which argument I will point at three things namely first I will shew what Scriptures were read in the Church-assembly secondly whose office it was to do this thirdly I will add something of the place out of which the Scriptures were read in the Church-assembly It is evident out of divers authors that those Scriptures were read by whose reading faith was nourished And that is thought by divers men of great name in imitation of the Jews by whom it was an ordinary thing to read Moses and the Prophets in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Acts 13. 15. and 15. 21. This custome of the Jews omitting ceremonials was not onely profitable to the Apostles who upon that occasion every where preached Christ in the Synagogues out of Moses and the Prophets Act. 13. 15. and 17. 2 3. but also was commended by the Apostles to Christians as often as the Church met namely that the writings of the old Prophets should be read and expounded by the modern Prophets 1 Cor. 14. 29. Origen also witnesseth although he be deceived in giving the cause for which this was enjoyned the Church of the Apostles that the Apostles ordained that the books of Jewish Histories should be read in Churches by the Disciples of Christ So he initio Hom. 15. in Josh Moreover there be some that gather out of 2 Cor. 8. 18. where the Apostle saith of Luke With Titus we have sent our brother whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches that not only the Scriptures of the Old Testament were wont to be read while the Apostles were alive but also of the Evangelists about the History and Sermons of Christ Where according to them we may not unfitly observe that even at that time the Gospel of Luke was wont to be read in Churches Paul is not afraid to adjure the Thessalonians that when that Epistle to them was finished it should be read to all the holy brethren 1 Thes 5. 27. and he requires the Colossians that they read the Epistle written from Laodicea and that they should cause that which he sent unto them to be read in the Church of the Laodiceans Col. 4. 16. And Eusebius out of Clement relates that Peter ordained that the Gospel of Mark was to be read in Churches So Euseb Hist l. 2. c. 4. and the same author our of Irenaeus asserteth that Matthew set forth his Gospel for the Hebrews in their own tongue while Paul and Peter preached the Word at Rome After the Apostles death the writings not only of the Prophets and Evangelists but of the Apostles themselves were read in the Church-assemblies as I have said from 1 Thes 5. and Col. 4. Justin Martyr saith that the writings of the Prophets and Apostles were read on Sunday in their assemblies Others afterwards confess the same thing Origen when he reckons up the works to be performed on the Christian Sabbath he mentions the sacred reading in their assemblies where also he speaks of Reading and Treatises and in Ex. Hom. 7. he saith The Lord alwayes rains down from Heaven namely when the holy Oracles were read as he afterwards explains it Manna on our Lords day whence he concludeth that the Christians Lords day is to be preferred to the Jewish Sabbath Tertullian confesses that the Church assembled for to remember those Divine things that were read And elsewhere amongst the Lords day solemnities he affirms that the sacred Scriptures were read de Anima c. 9. Cyprian mentions this reading Ep. 33. in which he writes to the Clergy and people of one Aurelius that was ordained a Reader of him to read the Gospel in the Church c. Eusebius acknowledges that both the Old and New Testament was read in Churches Ambros in Epist ad Soror Ep. 33. Aug. de Civitate Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. These things shew that the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testaments were read and in the fifty ninth Canon of the Council of Laodicea it is ordained that only the Canonical books should be read and in the sixtieth Canon they reckon up the names and order of Canonical Books of both Testaments The same provision is made in the 27th Canon of the Council of Carthage apud Zonar That beside the Canonical Scriptures nothing be read in the Church under the name of Divine Scripture Only they add the Books of Tobit Judith and Esther Yet this must not be concealed not only the writings of the Apostles and Prophets but of divers others who were famous for piety and of great authority in the Church were anciently read in the Church-assemblies Dionysius Corinthiacus apud Euseb reports that Clements Epistle ad Corinth was read on the Lords day Hierom. in Cat. Script Ecclesiast witnesseth that Effraemus Deacon of the Church at Edissa came to such renown that after the reading of the Scriptures his writings were publickly read in some Churches The sufferings of the Martyrs were also read upon their Feasts Concil Carthag Can. 50. But the Commentaries in which the Martyrs conflicts were described were only read over on those dayes whereon their memory was annually celebrated witness Zonaras in Concil Carthag Can. 50. And such humane writings as were read in the Church are to be understood chiefly of the Psalms and Songs which were devised of them to praise God by Eusebius mentions these lib. 5. cap. 28. and lib. 2. 17. Afterwards through the Devils subtilty tares sprung up in the Church and under pretence of these writings Hereticks sowed their false Doctrines which the Fathers in Trull Can. 2. observe in the Constitutions ascribed to Clement to which some things sorged and some things repugnant to Faith are annexed which evil that the Fathers might feasonably prevent they frequently ordained that no Books should be read in the publick Church-assembly but the Holy Scriptures much less that it ever should be safe through them that many dreams which they babled out with a rash attempt like old wife's dotages of vain-talking men should be read among the Holy Scriptures as afterwards by use it fell out because as we have seen they ordained that nothing but the Scriptures should be read in Churches Now for the order according to whose rule all reading of the Scriptures among the ancients was disposed we meet with a few things to be observed out of their Records Whether namely in the primitive Church there were selected parts of the Scriptures which they read or as it was familiar with the Jews on their Sabbath-dayes they read the Scripture in order as the Lords dayes returned till they had finished that work this I say is not certainly known onely what parts of Scripture they read they explained the same for the peoples use as the necessity of the present times did require Tertul. apo c. 39. Ambr. l. 5. ep 33. But afterwards it doth appear that there was an order observed in reading the Scriptures St. Austin mentions the order observed by
of mind that the State of his Kingdom waxed worse and that he fought with unhappy success against the Goths the source of so great an evil being a little more deeply sought out he reproved the Bishops which sed not with Gospel Doctrines the people committed to them who by their profligate manners stirred up the wrath of a revenging God against him to prevent which evil for the future it was ordained in a Council That the Lords day should be kept religiously The pattern of this most Christian King while the victory in this our age inclineth to the enemies perswades us devoutly to keep the L. day solemnity for which we have â—ought unsuccessfully almost these twenty years against the enemies of our liberty that have roared in the Churches of God to our great sorrow When we count the causes of this will why should we not apply our minds with Gunther amnus to bewail the heynous violation of the Lords day and with the ancient Fathers who observed that the Lords day was not reverently kept ordained That first of all the Priests then Kings and Princes and all the Faithfull should chiefly see to it that the due observation and Religious Devotion of so great a Day now in so great a part neglected be hereafter for a sign of Christianity more devoutly exhibited and that the Christian Magistrates excellency be humbly desired of the Priests that in honour and reverence of so great a Day all may be put in fear that men presume not to keep markets do their own pleasure and works on this Holy and Venerable Day For when this solemnity is either taken away or neglected there is no more hopes of the other parts of Religion than there is of the bodies safety when the head is cut off Neither can there be used a more excellent remedy for curing the other malady than the holy observation of this Festival for the zeal of Religion waxing cold and purity of holy Doctrine being obscured what will be more fit to heal errours and stirr up the languishing strength of zeal than that an entire Worship be offered up both publickly and privately to God on this day while the holy Word of God is piously preached attentively heard the Sacred Mysteries devoutly and according to Christs institution celebrated Prayers poured into the hearts of the Faithful by the Holy Ghost are with all humility offered up to God Sacred Hymns sound in the Church with a godly joy the afflicted members of Christ and the poor provided for bountifully by the rich and those that are sound in mind do mercifully comfort them that are sorrowful These are those exercises of the Lords Day which will uphold Religion when it is falling which if they be religiously observed of the Church every one seeth how great an access will be made from thence to the Christian Religion which we all profess And these are the things Most Holy Church of Christ which in this elaborate Treatise I do not utter foolishly of my self but humbly offer all things to Thee as they are taken out of the Holy Scriptures where they afforded me any light in discussing of this dispute and the lights of purer Christianity not because as sometime Chrysostome Homil. post prioris exilii reditum Thou stand'st in need of my Doctrine which indeed I acknowledge to be but small but that I might testifie my good will to thee and that at length thy natural Sons to whom Religion is both their care and their pleasure may in some sort see what works they are to attend on that Day and from what to abstain and with what authority the institution of this solemnity is supported With Gods assistance I will briefly shew from the Holy Scriptures and Fathers of better credit asserting all these things Thou hast therefore most Beloved Mother the purpose of my mind in sending forth this little work Do thou then of thy humanity to thy friends pardon the mistakes how great soever they be in collecting these things and take in good part the slenderness of my wit which endeavoured according to its power to benefit chiefly thy natural sons that sojourn in Germany which I love upon many accounts This doth he humbly ask of thee Who loves Thee and Thine with a sincere Love in Christ Theophilus Philo-kuriaces Loncardiensis AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS BOOK 1. THe Preface in which first is propounded the Scope of this Treatise Secondly is shewn why we meet with more things about the duties of the Lords Day in the later than in the former Councils Thirdly how far the Church at this day may be obliged by the authorities of Provincial Councils that ordain these duties although some things of lesser value be put among their Canons Fol. 1. Chapter 1. That to the solemn Worship of God a determined time is necessary Concerning the Assemblies of the Apostles and how they were present in the Jewish Synagogues on the Sabbath day 1. Chap. 2. The ordinary time observed for celebrating the publick worship of God after Christs death was the Lords day solemnly used by the Christian Church in the very Apostles age Three Texts of the New Testament namely Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. and Rev. 1 10. are briefly weighed 14. Chap. 3. After the Apostles death the Church met upon other dayes than the Lords The antient Christians observed the Sabbath not as an holy day the differences between the observation of the Lords day and Sabbath How Constantine the Great ordained the Parasceve to be observed Anniversary Festivals were not celebrated with that solemnity as the Lords Day Anniversary Festivals not to be preferred to the Lords days anciently they bowed not the knee on the Lords Day 30. Chap. 4. The chief of the Fathers make mention of the Lords day solemnity the authority whereof depends not upon the Emperours Constitutions When it was first ordained that Judges should cease from hearing Law-suits on the Lords day the Christians were punished for observing it VVhat it is Dominicum agere 52. Chap. 5. The reason of observing the Lords Day It 's called the first day of the week by the Evangelists and Fathers and the Lords day Sunday also and why the Sabbath and Christian Sabbath VVhy the Fathers used so seldome the name Sabbath VVhat Synaxis may signifie with the Ancients 66. Chap. 6. The whole Lords Day is to be sanctified to God and not onely some part thereof 77. Chap. 7. The ordinance of the Lords day is not properly to be reckoned amongst unwritten Traditions It was instituted of Christ by the Apostles The Apostles prerogatives above other Ministers of the Church the things ordained by the Apostles are of Divine right 90. Chap. 8. In the compass of a week one day was sanctified from the beginning of the world This is affirmed by Jews and Christians How Adam had need of the Sabbath Mention of a seventh day observed amongst the Heathen The authorities are weighed wherein the observation
unjust If therefore Conscience dictate as Chrysostom thinks that the very art of this pleasure be dishonest and unjust let them who commend them to the Church see where those sober and modest dances which they speak of can find any place and to those that expound choreas ducere only of lascivious dances we will in a form of speech commodious enough interpret these dances to be meant of all dancings whatsoever otherwise St. Cyprian had not affirmed that David danced before God unless any should think that the Bl. Martyr which never came into his mind would brand the Royal Prophet with a mark of lascivious and obscene dancing And if there be any that think that dancing be sober and modest they are at their liberty for me to abound in their own sense at least with Octavius that good defender of the Christian Religion and other lights of Reformed Christianity it seems meet for me to repute them as obscene and evil pleasures Lastly let the patrons of those dances which they call sober bring forth any testimony out of approved Authors whereby any dances on the Lords Dayes can be defended and then we will believe them that such dances were not prohibited by the Fathers which till it be done we will with the ancients say we ought not to lead dances or effeminate our ears with pipes and harps The ancients cursed those kinds of pleasures which then were in use If the things which at this day are highly esteemed by the world and are reckoned as sober had in their age put up the head doubtless they would have condemned them with the same zeal and holy fervour of spirit as being contrary to the Lords solemnity and which hindred the sanctification thereof In the mean while since we see that sports and dances by St. Cyril all pleasures by Leo and Anthemius sports and dances by the Fathers of Colen dancings by the Council of Millain to be condemned the pleasures of showes to be reckoned evil of Octavius and Chrysostome to reprehend dances as leading to the Devil we affirm that these worldly showes which are the very fomes of pleasures and whose art witness Chrysostom is dishonest and unbeseeming the Christian name are not to be kept on the Lords day Moreover neither are the fore-mentioned prohibitions so to be expounded as if dances and showes were only forbidden while the sacred exercises of piety were held on the Lords day in the publick assemblies which being finished who will may lawfully be employed in them for that indeed would be nothing else but to go straight out of Gods Church into the Devils But God grant that such a desire of destructive pleasure be prevented from his people We have in the fifth Chapter declared that Christians must keep all the whole day holy and afterwards God willing will teach what duties of piety are to be done by Christians when Church-meetings are ended And thus from the premises we find that the Lords Day is to be violated by no pleasures For we must honour this day with a spiritual honour not in feasting and drinking not in drunkenness and dances c. The End of the First Book THE Lords-Day THE SECOND BOOK In Which It 's shewed at large out of the Records of the ancients what things are required to the sanctification of the Lords Day CHAP. I. The Lords Day ordinary duties were both publick and private publick Church-assemblies on the Lords Day the mention of which we oftener meet with in the following than in the former Church Night-meetings and why abolished Meetings before day and on the day in the morning and in the evening WHat we have recited in the foregoing Book do shew that the Lords day was alwayes solemnized by the Church and what things they were which did ordinarily hinder the solemnity thereof amongst the men of this world now we come to those things in which the solemn sanctification thereof consisteth for we must not onely abstain from labours and pleasures on that day but also we must attend upon Divine worship neither is the rest commanded on the Lords day to be dedicated to our affections sports pleasures or sins but to the Worship of God alone which the pious practise of the Apostles and of the Church following them doth declare Among the ancients there were Lords day solemnities or ordinary duties which were performed in the Church and what they were the same author explains in the same Chapter namely reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalms Adlocutiones q. d. speakings unto and Prayers By those Adlocutiones which were uttered in the Church assembly the Battologies as Pamelius on that place would have it frequently repeated in the Mass as Dominus vobiscum The Lord be with you Pax vobiscum Peace be to you Oremus Let us pray Gratias agamus Domino Let us give thanks to God c. which are in the Mass offices repeated ad nauseam are not to be understood but by adlocutiones in Tertullian are meant the Ministers Sermons to the people after the Scriptures were read in the assembly For those that expounded the Scriptures spoke to the people by exhortations admonitions c. as afterwards will appear And in this sense of ours we meet with the word adlocutio in Cyprian de Lapsis sect prima Those offices also to be performed on the Lords day are extant in Clemens Constit p. 2. c. 59. The Lords day solemnities wherewith they honoured this day are the duties that appertain to godliness whereof some were of a publick others of a private right those were to be performed by every Church in the publick assemblies and these of the faithful members of the Church when they were returned home the publick assembly being ended This place therefore requireth that something be added about the publick meetings of the Church being held on the Lords dayes In describing whereof we will first teach that they were in use with the Church of God even from the Apostles age Secondly we will enquire what was done in them by the Church Thirdly we will add something of the places wherein they were held Although the ancients as we have seen in the former book ch 5. did destinate the whole Lords day or the first day of the week to the exercises of Divine Worship yet did they hold their publick assemblies at certain hours and what time remained besides they spent it also privately in holy duties Whence we may easily observe that there was a solemn and religious observation of the Lords day both publick and private the publick was performed in the publick conventions of the Church and that Christians in what part of the world soever they lived so often as they could for persecution were wont to meet together in one place to handle the duties of piety is so clear from divers places of the New Testament that it wanteth no testimony These assemblies could not be held without a stated time
DIES DOMINICA OR THE Lords Day Ignat. Epist. ad Magnes After the Sabbath let all that love Christ celebrate the Lords Day as being consecrated to the Lords Resurrection the Queen and Princess of all dayes THE Lords-Day OR A SUCCINCT NARRATION Compiled Out of the Testimonies of H. SCRIPTURE and the Reverend Ancient FATHERS and Divided into Two Books In the former whereof is declared That the observation of the Lords Day was from the Apostles and by the Christian Church solemnized in a continual series that its Institution was Divine and what things do hinder its solemnity In the Later is shewn In what things its Sanctification doth consist In both which also Several Ecclesiastical Antiquities not unworthy to be known are explained Lately Translated out of the Latine Aug. de verb. Apost Serm. 15. The Lords Resurrection hath promised us an eternal day and consecrated for us the Lords Day which is called the Lords Day because it seemeth to belong properly to the Lord. Acta Martyrum apud Baronium an 303. n. 37 c. The Martyrs being called into judgment and ask'd of the Proconsul Whether they had done their Collect or celebrated the Lords day answered with the same words often repeated that they were Christians that they had done thes Lords Collect and celebrated the Lords Day with a congruou devotion of Religion because it could not be intermitted London Printed by E Leach and are to be sold by Nevil Symmons at the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1672. TO THE READER Reader IN the midst of our distractions confusions and desolations our declinings and the increase of wickedness in the land it would be no small reviving to our hopes if we could but procure a more general and conscientious observation of the Lords day I mean not a Judaizing Touch not Taste not Handle not Go but a Sabbath dayes journey Heal not on the Sabbath day Rub not the Ears of Corn to eat c. but a holy diligence all the day in learning the Will of God in reading and hearing his Word in singing and speaking out his praises in calling upon his name in the Communion of Saints in the Sacramental Commemoration of the Death and Resurrection of our Saviour till he come Nor do I mean the preferring of the Name of the Sabbath before the naming of it The Lords Day But the real separation of it for these Holy works from all works that are common and unclean not calling that unclean which God hath cleansed but avoiding all unnecessary things which are a true impediment to the duties of the day and to the edification and comfort of our Souls Could we but procure a general Conscience of this Holy day and work Oh what a blessed means would it prove to the increase of knowledge and holiness among us How could men spend one day of seven in the serious reading and hearing of Gods Word and not grow in the understanding of it How could they spend each week a day in hearing heavenly discourses and in holy prayers praises and thanksgivings and not become themselves more holy if they did this in good earnest and not with hypocritical formality Where there is a profitable publick Ministry what a furtherance would this be to its success Where there is not O what a supply would this be in Families If Parents and Masters did but spend the day in Catechising their Children and Servants and reading to them the Word of God and holy profitable Books and in praying singing of Psalms and fruitful Conferences how much would it make up the loss of a profitable Ministry where there is none But I confess for those many thousand families where none is able thus to Read or Pray the case is hard in these times when they dare not come to their neighbours families that can help them But O that the love of our souls were as strong as natural self-love is in the preservation of our lives If prohibited persons did put the case to me Whether it were lawful for them against their Rector's wills to go beg bread at their neighbours houses rather than famish or feed on grass I think their resolutions would anticipate my answer And if he have not the love of God in him who seeth his brother in need and shutteth up the bowels of compassion from him I may inferr that he neither rightly loveth God nor himself who will suffer his Soul and Family to famish and deny God his Worship and spend the Lords own Day unprofitably and think it a sufficient excuse to say I was forbidden and man must be obeyed Nor will it excuse Neighbours from helping one another who live out of the reach of publick helps as alas too many do especially in the remote parts of the Kingdome to cast the blame on negligent Ministers or to cry out It is the Prelates that famish so many souls nor to