some do daily partake of the Lords blood and body on the Lords day which all the ancients do witness was done in the Church-assembly and others only on the Sabbath and Lords day and in other places only on the Lords day Hierom acknowledges the Christians did observe Quartam Sabbati Parasceven and the Lords day although he shews they differed from the Jews in the observation of those dayes The testimonies of the Fathers hitherto mentioned do shew that although the use of the Lords day grew every where yet the Church had in some places oftener in others more rarely their weekly meetings whereupon it seemed equal and just to some to ordain other dayes which the succeeding Church proclaimed for publick meetings to be equallized with the Lords day and that chiefly for three causes first the publick meetings of the Church were held on other dayes besides the Lords Secondly the Christians were bound to the same duties of Religion on other dayes appointed by the Church for meetings which were required by the Church on the Lords day Lastly some Feasts the Anniversary namely were more esteemed in the Church than the Lords and these things are confidently enough affirmed that they might shew if by any means they could that the original and obligation of the Lords day and other Festivals is the same both which they set forth to the world for humane but let them look to it to whom they affirm it lest they be twit with that of Ezek. 43. 8. But that the prerogatives of the Lords Day above others may more clearly appear let us by Gods help weigh of what value the reasons are with which they contend for other feasts to be equallized with the Lords day which that it may be done with plainness we will first clearly distinguish the Church-assemblies held on the Sabbath dayes from others which were held on the Lords day relying upon the gravest testimonies of the ancients then by Gods assistance we will shew the peculiar excellency of the Lords Day for the dignity whereof it is superiour to other dayes while others contend against it in vain First we affirm that excepting the Lords there was no other weekly we speak of stated and ordinary holy day with the whole Church next the Apostles We have heard in the first Chapter that the Christians met on the first day of the week and for the allegations in this chapter out of the Fathers and Historians for the observation of the Sabbath they cannot demonstrate that the Sabbath was observed by the Christian Church as an holy day which unless it be first explicated they that peruse the records of the Ancients will haply fall into a troublous matter After the Apostles death Socrates Sozomen Epiphanius Hieronymus Augustine and if there be any more say that the Church in the publick assembly did perform the duties of piety as the Sabbaths came about yet whoever shall say that the Sabbath was neither accounted holy nor equalled to the Lords day will do no wrong to the truth Who will say the Sabbath is holy when in the holy Records a tittle cannot be read of its institution or observation in the Christian Church as is of the Lords day but that the Lords day was instituted of the Apostles indued with extraordinary power and moved by the Holy Ghosts inspiration we will afterwards by the Grace of God inform you Yea let him tell who can that the Christians in the Apostles age met by themselves on Sabbath dayes which thing yet they did on the Lords dayes is apparent enough from the Scriptures but after the Apostles death I deny not that the Christians met together on Sabbath dayes although they accounted not the Sabbath holy and those assemblies were chiefly in use with the Oriental people according to some because the Jews dispersed in the Orient and accustomed to the Sabbatical solemnity could not easily be contented to be plucked from it although they observed the Lords Day which what is it else to do but brand them with Ebionism or as Baronius thinks because certain Hereticks reproached the Sabbath that the God of the Hebrews whom they called Evil rested on that day therefore they fasted on the Sabbath Contrariwise the Catholicks not Judaizing but that they might worship him as God the Father Creator of heaven and earth with a solemn celebrity said that in honour of him the Sabbath as well as the Lords day to the glory of Christ ought to be celebrated Thus they To whom Vedelius in his notes on Ignatius's tenth Epistle numb 6. doth answer Learnedly and Orthodoxly enough Or because the Sabbath hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a regard of creation as is defined in the Constitutions which they call the Apostles But how much these kind of conjectures are to be valued that are supported with no reasons of any authority or genuine testimonies of the Fathers let others judge It 's without controversie that the Oriental Christians and others did at that time hold assemblies on the Sabbath day although upon what reasons they were chiefly moved to this it is not well enough known by the Writers of that age Yet did they not hold the Sabbath day holy The difference of the Eastern from the Western Church in observing the Sabbath teacheth this while the Oriental people kept holy day on the Sabbath most in the West fasted I say the most of them because they of Millain though in the West and divers others of the West were not attentive to fast on Sabbath dayes but dined soberly Ambrose had a custome to dine on the Sabbath Witness Paulinus Ambrose confesseth this of himself in Augustine Augustine acknowledgeth he dined on the Sabbath without superstitious vacation Ep. 86. Yet the Roman Church and some others and at length every where even they of the East fasted on the Sabbath These things about those who fasted on the Sabbath do not declare that they acknowledged it for a Feast or holy day on which fasting was altogether to be forborn according to the custome of the Church Aug. Ep. 86. and other Authors being witnesses yet that the Lords day was accounted holy at that time is granted of all Moreover the Sabbath was not every where amongst the Christians observed with that solemnity of the Church as the Lords day For the meetings were not held in the same manner on Sabbaths as on the Lords dayes Some things touching both observed out of the Fathers will shew this 1. What things are reported of Historians and others about observing the Sabbath touching gathering assemblies were not used in every Church every where For in the Churches of Rome and Alexandria the manner of meeting on the Sabbath held not Witness Sozom. Hist l. 7. c. 19. and afterwards in other Churches it grew out of use Athanasius Hom. de semente glorieth that he never medled with the Sabbath after the Jews manner namely Tertul.
by God for the use of the Ministers of the Church they must of necessity grant that God hath appointed a time in which they must attend his worship to whom in their opinion he hath granted Tythes because it is the same authority that must both define the Worship and a fit time for performing of that Worship Now for establishing the Divine institution of this day we must not have recourse to that spurious scroul that as it 's reported in the third tome of Councils was sent down from Heaven to Hierusalem because that what things the Holy Ghost hath revealed to us in Scripture they do demonstrate it to all to be Divine of those that embrace the truth and for the fabulous fooleries about this matter we leave them to the Papists whose Kingdome had long since fallen without their support and we will briefly according to our manner examine what light may be brought out of the New Testament to manifest the truth in this matter Here three things come to be examined First Whether in the compass of every week must the Church keep holy a certain day by Gods institution Secondly Whether the Jewish Sabbath be abrogated Thirdly What can be brought out of the books of the New Testament to confirm the keeping holy the first day in the week The first of these is more obscure the other two may plainly enough be observed out of the Holy Scriptures and Fathers and one of them depends upon another Of the last many things have been observed out of the Scriptures in our second third c. Chapters but the truth about the two former Questions being made manifest by the testimonies of the ancients it will appear with little ado what is to be enquired into in the third place CHAP. VIII Within the compass of a week one day was sanctified from the beginning of the world this is affirmed both by Jews and Christians How Adam had need of the Sabbath The mention of observing the seventh day amongst the Heathens The authorities are weighed wherein the observation of the Sabbath among the Patriarchs is denied Why the Heathens are not upbraided with the abuse of the Sabbath AS to the first Question namely That in the compass of seven dayes one is to be set apart for spiritual operation as saith Chrysostom why should I fear to affirm it Especially since this opinion is approved by the suffrage of the greatest Divines and clearly enough taught by the manifest testimonies of the ancients We shall see that the Church of God since the History of the Creation was known did alwaies set apart one day of the weekly systeme for his worship the verity of which thing may be observed in the three Epocha's or junctures of years the first whereof is from the Creation to Moses the second from Moses till the Gospel was preached by the Apostles the third follows to be considered from that time till the end of the world in all which we shall find that one of the seven was alwayes set apart for the publick worshipping of God We read it was so done from the beginning of the world till Moses from Moses till the Resurrection of Christ from thence to this very day The controversie at this day is chiefly about the first and last Epocha none doubts of the second In demonstrating the first that the Sabbath was observed before Moses yea from the first beginning of the world both the Holy Scriptures and the Reverend Fathers their faithful Interpreters do attest it to prove the truth whereof we will first bring the authority of Moses which is had Gen. 2. 2 3. of which places divers have given the genuine sense and especially the Learned Rivet in Gen. and doth Orthodoxly enough defend his Exposition against those that think otherwise in his dissertation de Sabbato chap. 2. and removes a Prolepsis that is devised by the modern in commenting upon Moses's Text for Moses in the foresaid place doth not relate what God did when he writ the History of the Creation but what God did after that the stupendious work of Creation was finished namely that he ceased from creating any new work and ordained by a Law promulgated that the seventh day should be set apart by men to his worship in memorial of the Creation This is related by Moses Neither was that fore mentioned prolepsis which the best amongst the Christians allow not known to the Jews And if we follow the simple and literal sense of Moses his words they all make for us For how unjust is it when all the Verbs are of the same Mood and Tense Vajecol Vaijsboth Vajebarech and be finished and ceased and blessed to restrain the two former to the present and to extend the latter as some do to a time to come two thousand years after this would be too harsh a construction of the words But let us see how the Jews understood this place Tertullian tells us of them that they affirm that God from the beginning did sanctifie the seventh day by resting on it from all the works that he made and thereupon Moses said to the People Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day c. Where Tertullian delivers the Jews opinion of the Sabbaths observation from the beginning of the world and then he affirms that according to the Jews the Command in the Decalogue for keeping it respects the original observation of the Sabbath namely because God at the Creation sanctified the seventh day This was the opinion retained amongst the Jews in Tertullians age which he produces when he disputes against them and no where doth Tertullian deny that the seventh day was sanctified from the beginning Neither do the Jews themselves deny this The title of Ps 92. apud Jonath who translated the Bible into the Chaldee is thus A Praise and Song which the first man spoke for the Sabbath day From which inscription it appears that the ancient Jews even before the first coming of Christ thought that Adam observed the Sabbath For. Jonathan lived according to Galatinus forty two years before Christs Nativity Josephus a very learned Jew acknowledgeth that God rested on the seventh day and ceased from his works and for that cause do the Jews celebrate a vacation on this day which they call the Sabbath Josephus therefore confesses that the Jews ceased from their works on the Sabbath because the Lord ceased from the Creation on the seventh day Of the same opinion is Philo the Apostles contemporary After saith he that nature was perfected in six dayes the Father added honour to the seventh day following which when he praised he vouchsafed to call it holy Also de vita Mosis lib. 3. he confesses that the Sabbath day had a priviledge by nature since the birth day of the world And a little before in the same book he saith Moses thought it sitting that all those who were enrolled in this City should following the law of Nature
Festival namely Christ whom he tells us translated the Sabbath day into the Lords and then denies that the Church of her self or by her own authority did ordain that translation for saith he we set not light by the Sabbath of our selves Therefore Athanasius being Judge it appears that the Church doth not of her self but by the authority of Christ whereby the Lords day was ordained observe its solemnity and honour it as he else where speaketh And let it move no body that while he expresseth the honour wherewith the Church honoureth it he doth not speak in that manner of its institution as of the Sabbath of which when he speaks he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God hath commanded but when he mentions the Lords day he only saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we hnour the Lords day Nor doth he say that this honour is given of the Church to the Lords day by authority of any Divine precept Let this I say move no body as if Athanasius had acknowledged the institution of this solemnity to be received from the Churches ordination and not Christs for if this grave Prelate had so meant it he would have contradicted himself as appeareth out of the place forecited Homil de sement in which he plainly acknowledgeth not the Church but the Lord to be the author of the Lords day neither can any thing else be inferred from that later phrase which Athanasius useth When Subjects do openly profess that they with all honour do honour their own Kings and Magistrates shall not I therefore conclude that they are not obliged by Divine authority to this duty No verily but the Subjects perform this to their Princes with a most ready will because by Divine Law and authority they are bound to perform this duty So Christians honour the Lords day because the Divine institution of this Festival by Christ which Athanasius makes mention of in the same place requires this by right of them Chrysostom in the often fore-cited place acknowledges God to be the author of instituting one day in the week to be set apart for spiritual work When Eusebius gathers divers arguments to demonstrate the Divine power of Christ above all the Heroes of the Heathens amongst the rest he adds this Who saith he meaning what God of the Heathen or Heroes hath prescribed to all the inhabitants of the whole world whether they be on land or sea that meeting weekly on one day they should celebrate the Lords Festival and ordain that as they fed their bodies with food so they should refresh their Souls with divine instructions Therefore in Eusebius's judgment the solemnity of this day is ascribed to Christs institution And Leo acknowledges this solemnity to be received from the Holy Ghost and Apostles ordained by him Augustine confesses that the Lords day was consecrated by Christs Resurrection where he intimateth that the Church did not only take occasion from the Resurrection of Christ to celebrate this solemnity on that day but that the very Resurrection of Christ did administer it unto Christians and if the Resurrection of Christ hath consecrated the Lords day which he confesses as well in this place as elsewhere Serm. 15. de verbis Apostoli then Christ and no other is to be reputed for the author of its institution for his Resurrection hath consecrated that day and since that time he began to have his festival Moreover if Augustine had not believed that God was the author of this Festival by what right could he have derided Urbicus speaking after this manner as if there were one Lord of the Sabbath and another of the Lords day if he had not esteemed him for the author of the Lords day who was author of the Sabbath the contrary whereof he thought Urbicus judged Augustine would never have blamed him for that which yet the premises do testifie he did And he that shall look over that Epistle shall see that he in round words doth acknowledge that there is one Lord of the Sabbath and Lords day pag. 389. He adds It was made the Lords Day through Christ pag. 383. And while that Learned Father renders a reason why it is called the Lords day he assigns this because saith he the Lord made it And how since he is the author of all dayes yet may be said especially to make that we have before chap. 4. out of Augustin himself explained And after Augustin the Fathers in Concil Forojubensi have also explained this The Lord hath sanctified it by the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ What needs more It 's enough to point at briefly the Divine institution of this day and these things manifest enough do suffice in a matter smelling of Piety Therefore as Basil the Great sometime concluded his Sermon of the perpetual virginity of the blessed Virgin These reasons saith he we think are sufficient because Christian ears cannot endure the contrary so also we being content with these testimonies which although few in number are yet we trust of great authority with equal estimators of things we will add no more And though many badges of this day have thus far been observed as that Christ rose again on that day Luke 24. 6. on that oftener than once he appeared to his Disciples Joh. 20. 19 26. on that day the Apostles taught and administred the Sacraments Act. 20. 7. on that day John received a Divine Revelation Rev. 1. 10. I could also reckon up others mentioned by divers as on this day the world received its beginning on this by the Resurrection of Christ both death received its destruction and life its beginning on this the Apostles took up thetrumpet of the Gospel to preach to all nations on this lastly the Holy Ghost came down from the Lord on the Apostles More badges are also extant in Austin of the Lords Day Serm. 154. de Tempore And others relate that other Miracles were done on that day These are indeed great badges but because amongst certain some of these are reckoned for uncertain they are not proper enough in their judgment to demonstrate the truth only whereas at every perfect period of time the very Heathens do testifie that certain festival dayes were to be celebrated for some eminent benefits of God conserred upon us and when any thing eminent was ordained of God it was done in honour of this day the reason of whose observation arises not from the foresaid prerogatives but is founded in the authority of God the institutor I am more easily induced to believe with the ancients its solemnity was instituted of God Here I could out of the Fathers tell you the punishments of some that violated the solemnity of the Lords Day In Concil Parisiensi so we read Many of us by the sight of our own countrey men and many of us by the relation of others have been informed that certain men exercising on this day their
〈◊〉 in its native signification doth plainly signifie any thing belonging to sustain life and getting sustenance or any thing for the use of this life whence Clem. Alexand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is administring necessaries for this life also in the same man it occurrs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all necessity pertaining to life But amongst Divines as Stephanus observes when it is spoken of a man then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is secular or one that is addicted to the affairs of this secular life And so it often occurrs in Chrysostom as Hom. 9. in Col. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and Hom. 3. de Lazaro c. In the same sense in Justin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he that lives in common life is distinguished from him that lives in solitariness a Monk Therefore according to the native signification of Chrysostoms words by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are denoted things that pertain to life and sustenance from the sober use whereof no Christian is debarred on the Lords day How little those things conduce to the defence of secular businesses being undertaken on that day they know who look into Chrysostom We will omit any disputation about the propriety and use of the word because it pertains to the Grammarian and ought to be left to others we will produce the rest which Chrysostom himself helpeth us to Secondly we intreat the Reader to consider that Chrys in the aforesaid place is displeased with those that after they are returned from the Church-meeting are intangled in businesses which are contrary to the exercise as he speaks which is held in the Church-assembly Surely if in Chrysostoms judgment worldly matters might safely be medled with on the Lords day he would never have reproved those that looked after them which yet his very words shew that he sharply did Thirdly he thinks it is too much yea altogether extreme indevotion to spend five or 6 days in wordly matters not to employ one in spirituals He that weighs this will easily grant that Chrysostom would never have any part of that day consecrated to affairs that smell not of piety And he that abuses the authority of this holy Father to palliate the using of labour on that day although I scruple to accuse him of too much indevotion yet I am troubled that he hath no more religious a care of the Lords festival Fourthly this he layes as a law upon his Auditors in the same place that they bestow that onely day of the whole week on which they meet to hear all of it in the meditation of those things that are delivered He that requireth that the rest of the day which remaineth after hearing the Word in the publick Church meetings should be spent about meditation conference of the things they have heard will allow no liberty after the aforesaid meetings are ended to dispatch worldly affairs by which pious meditation may be hindred If therefore Chrysost being judge no other exercises be to be medled with on the Lords day out of the Church-assembly which are contrary to the duties of piety performed in those assemblies if by his grave judgment it be thought a very irreligious thing not to spend one whole day in the exercises of piety yea if he earnestly require it from his Auditors that they consecrate that whole day to their devotion of all which he tells us his judgment in these very words then surely it was far from Chrysostoms mind to give liberty for ordinary labours on the Lords Day Lastly if his words which make mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be stretched to that sense because sometimes in Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a secular person Chrysost did that which Gregory the Great in an other sense did whom the custom of the Laityes seasting on the Lords day usually vexed yet thought they were not to be punished by law lest that being made against them they should become worse and therefore to avoid the danger of schisme left them to themselves so that what he approved not being constrained through the necessity of the time he permitted So here whatever Chrysostom indulged the people in he did it against his will for their sakes whose minds were not so easily called back from earthly things to whom yielding in some things he did gradually bring them on to higher exercises of piety and indulged them that which he did not approve lest any thing worse should happen he as it were unwilling willed it But as for his part he judged that a whole day should be consecrated to the exercises of Religion any part whareof as we have seen he would not have employed in worldly affairs And thus we have seen St. Chrysostom vindicating himself from some mens foolish gloss nor is there any body whose senses either stupour or phlegmatickness hath not dulled which will think otherwise Origen also takes it ill that some do but assign an hour or two of the whole day to God and come to prayer in the Church while they spend the rest of the day about the world and their belly but if Christians were at liberty when their assemblies are ended to betake themselves to their worldly occasions then this reproof of his had been unjust against which they might truly answer that the custom of the Church was to define the sanctification of the day within the terms of two or three houres Gregory the Great 's judgment is also for ceasing from earthly labour on the Lords day Indeed in the beginning of that Epistle he tells us that Antichrist will make both the Sabbath and Lords day to be kept free from all labour But lest any one should unwarily deceive himself by not well considering the phrase as if Gregory had judged that Antichrist would forbid labour on the Lords day it is to be noted that he intimates this that Antichrist will have an equal regard of the Sabbath as of the Lords day because as Gregory thinketh Antichrist would call back the observation of the Sabbath and directs the stile of the former part of his Epistle against those that forbid the working of any thing on the Sabbath day Nor can the sense of those words of his be otherwise expounded who thought that labour was to be undertaken on the Sabbath from which yet we ought to abstain on the Lords day but i◠never came into Gregory's mind to reckon rest from labour on the Lords day for an interdiction of Antichrist since Gregory himself doth plainly condemn labour undertaken on that day Augustine It is therefore called the Lords day that we abstaining on it from earthly works and worldly pleasures should onely attend on Divine worship giving honour and reverence to this day for the hope of our resurrection which we have in it Augustin or whoever was the author of that Sermon doth plainly prohibit Christians attending their labours
They of Asia contend it must be celebrated on the fourteenth day they of the West on the Lords day only and which is more those acknowledge their opinion received by tradition from John these from Peter and Paul This controversie Eusebius Hist l. 5. explains more at large Who therefore can be brought to believe if the festivity of the Passover was ordained by the Apostles authority that so soon divers Churches that were governed of the very Apostles Scholars would make a departure from so holy a precept and that in celebrating the Lords day all the Churches of Christ through the whole world should follow one and the same rule Why had they not also done the like in the Feast of the Passover if it had been instituted by Apostolical authority It is not likely therefore it was ordained of the Apostles And yet I cannot but wonder at the wit of some men who hold the Passovers festivity which the Scriptures are silent in for divine and yet they repute the Lords day whose observation we meet with in Scripture for Ecclesiastical and humane If therefore the Passovers festivity was instituted of the Apostles no man can justly prefer it to the Lords day ordained of Christ by his Apostles Nor must we judge otherwise of the Feast of the happy Nativity of Christ whose solemnity was anniversary but on what day of the year to be celebrated it 's uncertain Chrysostom although he conjectures Christ was born on the eighth before the Calends of January in December recites divers opinions about this matter but follows his own opinion without condemning of others and permits every one to abound in his own sense till such time as the Lord shall reveal to every one of us what must be holden for certain St. Hierom if so be that Sermon de Nativitate Domini which goes commonly under his name be Hieroms saith Whether the Lord Jesus was born to day or baptized to day a different opinion is carried about in the world and according to the variety of traditions is the sentence diverse In this authors judgement whoever he was it was uncertain what day the blessed Nativity of Christ fell out on The Learned Casaubon Exercit. ad apparat Bar. annal num 68. tells us there were of old divers opinions in the Church about Christs Nativity Some writing that he was born on the sixth of January others on the nineteenth of April others on the nineteenth of May some in the month of September most on the twenty fifth of December Now these divers opinions about these feasts which are taken for chief ones do teach us that they were ordained by no law of the Apostles otherwise in their writings without doubt we should have met with a direct assigning of the time to be set aside for keeping them in Memory as it is observed of the Lords day which yet it 's plain no where can be found Moreover if their ordination had been derived from the Apostles they had either all been equal among themselves or it had been known some way to the Church which amongst them had been of greater authority and right But the contrary appeareth from the most grave Fathers which differ from one another about this thing and therefore one is sometimes preferred before another of them Chrysostom calls the Feast of Christs Nativity the Mother of all Feasts Orat. de Philognio Gregory Nyssen calls it the holy of holies and feast of feasts Gregory Nazianzen judgeth it to be preferred far before all others that are Christs and are celebrated in honour of him Since therefore it is not agreed on amongst the Fathers of the Church of the first institution of these Festivals and their prerogatives none will doubt that their institution was not received from the Apostles Which things being supposed it can be inferred by no necessary consequence that these are to be compared much less to be preferred to the Lords day From all which it appeareth that the observation of the Lords day was far different from that of the Sabbath and other dayes because the Sabbath day amongst Christians had on it no cessation from worldly labours neither was it observed with such solemnity of the whole Church as was the Lords day yea the Sabbath is not read to be observed of the whole Church whenas yet the premises do evince that the Lords day was ever solemnized from the very Apostles age in the Church dispersed through all Nations and we have observed that other Festivals of Christs are not to be compared with much less to be equallized or preferred to the Lords Day CHAP. IV. The chief of the Fathers make mention of the Lords Day its authority depends not on the Constitutions of Emperours when it was at first ordained that Judges should cease from hearing Law-suits on that day the Christians were punished for observing it What it is Dominicum agere BEtter to manifest the celebrity of the Lords Festival I will moreover bend my mind to two things by which in the first place I will demonstrate that the Lords Day all along in the Church from the very Apostles age was consecrated to perform religious exercises on Secondly that on all that day the Church was wont to be vacant from all worldly matters which two things will clearly enough shew its solemnity above all other dayes to which these things agree not amongst men that relish the truth In demonstrating the fiâ—st of these we will prove that the Lords day was alwayes celebrated and will briefly open both the reasons of its solemnity and its names which we meet with amongst the ancients Let it be sufficient to illustrate the first that there is none of any note in the ancient Church who doth not give an ample testimony to this its solemnity Amongst the renowned witnesses of this truth let St. Ignatius come forth who thus charges us Let every lover of Christ celebrate the Lords day which was consecrated to the Lords Resurrection as the Qneen and Prince i. the chief day as Constantine the Great in Euseb de vit ejus lib. 4. cap. 18. of all other dayes Justin Martyr in the end of his second Apology confesseth that on that day which they call Sunday were holden solemn assemblies of all that lived both in villages and cities and he tells us more at large what was done in those assemblies of which afterwards we shall hear more Dionysius Bishop of Corinth when he mentions Clements Epistle to the Corinthians in Eusebius saith he kept holy the Lords day Tertullian reckoneth the Lords day which he calls the eighth namely from the Creation amongst the Christians solemnities The same doth Origen although otherwise he was not at one with himself about the times for performing Religious exercises lib. 8. contra Celsum Eusebius when he speaks of the Ebionites whom he reports did observe the Lords dayes after the same