Of the Christian Sabboth a godlye treatise of Mayster Iulius of Milayne / translated out of Italian into English, by Thomas Langley.

¶Of the Christian Sab∣both.

THERE is no∣thynge, that hath ben more mystaken of the Scrybes and Pharise∣is, then y^e bodely obseruaunce and kepynge of the Sabboth daye. Because that God or∣deyned it not, to the intente that the outwarde ryght and vsage of forbearynge worke and bodelye laboure, shoulde with so muche religion, or ra∣ther scrupulosite be regar∣ded, but the Sabboth was instituted, to be as it were a shadowe and figure of the spi∣rituall reste, from fleshly wor∣kes, which a Christian ought

continually to practise, & put in vre in hys liuyng and con∣uersation. In consideration wherof, we read that our sa∣uiour Christ had lytle respect and lesse reuerence to that It wishe ceremonye of the Sab∣both, and buselye laboured to perswade the Iewes, that to put difference betwixt dayes was rancke superstition, and starcke hypocrisye. Wherfore he dyd manye workes on the selfe Sabboth day: he healed the man y^t had the wythered hande, on the Sabboth daye. The Apostles rubbed out the eares of corne to eate, on the Sabboth daye: he healed at the pond by the slauter house the man that had bene xxxvi•• yeares diseased, he caused th•• the blynde borne to se: and

sayeth thys daye in the Go∣spell: if a man breake not the Sabboth in circumcisynge a chyld, why are ye greued and wode wyth me, because I haue healed a man on y^e Sab∣both daye? We reade in S. Luke that oure mayster hea∣led on the Sabboth a man di¦seased wyth the dropsey, and the Phariseis, as theyr wont maner was, murmured, and grudged at that deade. But oure mayster opened, and she∣wed euidentelye forthe that, their erroure with thys aun∣swere, saying. Which is there amonge you, if hys oxe or asse shoulde fall into a pitte on the Sabboth daye, that woulde not do his beste to rydde hym oute, & yet were not the Sab¦both broken therby. And the

reason therof our mayster she¦weth, where he sayeth, The sonne of man is Lorde of the Sabboth: that is, man is a∣boue the Sabboth, and in his affayers should not haue any eye or consideration to the corporall ceremonye, whosoe∣uer were y^e author of it. But because the Iewish Sabboth hath bred, and brought forth great hypocrisye in the Chri∣stian churche, it is expedient•• and neadfull, that we wayg•• and examine, in what maner man was Lorde of the Sab∣both, afore that Iesu Christ•• suffered, to thintente that the libertye of dayes, y^t we haue in the Christian congregati∣on, now syth that Christ hath suffered and is ascended into heauen, maye be the better 〈◊〉〈◊〉

more throughly knowē. And lest peraduenture any errour or false opinion shoulde grow in the beginning of this talke, thou muste vnderstande that all sawes, that be founde anye where, eyther be naturall or posityue.

Naturall lawes be those, that the Lord God hath gra∣uen in the naturall reason of man, whyche afterwarde be∣inge written in the stonye ta∣bles, by mynysterye of Moy∣ses, were made playner, and more open, then they were be fore in our conscience. As for example, the lawe of honou∣rynge of God, of reuerensing his name, of obeyinge our pa∣rentes, and other superiours, of not robbynge, of not com∣mittynge adultery, of not kil∣lyng,

and finally of not doyn•• to others that we would no•• were done to oure selues. These be called by the nam•• of Goddes lawes, not onely because God appoynted the•• to Moyses, but also for tha•• the Lord hath prynted them in the mynde of euerye liuing man. Whych thynge Sayn•• Paule declareth, where h•• sayeth, that the heathen shew the workes of the lawe writ¦ten in theyr heartes, they•• owne conscience bering the•• witnes of y^e same. Lawes po∣sitiue (which haue theyr orig••¦nall of the lawes of nature b•• of .ij. sortes. For ether they be Ecclesiasticall or elles the•• be cyuill Ecclesiasticall lawes whych in the olde Testamen•• are called ceremoniall) wer••

ordeyned for the consecrati∣on of true fayth, and pure reli∣gion in the churche of God. Of these lawes there were a greate numbre amonge the Hebrues, as the circumcision, the Sabboth, the order of sa∣crifices, and all the leuiticall obseruaunces. Lykewyse in our Christen churche there is the institution of baptisme, of the Lordes supper, of prea∣chynge the Gospell, of pray∣ers, and collection, or collati∣on for the pouertye, wyth all suche other lawes, as con∣cerne the mynysterye of the word, and of the Sacramen∣tes. These lawes be of God, insomuche as they be appoyn¦ted by God in the newe and olde Testamentes. Semblablye ••ach lawes as be added to these, to thin∣•••••• that the churche maye be gouerned

in formall order wythoute confussion, oughte to be called Goddes lawes, Wherfore Paul, hauynge se•• an order in the publike hone∣stye, comlynes, and modest•• behauioure, that should be ob¦serued in the congregation, aswell in men, as in women, sayeth these wordes: if anye man thynke hym selfe a tea∣cher or spiritual, let him know what thynges I wryte vnto you, for they are the cōmaun∣dementes of y^e lord God? Ve¦rely because y^t in the church or assemblye of the faithfull, eue∣rye thynge muste be handled in order with discretion, with confused minglynge.

