Chapter 10.
10. IN SCRIPTURE, THE TRUE GOD OPPOSED, EXCLUSIVELY,
TO ALL THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN.
Sections.
- Explanation of the knowledge of God resumed.
God as manifested in Scripture, the same as delineated in his works.
- The attributes of God as described by Moses,
David, and Jeremiah. Explanation of the attributes. Summary.
Uses of this knowledge.
- Scripture, in directing us to the true God,
excludes the gods of the heathen, who, however, in some sense, held the
unity of God.
1. The Scriptural doctrine of God the Creator
We formerly observed that the knowledge of God, which, in
other respects, is not obscurely exhibited in the frame of the
world, and in all the creatures, is more clearly and familiarly
explained by the word. It may now be proper to show, that in
Scripture the Lord represents himself in the same character in which
we have already seen that he is delineated in his works. A full
discussion of this subject would occupy a large space. But it will
here be sufficient to furnish a kind of index, by attending to which
the pious reader may be enabled to understand what knowledge of God
he ought chiefly to search for in Scripture, and be directed as to
the mode of conducting the search. I am not now adverting to the
peculiar covenant by which God distinguished the race of Abraham
from the rest of the nations. For when by gratuitous adoption he
admitted those who were enemies to the rank of sons, he even then
acted in the character of a Redeemer. At present, however, we are
employed in considering that knowledge which stops short at the
creation of the world, without ascending to Christ the Mediator. But
though it will soon be necessary to quote certain passages from the
New Testament, (proofs being there given both of the power of God
the Creator, and of his providence in the preservation of what he
originally created,) I wish the reader to remember what my present
purpose is, that he may not wander from the proper subject. Briefly,
then, it will be sufficient for him at present to understand how
God, the Creator of heaven and earth, governs the world which was
made by him. In every part of Scripture we meet with descriptions of
his paternal kindness and readiness to do good, and we also meet
with examples of severity which show that he is the just punisher of
the wicked, especially when they continue obstinate notwithstanding
of all his forbearance.
2. The attributes of God according to Scripture agree
with those known in his creatures
There are certain passages which contain more vivid
descriptions of the divine character, setting it before us as if his
genuine countenance were visibly portrayed. Moses, indeed, seems to
have intended briefly to comprehend whatever may be known of God by
man, when he said, "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious,
long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy
for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and
that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto
the third and to the fourth generation," (Ex. 34: 6, 7.) Here we may
observe, firsts that his eternity and selfexistence are declared by
his magnificent name twice repeated; and, secondly, that in the
enumeration of his perfections, he is described not as he is in
himself, but in relation to us, in order that our acknowledgement of
him may be more a vivid actual impression than empty visionary
speculation. Moreover, the perfections thus enumerated are just
those which we saw shining in the heavens, and on the earth -
compassion, goodness, mercy, justice, judgement, and truth. For
power and energy are comprehended under the name Elohim.
Similar epithets are employed by the prophets when they would fully declare
his sacred name. Not to collect a great number of passages, it may
suffice at present to refer to one Psalm, (145) in which a summary
of the divine perfections is so carefully given that not one seems
to have been omitted. Still, however, every perfection there set
down may be contemplated in creation; and, hence, such as we feel
him to be when experience is our guide, such he declares himself to
be by his word. In Jeremiah, where God proclaims the character in
which he would have us to acknowledge him, though the description is
not so full, it is substantially the same. "Let him that glorieth,"
says he, "glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that
I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgement, and
righteousness, in the earth," (Jerem. 9: 24.) Assuredly, the
attributes which it is most necessary for us to know are these
three: Loving-kindness, on which alone our entire safety depends:
Judgement, which is daily exercised on the wicked, and awaits them
in a severer form, even for eternal destruction: Righteousness, by
which the faithful are preserved, and most benignly cherished. The
prophet declares, that when you understand these, you are amply
furnished with the means of glorying in God. Nor is there here any
omission of his truth, or power, or holiness, or goodness. For how
could this knowledge of his loving-kindness, judgement, and
righteousness, exist, if it were not founded on his inviolable
truth? How, again, could it be believed that he governs the earth
with judgement and righteousness, without presupposing his mighty
power? Whence, too, his loving-kindness, but from his goodness? In
fine, if all his ways are loving-kindness, judgement, and
righteousness, his holiness also is thereby conspicuous.
Moreover, the knowledge of God, which is set before us in the Scriptures, is
designed for the same purpose as that which shines in creation,
viz., that we may thereby learn to worship him with perfect
integrity of heart and unfeigned obedience, and also to depend
entirely on his goodness.
3. Because the unity of God was also not unknown
to the heathen, the worshipers of idols are the more inexcusable
Here it may be proper to give a summary of the general
doctrine. First, then, let the reader observe that the Scripture, in
order to direct us to the true God, distinctly excludes and rejects
all the gods of the heathen, because religion was universally
adulterated in almost every age. It is true, indeed, that the name
of one God was everywhere known and celebrated. For those who
worshipped a multitude of gods, whenever they spoke the genuine
language of nature, simply used the name god, as if they had thought
one god sufficient. And this is shrewdly noticed by Justin Martyr,
who, to the same effect, wrote a treatise, entitled, On the Monarchy
of God, in which he shows, by a great variety of evidence, that the
unity of God is engraven on the hearts of all. Tertullian also
proves the same thing from the common forms of speech. But as all,
without exception, have in the vanity of their minds rushed or been
dragged into lying fictions, these impressions, as to the unity of
God, whatever they may have naturally been, have had no further
effect than to render men inexcusable. The wisest plainly discover
the vague wanderings of their minds when they express a wish for any
kind of Deity, and thus offer up their prayers to unknown gods. And
then, in imagining a manifold nature in God, though their ideas
concerning Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Minerva, and others, were not so
absurd as those of the rude vulgar, they were by no means free from
the delusions of the devil. We have elsewhere observed, that however
subtle the evasions devised by philosophers, they cannot do away
with the charge of rebellion, in that all of them have corrupted the
truth of God. For this reason, Habakkuk, (2: 20,) after condemning
all idols, orders men to seek God in his temple, that the faithful
may acknowledge none but Him, who has manifested himself in his
word.
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