A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. How our Lords day was kept in the Apoſtles dayes and the Primitive times.
THe Lords day being know… to bee an holy day, and to be kept holy, the Church reſted on this Hiſto. pag. 95. part. 2.day, for performance of religious and Chriſtian duties, as Doctor Heylin acknowledgeth.
There was an aſſembly of Chriſtians, they came together, ſaith the Text, Acts 20. 7. who came together? the whole Church, 1 Cor. 14. 23. whither? into ſome one place, 1 Cor. 11. 20. & 14. 23. for then they had no Temples, but met together where they conveniently might: when, and on what day did they aſſemble together? On the first day of the weeke, as Luke telleth us, Acts 20. 7. and the Syriack tranſlation of the 1 Cor. 11. 20. hath it in die Dominico: In Apol. 2.Of this Juſt. Martyr beareth witneſſe; upon the Sunday all of us aſſemble in the Congregation, all that abide in the Cities or about in the fields, do meet together in ſome place: Coimus in Caetum & Congregationem, ſaith Tertul. In Apol. cap. 39. with cap. 14. &. 16.on the Lords day he meaneth: Cyprian telleth us, that the Sunday was the day, wherein they met together. So Saint Auguſtine alſo enformeth us; we Chriſtians aſſemble with Lib. 2. Epiſt 5. de Civit. Dei. l. 22. cap 8.much diligence on the Lords day, ſaith Clemens, Rom. conſtit Apoſt. li. 2. ca. 36. Into this Congregation would ſome Gentiles come ſometime, 1 Cor. 14. 23. and none profeſſing Chriſt might forſake it, Heb. 10. 25. Thus wee ſee clearely without doubting from Seriptures, and Fathers, when and where Chriſtians met to worſhip Chriſt.
Being met together, let us ſee what was done in the Congregation.
1. For Prayer.
THey prayed together, thus we read of them in the firſt Congregation after Chriſts Aſcenſion, Acts 1. 14. 24. ſo …, Acts 4. 23. 24. & 16. 13. For prayer was one pa… of their Divine Service mentioned in Act. 2. 42. The Apoſtles were much addicted to prayer, as well as preaching, Acts 6. 4. and they and the Chriſtian beleevers were frequent in it, as occaſions were offered Act. 16. 16. & 8. 15. & 1…. 3. & 20. 36. & 12. 5. 12. To the performance of this dutie with thankſgiving they were exhorted, 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2.
2. For Reading.
THere was reading of the Scriptures, of the Apoſtles writings, by the Apoſtles command, Col. 4. 16. a charge by the Lord, 1 Theſ. 5. 27. and the Apoſtles decrees, Act. 15. Tertul. Apol. cap. 39. In Apol. 2.30. 31. They met together, ſaith a Father, To heare the holy Scriptures rehearſed: In the Congreation, ſaith Juſt Martyr, the Records of the Apoſtles and the Writings of the Prophets In Ioſ. Ho…. 15. In Civit. l. …2. c. 8.are read, and other Scriptures ſaith Origen, by the Apoſtles appointment, at the reading whereof all were ſilent and attentive as S. Auguſtine, telleth us.
3. For Preaching.
THere was alſo preaching in the Congregation: S. Paul on the firſt day of the week, when the Diſciples came together preached unto them, Acts 20. 7. The Apoſtles in this ſpent their ſtrength, Acts 5. 42. and S. Paul exhorteth to this in vehemence of ſpirit, and with a thundring charge, 2 Tim. 4. 1. 2. Of this ſpeaketh this ſame Apoſtle in 1 Cor. 14. and giveth order for the uſe of mens gifts in the Congregation; The preaching then was with reprehenſion, with exhortation, 2 Tim. 4. 2. admonition, Act. 20. 31. with convincing of errours, Tit. 1. 9. with conſolation, 1 Cor. 14. 3. The matter was the word Acts 13. 5. & 14. 25. & 17. 13. Rom. 10. 8. 2. Tim. 4. 2. The manner was, not with entiſing words of mans wiſdome, but in the demonſtration of the ſpirit, and power of God, 1 Cor. 2. 4. 5. The end for converſion, Act. 26. 18. 20. and to ſave men, Act. 11. 14. Of preaching, and making a Sermon on this day, ſpeaketh Juſt. Martyr, and Saint Auguſtine in the fore cited places. When the Sermon was done, they ſent up their prayers unto the Lord, ſaith, Justine Martyr.
