LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATECHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED TO YOUTH.

LECTURE XXXIX.

We are now to consider what is forbidden in the first commandment. "The first commandment (says our Catechism) forbiddeth the denying, or not worshipping and glorifying the true God, as God, and our God, and the giving that worship and glory to any other which is due to him alone."

It will readily be perceived by all who carefully attend to this answer, that it consists of two parts: -First; it affirms that this commandment forbids a denial of the being, or a refusal of the suitable worship, of the true God. Secondly; that it also forbids the giving of that worship and glory to any being, or object, which is due to the true God alone. The subject matter of these prohibitions may be expressed in two words, ATHEISM and IDOLATRY. Let us briefly consider each of these; keeping in mind that our principal object here is, to show in what these sins consist, or the various kinds or instances of them-The guilt incurred by the commission of these sins, will be more particularly considered in discussing the next an

swer.

VOL. VII.-Ch. Adv.

I. The first commandment forbids ATHEISM. This term is derived from two Greek words (a OεOS), the meaning of which is, without God, that is, without the true God. An atheist, therefore, is one who denies, or refuses to acknowledge and worship, the true God. This description will embrace a considerable variety of character, which we shall endeavour briefly to exhibit and illustrate.

Atheists are commonly, and justly, divided into two great classesspeculative and practical. Speculative atheists are of various kinds

1. Those who explicitly and understandingly deny an INTELLIGENT first cause of all things; and profess to believe that the material universe, as we now behold it, is eternal; or that matter is eternal, and assumed its present form by chance, or by a fortuitous concourse of atoms, or by something which they call fate; or else that it is self created; and that all sentient beings, as they now exist, have either existed eternally, or are self created, or that they came into being by certain operations or combinations of matter, which they suppose is endued with something which they call a plastick nature. These are the opinions which are denominated pure atheism: And they are so ineffably absurd and difficult to believe, and the indications of con

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summate wisdom, design and contrivance, are so strikingly visible in all that we behold, and the impression on the human mind of some great and intelligent first cause, is so early, and general, and powerful, that many have very seriously questioned, whether there ever was a speculative atheist, of the kind or character which we here consider. It has been supposed that the avowal of the monstrous notions we have mentioned, has proceeded from affectation of singularity at first, and has afterwards been persisted in from pride and obstinacy, while there has been no real conviction of the understanding at all -no deliberate and settled belief, of what is so abhorrent to all reason and common sense. It has indeed been long my opinion, that atheists, of the kind we now have in view, ought to be regarded as men partially insane-not, by any means, innocently so, but who have become so by a wicked and voluntary perversion of their intellectual powers, and by being, in the just judgment of God, "given over to strong delusions to believe a lie." In many instances, they have shown that reason and conscience have occasionally burst upon them, in spite of themselves, and made them tremble under the apprehension of a God, and of a judgment to come. Yet I am not prepared to say that there have not been other instances of perfect atheistick hardness and insensibility, which nothing could move. There certainly have been martyrs to speculative atheism. A man by the name of Vanini, was burned to death for atheism, at Toulouse in France, in 1629; and to the last moment he obstinately adhered to the profession of his unbeliefseveral other instances of a similar kind might be mentioned. The world, I think, had never before witnessed such an open and general avowal of speculative atheism, as was seen in France, during the late revolution in that country: and

it may deserve a passing notice, that a favourite dogma of some infidel writers, namely, that atheism is more tolerant than Christianity, received a most practical and awful refutation, at the time when this avowal of atheism took place. No tolerance was allowed, either to religious or political opinions, when they differed from those of the party who held a temporary sway. Never did human blood, not shed in battle, flow so freely; never was human life held so cheap. The friends of religion were first proscribed and murdered in crowds, and without distinction or mercy. Then each ruling faction, while it held the ascendant, sent its rivals to the fatal guillotine, till ali who remained in life became at length horror smitten, by perceiving the situation into which their atheistical and sanguinary system had brought them. Surely this was permitted by a righteous God, to show that when men deny his existence, their own will speedily become a curse-to themselves and to all around them.

2. There is a species of atheism which, from its most distinguished advocate Spinoza, a learned Jew of the 17th century, resident in Amsterdam, has been called Spinozism. Those who embrace this system have been called Pantheists, because they profess to believe that the Universe is God, or that every thing in existence is a part of God. This however was in fact, with some unimportant modifications, the system of many of the ancient philosophers. Probaby, also, it was the real system of Confucius, the celebrated sage of China; and it is at this day the avowed system of the Soufees, the philosophers of Persia.

3. There is much of what is called interpretative atheism; that is, either an utter ignorance of the true God, or sentiments which imply a denial of some of his essential attributes and plain manifestations. The apostle Paul, referring to the

state of the Ephesians, while they were ignorant of the gospel and in a state of idolatry, says, they were (adeo! 69 τω κοσμώ) atheists in the world. Thus the voice of inspiration declares idolatry and ignorance of the true God, to be virtually atheism; and this description will comprebend all the pagans, both of ancient and modern times, It will also comprehend all those who live under the light of the gospel-and the number is lamentably great-who are really as destitute of all just ideas of God as the heathen themselves. Farther, Since it is impossible to have any just conceptions of the Divine Being, without believing that he governs the world, those who deny his providence are justly chargeable with atheism; and those who do not conceive of him as just and holy, as well as good and merciful, must take part in the same charge; and they who use blasphemous language, and make blasphemous charges against, or appeals to God, are deeply implicated. Dr. Clark, moreover, in his "Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion," maintains that the sentiments of our modern deists and scepticks, must of necessity, if pushed to their proper consequences, terminate in downright atheism; and Bishop Butler has shown, most conclusively, in his "Analogy," that the chief objections which are urged by infidels against the gospel, stand in all their force against the course of nature; that is, against the works and order of God in creation and providence. Thus it appears that the class of interpretative or virtual atheists, is exceedingly large and comprehen

sive.

