-15 Chapter 15. Of the time of worship.
2-15 Chapter 15. Of the time of worship.
FOURTH COMMANDMENT: REMEMBER THE SABBATH
1. The most solemn time of worship is now the first day of every week, which is called the Lord’s Day, Revelation 1:10; 1 Corinthians 16:2.1005
2. And it is called the Lord’s Day, for the same reason that the holy Supper of the Eucharist is called the Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:20.1006 Namely, because it was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, and it must be referred to the Lord in its end and use.
3. It is necessary that some time be given for the worship of God, by the dictate of natural reason: for man must have time for everything, especially his outward actions; nor can he conveniently attend Divine worship, unless he ceases from other works for that time.
4. Thus far, therefore, the time of worship falls under the same precept as worship itself; for when God created the whole world, he is said also to have created time with it; and so too when he commanded and ordained religious actions along with this command, he also ordained some time or necessary circumstance for them.
5. That some certain day is to be ordained for the more solemn worship of God, is also of a moral natural right, not unknown to the very heathen who always had, through all ages, their set and solemn feast days.
6. That this solemn day ought to be at least one day in a week, or in the compass of seven, belongs to positive Law; yet it is entirely of an unchangeable institution. So that in respect to our duty and obligation, it has the very same force and reason as those that are of moral and natural right. And so it is rightly said by the Schoolmen to belong to moral right, not by nature, but by Discipline.
7. That this institution was not ceremonial and temporal, is sufficiently apparent from this: that it has nothing that is proper only to the Jews, or to the time of the Ceremonial Law. For none can, or dare deny that such a determination might at least be made for a moral reason and benefit. Because even though natural reason does not dictate that this determination is necessary, yet it dictates that it is convenient, as it apprehends that it is fitting for the worship of God to be frequently exercised. And it can only acknowledge this determination in respect to the frequency of the days, that they are convenient in this respect.
8. The same is also made manifest by this: that from the beginning of the Creation — when there was no place for ceremonies that had respect to Christ the Redeemer — the seventh day, or one day in seven, was set apart for the worship of God, Genesis 2:3.1007
9. Some contend that this was spoken by a prolepsis or anticipation: that the seventh day was sanctified at that time in the mind and purpose of God, but not in execution; or that a foundation was laid then for that sanctification which was to come; and it was not the obligation or the Law itself. This may be refuted by diverse arguments. For 1. This anticipation never came into anyone’s mind, who was not previously prejudiced about the observation of the Lord’s Day. The Jews of old never dreamed of it; their received opinion was that this feast was πάνδημον και του κόσμου γενεσιον, among all Nations from the beginning of the World (Philo περὶκοσμου 14).1008 In the New Testament, there is no such thing taught or declared. Even the authors of this opinion grant it is probable that some observation of the seventh day began from the beginning of the Creation (Suarez, de diebus Fest).1009 The best interpreters (Luther, Calvin, etc.), whom none would say offended on that side, in giving too much to the Lord’s Day, plainly and candidly acknowledge that the seventh day was sanctified from the beginning of the World. 2. There can be no example given of such a similar anticipation in all the Scripture: for although the name of certain places are sometimes used proleptically, especially in the book of Genesis, yet there is no mention at all of such a proleptical institution of the Lord’s Day, either in that book, or in any other book of the whole sacred Scripture. 3. The words and phrases of this very passage evince the contrary. Genesis 2:2-3. For the perfection of the Creation is twice joined together with the sanctification of the seventh day using the very same manner and phrasing: the Creation of other Creatures and of man himself, is joined together with their blessing, Genesis 1:21-22, Genesis 1:27-28.1010 4. Neither the purpose of God, nor a naked foundation of the thing itself, suffices to ground and uphold such a phrasing of sanctification and benediction. For by this reasoning, it might be said that God sanctified Water, Bread, and Wine for the Sacraments of the New Covenant from the time that he gave the promise of breaking the Serpent’s head by the seed of the woman, Genesis 3:15. For it was then that God purposed to seal that covenant of grace by such seals; some foundation for these seals was also laid partly in the promise itself, and partly in the creation of those things which might actually be used for such sealing. 5. From such a foundation laid in the first Creation, the Prophet gathers a perpetual rule and Law. Malachi 2:15, Did he not make them one? And why one? To seek a godly seed. So in like manner may we say: did not God rest the seventh day? And why the seventh day? To sanctify the seventh day to God. 6. The argument of the Apostle seems to be grounded on this very thing, Hebrews 4:3-5, Hebrews 4:7-9.1011 Which is thus: There was a double rest mentioned in the Old Testament, of which the godly were made partakers in this life. One was of the Sabbath, and the other was of the Land of Canaan. But David in Psalms 95:1-11,1012 promising rest, does not speak of the rest of the Sabbath, because that was from the beginning of the World: nor of the rest in the Land of Canaan, because that rest was past, and not to be expected. By “Today,” therefore, he understands a certain third rest; and that is eternal rest in Heaven.
10. Nor does it at all hinder this truth, that it is not recorded in the History of Genesis, that the observation of the seventh day was solemnly kept by the first Patriarchs. For 1. All and everything which was observed by them for a thousand and five hundred years, neither could nor should be particularly declared in so short a History as that of Genesis. Also, after the Law of the Sabbath delivered by Moses, there is no mention in the book of Judges and some other Histories, of its observation. 2. If this very thing is granted, that the observation of this day was for the most part neglected, this still should no more make its first institution doubtful, than the Polygamy of those same times can show that the sacred Laws of Wedlock were not equal in time with the very first marriage. 3. Before the promulgation of the Law in Mount Sinai, the observation of the Law is propounded and urged, not as a new thing, but as ordained of old, Exodus 16:23, Exodus 32:9.1013 Although this may be affirmed about sacrifices and some other ceremonial observations, yet in the Sabbath, there seems to be (for the reasons given before) a certain respect to its first institution, which was equal in time with man’s Creation; this is also declared in Exodus 32:29, in past tense wording, has given you the Sabbath, etc. 4. Among the very Heathens, there were always those footsteps of the observation of the seventh day. It is more than probable that the observation of the seventh day was delivered to them from the Patriarchs, whose posterity they were. Josephus, in his last book Against Apion, denies that, “there can be found any city, either of the Greeks or Barbarians, which had not taken resting from labour on the seventh day into their own customs.”1014 Clemens Alexandrinus Lib. 5. Stromat.1015 demonstrates the same thing: οτι τὴν εβδόμην ἷερὰν οὑ μὸνον οἱ εβραῖοι, ἀλλὰ και ὁ ἑλληνες ίσασι, that not only the Hebrews, but the Greeks also observed the seventh Day. Eusebius’ de praeparatione Evangelica lib. 13. affirms that not only the Hebrews, but almost all Philosophers as well as Poets, knew that the seventh day was more holy. Lampridius in Alexandro Severo, tells us that on the seventh day, when he was in the City, he went up to the Capitol and frequented the Temples. Nor is it far from this purpose that holy days were usually granted to children in Schools on the seventh day, Lucianus in Pseudologista, Aulus Gellius. lib. 13. cap. 2. And some heathen Doctors were in the habit of disputing only on the Sabbaths, as Suetonius relates about one Diogenes, lib. 3.1016 Hesiod. lib. 2. Dierum. εβδόμι ἰερὸν ἧμας [days sacred to us].1017 Linus, ἑβδαμάτη δε ἧ τετελεσμένα πάντα τέτυκται, ἑβδόμη ἐιν αγαθοῖς και ἑβδόμη ἐς γενέθλη. 5. The former forgetfulness or carelessness, and neglect of this day, is easily seen to be reproved by that same hortatory word used in the beginning of the Fourth Commandment: Remember.
11. But the right, and moral perpetual authority of this institution is most of all declared from this: that it is expressly commanded in the Decalogue; for this is a most certain rule, and received among all the best Divines; that moral precepts were thus differenced from ceremonials and Judicials; that all and only morals were publicly proclaimed before all the people of Israel from Mount Sinai by the voice of God himself. And afterward they were also written, and written again, as it were, by the finger of God himself; and that was done in Tablets of stone, to declare their perpetual and unchangeable continuance. Christ also expressly testifies that not one Jot or tittle of this Law would perish, Matthew 5:18.
12. What is commanded in the Fourth Commandment is not indeed of a moral nature, not in the same degree and manner as those things that are commanded for the most part in all the other Commandments. This is because it belongs to positive right, which is also why, whereas the three former Commandments were propounded negatively — by forbidding those vices to which we are prone by the depravity of our nature — this Fourth Commandment is first propounded affirmatively, declaring and commanding in this part what pertains to our duty; and afterward it declares and commands negatively, by forbidding those things which are repugnant to this duty. In part, this is also the reason for that admonition which is specially prefixed before this precept, Remember the Sabbath day; that is, Remember to keep this day, as it is explained in Deuteronomy 5:14.1018 That is because it may more easily be forgotten, seeing that it belongs to positive right than many other things which are more natural. Yet this positive right upon which this ordinance is grounded, is Divine right, and in respect to man, it is altogether unchangeable.
13. There are those who turn this Fourth Commandment into allegories of a cessation from sins, and from the troubles of his life, and other such things. And from there they pretend there is a fourfold, or a fivefold Sabbath, according to the manner of those who play with Allegories. They attribute nothing at all to this member of the Decalogue, which does not agree as well (and much more properly) with many Jewish ceremonies, which are now wholly abrogated.
14. But those who would have this precept be ceremonial (as they would also have the Second Precept be ceremonial), besides being sufficiently refuted by those things which were said before, they contradict the express testimony of Scripture, which affirms that there are ten sayings, or moral precepts contained in the Decalogue, Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 10:4 — where they leave only nine, or rather eight.
15. Those who would make this precept moral only in this — that some time or certain days were assigned to Divine worship — make this ordinance no more moral than was the building of the Tabernacle and Temple among the Jews. For by that very thing, this moral precept was declared to all, to be the perpetual Will of God: that some fit place is always to be appointed for Church meetings, and for the public exercises of Divine worship. So that by their reasoning, there is no more a moral precept given touching some time of worship, than there is touching the place of worship. And so indeed, “You shall observe Feast-days” (which is all they leave in the fourth precept), should no more be put in the Decalogue than, “You shall frequent the Temples.”
16. Moreover, the yearly Feasts, new Moons, and similar ordinances, which were indeed merely ceremonial, also contain general equity1019 in them, and still teach us that some certain and fit days ought to be appointed for public worship. Finally, by such reasoning, this Commandment of God would command several men nothing at all: for seeing that in their opinion, only the institution of days is immediately commanded, and it is not in the power of private men to ordain these or those days for public worship; by this means, nothing at all would be commanded except at the will of those who are in public office. Nor would anything be commanded by them specifically, but only in general: that according to their wisdom, they should set apart days for public worship. So that if it seems good to them to appoint one day in twenty or thirty to this use, they cannot be reproved for any sin in this respect, as if they had broken this Commandment.
17. If there were ever anything ceremonial in the Sabbath in respect to the very observation of the day, that is to be considered added to it, or a constitution coming extrinsically — beyond the nature of the Sabbath and its first institution. And so it would not at all hinder the institution of the seventh day as plainly moral. For there was a ceremonial respect of some type added to some other Commandments. In the authority of Fathers, and the firstborn of Families, which pertain to the First Commandment, there was a certain adumbration1020 of Christ, who is the first begotten among the Sons of God.
18. Nor does it appear certain in the Scriptures that there was any ceremony (properly so-called) or any type, in the observation of the seventh day. For whereas Hebrews 4:9,1021 mentions a spiritual Sabbatism1022 prefigured before by a type, with respect to a type it referred only to the rest promised in the Land of Canaan; and by comparison, it was like the rest of God.1023 But in no way, or in the least sense, does it refer to the rest commanded in the Fourth Commandment, as to a type or shadow.
19. But whereas in Exodus 31:13; Exodus 31:17 and Ezekiel 20:20,1024 the Sabbath is called a sign between God and his people, it cannot be made from this into a type or a representation of any future grace: Because 1. A sign often denotes the same thing as an argument or instruction, as the most learned interpreters note. Exodus 31:1-18, It is a sign between me, etc.; that is, it is an instruction. So our mutual love is a sign that we are the Disciples of Christ, John 13:35.1025 But it is not a type. 2. The Sabbath in those places is not said to be a sign of something to come, but of something present, just as every visible concomitant adjunct is a sign of the subject being present. For in observing the Sabbath, there is a common and public profession of that communion which is between God and us.
Therefore, just as all solemn profession is a sign of that thing which is professed, so also the Sabbath is in that common respect called a sign.
20. And this is the most proper reason why the observation of the Sabbath is so much urged, and the breaking of it is so severely punished in the Old Testament: namely, because there was in the Sabbath a common and public profession of all Religion; for this Commandment, as it closes the first Tablet of the Law, summarily contains the whole worship of God, by commanding a certain day for all of Religion’s exercises, Isaiah 56:2.1026
21. There were many ceremonies ordained about the observation of the Sabbath; but the observation of the Sabbath was no more made ceremonial by them, than it was made judicial 1027 or political because of those judicial Laws whereby it was then provided that it should be celebrated most religiously, Exodus 31:14. 1028
22. That accommodation of the Fourth Commandment to the special state of the Jews, which was in the observation of the seventh day from the beginning of the Creation, no more makes the precept itself ceremonial, than the promise of the Land of Canaan — made to the people of Israel, That you may live long in the land which the Lord your God gives you — makes the Fifth Commandment ceremonial; or more than that Preface, I am the Lord your God which brought you out of the Land of Egypt, makes all the Commandments ceremonial.
23. It may indeed be granted that a stricter observation of the Sabbath was commanded in those days, applied to the time of Pedagogy 1029 and bondage, which does not have force in all ages; yet this does not keep the observation itself from being plainly moral and common to all ages.
24. Yet there can be nothing brought out of the Scriptures, which was at any time commanded about the strict observation of the Sabbath to the Jews, which by the same reasoning does not pertain to all Christians — except for the kindling of fires, and preparing their ordinary food, Exodus 35:3; Exodus 16:4.1030 And those precepts seem to have been special, and given on a particular occasion; for there is nothing said about the kindling of fire (except in the building of the Tabernacle) which God would declare was not so holy a work, that it might not and ought to be intermitted1031 on the Sabbath day. Nor is there any mention of preparing food, except when Manna was sent from Heaven by a miracle, and also preserved by a miracle, on the Sabbath day.1032 And by the History of Christ it appears very likely that he approved of preparing food by kindling a fire on the Sabbath day. For being invited by the Jews to a feast which was had on the Sabbath day, he did not refuse to be present, Luke 14:1, etc. 1033
25. Though the reason for the Sabbath seems to refer sometimes to delivering the people of Israel out of the captivity of Egypt, it does not turn the Sabbath into a ceremony. For 1. All the Commandments are in some way referred to the same deliverance, as it appears by the Preface to the Decalogue.1034 2. It does not appear that the Sabbath itself had any singular relation to this deliverance, except that mention is made of the deliverance out of Egypt, Deuteronomy 5:15.1035 For that reason only — seeing that the Israelites had been servants before in Egypt — they should more readily and willingly grant this time of rest to their own servants.
26. The last day of the week was observed of old, anciently ordained by God from the time of the first Creation, because on that day God ceased from the works of Creation.1036
27. Though the last day of the week is now changed into the first day, this was not done by human authority, but Divine. For only the one who is Lord of the Sabbath, can change the day of the Sabbath: that is, Christ, Matthew 12:8. This is also why that first day which succeeded the Sabbath, is properly called the Lord’s Day.
28. If it is granted that this Lord’s Day was of Apostolic institution, yet that authority which it is built upon, is nevertheless divine; because the Apostles were no less guided by the Spirit in holy institutions, than in propounding the doctrine of the Gospel, either in word or writings.
29. Also, seeing that this institution was grounded upon no special occasion that would continue only for a time, and by which it might be made temporary, it necessarily follows that the mind of the Ordainers was that the observation of this day should be of perpetual and unchangeable right.
