them refine it never so much with pamphlets and distinctions; all they attain by spinning it so fine, is but to make it a part of the mystery of iniquity. 6. Erroneous opinions concerning God, and generally heresies in religion. 7. Practical or interpretative atheism, or idolatry, whether of the two you will call it; for it is both in the lives of the most: and the world is full of this, being such as declares they have no God, or that this God is but some base idol in his stead; particularly amongst ourselves, 1. Gross ignorance of God, and no endeavour to attain the knowledge of him, though in the midst of the light and means of knowing. 2. Universal profaneness flowing from this ignorance, Hosea iv. i-3. The hearts of men, that should be the temples of God, are full of idols; though we hide them in the closest corners, they are before his face; he sees them-lust and pride and covetousness. Ezek. viii. Consider, that which you bestow most thoughts and service on, that which you are most affectionate and earnest in, is not that your God? And is there not something beside the true God that is thus deep in the hearts of the most of us? Take pains to make the comparison, look upon the temper of your minds; (to say nothing of much more time spent upon other things than on him;) how ardent you are in other affairs that you think concern you near, and how cold in serving and honouring him! But though in particular under-gods, in what serves their honour, they differ, all men naturally agree in the great idol, himself. Every man is by corrupt nature his own god. Was not this the first wickedness that corrupted our nature? Ye shall be as gods; and it sticks to it still. Men would please themselves, and have themselves somebody, esteemed and honoured; and would have all serve to this end. Is not this God's right and due they give themselves, to be the end of all their own actions, and sacrifice all to their own glory? IV. What it commands. Now by these we may easily gather the contrary, what is the obedience of this commandment. (Though the graces are duties properly belonging to this commandment, some divines think fit to expatiate into the several-common places of them, in explaining this commandment: yet, with all respect to them, I think it not so fit to dwell upon each of these herein; their full handling rather belonging to that place of divinity that treats of the head of sanctification, and those infused habits of which it consists.) It is so to know the true God, this Jehovah, as to be persuaded sovereignly to love, and fear, and trust in him, to serve and adore him. He is to be feared, for he is great: Who would not fear thee, thou King of nations? To be loved, for he is good; and because both great and good, only fit to be wholly relied on and hoped in. But love is all; it gives up the heart, and by that all the rest to the party loved; it is no more its own. Oh that we could love him! Did we see him, we should. It is his uncreated beauty that holds glorified spirits still beholding and still delighted; but we, because we know him not; if we have any thoughts of him, how short are they! Presently down again we fall to the earth and into the mire ere we are aware. Therefore, Set yourselves to know, and love, and worship this God; labour that there may be less of the world, and less of yourselves, and more of God in your hearts; more settled and fixed thoughts of him, and delight in him. Think not that this is only for the learned, or only for some retired, contemplative spirits that have nothing else to do; he is the Most High, and service and honour are due to him from all his creatures; and from his reasonable creatures, reasonable service: and what this is, hear from the apostle, and let his exhortation, or his entreaty, persuade you to it: "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, (and they are not living them refine it never so much with pam 7. Practical or interpretati t.. Jod, which 1, and your thee any graven image. binds us to acknowledge God; this, to the true worship in the midst of town but by his own teaching and prescription and appointment. so he cannot be rightly worshipped them in the aim of this second commandment, to he sees man's hands, and his working fancy that sets sat work, and to teach him to depend upon de direction for the rule of divine worship, and to him nothing in his service, but what he hath reared from him in command. The prohibition is general; Non facies tibi, thou shalt not devise any g to thyself in the worship of God: and under expressly named, are comprehended all other inventhat gross device of images, and worshipping them, tions and will-worship. There are in the words, 1, The precept; 2, The en forcement of it. Precept 1. Thou shalt not make. Thou shalt not Imagine, nor invent, nor imitate the invention of others: Thou shalt not make, nor cause to make: in a word, thou shalt be no way accessary to the corrupting of divine worship, with any resemblance, or image, or human device at all. The former a particular word, signifying the then most usual kind of imagery; but the other of a most large and general sense, for all kind of similitude and representation. So that the dispute the Church of Rome drives us into for her interest in this matter, about sidov and exwv, is not only a mere logomachy, a debate about words, but altogether impertinent and TEN COMMANDMENTS. may easily gather the sout♥ re of this commandment es properly be long ines think ht to es of them, in all remport what " . ving no ground at all in the words of the former whereof is more parthese two, and the latter more ve than either they or any der it by. are in heaven, &c. Because the had wandered up and down the e through all these places to find obry in heaven, the sun, and moon, and he earth not only men, but beasts and things, and fishes in the waters, and made , of them to worship; the Lord is therefore parar in his countermand. 2. The second part of the precept is concerning their worship,-Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them. The former word is more particular, specifying one usual sign of worship, the inclining or bowing of the body. The other, general: Thou shalt not serve them; that is, give them no kind nor part of religious worship at all, on whatsoever pretence. Here again the Popish writers make a noise with that distinction, under which they think to shift the censure of idolatry. Call it what they will, AarрEUεIV λατρεύειν or deλeve, sure it comes under the word in the original, which signifies religious service or worship. Neither can they ever find in all the Scriptures, that any thing of that kind should be bestowed lower than upon the majesty of God himself. 1. This is then the tenor of the commandment. That no image or representation of God be made at all, as is expressed in many other scriptures, as giving the sense of this precept. 2. Nor that any resemblance of any creature be made for a religious use. 3. That neither to any creature, nor to any resemblance or image, be given any part of divine worship, although it were with a pretence, yea, and intention of worshipping the true God in and by them; which if it were a sufficient excuse, as the Church of Rome dreams it is, certainly the Israelites' golden calf, and without the soul) holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service," Rom. xii. 1, and your truest obedience to this commandment. PRECEPT II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. THE first commandment binds us to acknowledge and worship the true God; this, to the true worship of that God. As God is not known but by his own teaching and revealing himself, so he cannot be rightly worshipped but by his own prescription and appointment. This is the aim of this second commandment, to bind up man's hands, and his working fancy that sets his hands at work, and to teach him to depend upon divine direction for the rule of divine worship, and to offer him nothing in his service, but what he hath received from him in command. The prohibition is general; Non facies tibi, thou shalt not devise any thing to thyself in the worship of God: and under that gross device of images, and worshipping them, expressly named, are comprehended all other inventions and will-worship. There are in the words, 1, The precept; 2, The enforcement of it. Precept 1. Thou shalt not make. Thou shalt not imagine, nor invent, nor imitate the invention of others: Thou shalt not make, nor cause to make: in a word, thou shalt be no way accessary to the corrupting of divine worship, with any resemblance, or image, or human device at all. The former a particular word, signifying the then most usual kind of imagery; but the other of a most large and general sense, for all kind of similitude and representation. So that the dispute the Church of Rome drives us into for her interest in this matter, about own and exov, is not only a mere logomachy, a debate about words, but altogether impertinent and |