What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?

1. How are the sins ranked that are forbidden in this commandment?

They are ranked into sins of omission, and sins of commission. [See both these explained, PART I. on the head Of sin in general.]

2. What are the sins of [omission] here forbidden?

Both the total neglect of the duties required, and the neglect of the careful performance of them, when essayed.

3. What is the total neglect of the duties required on the Sabbath, an evidence of?

It is a plain evidence of the neglect of all religious duties through the week; and consequently an evidence of Atheism, profaneness, and apostacy.

4. When are persons guilty of the [careless performance] of the duties required on the Sabbath?

When they go about them in a partial, formal, and lifeless way.

5. What is it to go about duties in a partial way?

It is to perform some of them, and omit others equally necessary; such as, attending the public, and neglecting the private exercises of God’s worship; or the contrary.

6. What is formality in duty?

It is the bare outward performance thereof, without regarding the manner in which it ought to be done, or the vital principle from whence it should flow.

7. What are the ordinary causes of the dead and lifeless performance of religious duties?

Wandering thoughts, weariness, and drowsiness, are among none of the least.

8. What is the best antidote against wandering thoughts?

Faith in exercise; for this will fix the attention to what we are presently engaged in, whether hearing, praying, or praising.

9. Whence arises weariness in duty?

From the natural bias of the heart and affections to worldly things, rather than religious exercises, “When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat?”

10. What is the evil of drowsiness, particularly in hearing the word, or joining in prayer and praise?

If it be voluntary and customary, it is a manifest contempt of the word and presence of the great God, and paying less regard to him, than we even do to our fellow-creatures.

11. What are the sins of COMMISSION forbidden in this commandment?

[The profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.]

12. What is the [idleness] here prohibited?

It is a loitering away the Sabbath, in a slothful, indolent, and inactive manner, without any real benefit or advantage, either to soul or body.

13. Why is there a prohibition of [doing that which is in itself sinful], on the Lord’s day, when it is unlawful on every other day?

Because whatever the sinful action be, there is a greater aggravation of guilt in committing it on the Sabbath, which ought to be kept holy to God, than upon any other day.

14. What are these [thoughts, words, or works,] that are here called [unnecessary]?

They are such as are [about our worldly employments or recreations]; or, they are all such thoughts, words, or works, as are not inevitably used about the works of necessity and mercy, which are lawful on this day.

15. Why is the day said to be profaned by the sins here forbidden?

Because these sins are each of them the reverse of that holiness, which should shine in all our duties, public and private, on the Lord’s day.