30. Yet it is more likely that Christ himself was the author of this institution in his own person. 1. Because Christ was no less faithful than Moses in ordering his whole house, or the Church of God, as touching all things that are generally necessary and useful, Hebrews 3:2, Hebrews 3:6.1037 But no Christian can with any reason deny that observing this day is generally profitable in some way necessary for the Churches of Christ. 2. Because Christ himself often appeared on this very day to his Disciples, gathered together in one place after the resurrection, John 20:19, John 20:26.1038 3. Because he empowered them with the Holy Spirit this very day, Acts 2:1.1039 4. In the practise of the Churches in the time of the Apostles, mention is made of observing the first day, Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2.1040 It is not remembered as some recent Ordinance, but as something received for a good while among all the Disciples of Christ. 5. The Apostles in all things delivered those things to the Churches which they had received from Christ, 1 Corinthians 11:23.1041 6. This institution could not be deferred even one week after the death of Christ; and the law that one day in every week is to be sanctified according to the determination of God himself, remains firm: this law has been demonstrated before to be of perpetual right. For the Jewish Sabbath, in respect to being the seventh day, was abrogated in the death of Christ. For it is read that the Apostles, sometime after, were present in the assemblies of the Jews on that day of the Sabbath, Acts 13:14; Acts 16:13, Acts 17:2, Acts 18:4.1042 They did that chiefly because then was the fittest occasion to preach the Gospel to the Jews; as also afterward the Apostle greatly desired to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, Acts 20:16, because at that time the greatest concourse of the Jews was to be had in that place. 7. If the institution of the Lord’s Day was deferred so long — till the Apostles had separated from the Jews, and had their meetings apart, Acts 18:6-7; Acts 19:9,1043 as some would have it — then all that space of time which came between the death of Christ and this separation, which was above three years, the Fourth Commandment had bound none to that observation of any day — because the Jews’ day was already abolished; and by this opinion, there was no new day put in its place; and so there were only nine precepts1044 in force all that time. 8. The reason itself for this change confirms this same thing, which is that by the consent of all, it referred to the resurrection of Christ: namely, because on this day the creation of the new world was perfected, or the world to come, Hebrews 2:5, in which all things were made new, 2 Corinthians 5:17. So that God now, in Christ rising again from the dead, ceased or rested from his greatest work. In the beginning of the creation, when God rested from his works, he then blessed and sanctified that day in which he rested. So it was very fitting on that very day in which Christ rested from his labours himself, that he should also sanctify that day. Nor is to to be easily rejected, what is urged by some of the Ancients out of Psalms 118:24 : This is the day which the Lord has made. For in that very place Christ’s resurrection is treated, as Christ himself interprets it, Matthew 21:42.1045 9. It was also most fitting that the day of worship in the New Testament should be ordained by him by whom the worship itself was ordained, and from whom all blessing and grace is to be expected in all worship.
31. Those who consider the observation of the Lord’s Day an unwritten tradition are hereby sufficiently refuted: 1. Because not one thing so depends upon an unwritten tradition of such moment, as the observation of the Lord’s Day, by common consent, and the consent of almost all Christians. 2. By this means a door is opened to bring in various superstitions and human devices into the Church of God, or at least to prop them up when they are brought in. 3. Many among the Papists are ashamed of this invention: for although all the Papists, to cloak their superstitions, tend to give too much weight to Ecclesiastical traditions, yet in observing the Lord’s Day, that impression of Divine authority is so apparent that it has compelled not a few of them to ascribe it not to any human right, but to Divine right. Bannes in 2. 2. q. 44. a 1. Author supplementi ad summam Pisanam verb. Dominica; Abbas in cap licet defer. n. 3. Aug. ver. feria n. 3. Silvester. ver. Dominica q. 1. 7. Also Alexander, the third Pope of Rome, affirms in the Canon law de feriiscap. licet, that the Scripture of the Old as well as New Testament has specially deputed1046 the seventh day for man’s rest. That is (as Suarez interprets de dieb. fest. cap. 1.), both Testaments have approved the manner of deputing every seventh day of the week for man’s rest — which is to depute the seventh day formally, even though materially it was not always deputed. And in this way, it is true that that seventh day in the Old law was the Sabbath, and in the New it is the Lord’s Day. 4. Those who among themselves consider the Lord’s Day another tradition, also consider baptizing children a tradition, and with greater show in the same chapter and verse. But all our Divines, who have answered the Papists as to those examples of traditions, always contend that those institutions, and all others which are of the same profit and necessity, are to be found in the Scriptures themselves.
