necessities, which nature teaches and requires; for the common people,
man-servants and maid-servants, who have been attending to their work
and trade the whole week, that for a day they may retire in order to
rest and be refreshed.

Secondly, and most especially, that on such day of rest (since we can
get no other opportunity) freedom and time be taken to attend divine
service, so that we come together to hear and treat of God's and then
to praise God, to sing and pray.

However, this, I say, is not so restricted to any time, as with the
Jews, that it must be just on this or that day; for in itself no one
day is better than another; but this should indeed be done daily;
however, since the masses cannot give such attendance, there must be at
least one day in the week set apart. But since from of old Sunday [the
Lord's Day] has been appointed for this purpose, we also should
continue the same, in order that everything be done in harmonious
order, and no one create disorder by unnecessary innovation.

Therefore this is the simple meaning of the commandment: since
holidays are observed anyhow, such observance should be devoted to
hearing God's Word, so that the special function of this day should be
the ministry of the Word for the young and the mass of poor people, yet
that the resting be not so strictly interpreted as to forbid any other
incidental work that cannot be avoided.

Accordingly, when asked, What is meant by the commandment: Thou shalt
sanctify the holy day? answer: To sanctify the holy day is the same as
to keep it holy. But what is meant by keeping it holy? Nothing else
than to be occupied in holy words, works, and life. For the day needs