What Are the Reasons Annexed to the Second Commandment?
Answ. The reasons annexed to the second
commandment, are, God’s sovereignty over
us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath
to his own worship.
Q. How prove you that this command respects the means of worship? A. Its forbidding the use of
images in the worship of God, because not of God’s appointment, infers a requiring of the use of the means of worship appointed by God, and these only.
Q. Why should God only appoint the means of his own worship? A. Because he only knows sufficiently what
means of worship do best suit his own honour, and our advantage 5 and he only can authorise and make means effectual, Deut. xii. 32. and v* 32. James iv. 12.
Q. What is the principal medium of worshipping God aright in our fallen state? A. Christ as Mediator.
Q. Is not Christ as Mediator the proper object of worship? A. Christ the Mediator as God is the proper object of worship ) but as Mediator he is the way and medium by which alone we come to God, John xiv. *5.
Q. Are we then in our worship first to come to the Mediator, and then come to God? A. No 5 we are all at once to come to God as in Christ, John xiv. 6, 9.
Q. What are the instituted means of worshipping God?
A. His ordinances which he hath appointed in his word, Psalm cxlvii. 19, 20. Prov. viii. 34.
Q. Why are these means of worship called ordinances?
A. Because they are established by the supreme authority and will of God, Deut. vi. 1, 2, 6, 20, 24. 25.
Q. What are the principal ordinances of God’s worship?
A, Meditation, self-examination, prayer, reading, preaching, and hearing God’s word, administering and receiving Uk;; laments, singing of >.salms, religious fasting, thanksgiving, instruction of families, religious conference, oath>, vows, and lots, with church government and discipline, P aim cv. 2. 2 Cor. xiii. 5, &.C.
Q. What is self- ex,. filiation? A. Our serious trial
whether we have real grace, and in what case our graces and lusts are, by comparing our heart and life with the marks God has prescribed in his word, Matth. v, vi, vii, 1 John i. 5.
Q^ Why is self-examination necessary?
A. To acknowledge God as our judge, obtain assurance of his love, prevent spiritual securi y, discover our sins and wants, beget thankfulness and earnestness in prayer, &c. 2 Cor. xiii. 5, &c. Lam. iii. 42. 1 John 1, — -5.
O. How prove you, that singing of psalms is God’s ordinance? A. In scripture it is often commanded,
and the saints are often employed in it, Col. iii. 16.
Q. In what doth singing oi psalms properly consist?
A. In praising God with our lips, for what he is, and has done, with chearfuiuess of heart, Psalm cx,cxlv, — cl.
Q. May we not use harps, organs, and other musical instruments, in praising God? A. No; for these, though used in the tempie service, were not used in the Jewish synagogues, nor in the New Testament worship, nor are suited to the spiritual nature of it, John iv. 23, 24.
Q^. In what manner should we sing psalms?
A. With understanding, love, and affection to God.
Q. What psalms should we sing in praising God h
A. Those psalms which we find recorded in scripture*
Q. Must we sing every expression in the psalms as relating to our present case? A. No; we must sing some as expressive of what hath been or may be our case.
Q. How are we to sing these psalms in which the psalmist prays for his wrath on his enemies?
A. With a satisfaction of heart in these bright displays of God’s justice ii) destroying his incorrigible enemies. ..
Q. What is religious fasting? A. The setting a-part
some time for solemn humiliation, confession of sin, pleading with God for mercies, and devoting ourselves to his service, Joel ii. 12, — 20. Neh. ix. Ezra ix. Dan. ix.
Q. Why is such voluntary humiliation called fasting?
A. Because on these occasions we are to abstain from all unnecessary food, Dan x. 3. Jonah iii.
Q. Is this abstinence any part of religion in itself?
A. No 5 but it is a means of preparing us for humiliation and earnest prayer, Jonah iii, 7, 8.
O. When are we calkd to fasting? A. When we
have fallen into some great sin, when some judgment is inflicted or threatened, or some great mercy to ourselves or others very much needed, Joel ii. Ezra ix, x.
