Chapter XIII
That the sabbath of the Jews was but a figure
of a more glorious sabbath to come, and their
temple, of the spiritual temples of God.
FURTHERMORE it is written
concerning the sabbath, in the
Ten Commandments, which God
spake in the mount Sinai to Moses,
face to face: Sanctify the sabbath
of the Lord with pure hands, and
with a clean heart.
2 And elsewhere he saith;
If thy children shall keep my
Sabbaths, then will I put my
mercy upon them.
3 And even in the beginning of
the creation he makes mention of
the sabbath. And God made in
six days the works of his hands,
and he finished them on the seventh
day; and he rested the seventh
day, and sanctified it.
4 Consider, my children, what
that signifies, he finished them
in six days. The meaning of it is
this: that in six thousand years
the Lord God will bring all things
to an end.
5 For with him one day is
a thousand years; as himself
testifieth, saying, Behold this
day shall be as a thousand years.
Therefore, children, in six days,
that is, in six thousand years,
shall a all things be accomplished.
6 And what is that he saith,
And he rested the seventh day
he meaneth this: that when
his Son shall come, and abolish
the season of the Wicked One,
and judge the ungodly; and shall
change the sun and the moon, and
the stars; then he shall gloriously
rest on that seventh day,
7 He adds, lastly: Thou shalt
sanctify it with clean hands and
a pure heart. Wherefore we are
greatly deceived if we imagine
that anyone can now sanctify that
day which God has made holy,
without having a heart pure in
all things.
8 Behold, therefore, he will then
truly sanctify it with blessed rest,
when we (having received the
righteous promise, when iniquity
shall be no more, all things being
renewed by the Lord) shall be able
to sanctify it, being ourselves first
made holy;
9 Lastly, he saith unto them
Your new moons and your Sabbaths
I cannot bear them. Consider
what he means by it; the
Sabbaths, says he, which ye now
keep are not acceptable unto me,
but those which I have made;
when resting from all things I
shall begin the eight day, that is,
the beginning of the other world.
10 For which cause we observe
the eight day with gladness, in
which Jesus rose from the dead;
and having manifested himself to
his disciples, ascended into heaven.
11 It remains yet that I
speak to you concerning the temple:
how those miserable men being
deceived have put their trust
in the house, and not in God
himself who made them, as if
it were the habitation of God.
12 For much after the same
manner as the Gentiles, they
consecrated him in the temple.
13 But learn therefore how
the Lord speaketh, rendering the
temple vain: Who has measured the
heaven with a span, and the earth
with his hand? Is it not I? Thus
with the Lord, Heaven is my
throne, and the earth is my
footstool. What is the house
that ye will build me? Or what
is the place of my rest? Know
therefore that all their hope
is vain.
14 And again he speaketh after
this manner: Behold they that
destroy this temple, even they
shall again build it up. And so
it came to pass; for through their
wars it is now destroyed by their
enemies; and the servants of their
enemies build it up.
15 Furthermore it has been
made manifest, how both the city
and the temple, and the people of
Israel should be given up. For
the scripture saith; And it shall
come to pass in the last days, that
the Lord will deliver up the sheep
of his pasture, and their fold, and
their tower unto destruction. And
it is come to pass, as the Lord hath
spoken.
16 Let us inquire therefore,
whether there be any temple of
God? Yes there is: and there
where himself declares that he
would both make and perfect it.
For it is written: And it shall
be that as soon as the week shall
be completed, the temple of the
Lord shall be gloriously built in
the name of the Lord.
17 I find therefore that there
is a temple. But how shall it be
built in the name of the Lord? I
will shew you.
18 Before that we believed in
God, the habitation of our heart
was corruptible, and feeble, as a
temple truly built with hands.
19 For it was a house full
of idolatry, a house of devils;
inasmuch as there was done in it
whatsoever was contrary unto God.
But it shall be built in the name
of the Lord.
20 Consider, how that the
temple of the Lord shall be very
gloriously built; and by what
means that shall be, learn.
21 Having received remission
of our sins, and trusting in the
name of the Lord, we are become
renewed, being again created as it
were from the beginning. Wherefore
God truly dwells in our house,
that is, in us.
22 But how does he dwell in us?
By the word of his faith, the calling
of his promise, the wisdom of his
righteous judgments and the commands
of his doctrine. He himself prophesies
within us, he himself dwelleth in us,
and openeth to us who were in bondage
of death the gate of our temple,
that is, the mouth of wisdom, having
given repentance unto us; and by this
means has brought us to be an
incorruptible temple.
23 He therefore that desires to
be saved looketh not unto the
man, but unto him that dwelleth
in him, and speaketh by him;
being struck with wonder,
forasmuch as he never either
heard him speaking such words
out of his mouth, nor ever
desired to hear them.
24 This is that spiritual temple
that is built unto the Lord.