But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
Ver. 10. But the seventh day.] Or, A seventh day. Not only Hebrews, but also Greeks and Barbarians, did rest from work on the seventh day: witness Josephus, Clemens Alexand., and Eusebius. That which they tell us of the river Sabbatius, its resting, and not running on that day, I look upon as fabulous.
Thou shalt not do any work.] Only works of piety, of charity, and of necessity may bc done on the Sabbath day. He that but gathered sticks was paid home with stones. The first blow given the German Churches was upon the Sabbath day, which they carelessly observed. Prague was lost upon that day. a
Thou, nor thy son, &c.] Every mother's child. The baser sort of people in Sweden do always break the Sabbath, saying, that it is for gentlemen to keep that day. b
Thy man servant.] There is an old law of the Saxon king Ina, If a villain work on Sunday by his lord's command, he shall be free. c See Trapp (for summary of Law) on " Exo 20:17 "
a Dike, Of Confession of Sin, p. 276.
b David's Desire, by R. Abbot.
c Sir H. Spelman, in Concil.