Gentes Parisiis 1605. Athanasius Graeco Latin ex officina Commetiana 1601. Athenaeus Lat. Lugduni 1583. Augustinus Basileae 1556. B Baronii Cardin. Annales Moguntiae 1691. Basilius Mag. Graece Basileae 1551. Basil Magn. Lat. Basileae 1565. Bellarmini Cardin. Controv. Coloniae 1620. Bernardus Antuerpiae 1616. Bibliotheca Patrum Parisiis 1614. C Canones Ecclesiae Afric per Justellum Parisiis 1614. Casauboni exercit in Baron Annal. Francof 1615. Centuriae Magdeburgicae Basilae 1624. Chrysostomus Graece Londini Chrysostomus Latine Basileae 1530. Clement Constitut Graeco-Latin Parisiis 1618. Clemens Alex. Graeco-Lat Lugduni 1616. Conciliorum Tomi per Severinum Binium Coloniae 1606. Corpus Juris civilis Genevae 1626. Cyprianus apud Joannem le Preux 1593. Cyrillus Alexandrinus Lat. Paris 1615. D Damascenus Graeco-Lat Paris 1575. Dionysius Areopagita Graeco-Lat Paris 1625. E Epiphanius Graece Basileae Epiphanius Latine Coloniae 1617. Eusebii hist Graeco-Lat Colo. Allobrogum 1612. Eusebius de praep Evangel Lat. Paris 1534. Examen Concil Trident. per Chemnit Francof 1599. F Flavius Josephus Lat. Colo. Agripin 1693. G Gratiani Corpus Jur. Canon Paris 1507. Greg. Nazianz. Graec. Basileae 1550. Greg. Nazianz. Lat. Basileae 1671. Greg. Nyssenus Lat. Basil 1571. Greg. Magnus Paris 1518. Galatinus apud haered Andreae Wecheli c. 1603. Gelasius de artis Concil Nicaeni Paris per Marcellum H Hieronymus Basiliae 1526. Hilarius Basileae 1560. Hist Ecclasiasticae Scriptores Graec-Lat Colo. Allobr 1612. Hist Ecclestiastica Tripart Parisiis 1574. I Ignatius Graeco-Lat Genevae 1623. Iâ—enaeus Basileae 1572. Isidori Pelus Epist Graeco-Lat Parisiis 1585. Isychius Parisiis 1584. L Lactantius Basileae 1563. M Macrobius Lugduni 1628. Minutii Felicis â—ctâ—avius Paris 1605. Mortonii Apologia Londini 1605. N Nicephori Historia Paris 1576. Nomocanon Phothii Paris 1615. O Origenes Basileae 1572. Optatus apud Commelinum 1599. P Philo Judae Graec-Lat Colo. Allobrogum 1613. Plutarchi vitae Lat. Basileae 1558. Plutarchi Moralia Lat. Basil 1570. Platina de R. Pontificum vitis Colon. 1600. Primafius in Epistolas Lugduni 1537. R Ruffinus Parisiis 1580. Rivetus in Decalogum Leidae T Tertullianus Antuerpiae 1584. Theodoret. Lat. Colon. Agripp 1527. Theodoreti Questiones Graece Paris 1558. Z Zonaras in Concilia Graeco-Lat Parisiis 1618. The Lords Day The first day of every week is to be sanctified in the exercises of Religion whose institution is Divine Sanctification consisteth in ceasing from worldly matters A. attending on Divine Worship B. A. Therefore not to be profaned by gainful labour or by Surfeiting Sports B. Here the duties of Religion are of right publick private C. in every Chur. meeting as namely the Ministry of the Word in and Prayer Singing Psalms Administration of the Sacraments reading expounding of Scripture C. When the faithful were dismissed from the publick Assembly in contemplating of the works of God Eternal Life or in meditating discoursing of what they had heard comforting the weaker relieving the poorer brethren A PREFACE TO THE READER In which is propounded first the scope of this Treatise Secondly is shewn why we meet with more things about the duties of the Lords Day in the latter than in former Councils Thirdly how far the Church at this day may be obliged by the authorities of Provincial Councils ordaining these dayes although some things of smaller value be put amongst their Canons THat old Serpent the perpetual hater of Divine truth and true piety hath busied himself to remove every stone since the first promulgation of the Holy Gospel that he might turn aside the minds of men bewitched with an impure hatred of light and godliness from a sincere love to the same Therefore having stirred up a terrible flame of persecution he hath sometimes disheartened the favourers of the Gospel from all affection to godliness by most crafty means to hinder the happy progress of Gods Word sometimes by the diligent care of pious Princes ihis unhappy flame of persecution being quenched he hath not feared either to set together by the ears the very Professors of Religion not attentively enough observing his tricks and snares or shamefully to alienate them mens minds being inclined to lust and a too great love of this present world from the holy practice of godliness and from all exercise of true Religion But this in vain For so long as a door is open to hear Gods Word at a time solemnly observed for the publick Worship of God and the private practice of Godliness not neglected through the Divine Providence it shall happen that maugre the enemies of the Gospel godliness shall flourish Faith shall abound and Charity the manifest token of Christs Disciples shall not wax cold and mens minds shall be stirred up with a greater desire of unfeigned love to the Gospel and the violent shall take the Kingdome of Heaven by force This thing that masked Serpent observeth with no small disdain whilst that he considers he is a falling like lightning from Heaven by the power of Apostolical preaching and upon that account by his Emissaries employes all his power that he might retard the course of preaching the Gospel Nor could he take a more ready way to promote this unhappy enterprize than either by utterly abolishing the time appointed from heaven for this work or by corruptly perverting the use thereof Which being once obliterated out of mens minds at length piety would decay and all care of Religion would lye extinct For it 's well enough known that the Professors of Christian Religion do there most endeavour after godliness and that Church by God is most abundantly adorned with all manner of gifts where with greatest reverence and strictest observation the Lords Day is wholly spent in Divine exercises For if the Lords Day be the Queen of Dayes that Church which gravely studieth the setting forth of this solemnity is deservedly to be reputed the Queen of Churches But the deadly enemies of piety with all their strength endeavour to relax the observation of the Lords day whereon they willingly suffer not themselves to be holden bound by the exercises of godliness and to extricate themselves from this burden thereby rovingly to give up themselves without check to impiety and idleness Wherefore Constantine the Great that most godly Emperour not ignorant of these mens temper when he determined with himself to obviate this evil and begun with greatest care to practise the true Religion of Christ and provoke his Subjects to observe it he made a law for a diligent observing the Lords solemnity as witnesseth Sozomen For since it 's the Churches part intermitting the affairs of this world to meet together for the exercises of piety such Conventions cannot fitly be holden without a certain and determinate time The time therefore destined for performing the the holy duties of Religion being abolished the minds of men will not be intent upon the offices of Religion Whence of necessity piety must fail and that being extinct what other thing can men expect but that a tempest of all evils should be ingruent
whole day must be reserved as Chrysostom before to spiritual work As afterwards the Fathers in Conc. Turonensi do speak being sequestred from servile work to persevere in praising God and giving of thanks No otherwise then as anciently among the Romans the daily sacrifices were continued from the beginning of the day to the middle of the following night But I will not weary the Reader by rehearsing apart the testimonies of the several Fathers in a matter so clear whose writings he that will but lightly look into shall grant that a whole day according to their opinion must be assigned to perform religious exercises upon which will better appear from those rules that occurr in their writings for the sanctification of this day three whereof I will not refuse to reckon First they exhort the Church to regard on that day the things that pertain to their souls salvation where Hierom accommodates as he shews in the following words what the Prophet speaks of the Sabbath to those whom Christ hath made free And if any have a mind to see what it is to regard the things that pertain to the souls salvation the fourth Canon Conc. Tarraconensis will inform him namely that men on the Lords day only perform to God the appointed solemnities and what should be done on them we have formerly heard ex Turonensi Concil namely that they should abstain from servile work and persevere to the evening in giving of thanks But lest any one should grant that those exercises of Piety are to be done on that day whenas yet he might deny that the whole day were to be spent in them therefore the Fathers add Secondly That excepting those things that pertain to the fouls salvation nothing else at all must be done on that day So Hierom Austin Conc. Tarracon in the fore-cited places with whom agree also the Fathers in the Council of Friuli who ordain that on the Lords day the vacation must be to no other purpose but for Prayer and other offices of piety And in the Council of Paris it is ordained that it 's convenient for those that are redeemed by the grace of Christ to abstain on that day whereon the Author of Life rose again and gave them hope of a Resurrection from these things that are fore-mentioned i. e. from this worlds pleasures and their own and rural works as there they speak and be filled onely with spiritual joyes and busily vacant with all their heart in restless praises The same particle of restriction is added in Conc. Triburiensi Can. 35. where they ordain that it 's the peoples part on the Lords dayes only to labour in the holy service of God And afterwards they add that they must only attend on God on the Lords dayes Greg. Mag. shews also they were wholly to be employed in prayers on the Lords dayes Thirdly they do not only think that this 〈…〉 must be religiously kept and wholly â—â—ployed in the worship of God on it but â—hey farther do define the term of time which they must spend in the work thereof namely a whole day So Chrysost Hom. 10. in Gen. and Hom. 5. in Math. Let your eyes and hands be spread out to God all that whole day This is to persevere in performing its services until the evening Concil Turon 3. cap. 40. Or as in Conc. Trull cap. 90. From the evenings ingress to the Altar on the Sabbath till the following evening on the Lords day Now if in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established the premises do evidently enough shew that the sanctification of all the day is required since that not only the Fathers do determinate that we must cease from our worldly matters and attend on God but moreover that nothing must be done but a work of Piety on all that day that is from the beginning to the end thereof Neither do I think good to confirm the truth in this matter by reasons over and besides these testimonies that are not to be contemned although they be not to seek wherewith to stop the mouths of dissenters if they be angry and the entire sanctification of the whole day may be vindicated against the too earnest seekers of a profane liberty First As if the day be commanded to be held holy by common sense it follows that a day not some hours is to be sanctified So Aug. Serm. 251. de Temp. Secondly Moreover if there were any term of that dayes holiness before the day it self were determined then such a term would appear either from the Scriptures or from some of the Fathers piously interpreting them but what no where is extant he that can shew it Erit Mihi Magnus Apollo The Ancients who thought good to fast on the Sabbath sometimes continued their fasts to the ninth hour which being past they were not afraid to relaxe their fast and refresh their strength with meat Socrat. Hist l. 5. c. 22. And sometimes till the Cock-crow of the Lords day growing light as in the Sabbath of the great week as Epiphanius teaches in Panario When therefore they judged that they must simply fast on the Sabbath then they added nothing of the termes of the fast before the Sabbath it self ended but because some judged that they must not abstain on all Sabbaths for a whole day from meats therefore they signified how long their fast was to last We may say the same of the Lords day's duration if the Church must not keep holy day by a Religious solemnity from worldly affairs for a whole day then the term without whose knowledge the Church-would be ignorant how long the day were to be sanctified and the minds of men would stick pendulous of this solemnity would some way be known to us from the Scriptures nor would the Holy Ghost have passed it by untouched and formerly we have observed from their writings that the Fathers would determine nothing to be done on this whole day that is from the Sun-rising to the setting but what relates to Piety who being excited with an holy zeal have exploded the half sanctification of the Lords Day Thirdly If the glory of the Jewish Sabbath be translated to the Lords day which is not denied of the Fathers I do not see why we should not interpret this day in the same manner as it was prescribed about the Sabbath to the worshippers of God in old time for to the Jews and that by Divine authoritie it was given in command that they being sequestred from all worldly business through the whole Sabbath should attend Divine Worship alone With what face therefore and upon what authoritie relying can Christians bestow their Lords day or any part thereof in worldly affairs setting aside the worship of God let them look to 't that have a care of their salvation This reason hath the most pious Leo approved with his judgement and authority for
〈◊〉 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
example of Dorcas Now I must answer to the authority of the Council of Orleans which was but a Provincial and consisted onely of twenty five Bishops for performing all labours on that day excepting rural in the same manner as sometimes Hierom to Euagrius while he was shewing what difference there was between a Bishop Elder and Deacon he would not have the custom in some sort contrary to his opinion of one City namely Rome to be brought out against him for he being judge the authority of the world was greater than the Citie 's And so I must say here If an indulgence for them had grown into use with the rest of the Church or had been supported by reason or any authority then the sentence of this though Provincial Council had been of some weight but in this their custome being rejected of the Church up and down dispersed is not to be obtruded as a law upon all Then secondly the Bishops being congregated in that Council purposed to obviate as they speak the Jewish observation of the Sabbath And they yield these things lest they should rather seem to set up a Jewish institution than Christian liberty and the very words of the Canon do intimate that the people were perswaded that these things ought not to be done I 'le add nothing of the corrupting that place which Binius judges to be depraved only let others judge what authority is to be given to it it suffices us that the Fathers with one consent do interdict all Christians earthly affairs and worldly works on Lords days although some abounding in their sense do seem to think otherwise Lastly that I may put an end to this Chapter two things now remain to be considered in the Emperours Laws made about the Lords Day which according to some do mightily prejudice its solemnity the first of these is considered in their Manumissions and the second in some certain transactions to be done on the Lords day and since both of these are a civil office some think that certain worldly things for that cause were to be done on that day which were not works of piety To add somewhat of both these offices will not be far from our purpose The indulgence for making free and manumitting granted by the Christian Emperours and to be done on the Lords day could not hinder its religious solemnity which that it may appear the reason of that institution is a little better to be enquired into Constantine of blessed memory studied by laws and all other means to promote the worship of God amongst other things he granted liberty to the Church by law that whoever were made free the Priests being witnesses they should be inrolled into the number of the Roman Citizens So Nicephorus Hist l. 7. c. 46. and Sozomen Hist l. 1. c. 8. And if any desire to see the form of these Manumissions it is extant in the fragments Conc. Toleran and in the learned Instellus his notes in Canones Africanos Can. 64. whither I refer the Reader because it is only my purpose to touch something of the time wherein these Manumissions were done which by Historians and the Emperours laws we see fall out to be on the Lords day and that especially for the honour of the Church and increase of Christian Religion while they by the Bishops were performed in the Church the Bishops were had in greater esteem among the people till as the learned Instellus very well observeth as formerly servants were manumitted in the Temple of the Goddess Feronia so afterwards by the Emperours Constitutions together with their liberty they obtained to be Roman Denizens in the Church No otherwise then as among the Egyptians the cubit wherewith the inundation of Nilus was wont to be marked was no more brought as the custome was to the Temples of the Heathen but from that time to the Churches of the Christians Sozomen 1. c. 8. After this manner the Emperour did earnestly regard the worship of God in making his laws to encrease which he also established that about Manumissions to be made on the Lords day in the Church Moreover servants those for the most part whom their Masters discharged against their will obtained their freedome not without great difficulty as Sozom. therefore the servants as saith Zonaras in Can. 88. Carthagin fled to the Church and if the Bishop determined equally they were manumitted Thereupon the Emperour ordains that all who were by the Priests testimony set at liberty in Churches should be made Denizons of the Roman Commonwealth And afterwards in process of time the Fathers of the Synod thought good to advise the Emperour that this might be done Conc. Carth. Can. 88. Now the benefit of liberty of which the Emperour was desirous as tending to the glory of God was very acceptable to God and for charity sake on that day whose holiness works of charity do not dishonour was also to be performed I could also name another cause assigned in the fragments Conc. Toletan Some thought that they did a thing very acceptable to God and profitable to their own souls if in the Church of some Saint in the presence of the Bishop or the Priests there standing or the noble Laity before the horn of the Altar of that Church send out their servants free by a charter of absolution and freedom from all bonds of servitude But these superstitious Manumissions for remedy of the soul as they speak were observed about the four hundredth year after Christ but that formerly mentioned by Zonaras Sozomen and Nicephorus was the true cause why first the pious Emperours lookt to that these Manumissions were performed on the Lords day which we do not see hindred the Lords solemnity As Manumissions do not obscure this solemnity so certain transactions are lawful on the Lords day Nor can this hinder it that Leo a most earnest defender of the Lords festival did indulge those that were at odds amongst themselves leave to meet on the Lords day vicaria poenitudine whereon they might conferr of their bargains speak of their transactions These which were offices of charity could not destroy the Lords solemnity For that holy man Leo would have adversaries freely and without fear to meet together vicaria poenitudine which the interpreter of the Law expounds by repentance which ought to return by course that is on the Lords dayes or vicaria poenitudo is that which one expecteth from the other by turn be reconciled to one another to effect which reconciliation they might be at their liberty to confer of their bargains and speak of their transactions But all these things were granted by the Emperour not for any worldly end but for renewing their lost friendship which could not obscure the honour of the festival on which the things that pertained to peace and concord were permitted for they then as it were leaving their gift before the Altar went their way that they first might be