complain of the silencing of Faithful Teachers For every man hath his own part to do in building up the City of God And if you do not your own work you do but condemn your selves while you complain of others Was that your Covenant with Christ that you would serve him if others did or if none forbad you or else not If others perform not their duty will you sin for company and yet condemn them If you think they do ill why will you imitate them If well why do you blame them Do you cry out of silent or unprofitable Ministers and do you think that silence and unprofitableness in the Governour of a Family is no crime What if all the rest of the Town denied food or cloathing to the poor Would your obligation to feed and cloath them think you be the less or the greater As ever you would have your families to be under the blessing and protection of God and not exposed to the miseries of such as he forsaketh see that you dedicate them as holy Societies to God and set up his Government over them and his worship among them especially in the Holy Improvement of the Lords Dayes And I take it to be a merciful and comfortable prognostick that God hath suddenly stirred so many to write on this subject and to confute all that is said against this duty And some more are ready if not hindred shortly to come forth Among them all I take this Book to be of singular weight and worth which having declared in my own lately published on this subject it hath occasioned many to enquire after it and a worthy Knight who had this Translation by him to be willing to publish it I confess I intended no more than to provoke the Learned to take more notice of the Book as it is in the Latin Tongue For being strong in the testimonies of Antiquity and the opening of Church-customes on which as an historical evidence of fact I laid in this controversie no small stress I thought it fittest for the perusal of the Learned But seeing it
of the Sabbath among the Patriarchs is denied VVhy the Heathens are not upbraided with the profanation of the Sabbath 107. Chap. 9. One day in the week is even under the Gospel to be sanctified The morality of the Fourth Command which is perpetual requires this Christ hath not abolished the Law How the Sabbath is said to be a sign between God and the Church 134. Chap. 10. A day in every week is to be sanctified under the Gospel which is not the seventh but first The cessation of the Jewish Sabbath Col. 2. 16. and Gal. 4. 10. are considered The places on which the observation of the Lords Day in the New Testament is bottomed The Fathers acknowledge its Divine authority The Church cannot change that day and substitute another in its room 145. Chap. 11. VVherein the sanctification of the Lords day consisteth where something is said about resting from gainful labours which the Fathers carefully cautioned against that they should not be used on that day A place of Chrysostom Gregory M. and of the Coun. of Laodicea is explained And a Canon of the second Coâ—nâ— of Matiscon 178. Chap. 12. How far forth on the Lords Day we may attend labours namely of necessity and piety Countrey men are bound to sanctifie the Lords day The indulgence granted to Countrey men by Constantine the Great is examined and revoked The fact of Paula and the practice of the Coenobiteâ— or Monasticks in Hierom is weighed The sense also of a Canon of the Council of Orleans Manumissions and certain transactions on the Lords day 197. Chap. 13. The Lords day not to be profaned by surfeting Servants not to be called off from sanctifying the Lords day We are not to fast on the Lords day Whether St. Ambrose was wont to feast on the Lords Day 218. Chap. 14. Sports are not at all to be held on the Lords day by the judgment of divers Fathers and Emperours Four kinds of showes condemned by the Fathers and not to be acted on the Lords day and not onely while the sacred meetings are kept 2â—9 BOOK II. Chap. 1. THe Lords Dayes solemnities were both publick and private publick assemblies of the Church on the Lords Day the mention whereof we meet with more frequently in the succeeding than the former Church Night meetings and why abolished at this day Meetings before day and on the day in the morning and in the evening 249. Chap. 2. What was done in the publick meetings of the Church Reading of the Scriptures What Scriptures were read Humane writings were also read in the Church The order in reading of Scriptures The Readers of Scripture stood in the sight of the whole people 262. Chap. 3. Explaining of Scripture on Lords Dayes which was called Treating Whose office it was to do this Who the Clerici were among the ancients Bishops q. Watchers Overseers and Superintendents The Bishops interpreted the Scriptures Presbyters Deacons sometimes Catechists and sometimes also private men did the same 274. Chap. 4. Converning the manner of expounding Scriptures in use with the ancients Treating begunwith Prayer The text of the Treating The Scriptures that were read applyed to the peoples use The Treaters did sometime stand and sometimes sit After Treating followed Prayer when that was ended a Psalm was sung to God 285. Chap. 5. Whether the bare reading of Scripture in the Church assembly be properly preaching and how the reading of the Scripture may be called preaching 295. Chap. 6. The time assigned to the Treatises of the ancients namely how long they lasted Their Treatises were not long ordinarily about an hour but they were not tied to an hour None were to go forth before the end of the Treatise 301. Chap. 7. The ancients treated every day out of the Scriptures Neither did they prohibit others who taught diligently from that their diligence in teaching 307. Chap. 8. They were wont on the Lords dayes to Treat out of the Scriptures 312. Chap. 9. Both in the Old and New Testament in celebrating the Sabbaths solemnity after reading of the Scriptures followed their interpretation It 's considered whether amongst the Jews before the Babylonish captivity the interpreting of the Law was used on their Sabbath dayes 318. Chap. 10. The Church used Prayers on the Lords Day Conventicles for Churches Prayers onely to God the Praefectus began them He prepares the people to pour them out The Sursum corda in Prayer the voice of all that worshipped was one They prayed as the Holy Ghost suggested to them How this custome for what the Church prayed The posture of the body in prayer 335. Chap. 11. Concerning Psalms and Hymns that were sung on the Lords Day The use of Hymns was but of late time in the Western Churches although Baronius think otherwise Whence the matter of Hymns was taken 353. Chap. 12. The manner of singing in the Church was modest and sober the incommodities of a sweeter voice in singing The commodity of a well moderated singing Antiphones Organs How none were to sing in the Church but those that were chosen for that purpose Broken Musick disallowed A censure of that Musick which is in use with the Papists 359. Chap. 13. Administration of the Sacraments on the Lords Day 373. Chap. 14. Who was to be present at all the offices of the Liturgy and who not The Catechumeni Audientes Competentes Poenitentes and their sundry degrees namely some Lugentes others Audientes others Substrati others Consistentes others Sacramentorum participantes At what offices these were to be present and what not 375. Chap. 15. Of places in which the Churches publick assemblies were held 390. Chap. 16. Private Duties of Religion to be performed on the Lords Day Examining of what they heard Conferring on the same Meditating of the life to come Amesigâ—thâ—â—ed for the poors use 〈◊〉 Chap. 17. The Conclusion 407. A Table of the Fathers and other Writers out of whom this Narration is transcribed together with the places where and times when they were set forth Since nothing can with that faithfulness be brought to light out of the pleasant Gardens of the Ancients against which malevolous detractors do not whet their spiteful tongues therefore knowing the temper of such men I thought it would be for the Readers profit in the very entrance of the Treatise to make mention of the Places and times of the Editions of the Grave Fathers and others whose Testimonies are here alledged to the end that both the Detractors may be prevented and also if the Reader who thirsted after Truth should any where stick doubting he might the more easily make recourse to the Authors cited and consult their meaning and so all occasion of doubting being cut off he might at length willingly embrace the Truth set before his eyes A AGrippa de vanitate scientiarum Colinae Agrippinâ— 1598. Ambrosius excusus Basileae 1567. Amesii Medulla Amsterodami 1627. Antonius de Dominis de Repub. Christiana part 2. Londini 1620. Arnobius contra
