Daniel de Superville père on the Second Commandment

Péchez contre le second commandement

Sins against the Second Commandment.

A Voir rendu, foit par crainte, foit par complaifance, quelque culte & quelque honneur aux Images, ou à la Croix.

To have made, either by fear, either by complacency, any worship & any honor to Images, or the Cross.

Avoir signé, qu'on emraffoit une Religion, qui viole manifeftement le II. Commandment, par le Culte public & particulier qu'elle rend aux Images.

Signing, they embrace a religion that clearly violates the Second Commandment, the Public Worship particularly they make to Images.

Avoir aidé à violer ce Commandmement, & à gater l'imagination des Homes, en peignant, en figurant, & en imprimant des Tableaux, où la Divinité eft representee fous des Images humaines & corporelles.

Helping to violate this Commandment, and to spoil the imagination of men, by depicting [painting], by representing [figuring], and by printing tables, where the Godhead [la Divinité] is represented by Human images and bodily.

Aimer trop la pompe, les cérémonies; & le Culte charnel dans la Religion.

Loving too much pomp and ceremony & the worship carnal in the Religion.

Ne rendre pas à Dieu le vrai Culte intérieur, en efprit & en vérité.

Do not make God the true worship inside, in spirit and in truth.

Négliger le Service extérieur, fous prétexte d'une prétendue spiritualité.

Neglecting the External Service, under the pretext of an alleged spirituality.

—Daniel de Superville père

LOVE TO AN UNSEEN SAVIOUR

LOVE

TO

AN UNSEEN SAVIOUR.

BY ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER, D. D.

—

"Whom having not seen ye love."—1 Peter i. 8.

