poor Tertullian also mentions this custome in Apol. and others that flourished after him in the Church Which is so manifest that I suppose none will make doubt of the same These are some of sundry things wherein the ancients after the publick assemblies were ended in the Church bestowed their principal pains Which things whoever considerately weigheth he will easily grant that the private observation of the Lords Day was not unknown to the Fathers because their hearers were sometime examined of what they had heard when the assemblies were ended and the Bishops admonished them to conferr one among another of those things and they required them to refresh their minds with Divine Meditations out of the Word which they heard in the publick assembly and carefully bestowed several things that conduced to the comfort of the poor And let these things briefly suffice to be spoken about the publick and private celebration of the Lords Day Festival CHAP. XVII THE CONCLUSION HE that will not refuse to weigh seriously with himself the testimonies of Scripture and the Holy Fathers thus far mentioned shall not deny that the Lords Day was solemnized by the Church in the very Apostles age and successively He cannot but acknowledge that its holy observation was instituted of God He will easily perceive what hinders its solemnity and in what things its solemn sanctification whether publick or private doth consist In asserting whereof though I entred into a certain Sea of Disputations yet have I sayled it through by the Grace of God in a short course And I have affirmed nothing without the perspicuous testimony of notable authority but we have missed it sometimes lest any should believe that we silly men of inferiour note betaking our selves to what is plain do undertake an exquisite piece of work who indeed have thrust out into the world nothing but our tumultuary commentations and intended onely to stirr up the Wits of others Now if there be any that is rather desirous of a worldly liberty or carnal rest than of Divine truth who relisheth not what hath been said I will take my leave of him with that grave sentence of St. Austin If he have any thing more to say for my part I know it not let him wrangle with the Scriptures and the Fathers that piously interpret them not with us And I humbly beg it of the Lord who is the author of this solemnity that he would govern the Church with his Spirit and stirr up the minds of men boldly to exercise piety that what God hath cleansed they call not common Whatever my blear-eyes have observed to be laid up in the deep records of honourable antiquity which they that love the truth cannot but highly prize upon this holy Subject I have brought it out to light that it may be manifested to all who truly â—avour of godliness how much honour not onely reason it self but the consent of all good men and learned do attribute to so solemn a Festival And if I have mistaken any thing here I do not withdraw my self from the censure of the Orthodox Church but submit my self very willingly to its sentence Sith with all godly and modest men I heartily desire to remember that of the Comedian Humanum est errare i. It 's a point of mans frailty to mistake Neither is there here as Gregory Nyssen a pronouncing of sentence but an exercitation and disputation I having by the conduct of the most ancient Fathers like them who are half blind entred a Wood have brought into this bundle what I thought to be most congruous for declaring the exercises of this holy solemnity Whilst that I observed sometimes the Fathers did not altogether agree among themselves I have embraced that which was observed by men of more sound judgement and more congruous to the practise of the universal Church If any one blame me for not demonstrating the Holy practise of the Church in these questions more copiously and with more testimonies of the Ancients I hope in this to find pardon from the courteous since I purposed to do in this business what Isychius in Levit. l. 2. cap. 9. relates of Image-makers and Painters who when they begin of any thing their art requireth do at first set out some rough draughts of an Image or picture onely shadowed out in its lineaments which afterwards in process of the work are perfected by adding of the several parts and are as it were brought to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In like manner have I also given onely some testimonies upon this holy subject for a taste that all in a sort may understand that the chief Fathers of the ancient Church did embrace and religiously retain the very same practise of piety in sanctifying of the Lords Day which at this day is maintained by a perpetual observation with all the friends of sincere religion some whereof to the great dolour of my mind I see to be wavering about this question and am troubled at others that indulge the liberty of the flesh too much in the Catholick Church But I commend in the name of God this office to others who are well exercised in observing the monuments of the purer Church that for the ability granted to them by the Lord for profiting the Church they would not refuse to bring to light those things which may conduce to the glory of God in observing the solemnity of his day Indeed I judge they would in this do a thing very acceptable to God the author of the Lords Day solemnity profitable to the Church the faithful observer of this solemnity and very well becoming the Christian Religion of which this solemnity was alwayes a token I silly man have here so far as the labours of my charge would bear according to my weakness of which I am very well conscious done in a sort as some Dyers who prepare a cloth to receive a colour and commit it to the labour and art of others to put upon it the gloss And this I believe I have done through the grace of God by the consummation of these testimonies that now with little ado the friendly Reader careful of this solemnity may observe whether they who endeavour to adorn the Lords Day Festival fetch the truth out of its fountains or they who delight to subvert it that they may seek novelty as sometime Optatus said of the Donatists lib. 6. in the bowels of antiquity He that views the premises without a prejudiced mind will find this I have therefore been careful to produce the very testimonies of the Fathers themselves that to their words and not my relation or conclusions inferred from their words by me credit might be given In the mean time God grant that of his infinite mercy he would cure the exulcerated manners of this age which are impatient of sound Doctrine Through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost the Author of the Lords day solemnity be glory
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
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
on that day and thinks it is to be honoured with Divine Worship for the day which is called the Lords day is by right to be dedicated to the Lord. Constantine the Great about the year 300 ordained that all the Subjects of the Roman Empire should on those dayes called by our Saviours name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. rest from all work So Sozomen lib. 1. cap. 8. Divers passages occurr amongst the ancients which shew that no earthly labour for the sake of gain is to be undertaken on that day which would be needless to run over severally since the premises demonstrate the truth to all that reject it not But lest any should be deceived in Can. 29. of the Council of Laodicea held before Constantines time I will add something to illustrate the true meaning thereof In which Christians are commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. that honouring the Lords day they should rest if they can as Christians By which exception if they can Zonaras on Can. 29. Conc. Laodic thinks that labour on the Lords day was prohibited all Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except the Husbandmans works to whom the civil Law grants an indulgence Whose opinion the patrons of labouring on that day do follow But in this doubtless Zonaras derives them and they others who adhere to his gloss For first the very words of the Canon shew that Christians as Christians ought on that day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rest whence it appears that labour on the Lords day is unlawful to Christians Now the exception which the Canon mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they can ought rather to be understood with a respect had to the time in which the Council was gathered than to performing namely of harvest labours For the Council was assembled before Constantine the Great entred upon the Empire at what time the inseriour sort of Christians were compelled by their heathen Lords to whom they were subject and not of their own minds to perform worldly works on that day as on others as a long time after that Council was congregated the Christians were forced to sit and see the playes for remedy whereof the Africans ordain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no Christian should be forced to those playes For their sakes therefore who were forced to labour by others was that exception added by the Laodicean Fathers not that labours used on that day were approved by them but because of those that were in bondage to others and by their severe authority or impetuousness compelled to undergo them on the Lords dayes I say for the comfort of these they put in this exception if any contrary to their minds were forced by others to do so Although divers that were stronger in the faith rather died for it than that they would any wayes violate the Lords day as formerly we heard out of Baronius under the reign of Dioclesian And that this which we have brought is the genuine sense of the Laodicean Canon divers authorities of Fathers before the Council of Laodicea wherein Christians are prohibited earthly labours do shew neither can there from thence any in this our age in which all God be thanked have given up their name to Christ take a pretence to defend the using of worldly labour on the Lords day since now it is the fashion as well of Masters as servants to rest from their labours on that day And secondly that Civil Law on whose authority Zonaras exposition depends was made by Constantine of which briefly anon wherein the countrey men had liberty freely to attend their countrey labours on the Lords day Now the Laodicean Fathers being gathered before the first Council of Nice could have no respect unto a law made some time after the meeting of their Council but are to be understood as I said according to the condition of that age in which the Christians although they of themselves rested from labours were by others compelled that had not yet embraced the Christian faith to undergo them In the second Council of Matiscon Can. 1. about the year 588. it is ordained that none give themselves to labours as on private dayes as they speak for this is in a rash manner to give up the Lords day to contempt But the words of the Canon come a little more narrowly to be examined lest at the first sight the Reader be imposed upon through some mens perverse interpretation of them First the Fathers ordain that if any have a Church near him that he betake himself thither These words are not so to be expounded as if none were bound to be present at Church-meetings but those that had neighbouring Churches at hand from which they that lived farther off might at their pleasure be absent He that will attentively read the beginning of that Canon will not say that this was the sense of the Bishops in that Council who had it put upon them by King Guntheramnus's command that by all means they could they look to that the Christian people should not in a rash manner give up the Lords day to contempt and therefore the Bishops admonished all Christians in this matter from which admonition they neither exempt Lawyers nor Countrey men nor the Clergy or Monks as the words of the Canon do shew And when Guntheramnus required it of them that the body of all the people should assemble on that day to exercise their devotion he decrees that those who set at nought this admonition should by right be corrected with canonical severity or the punishment of the Law If therefore he by his own authority according to the vigor of the Bishops decree allowed none a liberty to be absent from Church assemblies none can interpret the aforesaid words of the Canon as if only those that are near to Churches were bound to be present at them since all as well near as far off are bound by one and the same law when therefore they say if any have a Church near him it is the same with Let all go to the Church as afterwards in Concil Foroju Can. 13. Secondly Let none wonder that the Matiscon Fathers reciting the exercises of the L. Day in that Canon do there only make mention of Prayers Hymns as if there were no other exercises of piety besides Prayers and singing of Psalms to attend on that day for afterwards in the same Council they have ordained something of the Sacraments Can. 6. And Guntheramnus doth faithfully charge his Bishops that by frequent preaching they study to amend the people by Gods providence committed to their charge Therefore they declare that no offices of piety be pretermitted on that day Nor do they define those things only for the exercises of Hymns or Prayers but peradventure they mention hymns and prayers because they direct the Canon to the people whose part it was to attend these offices and celebrate the same and not to preach the Word Thirdly The
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
as though God could not be offended with the delight of man which without any prejudice to Gods fear and honour to enjoy in fit time and place is no sin lest any one here should think so I will over and above add something that may make more for illustrating the genuine sense of the aforesaid prohibitions And in the first place this is worth our knowing that sights playes and conflicts were amongst the ancients under the same kind and in Tertullian there are reckoned four kinds of sights namely 1. Circi insania i. the folly of the Cirque 2. Theatri impudiciti◠i. the wantonness of the Theatre 3. Arenae atrocitas the cruelty of the Sand. 4. Xysti vanitas i. the vanity of the Xyst or wrastling-gallery In the Cirque four horses run striving one with another In the Theatres were acted Stage-playes and immodest Interludes were recited In the Sand were setting together wild Beasts and Fencers Lastly in the Wrastling galleries there were the praeludia of these Games while the Wrastlers were exercised in their Schools and the swiftness of the runners was tryed Whence the same Tertullian calls the founders and orderers of these sights Quadrigiarios Scenicos Xysticos Arenarios Whatever we meet with to be observed about them by the searchers of antiquity it is to be referred to these kinds of sights And all these are disallowed by the ancients especially by Tertullian and Cyprian in their books which they have set out purposely de spectaculis In which their Idolatrous original because at first amongst other superstitious rites they were instituted under the name of Religion and divers obscene provocations of lust flowing from them are recited and condemned But when the Emperours had embraced the Christian Faith it seems all other acts but the sights in the Cirque and Theatre were ceased and hence it was that the grave Fathers being haters of Games when they write against sights do not so much make mention of others as of these two and against them from which they judge that all Christians should withdraw they direct a sharp stile enough neither by their good will would they have any members of the Church at any time much less on the Lords day to be present at them This the books above cited de spectaculis do without me saying any thing abundantly testifie The holy and general Synod in Trulle forbids those Jesters as they are called and the sights of them and then the seeing of huntings and those dances that are acted in the Scene Neither is the time named by them on which they are prohibited but they say that the Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbiddeth altogether and what is forbidden altogether is to be done at no time For as Zonaras expounds the Canon the Faithful are to lead their life by the prescript of Evangelical discipline and not remissly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. as becometh Saints All those things therefore by which the mind cannot be released by a necessary remission and whereupon immoderate laughters are provoked are by the decree of this Canon forbidden Now if in their judgment we must not at any time see the actions of Jesters or Scenical dancings much less must we on the Lords day which is expresly ordained by the Africanes in the Council of Carthage St. Chrysostom Cyril Ephrem Syrus Greg. Naz. and divers other Fathers have taught the same The sacred Emperours Leo Anthemius and others have decreed the same whose testimonies are formerly recited in this Chapter But although the truth of this be largely demonstrated yet so far is the vigour of Ecclesiastical discipline enervated and by the languishing whereof we are thrown down into so bad a condition that now not only an excuse but authority is given to vice Whereupon the same falls out in our age which did sometime in Cyprians there are not wanting fawning assertors and indulgent patrons of vices who give authority to vice These do as we said batter with a double Ram the aforesaid truth confirmed by so many illustrious testimonies of the ancients And they contend that worldly shows were forbidden of the Fathers only for two causes either because they were obscene in themselves and of their own nature and therefore never lawful or else because they were held at such a time as the publick meetings of the Church were celebrated according to them honest and sober dances as they speak notwithstanding the aforesaid Canons and Statutes especially after the Church-meetings are ended may safely be used How wise doth disputing arrogance think it self especially when it fears losing any thing of worldy joyes saith Tertullian This subtil wit if any where appears in this weak refuge Shall they who decree as Leo and Anthemius that dayes dedicated to the most High Majesty be occupied in no pleasures be believed that they would assign any place to them and although these pleasures afterwards in the same law be called obscene yet by virtue of what consequence can it be inferred that therefore some pleasures there are not obscene which are not prohibited by that decree This new and unheard of distinction of forbidden pleasures is to be left to the authors of it which was unknown to Leo and Anthemius when they decreed that the holiness of the day was to be violated by no pleasures and which Octavius in Minuc Felice confesses the Church was ignorant of while he answers Caecilius blaming the Christians for abstaining from sights and pomps which Caecilius then a heathen called honest pleasures Octavius confesses that Christians abstained from them Octavius a Christian takes those for evil pleasures which Caecilius a Heathen called honest This is to all men an argument that the Christians whose cause Octavius pleads against Caecilius did repute the pleasures of sights and pomps as evil and that for good cause since as the Greeks have a Proverb An ape is an ape although clad in purple by the pleasures of sights with what painting soever they be whited the Lords day is not to be violated Any may see that the pleasures of pomps or showes in the fore-mentioned decree of the Emperours are called obscene from the effect For they that follow them do usually fall into obscene manners And the word Obscenity is added by the Emperours not for the distinction but detestation of pleasures as when the Apostle 1 Pet. 4. 3. calls Idolatry abominable or if any one else should call Drunkenness detestable will any wise man thence conclude that there is a certain lawful use of Images or that some Drunkenness is not to be detested Nothing less St. Chrysostom wished that games and dances might altogether be left off of which he never speaks without highly detesting them in his mind and boldly condemns the very art of dancing which he that exerciseth if he be asked why omitting other arts he is employed in this he could not deny it to be dishonest and
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
suffering men to worship the immortal Gods per transitum but perswading them to undertake that with a prepared mind And therefore when the Emperour was conversant about sooth-saying and sacrifices some cryed aloud Hoc age i. e. be attentive or set thy mind on this thing only which saying did prepare as many as were present at sacrifices to attend them with a devout mind for in sacred things we must not labour in transcursu quasi lightly as it were and passing by But those whose minds are illuminated with the happy light of Scripture have more perspicuously observed the truth in this point therefore the people of Christ are perswaded to attend Prayer with the whole heart having cast aside all carnal and worldly cogitations and that the mind should think of nothing at that time but what it prayed for only and for this end the Priest having premised a Preface to the Prayer did prepare the minds of the Brethren by saying SURSUM CORDA i. up with your hearts and when the people answered HABEMUS AD DOMINUM i. have up or we have them for the Lord they were put in mind that they ought to think of nothing else but the Lord. And this was the general preparation wherewith the minds of the people were excited to all the duties of Religion and by hearing thereof they were prepared to more ardent Prayer In the third place the peoples minds being thus excited to pray this is worth our consideration that of all those who were present together there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. one common Prayer which they uttered with one mind and sincere faith in Jesus So Ignatius in his Epistle ad Magnesianos Clemens Alexandrinus also saith the multitude of them that prayed had as it were one common voice and one mind Athanasius wished for this Apol. ad Imperatorem Constantium that all might make one and the same voice without a discord Cyprian de Oratione Dominica acknowledges that in the Church there was a common and publick prayer He adds that the Apostles Acts 1. 14. continued with one accord in Prayer when they declared the instancy and concord of their prayer For Prayer being conceived of more the more easie entrance is made unto God according to that of Matth. 18. 19. Nor need any to wonder that there was one and the same Prayer of the whole Church being assembled since there ought to be but one voice in the Church he that readeth speaketh alone and he that is the Bishop sitteth silent in the mean time and he that singeth singeth alone and when all sing together the voice is uttered as by one mouth and he that preaches to the people preacheth alone saith Chrysostom Also HomiÌ„l 18. in 2 Cor. he saith Common Prayers were made by the Priest and others and all made one Prayer Fourthly they prayed as the Holy Ghost suggested to them sive mâ—â—itore quia de pectore orabant i. they prayed without a monitor because out of their heart that is to say the Holy Ghost shewed them the way to conceive Prayers in a pious manner and by his instinct they prayed without any other monitor After the offering of bread and wine allayed with water the Praefectus put up prayers and giving of thanks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. as well as he could If he prayed as well as he could for his might then it seems he did not read prescribed forms of Prayer to the bare reading whereof there was no need of such a labour Justin Martyr ap 2. Neither could it be otherwise because upon a new occasion offered forth with new Prayers were required answering to that occasion and for this cause they could not be alwayes the same Tertullian as his manner is teacheth this elegantly There are saith he some things which may be prayed for according to the circumstance of every one first premising the lawful and ordinary Prayer he speaks of the Lords Prayer as a foundation A liberty of accidents a liberty for desires to be put out into occasional prayers Christians have liberty in Tertullians opinion to put up Prayers to God pro re nata which are formed according to the form of Prayer prescribed by Christ So St. Austin Ep. 121. ad Probam saith that we may beg for the same things in these or other words but we are not to pray for other things that is to say Men may use other words in Prayer than what Christ used in the Prayer which he prescribed the Church but the mind ought not to be intent in praying for other things than what Christ hath declared to us in that Prayer Moreover the Bishops were sometimes to commend to God in Prayer those things which the people desired them and for this cause they could not alwayes use the same Prayers because new occasions as I aid required new Prayers Especially since t was for them Chrysostom being witness to pray unto God that he might divert the evils that hung over every one And therefore since the same evils did not alwayes occurr the Bishops alwayes prayed as the state of the people commended to their cure did require In the first place therefore Prayers were used according to the quality of the time men having their minds disposed by the Holy Ghost to pray devoutly But afterwards when through the Devils subtilty divers errours in Religion crept in in process of time it sell out that prayers were by some brought in contrary to the Faith or as St. Austin speaketh some spake in their Prayers contrary to the rule of Faith the Church providing for this errour used a threefold remedy and in the first place they provided that it should be lawful for none to compose Forms of Prayer at their pleasure which they used in the publick assemblies but the same as Zonaras interprets it those that were daily used should be retained in every meeting So Conc. Laodic Can. 18. Secondly it was ordained that they should conferr with the more able Brethren about the Prayers which they used in their Assemblies It was so provided in the third Council of Carthage Can 23. ◠〈…〉 it was defined that no requests or prayers should be used in the Church but those which were approved by a Synod Conc. Milevit 2. Can. 12. lest any thing should be composed against the Faith either through ignorance or less care We meet with mention of both remedies namely the second and third in Concilio Africano Can. 70. T. 1. But it is a question whether in the aforesaid African Canons the Reverend Fathers do speak of set Forms of Prayers in publick Liturgies or of the Prayers which he that was to treat out of Scripture which was a common thing with Treaters as Can. 40. we have heard out of the Fathers did conceive at that time he came forth to speak at Some men of great account think that they meant the former