32. Those things which are usually brought out of the Scriptures to the contrary, e.g. Romans 14:5; Galatians 4:10; Colossians 2:16, do not hinder this truth at all.1047 For First, in all those places the observation of some day for religious use by the ordinance of Christ is no more condemned or denied than the choice of some certain meat for religious use by the ordinance of the same Christ. No Christian is so void of all reason that he would conclude out of those places, that the choice of bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper for a religious use, is either unlawful, or not ordained by Christ. Therefore neither can anything be concluded from them against the observation of the Lord’s Day by the use and institution of Christ. Secondly, the Apostle in Romans 14:5 expressly speaks about that esteem of days which bred offence among Christians at that time; but the observation of the Lord’s Day, which the Apostle himself teaches, and which had taken place at that time in all the Churches (1 Corinthians 16:1-2),1048 could not give any occasion for offence. Thirdly, it is most likely that in that passage to the Romans, the Apostle is addressing the choice of days to eat or to refuse certain meats: for the question in that dispute, propounded in 1 Corinthians 16:2,1049 is only about meats. In 1 Corinthians 16:5-6, the esteem of a duty is joined with it as pertaining to the same thing; and afterward through all the rest of the Chapter he addresses only meats, making no mention of days. Fourthly, in that passage to the Galatians, what is expressly treated is that observation of days, months, and years which pertained to the bondage of weak and beggarly elements, Galatians 4:9.1050 But it was far from the Apostle, and altogether alien to Christian religion, to consider any precept of the Decalogue, or any ordinance of Christ in such a way. Fifthly, Colossians 2:16 specially and expressly treats those sabbaths as the same kind with new Moons, and were ceremonial shadows of things to come in Christ. But the Sabbath commanded in the Decalogue and our Lord’s Day, are altogether of another nature,1051 as demonstrated before.
33. Nor is Christian liberty at all diminished by this opinion, as some seem to fear (without cause). For it is not a liberty but an unchristian licentiousness for any to think themselves freed from the observation of any precept of the Decalogue, or from the institutions of Christ. And experience also teaches that licentiousness, and neglect of holy things, more and more prevails where due respect is not had for the Lord’s Day.
34. Nor also was Adam subject to any bondage because he was bound to sanctify the seventh day by specially observing it.
35. But just as the beginning of the old Sabbath was at the evening;1052 and because the Creation also began at the evening;1053 and because the general mass was created before the light;1054 and the cessation from the work of Creation also began at the evening;1055 so also the beginning of the Lord’s Day seems to begin from the morning of that day, because the resurrection of Christ was early in the morning, Mark 16:9; John 20:1.1056
36. For the right observation of this day, two things are necessary: rest, and the sanctification of this rest.
37. The REST which is required is a cessation from every work which might hinder the exercises of Divine worship. We must therefore abstain on that day: 1. From all those works which are properly called servile: for seeing that such works of old were excluded by name in all other solemn feasts, Leviticus 23:7-8; Leviticus 23:25; Leviticus 23:32; Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 28:25,1057 much more were they excluded from the Sabbath.
38. But it is ridiculous to understand servile works to mean sins or mercenary good works, or those things done (in the manner of servants) for reward (as some understand them by a certain Allegorical sport). For sins are not forbidden and unlawful at some certain times, but are always and everywhere forbidden. Nor is it pertinent to the Fourth Commandment to deal with all sins that are to be forbidden. Although in some sense, this may be granted: that various sins are thereby aggravated if they are committed on so holy a day, Isaiah 58:4;1058 also those evil works which are done out of fear or hope; that is, which are altogether servile,1059 and have in respect to their manner, the same nature as other sins.
39. But properly, servile works are those which servants or servile men usually perform, such as mechanical works,1060 and all those for which great bodily labour is required, such as ploughing, digging, etc. 2. Besides these works, all works that are ours are also forbidden on that day; this is gathered from the opposite concession which is given in the fourth precept: Six days shall you work and do all YOUR work.
40. From this, together with the words following, we may gather that on the Sabbath day you shall do no work: that all those works are forbidden which are properly called ours, even though they are not strictly speaking, servile, or mechanical.
