Question 65

Must the whole sabbath be sanctified?

Yes. When the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark, before the sabbath I commanded that they should be shut, and that they should not be opened till after the sabbath,^b

And do no work thereon?

No. Ye shall do no work therein,^d

Must we avoid those labours which are permitted on other days?

Yes. Take heed on yourselves and bear no burden on the sabbath day,^e

And which are required on other days?

Yes. Six days shall ye gather manna, but on the seventh which is the sabbath, there shall be none,^f

And does this extend to most busy seasons of the year?

Yes. For in earing time, and in harvest thou shalt rest,^g

Is buying and selling therefore unlawful on the sabbath-day?

Yes. I testified against them in the day that they sold victuals,^h

And should we make conscience of attending upon it?

Yes. Not forsaking the assembling yourselves together,^j

And that early?

Yes. Early will I seek thee,^k

But should we confine our religious services to the house of God?

No. It is the sabbath of the Lord in all our dwellings,^l

And singing of psalms?

Yes. We have a psalm or song for the sabbath-day,ⁿ

And hearing?

Yes. The next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word,^o

And Christian conversation?

Yes. They talked together of all those things that had happened,^p

And with diligence?

Yes. We must lay hold on the sabbath to keep it from polluting it,^r

And must we honour God in all the duties of it?

Yes. We must call the sabbath honorable and honor him,^s

Are men apt to watch how we keep the sabbath?

Yes. As he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees on the sabbath day they watched him,^t

And should this make us circumspect?

Yes. Lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies, (marg. observers,)^u

And works of necessity?

Yes. Jesus went on the sabbath through the corn and his disciples were an hungered and began to pluck the ears of corn to eat,^w

Are Christians obliged to the same strictness in keeping the sabbath as the Jews?

No. Ye have been called unto liberty,^x

But should they be careful not to abuse their liberty?

Yes. Use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh,^y

And is conscience as directed by the word the only judge in this case?

Yes. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth,^z