Qj. When are we to set apart time for solemn thanksgiving? A. When God h2th bestowed some signal favour on us, or our brethren, Exod. xv. 2 Chron. xx.
Q. How many kinds of solemn fasts and thanksgivings are there? A. Secret in a closet, ‘private in a family
or society, and public in a congregation or country.
Q. Who have power to appoint general fasts and thanksgivings?
A. Both the civil magistrate and the church, as the needs cf the state or the church call for it, 2 Chron. xx. 3» Ezra viii. 21. Jer. xxxvi. 9. Joel i, ii.
Q. May church or state give up their own power, qe claim the powei- of the other in this matter?
A. No: for both are only stewards of that power j the state under God as Creator, and the church under Christ as Mediator, Psalm lxxxii. 1. Eph. i. 22.
Q, In what are we religiously to instruct our families if
A. In all the truths and ways of God, Deut. vi. 7, 2l»
Q. Why ought our families to be thus instructed?
A. To fit them for the more profitable reading and hearing of the word of God, Gen. xviii. 19. Psal. lxxvii.
Q. What do you understand by religious conference?
A. Our speaking with one another of the truths of God, and experience of his dealings with us, Psal. cxvi.
Q. How sh< uld religious conference be managed?
A. With delight, humility, and prudence, Ps. lxvi. 16.
Q. What is a religious vow?
A. A solemn pro -nise by which we bind ourselves to. avoid or perform something for the honour of Gods Numb. xxx. Psalm cxix. 106.
Q. What is necessary to make a vow or promissory oath lawful?
A. That what we engage be eood in itself and in «ur power to perform, Numb. xxx. Psalm cxvi. 14.
Qj To whom are all religious vows to be made?
A. To God only as our party, Psalm lxxvi. 12.
Qj How many kinds of religious vows are there?
A. Sacramental and occasional.
Q. What is an occasional religious vow?
A. It is when either a particular person, or a number of persons together, solemnly engage to serve the Lord, and cleave to his truths, Judg. xi. 81. Neh. x. Deut. xxix.
Q. How prove you, that secret personal covenanting “with God is a duty? A. From Isa. xliv. 5. One shall
say, I am the Lord’s, &c. Psalm cxix. 106.
Q. How prove you, that public covenanting with God is our duty? A. The Old-Testament church practised it with God’s approbation •, and it is no ceremonial service, but is promised to make place under the New Testament, Isa. xix. 18. 2 Cor. viii. 5..
Q^ What seasons are pointed out’ in scripture as fit for public covenanting? A. When a people hath received
some great mercy, is threatened with great judgments, or is essaying to reform from, or withstand great apostasy,. 2 Chron. xv. 12. and xxxiv. 31. Neh. ix, and x, &c.
Q; In what manner should religious vows be made?
A. Voluntarily from faith in and love to God -, with knowledge of what we vow; aid sincere resolution, in the Strength of Christ to perform it, Jer. iv. 2. Psal. cxix. 106.
Qj. What is an oath? A. It is a solemn calling of
God to witness the trulh of what we affirm or promise ) and requiring him to avenge it, if we deal falsely.
Q. How are oaths distinguished? A. Into assertory, by which we affirm the truth of facts; and promissory, whereby we engage to avoid or perform something.
Q. Is swearing lawful under the New Testament?
A. Though swearing rashly, unnecessarily, or by any creature, is expressly forbidden, Matth. v. 34, — 37. James v. 12. j yet necessarily and reverential swearing by God alone is allowed, 2 Cor. i. 23.
Q. In what sense are all oaths to be taken?
A. In the plain sense of the words, without equivocation, or mental reservation,. Psalm xxiv. 4. and xv. 2*
Q. What is a lot? A. It is a solemn appeal to
God, for arbitration in distributing and deciding some things controverted, Acts i. 24, 26. Prov. xvi. 33.
Q^ What is required to make assertory oaths and lots lawful? A. That they be necessary in matters of
weight, and will end in strife, Josh. vii. 14. Jer. iv. 2.
