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Q47 Q49

Q48. What are we specially taught by these words, 'before me', in the first commandment?

A. These words, before me, in the first commandment teach us, that God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other God.

See also in WLC: Q100, Q106 Compare: The Ten Commandments Expounded
Ezek. 8:5-18
[5] Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. [6] And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations.” [7] And he brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall. [8] Then he said to me, “Son of man, dig in the wall.” So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance. [9] And he said to me, “Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.” [10] So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. [11] And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up. [12] Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.’” [13] He said also to me, “You will see still greater abominations that they commit.” [14] Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. [15] Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? You will see still greater abominations than these.” [16] And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, worshiping the sun toward the east. [17] Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger? Behold, they put the branch to their nose. [18] Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”
Ps. 44:20-21
[20] If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, [21] would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

Q1. What is the strength of the argument implied in these words before me?

A. That the sin of having any other god, is committed in the presence of him, who seeth all things, Heb. 4:13.

Q2. What is it for God to see all things?

A. It is to have a most intimate, perfect, and comprehensive knowledge of them, Psalm 147:5 - "His understanding is infinite."

Q3. In what consists the infinity of God's knowledge?

A. Not so much in the perfect and comprehensive knowledge of the creatures, which are finite; as in the perfect and comprehensive knowledge of himself, and his own excellencies and perfections, which are infinite, 1 Cor. 2:11.

Q4. How is it that God sees, or knows all things?

A. He sees all things at once in his own essence, distinctly, infallibly, and immutably, 1 John 1:5.

Q5. How do you prove that God has such a comprehensive sight and knowledge of all things?

A. Because otherwise he could not be the Creator, Governor, and Judge of the world, 1 Cor. 4:5.

Q6. In what light does God see or know evil actions?

A. As they are opposite to his nature, Jer. 44:4, and contrary to his law, 1 John 3:4, which is the sole and unerring standard of all rectitude, Rom. 7:12.

Q7. What is that sin which strikes more immediately and directly against the authority of God in this commandment?

A. It is the sin of having any other god.

Q8. What is it to have another god?

A. It is to have our minds, wills, and affections carried out after other objects, as much, or more than after God himself, Isaiah 46:9, compared with Ezek. 14:4.

Q9. What notice does God take of this sin?

A. He threatens to resent it with the highest marks of displeasure, and that even in this life, as well as in the world to come, Deut. 29:24-29.

Q10. Why is God so much displeased with the sin of having any other God?

A. Because it sets up a rival or competitor in his room, and that in his very sight and presence, Jer. 32:30.

Q11. What influence ought the presence of an all-seeing God to have upon us in all our actions?

A. The consideration of this ought to quicken and animate us to every duty, Gen. 5:22, 24; and affright and deter us from every sin, as being an affronting of him to his face, who is our witness, and ere long will be our judge, Gen. 39:9.

Q1. Are we always in God's sight?

A. Yes: Thou knowest my down-sitting, and my up-rising, Ps. 139:2.

Q2. Are all our actions in his sight?

A. Yes: All my ways are before thee, Ps. 119:168.

Q3. Does he take notice of them?

A. Yes: He pondereth all our goings, Prov. 5:21.

Q4. Are all our good works before him?

A. Yes: I know thy work, and thy labour, and thy patience, Rev. 2:2.

Q5. Does he know all our inward worship of him?

A. Yes: The Lord hearkened, and heard those that thought on his name, Mal. 3:16.

Q6. And should that encourage us to have him for our God?

A. Yes: For your Father sees in secret, and will reward openly, Matt. 6:4.

Q7. Are all our evil works before him?

A. Yes: He sets our iniquities before him, Ps. 90:8.

Q8. Is the having of other gods oftentimes a secret sin?

A. Yes: They do it in the dark, and say, the Lord sees us not, Exod. 8:12.

Q9. But does God see?

A. Yes: He that formed the eye, shall he not see it? Ps. 94:9.

Q10. Does he take notice of all our neglects of him?

A. Yes: If we have forgotten the name of our God he knows it.

Q11. And does he take notice of all our inclinations to other gods?

A. Yes: If we have stretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search this out? Ps. 44:20, 21.

Q12. And is he much displeased with secret idolatry?

A. Yes: Seest thou the great abominations that they commit? Ezek. 8:6.

Q13. And should this oblige us to be faithful to him?

A. Yes: For the Lord searcheth all hearts, 1 Chron. 28:9.

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Q47: What is forbidden in the first commandment? Q49: Which is the second commandment?

The Ten Commandments

The moral law and what God requires of man

Q39. What is the duty which God requireth of man?

A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will.

Q40. What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?

A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law.

Q41. Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended?

A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments.

Q42. What is the sum of the ten commandments?

A. The sum of the ten commandments is, To love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourselves.

Q43. What is the preface to the ten commandments?

A. The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Q44. What doth the preface to the ten commandments teach us?

A. The preface to the ten commandments teacheth us, That because God is the Lord, and our God, and Redeemer, therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments.

Q45. Which is the first commandment?

A. The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Q46. What is required in the first commandment?

A. The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly.

Q47. What is forbidden in the first commandment?

A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying, or not worshipping and glorifying the true God as God, and our God; and the giving of that worship and glory to any other, which is due to him alone.

Q48. What are we specially taught by these words, 'before me', in the first commandment?

A. These words, before me, in the first commandment teach us, that God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other God.

Q49. Which is the second commandment?

A. The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything 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 thy self 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 showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Q50. What is required in the second commandment?

A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word.

Q51. What is forbidden in the second commandment?

A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his Word.

Q52. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?

A. 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.

Q53. Which is the third commandment?

A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Q54. What is required in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverend use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, and works.

Q55. What is forbidden in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh himself known.

Q56. What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?

A. The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment.

Q57. Which is the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Q58. What is required in the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to himself.

Q59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?

A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian sabbath.

Q60. How is the sabbath to be sanctified?

A. The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.

Q61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.

Q62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?

A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God's allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the sabbath day.

Q63. Which is the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Q64. What is required in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to everyone in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.

Q65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honor and duty which belongeth to everyone in their several places and relations.

Q66. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?

A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is, a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God's glory and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment.

Q67. Which is the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.

Q68. What is required in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

Q69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbour, unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.

Q70. Which is the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Q71. What is required in the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbour's chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior.

Q72. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.

Q73. Which is the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.

Q74. What is required in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.

Q75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may, unjustly hinder our own, or our neighbour's, wealth or outward estate.

Q76. Which is the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Q77. What is required in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness bearing.

Q78. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbour's, good name.

Q79. Which is the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.

Q80. What is required in the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all that is his.

Q81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?

A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.

Q82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

A. No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

Q83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.

Q84. What doth every sin deserve?

A. Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.