—

The strangers dispersed through Asia Minor, to whom this epistle was addressed, had never seen the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh. But having been induced to attend on the ministry of the apostles and evangelists, who represented to them the facts relating to the Saviour of the world, and confirmed their testimony by miraculous signs, they, under the illumination of the Spirit, believed in him; and their faith was accompanied by love to him whom they had not seen. "Whom having not seen, ye love; and in whom believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."
It is related of the great Augustine that he was wont to express his regret that he could not see three things which had occurred before his time, namely, "Christ in the flesh, Paul in the pulpit, and Rome in its glory." As it regards the first of these, it is probable that most Christians have experienced something of the same pious curiosity. We are very naturally inclined to envy the condition of those who were contemporaneous with our Lord; and who is there among living Christians, who would not consent to perform a long pilgrimage to enjoy the sight of this divine Personage, even for an hour? Such a curiosity was felt by many who resided in distant countries, while he was upon earth. Thus, we read, that certain Greeks, no doubt proselytes, as soon as they arrived at Jerusalem to attend one of the Jewish festivals, began immediately to inquire for him, saying: "We would see Jesus;" and others said, "Where is He?" Earnest search was therefore made for him; and when it was understood that the Lord Jesus was approaching by the way of the Mount of Olives, multitudes went out to meet him, and, for the moment, were filled with enthusiastic affection, and cried out with a loud voice, "Hosannah to the Son of David! Hosannah in the highest!"
But however natural the curiosity may be, there is reason to think that its gratification would be attended with very little benefit. When Christ tabernacled in the flesh, he was seen by unbelievers as well as believers; by bitter enemies as well as by friends. Judas was not in the least benefitted by familiar intercourse with him for several years. He was seen by the chief priests, scribes, and elders, when arraigued before the Sanhedrim; also by the soldiers who apprehended him and bound him. By Pilate, and by Herod and his men of war. By the executioners who scourged him, and then nailed him to the cross; and by the multitudes, who were witnesses of his crucifixion; but the sight of the Saviour had no beneficial effect on any of these. And if Christ should again be manifested (as he will be) to the world, not in humiliation but in glory, unless the Holy Spirit should renew the minds of the beholders, there would be no love to the Saviour generated by the external vision of his majesty. Indeed, when he shall come, "every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him," and the only effect will be that all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. The whole human race shall see Christ on the judgment seat, but only they who believed on him here, will rejoice in his appearance.
A sight of Christ's body is not at all necessary to the exercise of a true faith. This he emphatically taught after his resurrection, in the case of Thomas, who was not with the other apostles when Christ first appeared to them collectively. But eight days after, when Thomas was present, "came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you." Then saith he to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God! Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed, Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
It is not even necessary to a true faith, nor auxiliary to it, that a lively image of the Saviour be formed in the imagination. Faith is no fancy. And if the sight of Christ himself, whether in his habiliments of humility, or robes of light and glory, would have no tendency to generate a true faith, then certainly, no picture or painting of Christ—which must be fictitious—ever can afford us any real aid in believing, or in spiritual worship. People are indeed affected and excited by such representations, but these effects have little or no affinity with the true spirit of devotion. They rather hinder than help by turning the attention of the worshipper to an external object, when it should by faith be contemplating the spiritual beauties of the Son of God.
Some, perhaps, may find a difficulty in conceiving how a person never seen can become the object of affection. But a little reflection will make this matter plain. Eminent benefactors are often highly esteemed and loved by those who never saw them. The blind, who never saw their nearest relatives, have as strong affection for their parents, brothers, sisters, and friends, as any others.
If a parent should conceal himself from the view of his children, and yet should often speak to them, giving them lessons of wisdom and piety, and bestowing on them daily favours, would not such parent be loved by dutiful children? Indeed, in all cases where we do see those whom we most highly esteem, it is not the visible bodily frame which is the object of our affection, but the invisible mind which manifests its sentiments and feelings, through the countenance and actions of the body. Where there is rational affection of esteem, founded on the perception of moral worth, the body may change, and its beauty and freshness may be turned into deformity and decrepitude, and yet there shall be no diminution of our esteem. All that is most amiable in the most beautiful face, has relation to the dispositions of the heart, of which the countenance is the expressive index. A person far off and never seen may be loved—therefore a person who really lives in another world may be sincerely loved. God is necessarily invisible, because he is a pure spirit, but he is supremely loved and adored by all the heavenly hosts.
Love to an unseen Saviour includes a knowledge of his true character. We cannot truly love a being of whom we know nothing. And it will not answer to substitute our own imaginations for the true knowledge of Christ. The word, being the fountain of all truth, must be our guide in thinking of the Saviour. Here Christ is set forth in all his personal and official characters. Here his divine virtues, his discourses, and his patient sufferings are recorded. Many are for turning from the written word to some delusive light which they fancy to be within them. They turn away from the true Christ to a false one, which they have formed to themselves. Be exhorted then, to behold the character of your Lord, as portrayed in his word.
Love to an unseen Saviour is by faith. Faith works by love. Where an object is not seen it must be believed in, otherwise there can be no affection exerted.
Love to an unseen Saviour includes a high veneration and esteem for his character. The sentiment called esteem is known to all. We feel it toward men of excellence; and it is a feeling which we naturally desire to have exercised toward ourselves. When excellence superior to human, and united with great power and wisdom, is found in any person, this esteem rises to reverence. There is experienced a holy awe, and an humble sense of inferiority. This may especially be called, "the religious feeling." It is the emotion of which we are most conscious, when we obtain any clear impressive views of the character of God. Whenever God is felt to be near, this feeling predominates. It is, therefore, often put for the whole of internal religion, and becomes the characteristic of sincere worshippers. They that fear God are, in the language of the Scriptures, the truly pious.
As love to any one includes a desire to come into the presence of the beloved, so especially love to an unseen person is accompanied with an ardent desire, if he cannot be seen, yet to be near him. The believing soul, smitten with the love of Jesus, is full of desires. Like the spouse, its language is, "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? I sought him but I found him not." These desires are not only after the comfortable presence of the Saviour, but after conformity to him, and after the possession of those gifts by which the person may be enabled to glorify his name. There is no surer characteristic of a sincere lover of Christ, than a habitual desire to be like Christ, and an ardent zeal to promote his glory, and this every sincere soul is conscious of, in some degree. "My soul thirsteth after God, the living God." "When shall I come and appear before God?"
Delight in God is also included in love. Indeed, this may be said to be the very essence of love. It is a holy complacency in Christ. The soul reposes in the contemplation of his character, and enjoys a sweet pleasure. All the traits of his character are pleasing. "He is the chief among ten thousand, and the one altogether lovely." One bright view of his excellence and beauty ravishes the soul with unspeakable delight. "Whom having not seen, ye love, and in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Joy and love are twin sisters, and they are very much alike, and cannot be separated. "Delight thyself in God, and he will give thee the desires of thy heart."


"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear."


"His name is like ointment poured forth."
Another exercise of love to Christ is gratitude. The Redeemer is exhibited as a Chief Benefactor. All that is said of him in the Scriptures relates to his grand work of redeeming human sinners. Here we read of his love, his eternal love, which put him on this work of salvation. Here we have the history of his deep humiliation, when he became incarnate in our nature. Here we behold the man of sorrows, the persecuted, despised Nazarene; the man whose visage was more marred than that of any man—burdened with our griefs and sorrows, and at last crucified, in circumstances of overwhelming disgrace and agony. Now, all this love, all this suffering, exhibits the benefactor of man. All other Saviours are eclipsed, when compared with the Son of God. Their services are lost in insignificance, in comparison with his work.
Now as Christ is exhibited as performing the part of a benefactor, in all his mediatorial work, of course the feeling, above all others, which corresponds with his revealed character, is gratitude. Much of the exercise of true religion, therefore, consists in gratitude; and much, very much, of our sin consists in ingratitude. A thankful, penitent heart is, therefore, the frame which becomes us. For such love as that of Christ's there should be an everlasting flow of gratitude from our hearts, and a continual song of praise while we have a being. And this feeling of gratitude, though often sadly deficient now, will hereafter overflow from the redeemed to all eternity, and there shall be a song of praise commenced which shall never cease—"To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood."
The only inference which I would deduce from the foregoing discourse, is, that if we here love a Saviour whom we have never seen, and whom we can only approach by faith, how strong will be our love when we shall see him face to face, and find ourselves not only in his real presence, but inclosed in his affectionate embrace! And when we see him, we shall be like him, both in soul and body, "for we shall see him as he is." And "beholding his glory we shall be changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord."
God being a Spirit cannot be seen with corporeal eyes, either in this world or the next; but his glory shines illustriously in the face of his Son. And whosever seeth the Son seeth the Father also, for the Father and Son are one. Here our views of Christ are only by faith, but in heaven we shall see him face to face, and know as we are known. Here our love to the Saviour is feeble, on account of the dimness of our vision, and often interrupted by dark clouds, and earthly affections which draw us away from the contemplation of the character of our Redeemer; but in heaven there will be no interposing obstacles to veil his glory, or counteracting affections to enfeeble or interrupt our perfect love. Happy, happy condition of those who loved a Saviour, whom they never saw, when they shall see him as he is, and be like him. They will never be weary of gazing on his lovely face—they will never cease to give him thanks and praise for his unparalleled, unspeakable love, to which they will forever acknowledge their indebtedness for salvation.

Burgess on Gross Idolatry & How We May See Jesus

It is gross idolatry to make the works of God, a God; and it is but a more subtle idolatry, to make the works of Christ, a Christ.

—Burgess de Lege

Our understandings are of such a low stature, that we must climb up to the tree of life, the scriptures, to see Jesus. They are the only ladder whereby we climb up.