Q. What call you church-government I A. It is that order which Christ hath appointed in his visible church. Q. For what end is church-government appointed A. To be an hedge for protecting the doctrine and more immediate worship of God, and making every one in their station active in his service, Eph. iv. 12. Tit. i. Q^Is the civil magistrate head of this government? A. No j it is wholly distinct from the civil government % for Christ says, My kingdom is not of this world.
Q. Has the civil magistrate no concern with the church? - A. Yes; as her nursing father, he ought to take care that peace and order be preserved j truth kept pure and entire-, blasphemy and heresies suppressed; discipline, and all other ordinances of God, duly settled, ;administered, and observed: for which end he may call synods, and provide that every thing done in them be according to the word of God, 2 Chron. xix, xxix, and xxx, &c. *
Q. Is the Romish pope head of Christ’s visible Church? A. No*, he is Antichrist, the man of sin, 2 Thess. ii. Qj. Who then is the alonek’mg and head of the church? A. Jesus Christ, and none other, Matth. xxxiii. 8, 9, 10. Qj What things are considerable in church-government? A. The officers, courts, and subjects of it. Q. What different kinds of officers hath Christ appointed in the New-Testament church?
A. Ordinary and extraordinary, 1 Cor. xii. 2S. Q. Which were the extraordinary officers? A. Apostles, evangelists, prophets, and workers of miracles. Q. Which are the ordinary officers in Christ’s church? A. Pastors and teachers, ruling elders and deacons. Qj How prove you the divine institution of pastors?, A. The scripture declares, that Christ gave to his church pastors and teachers, Eph. iv. 12, 13.. Q. What names are given to pastors in scripture? A. They are c ailed teachers, rulers, ministers, shepherds, overseers, bishops, ipc. Heb. xiii. 17, is’c
Q^Doth the scripture require, or allow of any bishop ruling over other pastors? A. No; it forbids all lordly rule in the church 5 never distinguisheth between bi-
* See Confess. Chap. xx. 4. xxiii. 3, and the scripture quoted.
shops and prebyters, but calls the same persons by both names and ascribes the highest power in the church to presbyters, even the ordination of an evangelist, Luke xxii. 25, 26. Tit. i. 5, 7. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Phil. i. 1, &c.
Q. What is the office of a pastor f
A. To rule in the church, and to administer the word and sicraments, 1 Cor. iv. 1.
Qj, How prove you, that ruling elders are appointed by Christ?
A. The scripture plainly suggests, that there are elders who rule well, and yet do not labour in word and doctrine ‘, 1 Tim. v. 17. Rom. xii. 8. 1 Cor. xii. 2a.
Q. What is their office? A. To concur with pastors in ruling and inspecting the manners of the people.
Q. How prove you the divine institution of deacons?
A. Deacons were ordained by the apostles j and their office is frequently approven of in scripture, Acts vi. 3. 1 Tim. iii.
Q. What is a deacon’s office? A. To take care
of the poor, and serve at the Lord’s table, Acts vi.
Q. What courts hath Christ appointed for government in his church? A. Sessions, presbyteries, and synods.
Q. What is a session?
A. That court in a particular Christian congregation which consists of a pastor or pastors, elders and deacons.
Q. What divine warrant have we for kirk sessions?
A. The light of nature, and law of necessity, the institution of Christ, alluding to such courts in the Jewish synagogues, and the apostolical example, do fully warrant them, Matth. xviii. 15, — 21. Acts xiv. 23, &c.
Q. What is the business of sessions? A. To admit
church-members, rebuke offenders, and suspend them from the sacraments, and manage all the ecclesiastic affairs of a particular congregation, 1 Tim. v. 17.
Q. What is a presbytery? A. A church court consisting of ministers and elders from several congregations.
Q. How prove you the divine warrant of a presbytery?
A. From its being expressly approven in scripture? and from the apostolic example of presbyteries at Jerusalem, Ephesus, and Corinth, 1 Tim. iv. 14. Acts xi, &.c.
£). What is the business of a presbytery?
A. To rule in affairs too hard for sessions, to ordain pastors, excommunicate offenders, &c. 1 Tim. iv. 14.
Quest. 50. in the second Commandment. 21 T
Qj What is a synod? A. It is the meeting of
several presbyteries in one court, Acts xv.
Q. What scripture warrant have we for this court?
A. In Acts xv. we find that the rulers from sundry ’ churches met together, disputed and determined a point of controversy in the church.
Qj How prove you this was not a meeting for consultation only? A. From the scriptures calling their determinations a burden and decrees, Acts xv. 28. and xvi. 4.
Q. What power have synods? A. To rule in
ecclesiastic affairs that are too hard for presbyteries.
Q. Have they power to impose any new articles of faith?
A. No j but to interpose their authority in favour of what is according to the word of God, 1 Cor. iv. 1.
Q. What are the privileges of the subjects or private members in the church? A. To receive all the
ordinances of Christ suited to their case j and if blameless, and of adult age, to choose their own officers.
{). How prove you that adult Christians have a right to choose their officers, and particularly their pastors?
A. They are commanded to try the spirits; they chose two, one of which was to be an apostle; the apostles caused them chose their deacons, and ordained elders by suffrages in the churches: and the very light of nature requires Christians liberty to choose their own spiritual phy* sician and guide and represents it as most absurd, that a temporal possession should entitle a man, however profane, to choose spiritual guides to the church, 1 John iv. Acts i. 23,-26. vi. 3. and xiv. 23.
O. Do church officers derive their authority from the church?
A. No •, they derive it from Christ, 1 Cor. xii.
Q. Have all church members a right to rule in her?
A. No; for if all were rulers, there could be none to be ruled, Heb. xiii. 17. Acts xx. 2S, 1 Thess. v. 12.
Q* What are the spiritual terms of communion with the visible church in all her sealing ordinances?
A. That men be in appearance saints and faithful, Psal xxiv. 3, 4. Eph. i. 1. 1 Cor. v. 11. 2 Thess. iii. 6.
Q. Is it not enough if men be real saints?
A. No; what God hath joined together, it is at our peril if we put asunder, Matth. v. 19.
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Q. To what are the church members to be faithful?
A. To the relation they stand in to God or men, and to the trust which they have received, and the vows they are under,- whether personal or national, Phil. iii. 17.
Q. How are we to be faithful to the relations we stand in? A. By performing the various duties of them.
Q. How ought we to be faithful to the trust reposed in us as church members? A. By conveying to posterity the truths of God as fully and clearly, and his ordinances as pure and entire, as we received them.
Q. How are church members to be faithful to their vows? A- By still continuing to acknowledge the obligation of their vows and endeavouring to perform the duties engaged to in them, Neh. X. 26. Psal. cxix. 100.
Q. Doth a church member’s selling or giving up any of the truths of Chiist which he hath once received, or is by oath bound to, make hfm scandalous? A. Yes $
as much as a servant, though a saint, h’s selling of his master’s goods at his own hand. Prov. xxiii. 23. Mat. v. 19.
Q. What is church discipline? A. The method
which Christ hath appointed for correcting and reclaiming scandalous church members, Mat. xviii. 3 5, — IS.
Q. Whal call you scandal? A. An open sin,
which grieves the godly, and tempts others to sin.
Q. How many krnds of scandal are there?
A. Two; private scandal which is known only to a few, and public scandal, which is known to many.
Q^ What is the first step of discipline with respect to private scandal? A, He that knows it should secretly tell the offender his fault, and reprove him for it, Lev. xix. 17.
Qj, What is to be done if the offender confei;seth and promiseth amendment?
A. The reprover is to rent satisfied, and carefully to conceal his brother’s fault, Lev. xix. 6.
Q. What must be done if the offender denies or defends his fault? A. The reprover is to reprove him
again before one or two witnesses, Matth. xviii. 16.
Q. If the offender still continues obstinate, what is the next siep of discipline? A. The offended person is
to tell thtt church judicatory to which the offender ismest immediately subject, Matth. xviii. 17.
Q. What is the first step of church discipline with respect to public offences? A. They are to be
brought before a church judicatory, Acts xv. 5, 6.
