Nisroch, Isa. xxxvii, 38. Bel, Nebo, Isa. xivi, 1. Queen of Merodach, Jer. 1, 2. Tammuz, Ezek. viii, 14. Baal-peor, Hosea, ix, 10. Host of Heaven, Acts vii, Remphan, Acts vii, 43. Jupiter, Mercurius, Acts xiv, 42. 12. Mars, Acts xvii, 22. Diana, Acts xix, 34. I am the Lord, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven images. Isa. xlii, 8. How thankful ought we to be that we know the True God! This was once a nation of idolaters, and our ancestors were like the rest of the ignorant heathen. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Eph. ii, 13. Bless God for your present advantages, and be anxious to extend them by means of Missionary and Bible Societies, &c. to those who do not yet enjoy them. This commandment forbids our loving any being more than, or in comparison with God, so as to be induced to act contrary to his command, in order to please ourselves or others; to avoid the displeasure of our fellow creatures; or to prevent some inconvenience to ourselves. God alone is an object deserving our love; and he only is able to satisfy our capacity of happiness. Yet The Proud Man makes an idol of self; and God resisteth the proud. 1 Pet. v, 5. The Revengeful invades God's prerogative, who says, To me belongeth vengeance and recompence. Deut. xxxii, 35. Vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord. Rom. xii, 19. Vengeance belongeth unto me: I will recompence, saith the Lord. Heb. x, 30. The Covetous Man makes a God of his wealth. Covetousness, which is idolatry. Eph. v, 5; Col. iii, 5. This is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches. Ps. lii, 7. The Sensual Man makes a God of his appetites. Whose God is their belly. Phil. iii, 19. Men shall be lovers of their own selves. 2 Tim. iii, 2. Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. 2 Tim. iii, 4. Men, in Parents idolize their children, and the same sort of idolatry prevails in various relations of life. various ways, Worship and serve the creature more than the Creator. Rom. i, 25. They forsake the fountain of living waters, and hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Jer. ii, 13. Asking counsel or information from persons pretending to be witches, and to have dealings with "familiar spirits." Lev. xx, 6. Inordinate love of things below is idolatry. Love not the world, neither the things of the world. 1 John ii, 15. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Matt. vi, 24. We serve Mammon when our thoughts are so taken up with worldly concerns that we neglect our duty to God. What does this Commandment require of us? 1. To know God; i. e. to make ourselves acquainted with the divine character as revealed in the Scriptures. And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, &c. 1 Chron. xxviii, 9. Acquaint now thyself with him. Job xxii, 21. Let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me. Jer. ix, 24. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. Some have not the knowledge of God. 1 Cor. xv, 34. Hosea vi, 3. John v, 39. John xiii, 17. only true God. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. iv, 6. Taking vengeance on them that know not God. 2 Thess. i, 8. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John ii, 3, 4. 2. In consequence of this knowledge, we are to believe in him. Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 2 Chron. xx, 20. Repent and believe the Gospel. Mark i, 15. Lord, I believe: help thou my unbelief. Mark ix, 24. He that believeth shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark xvi, 16. John xii, 44. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life. John iii, 36. xvi, 31. Whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed. Rom, ix, 33. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Rom. x, 10. Faith, which worketh by love. Gal. v, 6. We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Heb. x, 39. Without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb. xi, 6. The reason why God is not believed in, is, that he is not known. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Rom. x, 14. What does this Commandment further require of us? 3. "To fear him." All men fear God; the wicked with a slavish fear, the consequence of guilt; the good with a filial fear, consisting of a holy affection or gracious habit wrought in the soul by God, whereby it is inclined and enabled to obey his commandments. Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me, &c. Dent. v, 29. That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God. Deut. xxviii, 58. There is no fear of God before his eyes. Ps. xxxvi, 1; Rom. iii, 18. Let him be your fear. Isa. viii, 13. I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him which hath power to cast into hell. Matt. x, 28; Luke xii, 5. 4. "To love the Lord with all our heart, and with all our mind, and with all our soul, and with all our strength." Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c. 37; Mark xii, 30; Luke x, 27. Deut. vi, 5; Matt. xxii, What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, &c. Deut. X, 12. Take diligent heed--to love the Lord your God. Josh. xxii, 5. O love the Lord, all ye his saints. Ps. xxxi, 23. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha. 1 Cor. xvi, 22. This is the love of God, that we keep his commands. Keep yourselves in the love of God. Jude, 21. Why should we love God? God is love. 1 John iv, 16. 1 John v, 3. We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John iv, 19. Neither let us tempt Christ. 1 Cor. x, 9. Ye have agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Acts v, 9. The three persons of the Trinity have fellowship with the faithful. Our fellowship is with the Father. 1 John i, 3. And with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John i, 3. The communion of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. xiii, 14. The three persons of the Trinity are spiritually present in the souls of believers. God is in you. 1 Cor. xiv, 25. Jesus Christ is in you. 2 Cor. xiii, 5. The Spirit dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John xiv, 17. There are texts to prove, in the same way, that each person is eternal, true, holy, omnipresent, and the fountain of life. What gratitude ought we to feel towards God for having brought us into existence, and made us capable of so much happiness: but above all, for having redeemed us from sin and hell by the blood of his only Son, and sent his Holy Spirit to sanctify us, and make us fit for eternal glory. You said that God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth the elect people of God;-Who are the elect people of God? The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself. Ps. iv, 3. Elect means chosen, and the word is used in Scripture, to denote those persons who are separated from a sinful world, and spiritually united to Jesus Christ, who died to redeem them by his blood out of every kindred, and people, and nation; and to make them kings and priests unto God. Did Christ then, by his death, redeem none but the elect? Yes: he tasted death for every man; and "hath redeemed us and all mankind:" but such is the depravity of human nature, that a great portion of men obstinately reject his offered mercy, and refuse to become partakers of the benefits he hath purchased for them. How may we know whether we are the elect people of God? By an examination of our hearts and conduct. We can have no evidence that we are of his chosen people, except so far as we show, in our lives and conversation, that we are sanctified by the Holy Ghost: and we may rest assured, that none will be left to perish, who have not pleasure in unrighteousness. Is it for any merits of our own that we are thus chosen? Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. Titus iii, 5. Are we, then, to use no efforts of our own to attain unto this state? We are to be as diligent in the use of all the means of grace as if our salvation depended wholly upon ourselves; at the same time that we repose our confidence as entirely on Divine assistance, as if we could do nothing to help ourselves. We must be workers together with God, though He alone can communicate strength, and to him alone must be all the glory. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. 2 Pet. i, 10. 1st. Do you believe that "God the Father made you and all the world?" Serve him then as dutiful and obedient children.-He made you that you should live to his glory. 2. Do you believe that "God the Son redeemed you and all mankind?" and Remember what he paid for your redemption, continue not the slaves of sin. You are not your own, you are bought with a price; and pray that all mankind may be brought to believe in the Saviour of the world. 3. Do you believe that "God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all the elect people of God?" Pray that your souls may be enlightened and sanctified by his influence, that you may make. your calling and election sure. And remember, that however true the articles of your belief may be, unless your faith in them purifies your hearts, overcomes the world, and works by love, it will profit you nothing. Collect---Trinity Sunday. Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true Faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty, to worship the Unity; we beseech thee to keep us steadfast in this faith, |