The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy will on mine ¹holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, to consecrate is, as glorious to the Lord, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor seeking thine own will, nor speaking a vain word: 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord, and I will cause thee to mount upon the high places of the earth. &c. This is spoken to the present estate of the Jews, as then they were, and not properly to the Gentiles, but as they may see their estate in the Jews, in which respect it may be profitably applied to the Gentiles, but evident it is, that here properly it was spoken to the Jews. For in this place the Prophet sharply reprehendeth them, because they kept not their fastings and holy days aright. Howbeit, they did not stick to complain among themselves, that they had fasted, that they humbled themselves, and used all the means which their fathers before them had done: but all in vain, in that they felt not the like effects, which their fathers did. Wherefore the Lord by his Prophet answereth them in this sort: True it is, that ye fast indeed, but therewithal ye lie and live still in your sins: ye fast, but without repentance: and so far are ye from true forsaking of your sins, that on your fasting days, howsoever like hypocrites ye use the outward action, ye exercise cruelty, oppression, debate and strife: and do ye look, that this holy hypocrisy should be acceptable unto me? No: If ye will please me with your fasting, repent ye of your sins, show forth your sorrow by the fruits of love, in exercising the works of mercy and compassion: which things when I shall behold in you with an upright heart then I will accept your offering, and be pleased with your fasting. Again, do not think, that I will look upon your holidays, so long as ye use them but upon custom & in hypocrisy, making them unprofitable for my worship, and your salvation and repentance, until such time as ye endeavour a better and more holy use of them, both concerning the pure honouring of my name, and the furthering of your own salvation. Behold here (say they) the Sabbath is abrogated, than which they can affirm nothing more contrary out of this place.

If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath, from doing thy will on mine ¹holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, to consecrate is, as glorious to the Lord, and shalt honour him, not doing thine owne waies, nor seeking thine owne will, nor speaking a vaine word: 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord, and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth. &c. This is spoken to the present estate of the Iewes, as then they were, and not properly to the Gentiles, but as they may see their estate in the Iewes, in which respect it may be profitablie applied to the Gentiles, but euident it is, that here properly it was spoken to the Iewes. For in this place the Prophet sharply reprehendeth them, because they kept not their fastings and holy daies aright. Howbeit, they did not sticke to complaine among themselues, that they had fasted, that they humbled themselues, and vsed all the meanes which their fathers before them had done: but all in vaine, in that they felt not the like effects, which their fathers did. Wherefore the Lord by his Prophet answereth them in this sort: True it is, that yee fast indeed, but therewithall yee lie and liue still in your sinnes: yee fast, but without repentance: and so farre are yee from true forsaking of your sinnes, that on your fasting daies, howsoeuer like hypocrites ye vse the outward action, ye exercise crueltie, oppression, debate and strife: and doe ye looke, that this holy hypocrisie should be acceptable vnto me? No: If ye will please me with your fasting, repent ye of your sinnes, shew foorth your sorrow by the fruits of loue, in exercising the works of mercie and compassion: which things when I shall behold in you with an vpright heart then I will accept your offering, and be pleased with your fasting. Againe, doe not thinke, that I will looke vpon your holidaies, so long as ye vse them but vpon custome & in hypocrisie, making them vnprofitable for my worship, and your saluation and repentance, vntill such time as ye endeuour a better and more holie vse of them, both concerning the pure honouring of my name, and the furthering of your owne saluation. Behold here (say they) the Sabbath is abrogated, than which they can affirme nothing more contrarie out of this place.