thorized by our blessed Saviour, and certainly designed by the maker of the Catechism to be used in expounding it, we shall find, that there is no part of the moral law, but may be fitly ranked under them; as will appear by what shall be said, in speaking separately on each Commandment.

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Before them all is placed a general Preface: expressing, first, the authority of him who gave them: "I am the Lord thy God:" secondly, his goodness to those whom he enjoined to observe them who brought thee out of the land of "Egypt-out of the house of bondage." Now, the authority of God over us Christians, is as great as it could be over the Jews. And his goodness is much greater, in freeing us from the bondage of sin, and opening to us the heavenly land of promise, than it was in leading them from Egyptian slavery, to the earthly Canaan; though, indeed, this deliverance having made so fresh and so strong an impression on them, was the fittest to be mentioned at that time.

The Ten Commandments being originally written, by the finger of God himself, on two tables of stone, and consisting of two parts, our duty to our Maker, and to our fellow-creatures; which we can never perform as we ought, if we neglect that we to owe ourselves; the four first are usually called duties of the first table; the six last of the second. And our Saviour, in effect, divides them accordingly, when he reduces them to these :

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy "heart, and thy neighbour as thyself."5

The first Commandment is, "Thou shalt have "none other gods but me."

The same reasons which prove that God is, prove that there is but one God. The imagination of two or more beings, each perfect, and each in

(5) Matt. xxii. 37, 39.

finite, is, at the first sight, groundless. For one such being is sufficient to produce and govern every being else: and, therefore, more than one can never be proved by reason: and yet, if there were more, all men would surely have had some way of knowing it and till we have, we are not to believe it. Indeed, we have strong reasons to believe the contrary. For if there is no difference between these several supposed beings, they are but one and the same. And if there is any difference, one must be less perfect than the other, and, therefore, imperfect-and, therefore, not God. Besides, as the whole course of nature appears to proceed uniformly under one direction; there is, without question, only one director; not several, thwarting each other.

And what reason teaches in this matter, Scripture every where confirms; forbidding us to worship, or to believe in, any other deity, than the one maker and ruler of heaven and earth; who hath manifested himself to all men, by the works of his hands; to the Patriarchs and Jews, by the revelations recorded in Moses and the Prophets; and finally to Christians, by his Son our Lord: who, in a way and manner to us inconceivable, is one with the Father; and the Holy Spirit with both as I have already shown you, in discoursing on the Creed.

There being, then, this one only God; the Commandment before us enjoins,

I. That we have him for our God.

II. That we have no other.

I. That we have him: that is, think so of him, and behave so to him, as his infinite perfection, and our absolute dependence an him, require: which general duty towards God, our Catechism very justly branches out into the following particulars.

First, That we "believe in him." "For he that

The

"cometh to God, must believe that he is." foundation on which this belief stands, I have shown in its proper place. And the great thing, in which it consists, is, that we fix firmly in our minds, recall frequently to our memories, and imprint deeply upon our hearts, an awful persuasion of the being and presence, the power and justice, the holiness and truth, of this great Lord of all. The consequence of this will be,

Secondly, That we "fear him." For such attributes as these, duly considered, must fill the most innocent creatures with reverence and selfabasement. But sinful and guilty ones, as we know ourselves to have been, have cause to feel yet stronger emotions in their souls from such a meditation. Apprehensions of his displeasure, and solicitude for his pardon; leading us naturally to that penitent care of our hearts and lives, on which he hath graciously assured us, that through faith in Christ Jesus, we shall be forgiven. And then gratitude for his mercy will prompt us to the

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Third duty towards him, which our Catechismi specifies, that we love him:" "the fear of the Lord "being (as the Son of Sirach declares) the beginning of his love."7 For, whenever we come to reflect seriously on that goodness, which hath given us all the comforts that we enjoy; that pity which offers pardon, on most equitable terms, for all the faults that we have committed; that grace which enables us to perform every duty acceptably; and that infinite bounty which rewards our imperfect performances with eternal happiness : we cannot but feel ourselves bound to love such a benefactor, "with all our heart, and with all our "mind, with all our soul, and all our strength;" to rejoice in being under his government; "make "our boast of him all the day-long," and choose

(6) Heb. xi. 6.

(7) Ecclus. xxv. 12. (8) Psal. xliv. 8, 9.

him for "our portion for ever." A mind thus affected, would be uneasy, without paying the regard set down in the

Fourth place, which is, "to worship him :" to acknowledge our dependence, and pay our homage to him; both in private, to preserve and improve a sense of religion in ourselves; and in public, to support and spread it in the world. The first part of worship, mentioned in the Catechism, and the first in a natural order of things, is "giving him "thanks." God originally made and fitted all his creatures for happiness: if any of them have made themselves miserable, this doth not lessen their obligation of thankfulness to him: but his continuing still good, and abounding in forgiveness and liberality, increases that obligation unspeakably. With a grateful sense of his past favours is closely connected, "putting our trust in him" for the time to come. And justly doth the Catechism require it to be our "whole trust." For his power and goodness are infinite: those of every creature may fail us; and all they can possibly do for us, proceeds ultimately from him. Now, a principal expression of reliance on God is, petitioning for his help. For, if we "pray in faith," we shall live so too. And, therefore, trusting in him, which might have been made a separate head, is included in this of worship; and put between the first part of it, "giving thanks to him;" and the second, "calling upon him:" according to that of the Psalmist; "O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let 66 me never be confounded."2 To call upon God, is to place ourselves in his presence; and there to beg of him, for ourselves, and each other, with unfeigned humility and submission, such assistance in our duty, such provision for our wants, and

(1) James i. 6, 15.

(9) Psal. lxxiii. 25, 26.
(2) Psal. xxxi. 1.

such defence against our enemies, of every kind, as infinite wisdom sees fit for us all. After this evident obligation, follows a

Fifth, not less so: "to honour his holy name "and word :" not presuming, even, to speak of the great God in a negligent way; but preserving, in every expression and action, that reverence to him, which is due paying, not a superstitious, but a decent and respectful regard, to whatever bears any peculiar relation to him; his day, his church, his ministers; but especially honouring his holy word, the law of our lives, and the foundation of our hopes, by a diligent study and firm belief of what it teaches; and that universal obedience to what it commands, which our Catechism reserves for the

Sixth and last, as it is undoubtedly the greatest thing; "to serve him truly all the days of our life." Obedience is the end of faith and fear; the proof of love; the foundation of trust; the necessary qualification, to make worship and honour of every kind acceptable. This, therefore, must complete the whole, that "we walk in all the command

ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless,"3 not thinking any one so difficult, as to despair of it; or so small, as to despise it; and never be "weary in well-doing; for we shall reap in due season, if we faint not ;" "4 and he, alone, "shall "be saved, that endureth to the end."5 But we must now proceed to observe,

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II. That, as this commandment requires us to acknowledge the one true God; so it forbids us to acknowledge any other.

Both before, and long after the law of Moses was given, the generality of the world entertained a belief, that there were many gods; a great number of beings, superior to men, that amongst

(3) Luke i. 6.

(4) Gal. vi. 9.
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(5) Matt. xxiv. 13.