QUEST. CV. What are the sins forbidden in the first Commandment?
ANSW. The sins forbidden in the first Commandment, are, Atheism, in denying, or not having a God; idolatry, in having, or worshipping more gods than one, or any with, or instead of the true God; the not having and avouching him for God, and our God; the omission or neglect of any thing due to him required in this Commandment, ignorance, forgetfulness, misapprehensions, false opinions, unworthy and wicked thoughts of him, bold and curious searching into his secrets, all profaneness, hatred of God, self-love, self-seeking, and all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind, will, or affections upon other things, and taking them off from him, in whole or in part; vain credulity, unbelief, heresy, misbelief, distrust, despair, incorrigibleness, insensibleness under judgments, hardness of heart, pride, presumption, carnal security, tempting of God, using unlawful means, and trusting in lawful means, carnal delights and joys; corrupt, blind, and indiscreet zeal, lukewarmness, and deadness in the things of God, estranging ourselves, and apostatizing from God, praying, or giving any religious worship to saints, angels, or any other creatures, all compacts, and consulting with the devil, and hearkening to his suggestions, making men the lords of our faith and conscience, slighting and despising God and his commandments, resisting and grieving of his Spirit, discontent, and impatience at his dispensations, charging him foolishly for the evils he inflicts on us, and ascribing the praise of any good we either are, have, or can do, to fortune, idols, ourselves, or any other creature.
QUEST. CVI. What are we especially taught by these words (before me) in the first Commandment?
ANSW. These words before me, or before my face, in the first Commandment, teach us, that God who seeth all things, takes special notice of, and is much displeased with the sin of having any other god; that so it may be an argument to dissuade from it, and to aggravate it, as a most impudent provocation, as also to persuade us to do, as in his sight, whatever we do in his service.
The sins forbidden in this Commandment may be reduced to two general heads, Atheism and Idolatry.
First, Atheism; whereby men are so far from taking God for their God, that they deny that there is a God; or, at least, that he is what he has revealed himself to be. Thus the wicked man, who is styled a fool, is represented as saying in his heart, There is no God. Psal. xiv. 1. This Atheism is either speculative or practical. The former of these is that which is seated in the minds and consciences of men; who are so far blinded, perverted, and deluded, as to think that there is no God. Though, indeed, there are very few among these who are so bold and profane as to deny this truth when they attend to the dictates of nature, or duly exercise those reasoning faculties with which God has endowed them; which, if they neglect to do, they must be reckoned but one remove from brutes. Some, indeed, are ready to wish that there were no God, or inclined to deny those divine perfections that are essential to him, cast contempt on his government, or, it may be, deny a providence; which is, in effect, to deny that there is a God. Though it must be observed, that none proceed to this degree of wickedness, till, by a long continuance in sin, they are given up to judicial hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, Rom. i. 28. Eph. iv. 17-20. And even these have been forced, at some times, to confess that there is a God, with whom is terrible majesty; when he has broken in on their consciences, and filled them with the dreadful apprehensions of his wrath, as a sin-revenging Judge. But where there is one speculative Atheist, there are a thousand practical ones, who live without God in the world; and these are described in this answer, as being guilty of those sins which none who duly consider his divine perfections would venture to commit.
To enlarge on every one of those instances, particularly mentioned in this answer, in which this sin is supposed to consist, would require a distinct treatise, and be inconsistent with our designed brevity in explaining the Ten Commandments. All that we shall therefore attempt at present, shall be to consider some instances, in which practical Atheism discovers itself, together with the aggravations of this sin; and then we shall enquire what judgment we are to pass concerning those who complain of atheistical and blasphemous thoughts; and consider whether this be a degree of that Atheism which we are speaking of; together with the causes of this sin, and the remedies against it.
I. The instances in which practical Atheism discovers itself. And,
1. They are chargeable with it who are grossly ignorant, and know nothing of God but the name, being utter strangers to those perfections whereby he makes himself known to the world, or who entertain carnal conceptions of him, as though he were altogether such an one as ourselves, Psal. l. 21.
2. When persons, though they know, in some measure, what God is, yet never seriously exercise their thoughts about him; which forgetfulness is a degree of Atheism, and will be severely punished by him, Psal. ix. 17. and l. 22.
3. When persons maintain corrupt doctrines, and dangerous heresies, subversive of the fundamental articles of faith, and contrary to the divine perfections. Of this kind are those that militate against his sovereignty and dominion over the wills, consciences and affections of man; when persons conclude that his counsels and determinations may be disannulled or defeated; or when we suppose that he changes, as we do; or when, under a pretence of advancing one perfection, we set aside the glory of another, when in order to magnify his mercy, we disregard his holiness or justice, and so presume of being happy without being holy; or when we give way to despairing thoughts, from the consideration of his vindictive justice, without improving the displays of his mercy, as set forth in the gospel.
4. When we repine and quarrel at his providence, and pretend to find fault with the dispensations thereof, or charge God foolishly, and go about to prescribe laws to him, who is the Governor of the world, and may do what he will with the work of his hands.
5. When we refuse to engage in those acts of religious worship which he has appointed, or to attend on his ordinances, in which we may hope for his presence and blessing.
6. When we behave ourselves, in the conduct of our lives, as though we were not accountable to him, and had no reason to be afraid of his judgments. Accordingly, when we set our affections on other things, and take them off from him, when we are guilty of wilful impenitency and unbelief, and are incorrigible under divine rebukes; when our hearts and lives are estranged from him, as though we desired not the knowledge of his ways; when we resist and grieve his Spirit, are discontented and impatient under his hand, or ascribe that to second causes, or think that those things come by chance which are under the direction of his providence. In these, and many other instances, persons are notoriously guilty of practical Atheism, which is forbidden in this Commandment.
II. We are now to consider the aggravations and dreadful consequences of this sin.
1. It is contrary to the light of nature, and the dictates of conscience, a disregarding those impressions which God has made of his glory on the souls of men. And in those who have been favoured with the revelation of the grace of God in the gospel, in which his perfections have been set forth to the utmost, it is a shutting our eyes against the light and casting contempt on that which should raise our admiration, and excite in us the highest esteem of him whom we practically disown and deny.
2. It is directly opposite to, and entirely inconsistent with all religion, and opens a door to the greatest degree of licentiousness. To live without God in the world, is to give the reins to our own corruptions; it is not barely a sin of infirmity or inadvertency, but a running in all excess of riot; and therefore the consequence hereof must be dreadful; for that which strikes at the very being of God, cannot but expose the sinner to the sorest condemnation. But since there are some sins mentioned in this answer, which contain a degree of practical atheism; which believers themselves are prone to fall into, and complain of, as forgetfulness of God, unbelief, distrust of his providence, insensibleness under judgments, too great a degree of hardness of heart, pride, carnal security, discontent and impatience under his dispensations; this may tend very much to discourage them, and make them conclude that they are not in a state of grace; especially when they find, as sometimes they do, atheistical and blasphemous thoughts suggested to their minds. Therefore we must inquire,
III. What judgment we are to pass concerning those who are ready to charge themselves with practical atheism, especially as to what respects those unbecoming thoughts and conceptions which they sometimes have of the divine Majesty? whether this be altogether inconsistent with the truth of grace, together with the causes thereof, and the remedies against it? It is certain, that the best of God’s people are sanctified but in part, and therefore are prone to commit those sins which seem to contain in them a denial, at least, a neglect of that regard which we ought to have for the divine perfections, and especially when we are not only followed with vain, but blasphemous thoughts; which gives great disturbance to us, when engaged in holy duties. This ought to be reckoned a very great affliction, and occasion many searchings of heart; since sometimes it brings much guilt with it. Nevertheless, we are not always from hence to conclude that we are in a state of unregeneracy. It is the prevalency of corruption, or the dominion of sin, which is inconsistent with the truth of grace, not the remainders thereof. A person may have faith, who yet complains of unbelief; he may have a due regard to God, as to what respects the course and tenor of his actions; but yet, in many instances, be chargeable with forgetfulness of him. He may have a love to him, and yet sometimes be guilty of indiscreet zeal, on the one hand, or lukewarmness and deadness of heart, on the other; his mind and affections may be sanctified, and yet he be sometimes followed with atheistical and blasphemous thoughts.
We have instances in scripture of good men, who have spoken, not only unadvisedly, but, as we may term it wickedly with their lips. Thus Job is justly reproved by Elihu for charging God with finding occasions against him; putting his feet in the stocks, and marking all his paths, Job xxxiii. 10, 11. as though his dealings with him had been unjust and severe; especially when he says at the same time, I am clean, and without transgression; I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me, ver. 9. And Jonah, when he was reproved by God for his passionate behaviour towards him, vindicates himself, and says, I do well to be angry, even unto death, Jonah iv. 9. These are expressions that favour of a degree of Atheism; and so do those unbecoming conceptions of God, whereby our thoughts are sometimes defiled and depraved. But it is one thing to be guilty of this through surprise and the prevalency of temptation; and another thing to have those thoughts indulged by, and lodged in us unrepented of.
And there are some instances in which believers are afflicted with atheistical and blasphemous thoughts, when it is hard to say that they contract guilt thereby, or, at least, it must only be reckoned an infirmity arising from this imperfect state; and that more especially when they are injected by Satan, and are without the consent of our wills; but treated with the utmost abhorrence, constantly bewailed and resisted with all our might; more particularly when we take occasion hereby to exercise those graces which discover that we have other apprehensions of God than what are suggested at those times, when we are hurried by these temptations, and can scarce say, that we have the government of our own thoughts; especially if we are able to say, at such a time as our Saviour did, when unadvisedly tempted by Peter, who, was at that time the Devil’s instrument, to persuade him to relinquish the work which he came into the world about. Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence to me, Matt. xvi. 23.
And this leads us to consider the causes of such atheistical and blasphemous thoughts. Sometimes they proceed from a neglect of waiting on God in his ordinances, or indulging a carnal and stupid frame of spirit therein, and not maintaining that holy reverence, or becoming sense of his all-seeing eye, which we ought always to have. Moreover, there is nothing that has a greater tendency hereunto, than our conversing with those who make religion the subject of their profane wit and drollery; especially if we do this out of choice, and do not at the same time testify a just abhorrence of it.
As for those remedies which are to be made use of to fence against, and cure the sinfulness of our thoughts in such-like instances; it behoves us to repent of those sins, which may have been the occasion of, or given rise to them. And inasmuch as it is not in our own power to govern our hearts or affections, or restrain the breaking forth of corruption; it is necessary for us to commit our souls into Christ’s hands, with earnest supplications to him that he would sanctify, regulate, and cleanse our thoughts, and bring us into, and keep us in a good frame. We ought also to desire, seek after, and improve all opportunities of conversing with those whose discourse is holy and profitable, Mal. iii. 16. by which means our affections may be raised, and our thoughts tinctured with divine things, which will leave an abiding impression behind them, Luke xxiv. 32. Which leads us,
Secondly, To consider this Commandment as forbidding idolatry. Thus, when it is said, Thou shalt have no other gods; the meaning is, thou shalt not worship idols, or set a creature in the place of God, or pay that regard to it that is due to him alone.
Here it may not be inconvenient to consider the difference between idolatry as it is a breach of the first and second commandment. As it is a breach of the first Commandment, it contains in it a giving divine honour to that which is not God; but as it is against the second Commandment, it is a worshipping God by the creature, to whom an inferior kind of worship is given. Thus when the Papists worship God by images, supposing them to be a help to their devotion, or a means of performing that worship which they pretend to be given ultimately to God. Or when they ascribe any branch of divine glory to saints or angels; notwithstanding what they say to exculpate themselves from the breach of the first Commandment, they are justly chargeable with the breach of the second.
