Imatges de pàgina
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Q. 7. May not children or fervants lawfully work or play upon the Sabbath day, if they be commanded hereunto by their parents or mafters ?

A. Though it be the fin of the parents or masters to command their children or fervants to work, or any other way to break the Sabbath; yet it is the duty of children and fervants to disobey them, whatever temporal lofs they fuftain by it; they being bound to obey the God of heaven, rather than any man upon earth.

Q. 8. Is it lawful to dress meat on the Sabbath-day?

A. Although it was the will of the Lord, that the children of Ifrael fhould neither gather nor drefs the manna that fell from heaven, on the Sabbath-day, there being fo much servile work to be done about it before it was fit to be eaten; namely, the grinding of it in mills, or beating it in mortars, and then breaking it, which fervile work is ftill unlawful, unless in cafes of neceffity; and although fires were forbidden to be kindled in all their habitations. Exod. xxxv. 3. that is, to forbear worldly employments (as the works forbidden in the former verfe were, and this inftance is a special of the general) yet the fcripture doth no where forbid the dreffing meat at all, for ordinary food, nor the kindling of fires for fuch ufe but the lawfulness of meat may be collected from the fcripture, in as much as our Saviour himself was prefent at a feaft on the Sabbath-day, Luke xiv. 1. where no doubt meat was dreffed for fo many guests as were there bidden. And when we are allowed to provide for food for our cattle on the Sabbath, furely we may lawfully drefs meat for ourselves.

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Q. 9. What works doth God allow us to do on the Sabbathday, befides thofe which he doth principally command us?

A. The works which God doth allow us to do on the Sabbath day, befides what he doth principally command us, are works of neceffity and mercy; fuch as eating, drinking, defending ourfelves from enemies, quenching the fire of houfes, vifiting the fick, relieving the poor, feeding cattle and the like; in all which employments we ought not to have a reference chiefly to ourselves, or any temporal advantage, but to be as fpiritual as may be in them. Matth. xii. 1, 2, 3. At that time Jefus went on the

Sabbath-day through the corn; and his difciples. were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharifees faw it, they faid unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath-day. But he faid unto them, Have ye not read what David did,' &c. And verse 7. ‘If you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not facrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltlefs.' And verfe 10, 11, 12. They said unto him, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath-day? And he faid unto them, What man fhall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath-day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a fheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath-days." Luke xiii. 14, 15, 16. And the ruler of the fynagogue answered with indignation, because that Jefus had healed on the Sabbath-day. The Lord then anfwered him, and faid, Thou hypocrite doth not each one of you on the Sabbath-day loose his ox or his afs from the ftall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, thefe eighteen years, be loofed from this bond on the Sabbath-day?'

Q. 10. What are the holy exercifes, or the works which we are principally commanded to do on the Sabbath-day?

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A. The holy exercises which we are to be employed in or the works which we are principally commanded to do on the Sabbath-day, are the public and private exercises, especially the public exercifes of God's worship, such as hearing the word, prayer, receiving the facrament, finging of pfalms in the public affemblies of God's people. Ifaiah Ixvi. 23. And it fhall come to pass, that from one Sabbath to another, fhall all fleth come to worship before me, faith the Lord.' Luke iv. 16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went unto the fynagogue on the Sabbathday, and stood up for to read.' Acts xx. 7. And upon the first of the week, when the difciples come together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.' Pfal. xcii. ' Title, A pfalm or fong for the Sabbath day.'

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Q. 11. How are we to perform thefe public exercises of

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A. We are to perform these public exercises of God's worship on the Sabbath-day, 1. With fincerity, having a fingle refpect unto the honor and glory of God, whofe day the Sabbath is, Ifaiah lviii. 13. If thou call the Sabbath the Holy of the Lord, Honorable; and fhalt honor him.' 2. With reverence, and that both of body and mind. Eccl. v. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goeft to the house of God.' Ifaiah lxvi. 2. To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my word. 3. With diligence and attention. Acts xvi. 13, 14. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river-fide, where prayer was wont to be made. And Lydia, which worshipped God, heard us, whofe heart the Lord opened, that fhe attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.' 4. With love and fervor of fpirit. Rom. xii. 11. Fervent in fpirit ferving the Lord. 5. With delight and joy. Ifaiah lviii. 13. 'If thou call the Sabbath a delight.'

