A Christian duty composed by B. Bernard Francis.

DISCOURS XXXI OF THE THIRD COMMANDEMENT. (Book 31)

Remember that thou Sanctify the Sabbath day. (Book 31)

1. IF this commandement does oblige us Chri∣stians, as it oblig'd the Iewes: we commit three great faults, each of which does bring damnation: This Commandement oblig'd the Iewes to rest on the same day that God * 1.1 did rest, to wit on saturday: and we rest on Sunday. It forbid them all worke: as to light a fire, to dress meat, to wa••k in the fields, except one mile, or there about: And we do on sunday these workes which were forbidden. The day of rest began from the evening of its Vigil: and we begin it, but after mid∣night: Who hath given us all these dispensations? Who hath li∣cenced us to break all these Lawes? We find not in the new Testament one only word that gives us a playn and clear excuse. We read indeed in the Apocalyps, that S. Iohn was in spirit upon our Lords day; there was then such a day as our Lords * 1.2 day; But a Sabbatharian will say to us: he does not tell you that the Sanctification given to saturday was taken from that day; nor that there was given a command to all the world, not to worke upon that day which he called our Lords day; nor does it appear there, or elswhere in the scripture, that it was not

the day of the Resurrection, or Ascension, or Christmas day which S. Iohn called our Lords day.

We read again in the Acts, that the first christians met upon the first day of the week which is our sunday, to communicate. But * 1.3 a Sabbatharian wil reply again what then? The Text does not say they assembled always on that day: or only on that day: yea we read in the Acts, that they communicated very frequently, * 1.4 or every day; How do you then inferr from their communica∣ting once upon that day, that the Sabbath was abrogated, and the Sunday was subrogated in its place? Nay, you find in the new Law, that though the old Law was by CHRIST eva∣cuated, yet the ten Commandements were by Him confirm'd; For in S. Matthew, one came to our Saviour saying, what good shal I do that I may have everlasting life? Our Saviour * 1.5 answered, keep the commandements. And when that man reply'd to know what commandements? Our Lord explicated himself to mean those Commandements, which that man knew very well, * 1.6 as appears also in S. Mark, and in S. Luke,

Secondly S: Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians says, Circumcision is nothing, and prepuce is nothing, but the observance of the Commandements of God; this is the thing you must look too, if you will have everlasting life. Behold here that great Apostle tels you, rhat even then, when Circumcision was abolished, and made nothing, yet the observance of the Commandements, and he excepts not one, was necessary to salvation. And our Sa∣viour foretelling his Apostles the destruction of Hierusalem, which was to be 40. yeares after his Resurrection, when one would think the observance of the Sabbath would have been, * 1.7 if ever it were to be abolished: yet He bids them pray, that their flight might not be upon the Sabbath or the 7. th day for to avoyd the prophanation of that day. The seventh day then was to be observ'd, long after the supposed practise of Communion upon the Sun∣day: * 1.8 and long after S. Paul bids Christians to make their col∣lections upon the first day of the week: from whence you draw another argument: though the Apostle does not so much as say, that they did use to meet that day: and seems to appoint that day only for a pious beginning of the week.

2. Since then the Scriptures are not clear for us in this im∣portant point: yea, seem rather to be against us; How do we know that the obligation of sanctifying the Sabbath or se∣venth day was taken away? And how do we know that a new obligation of sanctifying the Sunday was put upon us? we know it by the same way we know the Bible is the Word of God: that the Creed was made by the Apostles: that infants are to be baptized: that the prohibition of the new Law to eate suffoca∣ted * 1.9 meats and blood is repeal'd: and to be short, as we know other things of great importance not written, or not plainly * 1.10 declar'd in Scripture: And this is Apostolical Tradition, which S. Paul bids us hold; For the Church by the instruction of the Apostles tells us plainly, that the Son of God hath freed us from all obligation to sanctify the Sabbath of the Iewes: and hath in∣stituted Sunday for us Christians. For on this day, the prin∣cipal Workes attributed to the most holy Trinity, and don in favour of us, were begun or accomplished. It was on Sunday that God began to create the World; It was on Sunday, that our Saviour came into the world: that He was born of the B. Virgin: and that he rose again from the dead; It was on Sun∣day, that the holy Ghost descended upon the Faithfull to sanc∣tify the world.

3. These incomparable Workes should be the object of our devo∣tion on Sundays to conforme our selves to the intentions of our Saviour, and of the Church. For this Commandement is both affirmative, and negative; as negative, it forbids servil workes: as affirmative, it commands us to sanctify the day: that is to employ the day in holy Workes: as in assisting devout∣ly at divine service, in praying, in contemplating particularly those great workes of God, for to admire the excellencie of them, and to thank, bless, and praise him for them: in receiving the Sacraments, in reading spiritual books, in hearing the word of God, in visiting the Poor, Sick, and Prisoners, which is an act af Religion says S. Iames: in instructing one another in the Mysteries of Faith, in the Commandements of God, in * 1.11 the practise of vertue and Religion. S. Chrysostome sayd, that Sunday was called the day of bread, becaus all Christians then re∣ceiv'd

the bread of Angells in the Eucharist: the day of light: becaus we ought to receive t••erein light and guidance for all the week, by sermons, catechismes, spiritual reading, and meditation. If then we employ great part of the day in dancing, playing and recreating our selves, we offend not indeed aga∣inst the negative Commandement, which forbids servil workes, but we do not accomplish perfectly the affirmative precept, which commands us to sanctify the day.

