The Second Commandment

The second Commandement.

In the second commandment, we have first, to consider the precept, then the reason: the precept has two parts, the first in the fourth verse (Exodus 20). You shall not make to yourself any graven thing, or image, or likeness of any thing in heaven above, &c. In which part, by a usual manner of the Law, a part being put for the whole, as in the 6th, 7th, and 9th commandments, and that one of the foulest, look to note the filthiness of the rest, we are forbidden generally to acknowledge, love, delight in, desire, make or use, being made, any invention of men, either to present God, or to declare how he is affected towards us, or to do any manner of worship to him by, and is called the whoring after our own heart (Jeremiah 13:10, 16:13, 18:12, 19:5; Colossians 2:22-23; Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8). Now by the contrary is commanded, to acknowledge, love, desire, delight in, and outwardly practise all those parts of his worship, which he in his word has commanded (Deuteronomy 12:32; John 4:22; 2 Kings 17:26). In the second in like manner, is forbidden by one sort, to acknowledge, love, &c. any other use, of any rite or outward means used in the worship or service of God, than he has ordained (John 4:22; 2 Kings 18:4). By the contrary, commanded to acknowledge, love, &c. only the proper use of every rite and outward means which the Lord has ordained: so to receive the Sacraments, as pledges of our conjunction with Christ, the remission of our sins in him, &c. not to make them a sacrifice for the quick and the dead, not to bow down and worship them: so to receive the Ministers as the messengers of God, to reconcile us by the Gospel, to forgive us our sins by the word, to command us our duty, &c. But yet as instruments (2 Corinthians 5:18; Matthew 18:18). And therefore may not worship them, sacrifice to them, &c. (Acts 10:16, 14:13). And this is the true sense of the commandment.

Now let us see what particulars are forbidden, and what commanded. First, we see forbidden in the first part, the making of images to liken God, or to worship him, whether graven or painted (Romans 4:12; Ezekiel 8:10; John 5:21). No image of God must be made, because he is a Spirit, nor of Christ, because pictures and images are teachers of lies, neither those, nor any other such should be suffered in the Church or at home, because we are instructed sufficiently in the Gospel. Forbidden in the second part, to worship images, to set them up, to gild them, or any manner of way to serve them (Matthew 4:10; Revelation 19:20). Also here is forbidden all additions of Sacraments, as the Papists made matrimony, and so gave it a sign of the wedding ring, all additions to them (1 Corinthians 11:13). All addition of ministries in the service of the Lord: as the Papists added Priests to sacrifice, Exorcists to conjure, &c. (Luke 20:6; John 3:21-23). Also men's traditions and ceremonies brought into the church, not being to edifying, nor for comeliness, nor for order, &c. (1 Corinthians 14:10; Matthew 15:8). Secondly, in this commandment other sorts of particulars are forbidden, as all means, occasions, or appurtenances of idolatry, whereby some show, or remembrance or reverence is kept (Psalm 16:4). As all marriages, conjunctions or near familiarity with idolaters (2 Corinthians 6:14; Deuteronomy 17:3-4; 2 Chronicles 19:1-2; Genesis 24:3, 28:1, 34:14). Likewise all relics of idolatry which we must pollute and mar, not doing any service or honor, no not giving them any estimation (2 Corinthians 6:17; Isaiah 30:22; 2 Chronicles 29:5). Hitherto of certain particulars forbidden. Now follow some commanded, as the outward means, which the Lord has commanded in his word: they are of two sorts, either, such as the Lord commands us to give him for his honor, or those which he gives us to use in his service (Isaiah 45:23).

Of the first sort, are, ordinary, which are several actions of our body, Christianly, according to the custom of the Church, commanded in the word of God, and orderly and reverently ordered in his service. Special, the fruit of the lips, in prayer, and thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15; Daniel 6:11; Psalm 55:18). Extraordinary fasting.

Of the actions of the body orderly and reverently used, are bowing of our bodies (Isaiah 45:23). Reverent attention declared sometimes by rising up (Genesis 49:33; 1 Chronicles 28:2; Numbers 23:22; 2 Kings 23:2; 2 Chronicles 34:31; Nehemiah 8:6). Also lifting up of the hands and eyes, &c. (Psalm 123:1, 141:2). For even as a husband looks that he alone should not only have the heart, but also the reverent and loving behaviour of the body (1 Peter 3:6; Genesis 26:6), so the Lord requires these, both as testimonies of our sincerity, as also helps of our infirmity, when we may conveniently use them, and forbids to do in like manner to any besides him. The great carelessness and negligence in these, and the fruit of the lips in prayer, and praise of the Lord, is condemned by the example of Solomon (1 Kings 8:22), Daniel (Daniel 6:11), and of Christ (Mark 7:34; Matthew 26:36). To these sometimes also to help when our prayers, and confessions, and hearings, &c. must be more earnest and lively: because our great sins, necessities, &c. Then is fasting added, which is a profession of our repentance by abstinence, instituted of the Lord, for better humbling of ourselves in prayer, for some especial grace, as is set forth in the book entitled, The Description of the exercise of fasting.

And thus much of those which the Lord in mercy and wisdom receives of us.

Now follows those means which he has given us, and they are attributed to the Lord himself directly, as his titles, to be used, either simply (Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 1:17), in an oath (Deuteronomy 6:13; Jeremiah 12:26; Isaiah 18), or his works, given of him by man his ministry: his word, Sacraments, order of the Church.