We are here to consider, the idolatry more especially that is forbidden in the first Commandment. Which is either what is more gross, such as that which is found among the heathen; or that which is more secret, and may be found in the hearts of all, and is discovered by the practice of multitudes of Christians, who profess the utmost detestation of idolatry in the other sense.
1. As to idolatry, in the former sense, together with the rise and progress thereof. In considering the first rise of it we may observe,
(1.) That it proceeded from the ignorance and pride of man, who, though he could not but know, by the light of nature, that there is a God; yet being ignorant of his perfections, or of what he has revealed himself to be in his word, was disposed to frame those ideas of God, which took their rise from his own invention. Accordingly the apostle says, When ye knew not God, ye did service unto them, which, by nature, are no gods, Gal. iv. 8.
(2.) When iniquity abounded in the world, and men withdrew from, and cast contempt on the ordinances of God, they invented and worshipped new gods. This some suppose Cain and his posterity did, when he went out from the presence of the Lord, Gen. iv. 16. and the sons of God, that is, the church, when they contracted marriages with the daughters of men, chap. vi. 2. and joined with them in idolatry; so that it is no wonder if persons leave the true worship of God, that they should chuse to themselves other gods.
(3.) Hereupon God gave them up to judicial blindness; so that they worshipped the host of heaven, Acts vii. 42. as the apostle says the Heathen did.
(4.) As to what concerns the idolatry which was practised among the Israelites, that took its rise from the fond ambition which they had to be like other nations, who were abhorred of God; counting this a fashionable religion, and finding the true worshippers of God to be fewer in number than the rest of the world, so that, as the prophet speaks, they were like a speckled bird, despised and hated by the Heathen round about them, Jer. xii. 9. they approved of, and learned their ways. It was this that occasioned Solomon to cleave to them in love, 1 Kings xi. 2. which was not much unlike to the argument used by Demetrius and his followers, why Diana should be worshipped; namely, because all Asia and the world worshipped her, Acts xix. 27.
(5.) The Devil was permitted, for the trial of the faith of God’s people, and as an instance of his righteous judgment on his enemies, to abuse the unthinking part of the world by various signs and lying wonders. Thus we read of prophets, and dreamers of dreams, who gave forth signs and wonders, which God sometimes judicially suffered to come to pass; whereby many took occasion to go after other gods, Deut. xiii. 1-3. and Antichrist is said to come after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, 2 Thess. ii. 9. This was managed by the craft and covetousness of the priests, who made a gain of it, and amused the common people thereby. And the Heathen oracles, so much spoken of by ancient writers, which gave countenance to their idolatry, are reckoned, by some, to have been no other than a contrivance of those who had little else but secular interest in view. And when they predicted things future, or revealed secrets, this was generally done in doubtful expressions: so that whether the thing really came to pass or no, the end designed might be answered thereby; and doubtless there was a hand of Satan herein, to harden the world in that idolatry which was then practised by them. The gods they worshipped were as numerous as the countries and kingdoms where idolatry prevailed; accordingly every nation, yea, every city had its particular god and distinct modes of worship.
[1.] Some worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, supposing that their regular motion and influence on earthly bodies, was not to be attributed to the all-wise providence of God, but to some intelligent being, which resided in, and gave that motion and influence to them: upon the account whereof they worshipped them as gods. This some did in that early age in which Job lived, Job xxxi. 26. and the Israelites were warned against it, Deut. iv. 19. And afterwards we read of idolatrous priests, who burnt incense to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven, and dedicated horses and chariots to the sun, 2 Kings xxiii. 5, 11.
[2.] Others worshipped the earth, and many creatures therein, especially those that they received a more than ordinary advantage from. Thus the Egyptians worshipped the river Nile; by the overflowing of which, their country was rendered fertile. And some who lived in maritime towns, worshipped the sea, thinking thereby to prevent an inundation from it. And the Philistines worshipped Dagon; inasmuch, as living near the sea, it afforded them plenty of fish.
