Q.57. Which is the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day, and hallowed it.[g]

[g] Exod. 20:8-11.

Q.58. What is required in the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to himself.[h]

[h] Deut. 5:12-14.

We are here taught,

1. That God in his Word hath appointed set times for his worship.

2. That God requires one whole day in seven, which he hath expressly appointed to be a holy Sabbath to himself.

Q.59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?

A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian sabbath.[i]

[i] Gen. 2:2,3. 1 Cor. 16:1,2. Acts 20:7.

We are here taught,

1. That the seventh day of the week was at first appointed by God as the weekly Sabbath.

2. That the seventh day of the week continued to be the Sabbath from the beginning of the world till the resurrection of Christ.

Q.60. How is the sabbath to be sanctified?

A. The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day,[k] even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days;[l] and spending the whole time in the publick and private exercises of God’s worship,[m] except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.[n]

[k] Exod. 20:8,10. Exod. 16:25-28.

[l] Neh. 13:15-19,21,22.

[m] Luke 4:16. Acts 20:7. Ps. 92 [title.] Isa. 66:23.

[n] Matt. 12:1-31.

We are here taught,

1. That the Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day.

2. That we are to abstain from all worldly employments on the Sabbath.

3. That we are to abstain from recreations and pastimes on the Sabbath, although lawful on other days.

4. That the Sabbath is to be employed in the public exercises of God’s worship.

5. That the Sabbath is to be employed in private acts of secret and social worship.

6. That works of necessity are lawful on the Sabbath-day.

7. That works of mercy are lawful on the Sabbath-day.

Q.61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required,[o] and the profaning the day by idleness,[p] or doing that which is in itself sinful,[q] or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.[r]

[o] Ezek. 22:26. Amos 8:5. Mal. 1:13.

[p] Acts 20:7,9.

[q] Ezek. 23:38.

[r] Jer. 17:24-26. Isa. 58:13.

We are here taught,

1. That we are forbidden to omit any of the duties required on the Sabbath.

2. That the duties of the Sabbath are not to be performed carelessly.

3. That the Sabbath is not to be profaned by idleness.

4. That sinful acts are aggravated by being committed on the Sabbath.

5. That unnecessary thoughts about our worldly concerns are forbidden on the Sabbath.

6. That unnecessary conversation about our worldly affairs is forbidden on the Sabbath.

7. That unnecessary works for forwarding our worldly concerns are forbidden on the Sabbath.

Q.62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?

A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments,[s] his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the sabbath-day.[t]

[s] Exod. 20:9.

[t] Exod. 20:11.

We are here taught,

1. That God allows us six days of the week for our own employments.

2. That God claims the seventh day or the Sabbath as his own property.

3. That God hath set us an example of resting on the Sabbath, which he requires us to follow.

4. That God requires the Sabbath to be observed by us, because he himself blessed and sanctified it.