His works are given, not to worship them, which is forbidden (Deuteronomy 4:12), but to see and behold, and praise in them his wisdom, goodness, power, etc. (Psalms 67:13; 104:1; 107:42; 64:10, 11). His word he has given, that we should read and meditate in the same day and night, to confer of it with our wives, children, servants, privately at home (Deuteronomy 6:7; Psalms 1:1; 119:55). The Sacraments also has he given, not to be neglected, as most excellent pledges of his sure favor and mercy in Christ (Romans 4:11; 6:3, 4; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Corinthians 11:23). The order of his Church set down in his word (Hebrews 3:2; 1 Chronicles 28:12, 19; 2 Chronicles 29:25; 1 Chronicles 15:13; 1 Corinthians 9:8). For ruling of his Church, by his word: rulers who have the care of souls committed to them (Hebrews 13:17; James 5:14; Acts 14:23). And some of them to labor also in the word, one by teaching, another by exhorting, some to attend to manners, watching over the people, to admonish them, to comfort them, to pray with them when they be in distress, etc., to join with the others in the rest of the governing of the Church. Also for the better relieving of the poor, distributors of the Church relief (Acts 6:2; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 3:7, etc.). All which we must know, delight in, procure, and every one according to his own calling set forward; as (Psalms 27:4; 42:23; 1 Chronicles 13:1; 29:6, 7, 8, 9, etc.; 2 Chronicles 15:3, 12, 13; 29:30; Haggai 1:4, 14). In all these things commanded and forbidden, we may easily feel several sins and corruptions by due examination of ourselves, severally in every one. But Christ has by his death satisfied for our sins (Romans 4:25), and has been zealous in the obedience of the parts of this law, that in him we may have perfect obedience, yet so as by his death, we more and more die to these sins, and by his resurrection be made lively to serve the Lord sincerely according to his will. Hitherto of the commandement itself.

Now follows the reason, which is drawn from a double property of the Lord: his jealousy in wrath, and his mercy. For I the Lord your God, that is, even then being joined to you by my merciful covenant, as a husband to his wife (chapter 19:6). A strong God. The first title is added to note his great power, to do what he will, so that being persuaded in the first property of his readiness to punish, and in the second of his readiness to reward. And first, in this of his power we need not to doubt at all, and such use we should make of his titles (Psalms 2:12; 115:3, 10). Jealous. This is a kind of speech taken from married folks (Hosea 2:2; Ezekiel 16), who cannot abide their wives should give either in affection or in gesture, countenance, or any manner of behavior to others, that which appertains to them only: and by this we gather the greatness of the sins, either of gross idolatry, or any countenance to it. This jealousy he sets further forth by the fruit, that the Lord punishes severely this sin. Visiting iniquity, that is, punishing this sin, or the transgression of this law, in dissolving this holy band: for so the general word iniquity, and evil is taken, sometimes for some special great sin, as (Deuteronomy 17:2; Psalms 78:39). And here it appears that it must be so taken, because it is not a reason of the whole law, but of this commandement only. This is further declared by the persons, on whom it falls. The third and fourth generation. Which is, both because by the father's sin, disannulling the covenant by idolatry, the child falls out of the same, and continuing in that fall, is punished justly for his own sin, and his father's both (Matthew 23:25). And therefore that which is added, declares those which are punished. Those that hate me. That is, those that securely commit spiritual whoredom against this commandement; and so this is nothing contrary to that (Ezekiel 18). Exercising benignity. This is the second property, wherein the Lord declares his reward towards the keepers of this law; that is, free liberality or bounty (for so the word signifies) in receiving them into a covenant of life and blessedness, yes, and that eternal (Acts 2:37). Out of this we learn, that as a child to his father, when we shall do all that is commanded, we are but unprofitable servants, and have done but our duty: and as if our father leave us no patrimony, are we less bound to do our duty? So if the Lord had not bound himself by his covenant, which came from his free and undeserved goodness, could we have claimed anything by fulfilling, because we did but our duty, for the mercy of creating us in great dignity, according to his own likeness and righteousness. But now having so many times offended since the knowledge of his grace, and lying in his wrath; both by natural corruption and continual serving of sin from the same daily, now is it not mercy only, without all deserving, when he gives us by imputation, the righteousness of his Son, and so eternal life; and then transforming us to his likeness again, when we are first set freely in possession of eternal joy? This is enlarged by the persons to whom this is granted. To thousand generations. Which shows, that the Lord in respect of us, sets his mercy above his justice. But he sets them forth by their fruits that be partakers of it. That love him, and keep his commandements. By love, he notes, that this should be the fountain, from which, the outward obedience of this commandement should spring; so that if we love not, delight not, in the parts of his worship, because in truth we love him and his glory. These things are abominable (John 14:23). His commandements. Here, as iniquity, was put for the spiritual whoredom against this commandement, so commandements are put for the several parts of obedience in this precept, as the circumstance of the place does show, by which we see all good intents are shut out. As they have been severely punished of the Lord (Deuteronomy 4:15; Isaiah 30:21; 1 Chronicles 15:13; 2 Chronicles 13:10, 11).

Hitherto of that commandement which has prescribed us the several parts, or outward means which we must love, desire, etc., in his worship, which we give him.