Chapter XV.—The false and the true Sabbath. Further,217 also, it is written concerning the Sabbath in the Decalogue which [the Lord] spoke, face to face, to Moses on Mount Sinai, “And sanctify ye the Sabbath of the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart.”218 And He says in another place, “If my sons keep the Sabbath, then will I cause my mercy to rest upon them.”219 The Sabbath is mentioned at the beginning of the creation [thus]: “And God made in six days the works of His hands, and made an end on the seventh day, and rested on it, and sanctified it.”220 Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, “He finished in six days.” This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is221 with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifieth,222 saying, “Behold, to-day223 will be as a thousand years.”224 Therefore, my chil- dren, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. “And He rested on the seventh day.” This meaneth: when His Son, coming [again], shall destroy the time of the wicked man,225 and judge the ungodly, and change the sun, and the moon,226 and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day. Moreover, He says, “Thou shalt sanc- 147 tify it with pure hands and a pure heart.” If, therefore, any one can now sanctify the day which God hath sanctified, except he is pure in heart in all things,227 we are deceived.228 Behold, therefore:229 certainly then one properly resting sanctifies it, when we ourselves, having received the promise, wickedness no longer existing, and all things having been made new by the Lord, shall be able to work righteousness.230 Then we shall be able to sanctify 217 Cod. Sin. reads “because,” but this is corrected to “moreover.” 218 Ex. xx. 8; Deut. v. 12. 219 Jer. xvii. 24, 25. 220 Gen. ii. 2. The Hebrew text is here followed, the Septuagint reading “sixth” instead of “seventh.” 221 Cod. Sin. reads “signifies.” 222 Cod. Sin. adds, “to me.” 223 Cod. Sin. reads, “The day of the Lord shall be as a thousand years.” 224 Ps. xc. 4; 2 Pet. iii. 8. 225 Cod. Sin. seems properly to omit “of the wicked man.” 226 Cod. Sin. places stars before moon. 227 Cod. Sin. reads “again,” but is corrected as above. 228 The meaning is, “If the Sabbaths of the Jews were the true Sabbath, we should have been deceived by God, who demands pure hands and a pure heart.”—Hefele. 229 Cod. Sin. has, “But if not.” Hilgenfeld’s text of this confused passage reads as follows: “Who then can sanctify the day which God has sanctified, except the man who is of a pure heart? We are deceived (or mistaken) in all things. Behold, therefore,” etc. 230 Cod. Sin. reads, “resting aright, we shall sanctify it, having been justified, and received the promise, iniquity no longer existing, but all things having been made new by the Lord.” Chapter XV.—The false and the true Sabbath. 394 Chapter XV.—The false and the true Sabbath.