1. 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?" Remember what he paid for your redemption, and 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 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 that thou wouldest keep us steadfast in this faith. NOTE. THE TRINITY. THE following remarks so well suited to the sacredness of the subject, and to the unworthiness of our apprehensions, are from Archbishop Secker: Certainly, in general, it is no contradiction, that things should be in one respect the same, and in another different. But the particular and explicit notion of this union and this distinction, the word of God hath not given us. Whether we are capable of apprehending it, we know not: and, therefore, it is no wonder, in the least, that we are incapable of forming one to ourselves. For indeed we are incapable of forming clear notions concerning thousands of other things, which are unspeakably less beyond our reach. All that we can do, therefore, is, to use those expressions in relation to it, which either Scripture furnishes, or experience has found useful to guard against false apprehensions: for with very imperfect ones we must be content. Thus, in speaking of the dif ference of the Son and Spirit from the Father, and from each other, we say, with our Bible, that the Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds, without pretending to know any further, what these two words mean, than that each denotes something different from the other: and both something different from creation out of nothing. And this distinction giving occasion to Scripture to speak of them in somewhat the same manner, as of different persons amongst men; we call them the three persons of the Trinity not at all intending by it to say, that the word person suits them in every respect that it suits us: but only to acknowledge, that, as we find them thus spoken of, we doubt not but there is some sufficient ground for it. And as we find further, that in point of rank, the person of the Father is represented as supreme, the Son as subordinate to him, the Holy Spirit to both; and in point of relation to us, creation is ascribed peculiarly to the first, redemption to the second, sanctification to the third; and yet, in some sense, each of these things to each: we imitate the whole of this, likewise. Still we are very sensible at the same time, that many more doubts and difficulties may be raised, almost about every part of the doctrine, than God, in his unsearchable wisdoin, has given us light enough to solve. But we apprehend it is our duty to believe with humility and simplicity, what the Scripture hath taught us; and to be contentedly ignorant of what it doth not teach us; without indulging specu lations and conjectures, which will only perplex the subject more, instead of clearing it. And surely it is our duty, also, to interpret with candour, and use with prudent moderation, whatever well-meant phrases the Church of Christ, especially in its earliest days, hath applied to this subject; to think on matters, which are both so mysterious in their nature, and so hard to be expressed, with great charity of other persons: and for ourselves, to keep close with great care to so much as is plain and practical.-Secker's Lectures, p. 110. CHAPTER VIII. ON THE COMMANDMENTS. § 1. ON OUR OBLIGATION TO KEEP GOD'S LAW. WHAT was the third thing your Sponsors promised for you? "That I should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life." Tell me how many there are? Ten; which are otherwise called the law of God. They were given to Moses on mount Sinai, written by the finger of God on two tables of stone, They contain the substance of all that is required of man, and instruct him briefly in his duty towards God, and his duty towards his neighbour. But it is not to be supposed, that the Divine commands are so fully revealed in them, as to render the rest of God's word unnecessary or unimportant. All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; and the will of God is to be sought for throughout the whole Bible. Which are they? "The same which God spake in the twentieth chapter of Exodus, saying, I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." God thus reminded his people of the wonders he had wrought for them, in order to display his majesty, and enforce his authority. Under what obligations were the children of Israel to keep the ten commandments? Because he was "the Lord their God." [He said to Abram] I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees. Gen. xv. 7. To be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Gen. xvii. 7. I will bring you unto the land concerning the which I did swear: -I am the Lord. Exod. vi. 2. 6. 8. 29. Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people :-and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exod. xix. 5, 6. I am the Lord thy God. Exod. xx. 2. xix. 2; xx. 7. Ye shall be holy, for I am holy. Lev. xi. 44 ; All the first-born are mine. I am the Lord. Num. iii. 13. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, &c. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, &c. Deut. xxvi. 17-19. Defile not yourselves. I am the Lord your God. Ezek. xx. 7. Ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, and none else. Joel ii. 27; iii. 17. He brought them "out of the land of Egypt." [Pharaoh was induced by his interference to say,] Get you forth from among my people.-And they spoiled the Egyptians. Exod. xii. 31-37. Ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out of the land of Egypt. Exod. xvi. 6; xxix. 46. I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. Lev. xix. 36; xxvi. 13. Num. xv. 41. Deut. v. 6; xiii. 5. 10. Be not afraid for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Deut. xx. 1. The Lord our God, he it is, that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt. Josh. xxiv. 17. They forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt. Judg. ii. 12. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt. Judg. vi. 8. It is the Lord-that brought your fathers up out of the land of Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; neverthe- The Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt. Jude 5. "Out of the house of bondage:" for Pharaoh had made them slaves during their residence in his dominions, and treated them with the utmost cruelty. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour. Exod. i. 13, 14. And their cry came up unto God, by reason of the bondage. Exod. ii. 23. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry, for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them. Exod. iii. 7-9. And Pharaoh commanded--Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. Let there be more work laid upon the men. Exod. v. 6-9. I am the Lord,—and I will rid you out of their bondage, &c. Exod. vi. 6, 7. 9. Remember this day in which ye came-out of the house of bondage. Exod. xiii. 3. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee from the house of bondage. Deut. vi. 12; viii. 14. How much were they bound to serve and please God, who had done such great things for them! His claims on their gratitude on this account are frequently adverted to. For ask now of the days that are passed, &c. whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? &c. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation, from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? &c. Know therefore this day, and consider in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee. Deut. iv. 32. 34. 39, 40, Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? Deut. xxxii. 6. Fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you. 1 Sam. xii. 24. They forgat God their Saviour, who had done great things in Egypt. Ps. cvi. 21. Are these commandments equally binding on us as Chris tians? Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; Matt. v. 17. We are under unspeakably greater obligations for spiritual redemption. We have been delivered from spiritual bondage, brought out of spiritual dangers and difficulties, and admitted to a participation of spiritual blessings; of which the temporary deliverances and blessings experienced by the Israelites were but types. God has brought us out of the galling bondage of sin and Satan; has promised to guide and support us by his Spirit through the wilderness of this world; and to bring us safe at last to the heavenly Canaan, which is to be the everlasting inheritance of all his chosen people. Christ has redeemed us from the power of Satan, by his blood. He hath visited and redeemed his people. Luke i. 68. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Rom. iii. 24. Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Cor. i. 30. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. Gal. iii. 13. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. Eph. i. 7. Col. i. 14. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i. 15. Who gave himself a ransom for all. 1 Tim. ii. 6. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, &c. Tit. ii. 14. Having obtained eternal redemption for us. Heb. ix. 12. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things-but with the precious blood of Christ. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. Rev. v. 9. We were "tied and bound by the chain of our sins;" and "the pitifulness of his great mercy has loosed us," throwing open the prison doors, and giving liberty to the captives. Thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Ps. cxvi. 16, 17. He led captivity captive. Eph. iv. 8. That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Tim. ii. 26. He has not only "delivered us from evil," but put us into the possession of good unspeakable, and sent his Spirit to sanctify us, and cause us to profit by all his mercies. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Eph. v. 8. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Col. i. 13. |