Q. What is to be done with an offender, if he continues to disregard church judicatories?
A. He is to be excommunicated, or solemnly cast out from, communion with the visible church, Matth. xviii. 1 18.-1 Cor. v.
Q. What is meant by one’s being delivered to Satan?
A. That his person is cast out from Christ’s visible church, into the visible kingdom of the devil, 1 Cor. v3-5.
Q. On whom should this sentence be passed l-A. On those whose sin is-gross and manifest, and who continue obstinate in their wickedness, lCor. v. lTim.i. 2£?*
Q. For what end are church censures necessary?
A. For reclaiming offenders, deterring others from sin, for vindicating the honour of Christ and the gospel, ani preventing God’s wrath from falling on the church.
Q^. In what manner should offenders be reproved?
A. With great prudence, meekness, and plainness.
Q, Why must we- rebuke with great prudence?
A. Because if we chuse not fit time, place, and wordsj the end of the rebuke may be entirely lost, Prov. xxv. 12.
Q. Why must we reprove with great meekness?
A. To prevent the offender’s passion, and cause him take the rebuke as designed for his good, Gal. vi. 1.
Qj. Why must we reprove with great plainness?
A. That offenders may not think their sin less than it is, or be too lightly affected with it, Acts viii. 20, — 28.
Q. What doth the second command require with respect to all these ordinances of God? A- The receiving,
observing, and keeping them pure and entire, Deut. vi.
Q. What is meant by receiving the ordinances of God?
A, The knowledge and embi acement of them.
Q. What is meant by observing them? A. Our doing what they require, and waiting upon God in them.
Q^What is meant by keeping ihese ordinances pure-?
Ab Our allowing nothing to be added to them.
Qj What is meant by keeping them entire?
A. Our suffering nothing to be taken from them.
Q* What sins are more generally forbidden in the se* eond commandment?
A. Profaneness, idolatry, and superstition.
X Z
Q. What is the profaneness forbidden in the second commandment? A. Our opposition to, contempt of, or
indifference about the ordinances of God j and neglecting to receive, observe, and keep them pure and entire.
Q^ What is the idolatry forbidden in the second command? A. The worshipping of God by images, saints, angels, &.c.
Q. How did the Pagans break this command?
A. By using images in the worship of their false gods.
Q. May not we make images of mere creatures?
A. Yes y if they are not to be used for a religious use.
Q^ What different kinds of images of God are forbidden in this commandment? A. Images made by men’s hands, ana images made by their fancies, Deut. iv. 15.
Q. Is it idolatrous to make an image of any divine person-, of the Father as an old man •, of the Son as a babe, or man hanging on a cross; or of the Spirit as a dove j or to conceive any such fanciful idea of these persons?
A. Yes.
O. Is it idolatrous when we read of God’s hands, feet, ckc. to fancy him as having such members? A. Yes.
Q. Is it idolatrous to paint God as light, or the Trinity as a triangle, or body with three heads? A. Yes.
Qj Why must we make no images of God with our hands or fancy? A. Because God hath forbidden it;
and it misrepresents him as material, finite, &c. and so as no God at ail, Deut. iv. 13, — 19. Isa. xl. 18, 19, 20.
Q. May not such image- help to instruct the ignorant?
A. No 5 they are teachers of lies, Hab. ii. IS. Jer. x. 15.
Q. Is an image, or imaginary idea of Christ as a suffering or glorified man, helpful to our faith? A. No; it is very hurtful to it j for it divides the natures of Christ in our conception of him, whereas faith must still view them as united in one person, Isa. ix. 6. John i. 14.
Qj What is superstition in the worship of God?
A. Our taking from, or adding to his ordinances.
Q. May not men appoint teaching ceremonies in the worship of God? A. No; Isa. i. 12. Col. ii. 20,-23.
JJ. Why so? A. Because they cannot bless, nor
render effectual these ceremonies 5 and so they lead men’s minds away from the spirituality of God’s worship.
