What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?

1. Why doth our Catechism make mention of REASONS ANNEXED to this, and the three following commandments?

Because God himself has been pleased to subjoin to each of these precepts, the reasons, arguments, or motives, that should influence our obedience unto them.

2. How many reasons are there annexed to this second commandment?

THREE; contained in these words, “I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.”

3. Which is the FIRST of these reasons?

It is [God’s sovereignty over us], in these words, I THE LORD; or, I JEHOVAH.

4. What do you understand by God’s sovereignty over us?

It is his absolute supreme power, or right of dominion over us, as his creatures, Romans 9:20–21 whereby he can dispose of, Romans 9:22–23 and prescribe unto us as seemeth him good. Deuteronomy 6:17

5. Wherein lies the strength of this first reason, for worshipping God by means of his own appointment?

It lies in this, That being our sovereign Lord, it must be his sole prerogative to prescribe to us the means of his own worship; and of consequence that it must be our duty, to make his pleasure herein, both the rule and reason of our punctual observance of what he injoins.

6. What is the SECOND reason annexed to this commandment?

It is [his propriety in us], in these words, THY GOD.

7. What other propriety has God in us, than by right of creation?

He has a propriety likewise by right of redemption, intimated in the preface to the commands, I am the Lord THY GOD, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

8. Whether is it his propriety, by right of creation, or by right of redemption, that constitutes the federal relation betwixt him and us?

It is his propriety by right of redemption, I have REDEEMED thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art MINE.

9. What influence should his propriety in us, as his people, have upon our receiving and observing the ordinances of his worship?

If we are his people, we are ransomed by the blood of his only begotten Son, and so under the strongest ties of duty and gratitude, to cleave to the precise manner of worship prescribed in his word, rejecting all other modes and forms thereof whatsoever.

10. What is the THIRD reason annexed to this commandment?

It is [the zeal he hath to his own worship], in these words, I—AM A JEALOUS GOD.

11. In what sense is God said to be a jealous God?

Jealousy is ascribed unto him (after the manner of men), to denote that he puts no confidence in his creatures; Deuteronomy 5:29 that he has his eye upon them; and is highly offended when they slight him, and bestow that love upon any other, which is due to him alone. Deuteronomy 32:15–26

12. What is it for God to have [zeal] for [his own worship]?

It is to have such a regard for the ordinances of his own institution, as highly to resent and revenge any addition unto, or alteration of them; whereof there is an awful instance in Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the Lord.

13. Wherein doth God manifest his zeal for his worship?

Both by way of threatening, and by way of promise.

14. What doth God threaten as a testimony of his zeal for his worship?

To visit “the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation of them that hate” him.

15. What is it to visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children?

It is to inflict punishment upon the children for the faults and offences of their fathers.

16. Are there any scripture-examples of God’s doing so?

As to temporal punishments there are.—Seven of Saul’s sons were hanged before the Lord, for his offence in slaying the Gibeonites. 2 Samuel 21:8–9 And for the sins of Jeroboam, his whole house was utterly extinguished. 1 Kings 15:29–30

17. Is this thought just and equal among men?

Yes; as appears by the common practice of disinheriting the children of traitors and rebels, for the treasonable practices of their fathers; in order to create a greater detestation of these crimes in others.

18. Whether are temporal judgments only, or spiritual and eternal plagues also, intended in this threatening?

Spiritual and eternal plagues are also intended.

19. How doth it appear, that spiritual and eternal judgments, are, at all, intended in this threatening?

It appears from this, that the punishment threatened, should bear some proportion to the mercy promised; so, as that if the mercy promised, be of a spiritual and eternal nature, the judgment threatened must be of the same kind.

20. How doth the scripture illustrate this?

By the issue of the final sentence at the great day, which is, that the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.

21. How doth it consist with the justice of God, to inflict spiritual and eternal judgments upon children for the sins of their parents?

It is abundantly consistent therewith; because the children punished with spiritual and eternal judgments, are only such as have served themselves heirs to their fathers sins, either by copying them over; Jeremiah 31:29–30 or not disapproving of, and mourning for them; by which means their fathers sins become their own. Psalm 49:13

22. How can the visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, be reconciled with Ezek. xviii. 20.—The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father?

This passage in Ezekiel is to be understood of the son, who doth not tread in the steps of his wicked father; as is evident from vers. 14, 17. “If he beget a son that seeth all his father’s sins,—and doth not such like:—he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live:” Ezekiel 18:14, 17 whereas the threatening in this commandment respects wicked children, who copy after the example of their graceless parents; as Nadab the son of Jeroboam did, who “walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin,” 1 Kings 15:26

23. How doth it appear from the threatening itself, that this is the meaning?

Because the children, on whom God visits the iniquity of their fathers, are expresly said to be the third and fourth generation of them that HATE him.

24. Why doth God threaten to visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation only, of them that hate him; and not to all succeeding generations of such children?

Not but that the haters of God unto all generations shall meet with deserved punishment; but the threatening is limited to the third and fourth generation, for a greater judgment upon wicked parents, some of whom may live to see their posterity of these generations, and so read their own sin in the punishment of their offspring whom they have seduced; as Zedekiah, for his wickedness, saw his sons, and the princes of Judah slain before his eyes.

25. What if such wicked parents shall die, before they see their third and fourth generations?

In that case, if their consciences are not quite seared, they will die under the dread and fear of the judgments here threatened befalling their children; Hosea 2:4 as well as of the fiery indignation which shall devour themselves. Hebrews 10:27

26. May not God sometimes visit the iniquities of the breakers of this commandment, upon their godly children?

He will never visit the iniquities of the fathers upon their godly children, with spiritual and eternal judgments, though sometimes he may do it with temporal strokes; as no doubt many that were godly were carried captive to Babylon for the sins of their fathers; Lamentations 5:7 which, nevertheless, was for their real good. Jeremiah 24:5

27. What may we learn from this threatening of visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children?

That as nothing can be more cruel than for parents to cast a bad example before their children; Jeremiah 9:14–15 so the example of forefathers will not vindicate their posterity in the way of sin, particularly in the practice of any corrupt or false worship. Ezekiel 20:18, 21

28. What is it, on the other hand, that God promises, as an evidence of his zeal for his worship?

To shew mercy to thousands of them that love him, and keep his commandments.

29. Who are they that truly love God?

They who, from a faith of his own operation, have complacency and delight in him as their own God and portion.

30. What is it to keep his commandments?

It is to essay an uniform and self-denied obedience to the law as a rule, because Christ has fulfilled it as a covenant.

31. What mercy doth God shew to them that love him, and keep his commandments?

He shews strengthening, Psalm 94:18 comforting, Psalm 31:7 directing, Exodus 15:13 and persevering mercy unto them. 2 Samuel 7:15

32. Doth God shew mercy to children, because they are the offspring of godly parents?

No; but merely because so it pleaseth him, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.”

33. What benefit then have the children of godly parents beyond others?

They have the privilege of a religious education; Genesis 18:19 are the children of many prayers; Job 1:5 and may plead the promise, “I WILL be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee,” Genesis 17:7

34. Why doth the threatening run only to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him, and yet the promise to thousands of them that love him?

To shew that God has far greater pleasure in the egress of mercy, than in the venting of wrath; Ezekiel 33:11 and likewise for an encouragement both to parents and children, to aim at “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless,” Luke 1:6