being withdrawn from the cares of temporal things its rest should be spent in spirituals as Chrisostom Hom. 1. de Lazaro Athanasius of the same judgment de Sabbat Circumcis for he saith the end of the Sabbath was the knowledge of the creation and not idleness that men keeping holy that day they might know God who rested on that day having finished the work of Creation In the third Council of Orleans it 's provided that men abstain from rural labour and they shew the end of this abstinence that they might go more easily to Church to pray Therefore by the very dictates of nature the Priests affirmed that Holy dayes were polluted if any work was done upon their proclaimed and moveable Feasts Numa Pompilius ordained that alwayes on the Priests Festivals the Cryers should go before them through the city who should give charge that men should rest and cease from their works He thought it was fit that he who worshipped the Gods should be freed from other things and in worshipping of the Gods to apply the mind as to a thing greatly conducing to piety Therefore the minds of men without a cessation from worldly things cannot be applied in a holy devotion to Divine Worship Handy labour saith Cyril is forbidden on a Feast day that you may exercise your selves more entirely in Divine matters The ancients thus ordained that we must cease on a Festival day from all secular works and no worldly thing is to be done on that day which may hinder its sanctification Now in worldly matters men are intent either upon gain or pleasure but here must be a cessation from both First and foremost the observation of the Lords day is not to be profaned by gainful labour for which cause it was provided for by the ancients that Christians should wholly abstain from all things whereby the body is either wearied or the mind alienated from divine to humane things Which clearly enough shews that they were not of that opinion which Austin reports Seneca sometimes was Seneca derided the Jews especially for their Sabbaths that lost the seventh part of their life time in idleness and did not many urgent affairs in their season Christians were not so intent upon their labour for profit as not to be pulled from it to attend Religion They would not give themselves up to their commodities when the season called for obedience When Origen describes how a Christian ought to observe the Sabbath he concludes nothing of worldly actions must be done and he must abstain from all secular works as we have observed before in Chap. 10. where we cited a place in which there is a truly golden and pious image of the Christian Sabbath which Origen divinely inspired hath happily drawn to the life as they say and in which are elegantly described what things are on that day by Christians to be followed and what to be fled while he teacheth us that leaving earthly works on the Lords day we must attend on Divine which that it may be done with greater advantage we must go to the Church in which he exhorts us to attend on the things of Religion and if men shall faithfully do this they will make it evident to all that they have a greater care of their hope for the future inheritance reserved in Heaven than of the profits of this present life Chrysostom confesses that the Lords day is free from business and labours and hath a rest appointed for it and elsewhere Hom. against those that run to playes he accuseth those that meddle with worldly cares on that day although they may pretend poverty necessity of getting food and other urgent occasions But although Chrysostom seems manifestly â—o think that gainful labour is not on the Lords day to be undertaken by Christians yet some make a question whether according to Chrysostom all the day or only so long as the publick assemblies of the Church are held there ought to be an abstinence from labours especially whenas he doth indulge his hearers when they are returned from the Church-assembly if they shall repeat the Scriptures and discourse of that which they have once heard then go to look after the things which are necessary for this life But I will set down the very words of the Father lest I should either keep in suspense the well-minded Reader or seem to darken the truth You must not saith he when you are returned from the Church-meeting intangle your selves in businesses contrary to this exercise but returning home straightway repeat the holy Scriptures and call your wife and children together to confer of those things that have been spoken and these things being fixed more deeply and thoroughly in their mind than to go and look after the things which are necessary for this life c. it never came into St. Chrysostom's mind who asserts that the Lords day should be free from labour and doth not so much as grant any on the Lords day to labour for getting food or avoiding poverty to give any liberty that they should freely attend any worldly affairs which hinder piety And he that sayes thus will do Chrysostom no wrong but rather he who affirms that he indulges men to use these kind of labours on that day which he often finds fault with will fasten the lye on him And I fear not to say this of them that so assert that by their crooked interpretation they do apply the words of that grave Father to quite another sense than Chrysostom thought of This will be evident with a small adoe to him that observes the cited place and compares him with other places that do occurr in him in which it is Chrysostoms purpose to check them who though in the Church they did attentively enough hear what was said yet being departed and forth with mingling themselves with their secular affairs do extinguish the fire of devotion which the Word praeach'd had kindled in them For this evil he prescribes this remedy that so soon as they are returned home they read the holy Scripture and commune amongst themselves about those things that were spoken which things being deeply fixed in their mind then to go and look after those things that they judge necessary for this life they may freely for him as afterwards Bedâ— relates after the exercises of piety are finished there was liberty to take care to refresh the flesh but to care for any other secular businesses than those that pertained to their sustenance he gave them no liberty Which also we read was done by Gunteramnus Baron 588. 26. Because first the very phrase of Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may in a sense commodious enough be expounded of things pertaining to life so Arrianus translates the words of Chrysostom even Trapezuntius one of Greece approving it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie life to which death is opposed or sustenance and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
no weight and in very deed is foolish since not the diligence of husbandry but the virtue of the Sun when it seems good to the bestower of fruits doth afford the abundance of fruits because I say such a law is come forth as vilisies the Lords worship and is a decree differing from those that by the Holy Ghost have gotten the victory against all their adversaries we ordain also which seemed good to the Holy Ghost and the Apostles instituted of him that all persons cease from labour that day whereon our innocency was restored he speaks of the Lords day and let neither husbandmen nor any others go about any unlawful work on that day For if they who observed but a certain shadow and figure did so greatly reverence the Sabbath day that they wholly abstained from all labour how is it not reasonable for those who honour the light of grace and the truth it self to reverence that day which is of God enriched with honour and on which deliverance from shameful destruction was wrought for us Thus Leo Novel 54. Leon. And so according to that common Proverb The later day is scholar to the former what by too much facility which suited not with the Lords solemnity was formerly granted by them that followed who saw the inconvenience of the former liberty was afterwards amended In divers Councils also it was ordained that no rural labours should be exercised on that day as about the year 413. in one and the same year all servile and rural labours and markets are forbidden Concil Aceratensi 14. Can. 16. in Turonensi Can. 40. in Moguntino Can. 37. in Rhemensi Can. 35. in Conc. Aurelianensi 3. where they think fit to determine of rural work that is concerning husbandry or the vineyard or pruning or reaping winnowing or cutting hedge that coming to the Church they moght more easily attend upon prayer Can. 27. Also in Conc. Narbonensi cap. 4. it 's ordained that they should not yoke oxen In Concil Antisiodorensi Can. 16. It is not lawful to yoke oxen on the Lords day or to exercise other labours Also in Concil Calibonensi Can. 18. We define that none at all presume to work any rural labours on the Lords day that is to plow to reap make sale or any thing that pertains to husbandry But although these things do very abundantly shew that on the Lords dayes we are not to employ our work for gainful labour since as well they were to be punished by the supreme authority of the Prince as by the censure of the Church who did the contrary yet there are some who having no respect either to the worship of God or to the promoting mens salvation do affirm that Christians may on the Lords day safely attend any labours when the duties of the publick service are ended to establish which opinion they first wrest the authority of Hierom and them of the third Council of Orleans Hierom. in Epitaphio Paulae ad Eustochium tells us that the women returning from the Church on the Lords day with Paula were busie about their task and either made clothes for themselves or others In the Council of Orleans they determine that on the Lords day that to be lawful which was lawful before to be done only rural labours excepted Hence some gather that men are to cease from their labours no loâ—â—â—r on the Lords dayes than while collectam faciunt as Hierom there speaks But first let the Reader well weigh whether Hierom in that place may seem to speak of womens labour which they bestowed about their works on other than the Lords dayes and whether revertentes ab Ecclesia in him be the same as if he had said when they are not present at Church they are busie at work Nor doth this sense of Hierom's words want reason especially because Hierom sayes they went only to the Church on the Lords day And in another place Hierom contends that on the Sabbath he speaks to those whom Christ had made free not the Jews men should only do those things which pertain to the salvation of the soul Now if those women had on that day plied their labours they would have done somewhat that had not pertained to the souls salvation which by Hierom's judgment they should not have done And of others Hierom speaks who on the Lords dayes did only attend on Prayer and reading Epist. ad Eustochium de custodia virginit But Hierom sayes not this as if on the Lords day to attend the duties of piety had been only appropriated to the Coenobitae of whom he speaks and other Christians on that day had employed their work oâ—â—â—daily labours from which the Coenobitae ceased No by no means But the Holy Father doth distinguish the works undertaken by the Coenobitae on the Lords day from others which they undertook on the other dayes of the week on which they fell about stated works as he speaks and those being ended they attended on Prayer and reading also which thing they also did every day when they had ended their labours but on the Lords day they were intent on nothing else but the duties of piety Secondly If it should be granted that those women did attend their ordinary works on the Lords day it was proper to them onely and then what we must think of that fact appears out of St. Cyprian who while he affirms that the Aquarians did bottom on no author or will of Christ insinuateth this Doctrine to us namely that the custome of some men is not to be followed unless first we enquire whom they followed whose grave authority we may very fitly accommodate to the aforesaid women We are to consider not only what those women did but upon what authority they did it If they attended on the Lords day their daily works and labours they were invited thereunto neither by the authorities of Christ nor his holy Apostles nor the lawful practise of the Church which restrained Christians from those works And I believe no body of a sound mind will impose as a law on other mens shoulders a certain singular custome confirmed by no law or authority but contrary to the general practice of the whole Church especially when Hierom himself and other grave Fathers do conclude that nothing but the works of piety or of some emergent necessity is to be done on that day as formerly from their writings hath been observed We do with St. Austin commend a custom which is known to usurp nothing against the Catholick faith Thirdly Charles the Great in his Constitutions ordains that on the Lords day women sow not their clothes Now we prefer justly the religious ordinance of a pious Emperour depending upon various authorities of Ecclesiastical Canons to a custome of women confirmed by no antiquity Lastly I 'le only add this What if those silly women believed it to be a work of charity by the
cloyed with luxurious banquets drunken feasts and lewd drunkenness cannot devoutly consecrate the Lords day to God so they that delighting in luxury do give up themselves to pleasures are unfit for the sanctifying thereof because with their pleasures they defile the Lords holy day pleasure is the individual companion of drunkenness and intemperance in many becomes a cause of lasciviousness as we say in the Proverb When the belly is well filled then follow dances we read that these have been condemned with great fervour of mind and most holy zeal with the old friends of sincere piety which Chrysostom Hom. de Eleemosyna would not have any attend on and no wonder for all such worldly spectacles with Chrysostom are called Sathans Festivals from which he exhorts his hearers to abstain and sharply reproveth Parents that bring their children to spectacles and exhort them not to Doctrine Cyril was sorry as we have seen in the former Chapter that Christians should on feast dayes run to playes pageants and dancings because in his judgment these things cannot be done without mocking of Gods name and violation of the day for the holiness of festivals is miserably distained by petulant dancings therefore Leo and Authemius those good Emperours ordain that festivals being dedicated to the most High Majesty are by no pleasures which afterwards in detestation of them they call obscene to be defiled They say also We decree the Lords day alwayes to be so honourable and reverent that it be excused from all executions c. And after Nor yet do we relaxing the rest of this holy day suffer any one to be witholden by obscene pleasures Let the scene of the Theatre or the fights in the Cirque or the doleful sights of wild beasts challenge nothing to themselves on that day and if any solemnity fall out to be celebrated on our Birth-day let it be deferred If any one shall ever be present at â—â—ghts on this Feast-day he shall sustain the loss of his command in the Militia and the sale of his patrimony and likewise the Serjeant of every Judge that under pretence of either publick or private business doth believe that these things which are ordained in this law are to be violated The Fathers in the Council of Carthage were of the same mind who provided that no sights should be shewed on the Lords day or any other of the festivals Yea even in the thickest darkness of Popery so solemn was the splendour of this day that the Cimmerian darkness of Antichristianism could never overcome it Therefore it was provided Can. 10. part 9. of the Provincial Council of Colen that there should be an abstinence from these Wherefore say they it is our mind that on these dayes they speak of Festivals Fairs be prohibited Taverns be shut Riot Drunkenness Expences Strifes wicked Sports Dances full of madness evil Communication Bawdy Songs be avoided briefly all Luxury for by these and the blasphemies and perjuries which usually attend these the name of God is profaned and the Sabbath which admonisheth us to cease from doing perversly and learn to do well is defiled In the third Council also of Millain they decree Let the Bishop carefully prohibit and see to it that it be done that not only no leapings and dancings but no riot playes in honour of the Saints and other profane actions unmeet for the worship of those festival dayes and pious institutions be any wayes publickly acted on these dayes or brought in under pretence or occasion of them If men brought up in the Cimmerian darkness of Antichristianism declining the pure light of the Gospel like Owls yet could not through the splendour of truth but bear an illustrious testimony to the Lords festival and thereupon condemned what was opposite to its sanctification as dances which they call full of madness and wicked sports by which the Sabbath on which Christians are to cease from doing evil is violated if by no means under any pretence they permit leapings and danings to be acted to how tremendous a judgment do the ill-employed Libertines of this age expose themselves who now having the face of the Church happily discovered by the sacred Light of the Gospel are not afraid to tread under foot the holiness of this day by giving the reins to pleasures and dances running out into folly so often condemned by the Fathers As if they made haste to pass over into the heretical tents of the Heicetae who in other things following the Churches authority in their Monasteries by a company of Monks praised God using tripudiations and dances thereunto A wickedness indeed more becoming Hereticks than Christians What once the learned Morton in his Catholic Apolog lib. 2. cap. 14. related of Tollet we will apposirely apply to the Patrons of dancing on the Lords day Tollet affirms that a man is bound under a mortal sin to sanctifie a Festival but he is not bound to SANCTIFIE IT WELL. On the other side Morton cryes out and that justly What the foul ill what a sanctifying is this that wants Well without which no action can be acceptable to God So these mens sanctifying of this day while they grant the Lords day must be sanctified but labour not to sanctifie it Well is rather to be reckoned a profanation than sanctification thereof Alas Are these fruits beseeming so long a preaching of the holy Gospel while men do on the Lords day so profusely serve the pleasures of the flesh The primitive Christians whose souls are now in rest celebrated not so the Lords day who made conscience of intermitting its solemnity upon any occasion If on holy dayes we must abstain from lawful and necessary labours must we therefore attend upon unlawful vain and unhonest works God forbid The women of the Jews had better on the Sabbath day spin than dance on their New Moons as Augustin judgeth And on Psal 39. It is better to dig than dance on the Sabbath But these things are not so to be expounded as if St. Austin had commended the undertaking of gainful labour on that day but that grave Father doth praise the scope of those men rather who do apply their just and lawful labour than their unlawful vanities as otherwhere he relates of Socrates that swore by flesh a stone or any thing that was at hand to swear by not that he approved Socrates's fact but by this means he would instruct his hearers that although neither be agreeable to reason yet it is better to transferr Gods honour to Gods workmanship than to the works of mens hands So although we must not attend on the Lords day on labour undertaken for gain-sake but only on Divine worship yet the good Father judged it better on that day to employ our pains about labours lawful on other dayes than about vanities alwayes unlawful and severely condemned of God although neither will very well agree with the solemnity of that day If
those that were absent of what they heard in publick after they were departed from the publick assembly So Chrysostom Hom. 10. in Gen. And he sharply taxes those that did not thus Hom. 32. in Joh. whom when they are gone home he affirms they set upon no work beseeming a Christian Whilst they do not search out the sense of the Scriptures which they heard in the assembly And at length requires them that when they are gone home they endeavour the doing of what they are commanded c. Hom. 3. in Joh. Bafil was of the same mind who seriously wished that what they had heard at both morning and evening assembly all that might be the table talk to the hearers that is when they sat down to table they should talk of what they heard St. Austin counsels his hearers to conferr with those that were absent of what they heard and so their memory would be as his voice Praef. in Psal 50. And in the end of the interpretation of that Psalm he saith As it belongeth to us to speak in the Church to you so it belongeth to you to speak of it in your houses Thirdly Because the Lords Day is not onely ordained for a pious celebration of the memory of Christs Resurrection but also Basil the Great being witness is an image of the world to come although it be no type of the rest and happiness in the life to come yet as after he explaines it that in this daily commotion we neglect not to provide viands for a removal into that life that never will have end Basil de Spiritu Sancto cap. 27. Such viands shall he provide that on that day while he hath leisure from external things shall seriously think with himself that this is not his Countrey but he an Exile and at length he must remove hence into Heaven the Countrey of all the faithful Augustine or whoever it was else affirms in the Book De decem chordis cap. 3. that a Christian is commanded to observe the Sabbath spiritually in hope of the future rest which the Lord promiseth And elsewhere The Lords Day being consecrated by the Resurrection of Christ doth not onely prefigure the eternal rest of the Spirit but body also Aug. de Civitate Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Christians therefore are on this day principally to think of this eternal rest taking an occasion from the rest of the Lords Day although as I said it be not properly instituted to signifie this rest as a type of that thing What Ignatius Epist ad Magnes delivers of the manner of observing the Sabbath may fitly be applied to the celebration of the Lords Day He would have every one to keep a Sabbath in a spiritual manner in meditating of the Law not in refreshing and releasing of the body and admiring the works of God which especially do agree to the solemnity of a Christian Sabbath on which Christians are to bend their care hither to recollect themselves and feed their souls with the pious thoughts of that eternal rest of which the Lords Dayes rest is an image according to Basil in the world to come by what means they can Therefore when the publick meeting was ended there followed also a pious meditation which very well agreeth to the sanctification of the Lords Day when the minds of men by hearing of the Word publick Prayers and other publick Offices of Religion performed on that day are inflamed with exceeding love to desire heavenly things And that the Ancients were of that mind the testimonies cited Book 1. Chap. 5. without me saying ought do bear witness For the Fathers as we have seen do acknowledge that the Lords Day was dedicated to Divine Worship and judged that nought was to be done on that day by Christians whether in their assemblies or after they were dismissed from them but what tended to the salvation of the soul This Origen alone for all will manifest Hom. 23. in Num. who while he shews in what things the observation of the Christian Sabbath consisteth bids in among other things to think of heavenly things to be careful about the future hope to have before our eyes the Judgment to come and not to look at present and visible things but at invisible and future These things do shew that pious meditation is of necessity to be had on the Lords Day by help whereof the minds of Christians may be carried up from earthly to heavenly things to the end that their conversation may be in heaven from whence they look for the Saviour Phil. 3. 20. even while they live on earth Chrysostom is earnest with his hearers Hom. 15. in Gen. that they would remember what was spoken in the Auditory and that they would weigh all things with themselves that what they had heard might settle in their thoughts Nor doth he ask this onely of them but doth also earnestly request it of God that not onely while they were present in the Auditory they would remember what he had said but that they would weigh them at home by themselves and in the market and wheresoever they did abide Hom. 5. ad Pop. Now if a Religious meditation on the Lords Day of what we have heard be a way to the eternal observation of a Sabbath in the Heavens for Christians for whom there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remaineth a Sabbatism Heb. 4. 9. if they are to have before their eyes the future hope and the tremendous judgment on that day and to exhilerate their minds with the thoughts of a future life if they are to hearken to what is said with an attentive mind not onely while they are present in the Auditory but after their their departure thence where-ever they abide they be to call to mind what they have heard Lastly if those vigilant Fathers were earnest with God that their Auditors minds might be perswaded to do this all which are manifest by the cited testimonies then not without cause have we affirmed that when the publick assemblies are ended Meditation upon what we have heard is of necessity required of Christians Fourthly we read that Gifts which afterwards they called Collects were given on the Lords Day for the use of the poor So St. Paul gave order 1 Cor. 16. 2. That upon the first day of the week every one of you lay by you in store as God hath prospered him c. The Apostle did very fitly make choice of a day of a sacred assembly for gathering Almes on That the minds of Christians might by hearing the Word publick Prayers and holy Lessons had on that Day be the better inflamed to bestâ—â— them upon the poors use Add also the consent of the antient Church Justin Martyr Ap. 2. saith that when the Church was met on the Sunday there was a larger contribution as their ability would bear and what they so gathered they committed to him that was the Praepositus to be bestowed for the use of all that were
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
is now translated I hope it will also be profitable to many especially of the more judicious sort of Readers who have no more than the English tongue The Author was a man eminent in his time for great Learning Judgment Piety Humility but especially for his acquaintance with the Writings of the Antient Teachers of the Churches and the Doctrine and Practise of former ages The Lord bless this and all other Labours of his Faithful Servants for the preservation of Knowledge Holiness and Concord which Satan and his forces are so fiercely and alas so successfully assaulting throughout all the world Thy fellow Servant in the Faith Labour and Patience of Believers Richard Baxter Sept. 2. the anniversary day of Londons flames 1671. To the HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH OF CHRIST Happily cleansed from the filth of POPERY My dear Mother GRACE and PEACE THe Church of Christ in old time appealed to the Scriptures Councils and Records of the Ancients in deciding of questions whereby the Peace of the Church was disturbed or course of the Gospel retarded and then the Antients did interpret the Scriptures not as they were by the crooked interpretations of Sectaries or Hereticks accomodated to their own dreams but according to the Analogy of Faith by the consent of other Scriptures In the Church there hath alwayes been great profit by and very much need of Councils and in conclusion if ill-employed men had rejected the Records of the Antients they were forthwith exploded by the Church To these I say did the Church go straightway as to an holy anchor when any tempest arose as may be seen in Sisinnius who perswaded Theodosius studying to put an end to the unseasonable controversies of that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to avoid disputations with Sectaries to require of them Whether they would receive those who before the distraction of the Church were the interpreters of the Scripture and Doctors Unto whom pronouncing judgment on the questions emergent according to the Scriptures they should submit themselves I judged the same was to be done by me O Spouse of Christ and beloved Mother when this unhappy question about the Lords Day solemnity alwayes in use and esteem in the Christian Church arose that the things which the Lord hath written upon this matter in the Holy Records being first observed I might betake my self to the Councils and Records of the Antients by whose engines for no new ones do I judge to be necessary to vanquish the enemies which oppugn the solemnity of this Festival I may assault the adversaries of this ordination both with the authority of Scriptures and likewise with the consent and records of reverend Antiquity plainly attested in gathering whereof I thought it expedient to discover to Thee the purpose of my mind which take briefly thus First of all I gathered into one the judgments of the Antients upon this Subject not that I ascribe more to Antiquity than Truth for that I leave to the Papists but I am determined with St. Hierom to read the Antients try all things hold fast what is good and not recede from the faith of the Catholick Church I run not unweaponed that is deprived of spiritual knowledge revealed in Gods Word to the Antients as to the Philistian Smiths for sharpening my husbandry instruments but because I see that the Holy Ghost hath very sparingly delivered himself in the Scriptures although in them he hath recommended to us its name use and Apostolical institution about the Lords Day I therefore consult the Antients who faithfully retain what they received from the Lord by the Apostles that their pious opinion and practise being observed we may observe likewise what we are to do in this case Secondly Divers have set out sundry things upon this subject to the great profit of the Church but few have touched what was the sacred practise of the more pure Church in keeping this solemnity entirely These things gave me occasion to enquire more deeply into the question not onely to help me against my own forgetfulness but also to mitigate tediousness to others into whose hands Ecclesiastical Writers have not either fallen or being detained with the weighty offices of their charge could not peruse them It was in my design hereby to make provision for both vacancy and studies whilst I present unto their eyes a brief account of the antiquity of the Lords Day This is required of every man even nature dictating it That he profit many if it can be if not so yet a few if not so yet his neighbours if not so yet himself Thirdly I judged it not unseasonable in this deplorate state of the Church to set forth this solemnity and that for a two-fold reason because the abominable and un-christian-like violation of the Lords Day doth expose the holy Worship of God Almighty to the wicked's scorn and from hence even hence hath flown an inundation of all that misery whereby the darkened glory of the Church hath fallen Alas with what squalor and miseries is the face of the Church sometimes shining and happy now in all Nations obscured They who love it with a sincere love do see and lament it although they who are bewitched with the malignant spirit of Popery see and rejoyce at it Neither is there among us any that knoweth how long the godly are fallen by the sword the little ones are dashed together and they that are with child are cut asunder oh woe is me Quis talia fando Temperat à lacrymis Who can forbear At telling such events to shed a tear This afflicted face of Christs Church doth call us to true repentance in performing whereof the violation of the Lords Day which bringeth fuel to this fire in the Church of every Nation ought to grieve us For this Festival hath been solemnized as was fit in the exercises of piety according to the rule of Gods Word but by few which the many Fairs upon it for gainful labour in all Nations feasts drunkenness dancings and the impious profanations of it by Stage-playes do testifie These flagitious Crimes which do obscure the grace of Christianity and give farther occasion of slander to those who blaspheme the name of Christ and which the purer Church abhorred do every where rage on the Lords Dayes without punishment to the great scandal of Religion In another respect also any man sees that this argument agrees not with the secure condition of these times because in this age if ever Religion among many languisheth under a bare profession of the Gospel and its power lies down almost extinct and dead I judge the sanctification of the L. day to be a present remedy for both these maladies First it will prepare a way to extinguish that vehement flame where with the Church is every where a burning This may easily be taught by the example of Gunther amnus that most pious King of France who after he had observed not without grief
ordained that what sometime the Priest Abimelech asked of David 1 Sam. 21. 4. that should 〈…〉 done by Christians on the Lords Day So in the Council of Friuli Can. 13. this is reputed by some for a trifle Concerning which thing it yet troubled not St. Paul to make a Canon for the married in case of Prayer and Fasting 1 Cor. 7. 5. Put for that part of Friuli's Canon wherein it 's ordained to abstain from our Wives on that day whether it was added by the Fathers or foisted into the Canon by some Sciolist on the Marginal explication of a Carnal work I dispute not I onely assert this if it be their grief that trifles repugnant to the Word of God are obtruded on the Church of Christ in this I commend and accept very well their temper who set at nought whatever point is dissonant from the Holy Soâ—iptures however approved in the judgments of many men but if under the name of trifles as they call them they shall reject those Canons that contradict not the reverend authority of writers I cannot approve their fact in this at least I would be taught this thing of them which they may find out by the whole huge Volume of Councils All the things therein ordained are not approved now adayes by all and yet those Councils are not therefore rejected by wise men Some things enacted in the first Council of Nice which have come to our hands if the authentick acts of the Council have not perished through the injury of time or cunning of the Arrians are over orude which savour not of Athanasius Ofius or Paphnatius's wit and other approved Fathers which were present at the Council and which things are now also antiquated shall we therfore judge all things in the reverend Council which hath so many witnesses to be rejected far be it from us In that Council also it 's ordained that there must be no bowing of the knees on the Lords Dayes or from the Passover to Pentecost in pouring out prayers to God Perhaps there will be some that will think this ordinance worthy derision rather than observation who will not yet for that cause reject the Council Once in a Council at Trulla Spiritual affinity as they call it was forbidden yea there we read an injunction for the fifth Canon says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for avoiding ridiculous jesters and other spectacles at any time but at this day they esteem it a trifling Canon who judge those tumblers to be rejected not alwayes but even on the very Holy day do permit Christian people to be present at the childish arts of tumblers when the publick exercises of Religion are ended and yet they refuse not all the Canons of that Council I can bring forth many more other examples of Canons determining small matters but I 'le spare this labour At least I add but this when in Provincial Councils of every Province Questions were handled Conc. 1. Constantinop Can. 2. T. 1. p. 510. and nothing was brought to the General Council but what could not fitly be determined in the Provincial it was needful for the Fathers to determine of the propounded questions of what kind or weight soever they were and so if any minute things which by some are reckoned trifles do occurr in the Canons they are rather to be ascribed to others who propounded them to the Fathers assembled in Council than to them determining of them These are the rocks which in the following Treatise by Gods help shall be more clearly explained in their places of which things most courteous Reader I judged it expedient to admonish thee before I dismiss thee to read it over lest in any place thou be at at a stand In which things having briefly prefaced by Gods assistance I hasten to my purpose THE Lords-Day THE FIRST BOOK In which is demonstrated the Solemnity and Antiquity of the Lords Day CHAP. 1. That to the Solemn Worship of God a determined time is necessary Concerning the Assemblies of the Apostles and how the Apostles and other Christians were present in the Jewish Synagogues on the Sabbath Day THat some certain time is to be assigned by Divine Institution on which men ceasing from common affairs are diligently to bend themselves to Divine Worship for Gods glory and the Churches good although no Religion be placed in Holy-dayes I think to be without controversie the custome received amongst Nations of all Ages that namely at a stated time and upon certain dayes all should meet to invocate and worship that Deity which they took for their supreme doth witness this and reason it self doth require the same Conventions also for performing exercises of Piety were alwayes used by the Christian Church in which said exercises it practised what pertained to godliness and the worship of God for which cause the Apostle Heb. 10. 25. allows not of that readiness in Christians to forsake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. that coming to the Synagogue or meeting together and if Christ disdained not to come himself to the Temple and the Jews Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 4. 16. 1. As his custome was who will he be that shall think the places dedicated for the Churches assemblies are not to be gone unto by Christians But the necessity which Chrysostom at large decyphers de verbis Isaiae of these Assemblies of which more afterwards being admitted we must at this time briefly enquire out the fit season without which the exercise of Divine worship cannot fitly be acted in them for holding of them for the best sign of the time which was solemnized by the Church must be observed from the publick conventions which were held for performing of the Duties of Religion The time assigned for Divine worship amongst the ancient Christians was either extraordinary or ordinary solemnly to celebrate the extraordinary time they were called upon only by an extraordinary occasion when it sell out so while the Apostles were living Luke tells us Acts 12. that many were gathered together in Maries house during St. Peter's imprisonment and for his sake poured out Prayers continually 10 God the occasion of which convention was extraordinary yet did they not therefore intermit the ordinary time of meeting the ancient writers do also witness that such were the meetings of the Christians after the Apostles times when a just occasion was offered who as often as persecutions or publick calamities sell out they then joyned Prayers in their meetings congregated on that occasion and so as it were by making a band in their Prayers to God they compassed him about as they prayed which thing we read was done by the Apostles and Church Acts 4. 23. 31. When the Elders of the People forbad the Apostles they should not preach Christ the Church poured forth Prayers to God The ordinary time for the exercises of Piety was at which they attended Divine worship upon a stated and determinate day to
meetings in those dayes when they could But the Church being wonderfully increased and daily corroborated in the Faith by the frequent preaching of the Apostles it appeareth by the History of the Apostles travels recorded by St. Luke that the Christians where-ever they lived were wont to meet upon set dayes to handle Religion to prove its truth divers examples are ready in the Acts of the Apostles and their Epistles in which the celebrating of their meetings is usually denoted by these phrases meeting together to hear the word of God Acts 13. 44. coming together to break bread Acts 20. 7. to come together 1 Cor. 11. 20. ministring to the Lord. Acts 13. 2 c. they are said sometimes to meet in the Temple Act. 2. 46. Sometimes other Christians than the Apostles were at the Jews Synagogues because there the Apostles preached Christ to the Jews and therefore other Christians also resorted thither that they might hear the Apostles teaching Act. 5. 12. That the first Christians were sometimes present at the Jews Synagogues on the Sabbath day is granted the Holy Writ being witness hereof Acts 13. 14. also Acts 17. 2. it 's said the Apostle as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath dayes reasoned with them out of the Scriptures c. but not to solemnize the Sabbaths after the Jewish manner from whose observation the Christians and that by authority committed to the Apostles from the Lord were far enough off especially when Paul himself could most severely reprove the Colossians and Galatians because some amongst them stood for the Sabbath and other feasts of the Jews but because they then had obtained a good occasion of communing with the Jews being met together that their readings of the Law and Prophets being finished in the Synagogues they might preach the Gospel with more fruit in such a concourse of men which upon other dayes they could not so easily obtain and for no other end as from the alledged testimonies is evident Which things let the Reader seriously weigh with himself For at what time or in what place soever they could speak with the Jews they set upon them and preached the Gospel to them Therefore both on the Sabbaths and other dayes as well in the Synagogues as when they were met other where the Apostles were not wanting amongst the Iews in the office of preaching When they had tarried certain dayes amongst the Macedonians because no fit occasion for preaching the Gospel was offered as the circumstances of that place teach which the Apostles every where greedily sought after they preached Christ on the Sabbath dayes out of the City by a River side to the women which resorted to publick Prayers according to their custome St. Paul hastened to keep the Feast of Pentecost at Ierusalem only because he might have many of the Iews living dispersedly in divers places of the world there gathered together with whom he might treat about Christ and so the preaching of the Gospel by them returning home might be made famous through the world So thinketh Chrysost who sayes What means that haste of his he speaks of Pauls hasting to the Feast it was not for the Feast but for the Multitude Afterwards he sayes He made haste to preach the word It 's granted therefore that the Apostles and other Christians in those first times were present at the Synagogues of the Iews yet although they met with them on the Sabbaths they are not read in the Scripture to meet on the Sabbath dayes apart from the Iews and by themselves Neither do we read that this was done of them with an intention to solemnize the Sabbath or have a worship common to the Iews which was not lawful to be done St. Paul sometimes disputed in Areopagus Act. 17. 19. and the Schools of the Heathen Act. 19. 9. In which the Schoolmasters were wont to explain the names genealogies fables and histories of their gods to observe their Feasts and instruct their Catechetae in their rites Yet no man will thence conclude as Mr. Eaton well observes that because he was present in their Schools he did observe the Heathens feasts and worship their gods In like manner the Apostles must not be said to have observed the Jewish Sabbath although they had divers disputations thereon as the concourse of the Iews gave them occasion Moreover if the Christians had observed the Sabbath then Justin Martyr had satisfied with little ado Trypho the Jew that counselled him to observe the Sabbath For it had been enough for Martyr to have answered the Iew that the Christian Church did observe the Sabbath Yet this he grants not but that blessed Martyr plainly denies that the Jewish Sabbath ought to be observed by the Christians The same do other Fathers against the Iews as we shall see afterwards Lastly we read not that the Apostles were alwayes at their Synagogues For it 's said Act. 19. 9. when the Iews hearts were hardned at Pauls Doctrine first Paul himself departed from them neither is he ever after read to enter into their Synagogues Besides he segregated from them the Disciples that embraced the sounder Doctrine lest as it 's in the Proverb the sick cattel should infect the sound Therefore as long as they conceived any hope of converting the Iews they neither declined their company nor Synagogues But when they observed that they rose up against the sound Doctrine of the Gospel with an obdurate heart they forthwith forsook them neither are they read in Scripture ever after to enter into their Synagogues any more CHAP. II. 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 Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. and Apoc. 1. 10. are briefly considered AFterwards when the Christians had no dealing with the Iews we read that they met by themselves in the Apostles age and that on the Lords day to exercise the offices of Piety and Divine Worship But for the period of time in which at first they held these conventions by themselves apart from the Iews there 's nothing occurrs in Scripture and divers dispute about it Passing by whose dispute it plainly appears in the Holy Scripture that the Lords day while yet the Apostles were alive was destined for the publick meeting of the Church There are three Texts of the New Testament namely Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. and Apoc. 1. 10. in which there is plain mention of that dayes celebrity on whose most grave authorites the religious observation of the Lords day by the common suffrage almost of all Divines doth chiefly rest Yet all Interpreters agree not amongst themselves in their Expositions of them and no wonder since to all it is not given presently to hit upon the sense of what is delivered in the Scriptures but to some that
elude if they could the genuine interpretation received every where of the Church But whoever shall weigh with himself the blessed Apostles purpose who did studiously provide that his ordinances should not be a burden to the Churches of Christ which in those dayes for most what consisted of men of an inferiour condition will not easily admit that the Apostle did so ordain that collections should be made daily neither is it like that he should ordain that these should be gathered on every Sabbath properly so called since when the Apostle was present at Corinth the Christians could not meet in one place much less after his departure from them was it safe for them to frequent the Jewes Synagogues on the Sabbath day Let that place Act. 18. 17. be consulted Lastly neither must we believe that the Christian Corinthians did hold their publick meetings on the Sabbath day amongst themselves since they were held on the Lords dayes in every place neither is there extant any testimony in the whole Volume of the Scriptures by which it can be shown that the Christians kept Sabbath-day meetings among themselves or apart from the Jews Therefore the received Exposition of the Apostles words is to be retained namely that the Apostle did ordain in the Church of Corinth yet when they met for Religion weekly as the Lords dayes returned almes should be collected for the poors use and they seem privately to have laid aside what their condition permitted to bestow for the comfort and relief of the poor and that which was thus laid aside they kept with themselves till the first day in the week at what time they deposited it with the Rulers of the Church for the poors use He that shall more considerately weigh the Apostles phrase may well enough see this was his meaning for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. against the first day in every week or when the first of every week comes so as is said amongst the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Water ready for washing ones hands In like manner the Almes which were privately laid aside of every one were deposited on the first day of the week for the help of the needy and then when the Church met are said to be gathered because their collection was made of those who privately had laid them aside on the Lords day or or first day of the week Le◠admonished his hearers because on the Lords day there should be a Collection toprepare themselves for a voluntary devotion and that every one according to his ability might have fellowship in that most sacred oblation from which testimony one may easily gather that the Christians laid aside by themselves their Collections against the Lords day which then they deposited with the Rulers of the Church to be bestow'd Although Chrysostom thinks that the people reserved their almes laid aside on the Lords day till the Apostle himself came to whom they should be brought in but the former exposition doth more agree with the custom of the Church The third place is Rev. 1. 10. where there is had express mention of the Lords day out of which almost all Writers fetch the custome of the Lords day solemnity from the very Apostles time For the Lords day as we see is expounded by as well ancient as late Interpreters of Scripture to be the first day in the week and some new expositions of that phrase which cannot stand with the signification of the Lords day in the Evangelists themselves and some famous Writers next the Apostles age are solidly resuted by divers and therefore omitting them we set it down for a certain that in the Apostles age that I may use Ribera's words on Rev. 1. the solemnity of the Sabbath was changed into the Lords Day being consecrated by the Resurrection of our Lord. For it 's not once that it appears from Scripture that the Apostolical Church kept solemn the Lords Day by celebrating the Supper preaching the Word and collecting of Alms in which the true manner of solemnizing it doth consist Yea the history of the Apostles travels lets us know that the Christians of that time held not their ordinary meetings but upon the Lords day He that shall teach the contrary confiding in Scripture authority I will freely hear although after the Apostles death the succeeding Church in some places as afterwards we shall see kept their meeting on the Sabbath dayes In the mean time we find that the Lords day in the Apostles age the sacred records attesting the same was solemnly observed Which thing was first to be proved by us CHAP. III. After the Apostles death the Church met upon other dayes than the Lords The ancients observed the Sabbath not as an holy day The differences between the observation of the Sabbath and Lords Day How Constantine the Great ordained the Parasceve to be observed Anniversary Festivals were not celebrated with that solemnity as the Lords Day Not bowing the knees on the Lords Day Anniversary Festivals not to be preferred to the Lords Day NOne who will diligently look into the gravest writers of the following ages shall be ignorant that after the Apostles were dead the Church did in all Nations celebrate the Lords Day which that it may more plainly be known to all we must know as I said in the first Chapter when the Apostles were translated to Heaven the number of dayes on which ordinarily the Church-meetings were had received an increase For while the Apostles were alive the Christians ordinarily held their meetings on the Lords dayes only but afterwards the ordinary time for performing the exercises of publick worship was not only weekly but anniversary that came every week this but once every year But here we will not speak of the extraordinary and anniversary festivals that were used by the succeeding Church but of the ordinary time returning every week destined for Religious exercises Where in the first place it will be for the Readers profit to consider that although the use of the Lords day spread abroad through the world in the Church of God yet in some places the Church had weekly her publick meetings on other dayes besides the Lords Socrates acknowledges the Sabbath and Lords Day for feasts returning every week on which meetings were wont to be kept Hist 6. c. 8. And elsewhere when he treats of the sundry rites of Churches l. 5. c. 22. he tells us that the Presbyters and Bishops of Cappadocia Cesaria and Cyprus did interpret the Scriptures on the Sabbath and Lords Day When Sozomen noteth the time of calling the Church together he sayes some met on the Sabbath and the day after the Sabbath Epiphanius in Panario contr Heresi lib. 3. T. 2. acknowledgeth that the Church met upon the Wednesday instead of the Sabbath and Lords Day When St. Austin shews what Christians must do when they see the customes of Churches to vary he confesses that
the Lords Resurrection hath consecrated for us the Lords day and it seems properly to belong to the Lord. It is therefore called the Lords because the Lord hath instituted its solemnity as the Lords Prayer is so called because the Lord endited it or the Lords Supper because Christ instituted it or else because it was chiefly instituted for the Lord and his worship while the Lord Christ is worshipped upon it but some others contend it is so called because that by the Lords Resurrection a way is opened to an eternal Sabbath but the former is more common and received of most Justin Martyr calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sunday about the beginning of his second Apology and his follower Tertullian writes that he and the Church gave themselves to rejoyce on the Sunday But in this they agree with the Heathen who use this word to whom they both directed their Apologies in which it is so named and to whom the names used by the Church were unknown For they distinguished the names of the seven dayes in the week by the names of the Planets yet in the Church it was called the Lords day so Justin disputing against Trypho a Jew useth a name accommodated to the man and calleth the Lords day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertullian also when he deals with the Christians useth the name Lords day as in his Book de Corona cap. 3. and lib. de Idol c. 14. and very seldome Sunday Hierom although spurious yet very willingly confesseth that it may be called Sunday because on it light arose to the world and the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings A speech also which is reckoned amongst Ambrose's saith that the day which is called the Lords day in the Church by the men of the world is called Sunday where the name is set down by which it was called both by the Church and others In other Authors it is also called Sunday but Austin shews us that the Manichees rather than the Christians called it so Ye saith he to the Manichees worship the Sun on that day which they call Sunday as we call the same the Lords day because on it we reverence not the Sun but the Lords Resurrection And elsewhere he is earnest that Christians should not call dayes by Heathen names for the Church manner of speaking comes better from a Christian mouth Moreover also I am not ignorant that other of the Fathers do sometime express this day otherwise Cyprian sometimes calleth it the eighth because it is the eighth from the beginning of the Creation sometimes the first after the Sabbath So Tertullian Of Basil it is called the onely the first the eighth de Sp. Sanct. c. 27. By Hilary the eighth and first in his Prol. to the Expos of the Psalms So Aug. Epist 119. c. 13. While Chrysostom nippeth the Jews for abusing the Sabbath to idleness he sharply taxeth others also that indulged their vices on festival dayes under the name of the Sabbath The Feasts of Christians are called Sabbaths by Ruffinus the enemies saith he do deride our Sabbaths Ruffinus speaks there of the Christian not Jewish Sabbaths Athanasius says that he observed the Sabbath day not as it was prima aetate in the beginning of the world The Lords day with Origen is the Sabbath and the Christian Sabbath Where without doubt Origen speaks of the Lords day otherwise men must cease all the dayes of their life from worldly affairs which is required on the Christian Sabbath ibidem In the Council of Friuli Can. 13. the Sabbath is called Dedicatum Domini i. e. Dedicated to the Lord. But although the ancients have sometimes called the Lords day the Sabbath from its parent as it were the Jewish Sabbath as in the Scriptures the Holy Ghost calls Baptism Circumcision yet it 's certain they very rarely do note this day by the name of the Sabbath especially because they opposed the Jews that gloried in the Sabbaths solemnity whose observation they judged necessary to obtain eternal life as appears from Trypho in Justin Martyr and that contemned the Gospel And like as the Christians had nothing to do with the Jews in celebrating the Feast of the Passover because they abhorred to keep it with them at the same time as witnesseth Socrates lib. 5. cap. 22. so they abstained from names of Feasts in use with the Jews lest as St. Austin when he enquires whether a true Christian be to be called a Jew or Israelite for the ambiguity of the word which usual speech discerneth not that might seem to be uttered which is an enemy to the Christian name we ought not to confound the custome of mans speech by foolish loquacity for this reason we meet with the name of Sabbath rarely amongst the ancients This is also to be added because while the first Fathers were alive both the Sabbath and Lords day were observed of the Church although not in the same manner as we have before shewed out of the Fathers While therefore they spake of the Lords day they were forced to abstain from the word Sabbath that they might distinguish the Lords day from it and that difference they have also observed strictly in other things Like as what Collecta is with the Latines with the Greeks it is Synaxis namely a meeting of the Church as the word means And although it be derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence also the word Synagogue yet the first Christians which the learned Casaubon observeth for the nonce have abstained from the word Synagogue that they might discriminate the Christian meetings from the Jewish Synagogues therefore they called their assemblies Synaxes not Synagogues by Synaxin is meant the meeting of the Church it 's plain from Socrates speaking of the Alexandrians administring all things pertaining ad Synaxin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. besides the celebration of the Mysteries where he plainly distinguisheth between Synaxin and Eucharistiae administrationem So not once in Chrysostom the name of Synaxis is general which comprizeth all things that were wont to be done in the Christian assemblies and is distinguished from their oblation Hom. 18. in Act. Ap. where he teaches that in the Churches of Villages and Towns the Sacrament was wont to be celebrated only on Lords dayes but Prayers and hymns and Synaxes every day But this by the bye that it may appear to us how it was ordinary with Christians to abstain from words in use with the Jews therefore they are read seldome to have used the word Sabbath but as once Alexander Hales because the Sabbath day taken in determinately is called the day of rest or vacation to God after this manner the Lords day may be called the Sabbath day without any prejudice of the Christian name or scandal of Christians More names of this day do also occurr in other of the Fathers who only obiter ex re
nata have so named that day but when they speak of it properly then they call it the Lords day which cannot but appear to him that vieweth their writings And thus far of the reason of observing this solemnity and of its names CHAP. VI. The whole Lords day is to be sanctified to God and not onely some part of it THus far these notes although scribled with an hasty pen have told us that Christians must keep holy the Lords day and that they largely enough shew was done from the very Apostles age The second Question which I have propounded follows namely Whether the Church must keep the whole Lords day holy Some there are who grant that the Lords day must be sanctified yet contend that the whole and entire day is not to be celebrated in the religious devotion of Piety in whose judgment as much as this solemnity requires is done if onely some although but some small part thereof be dedicated to Divine Worship neither do they judge otherwise of the Lords day alwayes to be counted dear amongst Christians than the Heathens anciently did of those dayes amongst them called intercisi which were common to the Gods and men for at some hours of them it was lawful to sit in judgement and in some not But who well in his wits shall judge that a day in this manner is to be dedicated to the Good and Great God The Lord hath not reckoned the other dayes of the week thus for our use neither will he suffer willingly his day to be sanctified of us by halves It was provided under the Law that if any had by vow consecrated a thing to God and he afterwards repented of his vow and would not suffer that thing to be sold or prized openly but determined to keep it to himself then was he to be fined in a fifth part over and besides the ordinary estimation of the thing for his levities sake If nothing must be diminished of those things that are dedicated to God although once they were in our own power much less will it be safe to detract any thing from the time consecrated to God but rather add something to it of our own for what is consecrated to God must not be be converted to another use Therefore they that compare the Jews inhabiting Tiberias with others that dwell in the Mountains do judge those and deservedly far to be preferred to these for it was a familiar thing with them who had the shorter day to add something of the profane to the sacred but these that were sited in the Mountains who had the longer day added to the profane taking something from the sacred If it be better in those mens judgment to add of the profane to the sacred than to take from the sacred and add to the profane in what case are they to be reckoned who are not afraid to steal a great part of time from the Lords day consecrated of the Lord by his Apostles to sacred uses and apply it to profane Yet although some here impatient of true Piety do seek a knot in a bulrush as the Proverb is yet by these mens leave I will say He that will follow the wholsome counsel of Irenaeus shall indeed find it is no Gordian Knot Irenaeus gives pious counsel in any question when a disputation doth arise we must have recourse to the most ancient Churches from whom may be learned what we must judge of the present question Indeed if we would but here follow the advice of this Reverend Prelate it will be an easie thing to untie that knot by the authorities of the ancients In the first place when the Fathers speak of sanctifying a day they make mention not of some small portion thereof but of a whole day and to what end should not a day consist of the same termes with us as it did with the ancients Since Austin piously teacheth us that in the equality of all modern years and dayes which have terminated in the same space of time in former ages as have now being determined within the diurnal and nocturnal course of twenty four hours there is the same space of time with the former And for what he addeth of the forty dayes whereon continual great rain is mentioned which were not determined in the space of two hours or little more the same we may safely conclude of the Sanctification of the Lords day since it consists of the same term of hours that other dayes in the week do the manner of its solemnity is not to be judged by the space of two or three houres Nor doth Austin think otherwise if that Sermon may be reckoned among his genuine writings who judgeth that on the Lords dayes we must attend Divine worship only and exhorts to celebrate the Lords day with a religious solemnity as the ancients were commanded about the Sabbath yea and not without indignation doth he reprove those that refused to follow the custom of the Church in this thing who as he speaketh reckon one point of this day to the service of God and the remaining space of the day together with the night to their pleasures According to the grave judgment of this Author whoever he was the entire day and not some small part of it is to be assigned to the service of God and that according to the custom of the Church and though he differ from some others in defining the period of time at which the sanctification of this day should begin namely from Evening yet hath he others agreeing with him in the continuance of this sanctification for before him Origen upbraids some that reckoned one or two hours of the whole day to God and came to Church to Prayer or heard the word of God in transitu but spent their chief care about this world and their belly The same thing doth St. Chrysostom require who thinks that the whole day must be sanctified I think saith he that one of these seven dayes and that of right is to be spent in the worship and service of the God of us all Hom. 3. in Joh. Chrysostom shews that a day must be sanctified and he his own best interpreter will teach us what he understands by the name of a day From the beginning sayes he God insinuated this Doctrine to us teaching us that in the compass of a week one whole day is to be set apart and reserved for our spiritual work Hom. 10. in Genes From his authority it also appeareth that a whole day and not some small portion thereof is to be set apart from other affairs to perform the duties of piety thereon in a spiritual manner The same author more plainly doth seriously contend with his Auditors in another place for sanctifying the whole day Hom. 5. in Math. The Sabbaths according to Irenaeus did teach persevering to serve God the whole day what other thing doth perseverantiam totius diei mean but that a
saith he if they that did observe a certain shadow and figure did so greatly reverence the Sabbath Day that they wholly abstained from all work how is it not fitting that those should reverence that day that is honoured of God who love the light of grace and the truth it self 4. Lastly the rule of equity and justice requires the same if we look at what time the Lord hath indulged us for our uses whose large benevolence hath allowed us six whole dayes to overcome the labours of this world and dispatch our own business with Why should it therefore be tedious to us weighing this in an equal ballance for to set apart one whole day for his praise and sincere worship Neither can any one think this an absurd form of arguing who shall but observe Chrysostom arguing in this matter from the duty of servants towards us to our observance towards God he judgeth it ridiculous if we would have our servants alwayes employed in our business and and we give no service to God And we likewise contending for the sanctifying of the whole day do say that it is much more ridiculous if we should reckon those dayes for whole ones which are allowed us to dispatch the affairs of this life in for our use and interpret a day set aside for Gods worship by Divine authority not an entire one but a small part thereof to be dedicated to Divine worship It would be ridiculous yea plainly impious to arrogate to our selves and our affairs what we refuse to bestow on God Chrysostom judgeth it an irreligious thing to consume six dayes in carnal and be unwilling to spend one in spiritual matters So also Leo in the foresaid place How is it not the part of a wholly dissolute Religion whereas one of the seven dayes is consecrated to the honour of God not to preserve it inviolate to God but to make it common But we must not contend with reasons but testimonies for the prejudices of some men who condemn the truth in this matter as novelty and he that shall undervalue the foresaid testimonies of greatest authority will esteem at little reasons although every way valid like the Leviathan that esteemeth iron as straw and brass as rotten wood And therefore I will put an end to this labour And thus far being furnished with the authorities of the ancients I have taught you that they have stood for sanctifying of the whole day which they have judged necessary for the Church How the sacred Exercises of Divine worship performed on that day were so disposed that in performing thereof the whole day was spent by the ancients when I shall speak of the sanctifying of the Lords Day then by the grace of God shall be made manifest CHAP. VII The Ordinance of the Lords day is not to be reckoned amongst unwritten Traditions It was instituted of Christ by the Apostles The Apostles prerogatives above other Ministers of the Church Things ordained of the Apostles are Divine WHen the Jews had observed John to use another form of Doctrine than was commonly received and to begin a new Ceremony of Baptisme they ask who he was i. e. by what authority he did set upon these new things and unheard of in former ages that being informed in that thing they might in time consider what they should do So since that we have found out of Scriptures and Fathers that the Lords day was solemnized by the Church under the Gospel insomuch that mens minds are to be masculously applied to the duties of Piety not on the last as under the Law but first day of the week a question is made by what authority Gods Holy Church doth this thing For it was not so kept holy from the beginning from whence even till the happy Resurrection of our Saviour the Lord commanded that the Seventh day in every week should be held holy and for sanctifying the first day of every week divers men seek for a command which they confidently enough cry out is not extant in all the holy Scriptures and divers more other wise Divines of great note do greatly toyle in heaping up arguments whereby to enervate the Divine Authority of this day It is an ordinary thing with sundry of the Papists although some amongst them especially of the School-men do think otherwise who strenuously contend for unwritten Traditions on whose weak authority as on a solid foundation many of their dotages are grounded to reckon up the observation of the Lords Day among this sort of Traditions which cannot be fince the mention thereof doth so often occurr in the Sacred Word of God Whilst the most learned Dr. Whitaker doth studie soberly to prevent as his manner is this errour of the Papists he is scourged of Gretser Yet the learned Vedelius in his notes upon Ignatius doth strongly defend Whitaker against the vain fooleries of Gretser Others contend that the Lords day should be held solemn â—ure divino Lastly Others do acknowledge it received from Apostolical ordination We will by Gods assistance shew that solemn celebration of the Lords day was instituted of God by the Apostles The Holy Scriptures do testifie that the Lords day was observed of the Church while the Apostles were yet alive nor is there much doubt of this observation This is the onely thing as I said of which the question is Whether this solemnity was instituted of the Apostles or of the Church according to that power allowed them by the Lord And if it be ascribed to the Holy Apostles Whether they of themselves and by their own authority or by Divine command have prescribed it to the Church since the observation of the Lords day grew in use with the Church of Christ while the Apostles were yet alive it seems equitable and agreeable to sound reason to take them for the authors of this observation because the chief care of Ecclesiastical Government was by God devolved upon them every one whereof as a wise master-builder laid a foundation upon which their successors builded and all other modern Doctors of the Church how great soever they were gave place unto them Ignatius for that reason saith of himself I do not command as an Apostle And elsewhere in an Epistle Ad Philadelphienses he doth not challenge Apostolical authority to himself Neither would Ambrose claim Apostolical glory to himself which he acknowledgeth is by right due to them whom the Son of God hath chosen and he affirmeth that by how much we are inferiour to the Apostles in time we are so much inferiour to them in merit Chrysostom also confesses that he is far from the Apostles dignity neither doth he account himself worthy to be called their shadow and Christ hath deservedly joyned them to him as individual companions out of the number of all his Disciples or that I may speak with Tertullian lateri suo adlegavit i. made themselves Legates a latere Secondly He hath sent
them out furnished with special authority to gather the Church to lay whose foundations belong to the Apostolical dignity out of the promiscuous multitude of all nations and so they were sent out by Christ to all Nations without any exception for which cause when a Church was planted in any part of the world whither they came they fixed not but removed some other way Thirdly They were endued with that abundance of Grace of the Holy Ghost for the Ministry committed to them by the Lord that they preached the truth of the Gospel infallibly I know sayes Hierom how to esteem of the Apostles in one manner of other Doctors after another that those alwayes taught the truth these in some things did erre as men Whence the Doctrine commended to the Church by the Apostles was alwayes accounted for the rule and Canon of all Christian Religion Fourthly The Apostles at the beginning of the Church by the visible sign of imposition of hands conferred the gifts of the Holy Ghost upon others that were instructed of them in the Doctrine of the Gospel and they were endued with divers other gifts of Miracles by which their call was rendred clear both to themselves and others Matth. 10. 8. And these are the signs by which the blessed Apostle teaches us that he had executed the office of a true Apostle in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 12. 2. Deservedly for these causes were they that were elected to the honourable state of Apostolical dignity preferred to other Ministers of the Church not only in the chief eminency of Order but of Power and hence it was that all questions respecting the affairs of the whole Church were propounded to be discussed by the Apostles whom all the Churches consulted in doubtful cases as may be seen Acts 15. 2. 1 Cor. 7. 1. and whatever they determined the whole Church every where embraced which made a conscience of departing a fingers breadth from those things that were committed to them by the Apostles If therefore the solemnity of the Lords Day was celebrated while the Apostles were living which the Scriptures testifie was done as we have seen chap. 2. it must of right chiefly be imputed to their ordination otherwise without doubt the Universal Church had not followed it Baronius thinks that all who are well in their wiâ—â— will say that since it is found that it was done in the Apostles times it could not be ordained and commanded to be kept of any other but of themselves Neither is any thing worthy consideration brought to the contrary except it be because the Blessed Apostles have left no singular command with the Church for the observation of this day although he that shall attend their practise may lawfully deny this since their example and practise hath the force of a precept But who will deny that some things were instituted of the Apostles in the Church whose use while they were alive I pass not for Traditions introduced into the Church when the Apostles were dead was grown out with the primitive Christians of whose first institution or necessary continuation afterwards no precept is extant in the Scriptures yet who will be bold to extenuate the authority of these commands or will affirm that the Church at this day is not obliged to observe them because their observation being mentioned in Scripture is as it were a command by vertue whereof the Church is bound to continue them The thing will be more plain by examples The Apostles ordained Deacons Act. 6. and Elders in every Church Act. 14. 23. In the Ordinations of all Ministers imposition of hands was used but where is there extant an express commanâ— from Christ for perpetuating the ordination of those the institution of these or for the use of this ceremony yet none doubts but that the Apostles in performing of these were acted by a Divine instinct of the Spirit and that the Church at this day is bound to them by vertue of Apostolical institution But that I may briefly shew that the blessed Apostles and no others were the authors of this solemnity that which follows may suffice If it were observed while they were yet living which the Scriptures do evidently enough manifest it is deservedly to be ascribed to their ordaining it for it was either instituted by them and their authority or by some other Doctors of the Church without their consent a third way is not given the latter whereof is absurd and never to be admitted of any exercised in the Christian Faith because the Apostolical authority as formerly we have abundantly enough shewn was supreme in the Church it belonged to them to declare to the Christian flock what was best to be done in all things and not to the Church to prescribe them Statutes and Laws Why therefore did it not appertain to the Apostles the faithful founders of the Church amongst other things to commend this also to the Church and not to the Church to prescribe it the blessed Apostles Moreover the general consent of all Churches in celebrating this festival evinceth the same otherwise they had dissented from one another as in other observations not received from the Apostles but observed for a time by the succeeding Church as in the Feast of the Passover in observing Fasts c. so doubtless it would have happened in celebrating the Lords Day if by Divine authority received from the Apostles its observation had not been used amongst the Christians Thirdly if the Christian Church had ordained that day to be celebrated without the advice of the Apostles either those that turned Christians from Jews or Gentiles had done this but not those to whom the cessation of their old Sabbath was not known but by the Apostles much less would they attempt to do this by themselves or on their own authority Neither will any wise man think that those whom the Apostles invited from Heathenism to embrace the Christian faith were the authors of this Festival because it is not usual with them to Sabbatize after the manner of the Church unless so far as they were instructed to it by the Apostles Fourthly if the Holy Apostles by authority committed to them from Christ had not instituted the Lords Day but had left its observation free to the judgment of the Church then we might on good reason have called the Church the Queen of the Sabbath which yet is a very clear argument of Christs Divinity as the Learned Dr. Paraeus piously for none is Lord of the Sabbath but he that hath instituted the Sabbath c. The Sabbath is of the Lord they God Lastly if its authority did depend upon the Churches institution then it may by it be again abolished when it shall think good but this was never hitherto since Christs ascension attempted because the Lords day being taken away the publick worship of God must of necessity fall Since therefore the observation of the Lords day was used while the Apostles were
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
authority of this command then that morality doth plainly perish when now there is not any other weekly Sabbath besides the Lords day without which as I said the Moral part of the Sabbath in the New Testament would not remain By right therefore as Alexander Hales hath it the vacation of the Lords day is the Moral part of the Decalogue in the time of grace as the seventh day in the time of the Law Moreover some may with great reason doubt why the Jewish Sabbath should be translated to the Lords day which yet we see hath been done for above one thousand six hundred years if so be that Christians be not obliged to observe the fourth Command as it is moral whenas otherwise there would be no need of any festival to succeed in place of the ancient Sabbath But because that Law doth perpetually bind all the worshippers of God to the observation of the Sabbath it necessarily follows that the day on which the Sabbath is to be observed must be determined by some positive Law and is designed by God for this purpose to be the seventh day in the Old Covenant and the the first in the New For it 's not for man saith Alexander Hales quaest 32. fol. 128. to determine but God when that time is c. It 's in Gods power only to define a fit time for performing his worship But we read this question of the Morality of the fourth Command discussed at large by divers amongst whom the famous Wallaeus doth it most excellently who to the great fruit of the Church hath copiously taught us what is Ceremonial and what Moral in writing of that Command of the Sabbath I will not therefore add any more about this question but do send the Reader to the learned labours of others in which this question is examined I will only add this one thing for a conclusion out of the observations of this Learned Divine namely an explication of the Sabbath's being a sign between God and men Since saith he it is in bred by nature in all Nations that in the external worship of that Deity which they take for supreme they should have some Symbole of Document which may shew to others whom they take for God as may be observed in the sacrifices of Bacchus and therefore in the Revelation they that worshipped God and the Lamb are read to have the mark of God in their foreheads Rev. 14. 1. and they that worshipped the Beast received his mark in their forehead or hand Rev. 14. 9. which were nothing else but external tokens by which they would plainly signifie that they worshipped either God or the Beast So of old we read that the Sabbath was instituted of God that it might be a symbole or sign to manifest to all the world who was the God of the Jews So Ezek. 20. 20. the Sabbaths are said to be signs between God and them that it might be known that the Lord was their God Now what it was that was shewn by that sign Moses tells us in divers places especially in Exod. ch 31. 16 17. Therefore the children of Israel shall observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever he speaks of the Sabbath for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed As if he should say the pious observation of the Sabbath amongst them when every seventh day returns doth intimate that the Almighty Creatour of Heaven and Earth is their God In this sense Athanasius de Sabbatho Circumcisione saith The Sabbath is a sign whereby the day might be known on which the Creation was finished which being known they might ascend to the knowledge of the Creatour And by observing the Sabbath they attained unto that two manner of wayes First inasmuch as one day of the seven was solemn or because after they had ended their labours in the six dayes they must rest on the seventh Secondly by determining that rest on the last day of the weekly compass both wayes the Jewes signified that they worshipped none other than God the Creatour of Heaven and Earth because whereas they sanctified the seventh day after the six dayes labours were ended they openly professed that they were worshippers of that God who created Heaven and Earth and having finished his labour in beautifying that stupendious work on the seventh day he ceased from working for which cause he enjoyned them the observation of the seventh day that they might follow his fore-going example both in working and in resting He hath commanded saith Philo de Decalogo that whosoever received these Institutions as in other things so in this also they should follow God in working six dayes and resting the seventh and attending on the contemplation of things and study of VVisdome c. Afterwards Follow God thou hast Gods example and prescript in working six dayes And farther they set apart no other day in the weekly course but the seventh for the exercises of piety that they might profess they were the servants of that God which redeemed the Israelites out of the Land of Egypt and brought them out of the house of bondage which is collected from the repetition of the Decalogue Deuteronom 5. 15. where Moses omitting the argument taken from the Creation which he had used in the Decalogue doth excite them to sanctifie the Sabbath from their being freed out of the Land of Egypt namely because whenas they served in the Land of Egypt the Lord their God brought them out thence with a strong hand and stretched out arm and therefore he commanded them that they should observe the very day of the Sabbath in whose morning watch they came out of Egypt as the Learned Junius observes in his notes on Deuteronom 5. out of Exod. 12. 15. This seems to have been the cause of appointing this day rather than any other And thus much of the Jews Sabbath whereby as by a manifest document they professed to worship the Lord the Creator of this universe and their mighty Redeemer out of Egypt for which cause the Sabbath was had for a sign between God and them CHAP. X. A day in every week is to be sanctified under the Gospel which is not the seventh but first the celebrating of the Jewish Sabbath Col. 2. 16. and Gal. 4. 10. examined the places whereon the observation of the Lords Day in the New Testament is bottomed The Fathers acknowledge its Divine authority neither can the Church change that day and substitute another in its place A Stated Day in every Week being granted to perform Gods Worship on it remaineth now farther to find out what day is determined by God for his worship since the Light of the Gospel was up and down dispersed And whereas thus far we have spoken of the Jews Sabbath it remains in the second place to be considered Whether Christians or
the Sabbaths of the Jews and by the names of Months New moons by years the computing of years according to the Jews The false Apostles did urge the Sabbath New moons and the other Feast dayes of the Jews because they were legal observations but the Apostle having pious bowels rolling within him doth seasonably admonish the Galatians that they should not yield to them in this business and so his labour in promulging the Gospel be in vain And to any that considers the circumstances of the Text it is a thing without controversie that the Apostle properly doth reprehend the Galatians because that after they had acknowledged and received the Doctrine of the Gospel in a Jewish manner to whom not only the day for the worship but also the celebration in its rest was of it self religious they had observed Feast dayes as if such a kind of observation were so necessary to the worship of God that by its neglect their salvation was in hazard Neither are the words of the Apostle so to be taken as if he only reprehended the Galatians for observing dayes on this ground that they might make a guess of the success of their actions as the Heathens did as St. Austin would have it Epist ad Januarium although in another place he interprets this place doubtfully Austin in Epist ad Cal. expounds it first of the Heathens custom and then of the Jews Also the Commentaries in Gal. attributed to Ambrose do interpret the place of the Apostle in the same manner but because the observation of dayes which was rejected of the Apostle was done according to those weak and beggarly elements Gal. 4. 9. i. e. as we said legal observations which the Galatians did seriously sue for being so taught of the false Apostles The sense of the Apostles words cannot be expounded according to the foresaid Fathers These sacred testimonies of the blessed Apostle do shew that the Jewish Sabbath was abrogated by Christs coming Nor do I dissent from the gravest Lights in the Churh in teaching the cessation thereof for with an-unanimous consent they do teach that the observation of the Jewish Sabbath is not to be imposed on Christians So Athanas Hom. de semente Homil. de Sab. Circumcis Cyprian would have the eighth day to be to the Christians what the Sabbath was which as he saith is as it were the Image of the Lords day August Ep. 118. c. 12. Ambros in Eph. 2. Chrysost in Cal. 1. Tertullian calls the Sabbath temporal which in time should cease Chrysostom confesses the same Hom. 12. ad Pop. Aug. l. 6. c. 4. contr Faust Manich. de Gen. ad literam lib. 4. c. 13. Hither also are to be referred other fore-cited testimonies of the Fathers which yield a testimony evident enough for the cessation of the Jewish Sabbath Now since these holy Fathers do assert that the precept of the Sabbath is not to be observed of Christians whether do they simply contend for abrogating the observation of the weekly Sabbath or only that it must not be kept on that manner and on the seventh day as the Sabbath was commanded the Jews Which is very worthy our consideration and the later seems to be intimated by the following examples Whereas the name is put upon the seventh day and the observation thereof ordained yet we saith Hilary do rejoyce on the eighth which is also the first the festival of the Sabbath being finished Therefore Hilary affirmeth not a simple abrogation but change of the Sabbath whose name we often meet with and the observation prescribed because he confesseth that Christians did observe the festival of the Sabbath though on the Sabbath day i. e. the seventh day from the Creation it was not done Tertullian while he disputeth that the Patriarchs did not acknowledge the use of the Jewish Sabbath yet he granteth the Sabbath which he calls eternal that is it was before the Law and must last when it ceaseth for no where doth Tertullian deny the sanctification of the seventh day from the Creation which the Jewes do assert St. Austin contr Faust Manich. whilst he teacheth that the Sabbath and Circumcision were figures saith it is no diverse doctrine namely ours from that of the Jews about the observation of the Sabbath but a different time it was one thing for these things that they must be foretold by figurative prophecies and another thing that they now must be fulfilled by the truth made manifest and accomplished Where Augustine confesseth that both the Jews and Christians observation of the Sabbath is grounded upon the same foundations of Doctrine though the same consideration of time be had amongst both Yea in another place he acknowledgeth that the command of the Sabbaths observation was more enjoyned to us than the Jews The 251 Sermon in August de tempore saith also that the glory of the Sabbath is transferred upon the Lords day that is the positive determination of the seventh day is changed which yet he affirmeth not is abolished For where there is only a mutation of a thing there is not an utter destruction of it Therefore according to the author of that Sermon the Law of the Sabbath is not vanished and made void so that by it we are not obliged to observe any Sabbath Origen grants that every holy and just man ought to observe the Sabbath's festival and he shews how this must be done neither doth he yet speak of that spiritual Sabbath of which we meet with frequent mention in the Fathers but of the Christian Sabbath which now is succeeded into place of the former Sabbath which he shews by the works that are to be done on that day Leaving therefore saith he the Judaical observations of the Sabbath let us see how the Christian ought to observe the Sabbath On the Sabbath day he speaks of the Lords day under that name he ought not to work any of all the worlds actions If therefore thou ceasest from all thy secular works and doest no worldly thing but attendest on spiritual works goest to the Church hearest godly Lectures and Treatises lookest not after present and visible things but at invisible and things future this is the observation of the Christian Sabbath This shews that Origen speaks of the Sabbath as it is to be observed of Christians and not of the spiritual Sabbath or else Christians all their dayes ought not to be troubled with their secular labours which Origen never thought on Athanasius saith that he observed the Sabbath day not as they in the first age Now what else meaneth the observation of the Sabbath in Athanasius but keeping it holy day by vertue of the command in the Decalogue about the Sabbath The image of the Lords day according to Cyprian went before in the Sabbath Whereby he infinuateth that the Lords day is to us what the Sabbath was to the Jews whose place it now supplieth in the
profit of the Church From the three foresaid places of the New Testament and testimonies of various Divines and Versions of the Scripture the learned Wallaeus concludes that the use of the Lords day is to be referred to the Apostles And whatever is brought of some in their Expositions to the contrary is solidly by him weighed and refuted Lastly We have shewn in the second chapter of this Treatise that the Lords day was ordinarily solemnized by the Church while the Apostles were living and the preheminence of it above other dayes which the succeeding Church hath consecrated to Gods worship in the third Chapter Since therefore the Holy Scriptures do plainly bear witness of the name and use of this day for the name which the Church ever after used is by St. John expressed Rev. 1. 10. and since it is by the Apostles charge destined to the sacred assemblies of the Church and gathering of almes 1 Cor. 16. And lastly since at the same assemblies the Apostle and Church spent it in hearing the word of God and communicating the Eucharist Act. 20. what man is there that can rightly deny that its authority in the Church was established by the testimony of Holy Scripture of which in the third place we have undertaken to enquire in ch 7th since it is bottomed upon the ordination and practice of the blessed Apostles which are recorded in the Scriptures amongst un-written traditions it cannot be reckoned I deservedly therefore affirm that its observation is commended to us in the Scriptures Because we so often read in the Scriptures that the Apostles and the whole Church of Christ did unanimously hold their assemblies on that day to whom will it not be thought a needless thing to dispute the authority of its institution especially since we read this was done of the Church while the Apostles were alive For it is dangerous either to say or write that the Apostles in some things used a divine inspiration and in others their own prudence and that in those things which are found written If the Apostles in Scripture admonish Christians that they receive no opinion from those to whom they have given no Commandment Act. 15. 24. if they ordained in all Churches what they received from the Lord 1 Cor. 7. 7. if Christians must imitate the Apostles 2 Thes 3. 7. and withdraw themselves from every one that walketh not after the tradition received of the Apostles 2 Thes 3. 6. Surely it seems just to think that the Christian Church in all Nations would not yield to those that obtrude the Lords solemnity upon them unless they knew for certain that this burden was imposed on them of God by the Apostles Lastly if those things be to be done by the Church which it hath learned and heard of the Apostles Phil. 4. 9. why should it not keep holy the Lords Day since the Apostolical Church kept its meetings on that day and who will say that the Apostles do not command us to imitate them when in holy records their example is represented unto us And these are the things with which I am perswaded to believe that the Sabbaths festival by Divine authority which proceeded from God by the Apostles was translated to the Lords day for he onely who is Lord of the Sabbath can change the Sabbath day Mar. 2. 28. Besides this all men know that that is grounded on the word of God which is either expressed in so many words in Scripture or else by virtue of necessary consequence is drawn out from thence and in this later way the best of our Divines affirm that we meet with in Scripture the institution of the Lords day as at large and pithily the famous Mr. D. G. First saith he in the Old Testament a parallel precept occurrs as all know in the Decalogue from which any may know that it seemed just and good to the Divine Majesty to set apart a whole day of the seven for the worship of God Secondly Apostolical practice is a sign of Gods will in this business they observed this day and commended it to be observed by others and if their practice in this particular had been doubtful the perpetual and constant custome of the Church from the Apostles age which illustrates their practice in doubtfuls and confirms it in plain things doth most evidently demonstrate this For although we reject â—n vritten traditions yet may the inviolate custome of all Churches from the Apostles times interpret to us their writings If we could have the interpretation of some place of Paul allowed of in the judgment of all his auditors who would not prefer this far to the Commentaries of all others deeds do as well speak as sayings Since therefore we see this a confirmed practice of all Christians we should be too unjust and hard if we should deny our belief With these same arguments doth that famous and learned Divine teach the Church to defend the truth against its adversaries As in the point of Infant-baptisme we suppress the bawling Anabaptists with these weapons whom we cannot smite with clear testimonies First from a parallel precept about Circumcision Secondly Apostolical practice which since it is somewhat more dark we add the custome of the whole Church from the primitive and heroical times Which things although they will not move the obstinate Anabaptists yet will they prevail with prudent obedient and equal estimators of things The Church alwayes ordained that sacred Baptisme is not to be repeated touching which prohibition we meet with nothing in the sacred Records but because Circumcision into whose place Baptisme succeeded was not repeated because it 's agreeable with reason that regeneration no less than generation should be but once because in the Scriptures examples of once sprinkling only do occurr and lastly because the Orthodox Church of God hath hitherto abhorred Anabaptisme therefore all grant that Baptisme is not to be repeated I will add no more What hath been said declares to them that despise not truth that the Lord made the day on which the Stone which the builders refused was made the head stone of the corner that on it we should rejoyce But since it is not my purpose to handle any questions on this subject but leave them to others to be discussed I will return to my undertaken task namely to enumerate the testimonies of the ancients on this particular by which it will be made manifest that the Fathers were of no other mind because they contended that this day was religiously to be observed and fetch'd the Doctrine wherein they asserted this out of the holy Scriptures To the truth of which thing we will first bring Athanasius Homil. de semente In time past with the ancients the Sabbath was of great account which solemnity the Lord translated to the Lords day neither do we set light of the Sabbath by our selves Where first he with the finger points at the author of the Lords
rural works have been slain with Lightning others punished with contraction of their limbs others having their bodies and bones also consumed in an instant by visible fire and on a sudden resolved into ashes have died in great torment as many other terrible judgments have been and to this day are by which it is declared that God is offended at the dishonour of so great a day These tremendous judgments of God do shew that God the avenger of all sin is angry as the Fathers speak at the impious violators of this solemnity But if the holy festival of the Lords Day were not Gods own ordinance his severe anger would not be so hot upon those that are guilty of the violation thereof We therefore of right do esteem the Lords Day above other dayes and that by reason of its solemnity because it was by a positive determination of Christ by the Apostles set apart from other days in the week that it might supply the room of the ancient Sabbath that it might preserve Religion and the external Worship of God both publick lest the disorderly congregating of the people should diminish their faith in Christ and also private that all might be obliged to attend meditations and pious exercises on a certain stated day which otherwise would seldome or never be done by men attending on the world rather than God therefore is the Lords day ordained that they being at liberty from worldly things might give up themselves wholly to Divine matters Lastly It only remaineth that this question may sufficiently be satisfied Whether it be in the Churches power to abrogate the Lords Day and substitute another in its room Surely he that saith that so innocent a custome so long received of the Church and that through authority of God by the Apostles caught not to be troubled with a change seems to be in the right unless any think that now greater authority doth reside in the Church than the Apostles were endued with wherewith it being endued it can change those things which were ordained of the Apostles or unless some greater occasion than the Resurrection of Christ do occurr than which the world never saw a greater miracle And Chrysostom calls the Lords day or the first day of the week Hom. 2. Tom. 6. because of Christs Resurrection the birth day of the whole humane nature Lastly if the custome of the Church from which arguments are not once fetched by the Apostle as 1 Cor. 11. 26. grounded on the word of God be of any right amongst Christians I see not why the Lords Festival celebrared first by them of Hierusalem secondly by them of Troas thirdly by the Galatians and Corinthians fourthly by them of the Isles Rev. 1. fifthly by the Greeks and Latines and lastly by the whole Churh through the world professing Christs name I say why this innocent custome which is attended with no incommodity but much profit happily continued from the very Apostles age hitherto should not be by us derived to our posterity Whilst Julius blames the preposterous irruption of Georgius the Arrian into the Bishoprick of Athanasius he uses this argument It is not fitting that this new manner of canons should be brought into the Church for where is there such an Ecclesiastical Canon or such an Apostolical tradition so we say here It is by no means fitting that a new custome should be introduced against an innocent order so long received by the Church which is neither supported by the Canons of the Church or tradition received from the Apostles None in this found mind can grant that things ordained by the Apostles can be changed of the Church I confess all the ordinances of the Apostles were not of the same kind for some of them pertained to Doctrine some to rites as Wallaeus observes chap. 7. those are perpetual neither any wayes obnoxious to change he must be anathematized that preacheth any other Gospel than what we have received from the Apostles Gal. 1. 8. but these which respect the rites or circumstances of Divine worship are of a double nature for either their causes were singular and such as perpetually should not have place in the Church therefore these ordinances were to be varied because when the cause was taken away the ordinances themselves ceased but other ordinances respecting rites were not to be changed whose occasions perpetually continued in the Church such was the laying on of hands in the ordinations of Ministers and therefore when the causes of ordinances made by the Apostles are changed the ordinations themselves are to be changed but while the cause remains the ordinances also remain unmoved Which things being considered it 's easie to see that the ordinance about the Lords day is not to be varied because no greater cause than what it 's bottomed on can ever occurr for whose sake it should be changed neither hath the Church ever thus far since the Apostles age once attempted this Therefore the foresaid question is superfluous that I may say no worse and altogether unworthy a farther answer especially whenas we know that many priviledges necessary for a Church to be founded were granted by God to the Apostles which were not derived from them to the Doctors of the Church founded for they were personal and could not lawfully be challenged by others which is shewn more at large in the seventh chapter CHAP. XI In what things the sanctification of the Lords day doth consist Where 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 and the Council of Laodicea is explained also a Canon of the Council of Matiscon WE have seen by the judgment of the Fathers that the Lords Day is to be sanctified and that by Divine authority Now it remaineth which we undertook in the third place to be proved to find out in what the solemn observation thereof consisteth The Fathers think that to Christians the Lords day succeeded in place of the old Sabbath and therefore as Hilary speaketh is to be celebrated with the festivity of the Sabbath that is as August Serm. de Temp. 251. even as the ancients observed the Sabbath Now it appeareth by the Scriptures of the Old Testament that the observation of the Jewish Sabbath consisted first in the rest and secondly in the sanctification of this rest and in the observation of these things their records will inform us that the Lords day was solemnized by the ancients As for the rest the Church of Christ hath used it not as necessary of it self to the worship of God but only as an help thereto without which the worship commanded of God could not conveniently be performed of the people For while men are intangled in the affairs of this world they cannot religiously attend as is fitting on the things that pertain to God and his worship The Sabbath was not allowed for idleness but that men
Fathers in the same place say The Lord doth not require of us to celebrate the Lords day by corporal abstinence Nor are these words so to be taken as if we were not by virtue of a Divine precept obliged to rest from worldly affairs and that vacation from worldly labours on that day were not a Divine but humane ordinance For the Fathers are intent on this to teach them that corporal abstinence as they speak is not on the Lords day only required of us but that God also seeks for that obedience through which treading under foot all earthly actions he may in his mercy advance us to Heaven In that phrase therefore there is an Ellipsis as appears from the premises which the Holy Ghost often uses in both the Testaments As Gen. 32. 28. Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel that is thou shalt not only be called Jacob but also Israel 1. Sam. 8. 7. They have not despised thee but me that is not only thee 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel that is he was not only or chiefly intent on baptizing those that had embraced the Christian faith So here they grant that God requires the body to rest from labour but they affirm that he doth not only require that and they certifie all if they disesteem their wholesome counsel that they should be punished of God yet no vengeance of God would pursue them where they transgressed a command prescribed of him It appears therefore from the punishment with which according to these Fathers the violation of this rest is attended by God that God requires of all to rest on the Lords day otherwise his anger would not wax hot against those that pollute the holiness of this Festival by worldly labours or slothful idleness And now these things do evidently enough shew that gainful labour is to be avoided on the Lords day CHAP. XII How far forth on the Lords day we may attend labours namely of necessity and piety Countrey men are boud to sanctifie the Lords day the indulgence granted to Countrey men by Constantine the Great is examined and revoked the fact of Paula and practise of the Coenobita or Monasticks in Hierom is weighed Also the sense of a Canon in the Council of Orleans Manumissions and certain transactions lawful on the Lords Day ALthough the Ancients thought that labour tending to gain was on the Lords day by no means to be undertaken of Christians yet do they not require a cessation from all labour generally but according to the Scriptures do permit that which men moved by necessity do undertake Mat. 12. 11. where Christ teaches us that a sheep which is on the Sabbath day fallen into a pit may lawfully be laid hold on lift up and drawn out for no laws are appointed to necessity which defendeth whatever it enforceth It is ordained in the Council of Narbo that every man as well free-born as servant Goth Roman Syrian Greek or Jew should do no work on the Lords day nor yoke oxen except there be a necessity murando for walling otherwise in metendo for fetching in corn Can. 4. They therefore allow labour undertaken for necessity Of which nature there are divers reserved cases of which frequent mention is made in the Decretals In which number is the taking of Fishes which unless they be then taken cannot be taken at another time This appears in the catching of Herrings which do appear seldome or but upon certain dayes to catch which although some think it no case of present necessity there is liberty granted whenever they appear Decret Greg. l. 2. de feriis Tit. 9. cap. licet Gregorius Ep. l. 11. cap. 3. Although he denies that the body is to be washed on the Lords day out of luxury of mind or for pleasure-sake yet he condemns it not necessity so requiring whereby it appears that under the name of baths all things done out of necessity to the body are allowed Neither doth any one find fault with that bour that is bestowed in the exercises of piety as being that which directly tends to the worship and glory of God and doth promote it Of ancient time saith Tertullian the law of the Sabbath forbad humane labours not divine The Heathens allowed a liberty to labour about both these Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 16. in whose judgment works undertaken for religious devotion sake or any necessity were lawful amongst them even on a Festival day In another case also there is by some a certain indulging of labour yielded By Constantine the Great the Countrey men were permitted to attend on the tilling their ground on that day But I will set down the words of that indulgence Let all Judges and people in cities and all crafts-men rest upon the honourable Sunday Yet let those that live in the countrey freely and at their liberty serve husbandry because it frequently falls out that on another day the corn and vines cannot so conveniently be committed to the furrows and so by missing of that advantage the profit yielded by the heavenly providence perish Now if any one because of that indulgence granted to to countrey men to work on the Lords day think that they are not at all obliged to sanctifie this solemnity especially whereas the Fathers of the Church about the year 305. in 1 Eliber Concil appointing a Canon about celebrating the Lords day do only make mention of those that live in Cities when they say If any dwelling in the Cities shall not for three Lords dayes come to the Church let him abstain for a while that he may be thought as one rebuked If I say any will interpret these words so as if attending this Festivals solemnity belonged only to Citizens and that Countrey men were left at liberty on that to bestow their labour in their trades and affairs setting aside all care of Religion as if the Lords day were like those Holy dayes which among the Romans were proper to some Families which they observed according to the use of their houshold celebrity or like those Feriae Imperativae which the Consuls or Praetors proclaimed by the freedome of their power as if it were for Princes and Magistrates to determine by their power to whom it belongs to celebrate the Lords day they that so think neither do reach the sense of the Law made by Constantine nor of the Eliberitan Canon because a long while before Constantine of blessed memory by the grace of God came to the Empire there was meeting of all in the same place on the Sunday whether they lived in City or Country as Just Martyr witnesses Ap. 2. And Origen perswades all that on the Christian Sabbath they would come to Church and there hearken to holy Lectures and Treatises These are the duties which Christians are to attend from which none no not Countrey men are exempted but as well they in the Countrey as
of Old and New Testament yet did they judge that Fasts on that day were to be relaxed To the Africans he that fasteth on the Lords day is no Catholick to Ignatius he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a killer of Christ Yea in Concil Gangren Can. 18. an anathema is denounced against the observers of this fast and prohibitions of this nature are frequent amongst the ancients the cause whereof Zonaras seems to teach while he saith the time of fasting is appointed for sorrow but a festival celebrity for mirth and joy He teaches the same in Can. 18. Concilii Gangrensis Therefore because the Lords day being consecrated by Christs Resurrection from the dead it is a day of joy to the Church thereupon the rejoycing Christians gave thanks on that day to God and relaxed their fasting and abstained from every right that might inferr any sorrow They were stirred up to this also by the pranks of Hereticks who denied the Resurrection of Christ amongst whom the Manichees acted with a Diabolical spirit and studying to diffuse this errour that they might extinguish the joy of Christians for the saving Resurrection of Christ have prescribed Fasts on the Lords day to their followers whose errours and others which held the same that the Orthodox might prevent they have lookt to it that on overy Lords day the Fast should be relaxed But although we reject not the Canons set out by the Church in detestation of Hereticks yet we affirm that provision was made in them about this matter was ordained by the Fathers and not by the Apostles Otherwise St. Austin had missed it when he said It is not defined by our Lords command or of the Apostles on what dayes we ought not and on what to fast And if this had been a true Apostolical ordinance it had been lawful for the Church to fast on the Lords day when no occasion was offered But Hierom thinks otherwise while he wisheth that we might fast at every season he excepts not the Lords day and sayes that Paul and the faithful with him fasted on the Lords day yet doth he not accuse them of the Manichean Heresie And because we read not that the aforesaid Canons were ordained by the Apostles therefore they are grown out of use in the Church because like as the impious madness of Hereticks adulterating the Christian faith hath given the Church occasion to ordain divers ceremonies in the external worship of God by which they might both extinguish their poison and better confirm the minds of Christians in the truth once received which as before those Herefies did put up the head were not in use so those being extinct they grew into disuse again Therefore whatever we meet with in the ancients of prohibiting Fasts on the Lords day doth not at all enervate my opinion of avoiding surfeit on that day which is confirmed with the gravest sayings of the approved Fathers neither do they make any thing against me to fast and surfeit do differ far enough between which extremes a third thing is given namely a sober and moderate dinner the use whereof none will deny to Christians on the Lords day unless any think with Urbicus that not to fast is to be drunk Austin who used a sparing and frugal table tells us that he entertained at dinner with him a man miraculously restored to his former health on the Lords day because he shewed hospitality as Possidonius Arbogastes being entertained at a feast by the King of France and asked Whether he knew Ambrose answered that he knew the man and was beloved of him and often was wont to feast with him Some interpret this as if St. Ambrose fared delicately on the Lords day on which day and the Sabbath and when the birth-dayes of Martyrs were celebrated Paulinus reports he was wont to dine because on that day Noble men were entertained by him but Paulinus relates not that Ambrose did entertain to a Feast Count Arbogastes on the Lords day Arbogastes boasteth in Paulinus that he often feasted with Ambrose but whether he spoke the truth in this is a question although Baronius reporteth it for a truth who yet mentions not the day on which he held this feast Arbogastes also glories that he was beloved of Ambrose but it 's easie to conjecture that there was but small friendship between Ambrose and Count Arbogastes whenas Ambrose so hated his sacrilege for which cause Arbogastes being incensed vowed that he would make a stable of the Church of Millain and would try how the Clergy could fight Therefore it 's not certain whether what he spake of the feast was true He might perhaps insinuate to the King who highly esteemed Ambrose the Bishop of Millain that he was prized by him somewhat that he might be more highly regarded of the King However it was when Ambrose himself would never be present at a feast in his own countrey being invited it may be judged whether it 's likely that he would invite others to a feast on the Lords day who refused to be present at other mens feasts himself Lastly if it were granted that Ambrose did entreat Count Arbogastes at a Feast whether will any believe it who considers the austere life of Ambrose chastizing his body with that discipline as Paulinus ibidem that he observed a daily Fast that he would distain himself with feasts on the Lords day which hindred the exercises of Religion either publick or private Nay truly He might perhaps dine on the Lords day as the custome of the Church required but we must not believe that the grave Father did fare so daintily on that day as that he could not attend the duties of piety concerning which nature of feasts we are here speaking in which number that is to reckoned which Baronius mentions out of Gregor Turonens who tells us of a certain Presbyter invading the Bishoprick of Avergue after the death of Sidonius Apollinaris who when the Lords day came having prepared a banquet commanded that all the Citizens should be invited into the Church a wickedness indeed beseeming the author that he who had ambitiously invaded the Bishops See against the Canons of the Church should violate the Lords solemnity by his feast that hindred the duties of Divine worship which unlawful example I hope no body that relisheth any thing of Christ will follow And now I will conclude with St. Austin that none can rightly deny that a Christian may on the Lords day be refreshed with a moderate and sober dinner and also will affirm with that grave Father that those who fear God must not riot on the Lords Day CHAP. XIV Sports are not at all to be held on the Lords Day by the judgment of divers Fathers and Emperours Four kinds of shows condemned by the Fathers and not to be acted on the Lords Day and that not only while the sacred meetings are kept THey that are
any one till his ground on the Lords day he violates the holy rest but if the refore he leaving his husbandry be drunk or commit whoredome shall he not be thought to profane the holiness of the Lords Day If all profaneness and carnal delight ought to be banished from the Church then especially it should when man doth peculiarly apply himself to the worship of God If Tertullian thought it an uncomely thing and altogether alien from the Religion of publick joy to celebrate those dayes which were dedicated to the Nativities of the Emperours with that vanity which the Heathens abused in such kind of Festivals whereas what was acted on the solemn birth-dayes of Princes would not be thought comely on other dayes with what spirit are they acted to whom unchaste dancings obscene sports and mad tripudiations shall seem lawful on the Day dedicated to our Lords honour Shall the licentiousness of evil manners be piety an occasion of Luxury be reckoned Religion We must rather say with Tertullian That it is for men of the true Religion to celebrate both the Emperours solemnities and the Lords day out of conscience rather than licentiousness And if any like dancing I earnestly ask it of him that he would apply his mind to those spiritual dances which Chrysostom mentions in which there is much comeliness and modesty with which Christians must dance not to the measures of harp and pipe for they themselves ought to be both harp and pipe to the Holy Ghost and when others lead the dance to the Devil these being in the Church offer themselves the organs and vessels to the Spirit and afford their souls as musical instruments which the Holy Ghost should play upon and move and they give their hearts as Organs into which he may inspire his grace These are those dances of the Angels and what can be more blessed than upon the earth to imitate the dance of Angels approved by the Holy Ghost and worthy the Christian name in which he that on the Lords day shall diligently be busied will not bend his mind to those immodest leapings or dancings which Chrysostom calls Diabolical Hom. 55. in Gen. because where this wanton dancing is there the Devil is Chrysost Hom. 49. in Math. so often condemned but will refresh his soul wearied with the sad burden of his fins by the spiritual joy of these dances and prepare himself the better to celebrate that eternal Sabbath in the Heavens which must be observed for ever with all the Saints And that this is the solemnity which beseemeth the Feasts of Christians Gregory Nazianzen sheweth at large and exhorts us to take hymns for timbrels singing Psalms for filthy and ribald songs a clapping of hands when we give thanks for clapping the hands in the Theatre gravity for laughter prudent speech for drunkenness comliness and honesty for delicious pleasures And if it be convenient for thee when thou celebratest a Festival merrily to dance then dance yet not the dance of Herodias but of David when he danced for the resting of the Ark by which I think mystically is meant the nimbleness and volubility of our holy journeying and that which is pleasing to God Thus he Ephrem Syrus gives the same counsel whose testimony deserves to be added here Let us honour saith he the Lords Festivals divinely not in a worldly manner but spiritually not after the custome of the Heathens but Christians let us not lead dances nor effeminate our ears with pipes and harps You both small and great men and women let us in a Christian manner celebrate the Lords Festivals in Psalms and Hymns in spiritual Songs and Angelical melody That blessed Soul uttered this about the Lords Festivity the reason of all which is extant in Chrysostom There is saith he a time for Prayers not for drunkenness and that alwayes and especially at solemnities For a solemnity is therefore instituted not to live filthily nor to abound in sin but to extoll present things These and many other testimonies of the Ancients do shew that all carnal following of worldly delights whereby the sparks of the Holy Ghost being stirred up in the Lords day holy exercises of piety are choaked by which either Divine worship may be hindred or the fruit thereof prevented ought far to be banished from the Christian Church For it is as sure as can be as sometimes Ruffinus that when we are idle and negligent when we lift not up our mind in heavenly desires when we grow cold in the love of our Lord when we spend the day in fables and wicked cogitations then we more attend upon the Devil than God And after The enemy derides our Sabbaths when they see us to be at leisure for the idleness and vanities of the evil spirit If Plutarch thought that the Jews did worship Bacchus on their Sabbath because they then strove at their cups and riotings and gave themselves wholly to drunkenness and for that cause called the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Bacchus or the son of Bacchus how much more truly might he at this day say it of many in the Church if he observed how they are given to Bacchus Venus sports and mad dances and yet these sins do rage all abroad without danger of punishment to the great ignominy of the Christian name for there is no wickedness so heinous which is not most of all committed on the Lords holy day While the greatest part of men do daily more and more spend the rest of Festival dayes not in praying not in hearing the Scriptures for which cause the rest was given but for all manner of encreasing the corruption of good manners saying that they do it for their mind sake as if they were altogether of Plato's mind who said that for that very purpose did God institute such holy Festivals And he repeats the same complaint in his Exposition of the Lords Prayer when he explains the fourth Petition and thus laments At this day no time is usually more spent in all manner of sports in dances wanton love company-keeping dicing bargains and fairs These do abundantly shew that dancings sports and sights were both forbidden of the Emperours and Fathers that they should not at all be kept on the Lords day which he that views the sacred Decrees of the one and the grave Records of the other will not deny Yet when all is done lest some think whom the Doctrine of the â—…e delights and those who release their minds to pleasure more than is fitting that not all but some kinds of those sports were forbidden and that only while the Church-assemblies were held as though the Christian people were at their liberty to use certain kinds of dances and sights even upon the Lords day when the publick Church-assemblies were finished to whom it seems such extrinsecal solaces of the eyes and ears do nothing interrupt the Religion in their mind and conscience
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
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
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
not finish this question which of all he judged the greatest within the space of an hour namely at the publick-assembly The same appears out of Chrysostom when he reproves those that forsook the Communion and Congregation of the Saints especially because whereas the week having an hundred sixty eight houres God hath set apart one for himself and they would spend this about secular and ridiculous matters Hom. de Euchar. And elsewhere Hom. de non contemnenda Eccles t. 7. p. 891. he makes mention of two hours in which the Church is to attend spiritual affairs idem t. 5. p. 523. But they were not so tyed to an houres space as that upon any necessary occasion emerging they might not continue their Sermon longer to the people What Austin answers to Urbicus about the continuance of Fasts may be referred hither he thought that if any necessity arose a dinner was not to be preferred to a more urgent action Which he confirms by the example of the Church Act. 20. which thought it not much to hear St. Paul continuing his Sermon till midnight To judge the same of Treatises which upon some urgent necessity may be longer continued than ordinary who will judge it to be alien from the Christian Faith Yet whether their Treatises were long or short he that went out of the Auditory before the Treater had finished his Sermon was obnoxious to the Churches censure Chrysostom for this cause doth severely pinch some that waited not for the last sentence of the mystery And elsewhere he requires it of all that none go out of the Church before they be dismissed For if any went out before the dismission he was as a fugitive required his reason Homil. de non contemnenda Eccles In the fourth Council of Carthage Canon 24. it is provided that he that goes forth while the Priest is speaking shall be noted with the terrible censure of Excommunication See the twenty eighth Canon Concil Aurelian 1. ann 507. Also Can. 27. Concil Agathensis ann 306. Lastly Because the Auditors were not to go out of the Church-assembly till the end of the Treatise the Treaters when they had ended their Treatises conferred their help in pouring out their Prayers as formerly hath been shewn in the fourth Chapter I onely add this that Chrysostome commends his hearers that received his admonitions with great chearfulness and that they were not offended with their prolixity but preserved a continual desire of hearing with an extreme setledness of vigour even to the end In princip Homil. 15. in Genesin CHAP. VII The ancients Treated every day out of Scripture and did not prohibit those that taught others diligently from that their diligence in teaching IN the second place it will not be unprofitable to find out how often we read that this was done by the ancients within a weeks compass or how often the Fathers were wont to treat out of the Scripture to the people To which question I answer briefly and say that they buckled themselves to this work every day as occasion offered but especially on Lords Dayes on which they were not wanting twice to sustain this labour when they had liberty for persecution But because this through some mens prejudice may seem a thing hard to believe we will plead with the very testimonies of the gravest authors and will teach both by the grace of God out of their records In the first place they used to preach to the people every day which will appear to him that looks into their Treatises For how often do we meet with this phrase in the beginning of their Treatises Yesterday's Sermon Ambr. de Sacramentis l. 5. c. 1. Also l 3. c. 1. also Serm. 92. which he begins in the same manner Chrysostom thinks it necessary that a Bishop should preach every day and he shews the fruit of this diligence that by continuance in teaching the auditors minds might retain the Sermon Chrys de sacerdotio lib. 6. And what burden the grave Father imposed upon other mens shoulders in this business yet he declined it not himself through a Pharisaical austerity though it were hard to be born which his Sermons shew Ye made yesterday which had been the Devils Festival to be the Spirits Feast-day because ye received what we said to you with a great desire of mind c. Hom. de Lazar. Hom. 34. in Gen. he saith Ye learned yesterday the excellent modesty of the Patriarch Hom. 22. in Gen. thus he begins The reliques of yesterdayes table I set before you to day Such prefaces as these do frequently occurr in his Homilies Hom. 5. ad Populum Although I have spoken to you of this matter yesterday and the day before yesterday yet shall I not perswade you to it to day nor to norrow nor the next day after to morrow c. Hom. 13. ad Populum With the same beginning and like prefaces with which I begun yesterday and the day before yesterday I will also begin to day These and many others that may be observed in him do plainly shew that he performed the office of Treating out of Scripture every day to the people Greg. Nyss Orat. 2. de 40 Martyribus makes mention of the things he had spoken the day before to the people and in an Oration next after that he calls to their remembrance what he had declared yesterday Austin thus begins his second Sermon in Psalm 68. The later part of the Psalm upon which we spoke yesterday to your charity remains to be explained by me to day Tract 16. in Joh. he mentions Yesterdays labour and yesterdayes lesson Tract 18. in Johan Tract 21. He begins Tractat. 22. after this manner This dayes lesson out of the Gospel follows the Sermons that I repeated to you yesterday and the day before yesterday c. Cyprian by his daily Treating out of the Gospels endeavoured to encrease the saith and knowledge of his hearers Nicephorus affirms that Alexander comforted the Church daily with his Divine instructions Hist l. 8. c. 5. And thus much for the daily labours of the Doctors of the Church which they spent in the explication of Scripture whose diligence was so great over their flocks commended to their charge to feed them saithfully with the bread of life that they would not abstain from the continual labours of Treating They became not at that time lookers after their secular affairs relicta cathedra i. leaving the chair which thing was a grief to Cyprian De Lapsis sect 4. as afterwards they were or did they grow too rank with excessive stipends but as their chief charge was bounded in Doctrine so they thought not much to bestow their most diligent labour in this office though very toylsome and the more frequently and officiously they executed the charge of preaching to the people the greater honour had they from all good men according to the Apostles Canon 1 Tim. 5. 17. which Theodosius junior did piously
observe Socr. l. 7. c. 22. Nor do I remember that I have read any where in the ancients that any man was interdicted who being not deprived of the faculty of preaching by the Church or was not subject to its censure that he should not so often as conveniently he could instruct the people committed to him in the knowledge of the Scriptures Cyprian asked the Presbyters in his absence that they would seriously execute both their own and his part in the instructing the Church of Christ Ep. 5. and he commends the Presbyters that did corroborate every one with their daily exhortations Ep. 40. The Roman Clergy exhorted the Clergy of Carthage to constancy in executing their office and to encourage the Christians to persevere in the confession of Faith and detestation of idolatry by arguments drawn out of the Holy Scriptures Cypr. Ep. 3. But neither Cyprian nor the Romans did prohibit the Presbyters of Carthage from the diligent function of this office but provoked them forward to perform it upon every occasion that was offered This St. Chrysostom teacheth elegantly and pithily Homil. 15. in 2 Tim. while he exciteth all the Doctors of the Church whom he contends ought so to be called because they teach to labour in the Word and Doctrine and stingeth some that say that there is no need of the Word and Doctrine because in his judgment it tendeth no little to the edification of the Church if those that are over the Church excell in the grace of teaching without which many things in the Church-discipline will perish He doth not therefore greatly reprove those that applied themselves to Doctrine but shews they are to be greatly honoured CHAP. VIII On the Lords Dayes they were wont to Treat twice out of the Holy Scriptures THat the ancients when a fit occasion was offered did treat out of the Scripture every day their own records do teach us but as I said in the former Chapter they especially buckled themselves to this work on the Lords day For it beâ—oveth those that are set over Churches on all dayes but especially Lords dayes to teach all the Clergy and people the oracles of piety and the right Religion And as they took pains to explain the Scripture every day so they judged that all times of the day were fit for a spiritual discourse Chrys Hom. 10. in Gen. Yea though night grâ—w on himself being judge it prejudiced not spiritual Doctrine And hence it was that we read that the ancients explained the Scriptures not only in the morning but evening for at both times the Church assembled as is shewn in the first Chapter This their very words will tell us It appears from the beginning of Basils second Hom. that one of those Sermons was had in the morning and the other after noon for he saith We took time in a few words from the first dawning of the day c. Hexaem Hom. 2. and he kept the second Hom. about the evening While on it he interpreted the evening Hom. of the first day he saith These our discourses of that evening being now occupied from this evening do here put an end to our Oration Hexaem Hom. secun circa finem And he saith in the beginning of his third Hom. that one part of these Homilies brought morning aliment and the other evening joy to his hearers In the end of his seventh Hom. he admonishes his hearers to give thanks and to talk among themselves of those things which both early and in the evening his Oration yesterday had offered them In the conclusion of the eighth Hom he puts an end to the morning feast lest the exuberant satiety of speech make his auditors more dull to receive his evening banquets In the beginning of the following Hom. had upon the same day he saith that his Oration had set a banquet before his auditors in the morning and that Oration was had about the evening for he concludes it in this manner Behold the Evening time commands us silence the Sun being now set a pretty while since here therefore we think it meet that this our Oration should bring us to our bed or rest All these to testifie that Basil the Great held a double Treatise out of the Scriptures the same day For he makes mention both of his evening and morning labour undertaken in performing that office by him Neither did Great Chrysostom give place to Basil although he was called Magnus in the diligent treating out of Scripture who saith What we have said to day is very like to that which we yet have determined to speak to day Hom. oportet haereses esse That place doth shew evidently enough that Chrysostom preach'd twice on one and the same day and if the Church were but to meet once a day to hear the word of God with what face could Chrysostom have reproved those his auditors that refused to come after their carnal table to a spiritual banquet which thing we find him to have done not once So Hom. 10. in Gen. Hom. 9. ad Populum Contrariwise he commends those that obeyed this admonition because when they had dined they met in the Church Hom. 10. ad populum In the beginning of 67 Oration T. 6. of the Greek Edition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he saith that he being wearied with the labours of the morning Sermon reserved the rest namely till afternoon and was wonderfully refreshed with the presence of Flavianus This testifies that he preached twice that day otherwise Bishop Flavianus had not been present to hear him in the afternoon He that shall look into the beginning of the second Sermon of Austins in Ps 88. will grant that Austin did the same For he commands his auditors to bend their mind to the rest of the Psalm of which he had been speaking in the morning Being content with these authorities of the Fathers although we meet with much more in them we will add no more And he that shall weigh these in an equal ballance will with a little adoe find that these grave Authors did endure the labour of Treating twice a day out of the Scriptures Now if any one whose palate nauâ—â—ating the old path that leadeth straight to the eternal salvation of the soul and seeking a new one the premises do not please shall object to me that from the aforesaid testimonies it is not evident that the Fathers did undergo those labours in interpreting and treating out of the Scripture twice on the Lords day which I should have proved Surely he that shall say so will not work me much trouble nor will he enervate my opinion of the Fathers labours declared in this sense unless he shall first demonstrate that the Church did on all dayes besides the Lords keep evening assemblies on which they had these Sermons and that they laboured to sanctifie other dayes more than the Lords Dayes which thing I suppose he will demonstrate from their grave
writings about the time of later Lammas Moreover if on other dayes on which the Church was permitted to attend on worldly labours they took pains in so often interpreting of Scripture who will be so far a stranger to right reason as that he should believe that they would not bestow so much labour for this business on the Lords dayes on which they abstaining from all others were only intent on Divine worship much rather and better â—â—ould they say in my judgment if on other dayes they Treated twice out of Scripture they would if occasion served much oftener give themselves to this labour on the Lords day As sometimes Sisinnius being asked why he would wash himself twice every day in the publick bath being a Bishop he answered because I cannot wash thrice So the ancient Bishops of the Church were seriously intent twice on the Lords dayes on the explication of Scripture And if they could get any just occasion to do more than this they would not avoid the labour of doing it the third or fourth time as may be seen by that Sermon in Austin when he whoever he was that was the author of that Sermon had twice performed the office of explaining Scripture when a new occasion was offered which was an extraordinary one on the same day he did the same the third time For thus he begins Wonder not dear brethren if I to day this third time by Gods assistance preach unto you Serm. 33. ad fratres in eremo We have formerly seen some of Basils both morning and evening Sermons we read also that he preach'd twice before noon In the beginning of his Hom. in Psalm 114. he excuseth himself that he came somewhat late to some that had waited on him from midnight and gives the reason because before he came to them he had preached in another Church yet those Vigils were onely continued from mid-night to mid-day And thus these things shew that the Fathers did oftener than once treat out of the Scripture on one and the same day CHAP. IX Both in Old and New Testament in celebrating the Sabbaths solemnity after reading of the Scriptures followed the interpretation of them It 's considered whether before the Babylonish captivity the interpretating of the Law was in use among the Jews on their Sabbath dayes THere are some who being not content with the aforesaid testimonies do further demand an example to be shewn either in the Old or New Testament of any Pastour labouring in preaching of the Word who bestowed his labour in this work twice on the Sabbath dayes I cannot enough wonder at these mens wit who will not be removed from the opinion they have espoused and rather would pluck out their their own eyes than see what will they nill they they are enforced to see But come on iâ— there be any satisfying of these mens expectation and let us consider what light may be setch'd from the fountains of Scripture to answer this question From both Testaments it is evident that in the publick assemblies of the Church after reading of Scripture there followed the interpretation of the same This we have shewn in Chap. 3. So Neh. 8. 5 6 7 8. they did not onely read plainly the Law of God in the publick assembly but they also expounded the sense of it and therefore the naked reading of Scripture was not thought sufficient by the Levites to give the people understanding otherwise they would have abstained from expounding them from day to noon So in the Jews assemblies which are mentioned in the New Testament alwayes after reading of Scripture followed their explication see Luk. 4. 20. Act. 13. 15. The sacred books being read they that excelled in Doctrine did afterwards interpret them So Acts 15. 21. we read that Moses had in every Town those that preached him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day the sense of which Scripture we have declared out of Philo Judaeus And these things shew that the Scriptures were both read and by interpretation illustrated in the Jewish Church But some there are that they may elude this answer who contend that this manner of interpreting Scripture on Sabbath dayes was not in use under the former Temple that is before the Babylonish captivity because in the writings of Moses in which is extant the institution of the Sabbath before they were returned out of Babylon into the Land of Canaan we meet with no mention thereof neither as they think is there any command extant by virtue whereof the Priests are obliged to interpret the Law on Sabbath dayes successively returning which opinion is entertained by some with applause Now if it be true which they say then the whole manner of the Jews keeping holy the Sabbath consisted in meer idleness or a cessation from labours by Gods command which yet none will easily admit since not onely in the old Sabbath God enjoyned the rest to the people of the Jews but also required holiness in those that ceased from their labours otherwise he had not determined the day on which we are to rest to be sanctified which yet he did Observe saith Moses the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee The rest commanded by God on the Sabbath day was not a part properly called but an help to its sanctification as we have taught out of the Fathers Book 1. chap. 11. The Sabbath saith Chrysostome is given not for idleness but that men being withdrawn from the care of temporal things they might spend the rest of it in spiritual matters Yea he saith in the same place that the Jews were to attend the hearing of Divine Sermons So also Origen confesses that the Reader or Doctor of the Law did not cease on Sabbath dayes from his work and yet did not break the Sabbath Now what was the work of the Reader or Doctor of the Law on which they did attend but to instruct the people in the understanding thereof Athanasius also saith The Sabbath signifieth or intimateth not idleness but the knowledge of the author The Sabbath was given for knowledge and not for idleness because knowledge is more necessary than idleness He blamed those who were idle on the Sabbath because they had not that which was proper for the Sabbath that is to say knowledge of the truth The Sabbath therefore according to St. Athanasius was given men that they ceasing from worldly businesses might freely apply their minds to the means by which they might attain some knowledge of God And what those means are we have shewn from Chrysostom and Origen St. Austin thought that the Jews women might better spin wool and their men dig the ground as formerly we have observed out of him than that they ceasing from labour should spend their time in playes according to whom something else was required to the sanctification of the Sabbath than meer rest namely the sanctifying of the
that he had shewed himself a faithful Bishop Whereupon it deservedly seems an absurd thing to Mr. S. A. a man of ripe judgment to think that the primitive Bishops faithfully fulfilling their Ministry were content with a naked reading of the Scriptures without any explaining of them to the People which if the Bishop had not performed although he might live innocently and without scandal yet that conversation without preaching would do hurt by silence although he might do good by Example as Hierom shews Ep. ad Oceanum Therefore the diligent Overseers of Churches would never intermit this unless they were hindred by some urgent necessity and therefore amongst them after reading of Scriptures there followed an explication of them as often as the Church met CHAP. X. The Church used Prayers on the Lords Day Conventicles for Churches Prayers only to God the Praeses began them he prepares the people to poure them out Sursum corda at prayer the voice of all who were present was one they prayed as the Holy Ghost suggested to them How this custome was changed For what the Church prayed Prayer in a known tongue The posture of the body in prayer The word Amen THus far of the Ministry of the Word whereby was made a solemn observation of the Lords Day the second Office performed by the Church on that day followeth this consists in Prayer and the Scripture witnesseth that the Church prayed in their Assemblies together to God St. Paul commands that supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made in Churches 1 Tim. 2. 1. The Apostles and Christians are said to continue with one accord in prayer and supplication Act. 1. 14. We read that the Church gathered at Hierusalem did continue in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers Act. 2. 42. Prayers also are every where reckoned by the Fathers amongst the offices of Piety celebrated on that day When the people were congregated to perform the Lords dayes solemnities the Scriptures were not onely read but also Petitions were sent away viz. to God Tertullian de anima c. 9. also Apol. c. 39 he saith that the Church assembled into a company that we praying may by our prayers as it were beset God about with a company made up that is that the Prayers of all being gathered together we may as it were in a certain spiritual host go unto God with one humble assault and make him propitious to us and others as the renowned Zanchius expounds it When the writings of the Prophets and Apostles were read in the Church-assembly and the same explained by the Praeses all rose up and poured out their Prayers to God in Justins age When Julian studied to accommodate the Greeks manners to the Orders of the Church among other things he ordained that after the manner of the Church there should be certain Prayers for certain houres and dayes Arnobius affirms that the Christians used Prayers in their Conventicles lib. 4. contr Gent. In which place Arnobius calls the places w ch were assigned to the publick assemblies of Christians for interpreting of Gods Word prayer to God and administring the H. Eucharist Conventicula As Lactantius while he makes mention of a certain mans cruelty in Phrygia who burnt all the people together with the Conventicle Where he speaks of the place where the Church performed the exercises of Religion in their assemblies Arnobius also elsewhere mentions these Prayers lib. 1. where he saith that the Christians with joynt Prayers worshipped Christ and begged of him things just honest and such as he may well hear Cyril acknowledges that Christians ought on Feast-dayes to frequent the Temples of God and among other duties of Religion to insist upon prayers lib. 8. in Joh. c. 5. All these things shew that Prayers were used by the Church in their publick assemblies But Christians when they were assembled were not intent onely upon Prayers as Zonaras would have it in Can. 16. Conc. Laodic For in the fore-going Chapter we have observed out of Church-records that in the publick assembly of the Church the Scriptures were both read and interpreted by the Bishops and those that were delegated to this office in the Churches In rehearsing of these Prayers eight things come especially to be spoken of which are not unworthy our knowledge In the first place the primitive Christians made all their Prayers to God because they knew they could not obtain what they prayed for of any one else therefore in Prayers they had respect to God as being one who alone could answer their petitions And it is a point of great folly to ask of those who are no Gods as if they were Gods Clem. Alexandr Strom. l. 7. The Christians therefore at that time worshipped God alone and the Martyrs they honoured as the Disciples and followers of the Lord. Eus Hist. l. 4. c. 14. neither had the Idolatrous worship of Saints crept then into the Church which our Learned Divines for all the anger of the Papists have copiously enough taught and therefore I will add no more of that Secondly Prayers made in the Church-assembly were begun by him who was set over the rest which he put up as well as he could saith Justin Martyr for which reason Proterius Bishop of Alexandria is called by Niceph. Hist l. 15. c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mediator of God and Men althhough Augustine affirms that none of the good and faithful Christians could bear Parmenianus that made a Bishop the Mediatour between God and the people And Greg. Naz. reckons this as a praise to Bishops that they undertake the care and government of souls and do the part of Mediatours between God and men Apol. pro â—uga Which yet I think is onely to be affirmed of those who with Moses stand in the gap to turn away the wrath of God lest he destroy the People Psal 105. 23. The Emperours themselves do confess in their Epistle to the Asian Diocess that by Bishops Prayers wars are ended invasions of Angels kept off and hurtful spirits repelled All these things are ascribed to them not that they procured them but because they seriously pleaded with God in Prayers that he would avert these evils from the Churches committed to their care to whose Prayers God in his infinite Mercy gave an answer So thinketh Chrysostom who tells us that it is the part of a Bishop as an Ambassadour to intercede for a whole City yea for the whole world and deprecate God that he may be propitious to men And when the Praepositus prepared to pray with the people before he begun he prepared the people with a previous speech For Ambrose thought it necessary that the preparation of the mind go before Prayer lest he that prayes to God seem to tempt him which men led even by the onely instinct of nature know as we may see in the Pythagoreans not
great industry And for this cause Prosper De vita contempt lib. 2. cap. 2. contends it is that Bishops are called Watchmen Because they watch the actions of all men and with an aim of religious curiosity spie out how every one liveth with his houshold in his house how with his Citizens in the City what good men they approve they confirm by honouring them whom they observe to be vicious they amend by reproving them St. Prosper judged it to be the Bishops duty whom the Lord hath appointed to be the Watchmen of his Church not onely to attend preaching of the Word in the Church assembly but also when that was ended and the people dismissed diligently to observe the manners and conversation of the people that they might promote godliness if by any means they could while they excited those whom they saw to walk according to what they heard in publick to a farther progress in godliness and sharply admonished those that turned not what they heard into works Which office if ever we believe they did faithfully perform on the Lords Day which we may see in St. Chrysostome who when he observed any not to be attentive enough to his publick Treatises promised that he would when he had finished his Treating by interrogatories make tryal whether they retained what they had heard Homil. 4. in Hebr. Yea he tells them that when the assembly was dismissed he would discourse some time with his Auditors about what they had heard in the conclusion of Hom. 6. ad Pop. Antioch And elsewhere he declares the reason of his diligence Hom. 9. ad Pop. For saith he if it be no reproach for a Physician to ask his patient how it is with him neither is it amiss in us to be still inquiring about our Hearers salvation for we being thus advertised what to do and what to leave undone shall apply remedies according to congruous discipline And this diligence he calls a sollicitude not of curiosity but provision where by an argument from the less to the greater he illustrates the necessity of the aforesaid industry For if a Physician who attends the cure of a frail body doth diligently enquire of the state of his patients health after he hath administred his medicines why doth it not much more lye upon Bishops to whom the inspection of souls is committed ex officio to observe whether their people lead their life according to what they have heard after that they have prescribed unto them wholsome admonitions and exhortations whereby on every emergent occasion they may prescribe necessary remedies Chrysostom himself confesses that he undertook private labours in teaching some of his Hearers while he inculcated some things to them who entred communication with him privately Thus he speaks of himself Hom. prim de Lazaro It grieved St. Cyprian to the heart while he was in exile that he could not have liberty to go to every one that was committed to his care and to exhort them cording to the Ministry of the Lord and of his Gospel He commends the Presbyters and Deacons that supplied his place for strengthening all by their daily exhortations Ep. 40. If therefore Cyprian set upon all that were commended to his care with his exhortations and commended others that did the like he thought that something more after the Church-meetings were ended in which he could not go to them severally was to be done by him Possidonius in the Life of Austin chapter 12. mentions his private labours that he frequently undertook in instructing and exhorting the Catholick people All these vigilant Fathers did not onely propound the Word in Church meetings but also shewed us by their own example that it is privately to be inculcated upon the minds of the Hearers and their own testimonies teach us that this was done by them daily Secondly he that shall consult the Fathers touching the observation of the Lords Day will observe that they did frequently stir up their hearers to a religious meditation and discoursing of what they had heard in the publick assembly Chrysostom more than once doth labour what he can to perswade his hearers that after they are returned home from the Church friends among themselves parents with their children masters with their servants meditate and strive how they may do what they are taught Homil. 5. ad Pap. Antioch which he elegantly explains by divers similitudes Even as saith he many that depart out of a meadow do take a Rose or Violet or some such flower and carrying it about a while in their fingers do depart and others returning home out of an Orchard do carry the boughs of trees that bear fruit others again bring to their kinsfolks fragments of the table from sumptuous suppers so also thou when thou depart'st carry back an admonition to thy children wife and all thy kindred For this admonition is of more use than a meadow an orchard and a table These roses never wither this fruit never falls off these dishes never are marred Afterwards Think what a thing it is setting aside all other things both publick and private to be alwayes discoursing of Gods Laws at table and in the market and in other Conventicles c. Homil. 6. ad Populum Where by an induction of divers similitudes he declares what Christians are to do after they be returned home from the publick assembly namely that they conferr at home of what they heard in the Church In the beginning also of the second Homil. on John he requires of his hearers that they talk not only with one another publickly but at home of what they had heard and when he reproves those that went out of the Church who did not well remember what they had heard he prescribes this remedy for that malady namely that when they are return'd home they read the Holy Scriptures and call their wife and children together to confer of those things that were spoken It 's an excellent place which the Reader shall find lib. 5. chap. 12. We wish saith Origen that you would study what you have heard not onely hear the Word of God in the Church but in your houses be exercised and meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night for Christ is there and every where present to them that seek him From the fore-mentioned testimonies it appears that the Fathers treated seriously with their people to conferr among themselves of what they had heard Now if any one think that they meant conferring of what they had heard on other dayes than the Lords Dayes I doubt not but he is deceived that perswades himself of this For if they require of their Hearers to conferâ— of the Word heard on other dayes which he will not deny they did that looks into their writings do they therefore judge that the Word of God which was handled on the Lords Day must be forgotten Nothing less especially when elsewhere they counsel their hearers to conferr with
reconciled to one another and then come and offer their gift which reconciliation could not be made without mention of their bargains and transactions upon whose account they were at difference And thus much for avoiding worldly affairs and especially gainful labours on the Lords day CHAP. XIII The Lords Day not to be profaned by surfeiting Servants not to be called off from sanctifying the Lords day we ought not fast on the Lords Day whether Ambrose was wont to banquet on that day EVen as the solemn observation of this day is not to be profaned by labour tending to our profit so neither is it for us to give our selves to the pleasures or delights of the world on it We do not saith Primasius in Gal. 4. celebrate festival dayes in luxury and banquettings and that justly for if a work be for bidden on a feast day that by the body may be exercised for necessity of life that we may more entirely attend on Divine matters are not those things by better right prohibited which cannot be done without sin and grievous offending of God It 's for Christians therefore neither by surâ—eiting nor sports to defile the religious observation of this day In celebrating festivals divers of the Fathers do to their power reprove rioting and drunkenness Greg. Naz. when he describes the manner how Christian festivals are to be celebrated admonisheth that we rejoyce not with the varnish of the body nor change of garments and their gorgeousness not in rioting and drunkenness whose fruit you have learned chambering and wantonness are nor let us crown our streets with flowers nor our tables with the deformity of oyntments neither let us adorn our porches nor let our houses shine with a visible light nor sound with a concord and shouting of Minstrels for this is the manner of Heathens celebrating their festivals c. when he judgeth all kind of luxury is to be removed from Christians in their festivals not only because the body being stuffed with meat and overcharged with wine easily falleth into wantonness but because amongst the Heathens with whom the Church in celebrating festivals ought to have nothing common this was an usual thing Festivals are not to be celebrated in drinking off cups of wine but in renewing the spirit of the mind and purging the heart for he that facrificeth to the belly and Bacchus doth more stir up to anger the Lord of the celebrity Scholion 5. in Johannis Chinacâ— gradum decimum quartum de Gula. It grieved Cyril that so many amongst the Christians did on festival dayes give up themselves either to honest sports surfeiting dances or other vanities of the world and he affirms that these rites tend to no other end than the derision of Gods name and slighting of the day and they that follow these things do grievously sin the rather that they go about these things at a more holy time for surely they that give the reins to the belly and pleasures cannot celebrate a festival day St. Chrysostom by two arguments of great weight and authority doth perswade his hearers spiritually to observe the Lords day In the first place from the various good things which we do enjoy on that day and secondly from our happy freedome from evils and at length descends to remove those means whereby that spiritual honour is wont to be hindred not by banquetting not by pouring out wine nor attending on drunkenness in his judgment such wicked deeds as these do no little detract from the honour of the Lords day Yet many in this our age especially the richer sort for these causes cannot avoid a just reprehension who above measure on the Lords day filling themselves with surfeit keep their servants at home to prepare meat finer than ordinary to satisfie their insatiable luxury and think much to give them leave to go to Church to feed their souls with the holy bread of life It once grieved Ambrose that a certain Christian in the time of a fast did draw with him to an hunting some servants that were accidentally hasting to the Church because thereby he heaped others sins on his own pleasures not knowing that he would be both guilty of his own offence and the perdition of the servants And why should not we as well grieve when we see divers professing themselves Christians to the world not to be more careful for promoting the salvation of their Christian servants whilst they hinder them from the publick assemblies of the Church on the Lords day that they may serve their lust Especially while as saith Ambrose they do not consider that although they be servants in condition yet are they brethren by grace for they have as well put on Christ partake of the same Sacraments and have the same God for their father which their Masters have St. Paul would eat no flesh whilst the world stood rather than that his eating should make his brother to offend 1 Cor. 8. 13. David scrupled the very once tasting of the water which was drawn out of the well of Bethlem by his Worthies with the great peril of their lives 2 Sam. 23. With how more heinous a spot do they brand themselves therefore who do expose the souls of their servants whom they detain at home from the publick meeting of the Church to serve their vanities unto so great a danger a wickedness it is rather beseeming those that sacrifice to Bacchus than those that keep a festival to God In the Council of Paris this very same wickedness grieved the Fathers for though the Lords day seemed to be kept in some reverent manner by certain Masters yet was it found very seldome to be observed with due honour of their servants under subjection I wish that the Christian Religion even defiled with the blot of this wickedness in our age were not ill spoken of amongst divers At least I beseech in Christ those that are the cause of others absence from the publick exercises of piety that they would with their servants which they keep at home be pleased to do that which Chrysostom requires of his hearers namely to discourse of what they heard with them that were absent by which means they might hear and learn from them what they lost themselves in preparing of corporal food being held from spiritual Let them consider this who cause those that are under them to be hindred of spiritual food that they may prepare corporal meat for their use Gregory allowed not at all the custom of Laicks feasting ordinarily on Lords dayes from which they could not easily be moved In the mean while I am not ignorant that in the old Church divers Canons are extant of not keeping fasts on the Lords day Although they condemned not a Fast of it self and in the general as a work contrary to Gods command or that is repugnant to his Word because divers illustrious examples thereof are afforded in the rules both