Questions 51-75
Complete historical English Shorter Catechism, 107 questions
Westminster Assembly
Q51: What is forbidden in the Second Commandment?
A51: The Second Commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in His Word.
Q52: What are the reasons annexed to the Second Commandment?
A52: The reasoned annexed to the Second Commandment are, God's sovereignty over us, and the zeal He hath to His own worship.
Q53: Which is the Third Commandment?
A53: The Third Commandment is, "thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain."
Q54: What is required in the Third Commandment?
A54: The Third Commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, and works.
Q55: What is forbidden in the Third Commandment?
A55: The Third Commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing [of] anything whereby God maketh Himself known.
Q56: What is the reason annexed to the Third Commandment?
A56: The reason annexed to the Third Commandment is, That however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgement.
Q57: Which is the Fourth Commandment?
A57: The Fourth Commandment is, "Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."
Q58: What is required in the Fourth Commandment?
A58: The Fourth Commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as He appointed in His Word; expressly one whole day in seven to be a holy Sabbath to Himself.
Q59: Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?
A59: 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.
Q60: How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?
A60: 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.
Q61: What is forbidden in the Fourth Commandment?
A61: The Fourth Commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and 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.
Q62: What are the reasons annexed to the Fourth Commandment?
A62: 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.
Q63: Which is the Fifth Commandment?
A63: The Fifth Commandment is, "honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."
Q64: What is required in the Fifth Commandment?
A64: The Fifth Commandment requireth the preserving the honour, and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.
Q65: What is the forbidden in the Fifth Commandment?
A65: The Fifth Commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing anything against, the honour and duty which belongeth to every one in their several places and relations.
Q66: What is the reason annexed to the Fifth Commandment?
A66: 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.
Q67: Which is the Sixth Commandment?
A67: The Sixth Commandment is, "thou shalt not kill."
Q68: What is required in the Sixth Commandment?
A68: The Sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life, and the life of others.
Q69: What is forbidden in the Sixth Commandment?
A69: The Sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.
Q70: Which is the Seventh Commandment?
A70: The Seventh Commandment is, "thou shalt not commit adultery."