Chapter IX.—Let us live with Christ. If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things200 have come to the possession of a new201 hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the ob- servance202 of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death—whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith,203 and therefore endure, that we may be found the disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Master—how shall we be able to live apart from Him, whose disciples the prophets themselves in the Spirit did wait for Him as their Teacher? And therefore He whom they rightly waited for, being come, raised them from the dead.204 If, then, those who were conversant with the ancient Scriptures came to newness of hope, expecting the coming of Christ, as the Lord teaches us when He says, “If ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me;”205 and again, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad; for before Abraham was, I am;”206 how shall we be able to live without Him? The prophets were His servants, and foresaw Him by the Spirit, and waited for Him as their Teacher, and expected Him as their Lord and Saviour, saying, “He will come and save us.”207 Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath after the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days of idleness; for “he that does not work, let him not eat.”208 For say the [holy] oracles, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread.” 209 But let every one of you keep the Sabbath after a spiritual manner, rejoicing in meditation on the law, not in relaxation of the body, admiring the workmanship of God, and not eating things prepared the day before, nor using lukewarm drinks, and walking within a prescribed space, nor finding delight in dancing and plaudits which have no sense in them.210 And after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the Lord’s Day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days [of the week]. Looking forward to this, 200 Literally, “in old things.” 201 Or, “newness of.” 202 Or, “according to.” 203 Literally, “we have received to believe.” 204 Comp. Matt. xxvii. 52. 205 John v. 46. 206 John viii. 56, 58. 207 Isa. xxxv. 4. 208 2 Thess. iii. 10. 209 Gen. iii. 19. 210 Reference is here made to well-known Jewish opinions and practices with respect to the Sabbath. The Talmud fixes 2000 cubits as the space lawful to be traversed. Philo (De Therap.) refers to the dancing, etc. Chapter IX.—Let us live with Christ. 174 Chapter IX.—Let us live with Christ.