Charnock's next chapter is a discourse on Practical Atheism. He says that those who will not worship God, or give homage to a false god or gods, or are unconcerned about any spirituality or religion, or are without the true notion of God, or define Him to suit themselves are “practical atheists” and this is natural to humanity. He adds it is:
1. Not natural by created nature but by corrupted nature. Our created nature and its powers of reasoning can deduce the existence of God, however that nature has been corrupted by sin, depraved, touched in every part by “the serpent’s breath” and in that corruption we can live as if there is no God.
2. Universally natural. Psalm 58:3 says, “Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.” Sin entered the world through one man and effects all humanity. We are sinners from birth, and because we are, we sin, and we deny that God exists. There are none who seek God. Charnock says, “There is not a hair’s difference between the best and the worst . . . the distinction is laid either in common grace bounding and suppressing it; or in special grace killing and crucifying it. . . . None seek after God. None seek God as his rule, as his end, as his happiness . . . he desires no communion with God; he places his happiness in anything inferior to God; he prefers everything before Him, glorifies everything above Him; he hath no delight to know Him, he regards not those paths which lead to Him; he loves his own filth better than God’s holiness; his actions are tinctured and dyed with self, and are void of that respect which is due from him to God.”
This chapter is organized with great complexity. That makes me want to ‘skip it’ yet I can see that even this is an expression of the flesh. I would avoid the complex (discovering God) for the ease of ruling my own life. Even by making this statement I am avoiding a deeper and personal look at the awful truth expressed above. It is true of me. I know God. I know He is here with me right now, but I want to govern my own day, make my own to-do list. While I want His ‘help’ with that which is difficult, I want to choose my challenges rather than trust Him to present them to me. Certainly I don’t want to admit that I prefer my own filth to God’s holiness — the word ‘filth’ is too graphic. I’d rather paint those shameful choices white with excuses and reasoning. Nevertheless, Charnock’s brutal honesty smacks me in the face and demands that I pay attention. Who will be sovereign today?
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