[3.] Others worshipped those parts of the earth which they most delighted in; such as gardens, woods, groves, springs, &c. which they supposed to be inhabited by some gods, who produced the advantages which they received hereby, without regarding the providence of God, to which every thing is to be ascribed, that the earth brings forth for the support and delight of men.
[4.] Others supposed that there were particular gods, who had the oversight of men, succeeded their undertakings in the various affairs of life, conducted them when travelling by sea or land, gave good or ill success to their secular employments, and preserved them in sickness and health; and accordingly they paid divine adoration to them.
[5.] Others expressed the regard they had to virtue by worshipping some men after their death, who had signalized themselves by inventing some things which were of common advantage to mankind while they lived. And the Romans were so much addicted to this practice of idolatry, that some of their emperors, though tyrants and monsters in wickedness, while they lived, obliged their subjects to perpetuate their memories by worshipping them as gods when they were dead.
[6.] Some were so stupid, as that they worshipped stocks and stones, ascribing divinity to them; in which they acted below the reason of intelligent creatures. Thus the prophet speaks of their idols as first growing in the wood, then framed by the smith, or carpenter, into gods, and afterwards worshipped by them, Isa. xliv. 9-17. And the Psalmist, on this occasion, justly observes, They that make them are like them; so is every one that trusteth in them, Psal. cxv. 4-7, compared with 8.
We might, under this head, consider some things mentioned in scripture; in which idolaters not only acted contrary to the dictates of reason, but discovered themselves to be cruel and inhuman in their modes of worship. Thus Baal’s worshippers in Ahab’s time, cut themselves with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out of them, 1 Kings xviii. 28. and others made their children pass through the fire, in the worship they paid to Molech, or the sun, which the Psalmist refers to, when he says, They sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Psal. cvi. 37, 38. This, indeed, some think, intends nothing else but their passing between two fires; so that they were scorched by them. Yet others, with greater reason, suppose that they were inclosed in that brazen idol, and so burnt to death in the most barbarous manner[205].
The use which we ought to make of this doctrine, should be to excite us to bless God for the clear light of the gospel, whereby we are led to turn from dead idols to serve the living and true God: nevertheless we are to take heed lest we be chargeable with heart-idolatry; whereby we may be said to break this Commandment, though it be in a different way from that in which the Heathen did. This leads us to consider,
2. That idolatry which is sometimes found among Christians; who, though they abhor the thoughts of giving divine worship to a creature, yet, if they look into their own hearts, will have reason to charge themselves with those things which are in scripture called idolatry; namely, when they put any thing in the room of God, or love it more than him; and this may be considered in the following instances.
(1.) Self may be reckoned among those idols which many, who make profession of the true religion, pay a greater regard to than to God. Thus the apostle, speaking concerning the great degeneracy of the world, among other things, says, that men should be lovers of their ownselves, 2 Tim. iii. 2. so that self-love turns away the heart from God, and excludes all practical religion. This we may be said to be guilty of; in which respect we are chargeable with heart-idolatry.
[1.] When we reject, or refuse to give credit to any of the great doctrines contained in divine revelation, unless we are able to comprehend them within the shallow limits of our own understandings; upon which account some are inclined to treat the most sacred mysteries of our religion with contempt; and for the same reason they might as well deny and disbelieve what is said concerning the infinite perfections of the divine nature, because they cannot be comprehended by us. This is no other than a setting up our own understanding, which is weak and liable to err, in opposition to the wisdom of God, and, in some respects, a giving superior glory to it.
[2.] When we are resolute and incorrigible under the various rebukes of providence, and persist in our rebellion against God, notwithstanding the threatenings which he has denounced, or the judgments which he executes. When the will of man is obstinately set on those things which are directly contrary to the will of God; and, though we are warned of the danger thereof, resolve notwithstanding, to add rebellion to our iniquities, like the wild ass used to the wilderness, or the swift dromedary traversing her ways, that cannot be easily turned out of her course. In this respect the will of man is set in opposition to God; and therefore he is, for this reason, justly chargeable with idolatry.
