challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his bleffing the Sabbath day.

Q. What is the rest which God requires on the Sabbath? A. It is not a mere natural or civil, but an holy rest, refembling the reft in heaven, wherein the mind is most active and busy in the work of God, though the body be at reft, and the fpirit not wearied with its work; Rev. iv. 8. And the four beasts had each of them fix wings about him, and they were full of eyes within, and they reft not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was, and is, and is to

come.

Q. 2. May not any works of our civil calling be ordinarily done on that day?

A. No; it is finful to put our hands ordinarily to our callings on that day, and God ufually punishes it. Neh. xiii. 15, 16, 17, 18. In those days faw I in Judah fome treading wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing up fheaves, and lading affes, as also wine-grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerufalem on the Sabbath-day; and I testified against them in the day wherein they fold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre alfo therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and fold on the Sabbath, unto the children of Judah, and in Jerufalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and faid unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath-day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Ifrael by profaning the Sabbath.

Q. 3. May we not refresh our bodies by recreations, or our minds by thoughts of earthly bufinefs, or difcourfes, on that day?

A. Recreations of the body, which are lawful on other days, are finful on this day; and all the recreations of the mind allowed on this day, are fpiritual and heavenly; Ifa. lviii. 13, 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and fhalt honour him, not do. ing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then fhalt thou delight thyfelf in the Lord, and I will caufe thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Q. 4. What works may lawfully be done on that day?

A. Chrift's example warrants works of neceffity, and works of mercy, but no other; Matth. xii. 3, 4. But he said unto them, have ye not read what David did, when he was an hun

gred, and they that were with him, How he entered into the houfe of God, and did eat the fhew-bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests. And ver. 7. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not facrifice, &c.

Q. 5. What are the holy duties of the Sabbath?

A. The public worship of God; in reading, and hearing the word preached. Ifa. lxvi. 23. And it fhall come to pals, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, fhall all flefh come to worship before me, faith the Lord. Luke iv. 16.—And as his cuftom was, he went into the fynagogue 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 by a river fide, where prayer was wont to be made, &c. And receiving the Sacrament; Acts xx. 7. And upon the first day of the week, when the difciples came together to break bread, Paul preached, &c.

Q. 6. Are private duties in our 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 to be fanctified in family, and private duties; Lev. xxiii. 3.—But the feventh day is the Sabbath of reft, and holy convocation; ye fhall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.

Q. J. With what frame of Spirit are all Sabbath duties, both public and private, to be performed?

A. They are to be performed with fpiritual delight; Ifa. lviii. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, &c. And all grudging at, and wearinefs of spiritual exercises, is a fin forbidden; Mal. i. 13. Ye faid alfo, behold what a wearinefs is it, and ye have fuffed 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 hand? faith the Lord. Amos viii. 5. When will the new moon be gone, that we may fell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may fet forth wheat? &c.

Q. 8. What is the first reafon annexed to this command?

A. The first reafon is the fufficient, and large allowance of time God hath given us for our civil callings, and earthly bu finefs. Six days in the week is a large allowance.

Q9. What is the second reafon annexed to this fourth command?

A. The fecond reafon is God's fanctifying and feparating this

day by a fpecial command and inftitution for his fervice; fo that to profane this time, is to fin against an express divine command. Q10. What is the third reafon annexed to this command ? A. The third reafon is God's own example, who refted the feventh day from all his works, and bleffed this day, by virtue of which bleffing we are encouraged to fanctify it.

Q. 11. Is it not enough to fanctify this day in our own perfons? A. No; if God hath put any under our authority, their profaning the Sabbath will become our fin, though we be never fo ftrict in the obfervation of it ourfelves.

Q12. May we continue our civil employments to the laft moment of our common time?

A. Except neceffity or mercy urge us, we ought to break off before, and allow fome time to prepare for the Sabbath, Luke *xiii. 54. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.

