Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Secondarily, the Sabbath is the ¹outward institution of our religion. For it pleased the Lord in this commandment, to teach us an outward religion and kind of worship, wherein he would have us all to be exercised. Now for because the worshipping of God can not be without a time: Therefore hath the Lord appointed a certain time wherein we should abstain from outward or bodily works, but so yet that we should have leisure to attend upon our spiritual business. For, for that cause is the outward rest commanded, that the spiritual work should not be hindered by the bodily business. Moreover, that spiritual labour among our fathers, was chiefly spent about four things, to wit, about public reading and expounding of the scriptures, and so consequently, about the hearing of the same, about public prayers and common petitions, about sacrifices, or the administration of the sacraments, and lastly, about the gathering of every mans benevolence. In these consisted the outward religion of the Sabbath. For the people kept holy day, and met together in holy assemblies: where the Prophets read to them the word of the Lord, expounding it, and instructing the hearers in the true religion. Then did the faithful jointly make their common prayers, and supplications, for all things necessary for their behoof. They praised the name of the Lord, and gave him thanks for all his good benefits bestowed upon them. Furthermore, they did offer sacrifices as the Lord commanded them, celebrating the mysteries and sacraments of Christ their redeemer, and keeping their faith exercised and in ure, they were joined in one with these sacraments, and also warned of their duty, which is to offer them selves a lively sacrifice to the Lord their God. Lastly, they did in the congregation liberally bestow the gifts of their good will, to the use of the Church. They gathered every mans benevolence, therewith to supply the Churches necessity, to maintain the ministers, and to relieve the poor and needy. These were the holy works of God, which while they (having their hearts instructed in faith and love) did fulfil, they did therein rightly sanctify the Sabbath, and the name of the Lord:

Secondarily, the Sabboth is the ¹outwarde institution of our religion. For it pleased the Lorde in this commandement, to teache vs an outward religion and kinde of worship, wherein he would haue vs all to be exercised. Nowe for bycause the worshipping of God cā not be without a time: Therefore hath the Lord appointed a certaine time wherein we shoulde absteine from outwarde or bodilye works, but so yet that we should haue leasure to attēd vpō our spiritual businesse. For, for that cause is the outward rest commaunded, that the spirituall worke should not be hindered by the bodily businesse. Moreouer, that spirituall labour among our fathers, was chiefly spent about foure things, to wit, about publique reading and expounding of the scriptures, and so consequently, about the hearing of the same, about publique prayers and common petitions, about sacrifices, or the administration of the sacraments, and lastly, about the gathering of euery mans beneuolence. In these consisted the outward religion of the Sabboth. For the people kept holie day, and met together in holy assemblies: where the Prophetes read to thē the word of the Lord, expounding it, and instructing the hearers in the true religion. Then did the faythfull iointly make their common prayers, and supplications, for all things necessarie for their behoofe. They praysed the name of the Lord, and gaue him thankes for all his good benefites bestowed vpon them. Furthermore, they did offer sacrifices as the Lorde commaunded them, celebrating the mysteries and sacraments of Christe their redéemer, and keping their faith exercised and in vre, they were ioyned in one with these sacraments, and also warned of their duetie, which is to offer them selues a liuely sacrifice to the Lord their God. Lastly, they did in the congregation liberally bestow the giftes of their good will, to the vse of the Church. They gathered euerie mans beneuolence, therewith to supply the Churches necessitie, to mainteine the ministers, and to relieue the poore and néedie. These were the holy workes of God, which while they (hauing their hartes instructed in fayth and loue) did fulfill, they did therein rightly sanctifie the Sabboth, and the name of the Lord: