Hitherto good children you have been taught in what holy works you ought to spend the Sabbath ⟨p. xxxv⟩day, now it shall be declared unto you, how great a sin it is, not to sanctify the same. The which sin is then committed when we upon the holy days do not hear with great diligence and reverence, sermons & the most fruitful word of God, when we do not give our minds to prayer, and other Godly works, but to idleness, eating, drinking, banqueting, dancing, lechery, dicing, carding, backbiting, slandering and other ungodly works. For the which abuse of holy days God is grievously provoked and punisheth us grievously with diverse kinds of plagues, but specially with need and poverty. For so God threateneth in the .xxviii. chapter of Deuteronomy,1 that men shall labour and toil both day and night, and yet shall not be able ⟨image 59⟩to work themselves out of poverty. And it is no marvel. For when God giveth them resting days, they do not sanctify the same, they do not hear the word of God, nor pray to him, but wickedly despise God and his honour, spending the sabbath day in the above named sinful and ungodly life. wherefore God justly punisheth them with poverty. But peradventure you will say God doth not punish all the breakers of this commandment with need and poverty. Trueth it is in deed, some there be which God doeth not punish in this life, but deferreth their punishment until the hour of death, when they be utterly forsaken of him, (which is a pain most horrible) and everlastingly condemned if they amend not in due time. Therefore good ⟨p. xxxvi⟩children eschew these since, that be so heinous in the sight of god, sanctify your Sabbath day, be desirous to hear the word of God, pray continually, and give thanks to God for all his benefits. In so doing you shall surely please him, and he shall send you his grace, favour & blessing that all thing may prosper with you, that you may with joy and gladness serve your Lord God, and enjoy many sabbaths or resting days. For God is well content that we have many resting days, so that we spend them well in holy and godly exercises, and cause not only our bodies to rest from labours, but also our minds from sin.
Hytherto good children you haue bene taughte in what holy workes you ought to spende the Sabboth ⟨p. xxxv⟩day, now it shall be declared vnto you, how great a sinne it is, not to sanctifye the same. The whiche synne is then committed when we vpon the holye dayes do not heare with greate dilygence and reuerence, sermons & the most frutefull woorde of God, when we do not gyue our myndes to prayer, and other Godly workes, but to idlenes, eatinge, drynkynge, bankettynge, dauncynge, lechery, dicing, cardynge, backebytynge, slaunderyng and other vngodly workes. For the which abuse of holy daies God is grieuously prouoked and punisheth vs greuouslye with dyuerse kyndes of plages, but specially with nede and pouertie. For so God threateneth in the .xxviii. chapter of Deuteronomie,1 that mē shall labour and toyle bothe daye and nyght, and yet shall not be able ⟨image 59⟩to worke themselues out of pouertie. And it is no meruell. For when God gyueth them restynge dayes, they doo not sanctifie the same, they do not heare the worde of God, nor pray to him, but wickedly dispise God and his honor, spendyng the sabboth daye in the aboue named synfull and vngodly lyfe. wherfore God iustly punisheth them with pouertie. But peraduenture you wyl say God doth not punishe all ye breakers of this commaundemente with nede and pouertie. Trueth it is in deede, some there be whiche God doeth not punishe in this lyfe, but defferreth theyr punishement vntill the houre of death, whē they be vtterlye forsaken of hym, (whiche is a payne most horrible) and euerlastyngly condemned if they amend not in due tyme. Therfore good ⟨p. xxxvi⟩children eschewe these synnes, that be so heynous in the sight of god, sanctifie youre Sabboth daye, be desirouse to heare the woorde of God, praye continually, and gyue thankes to God for all his benefites. In so doyng you shall surelye please hym, and he shall sende you his grace, fauour & blessynge that all thing maye prosper wyth you, that you maye with ioye and gladnes serue youre Lorde God, and enioy manye sabbothes or restyng dayes. For God is wel content that we haue many restynge dayes, so that we spende them wel in holy and godlye exercises, and cause not only oure bodyes to rest from labours, but also oure myndes from synne.
- 1deu. xxvi•