Q. 13. What is the firft inference from hence?

A. That we have all great cause to be humbled for our Sabbath tranfgreffions, either in our unpreparedness for it, our want of delight and fúrituality in it, or the due government of our families as God requires.

Q. 14. What is the fecond inference from hence ?

A. That Chriftians on the Sabbath-day have a fair occafion and help to realize to themselves the heavenly ftate, in which they are to live abstract from the world, and God is to be all in all to them.

Queft. 63.

Of the fifth Commandment.

Hich is the fifth commandment? A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.]

Quelt. 64. What is required in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment requireth the preferving the honour, and performing the duties belonging to every one in their feveral places and relations, as fuperiors, inferiors, or equals.

Queft. 65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment? A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing any thing against the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their feveral places and relations.

Queft. 66. What is the reafon annexed to the fifth commandment?

A. The reafon annexed to the fifth commandment is, a promise VOL. VII.

I

of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall ferve for God's glory and their own good) to all fuch as keep this commandment. Q. 1. What relatives are directly and more efpecially concerned in this fifth commandment ?

A. All fuperiors and inferiors are concerned in it; especially, (1.) Political fathers, and their children; that is, kings and subjects; Mark xi. 10. Bleffed be the kingdom of our father David, c. (2.) Spiritual fathers, and their children; that is, ministers, and their people; 1 Cor. iv. 15. For though you have ten thousand inftructors in Chrift, yet have ye not many fathers, for in Chrift 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 hulbands and wives, masters and fervants; Eph. v. 22. Wives, fubmit yourselves unto your 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 the duty of political fathers, or magistrates, to their political children, or fubjects?

A. It is to rule and govern the people over whom God hath fet them with wisdom; 2 Chron. i. 10. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people. Juftice; 2 Chron. xix. 5, 6, 7. And he fet judges in the land, throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city. And he faid to the judges, take heed what ye do; for ye judge 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, and do it, &c. And piety; 2 Sam. xxiii. 3.-He that ruleth over men must be juft, ruling in the fear of God. Carefully providing for their fouls in every place of their dominion; 2 Chron. xvii. 9. And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. And for their common outward peace and fafety; 2 Chron. xvii. 12. And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly, and he built in Judah castles and cities of ftore.

Q3. What are the duties of fubjects to their rulers ?

A. It is to pray for them; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. I exhort therefore, that first of all fupplications, prayers, interceffions, 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. xiii. 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.

Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, &c.

Q. 4. What are the duties of minifters to their people?

A. Their duty is, (1.) To feed their flock constantly with wholesome food; 2 Tim. iv. 2. Preach the word, be instant in feason, and out of feafon; rebuke, reprove, exhort, with all long-fuffering and doctrine. (2.) To be full of bowels of teader affection to them; Theff ii. 7, 8. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately defirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gofpel of God only, but alfo aur own fouls, because ye were dear unto us. (3.) To pray for them, Eph. i. 15, 16. Wherefore I alfo, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jefus, and love unto all the faints, ceafe not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. (4.) To watch over them; 1 Pet. v. 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the over fight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, &c. And, (5.) To walk as an example of godlinefs before them; Tit. ii. 7. In all things fhewing thyself a pattern of good works, &c. All which duties require their refidence among them; 1 Pet, v. 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, &c.

Q5. 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 over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to efteem them very highly in love for their work's fake. (2.) To attend on the word preached by them, as the word of God: I Theff. ii, 13. For this caufe also thank we God without ceafing, because when ye 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 fuccefs of their labours; Heb. xiii. 18. Pray for us, &c. (4.) Not to receive light and malicious reports against them; Tim. v. 19. Against an elder receive not an accufation, but before two or three witneffes. (5.) To make a competent, and comfortable provivifion for them; Gal. vi. 6. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things.

Q.6. What are the duties of natural parents to their children? A. It is their duty, (1.) To be tenderly, but not fondly affectionate to, and tender over them; Ifa. xlix. 15. Can a woman forget her fucking child, that the should not have compal