ther," and not seeking "the honour that cometh from God only," John v. 44; some of their worldly relations, bestowing more of their love upon them, than upon God, Matt. x. 37; and some make an idol of their worldly helps and confidences, trusting more to these than to God, Isa. xxxi. 1. Jer. xvii. 5. Q. 45. What is the verdict of the Spirit of God concerning those who make the world their idol? A. It is this, that "if any man Q. 41. When is the idol of self-love the world the love of the will dethroned? A. When God's will of precept becomes the sole rule of our heart and life, Psal. cxix. 105; and his will of providence is cheerfully acquiesced in, as the best for us, Rom. viii. 28. Q. 42. When do we part with the idol of self-righteousness? Father is not in him," 1 John ii. 15. Q. 46. How may Satan be said to be even idolized, by those who profess to bear him an implacable hatred? A. When his suggestions are regarded, more than the dictates of the Spirit of God in his word, Isa. xl. 27. and xlix. 14. A. When we submit to the Q. 47. How may the suggestions righteousness of God; or, found of Satan be distinguished from our plea, for eternal life, wholly the dictates of the Spirit of God? and entirely upon the meritorious A. The tendency of all Satan's obedience and satisfaction of suggestions is to set up, in the Christ, as our Surety, in our room soul, some one thing or other in and stead, Phil. iii. 8, 9. Christ's room, 2 Cor. iv. 4; but the dictates of the Spirit of God are wholly calculated for giving Christ in all things the pre-eminence, John xvi. 14. Q. 43, How doth it appear that the WORLD is an idol seated in every man's heart by nature? A. From the habitual turn of our thoughts and affections to things temporal, Matt. vi. 31; the eager pursuit of them, and ardent desire after them, in preference to those that that are spiritual and eternal, chap. xvi. 26. Q. 44. What are the things of this world which we naturally incline to idolize? Q. 48. Why is Satan called the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4? A. Because he is " "the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience," Eph. ii. 2. till "the prey be taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive delivered," Isa. xlix. 24, 25. Q. 49. Who are they that explicitly acknowledge the devil as their God? A. Some make an idol of their worldly riches; making gold their hope, and saying "to the fine gold, A. They are such as use sorceThou art my confidence," Job ry, divination, witchcraft, charmxxxi. 24; some of their worldly ing, and other diabolical arts and pleasure, being "lovers of plea-practices condemned in Deut. sures, more than lovers of God," 2 xviii. 10, 11, 12. Tim. iii. 4; some make an idol of their worldly credit and reputation, receiving honour one of ano · Q. 50. Was Joseph's cup an instrument of divination; or, did he himself use this unlawful art, when QUEST. 48. What are we specially taught by these words [BEFORE ME] in the first commandment? ANSW. 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. Q. 1. What is the strength of the argument couched 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. iv. 13. Q. 2. What is it for God to see all things? A. It is to have a most intimate, perfect and comprehensive knowledge of them, Psal. cxlvii. 5."His understanding is infinite." Q. 3. Wherein 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. ii. 11. Q. 4. How is it that God seeth or knoweth all things? A. He sees all things at once in his own essence, distinctly, infallibly, and immutably, 1 John i. 5. A. Because otherwise he could not be the Creator, Governor, and Judge of the world, 1 Cor. iv. 5. Q. 6. In what light doth God see or know evil actions? A. As they are opposite to his nature, Jer. xliv. 4. and contrary to his law, 1 John iii. 4. which is the sole and unerring standard of all rectitude, Rom. vii. 12. Q. 7. 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]. Q. 8. 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, Isa. xlvi. 9. compared with Ezek. xiv. 4. Q. 9. What [notice] doth God take of this sin? A. He threatens to resent it with the highest marks of displeasure, Q. 5. How do you prove that and that even in this life, as well God hath such a comprehensive as in the world to come, Deut. sight and knowledge of all things? | xxix. 24-29. QUEST. 49. 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 thyself 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. QUEST. 50. What is required in the second commandment? ANSW. 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. Q.1. What is the opinion of the Papists about this commandment? A. They allege that it is not a distinct precept from the first, but only an appendix, or supplement thereto, by way of illustration. Q. 2. What is their practice, in consequence of this opinion? A. They constantly leave it out in their mass books and other liturgies of their church, lest the people should observe the manifest contrariety of their image worship, to what is here so expressly forbidden. Q. 3. Wherein then doth the second commandment differ from the first? A. The first commandment respects the object, and requires that we worship the true God, for our God, and no other: the second respects the means of worship, and requires that the true God be worshipped in such a way only, and by such ordinances as he has appointed in his word, in opposi tion to all human inventions. Q. 4. What is meant by [religious worship]? A. That homage and respect we owe to a gracious God, as a God, of infinite perfection; whereby we profess subjection to, and confidence in him, as our God in Christ, for the supply of all our wants; and ascribe the praise and glory that is due to him, as our our chief good, and only happiness, Psal. xcv. 6, 7. Q. 5. What are these religious [ordinances], which God hath appointed in his word? and his apostles, who after the first supper, sang an hymn, [or psalm, as on the margin,] Matt. xxvi. 30; and from the injunction laid upon all Christians to be employed in this exercise, as a stated duty, Eph. v. 18, 19; James v. 13. A. They are 'prayer and thanks'giving in the name of Christ; the 'reading, preaching, and hearing of the word; the administration and receiving of the sacraments; Q. 12. What should be the sub'church government and disci-ject matter of our praises to God? pline; the ministry and maintenance thereof; religious fasting; 'swearing by the name of God; ' and vowing to him.'* Q. 6. Is prayer a moral duty founded in the law of nature? A. Surely it is; the necessary dependence of the rational creature upon its Creator, plainly proves it to be so. Hence we find the very Heathens practising it, when reduced to straits, Jonah i.14. Q. 7. How doth it appear to be an instituted means of worship? A. From a variety of scripture texts enjoining the practice of it, in all cases and circumstances, Psal. 1. 15; Phil. iv. 6; 1 Thess. v. 17. Q. 8.What is acceptable prayer? A. It is an asking in Christ's name, what God has promised to give, John xiv. 13; with a full persuasion that he doth hear, and will answer, Mark xi. 24; James i. 6. Q. 9. How manifold is religious thanksgiving? A. TWOFOLD; stated and occasional. A. The psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, which are dictated by the Spirit of God in scripture; and not any human composure whatsoever, Eph. v. 19. Q. 13. In what manner should these be sung? A. With grace in our hearts to the Lord, Col. iii. 16. Q. 14. What is it to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord? A. It is to have our hearts going along with our voice, in suitable acts of faith, and elevated affections, Psal. Ivii. 7. Q. 15. Are not the Psalms of David, as we sing them in our language, of human composure? A. The translation in metre, is human, but the sense and meaning is the same with the original. Q. 16. What is occasional thanksgiving? A. It is the setting some time apart, for giving thanks to God, for some remarkable mercy and deliverance, respecting either churches and nations in general, Q. 10. What is stated thanks- Neh. xii. 27; or ourselves and fagiving? A. It is not only the thankful acknowledgment of mercies daily received, which is a branch of prayer; but likewise the singing the praises of God with the voice, which is a stated act of worship, distinct from prayer, though ejaculatory prayer ought always to be joined with it, Psal. lvii. 7. Q. 11. How do you prove that singing with the voice is a stated act of worship appointed under the New Testament? milies in particular, Eph. v. 20. Q. 17. How ought this duty to be gone about? A. With an humble sense of our utter unworthiness of the least of all God's favours, 2 Sam. vii. 18. Q. 18. Are reading, hearing, and preaching of the word, acts of worship? A. Although they are not acts of such immediate worship as prayer and praise, wherein God is immediately addressed; yet being the instituted and ordinary means of salvation, they ought to * See Larger Cat. Quest. 108. A. From the example of Christ be practised and attended, with A. As therein, by the sensible signs of divine appointment,Christ and his benefits, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers, Gal. iii. 27; 1 Cor. xi. 26. Q. 20. In what sense are church government and discipline to be ranked among the ordinances of divine worship? A. In as far as they are exercised in the name of the Lord Jesus, the alone head of his church, according to the rule of his word, by church judicatories lawfully constitute, Mat. xviii. 20. Q. 21. Why is the ministry, and maintenance thereof, placed among religious ordinances? 'discourses, and thoughts, and from all bodily delights.'*-Josh. vii. 6; Judges xx. 26. Q. 23. Whether is bodily fasting, or bare abstinence from food, any part of religious worship? A. Not properly in itself; but as it is a mean of divine appointment, for fitting and disposing us for more spiritual and solemn exercises. Q. 24. How doth fasting appear to be a mean of divine appointment? A. From the practice of the saints under the Old Testament, Esth. iv. 16; Dan. x. 2, 3; from the testimony of Christ, Matt. vi. 17, 18, and xvii. 21; and the example of his apostles under the New, Acts xiii. 3, and xiv. 23. Q. 25. What are these spiritual and solemn exercises which fasting is designed to dispose us for? A. Deep humiliation of soul before the Lord, on account of sin, A. Because, as a standing minis- Ezra ix. 6; free confession theretry in the church, till the end of of, Dan. ix. 20; and turning theretime, is of express divine institu- from, Joel ii. 12; as the genuine tion, Eph. iv. 11, 12, 13; so the fruits of our taking hold of God's suitable and comfortable mainte- covenant, Jer. 1. 4, 5; together nance thereof, is as expressly ap- with an importunate requesting of pointed, not only in the Old Tes-our gracious God, for that which tament, Numb. xviii. 21, 24, but is the particular occasion of the likewise in the New, 1 Cor. ix. 13, fast, Psal. xxxv. 13. 14. "Do ye not know, that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." Q. 26. Whether is religious fasting an occasional, or a stated duty? A. It is merely occasional and extraordinary, to be gone about only as the call of providence may require and direct. , Q. 27. What are the occurrences in providence, which are a call to Q. 22. What is religious fast- this extraordinary duty? ing? A. When some great and noA. A religious fast requires table judgments are either in'total abstinence, not only fromflicted upon a people,' Dan. ix. 'all food (unless bodily weakness 3, 12, 13, 14; or apparently im'do manifestly disable from hold-minent,' 2 Chron. xx. 2, 4; or, by ing out, till the fast be ended,) some extraordinary provocations 'but also from all worldly labour, notoriously deserved,'1 Sam. vii. Directory for the public worship of God, in the article, Concerning public solemn Fasting. |