—Burgess

Benjamin Keach's CHRIST THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF THE FATHER

CHRIST THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF THE FATHER
και χαρακτήρ της υποστασις αυτου. And the character of his substance: we translate it,
"The express image of his person,"—Heb. i. 3.
THE term character, is a metaphor taken from the Image, figure, or impression of a seal, representing the proto-type, or first pattern, in everything. The word is derived of χαρακτήρ, which signifies to engrave; the Father having (as it were) most indelibly engraven his whole essence and majesty upon this his eternal Son, and drawn his own effigies upon him from everlasting, being his substantial Image and exact representation. Which explication fairly agrees with this mystery, leading our mind to such discoveries, as will stir us up to desire the gracious participation of its fruit and efficacy; for it opens the secret of eternal generation, and the love of the heavenly Father. A seal is more highly valued, and more closely kept, than other things. See Isa. xlii. 1, Matt. iii. 17, and xvii. 3, John iii. 35, and xvii. 24. Through a union with this blessed Image, the lost Image of God is restored in believers; now inchoatively, or with respect to beginning; after death, consummatively, or with respect to perfection, Col. iii. 10, 1 Pet. i. 4, not by essential transmutation, but by a mystical union.

METAPHOR. PARALLEL.
I. AN Image is the likeness of, or doth represent and express the person whose it is.
I. CHRIST is the likeness of the Father, the true form, figure, character, or representation of him.* This similitude (saith a reverend divine) relates to the Persons of the Godhead; it is borrowed from the impression of a signet. The Son in himself is ευ μορφη θεός, in the likeness of God.†

*See Ark of the covenant, p. 164.
† Dr. Owen on Heb. vii. 3, p. 55.

II. An express Image represent a person unto others.
II. Christ is εικων θεου, the Image of God, representing him unto men; he manifesteth God unto us. He is said to be εικων του θεου του αορατου, "the Image of the invisible God," Col. i. 15, because partaking of the nature of the Father, the goodness, power, holiness, grace, and all other glorious properties of God, do shine forth, or are represented, declared, and expressed to us.
III. An express Image represents a person unto us, whom we many times cannot see personally, because absent, and at a great distance from us.
III. Christ represents God the Father to believers, in his true form, character, or likeness, whom we see not as he is in himself, nor can see, he dwelling in inaccessible light, at an infinite distance of divine nature, and manner of being, from our apprehensions and conceptions. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him," John i. 18.
IV. An Image, and the person it represents, are not the same.
IV. Christ respecting his essence, is the same God with the Father; but the subsistences or Persons of the Father and Son are different, and so not the same.
V. An express Image brings him, who is held forth or represented by it, into our mind, whereby we call to remembrance what manner of person he is, and thereby contemplate upon his beauty, and excellent accomplishments, which before, probably might be forgotten.
V. Christ being the express Image of the Father; brings into our minds what kind of manner of God the Almighty is; his excellencies, and glorious perfections, are hereby presented as it were to our view: 2 Cor. iii. 18, 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6. By which means we are taken up into holy meditations and contemplations of him, whom by reason of sin, we had forgotten, and lost the true knowledge of.
VI. An express Image, if it represents some noble or renowned person, one that hath an endeared love and affection to him or her to whom it is sent, their great and only Benefactor, or a dear relation, is exceedingly prized and valued by the receiver.
VI. Christ being the express Image of God the Father, who is the blessed and only potentate, and the glorious King of heaven and earth, who hath dear and tender love to us his poor creatures, who is our Friend, Husband, Father, gracious and chief Benefactor, causes all true believers greatly to prize, love, and esteem the Lord Jesus, not only for his own sake, but for the sake of him whom he doth resemble and represent.
VII. An express Image of a person is curiously drawn, and is a most rare and admirable piece of workmanship; it is viewed and commended by all skillful and discerning persons in that art.
VII. Christ, God-man in one Person, or "God manifested in the flesh," 1 Tim. iii. 16, the glorious representation of the Father to sinners, is the admiration of saints and angels; 'tis a great mystery, and comprehends the depths of God. That the glory of God should shine forth in the nature of man, is, and will be the wonder of both worlds; it is judged by all the godly, to be the master-piece of divine wisdom.

