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← John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553)/Book 1 · A Short Catechisme, or Playne Instruction (1553)
Chapter 49PonetCatechism.1.49

The Sabbat.

The Master's Inquiry

The Master asks the Scholar to explain the Sabbath, which was mentioned among the laws of the first table.

Master. What do you have to say about the Sabbath, or the holy day, which you just mentioned among the laws of the first table?✦

The Scholar's Exposition of the Sabbath

The Scholar defines the Sabbath as a figure of rest in Christ, explains how trust in Christ brings freedom and peace, notes that outward ceremonies are tokens of this trust, and urges faithful Christians to devote holy days to God's service.

Scholar. Sabbath means rest. It was set apart for the honor and service of God alone, and it's a symbol of the rest and quietness that those who believe in Christ have.1 For our trust in Christ sets our minds free from all slavish fear of the law, sin, death, and hell, assuring us meanwhile that through him we please God, and that he has made us his children and heirs of his kingdom. Because of this, peace and true quietness of mind grow in our hearts, which is a sure foretaste of that most blessed quiet we will have in his kingdom.✦✦2 As for the things customarily done on the Sabbath day—ceremonies and exercises in the service of God—they are tokens and witnesses of this assured trust. And it's fitting that faithful Christians, on days set apart for holy things, should set aside unholy works and give themselves earnestly to religion and the service of God.3

Read the original English

Master. What hast thou to say of the Sabbat, or the ho ly dai: which euē now thou madest mention of, amonge the lawes of the firste table?

Scholer. Sabbat is as much to sai, as rest, It was apoin ted for onlye honoure and seruice of God: and it is a figure of that reast and quiet nes, whiche they haue that beleue in Christe. For oure trust in Christ doth set our myndes at liberty, from all slauishe feare of the law, sin, deathe and hel: assuring vs in the meane season, that by him we please God, & that he hath made vs hys chyldren and heiers of his kingdome: wherby thear groweth in our hartes peace and true quietnes of mind: whiche is a certayn foretaste of y• moste blessed quiet, whiche we shall haue in hys kyngdome. As for those thynges that are vsed to bee done on the sabbothe daye, as Ceremonies, and exercises in the seruyce of God, they are tokens and wytnesses of thys assured truste. And mete it is, that faithfull Christiās, on such daies as are apointed oute for holye thynges, shold lay asyde vnholy your kes: and gyue them selues earnestly to religion and ser uynge of God.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Exod.20.8-Exod.20.11;Deut.5.12-Deut.5.15 — Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exod.20.9 — Six days you shall labor and do all your work. Exod.20.10 — but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; on it you shall not do any work—you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. Exod.20.11 — For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the day of the Sabbath and made it holy. Deut.5.12 — Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Deut.5.13 — Six days you shall labor and do all your work, Deut.5.14 — But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work—you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your ox, your donkey, any of your livestock, or the foreigner within your gates—so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as you do. Deut.5.15 — Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
  2. ↩Rom.8.15 — For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, in which we cry, "Abba, Father."
  3. ↩Rom.8.16-Rom.8.17;Gal.4.7 — The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Rom.8.17 — And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Gal.4.7 — So you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Normalized line-broken/OCR forms 'apoin ted', 'reast', and 'quiet nes' as appointed, rest, and quietness.
  2. 2 ↩Read abbreviated 'y•' as 'the' ('the most blessed quiet').
  3. 3 ↩Normalized corrupt 'vnholy your kes' as 'unholy works' (likely broken 'workes' / OCR misread). Also rejoined 'Christiās' and 'ser uynge'.

John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion

Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat

Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.

Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.

  • A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
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