48-1. “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.” (WSC 58).
DIGEST: PCUS 1894 had an initial paragraph not found in the PCA's BCO, to wit, "There is no day under the gospel commanded to be kept holy, except the Lord's day, which is the Christian Sabbath. That text was retained until the 1929 PCUS revision of the Directory for Worship.The current PCA text is unchanged from PCA 1973, and dates to the 1929 PCUS revision of its Directory for Worship.
BACKGROUND AND COMPARISON :
1. PCA 1973, Adopted text, DfW 16-1 [M1GA, Appendix, p. 161]
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text,
and
3. PCUS 1933, XVI, §373.
The observance of days of fasting and of thanksgiving, as the dispensations of Divine Providence may direct, is both scriptural and rational.
PCUS 1925, XV-2 [§367]
and
PCUS 1894, XV-2
Nevertheless, to observe days of fasting and thanksgiving, as the dispensations of Divine Providence may direct, is both scriptural and rational.
COMMENTARY
Morton H. Smith, Commentary on the Book of Church Order, 6th edition, 2007, p. 405-406.
This chapter begins with the quotation of the Shorter Catechism as to the requirement of the Fourth Commandment. With this chapter
in the Book, the matter of the Sabbath is considered four times in the
Constitutional Standards of the Church (LC Q. 115-121, SC Q. 57-62,
WCF XXI, 7,8). With this emphasis on this subject in the
Constitution of the Church, it is difficult to understand why there is
such opposition to the view of the Sabbath held by these Standards.Such a view, no doubt, may in part be traced to the general prevalence of the antinomianism that is abroad in evangelical circles in these
days.
The Confession and Catechisms are based upon a careful consideration of the Law of God as it is treated throughout Scripture. The
Larger Catechism in Question 99 gives eight rules for a right understanding
of the ten commandments. The Larger Catechism reminds us that the Sabbath was established at the beginning of the world, and that the requirement is upon all men. In considering how the Sabbath is to be observed both of the catechisms indicate that resting should be from both worldly employments and recreations, which may be perfectly permissible on other days. Neh. 13:15-22,
In those days saw I in Judah some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses [therewith]. As also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
And I testified [against them] in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who brought in fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the
nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the
Sabbath. And it came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened
till after the Sabbath. And some of my servants set I over the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should purity themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy lovingkindness. |
Isaiah 13:58:13,
If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of Jehovah honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words; then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah. And I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth. And I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father. For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
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The thrust of this passage from Isaiah is that the Sabbath should be a delight for the believer, as he sets the whole day apart for the worship and contemplation of God. What a blessing to have one day each week, in which we can set aside everything of our worldly life and spend it in communion with God. This is not a negative commandment of restrictions, but a positive command to "Remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy." When one considers the fleeting nature of our labors and of our recreations in this life, as compared with eternal blessings before God, how foolish man is to want to cling to the things of the world, and not spend the weekly Sabbath in communion with God.
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