XLVII. Queft. What is forbidden in the first commandment ?

Aufw. The firft commandment 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.

Q.1. What are the chief fins forbidden in the first com mandment?

A. The chief fins forbidden in the first commandment, are, 1. Atheism. 2. Profaneness. 3. Idolatry.

Q. 2. What is Atheism?

A. Atheism is the denying, or not having a God. Pfal. xiv. 1. The fool hath faid in his heart, There is no God.' Eph. ii. 12. 'At that time ye were without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world.'

Q. 3. What is the profaneness forbidden in this command

ment ?

A. The profanenefs forbidden in this commandment, is the not worshipping and glorifying the true God, as God and our God.

Q.4. Wherein doth this profaneness, in regard of God's worship and honor, appear?

A. Profanenefs, in regard of God's worship and honor, doth appear, 1. When perfons do not know God, or have mifapprehenfions of him. Jer. iv. 22. My people is foolifh, they have not known me.' Pfal. 1. 21. 'Thou thoughteft I was altogether fuch a one as thyfelf.' 2. When perfons are forgetful of God. Jer. ii. 32. My people have fogotten me days without number.' 3. When perfons hate God, or love themfelves, or any thing elfe, more than God, defire creatures more than God, truft in arms of flesh more than God, delight in objects of fenfe more than God; when perfons fet any affection upon any thing in the world more than God, and take off the heart, in whole or in part, from God. Rom. viii. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God.' 1 John ii. 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' Col. iii. 2. Set your affections on things above, not on tlrings on the earth.' 4. When perfons omit or neg lect to give that worship and glory which is due unto

God, either with the inward or outward man. Ifaiah xliii. 22. But thou haft not called upon me, O Jacob.'

Q.5. What is that idolatry which is forbidden in the first commandment?

and glory unto any Rom. i. 25. • Who and worshipped and

A. The idolatry which is forbidden in the first commandment, is the giving that worship other, which is due unto God alone. changed the truth of God into a lie, ferved the creature more than the Creator, who is bleffed forever.'

Q. 6. How many ways may perfons be guilty of the idolatry forbidden in this commandment ?

A. Perfons may be guilty of the idolatry forbidden in this commandment, 1. By having and worshipping other gods befides the true God, with the outward man; as when perfons worfhip the heathenifh gods, or angels, or faints. 2. By giving that honor and refpect to any thing in the world, which is due only unto God, with the inward man, which is heart-idolatry. Col. iii. 5. And covetousness, which is idolatry.'

XLVIII. Queft. What are we especially taught by these words [before ME] in the first commandment?

Anfw. Thefe words [before ME] in the first commandment, teach us, that God, who feeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with the fin of having

any

other God.

Q. 1. How doth it appear that God feeth all things?

A. It doth appear that God feeth all things, because God is every where prefent, and is infinite in understanding. Jer. xxiii. 24. Can any hide himself in fecret places, that I fhall not fee him? faith the Lord: do not I fill heaven and earth?' Pfal. cxlvii. 5. His understanding is infinite.'

Q. 2. Why doth God take fuch notice of, and is so displeased with the fin of having any other God?

A. Because the fin of having any other God, is a great affront unto the holy and jealous eye of God, who will not give his glory to another. Pfal. xliv. 20, 21. If we have ftretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God fearch this out? Ifaiah xlii. 8, Iam the Lord

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that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.'

XLIX. Queft. Which is the fecond commandment ?

Anfw. The fecond commandment is, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth be neath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou fhalt not bow down thyfelf 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."

L. Queft. What is required in the fecond commandment? Anfw. The fecond commandment requireth the observing, and keeping pure and entire, all fuch religious worfhip and ordinances as God hath appointed in his word.

Q.1. How doth the worship required in this fecond commandment, differ from the worship required in the first commandment?

A. The worship required in the first commandment, hath a respect unto the object of worship, whereby we are bound to worship the true God, and none else; the worship required in the fecond commandment, hath a respect unto the means of worship, whereby we are bound to worfhip God according to the way and means of his own appointment, and no other.

Q. 2. What is the way and means which God hath appointpointed for his worship?

A. The only way and means which God hath appointed for his worship, is his ordinances, which he hath prefcribed in his word.

Q. 3. What are the ordinances which God hath appointed in his word, to be the means of worship, and to be obferved by his people?

A. The ordinances which God hath appointed in his word, to be the means of his worship, and to be observed by his people, are, 1. Prayer unto God with thanksgiving, and that publicly in affemblies, privately in families, and fecretly in closets. Philip. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and fupplication, with thankf

giving, let your requests be made known unto God.' Eph. V. 20. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift.' Luke i. 10. And the whole multitude of people were praying.' Jer. x. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the families which call not upon thy name.' Matth. vi. 6. ‘But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy clofet, and, when thou haft fhut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in fecret, and thy Father which feeth in fecret shall reward thee openly.' 2. Reading and fearching the fcriptures. Acts xv. 21. For Mofes is read in the fynagogues every Sabbath day.' John v. 39. Search the fcriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.' 3. Preaching and hearing of the word. 2 Tim. iv. 2. Preach the word; be inftant in feafon, out of feafon; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-fuffering and doctrine.' Ifaiah lv. 3. Hear, and your foul shall live.' 4. Singing of pfalms. Pfal. cxlix. 1. Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new fong, and his praise in the congregation of faints.' James v. 13. Is any merry let him fing pfalms.' 5. Administration and receiving of the facraments, both of baptifm and the Lord's fupper. Matth. xxviii. 19. 'Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25. For I have received of the Lord that which alfo I have delivered unto you, That the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: This do in remembrance of me. After the fame manner alfo he took the cup, when he had fupped, faying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.' 6. Fafting. Luke v. 35. But the days will come, when the bridegroom fhall be taken away from them, and then fhall they faft in those days.' 7. Inftructing of children and household in the laws and ways of the Lord. Gen. xviii. 19. For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they fhall keep the way of the Lord.' Deut. vi. 6,7. And these words, which I command thee this day,

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fhall be in thine heart and thou fhalt teach them diligently unto thy children.' Eph. vi. 4. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.' 8. Conference and difcourfe of the things of God. Mal. iii. 16. 'They, that feared the Lord, fpake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it.' Deut. vi. 7.

Thou fhalt talk of them when thou fitteft in thine house, and when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up.'. 9. Meditation. Pfal. lxxvii. 12. I will meditate of all thy works.' 1 Tim. iv. 15. Meditate upon these things; give thyfelf wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear unto all.' 10. Vows to the Lord. Pfal. Ixxvi. 11.

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Vow and pay unto the Lord.' 11, Swearing by the name of the Lord, when lawfully called. Deut. vi. 13. • Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and ferve him, and fhalt fwear by his name.' 12. Exercife of church-difcipline. Matth. xviii. 15, 16, 17. If thy brother shall trefpass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more. And if he fhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.'

Q.4. What doth God require in the fecond commandment, in reference to his ordinances and means of worship?

A. God, in the fecond commandment, doth require, in reference to his ordinances and means of worship, 1. The receiving of them. 2. Obferving of them. 3. The keeping them pure and entire.

Q. 5. What is it to receive God's ordinances?

A. The receiving of God's ordinances, implieth an approving of them with the mind, and embracement of them with the will.

Q. 6. What is it to obferve God's ordinances?

A. The obferving God's ordinances, implieth a doing what is required in them, a making ufe of them, and at tending upon God in them.

Q. 7. What is it to keep pure and entire God's ordinanees ? A. The keeping pure and entire God's ordinances, implieth a doing what in us lieth to preserve the ordinances from corruption, not fuffering any thing to be added to