A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 158 (Questions 48-50)
SERMON CLVIII.
QUESTION XLVIII.
THAT are we eſpecially taught, by … theſe Words, [before Me,] in the … Firſt Commandment?
ANSWER.
…ESE Words, [before Me,] is the Firſt Commandment, teach us, that GOD, who ſeeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much difpleaſed at the Sin, of having any other God.
BESIDES the Arguments uſed in the Preface, to enforce th whole Decalogue, by which God offers us matter of Conviction, that Obedience to his Law is our Reaſonable Sorvice God hath ſeen meet to add particular Arguments to the have firſt Commands ſeverally: Some whereof are appr…priated to the Command, with which they are connected, and others are of a more general Conſideration, and applicable to every of the Precepts. Why God hath added Reaſons to ſome, and not to ethers; and why to theſe, and not thoſe, is not for us curiouſly to i…quite, but to reſt ſatisfied in his holy Pleaſure. It is his Condeſcendency that he will give us a reaſon of any of his Commands, beſides his holy Pleaſure, that we ſhould thus obey him. For him to ſay, I am the Lord, is reaſon ſofficient, to oblige us to receive and obſerve, all and every of his Commands. The words, Before me, of before my Face; are well obſerved by our Divines, to carry the force of a reaſon in them. Our Catechiſm reduceth the matter of Argument contained in it, to three Heads, viz. 1. God's Omniſciente; He ſeeth all things. 2. His catious Obſevation of Men in this regard. And theſe unto are of force in every other Precept. 3. The infinite Diſpleaſure which God conceives at this Sin p…ul…orty. All of which are comprehended in it. We may therefore briefly here take a more particular account of this matter, in the following Remarks,
1. THAT God, as he is the Supre im Judge, will reward Men's Obedience or D…ſ…bidience. As God hath given men a Law, by which they are to regulate themſelves, ſo he hath Idded Sanctions to it, in which he hath promiſed Bleſſedneſs to all ſuch as cordially obey …, and denounced miſery: againſt all ſuch as refuſe their Obedience to it. And that Men may be encouraged by the one, and duly awed by the other, he hath declared himſelf to be the Judge to whom all muſt give an Account, and for whom the ſhall receive their Reward; and becauſe he is ſo, he will do that which is right: and gives Men thus to know, what they are to expect. We are therefore told, in Rom. 2.6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds.
2. THAT becauſe God is Omniſcient, it is therefore vain for men to hope to Sin out of his ſight. When he ſaid before Me, it doth not intend only a fo…hidding of open and profeſſed Atheiſm, or Idolatry, or Contempt, but contrary it intends, that Men cannot practice theſe Sins ſo ſecretly, but that they always ſtand in the open light to him. They can do nothing behind his back, but are always before his face. Sinners thi…k they can act their Sin ſo privately, that it ſhall never be known; and conſide in their ſecreſy. And if they were concerned only with Men like themſelves, they might have ſome pretext for it; but when they preſume this of God, it is their folly, and indeed no ſmall indication of their Atheiſm; as was before obſerved. God therfore hath given Men warningof this, that they might beware. Jer. 23.24. Heb. 4.13. Pſal. 139.11, 12. David therefore tells us, Pſal. 16.8, I have ſet the Lord always beſore me.
3. THAT becauſe God curiouſly obſerves all Men how they carry themſelves with reſpect … his Law, it will be to no purpoſe, either to d…y the ſad, or excuſe themſelves. That he doth thus obſerve all Men we are aſſured. D… aſſerts it concerning him, Pſal. 139.1, 2 Lord, thou baſt ſearched me, and known me. Thus baſt known my d…on ſitting, and mine up… thou underſtandeſt my thought aſar off. And Job made it an Article of his Creed, Job. 31.4. Doth not be ſee my w…ys, and count all …y ſhope, And Solomon Remarks it, Prov. 15.3. Thought of the Lord are in every place bebolding … and the g…od. And Chap. 5.21. For the … of min are before the eyes of the Lord, and … p…ndreth all his goings. And the cauſe his … ledge is Infinite, he cannot be miſtaken it … Ob…rvation, and therefore when be cha… it upon them, it will be full conviction, and no way avalling them to deny. No… … there any other proof. God therefore … himſelf to he a Witneſs, intimating that … ſullcient, Jer. 29.23. Even I know, … witneſs, ſaith the Lord. It is true, Men … Conſciences are enough; and theſe are … God's Government, and it is vain for Mea… ſlatter or to bribe them, for, when God … mons them to give their evidence, they, … ſpeak out, Rom 1.15. But, tho' the Co… ence is as a Thouſand Witneſſes, yet God… more than Ten Thouſand Conſciences, … 3.20 For if our beart condemn us, God is gre… then our beart, & knoweth all things … will any excuſe be profitable, for be, … not only the Actions, but the deſigns, & … of the Heart.
