7 new Moon be gone that we may fell Corn? and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat? &c. Q. 8. What is the first Reason annexed to this Command ? A. The first Reason is the sufficient and large Allowance of Time God hath given us for our civil Callings and earthly Business. Six Days in the Week is a large Allowance. Q. 9. What is the second Reason annexed to this fourth Command? A. The second Reason is God's sanctifying and feparating this Day by a special Command and Institution for his Service; fo that to profane this Time is to fin against an exprefs divine Statute. Q. 10. What's the third Reason annexed to this Command? A. The third Reason is God's own Example, who rested the seventh Day from all his Works, and blessed this Day, by vertue 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 Sin, though we be never so strict in the Obfervation of it ourselves. Q. 12. 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 xxiii. 54. And that Day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. Q. 13. What is the first Inference from hence? A That we have all great Cause to be humbled for our Sabbath Tranfgressions, either in our unpreparedness for it, our want of Delight and Spirituality, in it, or the due Government of our Families, as Goa requires. Q. 14. What is the second Inference from hence? A. 1 hạt Christians on the Sabbati: Day have a fair Occafion and Help to realize to themseives the reavenly State, in which they are to live abstract from the World, and God is to be all in all to them, Of Quest. 63. W 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.] Quest. 64. What is required in the fifth Commandment? A. The fifth Commandment requireth the preserving the Honour, and performing the Duties belonging to every one in their several Places and Relations, as Superiors, Inferiors -or equals. Quest. 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 several Places and Relations. Quest. 66. What is the Reason annexed to the fifth Commandment ? A. The Reason annexed to the fifth Commandment is, a Promise of long Life and Profperity (as far as it fall serve for God's Glory, and their own Good) to all fuch as keep this Commandment. Q. I. What Relatives are directly and more especially concerned in this fifth Commandment? A. All Superiours and Inferiours are consented in it: Especially (1.) Political Fathers and their Children; that is, Kings and Subjects: Mark xi. 10. Blessed 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 Instruters in Chrift, yet have ye not many Fathers: For in Chrift Jefus I have begetten you through the Gospel. (3.) Natural Parents and their Children, Ephef. vi. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord. (4.) All civil Superiours and Inferiours, as Husbands and Wives, Matters and Servants, Ephef. v. 22. Wives fubmit yourselves unto your own Husbands, as unto the Lord. And Ephef. 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 Subjects ? 1 Give me now A. It is to rule and govern the People over whom God hath fet them with Wisdom, 2 Chron. i. 10. Wisdom and Knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this People. Justice, 2 Chron. xix. 5, 6, 7. And be fet fudges. in the Land, throughout all the fenced Cities of Judab, City by City. And be said to the Judges, Take beed what ye do; for ye judge not for Man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the Judgment. Wherefore now let the Fear of the Lord be upon you, take beed and do it, &c. And Piety, 2 Sam. xxiii. 3.He that ruleth over Men must be just, ruling in the Fear of God. Carefully providing for their Souls in every Place of thein Dominions, 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 Safety, 2 Chron. xvii. 12. And Jehofaphat waxed great exceedingly, and be built in Judab Cafiles and Cities of Store. Q. 3. What are the Duties of Subjects to their Rulers ? A. It is to pray for them, I Tim. ii. 1, 2. I exhort therefore, that first of all Supplications, Prayers, Interceffions, and giving of Thanks be made for all Men: For Kings, and for all that are in Authority, &c. To honour them, I Pet. ii. 17.Fear God, honour the King. To obey their just Laws, Rom. xiii. 1. Let every Soul be fubject unto the Ligher 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 ustom 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 Season, and out of Season, rebuke, reprove, exhort, with all long-suffering and Doctrine. (2.) To be full of Bowels of tender Affection to them, I Theff. ii. 7, 8. But we were gentle among you, even as a Nurse cherisbeth her Children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our own Souls, because ye were dear unto us. (3.) o pray for them, Eph. i. 15, 16. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your in the Lord Jesus, and Love unto all the Saints, ceaje not to give Thanks for you, making Mention of you in my Prayers. (4.) To Faith To : To watch over them, 1 Pet. v. 2. Feed the Flock of God which is among you, taking the Overfight thereof not by Constraint, but willingly, &c. And (5.) To walk as an Example of Godliness before them, Tit. ii. 7. In all Things shewing thyself a Pattern of good Works, All which Duties require their Refidence among them, I Pet. v. 2. Feed the Flock of God which is among you, &c. Q. 5. What are the Peoples Duties towards their Mini sters? A. Their Duty is, (1.) To esteem and love them dearly for their Works fake, 1 Theff. v. 12, 13. And we beseech you, Brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in Love for their Works fake. (2.) To attend on the Word preached by them, as the Word of God, 1 Theff. ii. 13. For this Cause 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 Success of their Labours, Heb. xiii. 18. Pray for us, &c. (4.) Not to receive light and malicious Reports against them, 1 Tim. 5. 19. Against an Elder receive not an Accufation but before two or three Witneffes. (5.) To make a competent and comfortable Provision 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 sheould not have Compaffion on the Son of her Womb? (2.) To educate them for God, Ephef. vi. 4. And ye Fathers provoke not your Children 10 Wrath, but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. (3.) To reftrain their Sins by Correction, Prov. xxix. 15. The Rod and Reproof give Wisdom, but a Child left to himself, bringeth his Mother to Shame. (4) To provide for their Livelihood, I Tim. v. 8. But if any provide not for his own House, be bath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel. (5.) To pray daily for them, Job i. 5. And it was fo when the Days of their feafting were gone about, that Job fent and fanctified them, and roje up early in the Morning, and offered Burnt-offerings according to the Number of them all : For Job faid, it may be that my Sons have finned, and cursed God in their Hearts: Thus did Job continually. (6.) To encourage them with endearing Language in the Way of Godlinefs, Prov. xxxi. 1, 2, 3. The Words of King Lemuel, the Prophesy that his Mother taught him. What, my Son! and what the Son of my Womb! and what the Son of my Vows! Give not thy Sirength unto Women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth Kings. Q. 7. What are the Duties of Children to Parents ? A. Their Duty is, (1.) To obey them only in the Lord, Eph. vi. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord. (2.) To reverence and honour them, Levit. xix. 3. Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Faiher, &c. (3) To submit to their Reproofs and Corrections, Heb. xii. 9. Furthermore we have had Fathers of our Flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them Reverence. (4.) To provide for them, if they be poor and needy, and we have Ability, Gen. xlvii. 12. And Joseph nourished his Father and his Brethren, and all his Father's Houshold with Bread, according to their Families. Q. 8. What shall Children do, when Parents abuse their Authority, by forbidding Duty or commanding Sin ? A. In fuch Cafes Children are to obey God rather than their Parents, Acts iv. 19. But Peter and John answered, and faid unto them, Whether it be right in the Sight of God, to hearken unto you, more than unto God, judge ye. But yet to manage their Refusals of Obedience with all Meekness and Humility. Q. 9. What is the first Duty of Husbands to their Wives ? A. The first Duty, on which all other Duties depend, is Cohabitation with them, I Pet. iii. 7. Likewise ye Husbands, dwell with them according to Knowledge, &c. And nothing can make this Duty void, but a lawful Divorce for Adultery, Matth. v. 31, 32. - But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his Wife, Saving for the Cause of Fornication, causeth her to commit Adultery, &c. Q. ro. What's the Husband's second Duty to his Wife? A. True |