stand or fall by the statute of King Edward the sixt before remembred A Canon of an excellent composition For by enjoyning godly and sober conversation and diligent repaire to Church to heare the Word of God and receive the Sacrament they stopped the course of that prophanenesse which formerly had beene complained of and by their ranking of the holy dayes in equall place and height with Sunday and limiting the celebration of the same unto the Orders in that case prescribed by the Church of England shewed plainely their dislike of those Sabbath doctrines which had beene latelie set on foote to the dishonour of the Church and diminution of her authoritie in destinating other dayes to the service of God than their new Saint Sabbath Yet did not this the Churches care either so satisfie their desires or restraine the follies of those men who had embraced the new Sabbath doctâ—ines but that they still went â—orwards to advance that businesse which was now made a part of the common cause no booke being published by that partie either by way of Catechisme or Comment on the ten Commandements or morall pietie or systematicall divinity of all which these last times have produced too many wherein the Sabbath was not pressed upon the consciences of Gods peopleâ— with violence as formerly with authority upon the â—ewes And hereunto they were incouraged a great deale the rather because in Ireland what time his Majesties Commissioners were employed about the setling of that Church Anno 1615. there passed an Article which much confirmed them in their Courses and hath beene often since alleaged to justifie both them and their proceedings The article is this Arâ— 56. The first day of the weeke which is the Lords day is whollie to bee dedicated to the service of God and therefore wee are bound therein to rest from our common and daily businesse and to bestow that leysure upon holy exercises both private and publicke What moved his Majesties Commissioners to this strict austeritie that I cannot say but sure I am that till that time the Lords day never had attained such credit as to bee thought an Article of the Faith though of some mens fancies Nor was it like to bee of long continuance it was so violently followed the whole booke being now called in and in the place thereof the Articles of the Church of England confirmed by Parliament in that Kingdome Anno 1634. 10 Nor was this all the fruit neither of such dangerous doctrines that the Lords day was growne into the reputation of the Iewish Sabbath but some that built on their foundations and ploughed with no other then their heifers endeavoured to bring backe againe the Iewish Sabbath as that which is expressely mentioned in the fourth Commandement and abrogate the Lords day for altogether as having no foundation in it nor warrant by it Of these one Thraske declared himselfe for such in King Iames his time and therewithall tooke up another Iewish doctrine about meates and drinkes as in the time of our dreade Soveraigne now being Theophilus Braborne grounding himselfe on the so much applauded doctrine of the morality of the Sabbath maintained that the Iewish Sabbath ought to bee observed and wrot a large booke in defence thereof which came into the world 1632. For which their Iâ—wish doctrines the first received his censure in the Starre-Chamber and what became of him I know not the other had his doome in the High-Commission and hath since altered his opinion being misguided onely by the principles of some noted men to which hee thought hee might have trusted Of these I have here spoke together because the ground of their opinions so far as it concerned the Sabbath 〈◊〉 the very same they onely making the conclusions which of necessitie must follow from the former premisses iust as the Brownists did before when they abhominated the Communion of the Church of England or the Puritan principles But to proceede This of it selfe had beene sufficient to bring all to ruine but this was not all Not only Iudaisme did beginne but Popery tooke great occasion of increase by the precisenesse of some Magistrates and Ministers in severall places of this Kingdome in hindring people from their recreations on the Sunday the Papists in this Realme being thereby perswaded that no honest mirth or recreation was tolerable in our religion Which being noted by King Iames K. Iames Deâ—â—arat in his progresse through Lancashire it pleased his Majestie to set out his Declaration May 24. Anno 1618. the Court being then at Greenewich to this effect that for his good peoples lawfull recreations his pleasure was that after the end of divine service they should not be disturbed letted or discouraged from any lawfull recreations such as dancing either men or women Archery for men leaping vaulting or any other such harmelesse recreations nor from having of Maâ—-games Whitsun-Ales or Morrice-dances and setting up of May-poles or other sports therewith used so as the same bee had in due and convenient time without impediment or let of divine service and that women should have leave to carrie rushes to the Church for the decoring of it according to their old custome withall prohibiting all unlawfull Games to bee used on the Sundayes onely as beare-baiting bull-baiting enterludes and at all times in the meaner sort of people by law prohibited bowling A Declaration which occasioned much noyse and clamour and many scandalls spreade abroade as if these Counsells had been put into that Princes head by some great Prelates which were then of most power about him But in that point they might have satisfied themselves that this was no Court-doctrine no newdivinity which that learned Prince had beene taught in England He had declared himselfe before when he was King of the Scots onely to the selfe-same purpose as may appeare in his Basilicon Doron published anno 1598. This was the first Blow in effect which had beene given in all his time to the new Lords-Day-Sabbath then so much applauded 11 For howsoever as I said those who had entertained these Sabbatarian Principles spared neither care nor paines to advance the businesse by being instant in season and out of season by publike Writings private Preachings and clandestine insinuations or whatsoever other meanes might tend to the promotion of this Catholike cause yet finde wee none that did oppose it in a publike way though there were many that disliked it Onely one M. Loe of the Church of Exeter declared himselfe in his Effigiatio veri Sabbatismi annâ— 1606. to be of different judgement from them and did lay downe indeed the truest and most justifiable Doctrine of the Sabbath of any Writer in that time But being written in the Latine Tongue it came not to the peoples hands many of those which understood it never meaning to let the people know the Contents thereof And whereas in the yeere 1603. at the Commencement held in Cambridge this Thesis or Proposition Dies Domiâ—â—cus
fomer plaine-song the adding of particular restrictions as occasion was which were before conteined though not plainely specified both in the Edicts of the former Emperours and Constitutions of the Churches before remembred Yet all this while we finde not any one who did observe it as Sabbath or which taught others so to doe not any who affirmed that any manner of worke was unlawfull on it further than as it was prohibited by the Prince or Prelate that so the people might assemble with their greater comfort not any one who preached or published that any pastime sport or recreation of an honest name such as were lawfull on the other dayes were not fit for this And thereupon we may resolve aswell of lawfull businesse as of lawfull pleasures that such as have not beene forbidden by supreme authority whether in proclamations of the Prince or Constitutions of the Church or Acts of Parliament or any such like declaration of those higher powers to which the Lord hath made us subject are to be counted lawfull still It matters not in case we finde it not recorded in particular termes that wee may lawfully apply our selves to some kinde of businesse or recreate our selves in every kinde of honest pleasure at those particular houres and times which are leâ—t at large and have not beene designed to Gods publicke service All that we are to looke for is to see how farre we are restrained from labour or from recreations on the holy dayes and what authority it is that hath so restrained us that wee may come to know our dutie and conforme unto it The Canons of particular Churches have no power to doe it further then they have beene admitted into the Church wherein we live for then being made a part of her Canon also they have power to binde us to observance As little power there is to be allowed unto the declarations and Edicts of particular Princes but in their owne dominions onely Kings are Gods Deputies on the Earth but in those places onely where the Lord hath set them their power no greater than their empire and though they may command in their owne estates yet is it extra sphaeram activitatis to prescribe lawes to nations not subject to them A King of France can make no law to binde us in England Much lesse must wee ascribe unto the dictates and directions of particular men which being themselves subject unto publicke order are to bee hearkned to no further then by their life and doctrine they doe preach obedience unto the publicke ordinances under which they live For were it otherwise every private man of name and credit would play the tyrant with the liberty of his Christian brethren and nothing should be lawfull but what he allowed of especially if the pretence be faire and specious such as the keeping of a Sabbath to the Lord our God the holding of an holy convocation to the King of heaven Example we had of it lately in the Gothes of Spaine and that strange bondage into which some pragmaticke and popular men had brought the French had not the councell held at Orleans gave a checke unto it And with examples of this kinde must we begin the story of the following Ages CHAP. V. That in the next six hundred yeares from Pope Gregory forwards the Lords day was not reckoned of as of a Sabbath 1 Pope Gregories care to set the Lords day free from some Iewish rigours at that timeâ— obtruded on the Church 2 Strange fancies taken up by some about the Lords day in these darker ages 3 Scriptures and Miracles in these times found out to justifie the keeping of the Lords day holy 4 That in the judgement of the most learned in these six ages the Lords day hath no other ground then the authority of the Church 5 With how much difficulty the people of these times were barred from following their Husbandry and Law-dayes on the Lords day 6 Husbandry not restrained on the Lords day in the Easterne parts untill the time of Leo Philosophus 7 Markets and Handicrafts restrained with no lesse opposition then the plough and pleading 8 Severall casus reservati in the Lawes themselves wherein men were permitted to attend those businesses on the Lords day which the lawes restrained 9 Of divers great and publicke actions done in these ages on the Lords day 10 Dancing and other sports no otherwise prohibited on the Lords day then as they were an hinderance to Gods publicke service 11 The other holy dayes as much esteemed of and observed as the Lords day was 12 The publicke hallowing of the Lords day and the other holy dayes in these present ages 13 No Sabbath all these ages heard of either on Saturday or Sunday and how it stood with Saturday in the Easterne Churches 1 WEe are now come to the declining ages of the Church after the first 600. yeares were fully ended and in the entrance on the seaventh some men had gone about to possesse the people of Rome with two dangerous fancies one that it was not lawfull to doe any manner of worke upon the Saturday or the old Sabbath it a ut die Sabbati aliquid operari prohiberent the other ut dominicorun die nullus debeat lavari that no man ought to bathe himselfe on the Lords day or their new Sabbath With such a race of Christned Iewes or Iudaizing Christians was the Church then troubled Against these dangerous doctrines did Pope Gregory write his letter to the Roman Citizens Epl. 3. l. 11. stiling the first no other then the Preachers of Antichrist one of whose properties it shall be that he will have the Sabbath and the Lords day both so kept as that no manner of worke shall be done on eyther qui veniens diem Sabatum atque dominicum ab omni faciet opere custodire as the Father hath it Where note that to compell or teach the people that they must doe no manner of worke on the Lords day is a marke of Antichrist And why should Antichrist keepe both dayes in so strict a manner Because saith he he will perswade the people that he shall die and rise againe therefore he meanes to have the Lords day in especiall honour and hee will keepe the Sabbath too that so he may the better allure the Iewes to adhere unto him Against the other he thus reasoneth Et si quidem pro luxuria voluptate quâ—s lavari appetit hoc fieri nec reliquo quolibeâ— die concedimus c. If any man desires to bathe himselfe only out of a luxurious and voluptuous purpose observe this wellâ— this we conceive not to be lawfull upon any day but if he doe it onely for the necessary refreshing of his body then neither is it fit it should be forbidden upon the Sunday For if it be a sinne to bathe or wash all the body on the Lords day then must it be a sinne to wash the face upon that day if it be lawfull to
unlesse some out of poore devotion did it secretly Which dispensation probablie occasioned the neglect thereof in the times succeeding the rather since those hereticks who formerly had denied the resurrection were now quite exterminated This circumstance we have considered the more at large as being the most especiall difference whereby the Sundayes service was distinguished from the weeke-dayes worship in these present times whereof we write And yet the difference was not such but that it was proper to the Lords day onely but if it were a badge of honour communicated unto more then forty other dayes of which more anon But being it was an Ecclesiasticall and occasionall custome the Church which first ordained it let it fall againe by the same authoritie 8 In the third Centurie the first we meete with is Tertullian who flourished in the very first beginnings of it by whom this day is called by three severall names For first he cals it Dies solis Sunday as commonly we now call it and saith that they did dedicate the same unto mirth and gladnesse not to devotion altogether Cap. 16. Diem solis laetitiae indulgemus in his Apologetick The same name is used by Iustin Martyr in the passages before remembred partly because being to write to an heathen Magistrate it had not beene so proper to call it by the name of the Lords day which name they knew not and partly that delivering the forme and substance of their service done upon that day they might the better quit themselues from being worshippers of the Sunne as the Gentiles thought For by their meetings on this day for religious exercises in greater numbers then on others in Africke and the West especially and by their use of turning towards the East when they made their prayers the world was sometimes so perswaded Inde suspicâ—o quod innotuerit nos ad Orientis regionem precari as he there informed us Whereby we may perceive of what great antiquitie that custome is which is retained in the Church of England of bowing kneeling and adoring towards the Easterne parts The second name by which Tertullian cals this day De Idolat c 14. is the eight day simply Ethnic is semel annuus dies quisquis festus est tibi octavo quoque die The third iâ— De 〈◊〉 mil. c. 3. Dies Dominicus or the Lords day which is frequent in him as Die Dominico jejâ—nium nefas duciâ—us we hold it utterly unlawful to fast the Lords day of which more hereafter For their performances in their publicke meetings he describes them thus Coimus in coetum congregatiâ—nem c. Apol. c. 39. We come together into the assemblie or congregation to our common prayers that being banded as it were in a troope or Armie we may besiege God with our petitions To him such violence is exceeding gratefull It followeth Cogimur ad sacrarum lit commemorationem c. We meet to heare the holy Scriptures rehearsed unto us that so according to the qualitie of the times we may either be premonished or corrected by them Questionlesse by these holy speeches our faith is nourished our hopes erected our assurance setled and notwithstanding by inculcating the same we are the better stablished in our obedience to Gods precepts A litle after Praesident probati quique seniores c. Now at these generall meetings some Priests or Elders do preside which have attained unto that honour not by money but by the good report that they have gotten in the Church And if there be a poore-mans Boxe every one cast in somewhat menstrua die at least once a moneth according as they would and as they were able Thus he describes the forme of their publicke meetings but that such meetings were then used amongst them on the Sunday onely that he doth not say Nor can we learne by him or by Iustin Martyr who describes them also either how long those meetings lasted or whethâ—r they assembled more then once a day or what they did after the meetings were dissolved But sure it is that their Assemblies held no longer then our Morning service that they met onely before noone for Iustin saith that when they met they used to receive the Sacrament and that the service being done every man went againe to his daily labours Of all these I shall speake hereafter In Cant. Sol. hom 30. Onely I note it out of Beza that hitherto the people used not to forbeare their labours but while they were assembled in the Congregation there being no such dutie enjoyned amongst them neither in the times of the Apostles nor after many yeares not till the Emperours had embraced the Gospell and therewith published their Edicts to enforce men to it But take his words at large for the more assurance Vt autem Christiani eo die à suis quotidianis laboribus abstinerâ—nt praeter idtemporis quod in coetu ponebatur idneque illis Apostolicis temporibus mandatum neque priâ—s fuit observatum quam id à Christianis Imperatoribus ne quis a rerum sacrarum meditatione abstraharetur quidem non it a praecise observatum Which makes it manifest that the Lords day was not taken for a Sabbath day in these three first Ages But for Tertullian where I left note that I rendred seniores by Priests or Elders because I thinke his meaning was to render the Greeke Presbyter by the Latine senior For that he should there meane lay-elders as some men would have it is a thing impossible considering that he tels us in another place that they received the Sacrament at the hands of those that did preside in the assemblies De coron milit c. 3. Eucharistiae Sacramentum non de aliorum manu quam de Praesidentium sumimus and therefore sure they must be Priests that so presided 9 Proceed we next to Origen who flourished at the â—ame time also Hee being an Auditor of Clemens in the schooles of Alexandria became of his opinions too in many things and amongst others in dislike of those selected festivals which by the Church were set apart for Gods publicke service In Gen hom 10. Cont Cels. l. 8. Dicite mihi vos qui festis tantum diebus ad Eccles. convenitis coeteri dies non sunt festi non suntdies Domini Indaeorâ—â— est dies certos raros observare solennes c. Christiani omni die carnes agni comedunt i.e. carnes verbi Dei quotidie sumuÌ„t Tel me saith he you that frequent the Church on the feast dayes onely are not all dayes festivall are not all the Lords It appertaines unto the Iews to observe dayes and festivals the Christians every day eate the flesh of the Lambe i.e. they every day do heare the Word of God And in another place Cent. 2 C. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He truly keepes the festivals that performes his dutie praying continually and offering every day the unbloudy sacrifice in his prayers to God
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But this perhaps was onely in respect of Lectures or Expositions of the Scriptures such as were often used in the greater Citties where there was much people and but little businesse for I conceive not that they met every day in these times to receive the Sacraments Of Wednesday and of Friday it is plaine they did not to say any thing of the Saturday till the next Section Epl. 289. S. Basil names them all together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is saith he a profitable and pious thing every day to communicate and to participate of the blessed body and blood of Christ our Saviour he having told us in plaine termes that Whosoever eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood hath eternall life We notwithstanding doe communicate but foure times weekely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. on the Lords day the Wednesday the Friday and the Saturday unlesse on any other dayes the memory of some Martyr be perhaps observed Eâ—pos â—â—d â—ath 11. 22. Epiphanius goeth a little further and he deriveth the Wednesdayes and the Fridayes Service even from the Apostles ranking them in the same Antiquity and grounding them upon the same authority that he doth the Sunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onely it seemes the differencâ— was that whereas formerly it had beene the custome not to administer the Sacrament on these two dayes being both of them fasting dayes and so accounted long before untill towards evening It had beene changed of late and they did celebrate in the mornings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as on the Lords day was accustomed Whether the meetings on these dayes were of such antiquity as Epiphanius saith they were I will not meddle Certaine it is that they were very antient in the Church of God as may appeare by that of Origen and Tertullian before remembred So that if wee consider eyther the preaching of the word the ministration of the Sacraments or the publicke Prayers the Sunday in the Easterne Churches had no great prerogative above other dayes especially above the Wednesday and the Friday save that the meetings were more solemne and the concourse of people greater than at other times as it is most likely The footesteps of this antient custome are yet to be observed in this Church of England by which it is appointed that no Wednesdayes and Fridayes weekely Can. 25. though they be not holy dayes the Minister at the accustomed houres of Service sâ—all resort to Church and say the Letanie prescribed in the Booke of Common prayer 5 As for the Saturday that retained its wounted credit in the Easterne Church little inferiour to the Lords day if not plainely equall not as a Sabbath thinke not so but as a day designed unto sacred meetings The Constitutions of the Apostles said to be writ by Clemens one of Saint Peters first successours in the Church of Rome appoint both dayes to be observed as solemne Festivalls both of them to be dayes of rest that so the servant might have time to repaire unto the Church for his education Lib 8. c. 3◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Constitution Not that they should denote them wholy unto rest from labour but onely those seâ— times of both which were appointed for the meetings of the Congregation Yet this had an exception too the Saturday before Easter day Lib. 5 cap. 19. whereupon Christ rested in the Grave being exempt from these assemblies and destinated onely unto griefe and fasting And though these constitutions in all likelihood were not writ by Clemens there being many things therein which could not be in use of a long time after yet ancient sure they were as being mentioned in Epiphanius De Scrip. Ecc. in Clemente and as the Cardinall confesseth à Graecis veteribus magni factos much made of by the ancient Graecians though not of such authoritie in the Church of Rome How their authoritie in this point is countenanced by Ignatius we have seene already and wee shall see the same more fully throughout all this Age. And first beginning with the Synod held in Laodicea Can 16. a towne of Phrygia Anno 314. there passed a Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touching the reading of the Gospels with the other Scriptures upon the Saturday or Sabbath that in the time of Lent Canon 49. there should be no oblation made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but on the Saturday and the Lords day onely neither that any Festivall should be then observed in memory of any Martyrs Canon 51. but that their names onely should be commemorated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Lords day and the Sabbaths Nor was this onely the particular will of those two and thirty Prelates that there assembled it was the practise too of the Alexandrians S. Athanasius Patriarch there affirmes that they assembled on the Sabbath dayes not that they were infected any whit with Iudaisius which was farre from them Hâ—miâ— de Semeâ—te but that they came together on the Sabbath day to worship Iesus Christ the Lord of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Father hath it So for the Church of Millaine which as before I said in some certaine things followed the Churches of the East it seemes the Saturday was held in a farre esteeme and joyned together with the Sunday Crastino die Sabbato De Sacrament Lib 4. cap. 6. dominico de orationis ordine dicemus as S. Ambrose hath it And probablie his often mention of hesternus dies remembred in the former Section may have relation to the joynt observance of these two dayes and so may that which is reported then out of S. Chrysost. and S. Cyril Easterne Doctors both Hist. Eccles. Lib. 6. cap. 8. Sure I am Socrates counts both dayes for weekely Festivalls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that on them both the Congregation used to be assembled and the whole Liturgie performed Which plainely shewes that in the practise of those Churches they were both regarded both alike observed Gregory Nyssen speakes more home and unto the purpose Some of the people had neglected to come unto the Church upon the Saturday and on the Sunday he thus chides and rebukes them for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Castâ—gâ—tione c. with what face saith the Father wilt thou looke upon the Lords day which hast dishonoured the Sabbath knowest thou not that these dayes are sisters and that who ever doth despise the one doth affront the other Sisters indeed and so accounted in those Churches not onely in regard of the publicke meetings but in this also that they were both exempt from the Lenten Fast of which more annon In the meane time we may remember how Saturday iâ— by S. Basil made one of those foure times whereon the Christians of those parts did assemble weekely to receive the Sacrament as before wee noted And finally it is sayd
And here to take things as they lie in order we must beginne with a narration concerning Westminster which for the prettinesse of the story I will here insert Sebert the first Christian King of the East Saxons having built that Church unto the honour of God and memory of Saint Peter Adredus de Geâ—â—is Edwardi invited Mellitus Bishop of London on a day appointed unto the consecration of it The night before S. Peter comming to the further side crosseth the ferrie goes into the Church and with a great deale of celestiall musick lights and company performes that office for the dispatch of which Mellitus had beene invited This done and being wafted backe to the further side hee gives the ferri-man for his fare a good draught of fishes onely commanding him to carry one of them which was the best for price and beauty for a present from him to Mellitus in testimony that the worke was done to his hand already Then telling who hee was hee addes that hee and his posterity the whole race of fishermen should bee long after stored with that kinde of fish tantum ne ultra piscari audeatis in die Dominica provided alwayes that they fished no more upon the Sunday Aldredus so reports the stâ—ry And though it might be true as unto the times wherein hee lived which was in the declining of the twelfth Century that fishing on the Lords day was restrained by Law yet sure hee placed this story ill in giving this injunction from Saint Peter in those early dayes when such restraints were hardly setled if in a Church new planted they had yet beene spoke of Leaving this therefore as a fable let us next looke on Beda what hee hath left us of this day in reference to our Ancestors of the Saxons â—â—â—ce and many things wee finde in him worth our observation Before wee shewed you how the Sunday was esteemed a festivall that it was judged hereticall to hold fasts thereon This ordinance came in amongst us with the faith it selfe Hist. l. 3. c. 23. S. Chadd having a place designed him by King Oswald to erect a monastery did presently retire unto it in the time of Lent In all which time Dominica excepta the Lords day excepted hee fasted constantly till the evening as the story tells us The like is told of Adamannus one of the monastery of Coldingham now in Scotland Hist. l. 4. c. 25. but then accounted part of the Kingdome of Northumberland that hee did live in such a strict and abstemious manner ut nil unquam cibi vel potus excepta die Dominica quinta Sabbati percipereâ— that hee did never eate nor drinke but on the Sunday and Thursday onely This Adamannus lived in Anno 690. Before wee shewed you with what profit musicke had beene brought into the Church of God and hither it was brought it seemes Eccl. hist. l. 2. c. 20. with the first preaching of the Gospell Beda relates it of Paulinus that when hee was made Bishop of Rochester which was in An. 631 he left behind him in the North one Iames a Deacon cantandi in Ecclesia peritissimuÌ„ a man exceeding perfect in Church musicke who taught them there that forme of singing divine service which hee learnt in Canterbury And after in the yeere 668 what time Archbishop Theodorus made his Metropoliticall visitation the Art of singing service which was then onely used in Kent for in the North it had not beene so setled but that it was againe forgotten was generally taken up over all the Kingdome â—ib 4. c. 2. Sonos cantandi in Ecclesia quos catenus in Cantia tantum noverant ab hoc tempore per omnes Anglorum Ecclesias discere coeperunt as that Author hath it Before wee shewed how Pope Vitalianus anno 653. added the Organ to that vocall musicke which was before in use in the Church of Christ. In lesse then 30 yeeres after and namely in the yeere 679. were they introduced by Pope Agatho into the Churches of the English and have continued in the same well neerâ— 1000 yeeres without interruption Before wee shewed you how some of the greater festivalls were in esteeme before the Sunday and that it was so even in the primitive times And so it also was in the primitive times of this Church of England Bed Eccl. hist. l. 4. c. 19. it being told us of Queene Etheldreda that after shee had put her selfe into a monastery she never went unto the Bathes praeter imminentibus solenniis majoribus but on the approach of the greater festivalls such as were Easter Pentecost and Christmasse for so I thinke hee meanes there by Epiphaniâ— as also that unlesse it were on the greater festivalls she did not use to eat above once a day This plainely shewes that Sunday was not reckoned for a greater festivall that other dayes were in opinion esteeme above it and makes it evident withall that they conceived not that the keeping of the Lâ—rds day was to be accouÌ„ted as a part of the law of naturâ— or introduced into the Church by divine authority but by the same authority that the others were For Lawes in these times made Ap. Lambert â—â—chaiâ—n wee meete with none but those of Ina a West-Saxon King who entred on his reigne anno 712 A Prince exceedingly devoted to the Church of Rome and therefore apt inough to embrace any thing which was there concluded By him it was enacted in this forme that followeth Servus si quid operis patrarit die Dominico ex praecepto Domini sui liber esto c. If a servant worke on the Lords day by the appointment of his master hee was to be set free and his master was to forfeit 30 shillings but if hee worked without such order from his master to bee whipped or mulcted Liber si hoc die operetur injussu Domini sui c. So if a free-man worked that day without direction from his master hee either was to bee made a Bond-man or pay 60 shillings As for the doctrine of these times wee may best judge of that by Beda In Luc. 19. First for the Sabbath that hee tells us ad Mosis usque tempora caeterorum dierum similis erat was meerely like the other dayes untill Moses time no difference at all betweene them therefore not institute and observed in the beginning of the world as some teach us now Next for the Lords day that hee makes an Apostolicall sanction onely no divine commandement as before wee noted and how farre Apostolicall sanctions binde wee may cleerely see by that which they determined in the Councell of Hierusalem Of these two specialties wee have spoke already 3 This is the most wee finde in the Saxon Heptarchie and little more then this we finde in the Saxon Monarchie In this wee meete with Alured first Lamber Archaion the first that brought this Realme in order who in his lawes cap. de diebus festis
upon the Sunday as being contrary to the Statute then by the same reason may hee bee endited for any fayre or market kept on any of the other holy dayes in that Statute mentioned 11 Nor staied it here For in the 1465 which was the fourth yeere of King Edward the fourth 4. Edw. 4. c. 7. it pleased the King in Parliament to enact as followeth Our Soveraigne Lord the King c. hath ordained and established that no Cordwainer or Cobler within the Citty of London or within thrée miles of any part of the said Citty c. doe upon any Sunday in the yéere or on the feasts of the Ascension or Nativity of our Lord or on the feast of Corpâ—s Christi sell or command to be sold any shooes huâ—eans i.e bootes or Galoches or upon the Sunday or any other of the said Feasts shall set or put upon the feete or leggs of any person any shooes huseans or Galoches upon paine of forfeiture and losse of 20 shillings as often as any person shall doe contrary to this ordinance Where note that this restraint was onely for the Citty of London and the parts about it which shewes that it was counted lawfull in all places else And therefore there must bee some particular motive why this restraint was layd on those of London onely either their insolencies or some notorious neglect of Gods publike service the Gentle craft had otherwise beene ungently handled that they of all the tradesmen in that populous ciâ—ty should bee so restrained Note also that in this very Act there is a reservation or indulgence for the inhabitants of S. Martins le Grand to doe as formerly they were accustomed 14 15 of H. 8. cap. 9. the said Act or Statute notwithstanding Which very clause did after move King Henry the eight to repeale this statute that so all others of that trade might bee free as they or as the very words of the statuâ—e are that to the honour of allmighty God all the Kings subiects might be hereafter at their liberty as well as the inhabitants of S. Martins le Grand Now where it seemeth by the proeme of the Statute 17 of this King Edward 4. c. 3. that many in that time did spend their holy dayes in dice quoites tennis bowling and the like unlawfull games forbiddeâ— as is there affirmed by the Lawes of the Realme which said unlawfull games are thereupon prohibited under a certaine penaltie in the Statute mentioned It is most manifest that the prohibition was not in reference to the time Sundayes or any other holy dayes but only to the Games themselves which were unlawfull at all times For publicke actions in the times of these two last Princes the greatest were the battailles of Towton and Barnet one on Palms Sunday and the other on Eaâ—â—er day the grâ—atest fields that ever were fought in England And in this Staâ—e things stood till King Henry the eight 12 Now for the doctrine and the practise of these times before King Henry the eight and the reformation wee cannot take a better view then in Iohn de Burgo Chancellour of the University of Cambridge about the latter end of King Henry the sixt Pupilla Oculips 10. â— 11. D. First doctrinally hee determineth as before was said that the Lords day was instituted by the authoritâ— of the Church and that it is no otherwise to bee observed then by the Canons of the Church wee are bound to keepe it Then for the name of Sabbath that the Lords day 〈…〉 quaelibet dies statuta ad divinaâ— culturam and every day appointed for Gods publicke service may bee so entituled because in them wee are to rest from all servile works such as are arts mechanicke husbandry Law-daies and going to marketts with other things quae ab Ecclesia determinantur which are determined by the Church Id. pars 9. cap. 7. H. Lastly that on those dayes insistendum est orationibus c. Wee must bee busied at our prayers the publicke service of the Church in hymnes and in spirituall songs and in hearing Seâ—mons Next practically for such things as were then allowed of he doth sort them thus First generally Non tâ—men prohibentur his diebus facere quae pertinent ad providentiam necessariorum c. We are not those dayes restrained from doing such things as conduce to the providing of necessaries either for our selves or for our neighbours as in preserving of our persons or of our substance or in avoiding any losse that might happen to us Particularly next si iacentibus c. Id. ib. Iâ— In case our Corne and hay in the fields abroad be in danger of a tempest wee may bring it in yea though it be upon the Sabbath Butchers and victualers if they make ready on the holy dayes what they must sell the morrow after either in open market or in their shops in case they cannot dresse it on the day before or being dressed they cannot keep it non peccant mortaliter they fall not by so doing Id. ib. L. into mortall sinne vectores mercium c. Carriers of wares or men or victualls unto distant places in case they cannot doe it upon other daies without inconvenience are to bee excused Barbers and Chirurgions Smithes or Farriers Id. ib. M. if on the holy dayes they doe the works of their dayly labour especially propter necessitatem â—orum quibus serviunt for the necessities of those who want their helpe are excusable also but not in case they doe it chiefely for desire of gaine Id. ib. N. Messengers Posts and Travellers that travaille if some speciall occasion bee on the holy dayes whether they doe it for reward or not non audeo condemnare are not at all to bee condemned As neither Millers which doe grinde either with water-mils or wind-mils and so can doe their worke without much labour but they may keepe the custome of the place in the which they live not being otherwise commanded by their Ordinaryes secus si tractu iumentorum multuram faciâ—nt Id. ib. O. but if it be an horse-mill then the case is altered So buying and selling on those dayes in some present exigent as the providing necessary victualls for the day was not held unlawfull dum tamen exercentes ea non subtrahunt se divinis officiis in case they did not thereby keepe themselves from Gods publicke service Id. ib. Q. Lastly for recreations for dancing on those dayes hee determines thus that they which dance on any of the holy dayes either to stirre themselves or others unto carnall lusts commit mortall sinne and so they doe saith hee in case they doe it any day But it is otherwise if they dance upon honest causes and no naughty purpose and that the persons be not by law restrained Choreas ducentes maximè in diebus festis caâ—sa incitandi se vel aliâ—s ad peccatuâ— mortale peccant mortaliter similiter si in