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ministry and maintenance thereof; religious fasting"; swearing by the name of God, and vowing unto him*: as also the disapproving, detesting, opposing, all false worship; and, according to each one's place and calling, * removing it, and all monuments of idolatry 2.

Q. 109. What are the sins forbidden in the second com mandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising, counselling, commanding, using, and any

Eph. iv. 11. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; Ver. 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 1 Tim. v. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who la bour in the word and doctrine. Ver. 18. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn: and, The labourer is worthy of his reward. 1 Cor. ix. 7—15. Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? &c. u Joel ii, 12. Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. Ver. 13. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful.-1 Cor. vii. 5. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;

w Deut. vi. 13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

x Isa. xix. 21 And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it Psal. lxxvi. 11. Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God; let all that be round about him bring

presents unto him that ought to be feared.

y Acts xvii 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Ver. 17. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Psal. xvi. 4. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

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z Deut. vii. 5. But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire xxx. 22 Ye shall defile also the cov ering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold; thou shalt cast them a way as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.

109. a Numb. xv. 39. And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them and that ye seek not after your own heart, and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring.

b Deut. xiii, 6. If thy brother, the Son of thy mother, or thy Son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying Let, us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Ver. 7. Namely, of the

♣ See the notes on the Confession of Faith, Chap. XX111, Sect. 2, 3, & 4,

*

wise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself, tolerating a false religion ; the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons,

gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Ver. 8. Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him: neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt

thou conceal him.

c Hosea v. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. Micah vi. 16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. Ver. 32. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thon shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

f Deut. xiii. from Verse 6. to 12. [See letter b.] Zech. xiii. 2. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. Ver. 3. And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. Rev ii. 2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars. Ver. 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed untar idols, and to commit fornication. Ver. 15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, e Deut. xii. 30. Take heed to thy which thing I hate, Ver 20. Notself that thou be not snared by follow withstanding, I have a few things aing them, after that they be destroy-gainst thee, because thou sufferest that ed from before thee; and that thou

d* 1 Kings xi. 33. Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. 1 Kings xii 33. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el, the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

enquire not after their gods, saying, an Jezebel, which calleth herself

How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Ver. 31. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God; for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto their gods; for even

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prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Rev. xvii. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one

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* See the notes on the Confession of Faith, Chap. XX. Sect. 4, and Chap, XXIII, 6.0, 3.

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either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever; all worshipping of it, or God in it, or by it; the making of any representation of feigned deities, and all worship of them, or service belonging to them'; all superstitious devices ",

hour with the beast. Ver. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. Ver. 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

g Deut. iv. 15. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; (for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire :) Ver. 16. Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female; Ver. 17. The Jikeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air; Ver. 18. The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the leness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: Ver. 19. And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. Acts xvii. 29. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. Rom. i. 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful: but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened Ver 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Ver. 23. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God in to an image made like to corruptible

man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Ver. 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

b Dan. ii. 18. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Gal. iv. 8. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

i Exod. xxxii. 5. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow is a feast to the Lord.

k Exod. xxxii. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

/ 1 Kings xviii. 26. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. Ver 28. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. Isa. lxv. 11 But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink-offering unto that number.

m Acts xvii. 22. Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars-hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. Col. ii. 21 (Touch not, taste not, handle not: Ver. 22. Which all are to

corrupting the worship of God", adding to it, or taking from it, whether invented and taken up of ourselves P, or /received by tradition from others, though under the title of antiquity, custom', devotion, good intent, or any other pretence whatsoever; Simony; sacrilege' ; all ne

perish with the using,) after the commandments and doctrines of men. Ver. 23. Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

n Mal. i. 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. Ver. 8. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor: will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts. Ver. 14. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen

o Deut. iv. 2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you.

p Psal cvi. 39. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. 9 Matt. xv. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

r 1 Pet. i 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.

s Jer. xliv 17. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of

Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.

t Isa. lxv. 3. A people that provóketh me to anger continually to my face, that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick : Ver 4. Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments; which eat swines' flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels: Ver. 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou: these are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. Gal. i. 13. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: Ver. 14. And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly fealous of the traditions of my fathers.

u 1 Sam. xiii. 11. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together to Michmash; Ver. 12. Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt-offering 1 Sam. xv. 21. But the people (said Saul) took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal

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Acts viii. 18. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money.

* Rom. ii. 22. Thou that abhorrest

glect, contempt, hindering, and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.

Q. 110. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment, the more to enforce it?

A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment, the more to enforce it, contained in these words, For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments; are, besides God's sovereignty over us, and propriety in usd, his fervent zeal for his own worship, and his revengeful indignation against all false worship, as being a spiritual whoredom ;

idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Mal. iii. 8. Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me: but ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

y Exod. iv. 24. And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. Ver. 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, 'Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. Ver. 26. So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

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z Mat xxii. 5. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. Mal. i. 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. Ver. 13. Ye said also, Behold, what a wea. riness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord.

a Mat. xxiii. 13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves,neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in

b Aets xiii. 44. And the next sabbath-day came almost the whole city

together to hear the word of God Ver. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy,and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 1 Thes. ii. 15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us;" and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Ver. 16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they' might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them' to the uttermost.

110. c Exod. xx. 5, 6.

d Psal. xlv. 11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him. Rev. xv. 3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Ver. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

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e Exod. xxxiv. 13. But ye shall de-' stroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves. Ver. 14. For thou shalt worship no other god : for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

f1 Cor. x 20. But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God:

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