Sum Of Commandment 2.
SUM OF COMMANDMENT 2.
Evan. Why, just as the first commandment teaches us to have the true God for our God, and none other; so the second commandment requires that we worship this true God alone, with true worship. And in this commandment likewise, there is a negative part expressed in these words, “You shall not make for yourself any graven image,” etc. And an affirmative part is included in these words, “But you shall worship me only and purely, according to my will, revealed in my word.”
Neo. I beg you then, sir, begin with the affirmative part, and tell us what are the means of God’s worship, prescribed in his word?
Evan. If we look into the word of God, we find that the ordinary means and parts of God’s worship, are invocations of the name of God, the ministry and hearing of the word of God, the administration and receiving of the sacraments, with all those helps and furtherances to the right performance of them.
But to declare this more particularly. First of all, prayer, both public and private is required in God’s word, as you may see in 1Tim. 2.8; Acts 2.21, 22; Daniel 6.10. Secondly, Reading the word, or hearing it read, both publicly and privately, is required in God’s word, as you may see in Rev. 1.3; Deu. 6.4. Thirdly, Preaching, and hearing the word preached, is required in the word of God, as you may see in 2Kings 7.1; 1Thess. 2.13. Fourthly, The administration and receiving of the sacrament is required in the word of God, as you may see in Mat. 3.6 and 26.26; 1Cor. 10.16. Fifthly, Praising God, in the singing of psalms, both publicly and privately, is required in the word of God, as you may see in Col. 3.16; James 5.13. Sixthly, Meditation on the word of God is required, as you may see in Psalm 1.2; Acts 17.11. Seventhly, Discussion about the word of God is required, as you may see in Mal. 3.16. And, Lastly, To better fit and stir us up to rightly perform these duties and religious fasting, both in public and private, is required in the word of God, as you may see in Joel 1.14, and 2.15; so also is a religious vow or free promise made to God, to perform some outward work, or bodily exercise for some end, as you may see in Eccl. 5.3, 4. Thus I have shown you the means of God’s worship which he has prescribed in his word.
Neo. Then I ask you, sir, proceed to the negative part, and tell us what the Lord forbids in this commandment.
Evan. Well then, I ask you to understand that what is forbidden in this commandment is the neglect of prayer, as you may see in Psalm 14.4. And also absenting ourselves from hearing the word preached, or any other ordinance of God when the Lord calls us to it, as you may see in Luke 14.18-20. And also rejecting the sacrament of baptism, as you may see in Luke 7.30. And also slighting the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, as you may see in 2Chron. 24.18. And also slighting and omitting any of the other forenamed duties, as you may see in Psalm 10.4; John 3.32; Isa. 22.12-14. And also praying to saints and angels, as you may see in Isa 44.17; Rev. 19.10. And also making images for religious uses, as you may see in Lev. 19.4. And also representing God by an image, as you may see in Exo. 32.8, 9. And so also are all carnal imaginations of God in his worship, as you may see in Acts 17.29. And also all will-worship, or the worshipping of God according to our own fancy, as you may see in 1Sam 13.9, 13 Col. 2.23. Thus I have shown you both what the Lord requires, and what he forbids in this commandment. And now, neighbour Nomologista, I ask you, tell me whether you keep it perfectly, or not?
Nom. Indeed, sir, I am persuaded that I go very near it. But, I ask you, sir, tell me how you prove that all these duties are required, and all these sins are forbidden in this commandment?
Evan. For the proof of this, I ask you to consider that the worshipping of false gods is flatly forbidden in the negative part of this commandment, in these words, “You shall not bow down to them, nor serve, nor worship them,” Exo. 20.5. And worshipping the true God is implied and expressed in these words, Mat. 4.10, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.”
Nom. But sir, how do you prove that these duties which you have named are parts of God’s worship?
Evan. In answer to this, I ask you to consider that to worship God, is to tender that homage and respect due from a creature to a Creator. Now, in prayer we are said to tender this homage to him, and to profess our dependence on him for all the good we have, and acknowledge him to be the Author of all good.
And indeed, prayer is such a great part of God’s worship, that sometimes in Scripture, it is put for the whole worship of God. “He that calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” Rom. 10.13; that is, he that worships God rightly. Jer. 10.25, “Pour out your wrath upon the heathen who do not know you, and on the families that do not call upon your name”: that is, who do not pray, who do not worship God.
It is manifest that hearing the word is a part of God’s worship, because in hearing we manifest our dependence on God for knowing his mind, and the way to eternal life. Every time we come to hear the word of God, if we know what we do, we do this much: we profess that we depend on the Lord God for knowing his mind, and the way and rule of eternal life. And besides this, we also come to wait upon God in the way of ordinance — to have that good conveyed to us by way of an ordinance, beyond what the thing itself is able to do — and therefore this is worship. And it is manifest that receiving the sacrament is a part of God’s worship, in that when we come to receive these holy signs and seals, we come to present ourselves before God, and come to God for a blessing, in communicating to us some higher good than possibly those creaturely things that we employ are able to convey to us of themselves. We come to God to have communion with him, and that we might have the blessing of the Covenant of Grace conveyed to us through these things. And therefore when we come to be exercised in them, we come to worship God. The same might be said of the rest of the duties mentioned before; but I hope this may suffice to satisfy you that they are parts of God’s worship.