manner as the Church did in remembrance of the Lords Resurrection doth make mention of this day whence it is collected that the Church did celebrate the Lords day otherwise Eusebius had not affirmed that the Ebionites had done it after the same manner as the Church did And the testimonies which follow teach us the same Cyprian mentions this day which he calls the first after the Sabbath Basilius M. saith the Church standing up made their supplications on the first day of the week which he calls the beginning of dayes De Sp. Sanct. c. 27. Chrysostom saith on the first day of the week or the Lords day the Christians ceased from all labour that by their relaxation and holy dayes the minds of the offerers might become more cheerful Ambrose on the Lords day after the readings and treating of the Creed communicated Baptism to the Competentes i. to those who being instructed in the Christian faith sought Baptism Aug. Retract lib. 1. ch 17. libro de Fide operibus cap. 6. at the Fonts of the Church We meet with frequent mention of this day in St. Austin Ep. 119. c. 13. and in the end of those Books De Civit. Dei lib. 22. c. 30. also Serm. 15. de verbis Apostoli and many times elsewhere Hilary saith the Church doth joyfully celebrate a Festival on the eighth day which is also it self the first of a perfect week Prol. in Psalmos Amongst the Holy-dayes confirmed by the laws of the Emperours Valens Theodosius and Arcadius the Sundayes which their Ancestors rightly called the Lords-dayes were reckoned Leo also and Athenius ordain the Lords day to be alwayes venerable and honoured a Leo in the same place by his eleventh law ordains that all should cease from their labours on the Lords dayes I can also bring forth many more testimonies for confirming the truth of this solemnity yea of all that have flourish'd in the Church of Christ to this very day But I will add no more lest I should seem to lend light to the Sun and those that have been cited hitherto do abundantly enough declare that the Lords day was alwayes solemnly kept of the Church because the holy Fathers acknowledge it for the chief yea for an holy day On it the Church ceased from their labours on it solemn assemblies were kept or they rejoyced in the festival of the Sabbath perfected on it the Scriptures were handled the Sacraments were administred on it the Church made supplications and therefore it is numbred amongst the chief solemnities of the Christians and is provided for by the laws of godly Emperours that studied all they could to promote the Worship of God that the holy solemnity of that day should not be defiled by labours or any pleasures But although those most Religious Emperours ordained the Lords day as was fitting to be celebrated it would be ridiculous from thence to conclude that the Lords Festival was not celebrated in the Church before they came to the Empire The Christians as hath appeared from the premises attended to celebrate this Festival when as yet there were no Magistrates Christian on whose authority the ordination of the Lords day doth not depend even over the whole world when the preaching of the Gospel came For which cause as we shall by and by hear divers under Dioclesians Reign were punished But when the Emperours became Christian they ordained that the solemnity which was before observed of the Christians by Christs authority should also by their own laws be celebrated and took care that others should not defile it by worldly businesses or the pleasures of the Flesh but they did not institute it at the first Constantine the Great the first of the Christian Emperours having got the whole Roman Empire by publick Edict commanded his Subjects that they should observe the Christian Religion as witnesseth Sozomen yet no man well in his wits will thence inseâ—r that the Christian Religion was then first known to the world although the free exercise of it was not safe before he was set happily over the Government of the Empire So must we think of the Lords solemnity which the Church of God observed not without great danger before the Emperours embraced the Christian Faith but after that the Emperours became nursing-fathers of the Christian Religion they did it freely a Law being made of the Emperours for this end Moreover let none be offended that before the times of Constantine publick Judges did attend the hearing of Law-suits on the Lords day which to do was declared unlawful in his Reign as though if the Lords day had been formerly known to the World Magistrates had been forbidden the exercise of publick judicatures on that day that most godly Emperour greatly contended by all means that he could to promote our Religion and for the greater solemnity of this Festival provided that all Court clamour should on that day cease Before his most auspicious Government the publick Magistrates did attend Judicatures even on the Lords day and no wonder for before he got the stern of Government the Judges were not Christian but under his Reign the Christians began to bear almost all the Offices of the Roman Empire most whereof he dignified with authority some with the Senators office many also with the Consular dignity But after the Judges embraced the Christian truth they submitted themselves to this law of celebrating the Lords day with greatest good will and did rest the parties from their controversies in honour of that day I might also add this It was needful that one law being made for observing the Lords day by another he should interdict the Judges from the cognizance of causes on that day For it was provided by the Roman Laws That no Judge should presume on his own authority to make any holy dayes He therefore made this Law in favour of the Judges who might know on what dayes they should attend the Office which the Emperour committed to them and on what they should keep holy dayes free from the same These things thus being weighed in an equal scale it appeareth that the Law for not hearing Law-suits on the Lords day doth detract nothing from the honour of its solemnity but rather much conduce to favour it That I may at length put an end to this Chapter We have seen how the Fathers have piously admonished the Church to celebrate the Lords day and the Emperours by their Laws made for this purpose very carefully provided that the Christian people should obey their admonitions so also we may find it observable from the Writers of those times that the Christians did celebrate this day's solemnity with as much devotion of Religion as they could and therefore while they prayed on that day towards the East they fell into a suspicion of worshipping the Sun with the Heathen amongst whom they lived that hated the Christian name Yet could they by