(3.) This also discovers itself in our affections, when they are either set on unlawful objects, or immoderately pursue those that would otherwise be lawful; when we love these things which God hates, or covet what he has expressly forbidden, as Achan did the wedge of gold, and the Babylonish garment; upon which account covetousness is, by the apostle, called idolatry, Col. iii. 5. And to this we may add, that we are chargeable with this sin, when we make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, Rom. xiii, 14. Thus the apostle speaks of some whose god is their belly, Phil. iii. 19.
And as for those things which are otherwise lawful, we may be guilty of idolatry in the immoderate pursuit of them, when they take up too much of our thoughts, time, and concern; when our affections are so much set upon them, as though we had nothing better to mind; when we are not willing to part with them when God calls for them at our hands, and are more cast down at the loss of them, than we are when deprived of those spiritual blessings which are of the highest importance. In these instances we may be said to set up self as our idol in opposition to God.
And to this we may add, that there is a more subtle kind of idolatry, whereby self enters into, and takes its place in those religious duties, which believers are engaged in. Thus when they attempt to perform them in their own strength, as though they had a sufficiency in themselves, and had no occasion to depend on the almighty power of God to work in them that which is pleasant in his sight. And we are farther guilty of this sin, when, through the pride of our hearts, we are apt to applaud ourselves when we have performed some religious duties, and expect to be justified thereby; which is a setting up self as an idol, in the room of Christ. And lastly, when self is the end designed in what we do in matters of religion, and so robs God of that glory which is due to his name.
(2.) There is another idol, which is put in the room of God; and that is the world. When the profits, pleasures, or honours thereof are thought of with the greatest delight, as though they were our chief good, and pursued with more earnestness than Christ’s interest and glory. When it has not only the highest place in our affections, but, as it were, engrosses them; this is that love of the world which, as the apostle says, is inconsistent with the love of the Father, 1 John ii. 15. and denotes us guilty of that idolatry which we are now speaking of; more particularly,
[1.] When our thoughts are so much engaged in the pursuit of it, that we grow not only cold and remiss as to spiritual things; but allow ourselves no time for serious meditations on them, or converse with God in secret.
[2.] When the world has our first and last thoughts every day; when we are so far from following the Psalmist’s example, when he says, When I awake, I am still with thee, Psal. cxxxix. 18. as considering ourselves under the care of providence, and beholden to God for the mercies which we enjoy, that we are taken up with nothing else but the projects and schemes which we lay for the gaining or increasing our wealth, or worldly estate therein. And this having been the great business of the day, takes up and engages our wakeful thoughts by night, as though it were the main work and business of life.
[3.] When we pursue the world, without depending on God for his blessing to attend our lawful undertakings, and do not consider the good things thereof as his special gift, nor the disappointments that attend us therein, as ordered by his overruling providence, to engage us to walk more closely with him, and take up our rest in him as our only happiness.
[4.] When our hearts are hereby hardened, and grow cold and indifferent in religion, or when it follows and disturbs us in holy duties, and renders us formal in the discharge thereof.
[5.] When the riches, honours, and pleasures of the world have a tendency to quiet our spirits, and give us full satisfaction, though under spiritual declensions, and destitute of the special presence of God, which is our greatest happiness.
[6.] When we fret, or repine at the providence of God, under the disappointments we meet with in our secular affairs in the world. And,
[7.] When we despise the members of Christ, because they are poor in the world, are ashamed of his cross, and refuse to bear reproach for his sake.
(1.) There is another instance of heart-idolatry, viz. when we adhere to the dictates of Satan, and regard his suggestions more than the convictions of our own consciences, or the Holy Spirit. Satan’s design in his temptations, is to turn us away from God; and when we are drawn aside thereby, we may be said to obey him rather than God. This is what all are more or less guilty of; but some are said, in an uncommon degree, to be his servants. Thus the apostle Paul styles the sorcerer, who sought to turn aside the deputy from the faith, a child of the devil, Acts xiii. 10. and our Saviour tells the Jews, Ye are of your father the devil; and the lusts of you