Question. Rehearse the addition at the end of this Law.
Answer. For (saith he) 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.
Scripture References: Exod. 20:5; Deut. 5:9; Psalm 78:58
Question. Wherefore saith God these words?
Answer. First, in naming himself our Lord and our God, he chargeth us to obey him in all things, both in respect of his authority and of his goodness, as was afore noted. And by the word jealous, he declareth that he can abide no partner or equal to be worshiped with him.
Scripture References: Deut. 10:12-13; 1 Kings 18:39; Malachi 1:5-6; 1 Tim. 9:15, 19; Exo. 24:14; Isa. 42:8; Exo. 34:7; Isa. 14:20, 21
Question. What more is said to forbid Idolatry?
Answer. To restrain us from offending of him by Idolatry, which he so extremely hateth, he threateneth that he will take vengeance, not only of them that shall offend, but also of their children and posterity.
Proceed thou in the text.
Answer. As God by great threatenings scareth us from disobeying of him, so doth he with greater promises of his mercy and goodness assure us to obey him : promising that he will show great mercifulness, both towards all those that love him, and also towards thousands of their posterity.
Scripture Reference: Deut. 5:10; Ex. 34:6-7
Question. Where, before speaking of revenging, he nameth but three or four generations at the most: why doth he here speaking of mercy name thousands?
Answer. To show that he is much more inclined to mercifulness, and to goodness, than to severity and sharpness.
Scripture References: Psalm 30:5, 103:8, and 145:8; Isa. 54:7-8, 10