Of the Christian Sabboth THERE is nothynge that hath ben more mystaken of the Scrybes and Phariseis then the bodely obseruaunce and kepynge of the Sabboth daye Because that God ordeyned it not to the intente that the outwarde ryght and vsage of forbearynge worke and bodelye laboure shoulde with so muche religion or rather scrupulosite be regarded but the Sabboth was instituted to be as it were a shadowe and figure of the spirituall reste from fleshly workes which a Christian ought continually to practise put in vre in hys liuyng and conuersation In consideration wherof we read that our sauiour Christ had lytle respect and lesse reuerence to that It wishe ceremonye of the Sabboth 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 â—eth x. ij he healed the man that had the wythered hande â—uc vi on the Sabboth daye The Apostles rubbed out the eares of corne to eate on the Sabboth daye Iohn v. he healed at the pond by the slauter house the man that had bene xxxviâ— yeares diseased Iohn ix he caused thâ— the blynde borne to se and sayeth thys daye in the Gospell Iohn vij 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 the Sabboth daye Luc. xiiij We reade in S. Luke that oure mayster healed on the Sabboth a man diseased wyth the dropsey and the Phariseis as theyr wont maner was murmured and grudged at that deade But oure mayster opened and shewed euidentelye forthe that their erroure with thys aunswere 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 Sabboth broken therby And the reason therof our mayster sheweth where he sayeth The sonne of man is Lorde of the Sabboth that is man is aboue the Sabboth and in his affayers should not haue any eye or consideration to the corporall ceremonye whosoeuer were the author of it But because the Iewish Sabboth hath bred and brought forth great hypocrisye in the Christian churche it is expedientâ— and neadfull that we waygâ— and examine in what maner man was Lorde of the Sabboth afore that Iesu Christâ— suffered to thintente that the libertye of dayes that we haue in the Christian congregation now syth that Christ hath suffered and is ascended into heauen maye be the better 〈◊〉 more throughly knoweÌ„ 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 Natural lawes that the Lord God hath grauen in the naturall reason of man whyche afterwarde beinge written in the stonye tables by mynysterye of Moyses were made playner and more open then they were be fore in our conscience As for example the lawe of honourynge of God of reuerensing his name of obeyinge our parentes and other superiours of not robbynge of not committynge adultery of not killyng and finally of not doynâ— to others that we would noâ— were done to oure selues These be called by the namâ— of Goddes lawes not onely because God appoynted theâ— to Moyses but also for thaâ— the Lord hath prynted them in the mynde of euerye liuing man Whych thynge Saynâ— Paule declareth where hâ— sayeth Rom. ij that the heathen shew the workes of the lawe written in theyr heartes theyâ— owne conscience bering theâ— witnes of the same Two sortes of positiue lawes Lawes positiue which haue theyr origâ—nall of the lawes of nature bâ— of .ij. sortes For ether they be Ecclesiasticall or elles theâ— be cyuill Ecclesiasticall lawes whych in the olde Testamenâ— are called ceremoniall Ecclesiasticall lawes werâ— ordeyned for the consecration of true fayth and pure religion in the churche of God Of the olde Testament Of these lawes there were a greate numbre amonge the Hebrues as the circumcision the Sabboth the order of sacrifices Lawes of the new Act. ij and all the leuiticall obseruaunces Lykewyse in our Christen churche there is the institution of baptisme of the Lordes supper 1. Cor. xvâ— of preachynge the Gospell of prayers and collection or collation for the pouertye wyth all suche other lawes as concerne the mynysterye of the word and of the Sacramentes These lawes be of God insomuche as they be appoynted by God in the newe and olde Testamentes Semblablye â—ach lawes as be added to these to thinâ—â—â— that the churche maye be gouerned in formall order wythoute confussion 1. Cor. xiiij Col. ij oughte to be called Goddes lawes Wherfore Paul hauynge seâ— an order in the publike honestye comlynes and modestâ— behauioure that should be obserued in the congregation aswell in men as in women sayeth these wordes if anye man thynke hym selfe a teacher or spiritual 1. Cor. xiiij let him know what thynges I wryte vnto you for they are the coÌ„maundementes of the lord God Verely because that in the church or assemblye of the faithfull euerye thynge muste be handled in order with