Century 16

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The witness of

The Sixteenth Century

of Christianity

regarding the Sabbath of the Lord.

Some obvious spelling mistakes in the quotations and their sources have been rectified.

England:

"In the reign of Elizabeth, it occurred to many conscientious and independent thinkers (as it previously had done to some Protestants in Bohemia) that the fourth commandment required of them the observance, not of the first, but of the specified ‘seventh’ day of the week."

"Chambers’ Cyclopaedia", article "Sabbath,
Vol. 8, p. 402. 1867.

Russia: (Council, Moscow, 1503).

"The accused, (Sabbath-keepers) were summoned; they openly acknowledged the new faith, and defended the same. The most eminent of them, the secretary of state, Kuritzyn, Ivan Maximow, Kassian, archimandrite of the Jury Monastry of Novgorod,, were condemned to death, and burned publicly in cages, at Moscow, Dec. 27, 1503."

H. Sternberfi, "Geschichte der Juden"
(Leipzig, 1873), pp. 117-122.

Sweden:

"This zeal for Saturday-keeping continued for a long time: even little things which might strengthen the practice of keeping Saturday were punished."

Bishop Anjou, "Svenska Kirkans Historia efter Motet i Upsala."

Lichenstein:

"The Sabbatarians teach that the outward Sabbath, i.e. Saturday, still must be observed. They say that Sunday is the Pope’s invention."

"Refutation of Sabbath,"
by Wolfgang Capito, published 1599.

Bohemia: (the Bohemian Brethren).

Dr. R. Cox says: "I find from a passage in Erasmus that at the early period of the Reformation when he wrote, there were Sabbatarians in Bohemia, who not only kept the seventh day, but were said to be ... scrupulous in resting on it."

"Literature of the Sabbath Question,"
Cox, Vol. II, pp. 201, 202.

Historian’s List of Churches: (16^th century).

"Sabbatarians, so called because they reject the observance of the Lord’s day as not commanded in Scripture, they consider the Sabbath alone to be holy, as God rested on that day and commanded to keep it holy and to rest on it."

A. Ross.

Germany: Dr. Eck (while refuting the Reformers).

"However, the church has transferred the observance from Saturday to Sunday by virtue of her own power, without Scripture."

Dr. Eck’s "Enchiridion," 1533, pp. 78, 79.

Europe:

About the year 1520 many of these Sabbath-keepers found shelter on the estate of Lord Leonhardt of Lichenstein, "as the princes of Lichenstein held to the observance of the true Sabbath."

"History of the Sabbath," J. N. Andrews, p. 649, ed.

India:

The famous Jesuit, Francis Xavier, called for the Inquisition, which was set up in Goa, India, in 1560, to check the ‘Jewish wickedness’ (Sabbath-keeping)."

Adeney, "The Greek and Eastern Churches," p. 527, 528.

Norway: 1544.

"Some of you, contrary to the warning, keep Saturday. You ought to be severely punished. Whoever shall be found keeping Saturday, must pay a fine of ten marks."

"History of King Christian the Third."
Niels Krag and S. Stephanius.

Austria:

"Sabbatarians now exist in Austria."

Luther "Lectures on Genesis," A. D. 1523-27.

Abyssinia: A. D. 1534 (Abyssinian legate at court of Lisbon).

"It is not therefore, in imitation of the Jews, but in obedience to Christ and His holy apostles, that we observe that day."

Gedde’s "Church History of Ethiopia,"
pp. 87,8

Dr. Martin Luther:

"God blessed the Sabbath and sanctified it to Himself. God willed that this command concerning the Sabbath should remain. He willed that on the seventh day the word should be preached."

"Commentary on Genesis," Vol. 1, pp. 138-140.

Baptists:

"Some have suffered torture because they would not rest when others kept Sunday, for they declared it to be the holiday and law of Antichrist."

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