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,…

CHAP. 9. Of the Sabbath.

BY nature all days are like, as are all men, water, bread, wine, until God sanctify them, that is, put them a part to a several use. As amongst men, the Magistrate, the water in Baptism, bread and wine in the Supper: so among days the Sabbath, Gen. 2. 3. (because of Gods appointment) are not to be accounted common. Acts. 10. 15. What God hath made clean, pollute thou ¹not: Pollute thou not, that is, employ thou not, as thou doest other things, to common uses, but let it serve to holy uses only. For nothing consecrate was ever put to profane or ordinary uses. Exod. 30. 38. To sanctify is to make holy: It is said, God hath made holy the Sabbath. For himself it is superfluous, to whom all things are holy; for us and for our selves therefore is the sanctification thereof. For, 1. Thess. 4. 3. the Apostle saith, This is the will of God even your sanctification: therefore he sanctified it for us, that is, he² blesseth the word which we hear upon that day, after a more effectual manner, and with a more special blessing to beget in us holiness, that we may by it become holy, as he is holy. God then by his blessing hath sanctified it, we by our obedience must sanctify it, that is, be occupied in all those exercises of religion, whereunto God hath annexed a promise of working in us true holiness. To do otherwise is to oppose our selves to the ordinance of God: yet though we do profane it as much as in us lieth, the day doth remain³ holy, as Christ witnesseth. A man may commit adultery with a woman, and yet she remain chaste,