4. They violate the negative Commandement who employ the holy days in traficking, in buying or selling, or other servil and mercenary employments: and are subjects of the complaynt which God makes by Ezechiel. The houses of Israel provoked me, and my * 1.12 Sabbaths they violated exceedingly.

4. You wil•• say; If I sell not, another will: I shal lose my custome, and shal want. But if this be so: S. Paul would not say, Piety is profitable to all things, that is, both to the spiritual * 1.13 and the temporal. Nor would our Saviour conclude. Be not there∣fore solicitous for the Sustenance of your bodys, seek first the kingdom of God, and his Providence will furnish you the rest, by the meanes of moderate labour. If we ever ought to seek the kingdom of God, we ought to do it at least on Sundays, and becaus you seek it not, you are not supplyed with the rest. You neglect the spiritual, for the temporal: and you lose both temporal and spiri∣tual: you are poor in this world, and in the other.

5. They have violated my Sabbaths exceedingly; God says. Exceedingly, aga∣inst those, who not only serve not God on sundays, but offend him more outragiously than in any other day, by debaucheries, impieties, and dissolutions. It seems the sunday is made by some the sink of all the week, who having not leasure to offend God on other days, transferr this to the sunday; It is not now our Lords day with them, but the devills: their solemnities are not the festivalls of Saints, but of Bacchus, Ceres, and Venus. Here∣tofore the devills left the bodyes of possessed persons. and with∣drew themselves into the desert, as unable to endure the piety and devotion of the Faithfull; But now they possess the hearts of Christians, as those hoggs of the Geraseens, to precipitate them into the lake of a thousand brutal actions: and after, into the

pool of fire and brimstone of everlasting death. It is certible to hear * 1.14 with what execration God speaks of holy days so Prophaned: my soul hateth your Solemnityes: I will cast upon your faces, the dung of them.

6. Let us say then with the Psalmist, Turn ô my Soul into thy rest: becaus our Lord hath don good to thee. * 1.15

Turn ô my Soul, convert your self entirely to God on the sunday at least. It is instituted for this end, and it is called the day of our Lord: becaus if we have been turned to our selves, and to our affaires the other dayes: we must at least turn to God and to his service this day, which He hath reserv'd to himself. It seems an usurpation of anothers goods, and a sort of sacri∣ledg to rob him of this day, and to employ it prophanly aga∣inst his will.

Turn ô my Soul into thy rest; It is a great crime to refuse Obe∣dience to a commandement so sweet; other Masters urge their servants and cry out to them, worke, work: ha! God says to his: my children: I will not that you weary out your selves: give some respit to your selves from labours: rest in me, who am the Center of your hearts, and the true rest of your soules. He calls this day by his Prophet, The delicate or delicious Sabbath: His * 1.16 delights are to be, and to convers with us: why should we not then make it our delights to be and convers with Him?

Turne into thy rest, becaus our Lord hath don well to thee. The Sunday was instituted that we might have opertunity to serve God, and more leasure to thanke Him for our Creation, Preservation Redemption, Sanctification, and Vocation to his Service: for all graces and good workes which He gives us: for preserving us from a thousand infirmities, miseries, deaths, and from so many occasions of sin: He hath delivered, says the Prophet, my soul from death, my eyes from teares, my feet from sliding; if we are grateful for benefits receiv'd, we shal give him occasion to give us new: if we employ we••l the time design'd for the service of God, He will bless the time granted us to make provision for our selves and families. do then the workes of God on holy dayes, and He will do yours on other days: and moreover make you pass from the figure to the Verity, from the shadow to the light,

from the symbole to the reality, and from the temporal rest of this life, to the eternal repose of glory. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. 20. 9. Levit. 23: 3. Exod. 35▪ 3. Exod. 16▪ 23. Levit. 23.
• * 1.2

  Apoc. 1.
• * 1.3

  Acts. 20. 7.
• * 1.4

  Acts. 2.
• * 1.5

  Matth. 10.
• * 1.6

  S. Mark. 10. S. Luke. 18. Cor. 7. 19▪
• * 1.7

  S. Matth∣ew. 24. 20.
• * 1.8

  Acts. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16▪
• * 1.9

  Acts. 15.
• * 1.10

  2. Thes. 2. 15.
• * 1.11

  S. Iames▪ 1. 27.
• * 1.12

  Ezeeh. 20. 13.
• * 1.13

  1. Tim. 4. 8 Matt 6. 31.
• * 1.14

  Isaye. 1. 14. Malac. 2. 3.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 114. 7.
• * 1.16

  Isaiah. 58. 13.