them, or taken away from them. Deut. xii. 32. What thing foever I command you, obferve to do it: thou fhalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.'

Q. 8. How doth it appear that the receiving, obferving, and keeping pure and entire all fuch religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed, is required in the fecond commandment, when it doth only forbid, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image? c.

A. God's forbidding the making any graven image, and worshipping it, doth clearly imply, 1. That God muft be worshipped by fome means. 2. That it is a fin to worship God by graven images. 3. That, by confequence, it is a fin to worship God by the means which he hath not appointed. 4. That therefore it is a duty to worship God by the means which he hath appointed, which being his ordinances, they must be received, obferved, and kept pure and entire.

LI. Quest. What is forbidden in the fecond commandment ? Anfw. The fecond commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his word.

Q. I. What is the first great fin forbidden in the fecond commandment?

A. The first great fin forbidden in the fecond commandment, is the fin of idolatry.

Q. 2. How doth the idolatry forbidden in the firft commandment, differ from the idolatry forbidden in the fecond command

ment ?

A. The idolatry forbidden in the first commandment, hath a refpect unto the object, when we give that worship and honor which is due only to God, unto another: the idolatry forbidden in the fecond commandment, hath a respect unto the means, when we worship God by images.

Q3. How many ways may perfons be guilty of idolatry in their worshipping of God by images?

A. Perfons are guilty of idolatry in worshipping of God by images, 1. When they worship feigned and falfe gods (apprehending them to be true) by images and reprefentations. Such was the heathens idolatry in worfhipping Jupiter, Juno, Apollo, Diana, and other feign

ed gods and goddeffes, by their images, in their idola trous temples. 2. When they worship the true God, in or by any image or representation of him, whether it be by any thing in heaven, or the earth, or the waters, as in the commandment; "Thou shalt not make to thyfelf any graven image, or the likeness of any thing that is in heaven. above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor ferve them." Deut. iv. 15, 16. "Take ye heed therefore to yourfelves (for ye faw no manner of fimilitude on the day that the Lord fpake unto you in Horeb) left ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image.' Exod. xxxii. 8. 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.' 3. When they have in their worship carnal imaginations, and reprefentations of God in their minds; as if he were an old man fitting in heaven, or the like.

Q4. Why may we not make use of images for a help in our worship of God?

A. 1. Becaufe God hath abfolutely forbidden it. 2. Because images are not a real help, but a hinderance of devotion, they, tending to leffen God in our esteem, who being the living God, and fuperlatively excellent, and infinitely removed above all his creatures, cannot, without great reflection of dishonor upon him, be reprefented by a dead image.

Q. 5. Is it not lawful to have images or pictures of God by us, fo we do not worship them, nor God by them?

A. The images or pictures of God are an abomination, and utterly unlawful, because they do debafe God, and may be a cause of idolatrous worship.

Q. 6. Is it not lawful to have pictures of Jefus Chrift, he being a man as well as God?

A. It is not lawful to have pictures of Jefus Christ, becaufe his divine nature cannot be pictured at all, and becaufe his body, as it is now glorified, cannot be pictured as it is; and becaufe, if it do not stir up devotion, it is in vain; if it do ftir up devotion, it is a worfhipping by an image or picture, and fo a palpable breach of the fecond commandment.

Q. 7. What is the fecond great fin against this fecond commandment?

A. The fecond great fin against this fecond commandment, is fuperftition.

Q. 8. What is the fuperftition forbidden in the fecond commandment?

A. The fuperftition forbidden in the second commandment, is the worshipping of God in any other way, or by any other means, than what he hath appointed in his word, and thus adding human inventions unto God's inftitutions, which is will-worship, and condemned by the apoftle. Col. ii. 20. 23. Why as though living in the world, are ye fubject to ordinances (touch not, taste not, handle not; which all are to perish with the ufing) after the commandments and doctrines of men? which things have indeed a fhew of wisdom in will-worship.'

Q. 9. May nothing be added in the worship of God, but what is prefcribed in the word of God?

A. Nothing may be added in the worship of God, as parts of worship, but what is prescribed or appointed in the word of God: because, without divine institution, it is but vain worship, neither pleafing to God, nor profitable unto them that worship. Matth. xv. 9. 'But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.'

Q. 10. Are not fignificant ceremonies allowable, that the dull minds of men may be quickened unto the more devotion ?

A. 1. The ceremonies which God himself did appoint under the law, are not lawful, much lefs the ceremonies of men's appointment, which are parts of worship. 2. Significant teaching ceremonies, were they appointed by God would be the parts of true worship; therefore fuch fignificant teaching ceremonies as are not appointed by God, are parts of falfe worship, or of worthip fo far corruptedas they are used. 3. The fignificancy of teaching ceremonies without God's inftitution, which carrieth with it God's bleffing, is infignificant and ineffectual, to convey and confer any grace.

Q. 11. May not the church, by virtue of that command, I Cor. xiv. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order, appoint ceremonies for decency and order's fake ?

A. The church may and ought, by virtue of this com mand, fee that there be no indecency and diforder in the worship of God; that is, they may order, that things appointed by God be done decently and in order, in reference to conveniency of time and place, and the like, which the word of God doth virtually include in appointing worship itself, which without fuch circumftances, cannot be performed: but here is no liberty given unto the church, to introduce and appoint new parts of worship, as fignificant teaching ceremonies are proved to be; neither may fuch things be called decent in God's worship, which the idolatrous Church of Rome ufe without any warrant from the word of God.

Q. 12. What is the idolatry and fuperftition of the Church of Rome in the worship of God?

A. The idolatry and fuperftition of the church of Rome in the worship of God, is their idolatrous kneeling at the facrament, afferting that the bread is turned into the real body of Chrift; their idolatrous worfhipping of Chrift by the crucifix; their idolatrous pictures and images of God which they bow before; their idolatrous bowing at the altars, and towards the east; their idolatrous praying to angels and faints, especially to the Virgin Mary; their offering up the unbloody facrifice of the hoft; their fuperftitious faftings, and abstaining from flesh in Lent; their fuperftitious holy-days; their fuperftitious priefts furplice; their adding cream, oil, and spittle to the water, and figning with the cross in baptifm; their baptifing of bells; their praying upon beads; and many more fuperftitious cuftoms, for which there is not the leaft command in fcripture.

Q. 13. How may we further offend and fin against the fecond commandment?

A. We offend and fin against the fecond commandment, not only by idolatry and fuperftition, but also when we are not zealous for pure worship, according to God's inftitution, not endeavouring what in us lieth, in our places, the reformation of worship, according to the pattern in the word; as alfo when we difufe and neglect, efpecially when we contemn, and oppofe any of thofe ordinances which God hath appointed to be the means of wor

fhip. John ii. 17. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.' Heb. x. 25. Not forfaking the affembling of ourfelves together, as the manner of fome is' Matth. xxiii. 13. 'Wo unto you fcribes and Pharifees, hypocrites; for ye fhut up the kingdom of heaven against mer. : for ye neither go in yourselves, neither fuffer ye them that are entering to go in.' 1 Theff. ii. 16. Forbidding us to fpeak to the Gentiles, that they may be faved, filling up their fins alway.' Acts xiii. 44, 45, 45. And the next Sabbath-day came almoft the whole city together, to hear the word of God. But when the Jews faw the multitudes they were filled with envy, and fpake against thofe things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blafpheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was neceffary that the word of God fhould first have been fpoken to you: but feeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.'

LIL Queft. What are the reafons annexed to the fecond

commandment ?

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

Q. 1. What is the first reafon annexed unto the fecond commandment?

A. The first reason annexed unto the fecond commandment, is God's fovereignty over us in these words, "I the Lord."

Q. 2. What is the force of this firft reafon ?

A. The force of this first reafon is, because God is the great fovereign King over us, and hath the fole, or only authority to make laws for the way of his worship; therefore we ought, by virtue of our allegiance, as we are his fubjects, to obferve his laws and ordinances, and to worthip him no other way than he hath appointed in his word. Pfal. xcv. 2, 3. 'Let us come before his prefence with thankfgiving and make a joyful noife unto him with pfalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.'

Q. 3. What is the fecond reafon annexed unto the fecond commandment?