Quest 53, 54, 55, 56 Of the third commandment, Queſt 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62 Of the fourth commandment, 60
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechisme Of the Sabbath.
Queſt. 57. Which isthefourthcommandment?
A. The fourth commandment is, [Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and doallthy work ; but theseventh day is theSabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thoushaltnotdoanywork, thou, nor thy fon, nor thy daughter, thy man-fervant, nor thy maid-fervant, nor thy cattle, nor thestranger which is within thy gates.
For in fix days the Lordmade heavenand earth, thefea, and all that in them is, and rested theseventhday, wherefore the Lord bleffed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it.] Queſt. 58. What is required in the fourth commandment ?
A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy toGod, fuch set time-as he hath appointed in his word, expressly one whole day in seven, tobe an holy Sabbath unto the Lord.
Queſt. 59. Which day of the ſeven hath God appointed to, be the weekly Sabbath ?
A. From the beginning oftheworldto the refurrection ofChrist, God appointed the seventhday of the weekto be the weekly Sabbath; and thefirstday of theweek ever since, to continue to the endoftheworld, which is the Chriſtian Sabbath.
Q. 1. What ſpecial marks of honour hathGod ſetuponthis fourth commandment ?
A. God hath ſet four peculiar marks of honour on it.
(1.) It is the largest of allthe commands.
(2.) It hath a folema memento prefixed to it.
(3.) It is delivered both poſitively andnegatively, which the reſt are not. And, (4.) It is enforced with more arguments to ſtrengthen the commandon us, than any other.
2. Why will God have a Sabbath on earth ?
A. God willhave a Sabbath on earth, to give us therein an emblemof that eternal Sabbath inheaven, whereinhis people ſhallbe ſerving him, and praising him without interruption, or mixture of anyother buſineſs throughout eternity ; Heb. iv. 9.
There remaineth thereforea reſt to the people ofGod.
Q3. For what other reasons willGod have a Sabbath ?
A. Hewill have a Sabbath for the honour of his name, Ifa.
Iviii. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thypleaſure on myholy day, and call the Sabbath ade. light, theholyof the Lord, honourable, and ſhalt honour him, notdoing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleaſure, nor Speaking thine own words. Forthe good of mens fouls ; Mark
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism. σε ii. 27. Andhe ſaid untothem, The Sabbath was made forman, and not man for the Sabbath.
And in mercy to the bodies of menand beafts.
Q. 4. Is this commandment moral and perpetual, or ceremonialandtemporary ?
A. It is, andmust needs be moral, andnotceremonial; becauſeall the reaſons that enforce it are perpetual, and the Sabbathcontinued when the ceremonial law ceaſed, andwas vaniched; Matth. xxiv. 20. But pray ye, that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day.
Q. 5. Whatdayof the ſeven is the Chriſtian Sabbath ?
A. The first day of the week is our Sabbath, ſincetherefur rection of Christ.
This is the day which was foretold tobe our Sabbath ; Pfalm cxviii. 24. This is the day which the Lord hathmade ; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
The Lord hath marked it for himself, by ſetting hisown nameon it; Rev. i. 10.
Iwas in the Spirit on the Lord's day. And the apostles, and primitivechurch, conftantly ſet it apart to religious uſes and ends ; Acts xx. 7. And upon the firstdayof the week, when the diſciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, &c.
1 Cor xvi. 2. Uponthe firſtday of the week, let everyone of you layby him in ſtore, as God hath profpered him, that therebeno gatheringswhen I come.
Q. 6. WhendoththeChriſtian Sabbathbegin?
A. Itappears that this day is not to be reckoned from evening toevening, but from morning to morning ; becauſe the Chriſtian Sabbath muſt begin when the Jewith Sabbath ended, but that ended towards the morning, Matth. xxviii. 1. In the endof the Sabbath, as itbegan todawn towards the first day of theweek, came Mary Magdalen, and the otherMary, to fee thefepulchre.
Q. 7. What is the ground of changing theday?
A. The folemn commemoration of our redemption by the refurrection of Chriſt from the dead, is theground of tranflating the Sabbath from the ſeventh to the firſtdayof the week ;
Pfalm cxviii. 24. This is the daywhich the Lord hath made ; wewill rejoice, and be glad in it.
Mark xvi. 9. Nowwhen Jeſus was riſen early the first day of the week, he appeared firſt toMaryMagdalen, out of whom he had caſt ſeven devils.
Q. 8.
Is it the whole day, or only fome hours of theday, thatare fet apart forGod ?
A. Not a part, but the whole day is the Lord's ; and it is as dangerous tohalve itwithGod in pointoftime, as it was for Ananias and Sapphira tohalve their dedicatedgoods, andbring
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. inbut apart. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day, is the command.
Q9. Is there any other dayholy, beſides thisday ?
A. No day but this is holy by inſtitution of the Lord ; yet days of humiliation and thanksgiving may be lawfully fet apart bymen onacall of providence ; but popiſh holy days are not warrantable, nor to be obſerved; Gal. iv. 10. Ye obſervedays, andmonths, and times, and years.
Q10. But ſeeing everydayſhould be aSabbath to aChriAian, what needs anyother ſet time?
A. Though Chriſtians muſt walk every day with God, yet everyday cannot be aSabbath, becuſeGodcalls us to other duties on thoſedays, but will havethis tobe a folemn and entire daytohimself.
Q. 11. But if a man ſcruple the changeoftheSabbath, may he not keep both days weekly ?
A. No ; for then, by doing more than God requires, he breaksa plain command, Six days ſhaltthou labour.
Q.12. At what time ſhould Chriſtians be up, and at their duties, on the Lord'sday ?
A. As early inthe morningas their ſtrength will permit, to prepare by private for public duties ; yet the public are not to be entrenched onby private duties ; Acts x. 33.-Now therefore are we all here preſentbeforeGod, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
Of the Sabbath.
Queſt. 60. HOW is the Sabbath tobe ſanctified ?
A. The Sabbath is to befanctified by an boly refting all that day, evenfrom fuch worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days, and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, except
Somuch as is to be taken up in the works of neceffity andmercy.
Queft. 61. What are the fins forbiddenin the fourth commandment ?
A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omiffion or careless performance of the duties required, andthe profaning the day by idleness, ordoing that which is in itselffinful, or by unneceffary thoughts, words, or works, about our wordly employ. ments or recreations.
Queft. 62. What arethe reaſons annexed tothe fourth com. mandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God's allowingus fix days of the week for our own employment, bis
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
challenginga specialpropriety intheseventh, his own example, andhis bleffing the Sabbath-day.
Q. 1. What is the reſtwhichGod requires on the Sabbath ?
A. It is not a mere natural or civil, butan holy reſt, reſemblingthereſt inheaven, whereinthe mind is moſtactive andbuſy in the work of God, though the body be at reſt, and the ſpirit not wearied with its work ; Rev. iv. 8. And the four beaſts hadeach of them fixwings about him, and they were full of eyeswithin, and they reſt not day and night, ſaying, Holy, holy, holy, LordGod almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Q. 2. Maynot any works of our civil calling be ordinarily doneon thatday ?
A. No ; it is finful toput ourhands ordinarily toour callings on thatday, and God uſually punishes it. Neh . xiii. 15, 16,
17, 18. In thoſe days ſaw I in Judah ſome treadingwine-preſſes on the Sabbath, and bringing up ſheaves, and lading aſſes, as alſo wine-grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day ; and I teſtified against them in the day wherein they fold victuals.
There dwelt men of Tyre alſo therein, which brought fiſh, and all manner of ware, and fold on the Sabbath, untothe children of Judah, and in Jerufalem.
Then I contended with the nobles ofJudah, and faid unto them, What evil thing isthis thatyedo, andprofanetheSabbath-day ? Did notyour fathers thus, anddid notourGodbring all this eviluponus, and upon this city ? Yet ye bringmore wrath upon Iſrael by profaning the Sabbath.
Q. 3. Maywe not refreſh our bodies by recreations, or our mindsbythoughtsof earthlybuſineſs, ordifcourſes, onthatday?
A. Recreations of the body, which are lawful on otherdays, arefinfulonthis day; and all the recreations of the mind allowed on thisday, are ſpiritual and heavenly; Ifa. lviii. 13, 14.
If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleaſureon myholy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and ſhalt honour him, not do. ing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleaſure, nor ſpeaking thine own words ; then ſhaltthou delight thyſelf in the Lord, and Iwill cauſe thee torideupon the high places of the earth, andfeedtheewith the heritage of Jacob thy father; for themouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it.
Q. 4. Whatworks may lawfully be done on that day?
A. Chriſt's example warrants works of neceſſity, and works of mercy, but no other ; Matth. xii. 3, 4. But he said unto them, haveye not read what Daviddid, when he was an hun-
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism. gred, andthey that werewith him, How he entered into the houſe of God, anddid eat the ſhew-bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which werewith him, but only for the priests.
And ver. 7. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not ſacrifice, &c.
Q. 5. What arethe holy duties of the Sabbath ?
A. The public worſhip of God; in reading, and hearing the word preached.
Ifa. lxvi. 23. And it ſhall come to país, thatfromone new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, ſhall all fleſh come to worſhip before me, faith the Lord.
Luke iv. 16.-Aud as his cuſtom was, he went into the ſynagogue on the Sabbath-day, and ſtood up for to read.
And prayer ; Acts xvi. 13, 14. And on the Sabbath-day we went out of the city byariver ſide, where prayer waswont to bemade, &c. And receiving the Sacrament ; Acts xx. 7. And upon the firſtday of the week, when the diſciples came together to break bread, Paul preached, &c.
Q. 6. Are private duties inour families required, as well as public, on the Sabbath ?
A. Yes; it is not enough to fanctify the Sabbath in public ordinances, but God requires it tobe ſanctified in family, and privateduties ; Lev. xxiii.3. But the ſeventh dayis theSabbath of reſt, and holyconvocation; ye ſhall do no work therein : it is the Sabbath of the Lord in allyourdwellings.
Q. 7. With what frame of Spirit are all Sabbath duties, bothpublicand private, to be performed ?
A. Theyare tobe performed with ſpiritualdelight; Ifa. lviii.
13.
If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thypleaſure on myholyday, and call the Sabbath a delight,
&c. And all grudging at, and wearineſs of ſpiritual exerciſes, is a fin forbidden ; Mal. i. 13. Ye ſaid alſo, beholdwhat awearineſs is it, and ye have fouffed at it, faith the Lord of hofts, andyebrought that which was torn, andthe lame, and the ſick; thus yebrought an offering : ſhould I accept this ofyour hand? faith the Lord.
Amos viii. 5. When will the newmoon be gone, that we may fellcorn ? and the Sabbath, that we may fet forth wheat ? &c.
Q. 8. What is the firſt reaſon annexed to this command?
A. The firſt reaſon is the fufficient, and large allowance of timeGod hath given us for our civil callings, and earthlybuſineſs.
Six days in theweek is a large allowance.
Q. 9. What is the ſecondreaſon annexed tothis fourth command?
A. The fecondreaſon isGod's ſanctifyingandſeparatingthis
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism.
daybya ſpecial command and inſtitution forhis ſervice ; ſothat toprofanethis time, is to fin againſt an expreſs divine command.
Q. 10. What is the third reaſon annexed to this command ?
A. The third reaſon is God's own example, who reſted the feventhday from all his works, andbleſſed thisday, by virtue ofwhichbleffingwe are encouraged to fanctify it.
Q. 11. Isitnotenough toſanctifythisday inourown perſons?
A. No; ifGod hath put any under our authority, their profaning the Sabbath will become our fin, thoughwe be never ſo ſtrict in the obſervation of it ourſelves.
Q12. Maywe continue our civil employments to the laſt moment of our common time ?
A. Except neceffity or mercyurge us, we ought to break off before, andallow fome time to prepare for the Sabbath, Luke
Xxiii. 54. And thatday was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.
Q13 . What is the firſt inference from hence ?
A. That we have all great cauſe tobehumbled for our Sabbath tranfgreffions, either in our unpreparedneſs for it, our want of delight and ſpirituality in it, or the due governmentof our families asGod requires.
Q. 14. What is the ſecond inference from hence ?
A. That Chriſtians on the Sabbath-dayhave a fair occafion and help to realize to themselves the heavenly ſtate, in which they are to live abſtract from the world, andGod is tobe all inall to them.
Of thefifthCommandment.
Queſt. 63. Which isthefifthcommandment?
A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father andthy mother, that thy daysmay be long in the land which the Lord thy Godgiveth thee.] Queſt. 64. What is requiredin the fifth commandment ?
A. The fifth commandmentrequireth the preserving the honour, andperforming the duties belonging to every one in theirſeveral placesandrelations, asfuperiors, inferiors, or equals.
Queſt. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment ?
A. Thefifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doinganything against the honour and duty which belongeth to every onein their ſeveralplaces and relations.
Queſt. 66. What is the reaſon annexed tothe fifthcommandment?
A. The reason annexed to thefifth commandment is, apromise VOL. VIL
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechism. oflong life and prosperity (as far as itshallserve forGod's gloryand their own good) to allfuch as keep this commandment.
Q. 1. What relatives are directly and more eſpecially concerned in this fifth commandment ?
A. Allfuperiors and inferiors are concerned in it ; eſpecially, (1.) Political fathers, and theirchildren; that is, kings and subjects ; Mark xi. 10. Bleſſed be the kingdomof our father David, &c.
(2. ) Spiritual fathers, and their children ; that is, miniſters, andtheir people; 1 Cor. iv. 15. For though you have ten thouſand inſtructors inChriſt, yethaveye not manyfathers , for in Chriſt Jefus I have begotten you through the goſpel.
(3.) Natural parents, and their children ; Eph. vi. 1. Children , obey your parents in the Lord.
(4.) All civil fuperiors and inferiors, as huſbands andwives, maſters and fervants ; Eph. v.
22. Wives, ſubmityourſelves untoyour own husbands, as unto the Lord. And Eph. vi. 5. Servants, be obedient to them that are your mafters according to the fleſh, &c.
Q. 2. What is theduty of political fathers, or magiſtrates, totheir political children, or fubjects ?
A. It is to rule andgovern the people overwhomGod hath fet themwith wisdom ; 2 Chron. i. 10. Give me now wisdom andknowledge, that I maygoout and come in before this people.
Juſtice ; 2 Chron. xix. 5, 6, 7. And he fetjudges in the land, throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city.
Andhe faid tothejudges, take heed whatyedo ; for yejudge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgement.
Wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed, anddoit, &c.
And piety ; 2 Sam. xxiii . 3.
Не that ruleth over men muſt be juſt, rulinginthe fear ofGod.
Carefully providing for their ſouls in every place of their dominion ; 2 Chron. xvii. 9. And theytaught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities ofJudah, andtaught the people. And fortheircommon outward peace and fafety; 2Chron. xvii. 12.
And Jehoſhaphat waxed great exceedingly, andhe built in Judah caſtles and cities of ſtore .
Q. 3. What are the duties of ſubjects to their rulers ?
A. It istopray for them : 1 Tim. ii. 1 , 2. I exhort therefore, that firſt of all fupplications, prayers, interceſſions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men: For kings, and for all that are in authority, &c. To honour them ; 1 Pet. ii. 17-Fear
God, honour the king. To obey their juſt laws ; Rom . xii.
1. Let every foul be fubject unto the higher powers, &c. And to pay them the tribute that is due to them; Rom. xiii. 7.
An Expofition ofthe Affembly's Catechifm.
Render therefore to alltheir dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, cuſtom to whom cuſtom, &c.
Q. 4. What are theduties of miniſters totheir people ?
A. Their duty is, (1.) To feed their flock conſtantly with wholeſome food; 2 Tim. iv. 2. Preach the word, be inſtant in
ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon; rebuke, reprove, exhort, with all long-fuffering and doctrine.
(2.) To be full of bowels of tender affection to them; Theſſ ii. 7, 8. But we were gentle amongyou, even as anurſe cheriſheth her children : So being affectionately defirous of you, we were willing to have imparteduntoyou, not the goſpel of God only, but alſo our own fouls, becauſe ye weredear unto us.
(3.) To pray for them, Eph. i. 15, 16. Wherefore I alſo, after I heard of your faith in the LordJeſus, and love unto all the faints, ceaſe not togive thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.
(4.) To watch over them; 1 Pet. v. 2. Feed the flock ofGod which is among you, taking the overſight thereof, not by conſtraint, but willingly, &c.
And, (5.) To walk as an example ofgodlineſsbefore them; Tit. ii. 7. In all things ſhewing thyſelf a pattern ofgood works, &c.
All which duties require their refidence among them ; I Pet. v. 2. Feed the flock ofGod which is among you, &c.
Q. 5. What are the people's duties towards their miniſters ?
A. Their duty is, ( 1.) To eſteem and love them dearly for their work's fake ; I Theff. v. 12, 13. And we beleech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are overyou in the Lord, and admonith you ; and to eſteem them very highly in love for their work's fake.
(2.) To attend on thewordpreachedbythem, as the word of God : I Theff. ii, 13. For this cauſe alſo thank we God without ceaſing, becauſe whenye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God.
(3.) To pray for them, and the ſucceſs of their labours ; Heb. xiii. 18. Pray for us, &c.
(4.) Not to receive light and malicious reports against them; 1Tim. v. 19. Againſt anelder receive not an accuſation, but before two or three witneffes.
(5.) To make a competent, and comfortable proviviſion for them"; Gal. vi. 6. Lethim that istaught in theword, communicate unto him that teacheth, inall good things.
Q. 6. What are thedutiesof natural parents totheirchildren?
A. It is their duty, (1.) To be tenderly, but not fondly affectionate to, and tender over them ; Ifa. xlix. 15. Can a womanforget her fucking child, that the ſhould nothave compar
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism, fionon the fonof herwomb ?
(2.) To educate them forGod; Eph. vi. 4. Andye fathers, provoke not your children towrath, butbring them up in the nurture andadmonitionof the Lord.
(3.) To reſtrain their fins by correction ; Prov. xxix. 15. The rod and reproof givewisdom, but a child left to himſelf, bringeth his mother to ſhame.
(4.) To provide for their livelihood; 1 Tim . v. 8. But if any provide not for hisown,and eſpecially for thoſe of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worſe than an infidel.
(5.) To pray daily for them ; Job i. 5.
And itwas ſo, whenthedays of their feaftingweregone about, that Job fent and fanctifiedthem, and roſe up earlyin themorning, andoffered burnt-offerings, according to the number of them all : for Job ſaid, It maybe thatmy fons have finned,and curſedGod intheir hearts : Thus did Job continually.
(6.) To encouragethem with endearing language in theway ofgodlineſs ; Prov. xxxi. 1, 2, 3. The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
What, my fon ? and what the fon of mywomb ? and what the ſon of my vows ?
Give not thy ſtrength unto women, nor thyways to that which deſtroyeth kings.
Q7. What are theduties of children to parents ?
A. Their duty is, ( 1.) To obey them only in the Lord ; Eph. vi. 1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord.
(2.) To reverence and honour them; Lev. xix. 3. Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father, &c.
(3.) To ſubmit to their reproofs and corrections; Heb. xii. 9. Furthermore, we have hadfathers of our fleſh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. (4.) To provide for them, if theybe poor andneedy, andwe have ability ; Gen. xlvii. 12. And Jofeph nouriſhed his father andhis brethren, and allhis father's houthold, with tread, according to their families.
Q.8. What ſhall children do, when parents abuſe their authority, by forbidding duty, or commanding fin ?
A. In such cafes children are to obeyGod, rather than their parents ; Acts iv. 19. But Peter and John anfwered, and faid unto them, whether it be right in the fight of God, to hearken unto you, more than untoGod, judge ye. But yet to ma nage their refuſals of obedience with all meekneſs and humility.
Q.9. What is the firſt dutyof husbands to their wives ?
A. The firſtduty, on which all other dutiesdepend, is cohabitation with them; 1 Pet. iii. 7. Likewise ye husbands, dwellwith them, according toknowledge, &c. And nothing can make this duty void, butalawful divorce for adultery;
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Matth . v. 31, 32-But I say unto you, That whoſoever ſhall putawayhiswife, ſaving for the cauſe of fornication, cauſeth hertocommit adultery, &c.
Q. 10. What is the husband's ſecondduty tohis wife ?
A. True and hearty love to foul and body; Eph. v. 25.
Huſbands, love yourwives, even even as Chriſt alſo loved the church, andgavehimself for it.
Evidencing itſelf incareful provifion for them; 1 Cor. vii. 33. But he that is married, careth for the things of the world, how he may pleaſe his wife. But efpeciallyto their fouls, inwinning them to Chriſt ; 1 Cor. vii. 16.
-Or, how knoweſt thou, O man, whether thou shaltſave thy : wife ? And building them up in Chriſt; 1 Pet. vi. 7. Likewife ye huſbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, givinghonour unto the wife, as untothe weaker veſſel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be nothindered.
Q. 11. What are the duties of wives totheir husbands?
It is their duty, ( 1. ) To be in ſubjection to theirown husbands ; Eph. v. 22, 23. Wives, ſubmit yourſelves untoyour own husbands, as untothe Lord: For the husband is thehead ofthewife, even as Chriſt is the head of the church.
(2.).To reverence them; Eph. v. 33. And the wife ſee that the reverence her husband.
(3.) To expreſs their reverence in ſuitable words and actions ; 1 Pet. iii. 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, &c.
(4.) To be faithful to them; Ριον. χχχί. 12. She will do him good, and not evil, all the
days of her life.
(5.) To adorn their relationwith meekness, andquietneſs of ſpirit; 1 Pet. iii. 4. But let it be the hidden manof the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is inthe fightofGod ofgreat price.
Q. 12. What are the duties of ſervants to their maſters ?
A. It is theirduty, (1.) To be faithful in allthings committed to their charge ; Tit. ii. 10. Not purloining, but ſhewing all good fidelity, &c.
(2.) To honour them in all reſpectful wordsand carriages ; 1 Tim. vi. 1. Let as manyfervants as are under the yoke, count their own maſters worthy of allhonour,
&c.
(5.) To bear patiently their rebukes ; 1 Pet. ii. 18, 19.
Servants, be fubject toyour maſters with all fear ; not only to thegoodand gentle, but alſo tothe froward. For this is thankworthy, if aman for confcience towardGod endaregrief, fuffering wrongfully.
Q. 13. What is the firſtduty of maſters to their fervants?
4. Their firſt duty is torule over themwithgentleneſs, and