But the class of practical atheists is still much larger. It comprehends all those "who live without God in the world," be the profession of their belief what it may. The apostle Paul speaks of those "who profess that they know God, but in works they deny him:" and

the Psalmist declares, "the fool hath said in his heart* no God;" that is, I wish there were none.

Let me for a moment point your attention to several descriptions of character, chargeable with practical atheism, according to the answer of the Catechism now under consideration

1. Those are to be considered as refusing by their practice to acknowledge God, who do not seek direction and assistance from him in the important concerns of life; who form connexions of the most lasting kind, and enter on enterprises and undertakings which are to have a decisive influence on the whole of their earthly existence, and perhaps on their eternal well being also, without ever asking counsel of God, seeking to know their duty from his word, observing the indications of his providence, acknowledging his hand in what befalls them, or looking to him for success, or a happy issue, as that which he alone can grant-In all these interesting concerns and circumstances, "God is not in all their thoughts." 2. These are plainly guilty of not worshipping God, who live in the habitual neglect of all, or any of those exercises of prayer-ejaculatory, secret, social and publickwhich were particularly specified in my last lecture. O that men would reflect on the practical atheism of "restraining prayer" before God!

3. Men are chargeable with the guilt of practically refusing to glorify God, when they pursue their own honour, pleasure and happiness, in any way forbidden by God; when they perform actions, either civil or religious, from a regard merely to their own reputation or aggrandizement, without any reference to the glory of God, or regard to his laws; when they ascribe the

The words there is are added by our translators. It is plainly a wish, or a feeling, and not a deliberate opinion, which the inspired writer charges on the fool,

other things held a firm belief in the devil, as one condition of his salvation. In the indulgence of his most lively and unbounded imagination, he permitted himself to fall into scepticism; occupied his thoughts more in considering the justice than the goodness of the Deity, and entangled and lost himself in the fathomless labyrinth of divine predestination and grace. In his torturing anxiety in regard to his salvation, he compared himself to a man, who stood upon the brink of a precipice, and every mo ment awaited his fall. On a certain occasion, inflamed by his ardent love to the sciences, he broke forth in the following words in a letter-"Alas, my poor brain, that must be changed into dust! Alas, all the knowledge and science, which, with untiring diligence, I have brought together, and which now soon, like the dream of a child, must be wholly lost!" Ever painfully concerned about the salvation of his soul, ever dejected on account of his deficiencies and errors, it was in prayer that he now found the strength and comfort which he so much needed.

The emperor, Joseph the Second, who on a return tour to France, made a circuit in order to visit him, finding him encompassed by papers and books, asked him, whether employment did not too much tire and exhaust him. Haller replied, that

thing of that orthodoxy, of which he thinks

Haller had too much. Such men would

do well if they would, like Haller, seek and find relief for a labouring mind in prayer, instead of seeking it in the rejection of some of the plain truths of revelation. It is their usual practice, to refer the gloom either of occasional or constitutional melancholy to the effects of an orthodox faith, even when it is this at last which actually affords relief. We never before heard that Haller, at any period of his life, indulged in scepticism; and the statement on that point here is almost selfcontradictory-We could not permit an article, interesting on the whole, to go to our readers without these remarks. ED.

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employment was the only balm of his life, whereby he forgot for a time his infirmities. "Do you still make poetry ?" continued the Emperor. "That was the sin of my youth," answered Haller-" Voltaire only makes verses in his 80th year." A neighbouring clergyman, soon after this visit of the Emperor, came to Haller, and congratulated him on account of an honour that had been conferred upon him. The old man answered nothing but"Rejoice when your names written in heaven." In his diary he wrote--"My vanity and selflove have met with something very flattering. But let me, O God, never forget, that my happiness does not depend upon men, from whose favour or displeasure I in a very few minutes shall have nothing to fear or to hope. Let me ever bear in mind that this alone is true happiness, to know thee, to love thee, to be assured of thy favour, and to find in thee a reconciled God and Judge." Again, in December, 1777, he wrote in his diary

Probably this is the last time that I shall handle the pen. I cannot conceal it, that the thought of being so near my Judge is terrible to me; how shall I be able to stand before him; since I am not yet prepared for eternity, as it appears to me that every Christian ought to be. O my Redeemer! be thou, in this to me so awful a moment, my intercessor and advocate; grant me the aid of thy Spirit to conduct me through the gloomy valley of death; that like thee, my Saviour, I may die triumphant, and full of faith, exclaiming-It is finished, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." "My friend," said he, to the physician who attended him, “I die, my pulse has stopped, and thus departed." This happened 12th December, 1777, at eight o'clock in the evening, after he had lived seventy years.