The seconde sort of lawes posytyue be ciuyll, or politike and Iudityall lawes, whyche are deuysed for the kepynge

of the publike peace, common quiet, and vneuersall honestye in all states of men. These were long ago made and ge∣uen by God to Moyses, and syth Moyses tyme euery na∣tion hathe inuented theyr pe∣culiar and seueral lawes, and constitutions. Whych in lyke maner be named the lawes of God, not onelye because that Moyses enacted them, but also because that princes, common weales & other officers be the ordināces of god, to punyshe malefactours, and promote y^e good doers. Paul sayeth: there is no power but of God, and the powers that be, are ordeyned of god. Now that these thynges be decla∣red, let vs se, which of the fore sayd lawes, a man in the time of Moyses, and before that

Christ had died, was Lord of and aboue: that is, whiche of them he might in case of nead breake, and omitte. Fyrst and formest I saye to you: that the lawes natural, be of such force & strengthe, that nether they ought nor maye be broken for any kinde of necessitye or be∣hofe, whatsoeuer: but a man is bound to neglect honour, ri¦ches, despyse hymselfe, & con∣temne hys owne lyfe, rather then transgresse the lawe of nature. For soner a man shuld entre the fire, then denie god, and be more willing to abyde hangynge by the necke, then blaspheme the name of God, he oughte redilyer dye anye kynd of terrible and dredeful death, then beare false witnes agaynst his neyghboure. Be∣cause

there is no maner thing that more straightly bindeth vs, nor more narowly kepeth vs in, and (as it were) pinneth vs vp, then dothe the obedi∣ence to god: nether can there be anye greater scourge ouer our heade, then that is due for disobeying the Lorde. For it behoueth that all our neades, all our perillous daungers, al our profitable commodities, geue place and rowme to the obedience of god: for that we alwayes obeye to God, it is neadfull, but to continue styll in thys lyfe mortall, standeth not in such necessitye. The o∣ther lawes, that is, ecclesiasti∣call, and ciuyll, albeit they be ordeyned of god, yet be not so holye and reuerente, but that they may in causes of necessy∣tye,

not only be broken, but al∣so altogether dysanulled, as though they neuer had bene. And for profe herof, let vs per¦use the ecclesiasticall lawes of y^e Iewes. Those lawes were to be kepte, and done, so longe as the outward gouernmēte of the Iewes endured, & vn∣till that Christ was dead and rysen agayne: they were or∣deyned of God by the handes of Moyses, for the people of Israell, to the ende, that the name of God should be pray∣sed, and the promises made in Christ myghte be taught, and true religion preserued, ne∣ther was circumcision, the sab¦bothe, the sacrifices, & all that solemne and ceremoniall ser∣uice, and leuiticall obsequies aboute the tabernacle of the

Iewes, ordeyned and institu∣ted for any other purpose thē is afore sayde. Notwithstan∣dinge, for so muche as these la∣wes were onlye geuen to the people of the Iewes, & to none other nation, therfore the gen¦tiles, and foreyne people were not burdened, nor charged, w^t the kepinge of those statutes, nether did they offend in not kepynge them, for that they were not driuen to liue vnder those constitutions, although they had forsaken Idolatry, and acknowledged one very God, by beleuyng the promy∣ses of Iesu Christ. We reade, that the people of Niniue re∣pented at the preachynge of Ionas, & pleased, and appea∣red God therby, yet reade we not, that they were circumcy∣sed,

nor y^t they obserued other ecclesiastical lawes of the Ie∣wes. Daniel wytnesseth, y^t the king of Babilon confessed opē¦ly the very true god of Israel, & commaunded by proclama∣tion, that no man should blas∣pheme him, neuerthelesse it is not reade, that the king of Ba¦bilon was therfore bownden to y^e ceremonies of Moyses. No the Iewes them selues were not so bounden to these ecclesiasticall lawes, but that they myghte omitte them in tyme of neade, ether for anye cōmoditie, or for anye matter of honestye. Many of the Is∣raelites after theyr deliuerye out of Egypt, while they were in the wildernes, were vncir∣cūcised as it appeareth in Io∣sue. And very likely it is that

manye Iewes died in the de∣serte wythoute circumcision, whiche by faith passinge from death vnto life, were not dā∣ned, for hauynge theyr fore∣skin. King Dauid fleinge the persecution of Kynge Saul, lest he should dye for hunger, did eat (both he and his com∣pany) of the table of the lord, the holy bread, that was dedi¦cated, & appoynted onely for the vse of the priestes, and yet sinned he not in so doing. By thys example of Dauid oure maister proueth to y^e Iewes, that in neadfull affayres and busynes, y^e sonne of man (that is, euery man) is Lorde of the sabboth. Nether did oure sa∣uiour Iesus Christe by these wordes, meane that the Sab∣both should not, or oughte not

to be kept at that time, when as yet he was not deade, be shewed therby, on what ma∣ner the ceremonies of Moy∣ses bounde that nation to the obseruynge of them. For the Iewishe ceremonies (at that tyme) were to be reuerenced by the generall commaunde∣mente of God, notwythstan∣ding, if ether nede, or the pro∣fite of any neighbour constrai¦ned a Iew to breake them, he was not in suche case bownde to kepe them, because y^t (cause standing) the Iewes was lord of the Sabboth, and offended not in breakynge and omyt∣tynge them.

Therfore our sauiour Christ synned not, when he healed sicke and diseased persons on the sabboth day, because that

necessity, & neyghbourly cha∣ritye caused him to haue small respect to the outward Sab∣both, which was a shadowe & figur of the christian sabboth. So sone as christ was deade and risen agayne, all the cere∣monies of the Iewes were vt¦terly disanulled and repelled: wherfore the Christian man was vnburdened of the hea∣uines of them, & only trusted to be saued by y^e grace of God shewed in Iesu Christe. For this cause we christians ought not to make any difference of dayes, nor thynke that one daye is holyer then another. Wherfore S. Paul wold not that a christian, iudge & think any diuersity betwene day & day, nor that any man shoulde accuse vs for any fastiual day,

or new mone, or sabboth day, and feared lest he had trauay∣led in vayne, in the churche of the Galathians, because they were obseruers of dayes: wil¦lyng to do vs to vnderstand, y^e to count one day holier then that other, was a thing, that parteyneth to a Iewe, & not to Christen men.

That, whych we haue spo∣ken of ceremonies Mosaicall, namely that in neade, & other behoues they bound not anye Iewe, we may lykewise saye and affirme of the ecclesiasti∣call lawes of Christendome wherof some be autorised by Iesu Christ, and some by the father & elders of our religi∣on, y^t the christen fayth myght be preached and taughte in good order. And albeit the or¦dinances

of our auncestours, be not to be compared to those that god the lord appointeth, yet are they to be obserued, & ought to be reuerently vsed, because that god wold, that in the churche, thynges shuld be ordered in comly maner, and wyth due reuerence. But for so much as these our lawes ce¦remoniall are made for oure commodity, & not to our losse, therfore the lord would that they should yeld, & geue place to oure necessityes. There be many christen men vnder the Turke in vylanowse slauery, which can not vse the Sacra¦ment of the Lordes supper, & yet shall they not be condem∣ned therefore, so y^t they haue the fayth of Iesu Christ. Ma¦ny other be entangled & chal∣tered

in y^e snares of Antichri∣stes hypocrisy, whych can not here the sincere preaching of y^e Gospell, & yet shal not for that cause be condemned, if in the meane while they do beleue & trust in Iesu Christ, al such do not sin, because necessity excu∣seth thē. Lyke processe might be made of y^e Iuditial lawes, but I wyll not at thys tyme make any treatise vpon them.

The Phariseis therfore, mo¦ued of an hatefull hypocrisye, blamed our maister, as a wyc∣ked breaker of the sabboth, & yet vnderstode not for what purpose God had ordeyned the Sabboth. The Lord had an higher respecte, then to the bodely rest, when he cōmaun∣de the sabboth in the law, say¦ing to the Iewes: Remembre

that thou kepe holy y^e sabboth daye, syxe dayes shalte thou worke, and the seuenth is the Sabboth of the lord thy god, thou shalt do no worke there on. In thys speche God prin∣cipallye sheweth to y^e people of Israell, that a man can not be sanctified nor iustified by hys owne workes, but proueth y^t to come to holines, behoueth to kepe goostly sabboth. This is purport and intent of thys cōmaundement, namely that we oughte to be deade to the workes of our owne flesh, for beare and rest from sinne, and continually haue our medita∣tion & study of the kyngdome of god: practisinge our selues in this goostly rest, we sancti∣fy the christen Sabboth. For thys consyderation it is (I

thynke) that Austen (writyng vnto Ianuarius) sayeth, that this commaundemente of the sabboth is figuratiue, & a sha∣dow touching the outwarde keping of the daye, whiche is cleane abrogated together, w^t all other shadowes and cere∣monies of Moses, by y^e death of Iesu Christ. Wherfore aun¦cient writers saye, that God appointed the cōmaundment of the sabboth for thre causes.

Fyrst, because the lord vnder the commaundemente of the bodely rest, wold haue vnder∣standed the spirituall & goost¦ly quiet, wherin the faythfull surceasse from fleshly workes, & geue place to god, to worke in them the workes of the ho∣ly Goost.

The seconde cause why the

Sabboth was commaunded to the Iewes, is that the peo∣ple of the Hebrues myghte haue an appointed to heare the word of the Lord.

The thyrde cause is, that ser¦uauntes, and such as be in sub¦iection and vnder the cōmaun¦dement or rule of others, may haue some ease and disconti∣nuaunce of labour.

Thus, albeit y^t we find how the sabboth was instituted for thre causes aforesaide, yet ne∣uerthelesse, the principall and chiefe cause why this ceremo¦niall commaundemente was geuen, is because it shuld syg∣nify & importe to vs, the reste from sinne, & halowing of our soules and mindes. For thys cause we read in the old testa¦ment, that there was no com¦maundement

so precisely and straightly geuen to y^e Iewes, as the keping of the Sabboth was, when god cōplayneth y^t al religion was destroied and wasted among the Iewes, he lamēteth that this sabboth is broken, that it is not kept not sanctified, as though the lord shuld say: y^t when the sabboth is defiled & despised, there re∣maineth no other thing wher¦wyth God can be honoured. Wherfore the lord commaun¦deth the religion of the Sab∣both, aboue all other spiritual workes, speaking to hys peo∣ple on this wise: take heade (o ye childrē of Israel) y^t ye kepe my sabboth, because it is a si∣gne betwene me and you, tho∣rough out your generation, y^t ye may knowe, that I am the

lorde that sanctifie you. Kepe the sabboth, for it is holy vnto you, it is an euerlastyng coue∣naunt betwene me & the peo∣ple of Israell, and a perpetual signe. By these wordes of the Lord is well perceaued, y^t the sabboth is a signe, wherby the people of Israel may know, y^t god is their sanctifier. A chri∣stē man can not become holy, onlesse first of al he crucify the euil desires of his carnal wyl. Therfore y^e straight keping of the ceremonial sabboth is not the thing y^t can make vs holy, but it is a shadow, and sygne, which teacheth vs to leaue of frō our fleshlye workes, y^t the sprite of the lord maye worke in vs the true sanctificatiō, so y^t the carnal wil of the christen man, should geue place to the

sprite of god, his worldly hert to the wil of god. Our bodye w^t all the carnal mēbres ther∣of shuld reste from voices & al dishonest workes, y^t god may do in vs hys holy and goostly workes. This is that spiritu∣al sabboth, & christen holy day, y^t Paule describeth to the He∣brues, where he sayeth: ther∣fore there remaineth a rest vn¦to the people of god. For he y^t is entred into his rest, ceasseth from his workes, as god dyd frō hys, let vs make hast ther∣fore to entre into y^e reste. And forsomuch as a true christian oughte alwayes to subdue & kepe vnder the flesh with it cō¦cupiscences & lustes, he ther∣fore euery howre kepeth sab∣both, & taketh not one daye to be more holy then another.

This our spirituall sabboth we begin in this mortal lyfe, & from daye to day (as y^e power of the sprite of god encreaseth in vs) we more and more reste frō y^e workes of the fleshe, & be more feruent & forward in ha∣lowynge the sabboth. But be∣cause y^e flesh continually wrast∣leth & striueth agaynst y^e sprite and abateth him from the per¦fecte loue therfore no christen mā (whilest he abideth in this flesh) kepeth throughly & per∣fectly the sabboth, notwithstā¦ding at the last, when we shal¦be coupled to Iesu Christe, & the kingdome shalbe resigned into the handes of god the fa∣ther, & god shalbe al in al, then shall we kepe the perfect sab∣both. This is that perpetual sabboth, & cōtinuall holy day,

that Esay the Prophet descri¦beth saying: there shalbe sab∣both after sabboth, and newe mone after new mone, whych also was resembled & shado∣wed of the lord god to the Is∣raelites, in the outwarde ke∣ping of the seuenth day. This is that sabboth, for whych the Prophet so much bewayleth, because y^e wicked went about to take it quite away from the earthe, sayinge: come of, let vs take euery sabboth of god out of the earthe. Other sabboth then thys do not the chyldren of God acknowledge, y^e is, to staye & trust in the merites of Iesu Christ, by meane wherof they be iustified, and crucifye their owne fleshe. And forso∣much as a christian mā is assu¦redly certified & knoweth y^t he

hath god for hys father, ther∣fore he layeth al his trauayl & grefe vpon him, which taketh care for his childrē. The faith∣ful kepe Sabboth, when they say in y^e lordes prayer, o lorde thy wyll be done. By these wordes the faythfull is reple∣nished, & fulfilled with y^e sprit of the lorde, & knoweth, y^t it is not behouefull to folowe hys carnal wil, that the wil of god might be done, & accōplyshed. He y^t is the brother of Christ, is guyded by the comfortable sprite, & not by the wysdom of of his flesh. Whether death, or life, shame or honoure, riches, or pouerty, trouble, or prospe¦rity come, the christian man is nether dismayed w^t dispayre, nor puffed vp in pride. For he kepeth diligently the sabboth

of the sprite, & taketh it for cer¦tayne, y^t he is in the handes of god. Happy be those Christi∣ans that sanctify the heauēly Sabboth in their hertes, yea more then happy maye I call them, for they are no more in dispayre of conscience, they know how much Iesu Christ worketh in theyre myndes, they passe not vpō shadowes, y^t be disanulled & destroyed by the coming of the body of Ie∣su Christ. O vnhappy be oure dayes wherin raygneth more superstition, then euer dyd a∣monge the Iewes. This is y^e meruelous chere, & reioysing that the Prophet maketh for the solemnitie of the day, dedi¦cated to the lord, saying: sing wyth triumphe vnto god our helper, make ye melody to the

god of Iacob. Lifte vp youre swete tunes of the cymbales: smite vpon your Psalters, & touche clenly the strynges of your swet harpes, blow your trompettes in y^e feast of your new mone, & in the solēne day of your feast. This sōg & tune of the Prophet was expoun∣ded of Paule, wher he sayeth: y^t we shuld in our hertes singe to the lord Psalmes, & spiritu∣al songes, reioysing in y^e sprit, and ioyinge in thys sabboth. Wherfore faith ioygned with true confession, & loue, maketh vs to sing to the verye god of Iacob. This reioysing is kno¦wen outwardly of our neigh∣boure, by the confession, y^t we make in the name of the great God. The Psalterye that we smyte on in the solemnitye of

this sabboth is the louynge & thanking of god. The cimbal is the mortifyinge of humane wysdome, the crucifying of all mannes merites, & the deny∣ing of al superstitiouse religi∣on. The harpe, that is played vpon in the feast of y^e sabboth, is the charitie, that we vse to¦ward our neighbour, whyche causeth oure conuersation to be dulcet, and pleasaunt. The trompet is the preaching of y^e gospel, wherwith all christiās be somoned & warned to sanc∣tify the feast of the sabboth, for in Iesu Christe is ordeyned y^e euerlastynge Sabboth.

This is the tyme that plea∣seth the lord, in which he hea¦reth vs, for this is y^e day of sal¦uation, wherin he succoureth vs. Therfore the christian sab¦both

is, that a man dispayre of him selfe, y^t he condemne his owne holynes, & all that, that can come of our owne nature, and put the trust & cōfidence of his saluation in one only Ie¦su Christ. By this meane man resteth from hys carnall wor∣kes, and geueth place for the lord to worke in hys hert the doinges of y^e sprite, wherby y^e lorde consecrateth vs, & halo∣weth vs into hys owne ser∣uice, as the Prophete sayeth: The lorde that made euerye thing gouerneth al, for al thin¦ges be in hys handes. The Iew & the hipocrit, that here talke of thys maner sanctify∣ing of the sabboth daye, is dis∣contented, yea and is starcke woode, his bloude chafeth w^t∣in hym, nether can he abyde y^t

the superstitiouse ceremonie of daies be ouerthrowē. On other side the faythfull man heareth those thynges, reio¦seth, is glad, & chereful in hy•• hert sayinge: Praysed be t•• lord, in whose handes & cust••¦dy is my saluation: I am w•• assured to be saued, for no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 can take or pull me out of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 handes of the eternall fathe•• The Sabboth therfore is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 halowed by being ydle, nor standing with the fingers ••••¦der the girdle, nor yet wy•• ceasing from hand labour o•••• day, as y^e superstitiouse Ie•••• supposeth. Wherfore we re•••• in the Prophet Esay, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sanctifiyng of the sabboth ••••••¦deth not in the outward & ••••••••¦dely religion of the holy d•••• but the true halowing is ••••¦••••ing

our owne wil, & glorify∣••••g the lorde. For he sayeth, if ••ou tourne thy fete from the ••abboth, so y^t thou do not the ••••ing which pleaseth thy selfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my holy day, thē shalt thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 called vnto the pleasaunt, ••oly & glorious sabboth of the ••••rd, where thou shalt be in ho¦••our, so y^t y^u do not after thyne ••wne ymagynatyon, nether ••••ke thine owne wil, nor speak ••hyne owne wordes, thē shalt ••hou haue thy pleasure in the ••ord, whych shal cary the high ••boue the earth, & fede thee w^t ••he heritage of Iacob thy fa∣••her. Nether is there anye doubt, but y^t this ceremony of the day is abrogated by y^e co∣ming of Iesu Christ, like as al other ceremonies of y^e Hebru¦••es be. Iesu Christ is y^e truth,

at whose presence all figure•• be destroyed. Iesu Christe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 y^e bodye, at whose approchin•• al shadowes vanishe awaye▪ he alone hath geuen vs th•• true fulfylling of the sabboth by clothyng vs with hymself throughe his death, that w•••• being raised agayne with hi•• might leade a newe life, whe••¦fore all our lyfe shuld be a per¦petual sabboth, as I haue sa•• to you before.

And although there be no d••••¦ferences of dayes in the chri¦stian congregation, yet wo•••• Paule y^t the weake in y^e fayt•• were borne with, & suffered▪ and that compassion be take•• vpon suche, as be fre from a•• kynde of hypocrysye and dis¦simulation, because manye, y^t haue alredy some knowledge

〈◊〉〈◊〉 the word of God, desyre to ••o styll forwarde. But for y^e ••••ey be felle as chyldren, and ••••ryshed and noseled in anti∣••••ristes religion, they beleue ••hat one daye is more holye ••••en another, of more reue∣••••nce, and more honour then ••nother, of this hypocrisye ••••rked vp in the swathlynge ••••des, springeth vp also this ••ther erroure, that the consci¦••nce of the hypocrite & simple 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cloyed w^t scrupulosity: And ••hinketh that he committeth as it is commonly termed) a ••••adly synne, if on the holye ••ay he should go to plowing, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do any other maner of hād ••••oure. The Apostle ther∣••••re wolde, that suche feble & ••••eake in the fayth shuld not ••••raight way be deuided from

the churche. For with allo•• & charitable maner, our du•••• is fyrst to enstructe them, an•• do them to perceyue & witte•• of what sorte the christien 〈◊〉〈◊〉 euangelical liberty is, which is purchased & bought for v•• by Iesu Christ. Afterwarde•• when the weake faythed i•• taught so farre, that he kno¦weth the libertye of dayes▪ of meates, of rayment, and o•• all other outwarde workes and neuerthelesse wyll be fro••¦warde, and refuse to enioye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 christen liberty, then in suche case y^e infirmitie is no leng•••• to be borne with, or suffered▪ bycause so it myght growe to be vncurable. This errour was bytterly blamed of S. Paule, which inflamed with great grefe, rebuked y^e church

〈◊〉〈◊〉 y^e Galathians, sayinge: if ye ••••ue alredy knowē god, why ••••ye tourne backe a freshe to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 weake and beggerlye ele∣••••ntes, wherto ye would be ••••unden & thrak seruauntes ••••ayne? Ye obserue dayes, & ••••onethes, and tymes, & yea∣••••s, I am in feare of you, lest I ••aue bestowed labour on you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vayne. The other two cau∣••••s, for whyche the sabboth of ••he Iewes was instytuted, were neuer abrogated in any age or tyme: but ought to be obserued of Christen men in the newe testamente, with no lesse earnestnes, thē they were of the Iewes in the old lawe. Wherfore it is expedient and mete, that amonge vs be dayes appoynted, when the church ought to assemble and

come together to heare the preaching of the word of god, to vse oftē the lordes supper, to make common prayer for y^e state of christendome, to make collections of almes for the re¦lefe of the poore, & that famili∣es & housholdes may be infor∣med in the christen religion, & godlines, to visite our fren∣des in a christien maner, to visite the sycke, & to practyse suche other lyke holye dedes. Youth of it selfe is vnruly & headye. The vplandishe & fe∣ble faythed, sone falle into er∣rour, wherfore it is necessary for this intent to ordeyne ho∣lye dayes, that y^e youthe may be nurtred, and kept in awe▪ and that the ignoraunte may learne to knowe, what christē religion is, and what seruice

is due to be geuen to god.

The thyrde cause, wherfore the sabboth was dyuised, is open & playne by the wordes, that the lord spake to the He∣brue people. Thou shalte ob∣serue & take hede (sayeth the ••ord) y^t thy seruaunte, and thy mayde rest them, remembre y^t thou was a seruaunte in the ••and of Egypt. For these two ••auses therfore, that be cyuill, ••e christians must haue cho∣••••n and determinated dayes, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the church may continually 〈◊〉〈◊〉 exercised & inured, aswel in ••ardly in workes of the sprit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 outwardly in loue toward ••ur neighbour. For this consi¦••••ration the law of the Lord ••••••bad the Iewes, only suche ••orkes on the sabboth daye, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 letted thē, that they could

haue no leasure or respyte to heare the worde of God, to do the ordinary oblations and sa¦crifices, to make publike pray¦er, and other exercises, full of charitye, and loue. As for ex∣ample, they were forboden to tyll the land, to buyld houses, and to do any other ordinary labour on the sabboth day, be¦cause such workes held a man busied al the day, y^t he could in¦tend to no other thynge, not∣withstanding, because y^e lawe of the sabboth was ceremoni∣al to the Iewes, they synned not, if for necessitie, or for the weale & profite of their neigh¦bour, they chaūced some time to breake it, as I haue sayde aboue in thys treatyse.

We Christians be fre from those ceremonies, and those

ordynaunces, that the Ie∣wes were in bondage vnder. Therefore no lawe of meate, of dayes, of clothynge, of pla∣ces, can bynde vs to a synne, as it dyd the Iewes. Neuer∣thelesse, for so muche as the church can not be cōgregated, and gathered, except there be dayes appointed, wherin the worde of God muste be prea∣ched, the lordes supper miny∣stred, publike prayer made, & other Christen workes afore¦mentioned must be practised: Therefore oure aunciente fa∣thers & elders, haue determi∣ned and instituted, that at the lest one day of the weke shuld be bestowed & geuen to these religyouse and deuout seruy∣ces. And in y^e Apostles church the Chrystyans folowynge