METAPHOR. DISPARITY.
I. Among men, the substance of a thing hath the precedency, or is before the sign or Image of it; the person, and then the picture or emblem of it.
I. THAT which is said of Christ, ευ μορφη θεός υπαρχω, being or existing and subsisting in the form of God, that is, being so essentially; for there is no μορφη form in the Deity, but what is essential unto it: this Christ was absolutely, antecedently to his incarnation, the whole nature of God being in him, and consequently he being in the Son of God.
II. An Image, figure, or character among men, cannot fully and perfectly, in everything express or represent the person it is made for; it duffers in matter, life, and motion.
II. Christ is a lively, perfect, and complete Image, character, and representation of all the glorious attributes, excellencies, and perfections of the Father; "The fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him," Col. ii. 9. Were it not so, he could not gloriously represent unto us the Person of the Father; nor could we, by contemplation of him, be led to an acquaintance with the Person of the Father.
1. The Father is from everlasting; so is the Son.
2. The Father is perfect and Divine Person, or subsistence; so is the Son.
3. The Father hath life in himself: so hath the Son life in himself.
4. The Father created the world; so did the Son.
5. The Father upholds all things by the word of his power; so doth the Son.
6. All things were made for the Father; so all things were made for the Son.
7. The Father is to be worshipped; so is the Son.
8. The Father knows all things and searches the heart; so doth the Son.
9. The Father is in the Son; so is the Son in the Father: "The Father is in me, and I in him," John x. 38. The Father being thus in the Son, and the Son in the Father, all the glorious properties of the one shine forth in the other. The order and economy of the blessed Trinity in subsistence and operation, requires, that the manifestation and communication of the Father to us, be through the Son.
10. All other perfections of the Father shine forth in Christ; it is he that makes them manifest to us, according to that of the apostle: "For 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. The wisdom of the Father is great and infinite many ways; but, wherein doth it shine more gloriously, than in the Son's working about our redemption, in reconciling justice and mercy, in punishing sin, and pardoning the sinner? "To the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God," Eph. iii. 10.
11. The Father is full of goodness and love to man; this appears in his making of him supreme over all creatures on earth. But what is this favour and goodness, to that which is manifested in and by Christ? in raiding him up (when a rebel and vile traitor) to the honour and dignity of a Son, and to accomplish this, to give his only begotten Son to die in his stead! "He made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v. 21. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," Gal. iii. 13. There was much favour and love in the blessings and privileges of Creation; but in redemption, mercy is magnified likewise to admiration, and shines in equal glory.
12. God the Father is infinitely holy, just, and righteous. His holiness and justice appeared in casting off the fallen angels, and by executing his severity upon our first parents, and by destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, and in several other respects: Yet, how much more abundantly doth his holiness and justice shine forth in the Son, the Image of the Father, when he came forth to redeem mankind? in that "he made his soul an offering for sin," Isa. liii. 10. "God letting out his wrath upon him, "sparing him not," Rom. viii. 32, when he stood in the place of the sinner: "For the transgressions of my people was he stricken," Isa. liii. 8. As Mr. Burroughs observes, there is nothing sets out God's justice , holiness, and infinite hatred of sin, like this, &c. Our nature is united to the divine nature of God, that so by that mystical union, grace and holiness might be communicated in a glorious manner unto us.
13. The power and condescension of God is wonderful, many ways demonstrated, but nothing like what it is in Christ, in taking our nature into personal union with himself; that the Son of God should become man! The Ancient of days become a child! He that made the world, born of a woman! When Satan had done his worst that he might destroy man, man is by the power of God advanced to greater glory and happiness than he had before he fell.
14. Moreover, I might speak of the patience, forbearance, and faithfulness of God; all which, and many more of the glorious attributes of the Father, shine forth most lively in Jesus Christ. Besides, the Persons or subsistences of the blessed Trinity are more clearly discovered by Jesus Christ, than ever before.
First, in his own Person.
Secondly, in his doctrine.
Thirdly, in his baptism, or when he was baptized.
Fourthly, in his commission, Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
Fifthly, in their distinct offices, operations, and workings.
Lastly, the will of God, and his holy laws and institutions, are only made known by the Son.
METAPHOR. DISPARITY.
III. It is gross idolatry to worship Images, or the likeness of any thing in heaven above, or the earth beneath.
III. Christ, who is the Image of God, ought to be adored and worshipped by men and angels. "And when he brings in the First-begotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him," Heb. i. 6.
IV. Other Images are soon marred and pass away.
IV. Christ, the Image of God, abides for ever; time, nay, eternity, will not alter or change him, nor mar his beauty.