discretion with confused minglynge The seconde sort of lawes posytyue be ciuyll Ciuill lawes 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 geuen by God to Moyses and syth Moyses tyme euery nation hathe inuented theyr peculiar 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 ordinaÌ„ces of god to punyshe malefactours and promote the good doers Rom. xiij Paul sayeth there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeyned of god Now that these thynges be declared 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 Lawe of nature caÌ„not be broken for anye cause be of such force strengthe that nether they ought nor maye be broken for any kinde of necessitye or behofe whatsoeuer but a man is bound to neglect honour riches despyse hymselfe contemne 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 Because there is no maner thing that more straightly bindeth vs nor more narowly kepeth vs
thou kepe holy the sabboth daye Exo. x◠syxe dayes shalte thou worke and the seuenth is the Sabboth of the lord thy god thou shalt do no worke there on Iustitution of the sabboth In thys speche God principallye sheweth to the people of Israell that a man can not be sanctified nor iustified by hys owne workes but proueth that 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 meditation study of the kyngdome of god practisinge our selues in this goostly rest we sanctify the christen Sabboth For thys consyderation it is I thynke that Austen writyng vnto Ianuarius sayeth Lib. 2. ca. 12. that this commaundemente of the sabboth is figuratiue a shadow touching the outwarde keping of the daye whiche is cleane abrogated together with all other shadowes and ceremonies of Moses by the death of Iesu Christ Wherfore auncient writers saye thre causes of the sabboth that God appointed the cōmaundment of the sabboth for thre causes Fyrste cause Fyrst because the lord vnder the commaundemente of the bodely rest wold haue vnderstanded the spirituall goostly quiet wherin the faythfull surceasse from fleshly workes geue place to god to worke in them the workes of the holy Goost Seconde cause The seconde cause why the Sabboth was commaunded to the Iewes is that the people of the Hebrues myghte haue an appointed to heare the word of the Lord. The thyrde cause is that seruauntes Thirde cause and such as be in subiection and vnder the cōmaundement or rule of others may haue some ease and discontinuaunce of labour Thus albeit that we find how the sabboth was instituted for thre causes aforesaide yet neuerthelesse the principall and chiefe cause why this ceremoniall commaundemente was geuen is because it shuld sygnify importe to vs the reste from sinne halowing of our soules and mindes For thys cause we read in the old testament that there was no commaundement so precisely and straightly geuen to the Iewes Exo. xxxv as the keping of the Sabboth was when god cōplayneth that al religion was destroied and wasted among the Iewes Hier. xvii he lamēteth that this sabboth is broken Qezech xx that it is not kept not sanctified as though the lord shuld say sabboth is all religion that when the sabboth is defiled despised there remaineth no other thing wherwyth God can be honoured Wherfore the lord commaundeth the religion of the Sabboth aboue all other spiritual workes speaking to hys people on this wise take heade o ye childrē of Israel that ye kepe my sabboth Exo. xixi. because it is a signe betwene me and you thorough out your generation that ye may knowe that I am the lorde that sanctifie you Kepe the sabboth for it is holy vnto you it is an euerlastyng couenaunt betwene me the people of Israell and a perpetual signe By these wordes of the Lord is well perceaued that the sabboth is a signe wherby the people of Israel may know that god is their sanctifier A christē man can not become holy onlesse first of al he crucify the euil desires of his carnal wyl Therfore the straight keping of the ceremonial sabboth is not the thing that can make vs holy but it is a shadow and sygne which teacheth vs to leaue of frō our fleshlye workes that the sprite of the lord maye worke in vs the true sanctificatiō goostlye sabboth so that 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 with all the carnal mēbres therof shuld reste from voices al dishonest workes that god may do in vs hys holy and goostly workes This is that spiritual sabboth christen holy day that Paule describeth to the Hebrues Heb. iij. where he sayeth therfore there remaineth a rest vnto the people of god Heb. iiij For he that is entred into his rest ceasseth from his workes Gene. ij as god dyd frō hys let vs make hast therfore to