A Defense of the Sabbath Day, Chapter 5 · Commentary · Section 3 · Testimony 7
7.
My ſeauēth Teſtimony ſhall be that of Athanaſius, who liued about the time of Conſtantine, 300. yeeres after Chriſt: who in his Homilie de Semente ſaith thus; Wee aſsemble together in the Sabbath day, not as if we were infected with Iudaiſme, but therefore wee meete together in the Sabbath day, that we may worſhip Ieſus the Lord of the Sabbath. Centur. iiij. Cap. vj. pag 410. In which words, we ſee what was the practiſe of the Chriſtian Curches, in the daies of Athanaſius; for then they kept the Sabbath day, as we ſee here.
Furthermore, it is worth our obſeruation to conſider, that Athanaſius doth not onelyonly & barely auowch it, that they then kept the Sabbath day; but moreouer, he doth Iuſtify & defend their keeping of it: for whereas ſome might obiect vntounto him ſaying, but doe your Churches keepe the Sabbath day ſtill? why that is Iudaiſme &c. of this mind was the Laodicean counſaile, that liued not long after Athanaſius: and it ſeemeth that this ſlaunderouſe opinion of the Sabbath, was creeping into the Church in the daies of Athanaſius, & growne to ripeneſſe within a matter of 60. yeeres after him: for now the Laodicean counſaile durſt cale it Iudaiſme in plaine termes, for Chriſtianes to keepe the Sabbath day; but ſee how this famouſe Athanaſius, & godly Biſhop, foreſeeing this miſcheife, meeteth with the priuy obiectiones of ſome in his time, who were alredy infected with this leauen, ſaying, not as if we were infected with Iudaiſme: The iudgement therfore of this Godly Biſhop was, that a Chriſtian Church, might ſanctify the Sabbath day, without any tainte or tincture of Iudaiſme. I wiſh all Miniſters now, would learne to know of Athanaſius, that to keepe Gods Sabbath, it is no Iudaiſme. but how is it to be lamented to ſee the moſt diuines, rather to follow that Schiſmaticall decree, of the counſaile of Laodicea, caling the keeping of Gods Sabbath Judaiſme then to follow that famouſe Athanaſius, who defendeth it, that the keeping of the Sabbath day, is no Iudaiſme.
Further, it is to be noted, that the Chriſtian Churches, in the time of Athanaſius, kept the Sabbath day, and that this was about 300 yeeres after Chriſt; ſo that the Sabbath day was in vſe with Chriſtianes, for 300 yeeres after Chriſt. Now the firſt 300 yeeres after Chriſt, are accounted for the moſt pure times, & the freeſt from corruptiones: and the after times were leſſe puer, abateing of their purity daily, as the Church grew elder; now foraſmuch as the Sabbath day, was honourable amongſt Chriſtianes, and religiouſly obſerued in the moſt puer times, this is much to be regarded; for what if the Sabbath day begane to be trampled vponupon, and counted for Iudaiſme, 60 or 100 yeeres after theſe puer times? whats that to vsus? for if we follow any, we will chooſe rather to imitate the more puer Churches (I truſt ſo) then thoſe that were leſſe puer; now the more puer Churches (as you hauehave ſeene it abundantly proued) they kept the Sabbath day: To conclude, ſo long as the Churches retained their beſt purity, ſo long the Lords Sabbaths were in vſe & honour; but when the Churches begane to decline and fale away, as to ſet vp Images; to adore the Croſse; to pray to Saints; to pray for the deade; to beleeue a purgatory; and the like, then they begane to eſteeme the Lords Sabbath Iudaiſme, that ſo they might forſake them, and ſet vp dayes of their owne invention: but my truſt in God is, that as he hath cauſed a reformation, of the abuſes of the ſecond commandement, which crept into the Church in thoſe times; ſo the ſame God will find a time, to reforme the abuſes of the 4th com. alſo, which crept in then too, but remaine to this day vnreformed.