Quest. CVII., CVIII., CIX., CX.

QUEST. CVII. Which is the second Commandment?

ANSW. The second Commandment is Thou shalt 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 shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them; 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.

QUEST. CVIII. What are the duties required in the second Commandment?

ANSW. The duties required in the second commandment are the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his word, particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ, the reading, preaching, and hearing of the word, the administration and receiving of the sacraments, church-government, and discipline, the 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 ones’ place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry.

QUEST. CIX. What are the sins forbidden in the second Commandment?

ANSW. The sins forbidden in the second Commandment, are, all devising, counselling, commanding, using, and any ways 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, 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, corrupting the worship of God, adding to it, taking from it, whether invented and taken up of ourselves, or received by tradition from others; though under the title of antiquity, custom, devotion, good intent, or any other pretence whatsoever, simony, sacrilege, all neglect, contempt, hindering and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.

QUEST. CX. What are the reasons annexed to the second Commandment the more to enforce it?

ANSW. 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 iniquities 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 property in us, his fervent zeal for his own worship, and his revengeful indignation against all false worship, as being a spiritual whoredom, accounting the breakers of this commandment such as hate him, and threatening to punish them unto divers generations, and esteeming the observers of it, such as love him, and keep his commandments, and promising mercy to them unto many generations.

Before we proceed to consider the subject-matter of this Commandment, we shall premise something, in general, concerning the difference between it, and the first Commandment. The first Commandment respects the object of worship; the second, the manner in which it is to be performed. Accordingly the former forbids, our not owning God to be such an one, as he has revealed himself to be, in his word; as also the substituting any creature in his room, or acknowledging it, either directly, or by consequence, to be our chief good and happiness; the latter obliges us to worship this God, in such a way as he has prescribed, in opposition to that, which takes its rise from our own invention. These two Commandments therefore being so distinct, we cannot but think the Papists to be chargeable with a very great absurdity, in making the second to be only an appendix to the first, or an explication of it; the design whereof seems to be, that they might exculpate themselves from the charge of idolatry, in setting up image-worship, which they think to be no crime; because they are not so stupid as to style the image a god, or make it the supreme object of worship; whereas this Commandment, forbidding false worship, is directly contrary to their practice of worshipping God thereby.

The method, in which this Commandment is laid down, is the same with that of several others, viz. as we have therein, an account of the duties required, the sins forbidden, and the reasons annexed to enforce it. We shall therefore

I. Consider the duties commanded. These are contained in two heads.

1. The obligation we are under to observe, or attend upon, such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed. Religious worship is that whereby we address ourselves to God, as a God of infinite perfection; profess an entire subjection and devotedness to him as our God; put our trust in him for a supply of all our wants, and ascribe that praise and glory, that is due to him, as our chief good, most bountiful benefactor, and only portion and happiness.

As for the ordinances, our attendance on them depends on a divine command, to which God has annexed a promise of his gracious presence, whereby our expectations are raised, that we shall obtain some blessings from him, when we engage therein in a right manner, in which respect they are instituted means of grace, and pledges of that special favour which he designs to bestow on his people. This is that which more especially renders a duty enjoined, an ordinance. Accordingly our Saviour says, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, Matt. xviii. 20.

Now these ordinances are either solitary or social; such as we are obliged to perform in our closets, chap. vi. 6. in our families; or in those public assemblies where God is worshipped. These are particularly mentioned in this answer; and they are prayer, thanksgiving, reading, preaching, and hearing the word, the administration and receiving the sacraments; to which we may add, praising God by singing; all which will be insisted on in a following answer, and therefore we pass by them at present, and shall only observe; that as these are duties which are daily incumbent on us, so there are other duties or ordinances, which are only to be performed as the necessity of affairs require it; such as religious fasting, whereby we express public tokens of mourning and humiliation, and perform other duties agreeable thereunto, when God is provoked by crying sins; or when his judgments are upon us, and our families, or the church of God in general. Thus the prophet Joel, when speaking concerning several desolating judgments, which Israel was exposed to, commands them to sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; and to weep between the porch and the altar; and say, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, Joel ii. 15, 17. This is not to be done at all times, but when the providence of God calls for it. Therefore we have no warrant for the observation of annual fasts; when that which was the first occasion thereof, is removed; much less for those weeks of fasting which the Papists observe, which they call Lent; for which, no sufficient reason can be assigned why it should be observed at that rather than any other time of the year. And their fasting on certain days of the week cannot be vindicated; much less their doing this without joining other religious duties to it, or their abstaining from some kinds of food, while they indulge themselves in eating others that are equally grateful to the appetite; which is a ludicrous and superstitious way of fasting.

Again, another occasional duty or ordinance is, our setting apart time for thanksgiving to God for deliverances from public or national calamities, or those which more immediately respect ourselves and families; in which those religious duties are to be performed, that tend to express our spiritual joy and thankfulness to God, who is the Author thereof, and at the same time, we are to pray, that he would enable us to walk as such who are hereby laid under renewed engagements to be his; thus the Jews observed some days of thanksgiving for their deliverance from Haman’s conspiracy, Esth. ix. 20, & seq. And this is to be religiously observed, wherein it differs from that carnal joy, which is generally expressed by those who receive mercies, but do not give glory to God, the sole Author thereof.

Moreover, besides these occasional ordinances, there is another mentioned in this answer, namely, vowing to God. Thus the Psalmist says, Vow, and pay unto the Lord, Psal. lxxvi. 11. which either, more especially, respects their entering into a solemn obligation, or promise to give something that was to be applied to the support of the public and costly-worship which was performed under the ceremonial law; upon which account it is said, in the following words, Bring presents unto him; or it may be considered as to what concerns the moral reason of the thing, as including in it our resolution to set apart, or apply some portion of our worldly substance, as God has prospered us in our secular affairs, to the maintaining and promoting his cause and interest in the world. And we ought, at the same time, to devote ourselves to him, whereby we acknowledge his right to us, and all that we have. Thus the apostle says, concerning the churches of Macedonia, not only that they devoted their substance to God, but that they gave themselves, also unto the Lord, 1 Cor. viii. 5.

This does not include in it our resolution to do those things that are out of our own power; or, that we will exercise those graces that are the special gift of the Spirit of God, but rather a dedication of ourselves to him, in hope of obtaining that grace from him which will enable us to perform those duties, which are indispensably necessary to, and inseparably connected with salvation. This is such a vowing to God, as will not have a tendency to ensnare our own consciences, or detract from his glory, who is alone the Author of all grace; nor does it contain in it the least instance of presumption, but it is a duty which we ought to perform by faith, to his glory and our own edification.

And to this we might add another ordinance, mentioned in this answer; namely, swearing by the name of God; which, as we have elsewhere expressed it, contains a swearing fealty to him, and our consecrating and devoting ourselves to him[208]. And as to what respects swearing, as it is a religious duty to be performed in subserviency to civil duties, we shall have occasion to speak of that under the third Commandment; and therefore we pass it over at present, and proceed to consider,

2. That these, and all other religious duties or ordinances which God has enjoined, are to be kept pure and entire. As we are not to cast off the ordinances of God in general, so we must take heed that we do not, while we perform some, live in the neglect of others; for that is not to keep them entire. Thus private duties are not to shut out those which are social in our families or the public assemblies; nor entrench on that time which ought to be allotted for them; and, on the other hand, it is not sufficient for us to worship God in public, and, at the same time, cast off all secret duties. This reproves the practice of some modern enthusiasts, who pray not, unless moved by the Spirit, as they pretend; and deny their obligation to observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper.

Moreover, as we are to keep the ordinances of God entire, we are also to keep them pure; that is, to allow of, or practise nothing but what is warranted by the rules which God has given us in his word, in opposition to those who corrupt his worship, by intruding those ordinances into it which are of their own invention; and pretending, that though God has not commanded them, yet the service which we perform (which can be no other than will-worship) will be acceptable to him. This leads us,

II. To consider the sins forbidden in this Commandment. The general scope and design hereof, as to what concerns the negative part of it, is God’s prohibiting all false worship, either in our hearts, outward actions or gestures, whereby we adhere to our own imaginations rather than his revealed will; which is the only rule of instituted worship. The things forbidden in this commandment may be reduced to three heads;

1. A not attending on the ordinances of God with that holy, humble, and becoming frame of spirit, that the solemnity of the duties themselves, or the authority of God enjoining, or the advantages which we may expect to receive by them, call for. When we do not seriously think what we are going about before we engage in holy duties, or watch over our own hearts and affections, or else worship God in a careless and indifferent manner, in which case we may be said to draw nigh to him with our lips, while our hearts are far from him.

2. We farther break this commandment, when we invent ordinances which God has no where in his word commanded; or think to recommend ourselves to him by such gestures, or modes of worship, which we have no precedent or example for in the New Testament; this is what is generally called superstition and will-worship. Thus we read in the degenerate age of the church, that the statutes of Omri were kept, and the works of the house of Ahab, Micah vi. 16. as intimating that false worship which was practised by them. And here we cannot but observe, that there are many things in which the Papists are chargeable with superstition and will-worship, if not with idolatry. As for instance,

(1.) Their worshipping the bread in the sacrament, as supposing it to be the real body and blood of Christ, and not barely the sign thereof; understanding the words of our Saviour, in which, in instituting this ordinance, he says, This is my body, Matt. xxvi. 26. in a literal sense; whereas it ought to be taken in a figurative. Again,

(2.) Their lifting up the bread in the sacrament, pretending that this is a real offering of Christ, and, at the same time, the people being obliged to shew all possible marks of sorrow; such as beating their breasts, shaking their heads, &c. as though they really saw Christ on the cross; whereas it is a profaning the Lord’s supper, to say that Christ is really and visibly offered therein by the hands of the priest; which is contrary to what the apostle says of his being but once offered to bear the sins of many, Heb. ix. 28.

(3.) They use several superstitious ceremonies in baptism, which have, indeed, a shew of religion, but want a divine sanction, and are no other than an addition to Christ’s institution. Thus they use spittle, salt, and cream, besides the water with which the child is to be baptised, and anoint it with oil, and use exorcism, commanding the unclean spirit to depart out of it, and signing it with the sign of the cross; at which they suppose the Devil to be so terrified, that he is hereby obliged to leave it, being by this means, as it were, frighted away. But the principal reason they give for their adding this ceremony to Christ’s institution, is to signify that the child is hereby obliged to fight manfully under Christ’s banner; which obligation is neither increased nor diminished thereby; and it is a sign which he makes no mention of.

(4.) Their frequent crossing of themselves, as a preservative against sin, and a means to keep them from the power of the Devil, and to render their prayers acceptable in the sight of God.

(5.) The splendor and magnificence of their churches, and especially the shape and figure of them, as accommodated to that of Solomon’s temple, and their situation east and west; and also their bowing to the altar, which is placed in the east; for which there is not the least shadow of argument in scripture, nor example in the purest ages of the church.

(6.) The ludicrous and unwarrantable ceremonies used in the consecration of churches, and the reverence that every one must shew to places thus consecrated, though it be not in the divine worship. And to this we may add, that there are many superstitious ceremonies in consecrating all the vessels and utensils that are used in their churches; yea, the very bells are baptised, or, as they express it, consecrated that so the Devil may be afraid of the sound thereof, and keep his distance from those places of worship in which they are fixed; which charms can be reckoned no other than the sport of the powers of darkness, or looked on by them with contempt.

(7.) They ascribe a divine, yea, a meritorious virtue, to the frequent repeating the Lord’s prayer in Latin, commonly called Pater noster, and the angel’s salutation of the virgin Mary, mentioned in Luke i. 28. called Ave Maria; which words they put a corrupt sense upon, contrary to the proper meaning thereof; which, if only recited, whether understood or no, it is reckoned acceptable service.

(8.) The distinction of garments, and the relative holiness of persons that wear them as signified thereby. To which we may add, the canonical hours which are appointed for the performing divine service; especially if we consider the reason which they allege for it, namely, because there was something remarkable done or suffered by Christ, at those hours in the day. These things argue them guilty of superstition.

(9.) We might also take notice of the many things which they make merchandise of, as consecrated bread, wax candles, &c. to which they ascribe a spiritual virtue, or some advantages to be received hereby, by those that purchase them; which tends to advance the price thereof. There are also the relicts which they call the church’s treasure, or those rarities which they purchase at a great rate; though some of the wiser Papists have made but a jest of them. We pass by many other superstitious ceremonies used by them, for brevity sake, and shall only observe,

(10.) Their bowing at the name of Jesus; which can hardly be vindicated from the charge of superstition, especially because no extraordinary instance of reverence is expressed at the mention of those incommunicable attributes of God, which are ascribed to him; nor, indeed, do they bow the knee at the mentioning of the word Saviour, Christ, or Emmanuel, or when any other divine characters are given him.

The only scripture they make use of to vindicate this practice, is in Phil. ii. 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; whereas it is plain, that this bowing the knee does not signify a bodily gesture, but only a subjection of soul to Christ, as angels, authorities and powers are said to be made subject to him, 1 Pet. iii. 22. These, indeed, are a very considerable part of the inhabitants of heaven, but they have no knees to bow; and as for things under the earth, to wit, the powers of darkness; they do not bow to him in a way of worship, but are subjected to him as conquered enemies. Which leads us to consider,

3. That they are guilty of the breach of this Commandment, who frame an image of any of the persons of the Godhead, or of any creature in heaven or earth, as a means or help made use of in order to their worshipping God. Here it must be enquired,

(1.) Whether the making images, absolutely, or in all respects, be unlawful. To which it is generally answered, that if pictures representing creatures, either in heaven or earth, be made with no other design, but in an historical way, to propagate the memory of persons, and their actions to posterity, it seems not to be a breach of this Commandment. But the sin forbidden therein, expressed in those words, Making to ourselves the image or likeness of creatures in heaven or earth, is when we design to worship God by them; and accordingly the using bodily gestures to them, such as those which are used in the worship of God; as bowing, uncovering the head, &c. wherein a person designs an act of worship, is idolatry. And if nothing else is intended but the worshipping of God by them, it can hardly be excused from the appearance of idolatry at least; so that, according to one of the rules before laid down for the understanding the Ten Commandments, it is to be reckoned a breach of the second Commandment; which is what we are now considering[209].

(2.) It must farther be enquired, whether it be unlawful to represent any of the persons in the Godhead, by pictures or carved images? to this we answer, that God being infinite and incomprehensible, it is impossible to frame any image like him, Isa. xl. 18. chap. xlvi. 5. Acts xvii. 29. Moreover, he assigns this as a reason why Israel should make no image of him, because they saw no manner of similitude when he spake to them in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire; and adds, lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, Deut. iv. 15, 16. And the apostle styles this an offering the highest affront to God, when he speaks of some who changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man. Rom. i. 23.

There are others, who, though they do not much care to defend the practice of making pictures of God, yet plead for describing an emblem of the Trinity, such as a triangle, with the name Jehovah in the midst of it. But that which I would observe concerning this practice is, that if the design hereof be to worship God by it, it is idolatry; but if not, it is unwarrantable, and, indeed, unnecessary; since a Trinity of persons in the unity of the divine essence, is to be understood as revealed in scripture, and not brought to our remembrance by an emblem, which is an ordinance of our own invention.

It is farther enquired, whether we may not describe our Saviour, as he sometimes is by the Papists, in those things that respect his human nature? whether we may not pourtray him as an infant in his mother’s arms; or, as conversing here on earth, or hanging on the cross; as they not only describe him, but adore this image or representation of Christ crucified, which they call a crucifix? To this we answer; that whatever of Christ comes within the reach of the art of man to delineate or describe, is only his human nature, which is not the object of divine adoration; and therefore this rather tends to debase than give us raised and becoming conceptions of him as such.

As to what is argued by some, to prove that it is not unlawful to make an image of God, inasmuch as he is sometimes represented as having a body, or bodily parts; and the prophet Daniel describes God the Father, as the ancient of days, Dan. vii. 9. therefore, they suppose, that it is not unlawful for them to make such representations of him by images. To this it may be answered, that God’s being described by the parts of human bodies, is in condescension to the weakness of our capacities, or agreeable to human modes of speaking; in which the eye signifies wisdom, the arm power, the heart love, &c. We are, notwithstanding those modes of expression, to abstract in our thoughts, every thing that is carnal, or applicable to the creature when conceiving of him, and therefore not to give occasion to any to think that he is like ourselves, by describing him in such a way. The Papists not only plead for making such like images, but set them up in churches, calling them the laymen’s books, with a design to instruct them in those things which the image represents. To which it may be replied, that such a method of instruction is without any warrant from scripture, as well as contrary to the practice of the purest ages of the church, who always thought that the word of God was sufficient to lead them into the knowledge of himself, without making use of a picture to that end.

But notwithstanding this colour is put on their practice, of setting up such-like images in churches; yet there are some who plead for the worship of images, only with this distinction, that it is a subordinate or a relative worship that they give to them, while, at the same time, the highest worship is given to God only; in which respect they cannot exculpate themselves from the charge of idolatry. And, indeed, in some of their books of devotion, we find the same expressions used, when they address themselves to the creature, as though they were paying divine adoration to God; particularly in the book, that is well known among them, called the Virgin Mary’s Psalter; in which her name is often inserted instead of the name of God, which is the highest strain of blasphemy. Thus when it is said, O come let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, Psal. xcv. 6. instead of the Lord, they put the Virgin Mary. And when it is said, Have mercy upon me, O God, &c. Psal. li. 1. they pray, Have mercy upon me, O Lady, &c. which expressions cannot be read without detestation. And there are many more to the like purpose, in that book.

When this has been objected against them as a specimen of their idolatry, all the reply they make to it is; that the book was written by a private person, as an help to devotion, but not established by the authority of the church, which is not to be charged with every absurdity which some of their communion may advance. To which it may be replied, that the church of Rome has been very ready to condemn better books, written by those who were not in their communion; whereas they never publicly condemned this book, but rather commended it, as written with a good design.

Besides we may farther observe, that there are many blasphemous expressions given to the virgin Mary, in their Breviaries and Missals, which are used by public authority. Thus she is often addressed to in such characters as these, viz. the mother of mercy, the gate of heaven, the queen of heaven, the empress of the world; and sometimes she is desired not only to pray her son to help them, but, by the authority of a mother, to command him to do it. At other times they desire her to help and save them herself; and accordingly they give her the title of Redeemer, and Saviour, as well as our Lord Jesus Christ. And sometimes they profess themselves to put their trust and confidence in her. If this be not idolatry, where is there any to be found in the world?

To this we may also add, that idolatry which is practised by them in their devotion, to the images of other saints. Every saint in their Kalendar is called upon, in his turn; among whom some indeed were good men, as the martyrs, who refused to be worshipped while on earth; how much soever these worship them now they are in heaven. But there are others whom the Popes have canonized for saints, who were little better than devils incarnate, while they were here upon earth; and others have been rebels and traitors to their king and country, and suffered the just reward of their wickedness; such as these are found among those whom they pay this worship to. There are also others whom they worshipped as saints; concerning whom it may be much questioned whether there ever were such persons in the world; these may be called fabulous saints. Nevertheless, images are made to their honour, and prayers directed to them. And there are other things worshipped by them, which never had life, as the picture of the cross, and many pretended relics of the saints. So that upon the whole, we cannot but think that we have, in this mode of worship, a notorious instance of the breach of this Commandment. And we cannot but conclude, that herein they have apostatized, or turned aside from the purity of the gospel.

It may be observed, that the church, for the first three hundred years after Christ, had comparatively, but little superstition, and no idolatry; but in the fourth Century, superstition began to insinuate itself into it; then it was that the pictures of the martyrs, who had suffered in Christ’s cause, were first set up in churches, though without any design of worshipping them; and this was not universally approved of. As for image-worship, it was not brought into the church till above seven hundred years after Christ; and then there was a considerable opposition made to it by some; and this kind of worship was set up in one reign, and prohibited in another; but afterwards it universally prevailed in the Romish church, when arrived to that height of impiety and idolatry, without opposition, as it is at this day. We now proceed to observe,

III. The reasons annexed to this Commandment, which are taken from the consideration of what God is in himself; I am the Lord, or Jehovah; which being a name never given to any creature, is expressive of all his divine perfections, which render him the object of worship, and oblige us to perform that worship which he requires, in such a way as is agreeable thereunto; he also styles himself a God to his people, I am thy God; therefore to set up strange gods, or to worship him in a way not prescribed by him, is a violation of his covenant, as well as not performing the duty we owe to him, and would render us unfit to be owned by him as his people. And it is farther observed, that they who thus corrupt themselves, and pervert his worship, are styled haters of him, and therefore can expect nothing but to be dealt with as enemies. This he gives them to understand, inasmuch as he styles himself a jealous, or sin-revenging God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children. For the understanding of which, let it be considered,

1. That though God does not punish children with eternal destruction, for the sins of their immediate parents, yet these oftentimes bring temporal judgments on families. Thus, all the children of Israel that murmured and despised the good land, so far bare their fathers iniquity, that they wandered in the wilderness near forty years.

2. These judgments fall heavier on those children that make their parents sins their own; which was the case of the Jews. Upon which occasion our Saviour tells them, that all the blood that was shed upon the earth, should come upon them, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, whom they slew between the temple and the altar, Matt, xxiii. 35. They approved of, and committed the same sins which their fathers were guilty of, and consequently are said to fill up the measure of their sins; therefore the judgments of God, which they exposed themselves to, were most terrible.

3. Whatever temporal judgments may be inflicted on children for their parents sins, shall be sanctified, and redound to their spiritual advantage, as well as end in their everlasting happiness, if they do not follow their bad example; and therefore it is farther observed, that God shews mercy unto thousands of them that love him, and keep his Commandments. These are very great motives and inducements to enforce the observation of all God’s Commandments, and this in particular.

Footnote 208:

See more of this in Vol. I. Page 226.

Footnote 209:

See Page 498.