Principles of Faith and Good Conscience, Chapter 32 – Chapter 33
CAP. XXXII.
Of the Sabbath day we conſider, the
1. Inſtitution,
2. Change, and
2. Celebration of it.
Remember the Sabbath day.
Q. WHat is the purpoſe of God in this Commandment?
A. God will have every ſeventh day ſet apart, and obſerved to his honour and worſhip, in the duties of Religion, and not ſpent to our pleaſure or profit. [It muſt be ſeparate from. other daies.] Eze. 22.26. Eſay 58.13, 14. The Sabbath was inſtituted chiefly for the publique worſhip of God. Exod, 34.21.
1. Q. Is this Law of keeping one day of ſeven, for an holy …eſt, ſtill in force?
A. Yes; it hath been from the beginning, and ſhall continue to the end of the world;The Morality of the Sabbath. & it is not in the power of man to alter this proportion of time. [as to make the day of reſt to be ſooner or later, as on every fift, or on every eight day.] Gen. 2.2, 3. Hel. 4.3, 4. Exod. 16.22, 25. Mat. 5.18. [God created ſeven daies, and no more, and God reſted from the beginning.]
2. Q. Touching the change of the day. The obſervation of the Lords day for the Sabbath: Is it from Heaven, or of men?
A. It is of God, who changed the day, though not the number of the day, to the firſt of the weeke, called the Lords day. Act. 20.6, 7. 1 Cor. 16.2. Rev. 1.10. Joh: 20.19, 26. [This is a rule; looke what hath been continued down to us by the uninterrupted practice of the Churches in all ages from the Apoſtles times, and the firſt linke of that chaine, that is, the example, practice, ground, reaſon, & analogy thereof is found in Scripture: that is, to be acknowledged of divine authority, and not meerly of man: Now ſuch is this of the Lords day, and baptizing of Infants; the Commandement limits out the quotient, and God by particular deſignation hath pointed out the day, from which none but God can againe alter it.]
3. For the celebration of the Lords day, two ſorts of duties are required of a Chriſtian: Some
Before the day come.
When the day is come.
Q. What is required of us before the day come?
A. We muſt remember it, that is, we muſt be mindfull of it before hand; ſo to contrive and order our affaires and affections, that they may not hinder us in the Lords worke, on the Lords day. Ex. 16.5, 23.
Q. What followes hereof?
A. Therefore it is a ſinne, firſt, to reſerve ſome od choares, or journies, or merry meetings, to that day: ſecōdly, to encumber our ſelves with more buſineſſe then we can conveniently diſpatch in ſix daies. [As to take in more worke, more writing, more Merchandize, &c. In this kinde, Brewers, Tailers, Millers, Treaders of Wine-fats, and men of other occupations doe greatly offend, as many as doe not order their buſineſſe to end with the weeke; that ſo their calling may ſtand ſtill, and their hearts be fitted to meet God in his Ordinances.]
Q. When the day is come, What is our duty?
A. It is two-fold: Firſt, we muſt reſt from all buſineſſes of our callings, in heart, in act, and in tongue, both we and ours. [The law is ſpirituall, and binds the inward man.] Neh. 13.15, 16, 17. Exo. 34 21. Exod. 31.15, 16. Jer. 17.24.
Q. What, ſecondly?
A. This reſt muſt be an holy and ſanctified reſt; it muſt not be a brutiſh reſt. [There is a difference between the reſt of an Ox, and of his Maſter.] Eſa. 58.13.
Q. What duties are required to an holy reſt?
A. Foure: Firſt, we muſt prepare our ſelves for a publick worſhip in the morning, by examination of our wants & waies, and by Prayer, both by our ſelves alone, and with our families, for Gods bleſſing on the ordinances, for the edification of our ſelves and others. [They that come without praying, goe away uſually without a bleſſing] Exod: 19.10.
Q. What ſecond duty is required?
A. We muſt be diligent to come to the publike aſſemblies, timely, reverently, and with our company, if we have any. Act: 15.21. Luk: 4 16. Ezek: 46.10. Act. 10.33. Pſal: 42.4. Heb. 10.25.
Q. What thirdly?
A. I muſt religiouſly joyne with the Congregation in the duties there performed; as in a Prayer, b praiſing and ſinging, c attending to the Word read or Preached, and d participation of the Sacrament. Eccl. 5.1. 1 Cor. 14.26, 27. a Act. 16.13. Mat: 81.19. 2 Chron: 5.13. Col: 3.16. c Act: 13.15, 16. Luk. 4.20. d 1 Cor. 11.21. Act: 2.42. Act: 20.7. [It is a fault in the congregation to divert our ſelves from the exerciſe in hand, to private reading, or talking, or gazing about; we muſt make one in every exerciſe of Gods worſhip.
Q. VVhat fourth duty is required to the ſanctifying of a Sabbath?
A. After the Aſſembly is diſmiſſed, I muſt ſpend the other time in meditation, and reading of Gods word, in prayer, and conference of that we have heard, to the edification of our ſelves and families. Act. 17.11, 12. 1 Cor. 14.35. Gen. 18.19. [Theſe be the duties of the day.]
Q. Is all work ſimply unlawfull to be done on the Sabbath day?
Three ſorts of workes lawfull on the Sabbath day.A. No; workes of mercy to a man or beaſt; b workes about the worſhip of God, and workes of true neceſſity, may be done. [God will have mercy rather then ſacrifice: It is therefore lawfull to ring bels to call the people together; to travell to a Sermon, to dreſſe our Meat, to Milk our Kine, to ſet watch & ward, & ſuch things as belong to the meet comfort of mans life: man is not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man.] a Luk. 13.11, 15. Luk. 14.1, 5. Exod. 12.16. 1 King. 8.65. Mat. 12. 1, 7, 11. b Mat. 12.5. Neh. 13.19 Joh. 7.23. 2 King. 4.23.
Q. Why muſt we be carefull of this Law?
A. Becauſe if we make conſcience of the Sabbath day, we ſhall be bleſſed in our ſoules, and in the labours of the weeke daies. [Tis a bleſſed day; the day is not capable of bleſſing, or a curſe, in it ſelfe, but to the obſervers of it, it is a day of bleſſing.] Eſay 56.4, 6. Neh. 13.18. Jer. 17.24, 25.
CAP. XXXIII.
Of the fifth Commandement. Honour thy Father and Mother, &c.
THis Cemmandement ſhewes our duty, as we ſtand in relation one to another; as the duty of Children, Servants, VVives, Subjects; & the reciprocall duties or Kings, Husbands, Maſters, Parents. Eph. 6.2, 4, 9.
Q. VVho are meant hereby Father and Mother?
A. Not onelyonly our naturall Parents, but all ſuch as God hath linked to us, and ſet over us, in office and authority, or other preheminency above us, Eſay. 49.23. Job. 29.19. 2 King: 5.13.
Q. VVhat is meant by honouring of them?
A. It is to render unto every one his dues, that is, ſuch reſpect as is due to his place, calling, or other dignity and preheminence which God hath beſtowed on him, and will have to be acknowledged in him. Rom. 13.7. 1 Pet. 2.13. 1 Pet. 5.5. Gen. 41.40, 43.
To begin with the duties of Parents, and Children.
Duties of Parents.Q. If I be a Parent, What is my duty to my Children?
A. The duties of Parents to their Children be five: Firſt, to a nurture them in the knowledge and feare of the Lord; to train them up to Heaven; to inſtruct them in their duties, and to b obſerve and correct their vicious inclinations. a Eph. 6.4. Deut. 6.7. 2 Tim. 3.15. b Prov. 19.18. 1 Sam. 3.13. 1 King. 1.6.
Q VVhat is the ſecond duty of Parents?
A. In all things Parents muſt ſhew themſelves patternes of Godlineſſe, and not bane their Children by their irreligious examples; which makes both their own counſels at home, and the helpes of education abroad, to be unfruitfull unto them, Pſal. 131.2.
Q. VVhat third duty?
A. Parents muſt cheriſh, protect and provide for their Children of ſubſtance honeſtly gotten. 2 Cor. 12.14. Gen. 30.30. Joſh: 7.24.
Q. VVhat fourth duty belongs to Parents?
A. VVhen their Children are growne up, to faſhion them to good a manners; to aſſiſt and direct them in choice of their b callings, and c Marriages. [And in other things wherein children want help of Governours.] a Job 32.6. 2 King. 2.23. Job 29.8. b 1 Sam. 1.28. c Gen: 24.2. 1 Cor. 7.38.
Q. What fift duty?
A. Parents muſt not a provoke nor diſcourage their Children, by diſgracing or reviling them; b nor by withholding things neceſſary for them; nor by unequall loves, making a difference of Children upon outward reſpects, to the juſt grife of the other. a Col. 3.21. Eph. 6.4. b Gen: 37.4. Deut. 21.15, 17.
Q. If I be a Child, What is my duty to my Parents?The Childs duty.
A. The duty of Children to their Parents, is threefold: Firſt, to love, reverence, and obey them, though they be poore folkes. Eph. 6.1. Mal. 1.6. Luk. 2.51. Prov. 30.17.
Q. What's the ſecond duty of Children
A. Not to a waſt their Parents, but to ſupport and b cheriſh them in all their wants and weakneſſes. a Prov. 19.26. b Mat. 15.4, 6. 1 Tim. 5.4, 8. Gen. 47.12. Joh. 19.27.
Q. What's the third duty of Children?
A. To receive the inſtructions and corrections of their Parents, and not to grieve them by obſtinacy and ſtubbornneſſe. Deut. 21.18.19.
Q. VVat followes hereof?
A. They be naughty children, (children of Belial) that a inwardly deſpiſe, or b outwardly revile, mock and diſobey their Parents, cauſing ſhame and griefe unto them by their unkindneſſe, unthankfulneſſe, and other licentious living. a Deut. 27.16. b Lev. 20.9. Gen. 9.22, 25. Ro. 1.30.