INFERENCES.
1. WE may from hence perceive the wonderful love, goodness, and condescension of God to mankind, who seeing how unable we are to understand, comprehend, conceive, or take in the knowledge of himself, (who is so infinite and inaccessible in his being, glory, and majesty) is pleased to stoop so low as to afford us a figure, Image, and lively representation of himself, that so we might not frame false ideas of God, or entertain any vain or unworthy apprehensions of him in our minds.
2. This also abundantly demonstrates, how exceedingly willing the blessed God is to reveal, or make known himself unto his creatures.
3. This discovers the necessity of coming unto God by Christ, and what advantage the Christian world have above the heathen nations: for though he hath in the visible creation implanted some resemblances or characters of his excellencies, and left some footsteps of his blessed and sacred properties, that by the contemplation of them, men might come to have some acquaintance with him, as Creator, which might encourage them to fear and love him, and make him their last end; yet, all expressions of God, besides this is of Christ Jesus, are partial, short, and insufficient to discover all that is necessary to be known, that we may live to him here, and enjoy him hereafter.
4. It may caution all men to take heed they do not imagine to come to the true knowledge of God any other way but by the Lord Jesus: "For no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him," Matt. xi. 27. All miss of happiness, that seek it not by Jesus Christ. We must seek the Father in the Son, and by him; labour to believe in, or come to God by Jesus Christ. This is for direction to us in all religious worship.
5. The godly may from hence also see, what reason they have to love and delight themselves in Jesus Christ. Brethren, study the knowledge of Christ, look often upon this glorious and blessed Image. Many are taken with pictures and representations of things and persons; but how vain is that? Here is the Image you should delight yourselves in; look to Jesus; much profit, as well as joy and comfort, will redound to you hereby. This is an Image that abides for ever, which God allows you to worship and adore him by.
6. Prize Christ, value him above all things in this world; can you too highly esteem him, who is the express image of the Father's Person?
Lastly, Let all take heed how they slight Jesus Christ, or contemn the knowledge of him; because this mystery is above their reach. and shallow apprehensions; and indeed it may caution all not to seek too curiously into these great mysteries and depths, lest they be drowned: the best of men know but in part.

—Benjamin Keach, Tropologia

Ralph Erskine's Gospel Sonnets on 1 Peter 1:8

Ralph Erskine's Gospel Sonnets on 1 Peter 1:8,

My life's a pleasure and a pain:

A real loss, a real gain;

A glorious paradise of joys,

A grievous prison of annoys.

I daily joy, and daily mourn,

Yet daily wait the tide's return;

Then sorrow deep my spirit cheers,

I'm joyful in a flood of tears.

...

I'm poor, yet stock'd with untold rent;

Most weak, and yet omnipotent.

On earth there's none so great and high,

Nor yet so low and mean as I;

None or so foolish, or so wise;

So often fall, so often rise.

I, seeing him I never saw,

Serve without fear, and yet with awe.

...

In fears I spend my vital breath,

In doubts I waste my passing years;

Yet still the life I live is faith,

The opposite of doubts and fears.

'Tween clearing faith and clouding sense,

I walk in darkness and in light.

I'm certain oft, when in suspense,

While sure by faith and not by sight.