the custome of y^e Iewes came together on the sabboth daye, so y^t many yeares the holy con¦gregatiō of christendom vsed the sabboth, for the day dedi∣cated to the spirituall gouer∣nement. But afterward, whē Christendome increased, and spred abrode, in the tyme of y^e great Constantine, y^t the Ie∣wes shuld haue no occasion to glory against vs, & that other shuld not think, y^t a Christian man became a Iew, & lastly to declare to the whole world, y^t one day is not more holy then another, the sabboth was alte¦red into the daye folowynge, which was named of the chri∣stians the dominical day, that is, dedicated to the lord. And the kepynge of thys day hath bene alwayes vsed, sythen y^t

in the church, thinges may be done with order, & reuerēce. Now to proue y^t the holy day¦es were ordeyned of our aun∣cestours for thys polytycall ende, & not to make one daye holyer then that other, suffi∣seth the auctority of Tertulli∣ane In his boke against Mar¦cion: & Hierome vpon the epi∣stle to the Galathians, wher he sayeth: lest the vnordinary congregatynge of the people shuld minish y^e faith in Christ, therfore certaine dayes be ap¦poynted vs, y^t we myghte all mete together, not that, that day, wherin we mete, is more holy or reuerent, but to y^e end y^t more reioysing may come of the mutuall beholding, what∣soeuer day we mete. Saynte Augustine also in hys worke

de ciuilate dei, maketh mention of certayne memorialles of holy dayes, as y^e natiuity of y^e lord, the circūcision, y^e passion, the re¦surrection, y^e ascension, & whit sōday, on whiche daies y^e chri∣stians dyd accōpany themsel∣ues to heare y^e word of y^e lord, to vse y^e cōmunion, to make cō∣mon prayers, & do other chri∣stian dedes. The same is red in the ecclesiastical historye of Eusebius. So y^t oure elders, knewe that ceremoniall holy∣nes of the sabboth dayes, as the Iewes did. They onelye on those dayes assemble for the same purpose, y^t the Apo∣stles did, whiche continued in doctrine, in prayer, breakyng of bread, & in the communica∣ting, y^t is, in aydinge and rele∣uing the poore. And it appea∣reth

y^t Paule appoynted the day of the sabboth, on whiche day, at y^e time y^e congregation came together, y^t the churche of Corinth shuld make theire collections of almes, that the poore christians at Hierusalē, which died for hunger, might be releued & succoured. I cō∣clude therfore, y^e christians be fre frō al superstitiouse hypo∣crisy of keping the sabboth, & other festiual dayes. The Ie∣wes among other feastes, did vse to solēmse a feast of taber¦nacles, so named because they dwelled vij, dayes in pauiliōs & bothes. This feast was ob∣serued in remembraunce, that theire fathers dwelled in the desert and wyldernes in ten∣tes, when they were delyue∣red frō y^e bondage of Egypt.

According as the Lord com∣maunded sayinge: In the se∣uenth moneth (whiche agre∣eth wyth the moneth of Oc∣tober amonge vs) the .xv. daye of the moneth shalbe the holy day of the tabernacles, & seuen dayes shall ye lodge in tentes, y^t your posteritye may knowe, how that I made the chyldren of Israel to dwell in bothes when I deliuered thē out of y^e land of Egypt. Thys solemnitie shuld be kept with∣out hipocrisye, & superstition, because it was but only a me∣moryall, & remembraunce of the benefyte, y^t God had done to their fathers. But the Ie∣wes forgetting the meanyng of y^e feast, thought they shulde offende deadly, if on such day∣es that were festyuall, they

had done anye bodelye & out∣ward worke. In like maner y^e Phariseis expounded vnto y^e people the precept of the Sab¦both amisse. The lord sayeth: thou shalte not worke on the sabboth day. This commaun¦dement onlye bounde the Ie∣wes frō doynge such labours, as letted the people, that they coulde not come to the com∣mon assembly, to be exercysed & occupied in the law and wyl of the Lord, as I haue alredy sayde here to fore.

The laste cause of kepynge the sabboth was, that the ser∣uauntes & labouring persons might haue some quyetnes & releafe of laboure: neuerthe∣lesse the Phariseis neglecting the true vnderstandinge of y^e sabboth, had bewrapped and

folden the people in the snare of hypocrisye and vayne su∣perstition. Ouer and besydes this, they added of their own heade infinite other obseruaū¦ces and rites, wherwith they brought the people into bet∣ter bondage, for they sayd: on the sabboth day men oughte not walke vpō the grasse, leste it wyther, and be deade, nor clymbe trees, nor eate frute gathered on the sabboth day, nor ryde on that daye, leaste the Sabboth were broken, nor washe clothes that were filed, nor blende wine and wa¦ter, nor kil a flie, nor fede anye thing, nor rede by cādel light, onlesse there be two at the least together in a companye, and innumerable other super¦stityouse toyes they put to of

their owne brayne, by meane wherof they made the people superstitiouse & hypocrytes.

And they were so earnestly geuen to such nouelties, that they forgate the weyghtye thynges of the lawe, that is, true faythe in God, mercye & pytye towarde their neygh∣bour. Of such thynges if per∣chaunce they spake any thing to the people, it was done ve∣ry coldely, because they were strayghte kepers of thynges of no value, and were satisfy∣ed in magnifyinge theyr car∣nall Sabboth, by whych mea¦nes they so kepte vnder the vnderstandynge of the com∣mon people, that they neuer came to the knowledge of the very truthe. But we Christi∣ans, to whome is opened and

declared the gospel, must kept a perpetual sabboth in spryte. For to a christian only belon∣geth the true rest of the spiri∣tuall Canahan. If Iosue had geuen the chyldren of Israell the true quyetnes, when he wente ouer Iordane, GOD wold not eftesones promyse a true reste, nor speake of ano∣ther sabboth by the Prophet Dauid, whyche was a longe while after Moyses & Iosue. Therfore Iosue was but a shadowe and figure of Christ, whyche geueth vs the verye rest, & spirituall sabboth. Let vs kepe a spirituall & goostlye sabboth, and not a carnall, be∣cause we haue not here anye continuyng citye, but we seke for one to come. Wherfore let vs (as Paul sayeth) knowe, 〈◊〉〈◊〉

••oure earthye house of thys dwellyng were destroyed, we haue a buyldynge ordeined of god, an house not made w^t hā∣des, but euerlasting in heauē. And therfore in y^e same, let vs lighted, estringe to be clothed with oure mansion, that is in heauen. And a lytle after he sayeth, we that are in thys ta¦bernacle sigh and are greued, for we had rather not be vn∣clothed, but be clothed vpon, y^e mortalytye myght be swalo∣wed vp of lyfe. Therfore, whi¦lest we be in thys worlde, we can not perfectelye kepe the goostly sabboth: for the fleshe in suche sorte combereth our thoughtes, that we can not cease frō workes of the fleshe, that the spryte of the Lorde myghte onlye in vs kepe the

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goostly and heauenlye Sab∣both, and that we myghte be coupled wyth Iesu Christe our heade, whyche hathe ge∣uen vs the true reste, by en∣trynge into the most desyred land of Canahan, by the path & passage, that is made and sette open by hys bloude. To whome be glorye worlde wythout ende.

Amen.

Notes

• ••eth. x. ij
• ••uc. vi.
• Iohn. v.
• Iohn. ix.
• Iohn. vij.
• Luc. xiiij.
• Natural lawes.
• Rom. ij.
• Two sor¦tes of po¦sitiue la∣wes.
• Ecclesi∣asticall lawes.
• Of the olde Te∣stament
• Lawes of the new. Act. ij.
• 1. Cor. xv••
• 1. Cor. xiiij Col. ij.
• 1. Cor. xiiij
• Ciuill lawes.
• Rom. xiij
• Lawe of nature cānot be broken for anye cause
• Ecclesi∣asticall lawes be dispēsed with.
• Exāple.
• Iones. iij.
• Niniue.
• Daniel. iij
• Babilon
• Io••ue. v.
• foreskin.
• i. Re. xvij.
• Shewe bread.
• Math. xij.
• Dispen∣sations.
• Rom. ••••••••
• Col. ••••.
• Gal. iiij.
• Ceremo¦nies of y^e new Te∣stament.
• Necessi∣tie is a di¦spensati∣on.
• Exo. x••.
• Iustituti¦on of the sabboth.
• Lib. 2. ca. 12.
• thre cau∣ses of y^e sabboth.
• Fyrste cause.
• Seconde cause.
• Thirde cause.
• Exo. xxxv.
• Hier. xvii
• Qezech. xx
• sabboth is all reli¦gion.
• Exo. xixi.
• goostlye sabboth.
• Heb. iij.
• Heb. iiij.
• Gene. ij.
• Continu¦all Sab∣both.
• flesh bre∣keth sab∣both. Gal. v.
• 1. Cor. xv
• Esay. lxvi
• Psa. lxxiij
• Christen sabboth.
• Psa. lxxx.
• Col. iij. Ephes. vj
• psaltery
• Cimbal.
• Harpe.
• Trōpet.
• ••. Cor. vi. Esay. xli••.
• Psal. xci.
• Iewes offended
• the faith¦full.
• Ihon. ••.
• Idlenes is not ha¦lowyng
• Esay. l•••••• lviji.
• Ceremo¦nye of time ab∣rogated.
• Rom. vi.
• Rom. xiiij
• Weake must be borne w^t.
• Gal. ii••••.
• Two causes neuer ab¦rogated
• Act. ij.
• Holye day beha¦uiour.
• i. Cor. vi
• Holye dayes be deadfull
• Why worke is forbiddē
• Christi∣ans be fre.
• Dayes to what vse.
• i. Cor. xvi.
• Sōday. ••••o. i.
• Howe y^e fathers vsed the sabboth
• Lib. 4.
• Act. ii. The apo¦stles vse on y^e ho∣ly daye.
• 1. Cor. xvi.
• Iohn. x. Fest of tentes.
• Leui. xxx.
• Reste of seruaun¦tes.
• Pharisa¦icall tra∣ditions.
• Com∣mons blinded.
• Heb. iiij.
• Psa. xxiiij
• Heb. xiij. Iosue a figure.
• ij. Cor. ••.