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The Westminster Shorter Catechism A.D. 1647

Questions 58-82

Question 58. What is required in the fourth commandment?

Answer. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy Sabbath to himself.

Question 59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?

Answer. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath.

Question 60. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?

Answer. The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.

Question 61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?

Answer. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission, or careless performance, of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works about worldly employments and recreations.

Question 62. What are the reason annexed to the fourth commandment?

Answer. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the Sabbath-day.

Question 63. Which is the fifth commandment?

Answer. The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Question 64. What is required in the fifth commandment?

Answer. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor of, and performing the duties belonging to, every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals

Question 65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?

Answer. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of; or doing any thing against, the honor and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations.

Question 66. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?

Answer. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is, a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve for God’s glory, and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment

Question 67. Which is the sixth commandment?

Answer. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.

Question 68. What is required in the sixth commandment?

Answer. The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

Question 69. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

Answer. The sixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.

Question 70. Which is the seventh commandment?

Answer. The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Question 71. What is required in the seventh commandment?

Answer. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior.

Question 72. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?

Answer. The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.

Question 73. Which is the eighth commandment?

Answer. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.

Question 74. What is required in the eighth commandment?

Answer. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.

Question 75. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

Answer. The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may, unjustly hinder our own, or our neighbor’s wealth or outward estate.

Question 76. Which is the ninth commandment?

Answer. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Question 77. What is required in the ninth commandment?

Answer. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness-bearing.

Question 78. What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

Answer. The ninth commandment. forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor’s good name.

Question 79. Which is the tenth commandment?

Answer. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.

Question 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?

Answer. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his.

Question 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?

Answer. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions or affections to any thing that is his.

Question 82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

Answer. No mere man, since the fall, is able, in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God; but doth daily break them, in thought, word, and deed.

Questions 83-107