whiche by the comming of Christ was taken away with the other fi∣gures. Wherin I graunt they say truely, but they touche but half the matter. Wherfore we must fetche the exposition of it farther of. And (as I think) I haue marked y• there are three causes to be cōsidered, wherupō this cōmaundement consisteth. For first the heauenly law∣maker meant vnder the rest of the seuenth daye, to set out in figure to the people of Israel the spirituall rest, whereby the faithfull ought to ••esse from their owne workes, that they might suffer God to worke in them. Secondarily, his wil was to haue one apointed daye, wherein they should mere together to heare the lawe, and execute the ceremo∣nies, or at leest bestowe it peculiarly to the meditation of his workes: that by such callyng to remembrance, they might be exercised to god∣linesse. Thirdly, he thought good to haue a day of rest graunted to ser∣uants, and such as liued vnder the gouernement of other, wherin the•• might haue some cessyng from their labour.
[ 29] But we are many wayes taught, that the same shadoweng of the spiritual rest, was the principal point in the Sabbat. For y• Lorde re∣quired the keping of no cōmaūdement in a maner more seuerely, than this: when his meaning is in the Prophetes to declare that al religiō is ouerthrowen, then he cōplaineth that his Sabbates are polluted, defiled, not kept, not sanctified: as though that pece of seruice beyng o∣mitted, there remained no more wherin he might be honored. He did set forth the obseruing therof with hie praises. For whiche cause the faithful did among other oracles maruelously esteme the reuelyng of the Sabbat. For in Nehemiah thus spake the Leuites in a solemne cōuocation, Thou hast shewed to our fathers thy holy Sabbat, & hast geuen them the cōmaundementes & the ceremonies, & the law by the hand of Moses. You see howe it is had in singular estimation among al the cōmaundementes of the law. All whiche thinges do serue to set forth the dignitie of the misterie, which is very wel expressed by Mo∣ses and Ezechiel. Thus you haue in Exodus. See yt ye kepe my Sab∣bat day, bicause it is a token betwene me & you in your generations: that you maye know that I am the Lord that sanctifie you: kepe my Sabbat, for it is holy vnto you. Let the children of Israell kepe the Sabbat and celebrate it in their generations, it is an euerlastyng co∣uenāt betwene me & the children of Israel, and a perpetual token. Yet Ezechiel speaketh more at large. But the summe therof cometh to this effect, that it is for a token wherby Israell should knowe that God is their sanctifier. If our sanctification be the mortifiyng of our owne will, then appereth a most apt relation of the outward signe with the inward thing it self: we must altogether rest, that God may worke in vs: we must depart from our owne wil, we must resigne vp our heart, we must banish all lustes of the ••••esh. Finally, we muste cesse from all the doynges of our owne witte, that we maye haue God workyng in vs, that we maye reste in him, as the Apostle also teacheth.
[ 30] This perpetual cessyng was represented to the Iewes, by the ke∣pyng of one daye among seuen: whiche daye, to make it be obserued with greater deuotion, the Lord commaunded with his owne exāple. For it auaileth not a litle to stirre vp mans endeuour, that he maye know that he tendeth to the folowyng of his creatour. If any man