41. Now those are our works which pertain to the uses of this life; that is, those which are exercised in natural and civil things, and which properly pertain to our gain and profit. This kind includes those which are not servile by nature but liberal, such as studying, or exercising liberal arts; much more, those which are common to free men and servants, such as journeying to handle civil causes, etc.
42. For so this phrase is explained in Isaiah 58:3, You do that which delights you, that you may exact all your labours; that is, that you carefully attend to your own matters; Isaiah 58:13, doing your own ways. But in that chapter, Isaiah also and chiefly treats wicked actions, and those works which are unlawful at all times, as it appears in Isaiah 58:6.1061 Therefore some godly Divines seem to err, who usually gather from that passage that every word or thought used on the Lord’s Day, that is human or pertains to men, is to be considered sin. For all human words, deeds, or thoughts on that day, which this chapter handles (whether the Sabbath proper, or a solemn feast) are not judged there to be impertinent to the Sabbath, and thus to be plainly reprehended; but are only those which tend to concern our gain, which are either plainly unlawful, or repugnant to holy exercises, as it appears in verses 3 and 6. Concerning such servile and vulgar works, there is such a strict law, that on the Sabbath day men may not go on in their work, not even in time of plowing and harvest; that is, at those times which are most opportune and as it were, necessary for man’s life, Exodus 34:21;1062 nor in those things which mediately and remotely pertain to holy things, as was the building of the Tabernacle, Exodus 31:13.1063 Much less is it lawful to enter into any ordinary journey, Exodus 16:1-36 1064 or to frequent Marts or Fairs, Nehemiah 13:1-31.1065
43. Yet here are exceptions: 1. All those works which belong to common honesty: for seeing that we should behave and carry ourselves decently at all other times, so especially on that day which is specially dedicated to Divine worship: thus all those things which plainly pertain to it are understood to be permitted. 2. Those things which are imposed on us by some singular necessity, Matthew 12:11.1066 Notwithstanding, those things which men make or pretend to themselves to be necessary, are not to be included; but only those things which are obviously necessary and unavoidable by the providence of God, and which we are not aware of — that is, when such a necessity as the Scripture itself allows, is a sufficient cause to do any ordinary thing. 3. All those works which directly respect the worship and glory of God, Matthew 12:5; John 5:8-9.1067 For in that case, those works which are servile by nature, pass into the nature of holy actions; they are not properly our works, but God’s works.
44. This REST —though absolutely considered in itself, is not, nor was it ever, a part of worship — yet because it is commanded by God as a certain necessary thing to his worship, and also referred to it, it is thus part of that obedience which pertains to religion and to the worship of God.
45. The SANCTIFICATION OF THIS REST and day, means specially applying ourselves to worship God on this day; which is intimated in the phrases, He sanctified that day, and it is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.1068
46. Here public worship should chiefly be respected, which is also why the Sabbath is called a holy Convocation, Leviticus 23:3; Acts 13:14; Acts 15:21, Acts 16:13.1069 But it sufficiently appears that the public convocation of the Church should be had both before and after noon on the Lord’s Day, because of the double burnt-offering of the Sabbath, in the morning and in the evening, Numbers 28:8.1070
47. But the rest of the day ought to be spent in exercises of piety: for although of old there was an offering peculiar to the Sabbath, yet the continual or daily offering with his drink-offering was not to be omitted, Numbers 28:10.1071
48. Also public worship, seeing that it is to be celebrated most solemnly, necessarily requires exercises of reading Scripture, meditation, prayer, holy conferences, and contemplation of the works of God. By these we may be more prepared for public worship, and public worship may be made truly effectual to us.
49. Contrary to his ordinance of the Lord’s Day, are all feast days ordained by men which are considered holy days, as [only] the Lord’s Day ought to be considered.
50. For it is most agreeable with the first institution [of the Lord’s Day], and with the writings of the Apostles, that only one day in the week is sanctified.
51. The Jews had no feast days that were rightly sanctified, except by divine institution.1072
52. Yet any days may be piously turned into an occasion to further the worship of God.
53. Also, when God by his special judgments calls us to more solemn fasting, those days are to be considered, as it were, extraordinary Sabbaths.
54. Contrary also to the observation of this day are all transactions of business, exercises, feastings, sports, and the like, whereby the mind of man is drawn away from the exercises of religion on this day.