entre into the reste And forsomuch as a true christian oughte alwayes to subdue kepe vnder the flesh with it cōcupiscences lustes Continuall Sabboth he therfore euery howre kepeth sabboth 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 the power of the sprite of god encreaseth in vs we more and more reste frō the workes of the fleshe be more feruent forward in halowynge the sabboth flesh breketh sabboth Gal. v. But because the flesh continually wrastleth striueth agaynst the sprite and abateth him from the perfecte loue therfore no christen mā whilest he abideth in this flesh kepeth throughly perfectly the sabboth notwithstāding at the last when we shal be coupled to Iesu Christe the kingdome shal be resigned into the handes of god the father 1. Cor. xv god shal be al in al then shall we kepe the perfect sabboth This is that perpetual sabboth cōtinuall holy day that Esay the Prophet describeth saying Esay lxvi there shal be sabboth after sabboth and newe mone after new mone whych also was resembled shadowed of the lord god to the Israelites in the outwarde keping of the seuenth day This is that sabboth for whych the Prophet so much bewayleth because the wicked went about to take it quite away from the earthe Psa lxxiij 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 the is to staye trust in the merites of Iesu Christ Christen sabboth by meane wherof they be iustified and crucifye their owne fleshe And forsomuch as a christian mā is assuredly certified knoweth that he hath god for hys father therfore he layeth al his trauayl grefe vpon him which taketh care for his childrē The faithful kepe Sabboth when they say in the lordes prayer o lorde thy wyll be done By these wordes the faythfull is replenished fulfilled with the sprit of the lorde knoweth that it is not behouefull to folowe hys carnal wil that the wil of god might be done accōplyshed He that 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 prosperity come the christian man is nether dismayed with dispayre nor puffed vp in pride For he kepeth diligently the sabboth of the sprite taketh it for certayne that he is in the handes of god Happy be those Christians 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 they re myndes they passe not vpoÌ„ shadowes that be disanulled destroyed by the coming of the body of Iesu Christ O vnhappy be oure dayes wherin raygneth more superstition then euer dyd amonge the Iewes This is the meruelous chere reioysing that the Prophet maketh for the solemnitie of the day dedicated to the lord saying sing wyth triumphe vnto god our helper Psa lxxx 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 the feast of your new mone in the soleÌ„ne day of your feast This soÌ„g tune of the Prophet was expounded of Paule wher he sayeth Col. iij. Ephes vj that we shuld in our hertes singe to the lord Psalmes spiritual songes reioysing in the 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 knowen outwardly of our neighboure by the confession that we make in the name of the great God psaltery The Psalterye that we smyte on in the solemnitye of this sabboth is the louynge thanking of god Cimbal The cimbal is the mortifyinge of humane wysdome the crucifying of all mannes merites the denying of al superstitiouse religion Harpe The harpe that is played vpon in the feast of the sabboth is the charitie that we vse toward our neighbour whyche causeth oure conuersation to be dulcet and pleasaunt The trompet is the preaching of the gospel TroÌ„pet wherwith all christiaÌ„s be somoned warned to sanctify the feast of the sabboth for in Iesu Christe is ordeyned the euerlastynge Sabboth This is the tyme that pleaseth the lord â— Cor. vi Esay xliâ— in which he heareth vs for this is the day of saluation wherin he succoureth vs. Therfore the christian sabboth is that a man dispayre of him selfe that he condemne his owne holynes all that that can come of our owne nature and put the trust coÌ„fidence of his saluation in one only Iesu Christ By this meane man resteth from hys carnall workes and geueth place for the lord to worke in hys hert the doinges of the sprite wherby the lorde consecrateth vs haloweth vs into hys owne seruice as the Prophete sayeth The lorde that made euerye thing gouerneth al Psal xci for al thinges be in hys handes Iewes offended The Iew the hipocrit that here talke of thys maner sanctifying of the sabboth daye is discontented yea and is starcke woode his bloude chafeth wtin hym nether can he abyde that the superstitiouse ceremonie of daies be ouerthroweÌ„ On other side the faythfull man heareth those thynges the faithfull reioseth is glad chereful in