Q. 12. What are we to do by way of preparation for the public exercifes of God's worship on the Sabbath-day?

A. By way of preparation for the public exercises o God's worship on the Sabbath-day, we are, 1. To remember before the day come, to keep it holy, fo as to finish our worldly bufinefs and employments on the weekdays, and timely to break off from them on the Saturday evening, and to take pains to get our hearts in a readiness for the holy duties of the Sabbath. 2. In the morning of the Sabbath we must begin the day with God, in holy meditation upon the works of God's creation, and efpecially upon the works of redemption, which were completed by Chrift's refurrection upon this day; we muft read the fcripture, and fome other good books, as we have time, for the better fitting us for our more public and folemn worship; especially we must pray in fecret, and in our families, for God's prefence in his ordinances, and that God would affift his minifters, who are his mouth to us, and ours to him; and that he would affis us in a fincere and hearty performance of public duties, that we may attain more knowledge, experience, and mortification, further degrees of grace, and more com. munion with God.

Q.13. What are we to do on the Sabbath day, after the public exercifes of God's worship are over?

A. After the public exercifes of God's worship are over, the work of the Sabbath is not over; but we must retire to our families (not feek our pleasure in the fields, or in vain company) and there repeat over what we heard; catechife and instruct children and fervants, fing pfalms, pray with our families; and while we moderately make ufe of any creature-refreshment, we must discourse of the things of God. We ought alfo to take time in the evening, to retire into fecret, and there examine ourselves as to the carriage of our hearts before God in the day; labor in meditation to get the word wrought more thoroughly upon our hearts; we muft alfo endeavor to pour out our hearts before God in fecret prayer, humbly confeffing fin, earnestly and believingly requefting pardon, and further fupplies of grace, and thankfully praifing God for all his mercies, especially for his Son Jefus Chrift, and the gofpel-privileges which we have in and by him. In fuch variety of holy exercises we may spend the whole Sabbath, which we should make as long as we can; and when the day is at an end, we fhould long for the Sabbath in heaven, which will never have an end.

LXI. Queft. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?

Anfw. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omiffion or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idlenefs, or doing that which is in itself finful; or by unneceffary thoughts, words, or works, about worldly employments or recreations.

Q.1. What fort of fins are forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. The fins forbidden in the fourth commandment, are either fins of omiffion, or fins of commiffion.

Q. 2. What fins of omiffion are forbidden?

A. The fins of omiffion forbidden in the fourth commandment, are, 1. The omiffion of the duties of the Sabbaths themselves, fuch as neglecting works of neceffity or mercy, when called to them; but efpecially neglecting the public or private exercise of God's worship, and that either in whole or in part; when we forfake the assemblies

of God's people, or omit worshipping God in our families, or praying and feeking God in fecret upon this day. 2. The omiflion of the careful performance of the duties of the Sabbath, when we are hypocritical, dull, dead, full of diftractions, wearinefs, unwatchful, fleepy, and attend upon ordinances without any heart and life; and the Sabbath-day is the moft burdenfome of all other days in the week unto us. Matth. xv. 7, 8. Ye hypocrites, well did Efaias prophefy of you, faying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.' Amos viii. 5. 'Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may fell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may fet forth wheat? Mal. i. 13. 'Ye faid alfo, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have fnuffed at it, faith the Lord of hosts: and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the fick thus ye brought an offering: fhould I accept this of your hands?

Q. 3. What fins of commission are forbidden in this fourth Commandment ?

A. The fins of commiffion forbidden in this fourth commandment, are, the profaning the Sabbath-day, 1. By idleness, when we spend the day, either in whole or in part, idly; neither working in our callings, nor employing ourfelves in the duties of God's worship, but loiter away that precious time in our houfes or the fields; either in vain and idle thoughts, or in vain and idle difcourfe, or the like. 2. By doing that which is in itself more grofsly finful; as if, instead of going to the houfe of God to worship, we should go the tavern or ale-house, on the Sabbath day, and be drunk, or go to a bafe house, or in any houfe to be wanton and unclean; or if, on the Sabbath-day, instead of hallowing and praifing God's name, and praying to him, we should swear by his name in our ordinary difcourfe, or take his name in vain; if, instead of worthipping God with his people, we fhould perfecute God's people for worshipping him, or rail at them, or fcoff and deride them, becaufe of the holinefs which is in them. 3. By unneceffary thoughts and contrivances. about worldly affairs, unneceffary words and difcourfes about earthly employments, unneceffary works in our

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