which was the seventh from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian Sabbath, (1) and in the New Testament called The Lord's day. (2)

Q. 117. How is the Sabbath or Lord's day to be sanctified?

A. The Sabbath, or Lord's day, is to be sanctified by an holy resting all that day, (3). not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; (4) and making it our delight to spend

(1) Gen. ii. 3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work. 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.-Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him. Acts xx. 7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow. John xx. 19 to 27. Matt. v. 17, 18. Isa. lvi. 2, 4, 6, 7. Blessed is the man that doeth this, -that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, &c.

(2) Rev. i. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.

(3) Ex. xx. 8, 10. Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy.-In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, &c.

(4) Ex. xvi. 25 to 29. And Moses said, Eat that today; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord: to-day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none, &c. Jer. xvii. 21, 22. Thus saith the Lord, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath-day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on

the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy) (1) in the public and private exercises of God's worship. (2) And, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose, and seasonably to despatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day. (3)

the Sabbath-day, neither do ye any work; but hallow ye the Sabbath-day, as I commanded your fathers. Neh. xiii. 15 to 23. In those days saw I in Judah some tread ing wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath-day?

(1) Matt. xii. 1 to 14. At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath-day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath-day. But he said unto them, &c.

(2) Lev. xxiii. 3. Six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation. Isa. lviii. 13.—And call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words. Luke iv. 16.-And, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbathday, and stood up for to read. Acts xx. 7. (3) Ex. xx. 8. Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Luke xxiii. 54, 56. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on, &c. Neh. xiii. 19. And it came to pass, that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath.

Q. 118. Why is the charge of keeping the Sabbath more specially directed to governors of families and other superiors?

A. The charge of keeping the Sabbath is more specially directed to governors of families and other superiors, because they are bound not only to keep it themselves, but to see that it be observed by all those that are under their charge; and because they are prone oft-times to hinder them by employments of their own.(1) Q. 119. What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required, (2) all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them; (3) all profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful; (4)

(1) See figure (4), page 273. Ex. xx. 10. In it (the Sabbath) thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, &c. Ex. xxiii. 12.-That thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. Ex. xvi. 22, 25, 29.

(2) Ezek. xxii. 26. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned my holy things; and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among

them.

(3) Ezek. xxxiii. 30, 31, 32.—And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness, &c. Mal. i. 13. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts: and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick. Amos viii. 5. Acts xx. 7, 9.

(4) Ezek. xxiii. 38. Moreover, this they have done

and by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations. (1)

Q. 120. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?

A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it, are taken from the equity of it, God allowing us six days of seven for our own affairs, and reserving but one for himself, in these words, six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work: (2) from God's challenging a special propriety in that day, the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: (3) from the example of God, who in six days made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: and from that blessing which God put upon that day, not only in sanctifying it to be a day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of blessing to us in our sanctifying it, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it. (4)

Q. 121. Why is the word remember set in the beginning of the fourth commandment?

unto me; they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths.

(1) Jer. xvii. 24, 27.-But if ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the Sabbath-day, and not to bear a burden, -then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched. Isa. lviii. 13.

(2) Ex. xx. 9.
(3) Ex. xx. 10.
(4) Ex. xx. 11.

A. The word remember is set in the begin ning of the fourth commandment, (1) partly because of the great benefit of remembering it we being thereby helped in our preparation to keep it; (2) and, in keeping it, better to keep all the rest of the commandments, (3) and to continue a thankful remembrance of the twe great benefits of creation and redemption, which contain a short abridgment of religion: (4) and partly because we are ready to forget it, (5) for that there is less light of nature for it, (6) and

(1) Ex. xx. 8.

(2) Ex. xvi. 23. Tc-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that ye will seethe. Luke xxiii. 54, 56. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on, &c. Compared with Mark xv. 42. And now, when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath. Neh. xiii. 19.

(3) Ezek. xx. 12, 19, 20. Moreover also, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. -And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

(4) Gen. ii. 2, 3. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Ps. cxviii. 22, 24. The stone which the builders refused, it is become the head stone of the corner. -This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Rev. i. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.-Heb. iv. 9.

(5) Ezek. xxii. 26. Her priests have violated my law, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths.

(6) Neh. ix. 14. And madest known unto them thy