4. THAT becauſe all things are open and … nifeſt to God, it is a deſpe…te impude … to have any other God. Affronts that are … ed to any openly, and to their face, are … upon as a diſcovery of the greateſt Co… and Scorn: yea, when Men …are to … any lewdneſs in the fight of the Sun, … gueth that they are grown ſhameleſs, … ally when they dare to do is in the … of wiſe and good Men. And can it be … ſo, it Men know, and they cannot but, … unleſs they wilfully ſhut their Eyes, the … ſtands by and looks on; that he is inti… preſent with them; and yet give his God to another, and exalt a ſtranget upon his … and without remorſe do thoſe things, that are de…goatory to his Glory. Year, what greater diſhonour can Men do to him, than to doth… things under his Eye, which they would not dare to do, if they thought any ſober Man obſerved them? It argues, either that they believe not that there is a God, or that he is like themſelves, Paſal. 50.21.
5. IT is therefore folly, yea madneſs, for … to nouriſh hope in themſelves, that for all … ſhall eſcope his Vengeance. Carnol ſec… nouriſhed in the Hearts of Men that feat … God, argues that they do not know him to … holy and juſt; and not to believe & acknowledge that, is as much as to deny that he is God, If God ſees, he will certainly pu… ſuch Sinners; he ſtands upon his Honour, …l … not part with it, Iſal. 42.8. What hope the can they have to eſcape his righteous judgment? His Holineſs makes him to hate …, his Juſtie…e g…ge…h him to puniſh it; his …er enableth him to do ſo; and there is … that can deliver them out of his Hand. God his eyes that run to and t…o through the …ch, will eſpy them; ſo that there is no darkneſs nor … low of Death, that can hide … out of his ſight.
… THAT becauſe God ſees and deſerves to …, therefore all that truly fear b… have … Encouragement. There is a glorious …pence of Reward, ſecured in the Pro… of the New Covenant, to theſe that how and acknowledge God aright, and accordingly glority him. Now it is agreeable …he Nature of a reaſonable Creature, to … a work cheerfully, when he conſiders … it will be profitable for him. This therefore is uſed as … Argument, to animate Chriſtians in their buſineſs, 1 Cor. 17. …t. And herein is a Child of God aſſured that he … not miſs of it, becauſe not only is he …ful that hath promiſed, and will perform, … alſo he looks on and obſerves, and keeps …rd of all the faith…l Service done for …; nor are the moſt ſecret Duties done … him overlook'd by God, or lie our of his …. Hence Chriſt ſaid to Nathaniel, Joh. 1. … B…ſore that P…lip called thee, when thou te…ſt … the …ig…ree, I ſaw thee. And he hath …ed us, Mat. 10.42. And whoſoever ſhall … drink unto one of theſe little ones a cup …old water only in the name of a diſciple, ve… ſay unto you be ſhall in nowiſe …oſe his word. And there is a time coming, when … ſecret Duties of God's People, ſhall … ſhed before the World, and their … ſhall ſay to them, well done, and de… them Bleſſed, Mat. 25.34.35, 36.
… THIS alſo affords matter of Caution to the … of God to make them very circumſpect in … whole Life. Eye ſervice, done to Men, … condemned in the Word of God for …ſy. But Eye-ſervice performed to … there both commended and required. …uty required of us, Eph. 5.15. See … ye walk circumſpectly. And what can …gently, engage us to the practice of … ever to have this Thought in our … I am before God; His Eye is upon me, … is my Judge views and weighs all my …. The beſt of us have remaining Con…ce in us, which is ready to prompt us …, and in nothing doth it more impoſe … than by perſwading us, that we may … of ſight, and ſo eſcape ſhame and …ent. Whereas, now to conſider and … there is a God who looks on, and … be mocked, what an impreſſion muſt …ke upon our Hearts? And how carefully it cauſe us to be at all times? Yea, … to watch our outward Actions, but … my Hearts & Thoughts, to ſee that they …?
WOULD we then worſhip God as God, and pay all that Service to him, which we owe him, as our God? Labour we to have the Impreſſion of this Conſideration always freſh in our Minds; and let it influence all our Thoughts, Words, and Actions. This will maintain an holy Awe and Reverence of God … our Hearts, and powerfully influence our whole Lives. Whereas the Forgetfulneſs of this, will expoſe us to Temptations, and give L…ſt and Satan advantage againſt us, to draw us into Sin. But I paſs to,
QUESTION XLIX.
WHICH is the Second Commandment?
ANSWER
THE Second Commandment is, Thou ſhalt not make unto thee any graven image, nor the likeneſs of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the Water under the Earth, Thou ſhalt not how down thy ſelf to them, nor ſerve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, viſiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: and ſ…ewing mercy unto thouſands of them that love me and keep my Commandments.
WE have before obſerved, that all the four Commands in the firſt Table, do properly reſpect the Worſhip of God; and that in the two former we are directed unto, and inſtructed about the kinds of Worſhip, which are ranked under two Heads, viz. Natural and Inſtituted. Of the Natural Worſhip, and the ſeveral Duties comprehended under it, and the diverſe Ways wherein we may be guilty of ſinning againſt it, we have taken a brief. Account, under the firſt Command; it follows that we now paſs over to the ſecond, in which we are inſtructed about Instituted Worſhip. And becauſe there is a very great difference between theſe two, and they come under a far diverſe Conſideration, this and the former Command, ought not to be confounded, and made but one, which is done by the Papiſts and Lutherans, hoping thereby the better to defend, or excuſe their Image Worſhip. Now the main difference between theſe two lies in this, viz. Natural Worſhip is that which the very Light of Nature will …ea… Men, inaſmuch as, the Duties of it, and the Obligation laid on us to perform theſe Duties, derive from the Nature and Being of God, and the Relation … he ſtands in to us, whereas the Duties … Instituted Worſhip depends upon God's reve…ed …. And the Obligation lying upon us to pe…m theſe Duties, flows from the Sovereign… …f God, and our abſolute Subjection to him. This Command is, as the former, declared negatively; as indeed, all the reſt are, except the Fourth, which is laid down both negatively and affirmatively, and the Fifth which is expreſt only affirmatively. But it hath been laid down as a Rule from the Word of God, and right Reaſon, that there are both theſe Parts to be obſerved in every of them. So that here alſo, we are to conſider what is Duty, and what is Sin, according as they relate to this Precept. Only let me in the firſt place remove out of the way, or at leaſt clear our Diſtribution of theſe two Commands from another, which ſome uſe, and looks fair, viz. that the Fi…l. Command directs us to the Object of Worſhip, and the Second to the Medium of it, which doth not truly lay out the proper bounds between the one and the other. For, beſides that God is the Object of Worſhip directed to in both, ſo there are the Media of Worſhip, which properly belong to the Firſt as well as to the Second Commandment. Such are all the Duties therein required of us, of which we have formerly taken the Account, but we ſhall have a further diſcovery of the difference between theſe two in laying open the Command it ſelf. And, here, let us begin with the Affirmative Part. Hence.
QUESTION L.
WHAT is Required in the Second Commandment?
ANSWER.
THE Second Commandment Requireth the receiving, obſerving, and keeping pure and entire, all ſuch Religious Worſhip and Ordinances, as GOD hath appointed in his Word.
IN this Anſwer we may obſerve two Things, under which is comprized all that belongs to this Head of Inſtituted Worſhip, viz 1. Here is the Subject Matter about which our Obedience is here to be employed. All ſuch Religious Worſhip and Ordinances, as God hath appointed in his Word. 2. The Things wherein this Worſhip is to be performed, in receiving, obſerving, and Reeping them pure and entire. Each of theſe may be briefly laid open.
1. HERE is the Subject Matter about which our Obedience is here to be employed, viz. All ſuch Religious Worſhip and Ordinances, as God hath appointed in his Word. In the laying out of this, two Things may come under our Inquiry, viz. Firſt, We may in general take an Account of the Nature, Reaſon, and Bounds of Inſtituted Worſhip. Secondly, We may in particular, take Notion of the more ſpecial Duties which belong to this kind of Worſhip. Of theſe in Order.
1. LET us in general take an Account, of the Nature, Reaſon, and Bounds of Inſtituted Worſhip. For which let me offer theſe Concluſions.
Conclu. 1. THAT the End of Inſtituted Worſhip is to help us in the Exerciſe of the Natural. … Second Command is in this reſpect ſubſervient to the Firſt. This will appear if … confider,
(1.) THAT the direct deſign of all Worſhip is, that we love and glorify God, as our … End and chief Good. God hath diſcor… himſelf to be ſuch to the Creature, and requires our practical Acknowledgement … him as ſuch, in our Worſhipping of … When therefore out Saviour Chriſt world … us the Sum of the whole firſt Table, which reſpects our Worſhip, he thus expreſſeth … Mat. 22.37. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy … with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and … all thy mind. Hence all theſe Commands points us to one and the ſame Object, … is God, and no other, Mat. 4.10. It is … Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and … only ſhalt thou ſerve. And the Reaſon … we are ſo to Worſhip him, is becauſe … the laſt End of all Things, all being … for his Glory, Prov. 16.4. And becauſe … are to expect our whole Happineſs enti… from him. And this dependance we do … cally profeſs, by our ſo Worſhipping of …
(2.) THAT our thus knowing, acknowl… ing, and glorifying of God, is the proper … of the Firſt Command. The whole Object … Religious Worſhip is recommended to … this Precept, and the other three refer … as thus preſcribed to us. And in this reſpect every other Command in the firſt Table … a neceſſary Reference to the firſt, and that … is the proper Aim of this Precept, we … already obſerved, and made to appear, in the opening of it.
(3.) THAT all the Ordinances or Instituted of God are given and intended so guide us … in our right cloſing with God as our … and objective Happineſs. This is ſu… evident, from the Conſideration, that they belong to Worſhip, and that this is the … deſign of all Worſhip; as hath already … made to appear, and will be further … us, if we obſerve, that God himſelf hath … clated this to be the Reaſon, of the … and Ordinances which he gave to his … Iſrael. Thus we have it repreſented … 10 12, 13. They are to ſhew us how … to ſerve our God, and therein to pay … Honour and Homage that is his do… … therefore are given us a teſt to … Obedience, and their acknowledging of … therein, and themſelves to be an holy … devoted to his Glory, Deut. 26.17, 18, 19.
Conclu. 2. The Morality of the Second Command, doth not properly conſiſt in the thing Inſtituted, but in the Authority of the Inſtituted, … the Reaſon of the Inſtitution. That we … take this up right, let us obſerve,
1. THERE are two ſorts of Duties … come under this Commandment, viz. … Such as are in themſelves purely M… … Natural. Such are Praver, and Pra… him, hearkening to his Voice, and en… ing to acquaint ourſelves with his Will. …dly, Such as are in themſelves meerly …ive and Arbitrary. Such were all the …ites, Ceremonies, and Sacrifices of the Old Law Ceremonial, and many of the Statures of … Judicial Law. Such alſo are the Sacrations of the New Teſtament which are or…ed by Chriſt, in his Goſpel Church.
THERE is a diverſe Conſideration to be … of theſe with reſpect unto this Precept, … Relation to it is different, as will be … ſent. For,
… CONCERNING ſuch Precepts as are of … …ſe;lves purely Moral and Natural, two …ings are to be confidered.
… THAT as they are ſo, they belong not to … …o…d, but to the Firſt Command. And it …ule, that though a Duty may belong …er…l of the Commands, vet in the ſame …, it can belong to but one. New what… belongs to natural Worſhip as ſuch, is …iated to the firſt, and muſt be enqui… after there. Prayer therefore, and Praiſ… and Hearing, as they are enjoyned on …ea by the Law of Nature, do only refer …; for the Reaſon of them naturally re… from our knowing and acknowledging … be our God.
… BUT as they are appointed by God, to be … in this or that Ordinance, ſo they … to instituted Worſhip. There are the …ces, wh…ch God hath appointed, to be … by his profeſſing People, which he … to them according to his Wiſdom … …ſure. In theſe Ordinances he hath …ded theſe and thoſe moral Duties of …al Worſhip to be attended. as Praying … …blies of his People, the Preaching of … &c. Now under this Conſideration … being for performed, they belong to …ed Worſhip, and ſo to this Second …nd.
… CONCERNING thoſe Precepts which are … …tive and Arbitrary, Four Obſerva… …y be made,
… THAT they do not as ſuch belong to the …and. Tho' as they are means and … promove Natural Worſhip, they may … a reſpect to that; yet in their own … they do not, and the ſeaſon is in their … viz. becauſe they are Poſitive, and the … of Nature could never have diſcovered … and tho' they are made ſerviceable to …anfying of God yet th… …rviceableneſs …fulneſs, is not in the things themſelves, … the Arbitrement of God, who appoint… for this end, which is evident in all …les and Sacraments.
… HENCE they had never been Duties, if … not thus Inſtituted them. It is true, … …ealed Will of God, is the Supream … of all moral Duty. But ſome Duties …y…led in Man, at firſt, by writing his … their Hearts, and thoſe Duties are …d, and belonged to Mankind, as ſoon …e with the Image of God upon him. Thoſe Duties had their firſt riſe from God's Poſitive appointing them, and for that reaſon took their riſe from that Appointment. Thus, Circumciſion was no Duty, till God gave Abrab… a poſitive Law for it.
(3.) HENCE none are under the Obligation of them, but ſuch to whom they are revealed For Men who enjoy the Oracles of God, wherein his Statutes and Judgments are ſhewn them, and yet neglect their Attend ance on them , will be charged as Sin on them; but they to whom they were never diſcovered, will not be thus Guilty. As for the Heathen therefore, their want of theſe Inſtitutions is their miſery, but it they never heard of them, not had the Offer of them, it is not their Sin, as it for them to neglect Duties of Natural Worſhip, Jer. 10.25.
(4.) HENCE they are Arbitrary and Mutable in their own Nature. The Duties of Natural Worſhip continue the ſame unalterably from the, beginning, whereas Inſtituted Worſhip hath been changed. God made known his mind to his Chruch of Old by degrees; the Law of Sacrifices ſoon after the Fall, Circumciſion to Abraham, the Paſſover after the coming out of Egypt, &c. And after Chriſt's coming he put an end to the Moſaical Paed…g…gy, and introduced the Evangelical; which is therefore to abide, becauſe he intended it to be the laſt. Heb. 12.28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be mov…, les us &c.
3. THERE are two Things wherein the Morality of the Second Command doth conſiſt,
(1.) IN regard of the Authority, by which all the Precepts of it are enjoyned: which is Divine. It is a moral Truth, and written in the Law of Nature, that God is Supream, and for that reaſon, that he hath an indiſputable right to Command his Creature, according to his holy Pleaſure; and that when he doth ſo Command it, it owes him a free Obedience, and rebels againſt his lawful Goverment, if it refuſe or neglect to comply therewithal, Deut. 12.32. What thing ſoever I command you, obſerve to do it: thou ſhalt not add thereto, nor diminiſh from it. And this is grounded in the relation we bear to God, as we are his Creatures, Pſal. 100.2, …. And on this account he is our Lord and Lawgiver, Iſai. 33.22. On this account is God pleaſed often to give no other reaſon for theſe Commands, but, I am the Lord.
(2.) IN regard of the reaſon and end of their Inſtitution. Although God is Sovereign, yet he is infinitely Wiſe, and ſuits his inſtitutions, as for his own Glory, ſo for our Good. He hath therefore appointed them to be the Media for the advancing of this deſign. So that they are the way, in which we may glorify him, and enjoy Communion with him, which is our Happineſs, which is the laſt end of the Reaſonable Creature, to which he is, by the Law of Nature bound to ſerve, Deut. 10.13. To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his ſtatutes which I command thee this day for thy good.
[SEPTEMPER 23. 1701]