The third behest is this: ‘Look that thou hallow the day of the sabbath
(Saturday),’ that is to say, thou shalt not do on the day of the sabbath
(Saturday) thy business, nor thy works, that thou mightest do on other
days. But thou shalt rest thyself in order the better to prepare thyself
to pray to and to serve thy Creator, who rested the seventh day from
works that He had made in the six days before, in which He made and
ordained (ordered) the world. This behest he spiritually fulfils who
keeps by his might the peace of his conscience, in order to serve God
more holily. Then this word ‘Saturday,’ which the Jews call ‘sabbath,’
signifies (as much as) rest.
This behest can none keep spiritually, that is conscious (in conscience)
of deadly sin. For such conscience cannot be at rest the while that she
is in such a state. And instead of the sabbath, which was strictly kept
in the old law, holy Church sets the Sunday to be kept in the new law,
for our Lord arose from death to life on Sunday. And therefore one shall
beware and keep free so holily, and be at rest, from works over and
above the week; and more from works of sin; and give himself more to
spiritual works and to God’s service, and think on his Creator, and pray
to Him, and thank Him for His goodness. And whoso breaks the Sunday and
the other high feasts that are ordained to be kept in holy Church, sins
deadly, for he acts against the aforesaid behest of God and of holy
Church, except it be for some business that holy Church allows. But he
sins more that spends the Sunday and the feasts in sin, and in whoredom,
and in other sins against God. These three behests direct us specially
to God.