First. They promise in their Baptism to "keep GOD's Holy Will and Commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of their life.'

Secondly. The Ten Commandments are a summary of the Moral Law, which, it is true, cannot give life; Rom. viii. 5, et seq.; Gal. iii. 21; but we, as GOD's creatures, are bound to obey it; and obedience to it is essential to a lively or saving faith. Part I. Sect. VII. 2.1

The Moral Law sets forth our duties to GOD and man, and is so called in opposition to the Ceremonial Law, which related to the performance of the worship and service in the Temple.2

Thirdly. The Ten Commandments alone were spoken immediately by the Voice of GOD, and written by His own Finger, and were given to the people amid circumstances of solemn magnificence and grandeur, which strongly marks their high importance and obligation.

Fourthly. Our Blessed LORD came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfil it, S. Matt. v. 17, viz., to fulfil the Ceremonial Law by accomplishing that which was shadowed out and typified by it, and to fulfil the Moral Law by unfolding its extent and spirituality. The Decalogue, then, being a summary of the Moral Law, is confirmed and ratified by Him.

1 Church Article VII.

2 The Fourth Commandment has been deemed by some to be ceremonial and positive. But it is assuredly a moral duty to devote some portion of our time to the service of our MAKER, and to devote a seventh in commemoration of His work in the Creation of the world, is agreeable to the light of reason and nature. Even allowing the Sabbatical Institute to be merely positive and ceremonial, yet, if it be of Divine appointment, it is of perpetual and moral obligation.

H

In reply to the rich man who asked, what he might do to obtain eternal life, our LORD answered, Keep the Commandments ;" and He cites five of them, which shows that He intended to inculcate the observance of the whole; S. Matt. xix. 17—19.

Again, when a certain lawyer asked which was the great Commandment, our SAVIOUR does not, it is true, verbally cite any of the Ten Commandments, but He gives the substance of the Two Tables, intending thereby to ratify all of them.

In a conference with the Scribes, our LORD refers to the Fifth Commandment, and condemned those who made it of none effect; which implies the perpetual obligation of all the rest; S. Matt. xv. 3—6.

Fifthly. S. Paul, in Rom. xiii. 8-10, refers to five out of the Ten Commandments; in Rom. vii. 7, he cites the Tenth; and in Ephes. vi. 2, the Third. In appealing to these as authoritative laws, without excepting any of the others, we necessarily conclude that all the Ten are equally binding upon Christians.

Sixthly. The same inference follows, from S. James ii. 10, 11, where the Apostle, by citing a part of the Decalogue as authority, virtually declares the whole to be equally authoritative.

The Decalogue, then, though first given to the Israelites, the chosen people of GOD, Deut. vii. 6, is also addressed to Christians, who are now "the Israel of GOD," Gal.vi. 16. Comp. Rom. ix. 6, et seq.

7. The Ten Commandments are divided into Two Tables, as originally written, Sect. II. 3: the first containing the four Commandments which teach our duty to GOD; the second containing the six last, which teach our duty to man.

They are thus summed up by our SAVIOUR Him

self, under the two heads, the love of GOD, and the love of our neighbour, S. Matt. xxii. 36—39. Compare S. Luke x, 25-28. And so they are in Quest. and Answ. following in the Catechism.

8. In order to comprehend the full and enlarged meaning of the Commandments, the following rules must be observed in their interpretation:

First. When any duty is enjoined, the contrary sin is forbidden.

Secondly. When any sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is enjoined.

Thirdly. Under general injunctions and prohibitions are comprehended every kind and degree of the duty enjoined, or of the sin prohibited, and every thing which leads to the same.

Fourthly. The Commandments are to be understood, not in the letter only, but in their spirit ; reaching to the heart and mind, and not merely to the outward actions.

Interpreted by these rules, the Decalogue will be found to be a compendium of every branch of the duties which we owe to GOD, our neighbour, and ourselves.

9. The form of each Commandment is given in the second person singular: "thou shalt," or "thou shalt not; implying that every one is individually bound to observe these laws.

10. They are placed in the Catechism immediately after the Confession of our Faith, to teach us that good works are "pleasing and acceptable to Gop in CHRIST, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith;" of which they are at once the fruit and the evidence.

1 Church Art. XII.

First Commandment: THOU SHALT HAVE NONE OTHER GODS BUT ME.

III. 1. THOU SHALT HAVE, shalt own or acknowledge, NONE OTHER GODS BUT ME; i.e., besides Me. But the Hebrew of Exodus xx. 3 may be rendered, as in our authorized Version, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me," in My sight or presence; since thy sin in owning any other cannot be hid from Me.

2. This Commandment forbids

First. Atheism; the not believing in the existence of a GOD; Ps. xiv. 1.

Secondly. Polytheism; the believing in many gods; Acts x. 25, 26; 1 Cor. x. 20; Gal. iv. 8; Col. ii. 18; Rev. xix. 10.

Thirdly. Infidelity; the disbelief of a Revelation from GOD.

Fourthly. Apostasy; the falling away from the belief of the truth; 2 Thess. ii. 3; Tit. iii. 10; 2 S. Pet. ii. 1; 1 S. John v. 10.

Fifthly. Everything that may lead to these errors, as thoughtless and wilful ignorance, Exodus v. 2; Job xxxi. 14, 15; Ps. x. 4; 2 S. Pet. iii. 3; hypocrisy, S. Matt. xxiii. 5, 14, et seq.; Rom. i. 18; 2 Tim. iii. 5; pride and presumption; despair; trying to serve GOD and Mammon, &c.

3. It enjoins us—

First. To acknowledge no other to be GOD, but the One JEHOVAH, FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST; Part II. Sect. XVI.; and TO BELIEVE IN HIM; 2 Chron. xx. 20; S. Mark xvi. 16; S. John xiv. 1; Rom. ix. 33 ; x. 10; Heb. xi. 6.

Secondly. To FEAR HIM, Deut. v. 29; x. 12;

xxviii. 58; Ps. ii. 11; Eccles. xii. 13; S. Matt. x. 28; S. Luke xii. 5; Heb. xii. 28.

Thirdly. To LOVE HIM, WITH ALL OUR HEART,

WITH ALL OUR MIND, WITH ALL OUR SOUL, and WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH; Deut. vi. 5; Josh. xxii. 5; Ps. xxxi. 23; S. Matt. iv. 10; x. 37; xxii. 37; S. Luke x. 27; S. Jude 21.

Fourthly. To employ such means as may best serve to promote this faith, reverence, and love towards GOD, both in ourselves and others.

Second Commandment: THOU SHALT NOT MAKE TO THYSELF ANY GRAVEN IMAGE, NOR THE LIKENESS OF ANY THING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE, OR IN THE EARTH BENEATH, OR IN THE WATER UNDER THE EARTH. THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN TO THEM, NOR WORSHIP THEM FOR I THE LORD THY GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD, AND VISIT THE SINS OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN, UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT

HATE ME, AND SHOW MERCY UNTO THOUSANDS IN THEM THAT LOVE ME, AND KEEP MY COMMAND

MENTS.

IV. 1. We are here taught the duty and manner of worshipping the One True GOD, in Whom we are to believe.

2. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE TO THYSELF, i.e., to be used by thee in the worship of GOD, any graven image, any image formed of wood, stone, or metal,

NOR THE LIKENESS OF ANY THING THAT IS IN

HEAVEN ABOVE, as the sun, moon, and stars, OR IN THE EARTH BENEATH heaven, as men, beasts, or birds, OR IN THE WATER UNDER THE EARTH, in the