every week and a fit place now we find that the Lords day was destined to keep them on and that while the Apostles were living and faithfully discharging the ministry committed to them of the Lord. For on no day was there wont to be a more solemn and frequented convention of the people in the Church to hear Sermons and partake of the holy Communion than on the Lords day and this we have proved in the two first chapters of the precedent book to be a very ancient custome The Church therefore as saith Isychius hath sequestred the Lords day for Divine conventions in which the Worship of God was religiously celebrated for the dispatching whereof the Christians met together as often as they could commodiously Yet this must be marked of him that observes the meetings of the Church that there is a rehearsal made of more meetings which were kept by the later than the former Church on the Lords day by Historians and others that treat of them not because the former Church if it could for the daily persecutions it met with did not so often hold their meeting especially whenas we see that the first Christians did sharply contend in Book 1. ch 5. about sanctifying the whole day but because it being hindred with the cruel flames of persecutions did meet as often as occasion did occurr but the following Christians were at liberty to meet oftner under the Christian Emperours and therefore we read that they met twice upon the Lords day in the former meeting whereof they begun the day and with the other they ended the day and upon that reason they afterwards called the one their Matins and the other their Vespers But what and how many hours were spent at both of these conventions is not well known because there was not the same manner of meeting every where but according to the necessity and profit of the Church they held their meetings on the night and day The Apostle taught the Ephesians both night and day Act. 20. 32. At Troas he continued his Sermon till midnight Act. 20. The Corinthians met in the evening 2 Cor. 11. for about supper time or after they were gathered together But as I said necessity commanded their night-meetings because the Christians being moved with the fear of Tyrants could not safely meet on the day time The Christians of the following age retaining their night-meetings as also many other things out of which an huge heap of superstitious rites flowed by which the clear face of truth breaking out of darkness was filthily darkened called them Vigils and turned them into the Fasts of the night which went before the Holy day in which sometimes they continued till midnight witness Hierom in Parab Virgin And sometimes they began their meeting at mid-night So it appears out of Basil who performed an office in another Church before he came to some other that were met at mid-night and waited for his coming But at this day because of the wickedness committed in these nocturnal Vigils Bellarmine thinketh they are justly abrogated Bellarm. de cultu sanctorum lib. 3. cap. ult Tertullian amongst others makes mention of night-meetings lib. 2. ad uxorem c. 4. at which he saith that an Heathen husband did not willingly suffer his Christian wife to be present Souldiers at the command of Constantine the Arrian Emperour came to apprehend St. Athanasius while the people were keeping a meeting in the night with him Theodor. Hist l. 2. c. 13. There are testimonies also extant of meetings before day which are to be reckoned with them of the night Tertul. de corona milit cap. 3. and the Epistle of Plinius Secundus ad Trajan mentions them apud Tertull Passing by the meetings which were in the night and before day we will enquire of those that were kept on the day where assoon as the Church had obtained peace by the authority of the great Emperours we shall find that they held their ordinary meetings for the exercise of Gods worship on the day time and for that end some certain hours of the day were destined for performance of the publick offices of Religion For the religious Fathers did with great care provide that they should neither weary themselves nor the people committed to their care with continual labours in setting all care of refreshing themselves aside And they judged it more advised to teach often than long they therefore selected some hours out of the whole day for publick assemblies Julian the Apostate is reported that he ordered the Greeks to live after the same manner as did the Christians and therefore amongst other things he ordains that certain prayers for certain hours and dayes after the custome of the Church should be selected Niceph. Hist. 10. c. 21. which he would never have done if it had not been a familiar thing with the Church after whose rule he laboured to regulate the Heathen to select certain hours of the day for this peculiar use But on what dayes or what houres of the day prayers were made by the Church unto God Nicephorus adds not only he tells us that certain hours were select for this office Athanasius witnesseth that the Arrians who raged against the Orthodox even as they were met on the Lords day being guarded with a company of Souldiers found but a few together for many of them were gone home for the hour of the day that is after the assembly was ended which the Church observed at stated hours or as Tertullian speaks after the solemnities were done and the people dismissed But neither Athanasius nor Tertullian do assign the hours at which the Church met Ambrose mentions the morning hours at which the people met lib. 5. Ep. 33. where what was read on t of Psal 78. The Gentiles are come into Gods inheritance he afterwards calls his hearers to mind for the morning hours Zeno also Bishop of Majuma although he was well struck in age yet was he alwayes present at the morning hymns and the other holy service or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless hindred by sickness The Eucharist was administred at their morning meetings which appears out of Cyprian while he disallows the custome of those that in the morning only offered water lest they should smell of wine for which cause he calls that the morning sacrifice In their morning assemblies they sung the 63 Psalm to God Witness Clement Constitut Apost lib. 2. cap. 59. The morning meetings were kept about nine of the clock Therefore in Conc. Laodic it is ordained that the publick service should be performed at nine of the clock and at their Vespers And these solemn assemblies broke up about noon as witnesseth Chrysost Orat. de Philogonio The Church also met in the Evening For they had hymns appointed as well for the evening as morning meetings Niceph. Hist l. 12. c. 47. Clemen Constitut Apost lib. 20. c. 59. The Bishops
thou wouldest increase and bless their children and instruct them when they are come to age with wisdom that thou wouldst direct all their purposes to profit Pray ye Catechumeni to the Angel of peace that all your purposes may be peaceable to you beg that this may be a peaceable day and all the dayes of your life Commend Christians your purposes what is honest and profitable your selves to the living God and his Christ c. Which being pronounced the Deacon bids them rise up and dismisses them having instructed them with sundry Precepts And these are the offices of the Liturgy at which the Catechumeni were allowed to be present The second degree of them that were in the Church followeth namely the Faithful who were present at all the parts of the Liturgy performed in that order they were recited in the precedent Chapters Neither could any one of this degree depart out of the Church-assembly before all those offices were finished as we have observed formerly chap. 6. of this Book and therefore I need to add no more of them The third degree of them was those who were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Penitents These being instructed in the Doctrine of Christian Religion and once baptized in the holy laver of baptism they recorded their names in the Church catalogue But falling into some manifest sin by which they lost the common priviledges of the Faithful they were bound of the Church with spiritual bonds till they had declared sufficient signs of their repentance There were sundry classes of these during the time which was defined by the Bishops judgment Can. 7. Concil Ancyran of their publick repentance and sundry places were assigned to them in the Church Without whose observation it will not be easie to shew what offices of the Church-Liturgy they had liberty to be at and what not For during the repentance which was prescribed them by the Bishops they had not the liberty of all offices with the body of the Church We meet with five kinds or classes of Penitents in the ancients Some were Lugentes some Audientes some Substrati some Subsistentes and then some that were perfectly admitted to partake of the Lords Body and Blood Zonaras reckons three degrees of these in Can. 8. Conc. Ancyran And the same Author adds a fourth in Can. 4. of the same Council But all the degrees of Penitents are extant together in Baronius an 263. num 29. with the Centur Magdeb. 