Nom. But, sir, you know that in this commandment there is nothing expressly forbidden but the making and worshipping of images. Therefore I question whether all those other sins that you have named are likewise forbidden.
Evan. But you must know that when the Lord condemns the primary, or greatest and most evident kind of false worship, namely, the worship of God at or by images, it is manifest that he also forbids the other kinds of false worship, seeing that this is the head and fountain of all the rest. Therefore, whatever worship is instituted by men that in any way hinders God’s true worship, are contrary to this commandment.
Nom. Well, sir, though these things are so, yet for all that, I am persuaded that I go very near to keeping this commandment; for I constantly perform most of these duties, and I am not guilty of doing the contrary.
Evan. But you must know, that for worshipping God rightly, it is not only required that we do the good which he commands, and avoid the evil which he forbids, but also that we do it in obedience to God, to show that we acknowledge him alone to be the true God, who has willed this worship be thus done to him. So that, as I told you before, the word of God must not only be the rule of our actions, but also the reason for them. We must do all things which are delivered and prescribed in the Ten Commandments, specifically for the love we bear to God, and for the desire we have to worship him. For unless we do them this way, we do not do them according to the sentence and prescript of the law, nor do we please God in it. Therefore, even though you have prayed and heard the word of God, and received the sacrament, and done all the rest of the forenamed duties, yes, and even though you have not done the contrary, yet if all this has been done either because the laws of the kingdom require it, or in mere obedience to any superior, or to gain the praise and esteem of men, or if you have in any way made yourself your highest end, you have not obeyed or worshipped God in it. For, says a judicious writer, “If any man observes these things in mere obedience to the king’s laws, or thereby to please holy men, and not through an immediate reverence for that heavenly Majesty who has commanded them, that man’s obedience is non-obedience; his keeping of these laws is no keeping of them;” because the main thing intended here is neglected, which is setting up God in his heart; and what is most of all abhorred, is practised, namely: the “fear of God taught by the precepts of men,” Isa. 29.13. To this purpose, that worthy man of God has said this, “Take heed, he says, that the praises of men are not the highest end that you aim at; for if it is, you worship men, you make the praise of men to be your god; for whatever you lift up in the highest place, that is your god, whatever it is. Therefore, if you lift up the praise of men, and make that your end, you make that your god, and so you are a worshipper of men, but not a worshipper of God.” (Mayer’s Catechism.)
Again, he says, “Take heed of making self your end. That is, take heed of aiming at your own peace, and satisfying your own conscience in the performance of duties.” It is true, he says, when we perform the duties of God’s worship, we may be encouraged to it by the expectations of good to ourselves. Yet we must look higher; we must look at the honour and praise of God. It is not enough to do it merely to satisfy your conscience. Your main end must be that, by performing the duty, you may be fitted to honour the name of God. Otherwise we do not do them for God, but for ourselves, which the Lord condemns, Zech. 7.5, 6.
And now, neighbour Nomologista, I request that you let me ask you once again, whether you think you keep this commandment perfectly, or not?
Nom. No, believe me, sir, I now begin to fear that I do not.
Evan. If you have any doubt about it, I would entreat you to consider for yourself, whether you have gone to the church on the Lord’s day to hear the word of God, and to receive the sacrament, and to do other duties, because the laws of the kingdom require it, or because your parents or masters have required it, or because it is a custom to do so, or because you think it is a credit for you to do so. And I ask you to also consider whether you have not abstained from worshipping images, and other such idolatrous and superstitious actions which the Papists use, merely because the laws of the land in which you live condemn such things. And I beg you to also consider whether you have not sometimes been zealous in prayer in the presence and company of others, in order to gain their praise and approbation. Have you desired that they would think you are a man of good gifts and actions? And have you endeavoured to enlarge yourself in that regard? And have you sometimes performed duties merely because otherwise your conscience would not let you be quiet? And have you sometimes fasted and prayed, and humbled yourself, merely or chiefly in hopes that, for doing so, the Lord would prevent or remove some judgment from you, or grant you some good thing which you desire? Now, I beseech you, answer me truly and plainly, whether you think you have done so?
Nom. Yes, believe me, sir, I think I have.
Evan. Then in all these things you have honoured and worshipped your parents, your masters, your magistrates, your neighbours, your friends, and yourself, as so many false gods, instead of the true God; and in this, you have been guilty of a breach of the second commandment.
Neo. I beg you, sir, proceed to speak of the third commandment, as you have done of the first and second; first, tell us how the second and third commandments differ.