Q. How prove you, that God will not bless nor approve ceremonies of men’s appointment used in his worship?
A. He gives men no authority to appoint them; but condemns these appointments as will-worship, Col. ii. 20.
(J. Doth not God command us to do all things decently, and in order?
A. That command requires us to chuse the fittest times and places for worship, and to perform it in a grave manner -., but doth not allow men to appoint ceremonies as pans of God’s worship, 1 Cor. xiv.
£). Among what sect of professed Christians is the saddest mixture of idolatry and superstition to be found?
A.. Among the Papists, and those of the Greek-church,
Qj. How are the Papists guilty of idolatry?
A» In their worshipping images of the Trinity y the bread in the sacrament j the cross, angels, and saints, especially the virgin Maiy, and their images or relicks bowing at the name of Jesus, or towards altars* or the east swearing by creatures, or by touching and kissing the gospels, &c.
Q. How are the Papists guilty of superstitious taking away from God’s ordinances?
A. In denying the use of the cup in the Lord’s supper, and of the scripture to the people j and in taking away the second commandment from their catechism, and the public offices of their church.
Q^Why do they deny the people the use of the cup ii* the Lerd’s supper?
A To exalt their clergy, who claim it as their due.
(). Why do Papists deny the people the. use of the scripture?
A. That they may not* by reading it, discover their errors in doctrine, and corruptions in worship, &.C.
Q. Why do they so conceal the second commandment?
A. Because it condemns their images and superstition*
Q. How are the Papists guilty of superstitious adding to the ordinances of God?
A. In their adding five bastard sacraments 5 offering the bread in the Lord’s supper as a sacrifice; abstaining from flesh in Lent, using vain fastings, superstitious holy days, vestments, fonts, alters, &c. •, adding cream, oil, spittle, and the sign of the cross in baptism baptizing of bells •, praying on beads, &.c.
Qi Is it rot sinful for Protestants to preserve monuments of idolatry and superstition, by keeping images of* T 3
the Pagan gods, of Christ as man, Stc. ‘, or superstitiously observing their holy days, as New-year’s day, Fasten’seven, Christmas, Pach, &c.? A. Yes*, Gal. iv. 10.
. Q. Will it excuse us from sin if we do these things -with no bad intention? A. No; to think that innocent intentions justify bad actions, is Popish doctrine.
Q. Why are most men so fond of pompous ceremonies in the worship of God? A. Because they do not
relish the spiritual nature of his ordinances, and think themselves capable of bettering his institutions.
O. What are the three reasons annexed to the second commandment I
A. God’s sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal which he hath for his own worship.
£). H uv is God’s sovereignty over us a reason for keeping this command? A. God being Lord of all, it is roost suitable to his wisdom and authority that he prescribe all the means of his worship, James iv. 11, 12.
Qj How is God’s property in us as our God a reason for keeping this command? A. These whose God he
is, have the strongest reason to obey his ordinances, and beware of spiritual whoredom, and shewingthemselveswise above him, Deut. xii. 32. Excd. xv. 2.
Q. Hove is God’s zeal or jealousy for his own worship, a reason of keeping this command?
A. As it makes it profitable to keep, and dangerous to break it, Deut. iv. 24.
Q. How doth God’s zeal for his own worship shew itself? A. In his rewarding the keepers, and punishing the breakers of bis commands, Deut. v, — xii, xxviii.
Qj. How doth God reward the keepers of his commands? A. In esteeming them lovers of him, and shewing mercy to thousands of them, Exod. xx. 6.
Q. How doth God punish the breakers of his commands? A. In counting them haters of him, and punishing their sin to the third and fourth generation, Exod. xx. 5.
£). How can God justly punish children for their parents sin?
A. Because children are the property of parents, and so parents are punished in them, 1 Kings xiv, xvi.
Q. Whether doth this threatening respect temporal or eternal punishment? A. If the children continue to
approve their parents sin, by walking in it, the threaten*
ing respects both temporal and eternal punishment j but otherwise, it respects only temporal strokes.
Q. If the children become saints, how is this threatening executed?
A. The temporal strokes are often inflicted, but are made to work for their good, Isaiah xxvii. 9.