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,…

For here is no abrogating of the Sabbath, but an establishing of the true celebrating of the Sabbath, with a sharp reprehending of their corrupt and present estate. And as he speaketh against their corrupt Sabbath, so he taxeth them for their hypocritical fasting: so that if they will have the Sabbath to be abrogated, much more must they drive fasting out of the doors of the Church, against which he is most earnest, and telling them that their fasts are not in truth, the Lord showeth them, with what fasting he is pleased. Again, say they, see, here it is manifest, that to cease from sin in our Sabbath, which we¹ must keep. I answer, it is the fruit of the Sabbath, which we must keep: and therefore, because where the means are used without any effect or fruit, there the means are nothing, the Lord rather urgeth them to the effects and keeping of the Sabbath with fruit, then disannulleth the Sabbath. And it is usual in the word of God, to use the effect for the cause, and the fruit for the means, as we may see Jam. 1. 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God, even the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the world. Which briefly is, as if the Apostle should say, this is the effect of true religion, when faith doth purely show it self in the works of love. Again, Joh 6. 47. 48. He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life: I am the bread of life. Where our Saviour Christ showeth, that the effect of faith is the eating of Christ his flesh, and drinking of his blood. So that, to use the means without the effect is hypocrisy: as² ⟨p. 141⟩also to look for the effect without using of the means, is foolish presumption. Wherefore³ we affirm, & that from the mouth of the Lord by his holy Prophet, that to rest in fasting and in the Sabbath, an outward mean is of no value, being separated from good works, the issue and the effect of the same, that if we would, God should be merciful to us, we should also show our selves merciful to others. So then the Lord taketh not here away the one, but showeth the one to be fruitless without the other, and is so far from taking away the Sabbath, that rather he goeth about to inform them in the true use of the Sabbath. The meaning therefore of the Prophet his word, is this: