peace and Pardon; and reſolve as they, Ezek. 37.11. …hold, they ſoy. Our bones are dried, & our … loſt, we are cut off for our parts. They caſt the greateſt Contempt upon him. God is then glorifyed by Men, when they hope in his Grace. When they believe the reparts that are made of it to them in his Word, they therein glorify him. Whereas deſpair is a fruit of the moſt horrible Pride, and Men by it, to reject the whole Woſpel of Salvation. God hath ſaid, in Iſal. 1.1…. Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord: though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſ…; though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool. And Chap. 55.7. Let the wiched forſake his …, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and …thim return unto the Lord, and be will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for be will …bu…de…tly pardon. But they ſay there is no ſuch thing; and what is this but to undervalue him, and make him a liar.
6. WHEN Men Fret and Repine at the Providences of God. He is then honoured by us, when we adore him in all his Diſpenſations of himſelf to us: When we can cordially profeſs, as Pſal. 145.17. The Lord is righteous an all his ways, and holy in all his works. And can ſay under the darkeſt, and moſt diſtreſſing of them, as Pſal. 22.3. But then art holy, O then that inhabiteſt the praiſes of Iſrael. Whereas, when what he doth, diſpleaſeth us, and we endeavour to pick holes in what he doth, and if he do not do in all things as we would have him, we charge him with wrong, injuſtice, unkindneſs, unfaithfulneſs, or imprudence, we herein caſt reproach upon his Name. This was fault and folly of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 73.13. Verily, I have cleanſed my heart in vain. And he taxeth himſelf ſeverely for it, ver. 22. So fooliſh was I and ignorant: I was as a beaſt before thee. There are ſome that find fault with the whole courſe of Providence, and think they could govern the World themſelves, better than God doth. And this is an Atheiſtical reflection of diſhonour upon him . Yea, all fretting of this Nature, is for that reaſon univerſally forbidden, Pſal. 37.8. Ceaſe from anger, and forſake wrath: fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to do evil.
7. WHEN Men Neglect the ſettling & ſecuring of an Intereſt in God as their God. There is no Worſhipping of him aright, under any other Conſideration. Now all Men by Nature are ſtrangers to God, they cannot challenge him as theirs; they are far from him. But God hath in the New Covenant, diſcovered a way, in which Men may come thus to be related to him, and makes offers of it to them in the Goſpel Invitation: But Sinners that live under the Goſpel, and are … about this Affair, to not regard it, … live concent in their Natural ſtate, … not to be reconciled to God, they … accept of …vation offered, are Prej… … the Terms of the Covenant, will are … with their Luſts, for a part in Chriſt, … are guilty of prodigious. Comtempt, … This is charged on them, Pſal. 81.10. … all theſe ways Men live in the bread … Command, and with-hold from God … which is his due.
III. IDOLATRY. This is … words; giving that Worſhip and Glory … other God, which is due to Him wh…. … not to be underſtood, as if there were … any other God, but it intends an … to any, or a reſpect that is ſhewn … cannot be paid but to him whom … to be their God. Now there are … Idolatry which are prohibited by this … Groſs, and Covert.
1. THERE is a more Groſs Idolatry, … Conſiſts in an open profeſſion … Worſhipping any other Object as God … the true God, by aſcribing that to them … is proper only to the Deity: And … ſeveral Things here to be … Idolatry, viz.
(1.) POLITHEISM. He that Worſhip … Gods than one, is an Idolater, and the … is ma…feſt, becauſe whatſoever … Worſhip paid to it, and is not the … is an Idol. Whereas it is certain … is, that there can be, but One God. … a multiplicity of Gods, neceſſarily … this Sin. If a Man have many God … one muſt neceſſarily be Idols. and … one difference between Pagan, and … ſhippers, 1 Cor. 8.4, 5, 6. Hence that … 8. I am the Lord, that is my Name, and … will I not give to another, neither my … graven images.
(2.) HETEROTHEISM A Man … tend to Worſhip but one God, and … Idolater. For it the God whom be … Service to, be not the true God, it … And that not only when it is an … with Men's hands, or ſome Creature … as the Sun, &c. but when Men hate … falſe Idea of God, in their imagination … Worſhip it: both theſe Sins the … were guilty of, they had their Pan … Jupiter, Saturn, and an innumerable … and none of them the true, except … where they ignorantly devoted an Altas …. 17.23. And of the Idolatrous Jew it is ſaid, …. 1.21. According to the number of thy cities art … O Judah.
(3.) SAMARITANISM. Which … wh… Men will join other fictitious Gods … true God. They pretend to be for, … God, but will join falſe God's … This is uſually called Samori…iſ… … it was notoriouſly practiſed in Som… … the Captivity. See 2 Kin. 17.41. Th… … been before that practiſed in Iſrael. … …'s idolatry, who maintained Temple…ſhip, but it is faid, in 1 Kin. 11.5. For … went after Aſht…roth the goddeſs of the …, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And afterwards in the … of Joſiah, Zeph: 1.5.
(4.) PAPISM. So call'd becauſe it is wo…y practiſed under the Papacy. And it is … Men pay any part of that Worſhip to Creature, which is due to God alone. And … is moſt notorious in their Prayers to An… and Saints departed, for help; and the … of all is their Prayers to the Virgin … to whom they aſcribe more Power than … Chriſt himſelf; and place more reliance … than him. And to this may be added, …iſm, in which we are told that Chriſt … Creature, and yet that Divine Wor… to be paid unto him.
(5.) WITCHCRAFT. It is certain that all … Worſhip Objective, is by God accounted … Worſhip, Deut. 32.17. They ſacrificed … devils, not to God. 2 Chron. 11.15. And … him Prieſts for the high placer, and … devils, and for the calves which he had …. And when Men go to the Devil for … & Help; when they make explicit … with him; or when they ſeek to … tellers, or Conjurers, to tell them … ſhall befall them; as Saul did, 1 Sam. … to diſcover to them things Loſt or …: They herein commit groſs idolatry, … juſtly chargeable with it.
2. THERE is a more Covert idolatry: Which …, yet God ſees it, and will charge …, whatſoever open pretences they … of the true Religion. And it hath …things,
(1.) WHEN Men, in baſe flattery, give thoſe … to Men that are due only to God. This … Adulation, hath been too much practi…ong pretended Chriſtians. Thus when Communicable Attributes of God are af… to Men; as he who made his Dedication his Prince, under the ſtile of, Your …: Or, when the Communicable Attributes attributed in the Abſtract, which … only to God, and cannot without Ido… given to any ſecond Reing, but in the …: as not be content to ſay, ſuch … is wiſe, but Wiſdom itſelf, &c. Hence … 32.21, 22. Let me not, I pray you, accept any mans perſon, neither let …e give ſtoitering title, unto man, For I know not to give ſta…ering titles, in ſo doing my maker would ſoon take me away.
(2.) WHEN Men ſeek their own bono… word than God's Honour. They will exalt themſelves, tho it be to the reproach of him. They care not what becomes of his Name, ſo they may but have a Name. This was Herrd's Sin for which God ſmore him; who would be a God, and was ſoon convinced, that he was a Mortal, Act. 12.22, 23.
(3.) WHEN Men put their traſt in any Creature. That which a Man leans his re…lance ultimately upon, is his God. And if it be a Creature, it is an Idol. Some Men truſt in their Eſtates, Pſal. 99.6. And we read, Prov. 10.15. The rich mant wealth is bis ſtrong ci…. Theſe are their God. Some Men truſt in Men and all their confidence is in their favour; by which they make Idols of them, Pſal. 146.3.
(4.) WHEN Men are carried with an overeager, and inſatiable p…rſuit after the things of this World Such as thoſe make Mammon their God. And for this reaſon, Coveteouſneſs is more than once branded with the title of Idolatry in the Goſpel, Col. 3.9. Epb. 5.5.
(5.) WHEN Men give themſelves up to Car…al Pleaſures. When they devote themſelves to the things of this Life, and count it their only Felicity, to Ear, Drink, and make Merry. And hence ſuch are ſaid to make their Bally their God, Phil. 3.19. And it is evident, becauſe on this account they renounce him that is the true God, Job 21.13, 14,
USE. LET this call upon us all, to be eaceeding wary to our ſelves, leſt we incur the Guilt of breaking this Great Command. We ſee here how many ways it may be violated, both by Atheiſm, Contempt, and Idolatry. What need then is there, that we look to our ways, leſt we Sin on this account. And what humbling Conviction would this lay us under of our folly, and need of pity and pardon, did we throughly Examine our ſelves by theſe things. Nor is it a light matter, or to be deſpiſed by in. This Sin is enough to Condemn us, and expoſe us to the Wrath of God, and nothing but the Blood of Chriſt be able to cleanſe from the Guilt of it.
[AUGUST 26. 1701.]