hyâ— hert sayinge Praysed be tâ— lord in whose handes custâ—dy is my saluation Ihon. â— I am wâ— assured to be saued for no 〈◊〉 can take or pull me out of 〈◊〉 handes of the eternall fatheâ— The Sabboth therfore is 〈◊〉 halowed by being ydle Idlenes is not halowyng nor standing with the fingers â—â—der the girdle nor yet wyâ— ceasing from hand labour oâ—â— day as the superstitiouse Ieâ—â— supposeth Wherfore we reâ—â— in the Prophet Esay that 〈◊〉 sanctifiyng of the sabboth â—â—â—deth not in the outward â—â—â—â—dely religion of the holy dâ—â— but the true halowing is â—â—â—â—ing our owne wil glorifyâ—â—g the lorde For he sayeth if â—ou tourne thy fete from the â—abboth Esay lâ—â—â— lviji so that thou do not the â—â—ing which pleaseth thy selfe 〈◊〉 my holy day theÌ„ shalt thou 〈◊〉 called vnto the pleasaunt â—oly glorious sabboth of the â—â—rd where thou shalt be in hoâ—our so that thou do not after thyne â—wne ymagynatyon nether â—â—ke thine owne wil nor speak â—hyne owne wordes theÌ„ shalt â—hou haue thy pleasure in the â—ord whych shal cary the high â—boue the earth fede thee wtâ—he heritage of Iacob thy faâ—her Nether is there anye doubt but that this ceremony of the day is abrogated by the coming of Iesu Christ Ceremonye of time abrogated like as al other ceremonies of the Hebruâ—es be Iesu Christ is the truth at whose presence all figureâ— be destroyed Iesu Christe 〈◊〉 the bodye at whose approchinâ— al shadowes vanishe awaye â–ª he alone hath geuen vs thâ— true fulfylling of the sabboth by clothyng vs with hymself throughe his death Rom. vi that wâ—â— being raised agayne with hiâ— might leade a newe life wheâ—fore all our lyfe shuld be a perpetual sabboth as I haue saâ— to you before And although there be no dâ—â—ferences of dayes in the christian congregation Rom. xiiij yet woâ—â— Paule that the weake in the faytâ— were borne with suffered â–ª and that compassion be takeâ— vpon suche as be fre from aâ— kynde of hypocrysye and dissimulation because manye that haue alredy some knowledge 〈◊〉 the word of God desyre to â—o styll forwarde But for yeâ—â—ey be felle as chyldren and â—â—ryshed and noseled in antiâ—â—ristes religion they beleue â—hat one daye is more holye â—â—en another of more reueâ—â—nce and more honour then â—nother of this hypocrisye â—â—rked vp in the swathlynge â—â—des springeth vp also this â—ther erroure that the consciâ—nce of the hypocrite simple 〈◊〉 cloyed with scrupulosity And â—hinketh that he committeth as it is commonly termed a â—â—adly synne if on the holye â—ay he should go to plowing 〈◊〉 do any other maner of haÌ„d â—â—oure The Apostle therâ—â—re wolde Weake must be borne wt. that suche feble â—â—eake in the fayth shuld not â—â—raight way be deuided from the churche For with alloâ— charitable maner our duâ—â— is fyrst to enstructe them anâ— do them to perceyue witteâ— of what sorte the christien 〈◊〉 euangelical liberty is which is purchased bought for vâ— by Iesu Christ Afterwardeâ— when the weake faythed iâ— taught so farre that he knoweth the libertye of dayes â–ª of meates of rayment and oâ— all other outwarde workes and neuerthelesse wyll be froâ—warde and refuse to enioye 〈◊〉 christen liberty then in suche case the infirmitie is no lengâ—â— to be borne with or suffered â–ª bycause so it myght growe to be vncurable This errour was bytterly blamed of S. Paule which inflamed with great grefe rebuked the church 〈◊〉 the Galathians sayinge Gal. iiâ—â— if ye â—â—ue alredy knoweÌ„ god why â—â—ye tourne backe a freshe to 〈◊〉 weake and beggerlye eleâ—â—ntes wherto ye would be â—â—unden thrak seruauntes â—â—ayne Ye obserue dayes â—â—onethes and tymes yeaâ—â—s I am in feare of you lest I â—aue bestowed labour on you 〈◊〉 vayne Two causes neuer abrogated The other two cauâ—â—s for whyche the sabboth of â—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 theÌ„ 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 Act. ij Holye day behauiour to vse ofteÌ„ the lordes supper to make common prayer for the state of christendome to make collections of almes for the relefe of the poore i. Cor. vi that families housholdes may be informed in the christen religion godlines to visite our frendes in a christien maner to visite the sycke to practyse suche other lyke holye dedes Youth of it selfe is vnruly headye The vplandishe feble faythed sone falle into errour Holye dayes be deadfull wherfore it is necessary for this intent to ordeyne holye dayes that the youthe may be nurtred and kept in awe â–ª and that the ignoraunte may learne to knowe what christeÌ„ 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 Hebrue people Thou shalte obserue take