when they bowled upon their Beds; they affembled themselves for corn and wine, and they rebelled against me. But to be quickened by Mercy to Duty is not mercenary, but Evangelical. Hof. iii. 5. They fhall fear the Lord and his Goodness.

Q. 8. What is the first Inference from hence?

A. That great is the Condescention of God to Man, that he will ufe Arguments to induce him to Obedience, who might exact it only by his Sovereignty, and juftly damn us for our Difobedience, 2 Cor. v. 20. Now then we are Embaffadors for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us, we prag · you in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God.

Q. 9. What is the fecond Inference from hence?

A. That the more Mercy any receive from God, the more Obligations are laid on them to obey him, Pfal. cxvi. 1, 2. I love the Lord because he hath beard my Voice, and my Supplication; because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

Q. 10. What is the third Inference from hence?

A. The more Mercies and Favours any Man fins against, the greater is that Man's Sin, and the forer will be his Punishment, Amos iii. 1, 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth; wherefore I will punish you for all your Iniquities.

Q. 11. What is the fourth Inference from hence ?

A. That God's Expectations are greater, where his Mercies and Favours have been fo, Ifa. v. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard, that I have not done it? Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth Grapes, brought it forth wild Grapes.

Q. 12. What is the laft Inference from hence?

A. That Memorials of God's Mercies are to be kept by us, to provoke us to conftant and chearful Duties of Obedi ence, Exod. xvii. 14. And the Lord said unto Mofes, Write this for a Memorial in a Book, and rehearse it in the Ears of Joshua, Pfal. ciii. 2, 3. Bless the Lord, O my Soul, forget not all bis Benefits.

of

Of the First Commandment.

HICH is the firft Commandment?

Quest. 45. WA. The Firft Commandment is, thou

fhalt have none other Gods before me.

Q. What is the first Duty enjoined in the first Commandment?

A. It is to know and acknowledge the Exiftence or Being of God, and confequently condemns all Atheism, both in Judgment and Practice, Heb. xi. 6. He that cometh to God muft believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him, Pfal. xiv. 1. The Fool hath faid in his Heart, there is no God.

Q. 2. What is the fecond Duty of the firft Commandment ?

A. It requires all Men to know and acknowledge the Unity of God, Deut. vi. 4. Hear, O Ifrael, The Lord our God is one Lord. And condemns Polytheifm, or Plurality of Gods, 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6. For though there be that are called Gods, whether in Heaven or in Earth, as there be Gods many, and Lords many; but to us there is but one God.

Q3. Whence fprang the Opinion of more Gods than one at first in the World?

A. It fprang from Ignorance of God's Omniprefence and Omnipocence. Hence came their vain Imaginations, Rom. i. 21. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not ・as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their Imagi nations, and their foolish Heart was darkened. They thought the Prefence and Power of God might reach one Place, and not another, 1 Kings xx. 23. And the Servants of the King of -Affyria faid unto him, Their Gods are Gods of the Hills, therefore they were fronger than we; but let us fight against them in the Plain, and furely we shall be fironger than they.

Q4. What were the firft Creatures worshipped as Gods? A. Probably the heavenly Bodies, Sun, Moon and Stars, because of their Splendor and Influences; these as Heralds, do proclaim God to the World, Pfal. xix. 1, 2. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament fheweth his handy Work. Day unto Day uttereth Speech, and Night unto

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Night

Night herweth Knowledge. And thefe Meffengers of God were mistaken for God himself, Job xxxi. 26, 27. If I bekeld the Sun when it fined, or the Moon walking in Brightness, and my Heart hath been fecretly inticed, or my Mouth bath kifed my Hand; This also were an Iniquity, for I should have denieď

the God that is above.

Q. 5. What do thefe Words [before me] import?

A. It notes God's perfect Knowledge and Abhorrence of all Idolatry, or worshipping of another God, as what he cannot endure to behold, Jer. xliv. 3, 4. Because of their wickednefs which they have committed to provoke me to Anger, in that they went to burn Incense to serve other Gods, whom they know not, neither they, you, nor your Fathers; bowbeit I fent into you all my Servants the Prophets, rifing early, and fending them, faying, O do not this abominable Thing that I hate.

Q. 6. Are none guilty of this Sin but heathenish Idolaters?

A. Yes, all that place their fupreme Love or Truft in any Creature, make that Creature their God, and in Scripture are called Idolaters, Col. iii. 5. And Covetousness which is Idolatry.

Q. 7. How doth the Idolatry forbidden in the first, differ from that forbidden in the fecond Commandment?

A. The Idolatry forbidden in the firft Commandment is a Sin refpecting the Object of Worfhip, when we fet up any Thing in the Place of God, which by Nature is not God, Gal. iv. 8. Howbeit then when ye knew not God, ye aid Service unto them which by Nature are no Gods. But that against the fecond Commandment is, when we pretend to worship the true God, but do it by fuch Means, and in fuch a Manner as he hath not required, or hath forbidden, Exod. xxxii. 4, 5. And be received them at their Hands, and fashioned it with a graving Tool, after he had made a molten Calf, and they said, Thefe be thy Gods, O Ifrael, which brought thee up out of the Houfe of Egypt.

Q. 8. What is the firft Inference from the firft Commandment?

A. That it is a fpecial Mercy to be brought forth in a Land where the true God is known and worshipped, Pfal.

cxlvii.

cxlvii. 20. He hath not dealt so with any Nation; and as for bis Judgments they have not known them; praife ye the Lord. Q. 9. What is the second Inference from the first Commandment?

A. That it is a great and dreadful Sin to live without the Worship of God in the World, Eph. ii. 12. That at that Time ye were without Chrift,and without God in the World. Q. 10. What is the third Inference from the firft Commandment?

A. That Chriftians must not comply with idolatrous or fuperftitious Worship, when they are caft into idolatrous Places, how great foever the Danger be, Pfal. xvi. 4. Their Sorrows shall be multiplied, that haften after another God; their Drink-offering of Blood will I not offer, nor take up their Names into my Lips.

Q. 11. What is the fourth Inference from hence ?

A. That the fupreme Love, Fear, and Truft of the Soul is God's peculiar Right and due. Whofoever places them on any other befides God, is guilty of a very heinous and great Sin against him, 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. Compared with Job xxxi. 24, 28. If I have made Gold my hope, or have faid to the fine Gold, Thou art my Confidence; this alfo were an Iniquity to be punished by the fudge, for I should have denied the God that is above.

Q. 12. What is the fifth Inference hence?

A. That God's Eye difcovers the clofelt Idolatry in the World, 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 Imaginary; 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, Uncleanness, inordinate Affection, evil Concupifcence, and Covetousness, wh ch is Idolatry.

Q13. 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

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thee,

thee, and fay, Who is the Lord? Mark x. 24. How hard is it for them that traft in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of Hea ven?

Q. 14. What is the laft Inference?

A. That in covenanting with God, and avouching him for our God, we muft wholly renounce all others, and take God alone for our Portion; and the Object of our Love and Dependence, Hof. iii. 3. Thou shalt not be for another Man. So will I alfo be for thee, Luke xiv. 33. So likewife whosoever be be of you, that forfaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my Difciple.

Of the Second Commandment.

Queft. 49. WHICH is the fecond Commandment?

A. The fecond Commandment is [Thou fhalt 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 fhalt not bow down 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.] ·

Quelt. 50. What is required in the fecond Command

ment?

A. The fecond Commandment requireth, the receiving, obferving, 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 Command

ment?

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 fecond Commandment?

A. The