The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

Therefore if thou love thy self and wouldest have prosperity on thy soul and body, yield so much obedience to God, as to sanctify his sabbath. Thus much concerning the sum and exposition of this commandment. Now because there be many that do disagree in this doctrine of the sabbath, and account the keeping holy of the seventh day in the number of those ceremonies which be abrogated by Christ, and reached only to the Jews, therefore it is requisite that we approve and confirm by some sound reasons out of Gods word, that this commandment is moral and perpetual, and as carefully to be kept under the gospel, as under the law, and to continue in force, so long as any of the commandments, even so long as there is ⟨image 70⟩this world, and a Church militant upon earth. The first reason to confirm this, may be drawn from those reasons which God useth for the confirmation of it, in the text; the reasons are all of them perpetual, and none of them ceremonial, and every one as much belongs unto us, as unto them, and therefore it is without reason, to make the commandment it self of less scope, and binding fewer to keep it, then those reasons which are brought to confirm it. For go through the whole commandment, what one word in all of it, hath any note of ceremony, what reason savours of any special thing to the Jews, that the commandment should be tied only to them; for god commands them to keep the seventh, because it is most equal, being that he hath permitted six days for their business. Why, and hath he not given us liberty to labour six days in our calling, and is not the equity altogether as forcible to us in every age, as it was to them, in their ages. If God have taken from us none of the six days which he gave to them, what reason have we to take away more of the seventh, or any of the seventh more, then they. Then secondly, it is the Lords, therefore the Jews may not dare to employ it, any other ways then according to his will, and doth not this reason hold as strongly now, have we any privilege granted, to lay thievish hands, upon those holy things which are Gods, more then in old time the Jews had; & for the example of God, that he ceased from creating, doth it not reach to all ages a like; are not we as much bound to follow Gods example as ever any.

Therefore if thou loue thy selfe and wouldest haue prosperitie on thy soule and bodie, yeld so much obedience to God, as to sanctifie his sabboth. Thus much concerning the summe and exposition of this commandement. Now because there be many that doe disagree in this doctrine of the sabboth, and account the keeping holy of the seuenth day in the number of those ceremonies which be abrogated by Christ, and reached onely to the Iewes, therefore it is requisite that we approue and confirme by some sound reasons out of Gods word, that this commandement is morall and perpetuall, and as carefully to be kept vnder the gosple, as vnder the law, and to continue in force, so long as any of the commandements, euen so long as there is