hede sayeth the â—ord that thy seruaunte and thy mayde rest them remembre that thou was a seruaunte in the â—and of Egypt For these two â—auses therfore that be cyuill â—e christians must haue choâ—â—n and determinated dayes 〈◊〉 the church may continually 〈◊〉 exercised inured aswel in â—ardly in workes of the sprit 〈◊〉 outwardly in loue toward â—ur neighbour For this consiâ—â—ration the law of the Lord â—â—â—bad the Iewes only suche â—orkes on the sabboth daye 〈◊〉 letted theÌ„ that they could haue no leasure or respyte to heare the worde of God Why worke is forbiddeÌ„ to do the ordinary oblations and sacrifices to make publike prayer and other exercises full of charitye and loue As for example they were forboden to tyll the land to buyld houses and to do any other ordinary labour on the sabboth day because such workes held a man busied al the day that he could intend to no other thynge notwithstanding because the lawe of the sabboth was ceremonial to the Iewes they synned not if for necessitie or for the weale profite of their neighbour they chauÌ„ced some time to breake it as I haue sayde aboue in thys treatyse We Christians be fre from those ceremonies and those ordynaunces Christians be fre that the Iewes were in bondage vnder Therefore no lawe of meate of dayes of clothynge of places can bynde vs to a synne as it dyd the Iewes Neuerthelesse for so muche as the church can not be coÌ„gregated Dayes to what vse and gathered except there be dayes appointed wherin the worde of God muste be preached the lordes supper minystred publike prayer made other Christen workes aforementioned must be practised Therefore oure aunciente fathers elders haue determined and instituted that at the lest one day of the weke shuld be bestowed geuen to these religyouse and deuout seruyces i. Cor. xvi And in the Apostles church the Chrystyans folowynge the custome of the Iewes came together on the sabboth daye so that many yeares the holy congregatioÌ„ of christendom vsed the sabboth for the day dedicated to the spirituall gouernement But afterward wheÌ„ Christendome increased and spred abrode in the tyme of the great Constantine that the Iewes shuld haue no occasion to glory against vs that other shuld not think that a Christian man became a Iew lastly to declare to the whole world that one day is not more holy then another the sabboth was altered into the daye folowynge which was named of the christians the dominical day SoÌ„day â—â—o i. that is dedicated to the lord And the kepynge of thys day hath bene alwayes vsed sythen that in the church thinges may be done with order reuereÌ„ce Now to proue that the holy dayes were ordeyned of our auncestours for thys polytycall ende Howe the fathers vsed the sabboth not to make one daye holyer then that other Lib. 4. suffiseth the auctority of Tertulliane In his boke against Marcion Hierome vpon the epistle to the Galathians wher he sayeth lest the vnordinary congregatynge of the people shuld minish the faith in Christ therfore certaine dayes be appoynted vs that we myghte all mete together not that that day wherin we mete is more holy or reuerent but to the end that more reioysing may come of the mutuall beholding whatsoeuer day we mete Saynte Augustine also in hys worke de ciuilate dei maketh mention of certayne memorialles of holy dayes as the natiuity of the lord the circuÌ„cision the passion the resurrection the ascension whit soÌ„day on whiche daies the christians dyd accoÌ„pany themselues to heare the word of the lord to vse the coÌ„munion to make coÌ„mon prayers do other christian dedes The same is red in the ecclesiastical historye of Eusebius So that oure elders knewe that ceremoniall holynes of the sabboth dayes as the Iewes did They onelye on those dayes assemble for the same purpose that the Apostles did Act. ii The apostles vse on the holy daye whiche continued in doctrine in prayer breakyng of bread in the communicating that is in aydinge and releuing the poore And it appeareth that Paule appoynted the day of the sabboth on whiche day 1. Cor. xvi at the time the congregation came together that the churche of Corinth shuld make theire collections of almes that the poore christians at HierusaleÌ„ which died for hunger might be releued succoured I coÌ„clude therfore the christians be fre froÌ„ al superstitiouse hypocrisy of keping the sabboth other festiual dayes The Iewes among other feastes Iohn x. Fest of tentes did vse to soleÌ„mse a feast of tabernacles so named because they dwelled vij dayes in pauilioÌ„s bothes This feast was obserued in remembraunce that theire fathers dwelled in the desert and wyldernes in tentes when they were delyuered froÌ„ the bondage of Egypt According as the Lord commaunded sayinge In the seuenth moneth whiche agreeth wyth the moneth of October amonge vs the .xv. Leui. xxx daye of the moneth shal be the holy day of the tabernacles seuen dayes shall ye lodge in tentes that your posteritye may knowe how that I made the chyldren of Israel to dwell in bothes when I deliuered theÌ„ out of the land of Egypt Thys solemnitie shuld be kept without hipocrisye superstition because it was but only a memoryall remembraunce of the benefyte that God had done to their fathers But the Iewes forgetting the meanyng of the feast thought they shulde offende deadly if on such dayes that were festyuall they had done anye bodelye outward worke In like maner the Phariseis expounded vnto the people the precept of the Sabboth amisse The lord sayeth thou shalte not worke on the sabboth day This commaundement onlye bounde the Iewes froÌ„ doynge such labours as letted the people that they coulde
in and as it were pinneth vs vp then dothe the obedience 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 other lawes that is Ecclesiasticall lawes be dispeÌ„sed with ecclesiasticall and ciuyll albeit they be ordeyned of god yet be not so holye and reuerente but that they may in causes of necessytye not only be broken but also altogether dysanulled as though they neuer had bene And for profe herof let vs peruse the ecclesiasticall lawes of the Iewes Those lawes were to be kepte and done so longe as the outward gouernmeÌ„te of the Iewes endured vntill that Christ was dead and rysen agayne they were ordeyned of God by the handes of Moyses for the people of Israell to the ende that the name of God should be praysed and the promises made in Christ myghte be taught and true religion preserued nether was circumcision the sabbothe the sacrifices all that solemne and ceremoniall seruice and leuiticall obsequies aboute the tabernacle of the Iewes ordeyned and instituted for any other purpose theÌ„ is afore sayde Notwithstandinge for so muche as these lawes were onlye geuen to the people of the Iewes to none other nation therfore the gentiles and foreyne people were not burdened nor charged with 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 promyses of Iesu Christ We reade ExaÌ„ple that the people of Niniue repented at the preachynge of Ionas pleased Iones iij. and appeared God therby Niniue yet reade we not that they were circumcysed nor that they obserued other ecclesiastical lawes of the Iewes Daniel iij Daniel wytnesseth Babilon that the king of Babilon confessed opeÌ„ly the very true god of Israel commaunded by proclamation that no man should blaspheme him neuerthelesse it is not reade that the king of Babilon was therfore bownden to the 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 coÌ„moditie or for anye matter of honestye Many of the Israelites after theyr deliuerye out of Egypt while they were in the wildernes were vncircuÌ„cised as it appeareth in Iosue Ioâ—ue v. And very likely it is that manye Iewes died in the deserte wythoute circumcision foreskin whiche by faith passinge from death vnto life were not daÌ„ned for hauynge theyr foreskin King Dauid fleinge the persecution of Kynge Saul i. Re. xvij lest he should dye for hunger Shewe bread did eat both he and his company of the table of the lord the holy bread that was dedicated 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 the Iewes that in neadfull affayres and busynes Math. xij the sonne of man that is euery man is Lorde of the sabboth Nether did oure sauiour Iesus Christe by these wordes meane that the Sabboth should not or oughte not to be kept at that time when as yet he was not deade be shewed therby on what maner the ceremonies of Moyses bounde that nation to the obseruynge of them For the Iewishe ceremonies at that tyme were to be reuerenced by the generall commaundemente of God Dispensations notwythstanding if ether nede or the profite of any neighbour constrained a Iew to breake them he was not in suche case bownde to kepe them because that cause standing the Iewes was lord of the Sabboth and offended not in breakynge and omyttynge them Therfore our sauiour Christ synned not when he healed sicke and diseased persons on the sabboth day because that necessity neyghbourly charitye caused him to haue small respect to the outward Sabboth which was a shadowe figur of the christian sabboth So sone as christ was deade and risen agayne all the ceremonies of the Iewes were vtterly disanulled and repelled wherfore the Christian man was vnburdened of the heauines of them only trusted to be saued by the 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 Rom. â—â—â—â— iudge think any diuersity betwene day day Col. â—â— nor that any man shoulde accuse vs for any fastiual day or new mone or sabboth day and feared lest he had trauayled in vayne in the churche of the Galathians Gal. iiij because they were obseruers of dayes willyng to do vs to vnderstand the to count one day holier then that other was a thing that parteyneth to a Iewe not to Christen men That whych we haue spoken of ceremonies Mosaicall Ceremonies of the new Testament namely that in neade other behoues they bound not anye Iewe we may lykewise saye and affirme of the ecclesiasticall lawes of Christendome wherof some be autorised by Iesu Christ and some by the father elders of our religion that the christen fayth myght be preached and taughte in good order And albeit the ordinances 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 ceremoniall are made for oure commodity not to our losse therfore the lord would that they should yeld geue place to oure necessityes Necessitie is a dispensation There be many christen men vnder the Turke in vylanowse slauery which can not vse the Sacrament of the Lordes supper yet shall they not be condemned therefore so that they haue the fayth of Iesu Christ Many other be entangled chaltered in the snares of Antichristes hypocrisy whych can not here the sincere preaching of the 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 excuseth theÌ„ Lyke processe might be made of the Iuditial lawes but I wyll not at thys tyme make any treatise vpon them The Phariseis therfore moued of an hatefull hypocrisye blamed our maister as a wycked 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 coÌ„maunde the sabboth in the law saying to the Iewes Remembre that
not come to the common 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 Reste of seruauntes that the seruauntes labouring persons might haue some quyetnes releafe of laboure neuerthelesse the Phariseis neglecting the true vnderstandinge of the sabboth had bewrapped and folden the people in the snare of hypocrisye and vayne superstition Ouer and besydes this Pharisaicall traditions they added of their own heade infinite other obseruauÌ„ces and rites wherwith they brought the people into better bondage for they sayd on the sabboth day men oughte not walke vpoÌ„ 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 water nor kil a flie nor fede anye thing nor rede by caÌ„del light onlesse there be two at the least together in a companye and innumerable other superstityouse 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 neyghbour Of such thynges if perchaunce they spake any thing to the people it was done very coldely because they were strayghte kepers of thynges of no value and were satisfyed in magnifyinge theyr carnall Sabboth Commons blinded by whych meanes they so kepte vnder the vnderstandynge of the common people that they neuer came to the knowledge of the very truthe But we Christians to whome is opened and declared the gospel must kept a perpetual sabboth in spryte For to a christian only belongeth the true rest of the spirituall Canahan Heb. iiij 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 another sabboth by the Prophet Dauid Psa xxiiij whyche was a longe while after Moyses Iosue Therfore Iosue was but a shadowe and figure of Christ Heb. xiij Iosue a figure whyche geueth vs the verye rest spirituall sabboth Let vs kepe a spirituall goostlye sabboth and not a carnall because we haue not here anye continuyng citye but we seke for one to come Wherfore let vs as Paul sayeth knowe 〈◊〉 â—oure earthye house of thys dwellyng were destroyed ij Cor. â— we haue a buyldynge ordeined of god an house not made with haÌ„des but euerlasting in heaueÌ„ And therfore in the 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 tabernacle sigh and are greued for we had rather not be vnclothed but be clothed vpon the mortalytye myght be swalowed vp of lyfe Therfore whilest 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 froÌ„ workes of the fleshe that the spryte of the Lorde myghte onlye in vs kepe the goostly and heauenlye Sabboth and that we myghte be coupled wyth Iesu Christe our heade whyche hathe geuen vs the true reste by entrynge 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 ☞ Fautes escaped The vij leafe b. the laste lyue for consecration reade conseruation The viij leafe b. the xviij lyue for with reade wythout ¶ Imprynted at London in Paules churcheyarde at the signe of the George by Willyam Reddell In the yeare of oure Lord. 1552. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum