not appoint any new thing but renew the old Moreover in the Council of Friuli Can. 13. all Christians were commanded to observe with all reverence the Lords Festival in which as in other Canons of that Council they acknowledge they do not institute new rules but having recited the sacred pages of their fore-fathers Canons they persist to embrace with greatest devotion and 〈…〉 with a fresher style the things that were digested by them and promulgated by a wholsome pen. There came out also a new Decree in a Council at Paris for the strict observing the Lords day of which this reason is assigned by the Fathers because a due observation and the religious devotion of that day was in a great measure neglected That was not then the first time they decreed a religious institution of the Lords day but it being grown into a disuse they labour Postliminio to renew it and call to remembrance the neglected or obscured use thereof and the dissolute manners of Christians in performing on that day the exercises of Religion have produced new Canons about observing this solemnity whenas yet the solemnity it self and the holy duties thereof were well enough known to the former Church and so the things which were neglected through the carelesness of the people were afterwards with great labour inculcated Another reason also is to be added for the ordaining new Canons about this Festival The Heathen Emperours being haters of the Christian name provided by their Laws that the Christians should not have liberty on the Lords day to keep their meetings Which the wicked Edict of Dioclesian touching this thing informs us of How therefore would they observe out of the writers of that age all the mysteries of godliness to be performed on that day whenas not without great peril of life they did celebrate the Lords dayes not on the day time but on the night yet all Authors of any note as I said do acknowledge that the day it self was to be celebrated from the beginning of the Church and if they had had liberty they had executed the same offices of Religion on that day by which it was celebrated in the succeeding Church And these are the things for whose cause the Fathers of the succeeding Church being moved have treated more at large concerning the Lords day duties than those of the foregoing There remains one other rock upon which lest any dash I judge them also to be advertised Many of the Canons upon whose authority a great sort of the duties of Religion on that day to be performed do lean were set forth by Councils which were Provincial perhaps therefore some will object that none but the Churches of those Provinces are obliged to keep those Canons But indeed since the Decrees of Provincial Councils serve for the profit of the whole and not of any particular Church onely why should they not be received of other Churches professing the same Faith with them although not by vertue of any Provincials authority but of Divine truth albeit determined in a particular Province And since the reason of a Provincial Synods determination is universal why should not Canons so determined even in that respect oblige other Churches although not to undergo the punishment For the imposing of the punishment is particular where the Law in respect of equity may be general And whenas we see the authorities of particular Fathers to be esteemed amongst all we should be too partial towards them if we should set at nought the Canons of Provincial Councils at which several Fathers and Bishops were present unless some body will think that a sentence approved by the judgments of many be of less weight and authority than when it 's pronounced by one single person apart Because Pauls Epistles were written to particular Churches they are not therefore rejected of others for that in Gods intention they pertain to the Churches of all ages and Nations nor do they less agree with their moral state and condition than with those for whom they were primarily designed Moreover if in any Province there be Churches rightly constituted and according to the rule of Gods Word doubtless they are to be honoured with the name and title of Churches and the right hands of Christian fellowship are to be given them neither is there extant at this day a Church which upon occasion does not freely use the authorities of some Provincial Councils in confirming the truth to which yet this is by none imputed as a fault and why may not its assertors sometimes have liberty to use the Provincial authorities of Canons for propagating the truth about the Lords day The Orthodox Fathers anciently when any question arose by which the peace of the Church was disturbed did advise and mutually help one another The French Bishops in the case of communion with Felix consulted the Bishops of Rome and Millain whose Letters were read in the Council of Tauritan as appeareth by the fifth Canon of that Council The Spanish Bishops in the case of the Priscillianists profess they will not communicate with the lapsed although reclaimed without the consent of the Roman Bishop and Simplicianus of Millain Liberius Bishop of Rome writes to Athanasius and begs it of him before God and Christ that if he be of his mind he would subscribe his Epistle A pud Athanas p. 397. That was indeed a sweet communication and modest prudence in the ancient Bishops that one act and one consent should be kept according to Gods Laws amongst them all And hence it was that they entirely studied to use one common counsel about the profit of Church-administration and did not reject with a supercilious disdain that which seemed best to be done to their fellow Bishops although distant from them in other Provinces but the association of Priests although large was so coupled together with the glew of mutual-concord and bond of unity that one falling into danger the rest helped him Whatever therefore was thought just by Pastors of other Churches especially those that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Petrus Alexandrinus sayes in Sozomen of the Roman Bishop although congregated in a Provincial Council or out of Council was by good desert not rejested of other Bishops of the same Faith but they helped one another by mutual counsels and labour Whence it follows that Canons ordained although in Provincial Councils about the Lords Festival are not to be rejected But I will stay no longer to take this remora out of the way One Objection remaineth which lest any thing be wanting to the knowledge of the truth must be prevented Some having no care of the Lords Festival do contend that the Fathers in those latter Councils do stick in small things and do mingle I know not what matters of little value with their Canons about observing the Lords solemnity for whose sakes they judge whole Canons to be nothing worth as in some Councils it 's
some do daily partake of the Lords blood and body on the Lords day which all the ancients do witness was done in the Church-assembly and others only on the Sabbath and Lords day and in other places only on the Lords day Hierom acknowledges the Christians did observe Quartam Sabbati Parasceven and the Lords day although he shews they differed from the Jews in the observation of those dayes The testimonies of the Fathers hitherto mentioned do shew that although the use of the Lords day grew every where yet the Church had in some places oftener in others more rarely their weekly meetings whereupon it seemed equal and just to some to ordain other dayes which the succeeding Church proclaimed for publick meetings to be equallized with the Lords day and that chiefly for three causes first the publick meetings of the Church were held on other dayes besides the Lords Secondly the Christians were bound to the same duties of Religion on other dayes appointed by the Church for meetings which were required by the Church on the Lords day Lastly some Feasts the Anniversary namely were more esteemed in the Church than the Lords and these things are confidently enough affirmed that they might shew if by any means they could that the original and obligation of the Lords day and other Festivals is the same both which they set forth to the world for humane but let them look to it to whom they affirm it lest they be twit with that of Ezek. 43. 8. But that the prerogatives of the Lords Day above others may more clearly appear let us by Gods help weigh of what value the reasons are with which they contend for other feasts to be equallized with the Lords day which that it may be done with plainness we will first clearly distinguish the Church-assemblies held on the Sabbath dayes from others which were held on the Lords day relying upon the gravest testimonies of the ancients then by Gods assistance we will shew the peculiar excellency of the Lords Day for the dignity whereof it is superiour to other dayes while others contend against it in vain First we affirm that excepting the Lords there was no other weekly we speak of stated and ordinary holy day with the whole Church next the Apostles We have heard in the first Chapter that the Christians met on the first day of the week and for the allegations in this chapter out of the Fathers and Historians for the observation of the Sabbath they cannot demonstrate that the Sabbath was observed by the Christian Church as an holy day which unless it be first explicated they that peruse the records of the Ancients will haply fall into a troublous matter After the Apostles death Socrates Sozomen Epiphanius Hieronymus Augustine and if there be any more say that the Church in the publick assembly did perform the duties of piety as the Sabbaths came about yet whoever shall say that the Sabbath was neither accounted holy nor equalled to the Lords day will do no wrong to the truth Who will say the Sabbath is holy when in the holy Records a tittle cannot be read of its institution or observation in the Christian Church as is of the Lords day but that the Lords day was instituted of the Apostles indued with extraordinary power and moved by the Holy Ghosts inspiration we will afterwards by the Grace of God inform you Yea let him tell who can that the Christians in the Apostles age met by themselves on Sabbath dayes which thing yet they did on the Lords dayes is apparent enough from the Scriptures but after the Apostles death I deny not that the Christians met together on Sabbath dayes although they accounted not the Sabbath holy and those assemblies were chiefly in use with the Oriental people according to some because the Jews dispersed in the Orient and accustomed to the Sabbatical solemnity could not easily be contented to be plucked from it although they observed the Lords Day which what is it else to do but brand them with Ebionism or as Baronius thinks because certain Hereticks reproached the Sabbath that the God of the Hebrews whom they called Evil rested on that day therefore they fasted on the Sabbath Contrariwise the Catholicks not Judaizing but that they might worship him as God the Father Creator of heaven and earth with a solemn celebrity said that in honour of him the Sabbath as well as the Lords day to the glory of Christ ought to be celebrated Thus they To whom Vedelius in his notes on Ignatius's tenth Epistle numb 6. doth answer Learnedly and Orthodoxly enough Or because the Sabbath hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a regard of creation as is defined in the Constitutions which they call the Apostles But how much these kind of conjectures are to be valued that are supported with no reasons of any authority or genuine testimonies of the Fathers let others judge It 's without controversie that the Oriental Christians and others did at that time hold assemblies on the Sabbath day although upon what reasons they were chiefly moved to this it is not well enough known by the Writers of that age Yet did they not hold the Sabbath day holy The difference of the Eastern from the Western Church in observing the Sabbath teacheth this while the Oriental people kept holy day on the Sabbath most in the West fasted I say the most of them because they of Millain though in the West and divers others of the West were not attentive to fast on Sabbath dayes but dined soberly Ambrose had a custome to dine on the Sabbath Witness Paulinus Ambrose confesseth this of himself in Augustine Augustine acknowledgeth he dined on the Sabbath without superstitious vacation Ep. 86. Yet the Roman Church and some others and at length every where even they of the East fasted on the Sabbath These things about those who fasted on the Sabbath do not declare that they acknowledged it for a Feast or holy day on which fasting was altogether to be forborn according to the custome of the Church Aug. Ep. 86. and other Authors being witnesses yet that the Lords day was accounted holy at that time is granted of all Moreover the Sabbath was not every where amongst the Christians observed with that solemnity of the Church as the Lords day For the meetings were not held in the same manner on Sabbaths as on the Lords dayes Some things touching both observed out of the Fathers will shew this 1. What things are reported of Historians and others about observing the Sabbath touching gathering assemblies were not used in every Church every where For in the Churches of Rome and Alexandria the manner of meeting on the Sabbath held not Witness Sozom. Hist l. 7. c. 19. and afterwards in other Churches it grew out of use Athanasius Hom. de semente glorieth that he never medled with the Sabbath after the Jews manner namely Tertul.
de Idol cap. 14. saith the Sabbaths are extraneous to Christians and that Holy dayes were sometime time beloved of God The Nazaraei observing the Sabbath are branded for Heresie by Epiphanius l. 1. num 30. and likewise the Ebionites If it had been the Christians duty to observe Sabbaths why had the Catholicks imputed its observation as a fault to the Hereticks which yet they have done more than once as sure as sure can be But Christians have celebrated their Lords day every where without brand of heresie or any other crime and therefore since the festivity of the Sabbath was not every where in use with the Christian Church nor doth any where occurr any Apostolical ordination for continuing it in the Church we do by good right affirm that Christians are not obliged to its celebration which to affirm of the Lords day that was observed in the Apostles age and ever after is an heirrous thing 2. When meetings were held on Sabbath dayes they met not weekly on all Sabbaths as they came about for on one Sabbath publick Conventions were to be omitted if we may believe the foresaid Constitutions so it 's ordained Constit Ap. lib. 5. cap. 19. and what that is they explain the Sabbath in the great week Constit Ap. c. 24. lib. 7. The Sabbath of the Lords burial on which it's fit we should fast but not celebrate a festival So also August to Casulanus Ep. 86. but for the omitting Church-assemblies on the Lords day as often as it came about and were safe for the Church for the Persecution of the Tyrants we read nothing was ever ordained of the ancients There is a sanction in the same Constitutions that the Lords day should be celebrated without intermission Lib. 7. cap. 31. 3. In populous Cities where without dammage to their Estates they could be present at reading of Scripture and their interpretation meetings were more frequently kept Therefore the Council of Laodicea decrees that the Gospels should be read on the Sabbath Can. 16. Ambrose treated of Prayer the same day de Sacram. lib. 4. c. 6. But all the exercises of piety were not every where performed in those assemblies that yet were not omitted on the Lords day Augustine saith in another place On the Lords day only the Communion of the Lords Body and Blood is used Socrates doth not record that they of Alexandria and Rome did celebrate those mysteries on the Sabbath While Chrysostom requireth it of the rich Lords of Villages that they build Churches in them Hom. 18. in Act. he distinguisheth those congregations that were on other days from those that were held upon the Lords day Upon those Congregations Prayers and hymns were had in these an oblation was made on every Lords day and for that cause the Lords day is in Chrysostom called dies panis i. the day of bread Athanasius purgeth himself of a calumny imputed to him for breaking the cup because it was not the time of administring the holy mysteries for it is not saith he the Lords day Whence it is evident that the Lords Supper was administred on the Lords dayes otherwise the argument wherewith Athanasius purgeth himself were of no weight Although therefore they met upon the Sabbath day yet did they not every where observe it equally to the Lords day on which they celebrated all the mysteries of Religion 4. The people were free to be present or absent from Sabbath-day meetings as they saw good that is they were not obliged by any necessity of law to meet on that day for the Sabbatarii contending for a necessary observation of the seventh day were of the whole Christian Church condemned of heresie in this behalf as I have briefly shewn before I confess Origen reproves his hearers which came seldom to hear the Word of God that scarce did come to the Church on Feast dayes Gregory Nyssen in that Oration which he made against those that would scarce endure reproofs nips the people that met not on the Sabbath With what eyes saith he lookest thou on the Lords Day that despisest the Sabbath Dost thou not know that these dayes are Sisters that if thou reproach the one thou offendest the other But he speaks of those who had oftener liberty to meet for hearing the Word which they regarded not to embrace out of a certain supine negligence or being puffed up with pride despised the Church-meetings on Sabbath-dayes Whether it was the sluggishness or arrogance of these men it was deservedly blameable whenas they might divers dayes meet at Church without dammage of their worldly affairs which yet to do they were not easily moved although the duties of their calling would bear it In the old Testament some hours in a week were consecrated to Gods Worship Numb 28. 3. but yet all the day long the whole people of Israel should not attend on the holy duties of piety this was only enjoyned to them that could commodiously do it So in the Churches planted by the Apostles they met on other dayes as often as they could besides the Lords dayes but on the Lords dayes appointed for this end they were bound to be present at the publick assemblies and their absence for a certain time from these on the Lords day was to be reprehended by the sentence of the first Concil Eliberitan Can. 21. And yet where are any Canons established for punishing their absence from Sabbathday-meetings Although the Fathers do often reprove those that come seldome on the Sabbath and other dayes to hear the Word 5. Although on the Sabbath dayes they might meet to hear the holy Oracles of God yet when that dayes meetings were ended they might not be idle but an Anathema is denounced to them that work not on that day Conc. Laodic Can. 29. Ignatius in an Epistle to the Magnesians exhorts them to spend the Sabbath in labours without rest and therefore the Sabbath had not its vacation from labours So Athan. de semente Ambros Ep. 72. which we never read was ordained of the Lords day on which it's a sin to give our selves to labour And let these things suffice for the Lords dayes prerogatives above the Sabbath by which we find that the Sabbath day was not kept holy of the Church i. e. the ancients did not separate it from common use and labour nor consecrate it wholly to God in an holy rest that on it the acts of Divine Worship and those things that pertain to a spiritual life should only be exercised neither were the conventions on that day to be compared with those held on the Lords day which things surely once to define had been much to our profit For the Institution of other dayes to hold meetings on it 's not needful to take much pains since we have nothing writ of it in the Word of God as of the Lords day and many things which were not instituted of the Apostles but first arose in
Festival namely Christ whom he tells us translated the Sabbath day into the Lords and then denies that the Church of her self or by her own authority did ordain that translation for saith he we set not light by the Sabbath of our selves Therefore Athanasius being Judge it appears that the Church doth not of her self but by the authority of Christ whereby the Lords day was ordained observe its solemnity and honour it as he else where speaketh And let it move no body that while he expresseth the honour wherewith the Church honoureth it he doth not speak in that manner of its institution as of the Sabbath of which when he speaks he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God hath commanded but when he mentions the Lords day he only saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we hnour the Lords day Nor doth he say that this honour is given of the Church to the Lords day by authority of any Divine precept Let this I say move no body as if Athanasius had acknowledged the institution of this solemnity to be received from the Churches ordination and not Christs for if this grave Prelate had so meant it he would have contradicted himself as appeareth out of the place forecited Homil de sement in which he plainly acknowledgeth not the Church but the Lord to be the author of the Lords day neither can any thing else be inferred from that later phrase which Athanasius useth When Subjects do openly profess that they with all honour do honour their own Kings and Magistrates shall not I therefore conclude that they are not obliged by Divine authority to this duty No verily but the Subjects perform this to their Princes with a most ready will because by Divine Law and authority they are bound to perform this duty So Christians honour the Lords day because the Divine institution of this Festival by Christ which Athanasius makes mention of in the same place requires this by right of them Chrysostom in the often fore-cited place acknowledges God to be the author of instituting one day in the week to be set apart for spiritual work When Eusebius gathers divers arguments to demonstrate the Divine power of Christ above all the Heroes of the Heathens amongst the rest he adds this Who saith he meaning what God of the Heathen or Heroes hath prescribed to all the inhabitants of the whole world whether they be on land or sea that meeting weekly on one day they should celebrate the Lords Festival and ordain that as they fed their bodies with food so they should refresh their Souls with divine instructions Therefore in Eusebius's judgment the solemnity of this day is ascribed to Christs institution And Leo acknowledges this solemnity to be received from the Holy Ghost and Apostles ordained by him Augustine confesses that the Lords day was consecrated by Christs Resurrection where he intimateth that the Church did not only take occasion from the Resurrection of Christ to celebrate this solemnity on that day but that the very Resurrection of Christ did administer it unto Christians and if the Resurrection of Christ hath consecrated the Lords day which he confesses as well in this place as elsewhere Serm. 15. de verbis Apostoli then Christ and no other is to be reputed for the author of its institution for his Resurrection hath consecrated that day and since that time he began to have his festival Moreover if Augustine had not believed that God was the author of this Festival by what right could he have derided Urbicus speaking after this manner as if there were one Lord of the Sabbath and another of the Lords day if he had not esteemed him for the author of the Lords day who was author of the Sabbath the contrary whereof he thought Urbicus judged Augustine would never have blamed him for that which yet the premises do testifie he did And he that shall look over that Epistle shall see that he in round words doth acknowledge that there is one Lord of the Sabbath and Lords day pag. 389. He adds It was made the Lords Day through Christ pag. 383. And while that Learned Father renders a reason why it is called the Lords day he assigns this because saith he the Lord made it And how since he is the author of all dayes yet may be said especially to make that we have before chap. 4. out of Augustin himself explained And after Augustin the Fathers in Concil Forojubensi have also explained this The Lord hath sanctified it by the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ What needs more It 's enough to point at briefly the Divine institution of this day and these things manifest enough do suffice in a matter smelling of Piety Therefore as Basil the Great sometime concluded his Sermon of the perpetual virginity of the blessed Virgin These reasons saith he we think are sufficient because Christian ears cannot endure the contrary so also we being content with these testimonies which although few in number are yet we trust of great authority with equal estimators of things we will add no more And though many badges of this day have thus far been observed as that Christ rose again on that day Luke 24. 6. on that oftener than once he appeared to his Disciples Joh. 20. 19 26. on that day the Apostles taught and administred the Sacraments Act. 20. 7. on that day John received a Divine Revelation Rev. 1. 10. I could also reckon up others mentioned by divers as on this day the world received its beginning on this by the Resurrection of Christ both death received its destruction and life its beginning on this the Apostles took up thetrumpet of the Gospel to preach to all nations on this lastly the Holy Ghost came down from the Lord on the Apostles More badges are also extant in Austin of the Lords Day Serm. 154. de Tempore And others relate that other Miracles were done on that day These are indeed great badges but because amongst certain some of these are reckoned for uncertain they are not proper enough in their judgment to demonstrate the truth only whereas at every perfect period of time the very Heathens do testifie that certain festival dayes were to be celebrated for some eminent benefits of God conserred upon us and when any thing eminent was ordained of God it was done in honour of this day the reason of whose observation arises not from the foresaid prerogatives but is founded in the authority of God the institutor I am more easily induced to believe with the ancients its solemnity was instituted of God Here I could out of the Fathers tell you the punishments of some that violated the solemnity of the Lords Day In Concil Parisiensi so we read Many of us by the sight of our own countrey men and many of us by the relation of others have been informed that certain men exercising on this day their
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
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
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
other interpreting of the law used under the former Temple besides that which the Prophets being extraordinarily called undertook Which opinion being once admitted it will not be easie to avoid the aforesaid incommodities as to any one it will appear by a more narrow search into them Unto whose conjecture we will with their good-leave oppose the authorities both of Jews and Christians in that particular being bottomed upon the Holy Scripture Flavius Josephus whom according to Cunaeus we are to believe next to the Pen-men of Holy Writ pleading the Cause of the Jews against Appion in his Apology which in the famous Cunaeus opinion is learned to a miracle in express words affirms that Moses would have us hear the Law not once or twice or oftner but he commands all men leaving their other works to meet together to hear the Law and perfectly to learn it c. Thus he And if this Ordinance of a weekly meeting to hear and learn the Law was in force in Moses age then was it long before the Babylonish Captivity While Philo Judaeus contends that the Playes and ridiculous spectacles of Fools and Dancers ought to be put away he saith that it was the manner to study Philosophy on Sabbath dayes the Prince going before and teaching what was needful to be done or spoken the rest giving ear Whereupon he also affirms that they now should play the Philosophers upon Sabbath dayes more patrio in their country manner and he acknowledgeth that Oratories in Cities were for Schools of Virtue More credit therefore is deservedly to be given to the Jewes relating their countrey customes than to other mens conjectures of them Among the Christians divers very learned men treating of the Hebrews Common-wealth have taught the same Amongst whom Carolus Sigonius de Rep. Hebraeorum l. 5. c. 10. and Cornelius Bertramus p. 96. The famous Cunaeus to whom the Christian Church is much beholden for his labours in explaining the antiquities of the Hebrews saith that the right observation of Sabbaths consisted in the holiness of all their words and deeds and in Divine worship and Prayers All which doth plainly evidence that they used to read the Law and interpret it to the peoples capacity on the Sabbath dayes otherwise neither their words nor deeds had been noted for holiness or how else could the minds of the Jews have been furnished piously to conceive Prayers on Sabbath dayes without the explaining of the Scripture Yea the Learned Cunaeus confesses that the Levites in the Synagogues did deliver to the people in the Towns of Judaea the chief knowledge of all Laws both of Humane and Divine things and when could the Levites do this with greater profit than on the Sabbath dayes In a word although we deny that at that time the Talmudical interpretation of Scripture was grown in use which we confess the ancient Church of the Jews knew nothing of yet we cannot affirm this of the vocal interpretation of the Scriptures by the Levites But to return to our purpose We find that under the Old Testament the Scriptures were read and opened in the Jews assemblie even the Holy Ghost being witness although some doubt of the period of time at which their interpretation on Sabbath dayes began As for the Churches in the New Testament planted by the Apostles they could not so long as their Peace was disturbed with a storm of Persecutions meet together without very great difficulty for which cause as we said Chap. 1. they had their meetings sometime on the night and sometimes on the day neither again was it safe for them to hold a meeting all the day For which cause Tertullian judges that it was best for Christians if the Lords dayes solemnities could not be celebrated on the day time for persecutions whereof he speaks then ought they to keep them on the night if not with every one of them yet at least with three These things teach us that the Church was not permitted in that age with safety and as often as they list to meet together on the day time to perform the exercises of piety He therefore that requires of us some one example for expounding Scripture twice while the fire of Persecution raged with which that age abounded I desire him to tell me whether the Christians did during that Persecution twice every Lords day keep their meetings For if it were safe for them to meet why may they not as well be believed to meâ—t for interpreting of Scripture and Prayer to God since these duties are joyned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. and observed by Cyprian as he faithfully expounded the Scriptures Especially when it was the custom of the Church so often as Scripture was read to interpret the same This we have largely enough shewn out of Justin Origen Tertullian Ambrose Augustine and other Fathers of great authority chap. 4. Since therefore in the Jewish Apostolical and other Churches succeeding the Apostles there followed after the reading of the Scriptures an exposition of them it seems necessarily to follow that if they had liberty to meet on Lords dayes then they used to treat twice out of Scripture of which there is frequent mention in their assemblies And it 's certainly evident from the continual practiâ—â— of the Church that from the very Apostles times prayers and reading were reckoned both together which were celebrated both morning and evening No man therefore can judge it unreasonable to say that there followed an interpretation of those things which were read because reading was used to instruct the people But how could the people be instructed in the Scripture read without an interpretation The Eunucâ— answered Acts 8. 31. that he could not understand what he read except some one should guide him Yea they were wont to Treat out of the Reading or Lesson as was formerly said The calamitous condition also of those times wherein so many cruel persecutions were stirred up required the same Daily exhortations were very needful to the Christians for to bear the Cross of the Gospel patiently Neither must we think that these skilful Pastours who were set over the Church by the Apostles and Apostolical men did not endeavour as often as they could to instruct the People committed to them in the matters of Faith St. Cyprian Ep. 40. professes that he was sore troubled when he could not go to and exhort every one as the Lords and his Gospel Ministry required while he was in his banishment If it were a grief to this vigilant Bishop that because being hindred by his exile he could not provoke all who were commended to his inspection and care by his holy Exhortations to piety and patience certainly when he was with his people if he took care that by a Reader the bare reading of the Gospel was recited to them although he stirred not them up by his Exhortations to practise what they had heard read he would never in very deed have thought
of mind that the State of his Kingdom waxed worse and that he fought with unhappy success against the Goths the source of so great an evil being a little more deeply sought out he reproved the Bishops which sed not with Gospel Doctrines the people committed to them who by their profligate manners stirred up the wrath of a revenging God against him to prevent which evil for the future it was ordained in a Council That the Lords day should be kept religiously The pattern of this most Christian King while the victory in this our age inclineth to the enemies perswades us devoutly to keep the L. day solemnity for which we have â—ought unsuccessfully almost these twenty years against the enemies of our liberty that have roared in the Churches of God to our great sorrow When we count the causes of this will why should we not apply our minds with Gunther amnus to bewail the heynous violation of the Lords day and with the ancient Fathers who observed that the Lords day was not reverently kept ordained That first of all the Priests then Kings and Princes and all the Faithfull should chiefly see to it that the due observation and Religious Devotion of so great a Day now in so great a part neglected be hereafter for a sign of Christianity more devoutly exhibited and that the Christian Magistrates excellency be humbly desired of the Priests that in honour and reverence of so great a Day all may be put in fear that men presume not to keep markets do their own pleasure and works on this Holy and Venerable Day For when this solemnity is either taken away or neglected there is no more hopes of the other parts of Religion than there is of the bodies safety when the head is cut off Neither can there be used a more excellent remedy for curing the other malady than the holy observation of this Festival for the zeal of Religion waxing cold and purity of holy Doctrine being obscured what will be more fit to heal errours and stirr up the languishing strength of zeal than that an entire Worship be offered up both publickly and privately to God on this day while the holy Word of God is piously preached attentively heard the Sacred Mysteries devoutly and according to Christs institution celebrated Prayers poured into the hearts of the Faithful by the Holy Ghost are with all humility offered up to God Sacred Hymns sound in the Church with a godly joy the afflicted members of Christ and the poor provided for bountifully by the rich and those that are sound in mind do mercifully comfort them that are sorrowful These are those exercises of the Lords Day which will uphold Religion when it is falling which if they be religiously observed of the Church every one seeth how great an access will be made from thence to the Christian Religion which we all profess And these are the things Most Holy Church of Christ which in this elaborate Treatise I do not utter foolishly of my self but humbly offer all things to Thee as they are taken out of the Holy Scriptures where they afforded me any light in discussing of this dispute and the lights of purer Christianity not because as sometime Chrysostome Homil. post prioris exilii reditum Thou stand'st in need of my Doctrine which indeed I acknowledge to be but small but that I might testifie my good will to thee and that at length thy natural Sons to whom Religion is both their care and their pleasure may in some sort see what works they are to attend on that Day and from what to abstain and with what authority the institution of this solemnity is supported With Gods assistance I will briefly shew from the Holy Scriptures and Fathers of better credit asserting all these things Thou hast therefore most Beloved Mother the purpose of my mind in sending forth this little work Do thou then of thy humanity to thy friends pardon the mistakes how great soever they be in collecting these things and take in good part the slenderness of my wit which endeavoured according to its power to benefit chiefly thy natural sons that sojourn in Germany which I love upon many accounts This doth he humbly ask of thee Who loves Thee and Thine with a sincere Love in Christ Theophilus Philo-kuriaces Loncardiensis AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS BOOK 1. THe Preface in which first is propounded the Scope of this Treatise Secondly is shewn why we meet with more things about the duties of the Lords Day in the later than in the former Councils Thirdly how far the Church at this day may be obliged by the authorities of Provincial Councils that ordain these duties although some things of lesser value be put among their Canons Fol. 1. Chapter 1. That to the solemn Worship of God a determined time is necessary Concerning the Assemblies of the Apostles and how they were present in the Jewish Synagogues on the Sabbath day 1. Chap. 2. The ordinary time observed for celebrating the publick worship of God after Christs death was the Lords day solemnly used by the Christian Church in the very Apostles age Three Texts of the New Testament namely Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. and Rev. 1 10. are briefly weighed 14. Chap. 3. After the Apostles death the Church met upon other dayes than the Lords The antient Christians observed the Sabbath not as an holy day the differences between the observation of the Lords day and Sabbath How Constantine the Great ordained the Parasceve to be observed Anniversary Festivals were not celebrated with that solemnity as the Lords Day Anniversary Festivals not to be preferred to the Lords days anciently they bowed not the knee on the Lords Day 30. Chap. 4. The chief of the Fathers make mention of the Lords day solemnity the authority whereof depends not upon the Emperours Constitutions When it was first ordained that Judges should cease from hearing Law-suits on the Lords day the Christians were punished for observing it VVhat it is Dominicum agere 52. Chap. 5. The reason of observing the Lords Day It 's called the first day of the week by the Evangelists and Fathers and the Lords day Sunday also and why the Sabbath and Christian Sabbath VVhy the Fathers used so seldome the name Sabbath VVhat Synaxis may signifie with the Ancients 66. Chap. 6. The whole Lords Day is to be sanctified to God and not onely some part thereof 77. Chap. 7. The ordinance of the Lords day is not properly to be reckoned amongst unwritten Traditions It was instituted of Christ by the Apostles The Apostles prerogatives above other Ministers of the Church the things ordained by the Apostles are of Divine right 90. Chap. 8. In the compass of a week one day was sanctified from the beginning of the world This is affirmed by Jews and Christians How Adam had need of the Sabbath Mention of a seventh day observed amongst the Heathen The authorities are weighed wherein the observation
of the Sabbath among the Patriarchs is denied VVhy the Heathens are not upbraided with the profanation of the Sabbath 107. Chap. 9. One day in the week is even under the Gospel to be sanctified The morality of the Fourth Command which is perpetual requires this Christ hath not abolished the Law How the Sabbath is said to be a sign between God and the Church 134. Chap. 10. A day in every week is to be sanctified under the Gospel which is not the seventh but first The cessation of the Jewish Sabbath Col. 2. 16. and Gal. 4. 10. are considered The places on which the observation of the Lords Day in the New Testament is bottomed The Fathers acknowledge its Divine authority The Church cannot change that day and substitute another in its room 145. Chap. 11. VVherein the sanctification of the Lords day consisteth where something is said about resting from gainful labours which the Fathers carefully cautioned against that they should not be used on that day A place of Chrysostom Gregory M. and of the Coun. of Laodicea is explained And a Canon of the second Coâ—nâ— of Matiscon 178. Chap. 12. How far forth on the Lords Day we may attend labours namely of necessity and piety Countrey men are bound to sanctifie the Lords day The indulgence granted to Countrey men by Constantine the Great is examined and revoked The fact of Paula and the practice of the Coenobiteâ— or Monasticks in Hierom is weighed The sense also of a Canon of the Council of Orleans Manumissions and certain transactions on the Lords day 197. Chap. 13. The Lords day not to be profaned by surfeting Servants not to be called off from sanctifying the Lords day We are not to fast on the Lords day Whether St. Ambrose was wont to feast on the Lords Day 218. Chap. 14. Sports are not at all to be held on the Lords day by the judgment of divers Fathers and Emperours Four kinds of showes condemned by the Fathers and not to be acted on the Lords day and not onely while the sacred meetings are kept 2â—9 BOOK II. Chap. 1. THe Lords Dayes solemnities were both publick and private publick assemblies of the Church on the Lords Day the mention whereof we meet with more frequently in the succeeding than the former Church Night meetings and why abolished at this day Meetings before day and on the day in the morning and in the evening 249. Chap. 2. What was done in the publick meetings of the Church Reading of the Scriptures What Scriptures were read Humane writings were also read in the Church The order in reading of Scriptures The Readers of Scripture stood in the sight of the whole people 262. Chap. 3. Explaining of Scripture on Lords Dayes which was called Treating Whose office it was to do this Who the Clerici were among the ancients Bishops q. Watchers Overseers and Superintendents The Bishops interpreted the Scriptures Presbyters Deacons sometimes Catechists and sometimes also private men did the same 274. Chap. 4. Converning the manner of expounding Scriptures in use with the ancients Treating begunwith Prayer The text of the Treating The Scriptures that were read applyed to the peoples use The Treaters did sometime stand and sometimes sit After Treating followed Prayer when that was ended a Psalm was sung to God 285. Chap. 5. Whether the bare reading of Scripture in the Church assembly be properly preaching and how the reading of the Scripture may be called preaching 295. Chap. 6. The time assigned to the Treatises of the ancients namely how long they lasted Their Treatises were not long ordinarily about an hour but they were not tied to an hour None were to go forth before the end of the Treatise 301. Chap. 7. The ancients treated every day out of the Scriptures Neither did they prohibit others who taught diligently from that their diligence in teaching 307. Chap. 8. They were wont on the Lords dayes to Treat out of the Scriptures 312. Chap. 9. Both in the Old and New Testament in celebrating the Sabbaths solemnity after reading of the Scriptures followed their interpretation It 's considered whether amongst the Jews before the Babylonish captivity the interpreting of the Law was used on their Sabbath dayes 318. Chap. 10. The Church used Prayers on the Lords Day Conventicles for Churches Prayers onely to God the Praefectus began them He prepares the people to pour them out The Sursum corda in Prayer the voice of all that worshipped was one They prayed as the Holy Ghost suggested to them How this custome for what the Church prayed The posture of the body in prayer 335. Chap. 11. Concerning Psalms and Hymns that were sung on the Lords Day The use of Hymns was but of late time in the Western Churches although Baronius think otherwise Whence the matter of Hymns was taken 353. Chap. 12. The manner of singing in the Church was modest and sober the incommodities of a sweeter voice in singing The commodity of a well moderated singing Antiphones Organs How none were to sing in the Church but those that were chosen for that purpose Broken Musick disallowed A censure of that Musick which is in use with the Papists 359. Chap. 13. Administration of the Sacraments on the Lords Day 373. Chap. 14. Who was to be present at all the offices of the Liturgy and who not The Catechumeni Audientes Competentes Poenitentes and their sundry degrees namely some Lugentes others Audientes others Substrati others Consistentes others Sacramentorum participantes At what offices these were to be present and what not 375. Chap. 15. Of places in which the Churches publick assemblies were held 390. Chap. 16. Private Duties of Religion to be performed on the Lords Day Examining of what they heard Conferring on the same Meditating of the life to come Amesigâ—thâ—â—ed for the poors use 〈◊〉 Chap. 17. The Conclusion 407. A Table of the Fathers and other Writers out of whom this Narration is transcribed together with the places where and times when they were set forth Since nothing can with that faithfulness be brought to light out of the pleasant Gardens of the Ancients against which malevolous detractors do not whet their spiteful tongues therefore knowing the temper of such men I thought it would be for the Readers profit in the very entrance of the Treatise to make mention of the Places and times of the Editions of the Grave Fathers and others whose Testimonies are here alledged to the end that both the Detractors may be prevented and also if the Reader who thirsted after Truth should any where stick doubting he might the more easily make recourse to the Authors cited and consult their meaning and so all occasion of doubting being cut off he might at length willingly embrace the Truth set before his eyes A AGrippa de vanitate scientiarum Colinae Agrippinâ— 1598. Ambrosius excusus Basileae 1567. Amesii Medulla Amsterodami 1627. Antonius de Dominis de Repub. Christiana part 2. Londini 1620. Arnobius contra
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
called did occurr therefore since he tarried there but only for one Sabbath it cannot be said he preached to them on one of the Sabbath◠neither is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as divers observe ever read in the New Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It follows therefore from thence necessarily that Sabbatum should be taken for the whole week and then on one or the first of the Sabbaths will be all one In which sense that phrase occurrs else where as in Mar. 16. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. very early in the morning the first day of the week as in the ninth verse of the same chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there the Evangelist expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. one by the first And so the Greek Fathers next the Apostles times interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Martyr Dial. cum Tryph. sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. One of the Sabbaths remaining the first of all the dayes according to number the spaces of all the dayes being run again into a circle is called the eighth and remaineth the first as it is p. 201. Chrysoft Hom. 43. in Act. Apostol expounds one of the Sabbaths by the Lords Day So Hieronymus Nor otherwise Augustine Ep. 86. One of the Sabbaths sayes he was then called that day which now is called the Lords which is more plainly found in the Gospel Some also by breaking of bread understand a private banquet not the Lords Supper of which doubt this seems to be the cause In that age the Christians meeting in the Church did sup together and also received the H. Eucharist and so both tables the common and sacred were joyned together as Chrysostom teaches Hom. 26. in 1 Cor. Upon set dayes they made common tables and when the assembly was ended after communion of the Sacraments they went to eat and drink together And hence it was as Chrysostom thinks that they Acts 20. 7. met to break common bread because when the communion was celebrated the common table followed and Chrysostom affirms in the beginning of that Hom. that the day on which they met was the Lords and that all things that there were done were joyned to preaching But the breaking of bread in the foresaid place is to be expounded of the Holy Eucharist for there were sundry there and Paul took bread not at Supper time but mid-night In that Text therefore the duties of a Christian Sabbath such are an holy assembly breaking of bread or admistration of the Lords Supper preaching of the Word devout Prayers c. are read to be performed of the Church on that day which holy duties were not performed of them on another day otherwise Paul having stayed there the space of seven dayes could not have deserred them to this day especially when he was to depart the day following neither doth Luke affirm the Apostle to have proclaimed this meeting of the Church as extraordinary because he was to depart the day after but he teacheth that the Church met namely as it was wont to break bread and not to take leave of the Apostle and St. Augustine consesses that Pauls departure was the express cause of continuing his speech because he desired sufficiently to instruct them The received custome therefore of the Church and not the blessed Apostles departure from Troas gave occasion to this assembly For he stayed there seven dayes not so much for the Eucharist as waiting for the Lords Day Whence it appears that that Text shews that the Apostolical Church kept solemnly the Lords Day in the publick exercises of Religion But upon what authority the Christians met on that day we will afterwards examine here it 's enough for me only to demonstrate that they did meet on that day The second Text out of which the celebration of the Lords Day is shown is 1 Cor. 16. 1. 2. Now concerning the collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. upon the first day of the week c. The former place taught us that the Apostle Paul did celebrate the Lords Day with the Church this that he commands it to be celebrated by the Church And his practise is not here only recorded but here is mention made of his Apostolical ordination about that thing Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be taken distributively for upon the first day of every week In which Apostolical command nothing is commanded the Church of Corinth which is not also required of the whole Church of Christ according to the golden rule of Tertullian very profitable for understanding of the Scripture Some things saith he uttered specially are to be understood generally which rule cannot but have place in this Text because what things the Apostle writ to the Church of Corinth the same belong to all that call upon the name of Christ in every place he himself being witness 1 Cor. 1. 2. Moreover who will deny that all who have given their name to Christ are bound to relieve their necessities For you must not think sayes Chrysostom that these things were written to the Corinthians alone but to every one of us and all that shall be after us Let us do therefore as Paul prescribes us and let every one of us lay by him at home on the Lords Day the Lords riches i. to be employed for such use as the Lord hath prescribed and hereupon let it become a low and immutable custome c. Therefore in Chrysostoms judgment the Apostle applies the manner of the Church in collecting almes on the Lords Dayes for the benefit of afflicted brethren which were then at Hierusalem which office of Christian Charity although no brethren liv'd in that place ought not to be omitted of Christians but in Chrysostoms opinion is to be established by an inviolable law for ever as it was done even as it appears by Justin Martyr and Tertullians Apologies in the succeeding Church I only add this Although a general law for making collections on that day to the use of the poor be set down by the Apostle yet they that at this day do it at other times must not be judged transgressors of the Apostles law That kind of collection was not so affixed to the Lords Day as it could not be done on other dayes although a peculiar reason was in it why they did rather on that than another day namely for the Church-assemblies held at that time and no time as Chrysostom witnesseth which we shall see afterwards is more fit to perform that office on than the Lords Day Others again set to another Engine by which they oppose the usual interpretation of the Apostles foresaid phrase and contend that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie every day of the week singulam Sabbatum This they assert not because it 's the probable construction of the Apostles words but that they might
no punishments be deterred from celebrating the same but when they were by the Heathens carried to punishment they demanded of the Christians whether they had kept the Lords day as we may see in the Acts of the Martyrs by Baronius As sometimes the bloudy Papists when other arguments failed wherewith they might stop the Protestants mouths who with singular dexterity and great acuteness of wit being happily illuminated with a notable light of the Scripture did refute their dotages at length setting upon them with this Question would fish out what their opinion was of the Sacrament of the Altar as they speak incongruously whereupon then as they desired they might have a pretence to pronounce them guilty of death according to the cruel laws enacted by them so the Heathens asked of the Christians whether they had been at their Collect and kept the Lords day and when they confessed they had been at the Collect and celebrated the Lords day with a congruous devotion of Religion as St. Dativus then had they whereupon to threaten the sentence of cruel death against them inasmuch as having done against the Emperours command Yet the Martyrs answered to this Question with an unanimous consent that they could not intermit the Lords day because they were Christians and the Law namely of God as the Martyrs themselves expound it num 51. not of the Church as is noted by Baronius in the margin num 48. had warned them to keep it So the Martyrs But it will be for the Readers profit here more throughly to weigh what it is Dominicum agere or celebrare especially for the sake of Baronius's candor in rehearsing the Acts of these Martyrs he contendeth that by Collecta Collectio and Dominicus in the Acts of the Martyrs must alwayes be understood the sacrifice of the Mass but whoever shall look more narrowly into their acts will easily perceive that Baronius's Gloss deceives the Reader Dominicum agere and Dominicum celebrare in the acts of the Martyrs are both one and this is that I may use Hieroms words the same as if they should say they celebrate the Lords day having received the Lords body or according to Tertullian it is to celebrate the Lords solemnities which by the succeeding Church were called Solemnities appointed by God So in Concil Tarraconensi Can. 4. And those were celebrated of the Church being gathered together Tertullian witnessing it in the place fore-cited and were all the exercises of Religion which Baronius foolishly following the use of his age comprehendeth under the name of the Mass altogether unknown to the Church of that age dedicated to Divine Worship and performed on the Lords day in whose number the administration of the Lords Supper is reckoned which in those first times was oftentimes celebrated every Lords day but never without other publick duties of Christian Religion of which solemnities more hereafter by the Grace of God when we treat of the Sanctification of this day Let this for the present suffice the Reader that the Martyrs being asked by the Proconsul de Dominico answer se Dominicum egisse and we meet with Dominicum in the African Writers for the Lords day Cyprian Ep. 33. saith of Aurelius an ordained Reader Dominico legit where without doubt he meaneth the Lords day It is sometimes put for the place that 's set aside for the Church to meet in comest thou in Dominicum without a sacrifice saith Cyprian de opere eleemosynis Sometimes also for the Symboles of the Lords Supper Numquid saith Cyprian Dominicum post coenam celebrare debemus In the foresaid Acts of the Martyrs the word Dominicum is taken in all its significations whenas therefore they answer se Collectam Dominicam egisse what can it be else but as they add that se ad Scripturas Dominicas legendas in Dominicum i. e. there was a publick meeting for the Church although for the Persecution they met in private houses because as they answer they were all present aderat prebyter convenisse or ex more Dominica Sacramenta celebrasse Num. 36. that is all the Mysteries of Christian Religion at that time prohibited of the Heathen Emperours were faithfully performed on the Lords Dayes in the assemblies of the Christians For when any thing is opposed to a negative command we must consider it from the nature of the thing forbidden therefore the genuine sense of this phrase Dominicum agere Dominicum celebrare in Dominicum convenire c. in the Acts of the Martyrs cannot better be demonstrated than from the very words of the Emperours edict in which charge is given for burning the Scriptures destroying the Temples and prohibiting the Christians meetings which they celebrated on the Lords day Saturninus because he gathered together the Martyrs against the Emperours Mandates was brought to punishment When therefore the Proconsul demands of them Why Dominicum egissent c it is the same as if he should ask Why they kept their meetings as the Proconsul himself expresseth it or Dominicam Collectam egissent in which the duties of piety were observed And when were such sort of meetings kept but at that time whereon the congregations of the common people were made as Austin of the same Martyrs in breviculo Collationis tert diei cap. 4. that is but upon the Lords dayes according to the command of Christ and the custome of the Church founded upon this command and in those meetings of the Martyrs they did perform all the rites and offices of their Religion entirely for which cause as I said they were aceused namely because Collectam Dominciam celebrarunt i. e. they met or synaxes egerunt in the Lords name to celebrate the Lord on the Lords day Dominicum i. e. the offices of the Christian Liturgy which were prohibited by the Imperial edict under the name of a meeting as they expound it afterâ—â—â—d cum fratribus celebrarunt namely ad Scripturas Dominicas legendas in Dominicum convenerunt Dominica Sacramenta ex more celebranda idque ex authoritate legis Dei These are the excellent offices of Piety which were performed of them with the greatest devotion 〈…〉 Religion although they were interdicted by the Emperour for whose sake as I said they were complained of by the Proconsul From which things it 's plain to any that Dominicum agere or celebrare is the same amongst the Martyrs that Dominica solemnia celebrare was to their Countrey-man Tertullian whose Phrase doth in a Parallel answer to this of the Martyrs or to perform solemnities for the honour of God on the Lords day By what hath been said it is also manifest that the authority of the Lords Day was great in the Church because the Christians would not intermit the celebrating of it according to the law prescribed them by God although they were straitly forbidden of the Emperours upon great danger of life
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
and Presbyters of Gaesaria Cappadocia and in Cyprus did interpret the Holy Scriptures on the Lords day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes about evening Neither can it be thought inconvenient Chrysostom being judge if the Church hold an assembly in the afternoon yea he being witness then especially should we meet and then our bodily food being received a spiritual banquet ought to be set before us lest after satiety of bodily food the soul beginning to be drowsie it feel some hurt thereby So Chrys in the end of the 10 Hom. in Gen. He doth the same in the 9th Hom. ad Populum Antiochen And elsewhere he commends those that when they have dined come to Church Hom. 10. ad pop Antioch Lastly he doth often reprove those that are absent from afternoon meetings Hom. 10. in Gen. Many of the ancients do bear witness to afternoon meetings which when we speak of the time assigned to the Treating of the Scriptures shall God willing be made manifest For the present it is enough to advertise the Reader that those if there be any such do deceive both themselves and others who do deny that there were held any meetings in the evening of the Church before the Council of Arragon that is in the year of Christ 370. The Constitutions of Clement which are held ancient by all do make mention of them Cyprian as we have seen took it heavily that morning Suppers were despised of some delicate persons that would not smell the savour of Wine but not evening Suppers they saith he offered in the morning water only yet when they came to Supper they offered a mix'd cup whereupon the learned Goulartius judiciously acknowledgeth that Pamelius doth confess that some in Cyprians age were wont to offer twice a day although â—amelius doth corruptly referr this to private Masses in use amongst the Papists In the Council of Laodicea which was held before the first Council of Nice there is mention made as well of the evening as morning Liturgy the Fathers speak of the publick service in the Church-meeting Hilary acknowledges for a great sign of mercy the pleasures while the day begins in Prayers to God and ends in his Praises of Matins and Evening-service in the Church Divers Treatises also of the Fathers in the afternoon which we shall afterwards mention will teach us that the Church met in the Evening But the primitive Christians as we said met oftener on the night time in that age which abounded with Persecutions and being hindred by the wicked devises of the adversaries could seldome keep a meeting on the day time as Basil Ep. 63. Tertull. de Fuga ult cap. teach us Thence therefore I think it came to pass that we meet with seldome mention of a two-fold meeting amongst the Christians of the former Church And these things do testifie that the Church of Christ kept publick meetings to those that shut not their eyes against the truth But since sundry in our age do so easily bite with the tooth of detraction that scarce any thing can be written though never so elaborate and studiously composed which at first by the envy of malevolent persons may not be depraved and at last contemned therefore I onely add this lest perhaps some might object that those things which I have observed concerning assemblies are to be applied not only to meetings kept on Sabbath dayes of which I shall speak hereafter but also to those which were kept on other dayes besides the Lords dayes which I deny not I at least wise affirm this if they had it in their mind to meet on other dayes after noon for Religions sake much more are they to be thought to have done it on the Lords day which was set apart for this end And divers forecited testimonies do make mention of meetings being held on that day Lastly what is said to be done in the meetings which were kept on other dayes we read that the same was done in the Lords Dayes meetings although all things which were done every where in these were not done in those meetings as hath been observed in the first Book and third Chapter CHAP. II. What was done in the publick Church-meetings Reading of Scriptures What Scriptures were went to be read Humane writings were read in the Church-assembly The order of reading the Scriptures The readers of the Scriptures were ordinarily Deacons Who they were that were anciently called Audientes The readers of the Scriptures stood in the sight of the whole people HAving observed the publick meetings of the Church let us in the second place see what was done in them In them the Church was only intent upon the exercises of piety divers whereof are â—ound in Tertull. lib. de anima cap. 9. Justin Martyr and others Chrysostom saith there was in those holy meetings a convention of the Brethren holy Doctrine Prayers an hearing of the Divine Law or a Communication with God and discourse with men Hesychius saith There was devout Prayer devout reading of Gods Word and hearing of the interpretation All things that I may speak briefly were devout which are said or done in the Churches of God according to his Law And all these things may be referred to the Ministry of the Word publick invocation of Gods name and administration of the Sacraments So it is evident to us out of the Holy Scripture and more pure Christianity in what things the offices of almost all the worship of God were performed These are reckoned up Act. 2. 40. although the order in which they were performed be not declared St. Paul being brought to Troas some peculiar things fell out in the description whereof St. Luke is very diligently conversant and above all amongst the rest an example of a Church-meeting with all its circumstances is recorded Act. 20. In which convention Paul first preached which exercise he continued till mid-night and when that was ended then the Lords Supper was performed And we must suppose that the Apostles never preached the Word or administred the Sacraments without solemn invocation of God When the Apostles were dead these same things were observed by the following Church on the Lords day which by and by I will in brief shew Therefore not without reason have I concluded the publick offices of piety on that day to be performed under these three In describing whereof first that Divine office of piety doth occurr The Ministry of the Word a word familiar enough to our age without which the things of Religion cannot happily be dispatched Neither were other duties which tended to piety done without it in the ancient Church Therefore in delineating the publick offices of piety we will first speak of it Now under the Ministry of the Word to be had on the Lords Day are understood both the reading of the Word and the explaining thereof First as often as the Church was gathered together the Holy Scriptures were read In describing of
Apost l. 2. c. 39. and the doctrines that were raised out of the Scriptures yet were they judged unworthy to be present at the Prayers of the Church Baron ubi prius So Zonaras in Can. 11. Conc. Nic. The third degree of these was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Prostrate when they that had repented stood within the compass of the Church behind the Pulpit separate from the place of the Faithful yet within their â—ight where they were present at none of the holy offices save the reading of the Holy Scripture expounding of the Gospel and prayer that was rehearsed for them and the perfect Catechumeni that is the Competentes and a little while after the going out of the Catechumeni having made Prayers for them they went out Can. 19. Conc. Laodic Baron ibid. Zonar in Can. 4. 5. Conc. Anoyrani Here the Penitents stood sorrowful and being not yet made partakers of the Eucharist since the commission of their sin for which they were bound of the Church with spiritual bonds they threw themselves down on the earth with weeping and lamentation and for this prostration the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was assigned to this degree Then on the other side the Bishop running to him lamenting falls likewise upon the ground with pitiful lamentation and last of all the whole multitude of the Church falls a weeping too After this the Bishop rises â—â— first and raises them that were fallen down and having for a convenient time prayed for sinners that repented he dismisses them Thus Sozomen de Ecclesiae Romanae consuetudine lib. 7. cap. 16. where it's manifest he speaks of the Penitents called â—ubstrati The form of prayer used for them after the Deacon had admonished the Church to pray for them by the Bishop is extant Constit Apost l. 8. c. 8 9. which being ended they went out of the Church-assembly The fourth degree was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they that had repented were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they stood with the Faithful and went not out with the Catechumeni or the Penitents called Substrati Baron ibid. These were with the Faithful present at Prayers but were not admitted to the Holy Eucharist Conc. 1. Nic. Can. 11. they are said to partake of Prayers with the people but without oblation So Can. 12. ibid. Zonaras in Can. 4. 5. Concil Ancyr for which cause St. Ambrose said he could not offer if Theodosius would stand by Ambr. Ep. 28. The last degree of Penitents was of them who having fulfilled the time of repentance prescribed them by the Church were by her perfectly received and after the aforesaid offices of the Liturgy at which the Subsistentes were present they were admitted also to participate of the Lords Body and Bloud with the body of the Faithful Of which Zonaras Can. 4. 8. Concil Ancyran There are some that distinguish not the fourth degree of Penitents from the fifth But the Subsistentes are distinguished from these Can. 11. 1. Conc. Nic. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— they were partakers of Prayer with the people without offering And so those that were placed in the last degree were superiour to those Penitents of the fourth degree because they were admitted together with the Faithful to partake of the mysteries Yet that I may ingeniously confess the truth the finishing of the repentance rather than the degree of Penitents is in this to be attended Now he that will apply his mind to weigh the aforesaid records of antiquity more narrowly shall easily observe who were to be present at all the exercises of Religion and who were excluded from the same or some of them by the custom of the Church while in the mean time the assembly of the Faithful after they were gathered into one performed all the aforesaid offices piously and with great devotion of mind But to speak of these a little in transitu is enough CHAP. XV. Of places in which the Churches publick assemblies were held WE have observed that meetings were gathered by the Church to perform the duties of Religion and we have seen what was done in them In the third place something remains to be added of the places in which these meetings were kept For a place is required where the people of God being gathered together may exercise themselves in the things that pertain to his publick worship And that some places designed to Divine Worship are necessary I trust no body will doubt for without them the publick assemblies of the Faithful the use of which is formerly shewn to worship God could not without inconvenience be held Therefore this place requireth that something be added of their names situation and use and other circumstances that declare these places But I will spare the labour of putting these things in writing lest I gaggling like a Goose amongst the Swans seem to stammer upon a subject which hath been happily treated on by other judicious men Others have managed the charge of describing this argument with great commendation Especially the Learned Hospinian a man of profound Learning and various Reading in his learned Treatise De Templis In which is described what is necessary to be known of places that are destined to the publick meetings of the Church which to me at this time is enough to point at And thus much for the publick exercises of Religion that were observed by the Church on the Lords Day CHAP. XVI Private Duties of Religion to be performed on the Lords Day Where first is considered the examination of what was heard Conferring upon the same Meditation of the life to come and gathering of Almes for the use of the poor THus far of the Sacred Exercises of Religion wherein the observation of this day was solemnized which were performed in the publick assemblies of the Church now follow the private Those were observed of sundry members of the Church being assembled together but these were devoutly performed by them when they were dismissed from the publick assembly For although they met publickly lest the disorderly meeting of the people should diminish their faith in Christ and to procure the greater gladness amongst them by a mutual seeing one another yet their publick Church meetings did not determine the sanctification of the Lords Day because publick conventions were held at certain hours and the Lords Day iâ— to be celebrated in memorial of that happy Resurrection of our Saviour on a perfect and entire day as we have shown in the first Book and fifth Chapter Some things then remain to be done by Christians after the Church meetings are ended and these are various Some whereof I will mention for the godlies sake who make conscience of sanctifying the Lords Day First of all they that preached the Word of God in the publick assemblies when those were ended they did sometimes examine the people of what they had heard Which we read the Ancients did perform with
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
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