2. c. 6. also These degrees are reckoned up by the fore-mentioned Historians out of the Canon or the canonical Epistle as the Greeks call it of Gregorius Neocaesariensis sirnamed Thaumaturgus if it be that Gregory as some think not The first degree of these was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Weepers in which the Lugentes or Weepers having committed a sin stood without the Church Zonar in Can. 5. Conc. Neocaesar Where they asked them that entred in with sorrow and tears that they would draw out the bountiful mercy of God for them Weeping saith Thaumaturgus in Baronius or sorrow is without the gate of the Oratory where the offender as he stands must ask the Faithful as they enter in to pray for them Let the offender saith St. Ambrose beg pardon with teares beg with sighs beg that he may be pardoned at the weeping of all the people These are said by Tertullian libro de Poenitentia cap. 9. to kneel to the Presbyters and charis Dei i. the dear servants of God But here I will give the Reader this advertisement that it 's well observed by Pamelius in his notes upon this place of Tertullian that this place in some editions is faulty For some have it Presbyteris aris Dei adgeniculari i. they kneeled to the Presbyters and altars of God Which reading some catching at as agreeing to their dotage are busily diligent to desend bowing to altars upon this testimony So Bellarmine and others of his opinion Now their exposition how likely soever is not worth a rush For it 's clearer than the noon-day that in this they are deceived through ignorance of the Church custome For how could the Penitents kneel at Gods altars when at that time they were not permitted to come within the rails of the Clergy as is well enough known to all that are any whit seen in Church antiquity much less to the altar but being placed without the auditory as formerly we have heard out of Thaumaturgus and Ambrose and falling down at the feet of them that entred in they seriously intreated them with tears that they would beseech God for them The Lugentes therefore were wont to kneel down to the dear servants of God both Presbyters and others that went into the Church for they sued to them besought them fell on their knees kissed their footsteps Afterwards they required the patronage of the holy people to God for them For in this business Fabiola will be to us an example who is by Hierom recorded to have opened her wound to all while she had her sides ripped open her head bare her mouth shut neither did she enter into the Church of the Lord but sate saparate without the tents with Myriam Moses's sister This she did while she stood in the order of Penitents before Easter in the Lateran Cathedral all the City of Rome beholding her the Bishops Presbyters and all the people weeping for her as Hierom ibid. Dionysius Areopagita reproves Demophilus because he had kicked with his foot a Presbyter for gently receiving a man that had fallen at a Priests feet Euâ—ebius also relates lib. 5. cap. ult That Natalius a confessor of the truth being sometime â—educed but at length returned to the Church did in hair cloth and sackcloth cast himself down at the feet of Pope Zephirinas with great sorrow and tears and fell not onely at the feet of the Clergy but Laity so that the Church of our merciful Christ having mercy on him lamented with him From which it appears that the Penitents of this degree did communicate with the body of the Church in no offices of the Liturgy and much less went up to the altar forsooth to bow But this by the bye Moreover some make a doubt whether this degree of repentance was prescribed the Penitents by the Primitive Church or was taken up by them of their own accord in whose judgment that degree of repentance which was voluntary in the first age was in the third age after enjoyned the Penitents by the Church Howbeit every one of these degrees was a certain disposition to prepare the Penitent for a farther But in explaining of these degrees we will follow Thaumaturgus The second degree of Penitents was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Hearers These stood within the gate in a place which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the porch of the Temple hearing the Scripture that is the reading of the Law Prophets and Gospel Constit
Apost l. 2. c. 39. and the doctrines that were raised out of the Scriptures yet were they judged unworthy to be present at the Prayers of the Church Baron ubi prius So Zonaras in Can. 11. Conc. Nic. The third degree of these was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Prostrate when they that had repented stood within the compass of the Church behind the Pulpit separate from the place of the Faithful yet within their â—ight where they were present at none of the holy offices save the reading of the Holy Scripture expounding of the Gospel and prayer that was rehearsed for them and the perfect Catechumeni that is the Competentes and a little while after the going out of the Catechumeni having made Prayers for them they went out Can. 19. Conc. Laodic Baron ibid. Zonar in Can. 4. 5. Conc. Anoyrani Here the Penitents stood sorrowful and being not yet made partakers of the Eucharist since the commission of their sin for which they were bound of the Church with spiritual bonds they threw themselves down on the earth with weeping and lamentation and for this prostration the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was assigned to this degree Then on the other side the Bishop running to him lamenting falls likewise upon the ground with pitiful lamentation and last of all the whole multitude of the Church falls a weeping too After this the Bishop rises â—â— first and raises them that were fallen down and having for a convenient time prayed for sinners that repented he dismisses them Thus Sozomen de Ecclesiae Romanae consuetudine lib. 7. cap. 16. where it's manifest he speaks of the Penitents called â—ubstrati The form of prayer used for them after the Deacon had admonished the Church to pray for them by the Bishop is extant Constit Apost l. 8. c. 8 9. which being ended they went out of the Church-assembly The fourth degree was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they that had repented were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they stood with the Faithful and went not out with the Catechumeni or the Penitents called Substrati Baron ibid. These were with the Faithful present at Prayers but were not admitted to the Holy Eucharist Conc. 1. Nic. Can. 11. they are said to partake of Prayers with the people but without oblation So Can. 12. ibid. Zonaras in Can. 4. 5. Concil Ancyr for which cause St. Ambrose said he could not offer if Theodosius would stand by Ambr. Ep. 28. The last degree of Penitents was of them who having fulfilled the time of repentance prescribed them by the Church were by her perfectly received and after the aforesaid offices of the Liturgy at which the Subsistentes were present they were admitted also to participate of the Lords Body and Bloud with the body of the Faithful Of which Zonaras Can. 4. 8. Concil Ancyran There are some that distinguish not the fourth degree of Penitents from the fifth But the Subsistentes are distinguished from these Can. 11. 1. Conc. Nic. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— they were partakers of Prayer with the people without offering And so those that were placed in the last degree were superiour to those Penitents of the fourth degree because they were admitted together with the Faithful to partake of the mysteries Yet that I may ingeniously confess the truth the finishing of the repentance rather than the degree of Penitents is in this to be attended Now he that will apply his mind to weigh the aforesaid records of antiquity more narrowly shall easily observe who were to be present at all the exercises of Religion and who were excluded from the same or some of them by the custom of the Church while in the mean time the assembly of the Faithful after they were gathered into one performed all the aforesaid offices piously and with great devotion of mind But to speak of these a little in transitu is enough CHAP. XV. Of places in which the Churches publick assemblies were held WE have observed that meetings were gathered by the Church to perform the duties of Religion and we have seen what was done in them In the third place something remains to be added of the places in which these meetings were kept For a place is required where the people of God being gathered together may exercise themselves in the things that pertain to his publick worship And that some places designed to Divine Worship are necessary I trust no body will doubt for without them the publick assemblies of the Faithful the use of which is formerly shewn to worship God could not without inconvenience be held Therefore this place requireth that something be added of their names situation and use and other circumstances that declare these places But I will spare the labour of putting these things in writing lest I gaggling like a Goose amongst the Swans seem to stammer upon a subject which hath been happily treated on by other judicious men Others have managed the charge of describing this argument with great commendation Especially the Learned Hospinian a man of profound Learning and various Reading in his learned Treatise De Templis In which is described what is necessary to be known of places that are destined to the publick meetings of the Church which to me at this time is enough to point at And thus much for the publick exercises of Religion that were observed by the Church on the Lords Day CHAP. XVI Private Duties of Religion to be performed on the Lords Day Where first is considered the examination of what was heard Conferring upon the same Meditation of the life to come and gathering of Almes for the use of the poor THus far of the Sacred Exercises of Religion wherein the observation of this day was solemnized which were performed in the publick assemblies of the Church now follow the private Those were observed of sundry members of the Church being assembled together but these were devoutly performed by them when they were dismissed from the publick assembly For although they met publickly lest the disorderly meeting of the people should diminish their faith in Christ and to procure the greater gladness amongst them by a mutual seeing one another yet their publick Church meetings did not determine the sanctification of the Lords Day because publick conventions were held at certain hours and the Lords Day iâ— to be celebrated in memorial of that happy Resurrection of our Saviour on a perfect and entire day as we have shown in the first Book and fifth Chapter Some things then remain to be done by Christians after the Church meetings are ended and these are various Some whereof I will mention for the godlies sake who make conscience of sanctifying the Lords Day First of all they that preached the Word of God in the publick assemblies when those were ended they did sometimes examine the people of what they had heard Which we read the Ancients did perform with
for ever Amen August de Trinit â— 4. c. 16. No sober man will hold an opinion against reason no Christian man against Scripture no peaceable man against the Church FINIS Sozom. 7. 12. Ep. ad Alex. * Ut profit hominibus si fieri potest multis si minus paucis si minus proximis si minus sibâ— Senec. de â—tio sapientis Ps 74. 9. â—onc Maâ—â—sâ— 2. c. 1. Conc. Paris Can. 50. a Ignat. Epist ad Magn. c. 57. l. 1. c. 8. Chrysost hom 10. in Gen. T. 5 Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 16. p. 226. The sum of those things handled in this book Why mention of the day is more frequently made in the latter than former Councils a An. Dom. 588. b Can. 18. c An 〈…〉 a An. 829. b Can. 50. How other Churches may be bound to Provincial Assemblies T. 1 p 640. Exempl profession in Conc. 2. Tolet. Conc T. 1. p. 565. a Cypr. Ep. 20. b Cypr. Ep. 29. a Cypr. Ep. 97. sect 3. b l. 6. c. 18. What vve are to think of the Canons that ordained some incon siderable things about observing the Lords Day Can. 53. So Conc. African Can. 95. a Hom. 1. c. 1. p. 81. The extraordinary time for Divine worship a Tertul. Apol. cont Gentes c. 39. The ordinary time for the worship of God The meetings that were held by the Apostles a Ioh. 20. 19. b l. 12. in Joâ— c. 58. p. 1026. a Ioh. 21. b Act. 1. 14. c in Levit. l. 2. c. 9. a 1 Cor. 15. 20 23. Ioh. 20. 26 Contr. Ebion haer 30. â—â— 32. â—ibi prius How the Apostles and other Christeans were present at the Jews Synagogues Act. 16. 13. Hom. 43. in Act. Tert. lib. de Idol c. 10. Dial. cum Tryphon All Interpreters of Scripture are not at one with themselves 1 Cor. 14. 30. Socr. Hist l. 1. c. 8. Hom. 18. in 2 Cor. Aug. prolog in Retract Aug. ibid. Ap. Marâ—â—rat â— Calvin Sozom. Hist 8. c. 12. Act. 20. 7. is considered Hom. 43. in Act. Ep. 86. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. De specta cap. 3. Hom. 2. â— 6. a Suidas a Baron An. 44. n. 68. b Hom. 43. in 1 Cor. Rev. 1. 10. c Wallaeus de 4. Praec c. 7. doth learnedly confute some of the foolish expositions which some make of the name of this day The Christians met on the Sabbath a l. 7. c. 19. Feria b Epist ad Jan. 11. 8. cap. 2. a Lib. 2. in Gal. c. 4. The ancients celebrated the Sabbath not as an holy day * Eus 3. 21. a An. 57. n. 202. 203. b l. 8. c. â—â— The ancients fasted on the Sabbath Aug. Ep. 86. a Paul de vit Ambros b Ep. 86. c Bar. 57. n. 204. 205. Conc. Eliber can 26. Conc. Agatheus can 12. The difference between observing the Sabbath and Lords day 1. The Sabbath was not observed every where 2. They met not every Sabbath 3. All exercises of Religion were not performed on the Sabbath a Ep. 118. c. 2. b Hist lib. 5. c. 22. * Synaxes c Apol. 2. 4. Meetings on the Sabbath were free a Hom. 10. in Gen. a Item Concil Trull Can. 80. Concil Sard. Can. 11. 5. Though they met on the Sabbath yet they abstained not from labour on that day a Hist l. 5. c. 22. b Ens de vit Const l. 4. c. 18. c Hist l. 1. c. 8. Anniversary Feusts were not equalled to the Lords day a Just Mart. quad orth 115. a Ep. 86. b Aug. Epist 119. c Ep. 86. d in Luc. l. 8. c. 17. Anniversary feasts not to be preferred to the Lords dâ—â— Sozom. l. 7. c. 19. a De Natio Baptistae Hom. 27. b De Nat. Dom. Hom. 34. It is uncertain which of the Anniversary Feasts do excell a Orat. pro Basilio b Orat. 42. in Pasch Mention of observing the Lords day may be meâ— with in the chief of the Fathers a Epist ad Magnes an 111. An. 150. An. 170. a Eus Hist l. 4. c. 22. b Ann. 200 de Idol c. 14. c An. 261. an 320. d Hist l. 3. c. 21. an â—492 e Epist 59. an 380. f Serm. de â—leemasyn an 380. g l. 5. Ep. 33. An. 430. An. 440. Cod. l. 3. T it 12. de feriis legeâ— septima a Leo Constit 54. The authority of the Lords day depends not on the determination of Emperours a l. 1. c. 7. 〈…〉 Law-suits on the Lords day a Sozom. 1. c. 8. b Euseb de vit Constant l. 4. c. 1. a â—od de feriis l. 4. tit 12. Christians were punished for observing the Lords day b Tertul. ap advers gen c. 16. a An. 303. n. 35 c. What it is Dominicum agere An. 303. num 39. a lib. 2. â—â— Gal. b De fugeâ— vet a Sect. 14. b â—â— 63. a Bar. an 303. n. 36. b Bar. an 303. n. 35. c n. 45. a n. 51. 45. n. 39. b 〈…〉 39. c 〈…〉 43. d 〈…〉 51. e 〈…〉 â—6 f 〈…〉 51. Christs Resurrection the cause of this solemnity Lords day is prima Sabbati a Hom. 4â— in 1 Cor. a Luk. 18. 12. b Contr. Haer. l. 1. c. 10. Why called the Lords day a Euseb de vit Const l. 4. c. 18. b q. ex utroque q. 106. c De verbis Apostoli Serm 15. It 's called Sunday a Ap. adv Gent. c. 16. b Dial. ad Tryphon c Hieron in Ps 117. T. 4. a Ambros Serm. 61. b Aug. contra Faust Man l. 18. c. 5. c Aug. imp in eâ—â—rr in Ps 93. d Ep. 59. de Idol cap. Conc. 1. de Lazaro 1. 5. p. 257. a in Ps 47. b Athan. de Sab. circum Hom. 23. in num Why the Lords day is seldome called the Sabbath by the ancients Dial. cumâ— Tryphone Ep. 200. a Exercit. 16. ad Bar. a l. 5. c. 22. b part 3. qu. 32. a Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 16. b Lev. 27. a l. 3. c. 4. The whole day to be sanctified to God De Civit. Dei l. 15. c. 13. Serm. de Temp. 251. Ibid. a Hom. 2. in numer a l. 4. c. 30. b an 813. cap. 40. c Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 3. a Hierom in Is 56. An. 517. b An. 40. Conc. Tur. 3 Nothing but the works of piety is to be done on the Lords day Con. Foro. ejuti Can. 13. An. 791. An. 829. Can. 50. An. 895. Ep. l. 11. c. 3. indict 6. An. 558. a Concil Maliscon 2. cap. 1. apud Zenoad 2 Cor 13. 1â— 1. 2. 3. Leo Const 54. 4. Hom. 2. in Joan. Hom. 5. in Matth. Job 41 27. Christs instituting of the Lords Day by the Apostles The Apostles prerogatives 1 Cor. 3. 10. a Epist ad Tralleâ—â—â— b Ofiâ— l. 1. c. â— c Serm. 20. d Hom 〈…〉 in Math. Mark 3. 14. e Adâ—…res 〈…〉 f 〈…〉 Epist ad Theophil 〈…〉 58. â— â—â— Whatever is ordained by the Apostle is Divine a De prascripti adv haer