XI. THE SABBATH AND THE HOUSE OF GOD.

THE SABBATH. God's command-Punishment of Sabbath Breaker-His blessing on those who keep holy

the Sabbath.

PUBLIC WORSHIP. On going to it-Duty of-Pleasantness of, and delight in—Praising God in his House— Promises to encourage, and benefit of-Duties and dispositions connected with.

1. What is the fourth commandment?

Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work; thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, 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 seventh day, and hallowed it. (20 Ex. 8 to 11.)

2. Did God connect public worship with the Sabbath?

Ye shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary. I am the Lord. (19 Lev. 30.)

3. What was the punishment which God pronounced against the "man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day?"

And the Lord said unto Moses, The man surely shall be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died. (15 Num. 35, 36.)

4. Has God promised his peculiar blessing to those who keep holy the sabbath day?

Blessed is the man that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it. (56 Is. 2.)

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth. (58 Is. 13, 14.)

5. Was the sabbath a sign between God and the Israelites?

Hallow my sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. (20 Ez. 20.)

6. Does the good man rejoice in the prospect of spending the sabbath in the house of God?

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. (122 P. 1.)

7. Is great care necessary in going to the house of God?

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they consider not that they do evil. (5 Ec. 1.)

8. How did the Psalmist resolve to attend public worship?

As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy, and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. (5 P. 7.)

9. Are Christians cautioned against neglecting divine service?

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is. (10 Heb. 25.)

10. Is great attention necessary in improving the means of grace?

We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. (2 Heb. 1.)

11. Is praise one peculiar duty of the public as

sembly?

Praise ye the Lord: I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. (111 P. 1.)

Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. (27 P. 6.) Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name, (100 P. 2. 4.)

12. Did the Psalmist express his gratitude to God

in public worship?

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vows unto the Lord, now in the presence of all his people. (116 P. 12, 13, 14.) 13. Are the people of God desirous of inviting others to join with them in worship?

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. (107 P. 31, 32.)

14. Does the saint ardently long to unite in the

service of God?

How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. (84 P. 1 to 4.)

15. How does he esteem one day spent in the house

of God?

A day in thy courts better than a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. (84 P. 10.)

16. Is continued attendance on the means of grace a chief object of the Saint's desire?

One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. (27 P. 4.)

17. When prevented from enjoying his privileges does he long for their return?

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? (42 P. 1, 2.)

18. Is this love for public worship connected with the honor of his God?

Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth. (26 P. 8.)

19. Does the true Christian esteem the preachers of the gospel?

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (10 Rom. 15.) (52 Is. 7.)

20. What hearers of the gospel are truly blessed?

Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (11 Lk. 28.)

21. Is he truly blessed and benefited who improves the privileges of public worship?

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. (65 P. 4.)

Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God. (92 P. 13.)

22. What gracious promise has our divine Saviour given to encourage social worship?

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (18 Mt. 20.)

23. Does the Saint hope to dwell in God's house for ever?

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (23 P. 6.)

24. Is reverence required in God's house?

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. (89 P. 7.)

Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. (93 P. 5.)

25. Must we take great care what and how we hear?

Take heed what ye hear. (4 Mr. 24.)

Take heed, therefore, how ye hear, (8 Luke 18.)

26. Should faith be connected with hearing?

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (10 Ro. 17.)

The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (4 Heb. 2.)