Reformation Press
Christian Literature from Scotland
The Larger Catechism
The Sabbath Day
Question
115. Which is the fourth commandment?
Answer. 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.
Question
116. What is required in the fourth commandment?
Answer. The
fourth commandment requireth of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God
such set times as he hath appointed in his word, expressly one whole day in seven;
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, and in the New Testament called The Lord’s
day.
Question 117. How is the
sabbath or the Lord’s Day to be sanctified?
Answer. The sabbath
or Lord’s day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day, 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; and making it our delight to spend
the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity
and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God’s worship: and, to that
end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation,
to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the
more free and fit for the duties of that day.
Question 118. Why is the
charge of keeping the sabbath more specially directed to governors of families,
and other superiors?
Answer. 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 ofttimes to hinder them by employments of their own.
Question 119. What are the
sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?
Answer. The sins forbidden
in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required, all careless,
negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them; all
profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful; and
by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and
recreations.
Question 120. What are the
reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?
Answer. 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: from God’s challenging a special propriety in that day, The seventh
day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: 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.
Question 121. Why is the
word Remember set in the beginning of the fourth commandment?
Answer. The word Remember
is set in the beginning of the fourth commandment, partly, because of the great
benefit of remembering it, we being thereby helped in our preparation to keep
it, and, in keeping it, better to keep all the rest of the commandments, and
to continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of creation and
redemption, which contain a short abridgment of religion; and partly, because
we are very ready to forget it, for that there is less light of nature for it,
and yet it restraineth our natural liberty in things at other times lawful;
that it cometh but once in seven days, and many worldly businesses come between,
and too often take off our minds from thinking of it, either to prepare for
it, or to sanctify it; and that Satan with his instruments much labour to blot
out the glory, and even the memory of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety.
