Answer: The reasons annexed to the Second Commandment, the more to enforce it, contained in these words, 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 showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments₁; are, besides God’s sovereignty over us, and propriety in us₂, his fervent zeal for his own worship₃, and his revengeful indignation against all false worship, as being a spiritual whoredom₄; accounting the breakers of this commandment such as hate him, and threatening to punish them unto divers generations₅; and esteeming the observers of it such as love him and keep his commandments, and promising mercy to them unto many generations.₆

1. Ex 20:5–6;
2. Ps 45:11; Rev 15:3–4;
3. Ex 34:13–14;
4. 1 Cor 10:20–22; Jer 7:18–20; Ezk 16:26–27; Dt 32:16–20;
5. Hos 2:2–4;
6. Dt 5:29