whether it be in fecret actions; Ezek. viii. 12. Haft thou feen what the ancients of the house of Ifrael do in the dark? Every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they fay, the Lord feeth us not, the Lord hath forfaken the earth. Or inward affections; Col. iii. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleannefs, inordinate affection, evil concupifcence, and covetoufnefs, which is idolatry.

Q. 13. What is the fixth inference from hence?

A. That an high and full condition in the world, is a dangerous condition, and lies moft expofed to the danger of heart-idolatry; Prov. xxx. 9. Left I be full, and deny thee, and fay, who is the Lord? Mark x. 24. How hard is it for them that truft in riches to enter into the kingdom of heaven?

Q. 14. What is the laft inference?

A. That in covenanting with God, and avouching him for our God, we must wholly renounce all others, and take God alone for our portion, and object of our love and dependence; Hofea iii. 3. Thou shalt =not be for another man; fo will I also be for thee. Luke xiv. 33. So likewife, whofoever he be of you that forfaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Of The fecond Commandment.

Queft. 49. WHICH is the second commandment?

A. The fecond commandment is, [Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor ferve them: For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, vifiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and fhewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.]

Queft. 50. What is required in the fecond commandment?

A. The fecond commandment requireth, the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire all fuch religious worship and ordinances, as God hath appointed in his word.

Queft. 51. What is forbidden in the fecond commandment?

A. The fecond commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his word.

Queft. 52. What are the reafons annexed to the second command- ( ment?

A. The reafons annexed to the fecond commandment, are God's fovereig ty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath to his own worship.

Q. 1. What is the fin especially forbidden in the fecond commandment?

A. The fin here forbidden, is the corruption of God's worship, by making any fimilitude of any perfon in the Godhead, and performing

divine worship before it, or to it; Exod. xxxii. 8. They have turned afide quickly out of the way which I commanded them: They have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have facrificed thereunto, and faid, these be thy gods, O Ifrael, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Deut. iv. 15, 16. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves (for ye faw no manner of fimilitude on the day that the Lord fpake unto you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire) left ye corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image, the fimilitude of any figure, the likenefs of male or female.

Q. 2. What is the fecond fin forbidden in this commandment? A. The second fin against this commandment is will-worthip, con fifting in the addition of man's inventions to the worship of God, as a part thereof; Matth. xv ç. But in vain they do worthip me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Col. ii 20, 21, 22, 23. Whereof if ye be dead with Chrift from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye fubject to ordinances. (Touch not, tafte not, handle not, which all are to perifh with the ufing) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a fhew of wisdom in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the fatisfying of the flesh.

Q. 3. But if thofe additions be for the more decent worshipping of God, is it not allowed by 1 Cor. xiv. 40. Let all things be done decently, and in order?

A. No; that fcripture commands that God's inftitutions be regularly and decently performed, but not that we invent ceremonies that are fymbolical, to make them more decent than Chrift left them.

Q4. Why is the fecond commandment left out in all the public offices of the popith church?

A. Because it exprefsly condemns their idolatrous images, kneeling at the facrament, prayers to faints, and all their fuperftitious croffes, furplices, and chrisme, as finful.

Q5. Do they not clear themselves from idolatry, by telling us they only worship God before, or by them, but not the images themfelves?

A. No, they do not; for the ufe of images in God's worship is exprefsly condemned in this commandment; and if this would excuse the papiits, it had alfo excufed the Ifraelite in worshipping the calf, Exod. xxxii. 4.And they faid, Thefe be thy gods, O Ifrael, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

Q. 6. What is the first reason annexed to the fecond commandment?

A. The first reason annexed is God's fovereignty, I the Lord; which fhews that it belongs to God only to inftitute his own worship, and make it effectual; and therefore to do that in his worship which he never commanded, is finful and dangerous; Jer. vii. 31. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the

fon of Hinnom, to burn their fons and their daughters in the fire, which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

Q.7. What is the fecond reafon annexed to the fecond commandment?

4. The fecond reafon is God's propriety in us: He is our God, and we belong to him; and therefore to corrupt his worfhip, greatly aggravates our fins; Hofea ix. 1. Rejoice not, O Ifrael, for joy, as other people; for thou haft gone a whoring from thy God, &c.

Q. 8. What is the third reafon annexed to the fecond commandment?

A. The jealousy of God over his worship and worshippers; so that this fin of corrupting his worship will dreadfully incenfe his wrath, as it did, Lev. x. 1, 2. And Nadab and Abihu, the fons of Aaron, took either of them his cenfer, and put fire thereon, and offered ftrange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

Q.9. What is the first inftruction from the fecond command ment?

