Thess. 1:8, 9
Man’s Duty to God’s Law
Q. 44. What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth of man is, obedience to his revealed will. (x)
x Mic 6:8; 1 Sam. 15:22
Q. 45. 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. (y)
y Rom. 2; 14, 15, and 10:5
Q. 46. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. (z)
z Deut. 10:4; Mt. 19:17
Q. 47. 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. (a)
a Mt. 22:37-40
Q. 48. 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. (b)
b Ex. 20:2
Q. 49. 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. (c)
c Luke 1:74, 75; 1 Pet. 1:15-19
Q. 50. Which is the first commandment?
A. The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (d)
d Ex. 20:3
Q. 51. 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, (e) and to worship and glorify him accordingly. (f)
e 1 Chron. 28:9; Deut. 26:17 f Mt. 4:10; Ps. 29:2
Q. 52. What is forbidden in the first commandment?
A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying, (g) or not worshipping and glorifying the true God, (h) as God and our God, (i) and the giving of that worship and glory to any other, which is due unto him alone. (j)
g Ps. 14: 1 h Rom. 1:21 i Ps. 81:10, 11 j Rom. 1:25, 26
Q. 53. What are we especially 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. (k)
k Ex. 8:5, to the end
Q. 54. 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 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 shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (l)
l Ex. 20:4, 5, 6
Q. 55. 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. (m)
m Deut. 32:46; Mt. 23:20; Acts 2:42
Q. 56. What is forbidden in the second commandment?
A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, (n) or any other way not appointed in his word. (o)
n Deut. 4:15-19; Ex. 32:5, 8 o Deut. 7:31, 32
Q. 57. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God’s sovereignty over us, (p) his propriety in us, (q) and the zeal he hath to his own worship. (r)
p Ps. 45:2, 3, 6 q Ps. 45:11 r Ex. 34:13, 14
Q. 58. 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. (s)
s Ex. 20:7
Q. 59. What is required in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God’s names, (t) titles, (u) attributes, (v) ordinances, (w) word (x) and works. (y)
t Mt. 6:9; Deut. 28:58 u Ps. 68:4 v Rev. 15:3, 4 w Mal. 1: 11, 14 x Ps. 136: 1, 2 y Job 36:24
Q. 60. What is forbidden in the t