is on the day of rest, c diligently frequent d the church of God, to hear his word, to use the sacraments, e publicly to call upon the Lord, and contribute to the relief of the f poor, as becomes a Christian: secondly, that all the days of my life I cease from my evil works, and yield myself to the Lord, to work by his holy spirit in me: and thus g begin in this life the eternal sabbath.

c Acts 2. 42, 46. 1 Cor. 14. 19, 29, 31. d 1 Cor. 11. 33. el Tim. 2. 1. f1 Cor. 16. 2. g Isa. 66. 23.

XXXIX. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 104. What doth God require in the fifth command? A. That I show all honour, love, and fidelity, to my father and mother, and all in authority over me, and a submit my. self to their good instruction and correction with due obedi. ence; and also patiently bear with their b weaknesses and infirmities, since it pleases c God to govern us by their hand.

a Eph. 6. 1, 2, &c. Col. 3. 18, 20. Eph. 5. 22. Rom. 1. 31. b Prov. 23. 22. c Eph. 6. 5, 6. Col. 3. 19. 21. Rom. 13. 1-8. Mat. 22. 21.

XL. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 105. What doth God require in the sixth command? A. That neither in thoughts, nor words, nor gestures, much less in deeds, I dishonour, hate, wound or a kill my neighbour, by myself or by another; but that I lay b aside all lesire of revenge: also, that I c hurt not myself, nor wilfully expose myself to any danger: wherefore also the magistrate d is armed with the sword, to prevent murder.

a Mat. 5. 21, 22. Prov. 12. 18. Mat. 26. 52. b Eph. 4. 26. Rom. 12. 19. Mat. 5. 39, 40. c Mat. 4, 5, 6, 7. Col. 2. 23. d Gen. 9. 6. Mat. 26. 52. Rom. 13. 4.

Q. 106. But this command seems only to speak of murder? A. In forbidding murder, God teaches us that he abhors the causes thereof; such as e envy, f hatred, anger, and desire of revenge; and that g he accounts all these as murder.

e James 1. 20. Gal. 5. 20. f Rom. 1. 29. 1 John 2. 9. g 1

John 3. 15.

Q. 107. But is it enough that we don't kill any man in the manner mentioned above?

A. No: for when God forbids envy, hatred, and anger, he commands us to h love our neighbour as ourselves; to show i patience, peace, j meekness, k mercy, and all kindness, to. Mat. 22. 39. and 7. 12. i Rom. 12. 10. j Eph. 4. 2. Gal. 6 1, 2. Mat. 5. 5. Rom. 12. 18. Rom. 12. 18. k Ex. 23

wards him; and prevent his hurt as much as in us lies: and that we m do good, even to our enemies.

Q. 108. What doth the seventh command teach us?

A. That all uncleanness is accursed a of God: and that therefore we must with all our hearts b detest the same, and live c chastely and temperately, whether in d holy wedlock or in a single life.

a Lev. 18. 27. b Deut. 29. 20-23. c 1 Thes. 4. 3, 4. d Heb. 13. 4. 1 Cor. 7. 4-9.

Q. 109. Doth God forbid in this command, only adultery, and such like gross sins?

A. Since both our body and soul are temples of the Holy Ghost, he commands us to preserve them pure and holy: therefore he forbids all unchaste actions, e gestures, words, thoughts, f desires, and whatever g can entice men thereto. e Eph. 5. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 18. f Mat. 5. 28. g Eph. 5. 18. 1 Cor.

15. 33.

XLII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 110. What doth God forbid in the eighth command? A. God forbids not only those a thefts, and b robberies, which are punishable by the magistrate; but he comprehends under the name of theft all wicked tricks and devices, whereby we design to c appropriate to ourselves the goods which belong to our neighbour: whether it be by force, or under the appearance of right; as by unjust d weights, ells, e measures, fraudulent merchandise, false coins, ƒ usury, or by any other way forbidden by God; as also all g covetousness, all abuse and waste of his gifts.

a 1 Cor. 6. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 10. e Luke 3. 14. 1 Thes. 4. 6. d Prov. 11. 1. Ezek. 45. 9, 10, 11. Deut. 25. 13. ƒ Psa. 15. 5. Luke 6. 35. g 1 Cor. 6. 10.

Q. 111. But what doth God require in this command?

A. That I promote the advantage of my neighbour in every instance I can or may; and deal with him as I h desire to be dealt with by others: further also, that I faithfully labour, so that I i may be able to relieve the needy.

h Mat. 7. 12. i Prov. 5. 16. Eph. 4. 28.

XLIII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 112. What is required in the ninth command ?

A. That I bear false witness a against no man; nor falsify b any man's words; that I be no backbiter, e nor slanderer; that I do not judge, or join d in condemning any man rashly. or unheard; but that I e avoid all sorts of lies and deceit, as the proper works f of the devil, unless I would bring down upon me the heavy wrath of God: likewise that in judgment and all other dealings I love the truth, speak it uprightly g and confess it; also that I defend and promote, à as much as I am able, the honour and good character of my neighbour. a Prov. 19. 5, 9. and 21. 28. b Psa. 15. 3. c Rom. 1. 29, 30. d Mat. 7. 1, &c. Luke 6.37. e Lev. 19. 11. f Prov. 12. 22. and 13. 5. g 1 Cor. 13. 6. Eph. 4. 25. h 1 Pet. 4. 8.

XLIV. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 113. What doth the tenth commandment require of us? A. That even the smallest inclination or thought, contrary to any of God's commands, never rise in our hearts; but that at all times we hate all sin with our whole hearts, a and delight in all righteousness.

a Rom. 7. 7, &c.

Q. 114. But can those, who are converted to God, perfectly keep these commands?

A. No: But even the holiest men, while in this life, have only small beginnings of this b obedience; yet so, that with a c sincere resolution, they begin to live, not only according to some, but all the commands of God.

b Rom. 7. 14. e Rom. 7. 22, 15, &c. James 3. 2.

Q. 115. Why will God then have the ten commands so strictly preached, since no man in this life can keep them? A. First: that all our life time, we may learn d'more and more to know our sinful nature, and thus become the more earnest in seeking the remission of sin, e and righteousness in Christ; likewise, that we constantly endeavour and pray to God for the grace of the holy spirit; that we may become more and more conformable to the image of God, till we ar rive at the perfection proposed to us, in a life to come.

d 1 John 1. 9. Rom. 3. 20. and 5. 13. and 7. 7. e Rom. 7.24. f1 Cor. 9. 24. Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14.

XLV. LORD'S DAY.

Of Prayer.

Q. 116. Why is prayer necessary for Christians? A. Because it is the chief part of a thankfulness which Go a Psa. 50. 14, 15.

requires of us; and also because God will give his grace and holy spirit to those only, who with sincere desires continu. ally ask them of him, and b are thankful for them.

b Mat. 7. 7, 8. Luke 11. 9, 13. Mat. 13. 12. Psa. 50. 15. Q. 117. What are the requisites of that prayer, which is acceptable to God, and which he will hear?

A. First, that we from the heart pray to the one true God only, who hath c manifested himself in his word, for all things, he hath commanded us to ask of him: d secondly, that we rightly and thoroughly know our need and misery, that so we may e deeply humble ourselves in the presence of his divine majesty: thirdly, that we be fully persuaded that he, notwithstanding we are f unworthy of it, will, for the sake of Christ our Lord, certainly g hear our prayer, as he has h promised us in his word.

c John 4. 22. 23. 23, 24. Psa. 145. 18. 34. 18, 19. Isa. 66. 2.

d Rom. 8. 26. 1 John 5. 14. e John 4. f 2 Chron. 20. 12. g Psa. 2. 11. and h Rom. 10. 13. and 8. 15, 16. James 1. 6, &c. John 14. 13. Dan. 9. 7, 18. Mat. 7. 8. Psa. 143. 1. Q. 118. What hath God commanded us to ask of him? A. All i things necessary for soul and body; which Christ our Lord has comprised in that prayer, he himselfj has taught

us.

i James 1. 17. Mat. 6. 33. j Mat. 6. 9, 10, &c. Luke 11. 2, &c.

Q. 119. What are the words of that prayer?

A. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. AMEN.

XLVI. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 120. Why hath Christ commanded us to address God thus: "Our Father?"

A. That immediately, in the very beginning of our prayer, he might excite in us a child-like reverence for, and confidence in God, which are the foundation of our prayer: namely, that God has become our Father in Christ, a and will much less deny us what we ask of him in true faith, than our parents b will refuse us earthly things.

a Mat. 6. 9. b Mat. 7. 9, 10, 11. Luke 11. 11. Isa. 49. 15. Q. 121. Why is it here added, "Which art in heaven 7" A. Lest we should form any e earthly conceptions of God's e Jer. 23. 24.

heavenly majesty, and that we d may expect from his al mighty power all things necessary for soul and body. d Acts 17. 24. Rom. 10. 12.

XLVII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 122. Which is the first petition?

A. a "Hallowed be thy name;" that is, grant us first rightly b to know thee, and to c sanctify, glorify and praise thee, in all thy works, in which thy power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy and truth, are clearly displayed; and further, also, that we may so order and direct our whole lives, our thoughts, words and actions, that thy name may never be blasphemed, but rather d honoured and praised on our account.

a Mat. 6.9. b John 17. 3. Jer. 9. 23, 24. Mat. 16. 17. James 1. 5. c Psa. 119. 137, 138. Luke 1. 46. Psa. 145. 8, 9. d Psa 115. 1. and 71..

XLVIII. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 123. Which is the second petition ?

A. a" Thy Kingdom come," that is, rule us so by thy word and spirit, that we may b submit ourselves more and more to thee; preserve and c increase thy church; destroy the d works of the devil, and all violence which would exalt it... self against thee; and also, all wicked counsels devised against thy holy word; till the full e perfection of thy king. dom takes place, f wherein thou shalt be all in all.

a Mat. 6. 10. Mat. 6. 33. b Psa. 119. 5. c Psa. 51. 18. d 1 John 3. 8. Rom. 16. 20. e Rev. 22. 17, 20. f1 Cor. 15. 28.

XLIX. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 124. Which is the third petition ?

A. a" Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" that is, grant that we and all men may renounce b our own will, and without murmuring e obey thy will, which is only good; that so every one may attend to and d perform the duties of his station and calling as willingly and faithfully, as the e angels do in heaven.

a Mat. 6. 10. b Mat. 16. 24. Tit. 2. 12. c Luke 22. 42, d 1 Cor. 7. 24. Eph. 4. 1. e Psa. 103. 20.

L. LORD'S DAY.

Q. 125. Which is the fourth petition ?