4. That it is an heinous fin to neglect the worship of God in that manner he hath appointed us to worthip him, as in prayer; Jer. x. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name. Hearing the word; Prov. xxviii. 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer fhall be abomination.

Q 10. What is the fecond inftruction from the fecond commandment?

A. That those who fuffer for endeavouring to preserve the purity of God's ordinances, and nonconformity to the contrary injunctions of men, have a good warrant to bear them out in all fuch fufferings; Deut. iv. 2. Ye fhall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you.

Q. 11. What is the third instruction from the fecond commandment?

4. That it is highly finful and dangerous to innovate and prescribe by human authority fuch fymbolical rites in the worship of God, as he never appointed or allowed in his word; Matth. xv. 9. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of

men.

Q. 12. What is the fourth inftruction hence?

A. Hence we learn how much parents and children are obliged to worship God conftantly, fpiritually, and agreeably to his will revealed in his word; otherwife the jealoufy of God will vifit them both in the way of judgment: For as obedience entails a blefling, fo difobedience entails a curfe on pofterity; Exod. xxxiv. 14. For thou shalt

worship no other god; for the Lord, whofe name is Jealous, is a jea lous God.

Queft. 53.

Of the third Commandment.

HICH is the third commandment?

WH

A The third commandment is, [Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain.]

Queft. 54. What is required in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverend ufe of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works.

Queft. 55. What is forbidden in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abufing of any thing whereby God maketh himself known.

Queft 56. What is the reafon annexed to the third commandment?

A. The reafon annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may efcape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not fuffer them to escape his righteous judgment.

Q. I. How doth this commandment differ from the first and fecond?

A. The first hath refpect to the object of worship, forbidding us to worship any other but God. The fecond refpects the means of worthip, forbidding us to worship God by any other means than what he hath prescribed. But the third refpects the manner of his worhip, forbidding all carelefs, or profane ufe of his name, and commanding an holy reverence from us in all our folemn addreffes to him, or ordinary mention of his name. Mal. i. 6. A fon honoureth his father, and a fervant his mafter: If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear! faith the Lord of hofts unto you, O priefts, that defpife my name: And ye fay, Wherein have we defpifed thy name?

Q. 2. What is the first thing especially required in the third com

mandment?

A. It requires the most awful and reverential frame of our hearts in all our approaches to God; Pfalm lxxxix. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the affembly of the faints; and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. And in his worship; John iv. 24. God is a Spirit; and they that worship him muft worship him in spirit and

in truth.

Q3. What is the fecond thing required in this commandment? A. It requires truth in our witness-bearing, as knowing God feeth our hearts, and is witnefs to all that we think or fpeak; Zech. v. 4› I will bring it forth, faith the Lord of hofts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that fweareth falfely by my name, &c.

Q.4. What is the third thing required in this commandment?

A. That in all our appeals to God in fecret, or doubtful matters, we be fure that the appeal be neceffary, awful, and true; Jer. xvii. 16. As for me, I have not haftened from being a paftor to follow thee, neither have I defired the woful day, thou knoweft: that which came out of my lips was right before thee. Pfalm cxxxix. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And fee if there be any wicked way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.

Q5. What doth this commandment especially forbid ?

A. It forbids and condemns all profane oaths, as most injurious to the name of God, Matth. v. 34, 37-Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, &c. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than thefe, cometh of

evil.

Q. 6. What is the danger of profane or falfe swearing?

A. Such are reckoned enemies to God, Pfalm cxxxix. 20. Thine enemies take thy name in vain. The curfe of God enters into fuch families. Zech. v. 4. I will bring it forth, faith the Lord of hofts, and it fhall enter into the houfe of the thief, and into the house of him that fweareth falfely by my name, &c. And the Lord will not hold them guiltless.

Q.7. What elfe is forbidden in this commandment?

A. It forbids and condemns all heedlefs, wandering, and drowsy performance of God's worthip; Ifa. xxix. 13, 14. Wherefore the Lord faid, Forafmuch as this people draw near me with their mouths, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men : Therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work, and a wonder; for the wifdom of their wife men fhall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. And 2 Kings x. 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Ifrael, with all his heart: for he departed not from the fins of Jeroboam, which made Ifrael to fin. Q. 8. What other fin is forbidden in this command?

A. It forbids all light and irreverent ufe of the fcriptures, especially in our jets, or by way of fcoffing; Jer. xvii. 15. Behold, they fay unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come now. Jer. vi. 10.-Behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

Q.9. By what argument doth God enforce the third command

ment on men?

A. That the breakers of this command.nent fhall furely be punished by the Lord, either in this life, Deut. xxviii. 58, 59. If thou wilt not obferve to do all the words of this law, that are written in this book, that thou mayeft fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God: Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy feed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and