4. For receiving of the Sacraments.
ON the firſt day of the week, or Lords day, they received the Lords ſupper, Act. 20. 7. They came together to break bread, ſaith the Text: So did the Corinthians Apol. 2. Epiſt. 118.come together to receive the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 11. 20. This Juſt. Martyr, alſo certifieth us of, and S. Auguſtine, in the Primitive times, it was adminiſtred every Sunday.
5. For Pſalmes.
THey in the Congregation ſang Pſalmes, ſo the Apoſtle intimateth to us, 1 Cor. 14. which as they might learne from the ancient people of God, as is obſerved in the former Treatiſe: ſo from our Saviour and his Apoſtles, who ſang a Pſalme when the Paſſeover was received, and the Sacrament inſtituted and adminiſtred, Mark. 14. 26. Plinie ſecundus in an Epiſtle to Traian, maketh mention of Chriſtians ſinging of Hymnes, when they met together to worſhip Chriſt before day: How comfortable ſinging of Pſalmes bee when men ſing with underſtanding, and with the ſpirit, as they ought, 1 Cor. 14. 15. we may ſee by Paul and Sylas ſinging Pſalmes in priſon, Act. 16. 25.
6. For care of the poore.
THe true Church of Chriſt had ever care for the poore; from the very firſt Plantation, as we may ſee, Acts 2. 45. and 4. 34. And for this purpoſe were Deacons appointed, Act. 6. The Apoſtles gave a charge for to remember the poore, Gal. 2. 10. and Saint Paul took order for the collection every Lords day, 1. Cor. 16. 2. which Saint Chryſostome Chryſ. Hom. 43. on 1 Cor.ſpeaketh much of: And this continued in the Chriſtian primitive Congregations: They made collections for the widdowes (of whom care ſhould ever be had, Act. 6. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 3.) for the fatherleſſe (as religion teacheth Iames 1. 27) for the ſick, poore people, captives, exiles, and ſtrangers, Iuſti…. Martyr. Apo. 2.which came from farre, as Just. Martyr, witneſſeth.
7 For Excommunication and Ordination.
UPon juſt cauſe on this day, when they did meet, the Leo. Mag. ad Dioſcorum Epiſc. Alex. Epi. 41. cap. 3. See Tertul. Apolog. Origen and others cited by Biſh. …hit…, pag 214. See Dr. Heylin Hiſtor. part. 2. p. 118.ſentence of Excommunication was pronounced againſt ſome, which were v…ry notorious offenders, 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. On this day it was thought moſt proper for inveſting men with holy Orders, for that the holy Ghoſt deſcended upon the Apoſtles this day, and there gave us, as it were, this celeſtiall rule, that on this day alone we ſhould conferre ſpirituall Orders, in quo collata ſunt omnia dona gratiarum, All ſpituall graces are conferred. And it was appointed, that ſuch men, as were to receive Ordination ſhould continue faſting from the Even before, that ſpending all that time in prayer, humbling themſelves before the Lord, they might be the ☞better fitted to receive his graces.
8 Of their Love-Feaſts.
DIvine Service being ended, Chriſtians obſerved a Love-Feaſt, or feaſt of charity, where all the rich and poore ſate downe promiſcuouſly together, recreating themſelves with godly conference, and ſinging of Pſalmes, which as Tertullian ſaith, did admit of Nihil vilitatis, nihil immodeſtiae, Apolog.and at what time he ſaith, non prius diſcumbitur, quam oratio ad Deum praegustetur. Of this ſpeaks alſo S. Chryſoſtome, Omnes, commune inibant convivium pauperibus, & qui nihil habebant vocatis & omnibus communiter veſcentibus, S. Paul toucheth upon theſe Feaſts, 1 Cor. 11. and S. Jude verſe 12. and this came, as there wee finde; to be abuſed even in the Apoſtles dayes. Wee may Learne of S. Paul (who was a pattern to them, no doubt, in the end and breaking up of the Congregation) that they departed with prayer, as he did, Acts 20. 36.
9. Of what was done when the Congregation was broken up.
WHen the publick ſervice was ended, S. Paul went into an houſe where hee was invited, and there prayed, Acts 16. 16. Such no doubt, as were well minded, as the Bereans, ſearched the Scriptures concerning the things taught them, Act. 17. 11. But for this the Fathers tell us what people ought to do. Saint Ambroſe exhorted the people Ser. 33. tom. 3. pag. 259.to be converſant all the day in prayer, or reading, or if any could not read that he ſhould labour to be fed with conference. Saint Chryſoſtome, on Joh. 3. Hom. was offended with the people that then did not meditate on the word heard, who was earneſt with them, that preſently upon their comming home, they would take the Bible into their hands, and make rehearſall with their wives and children of that which had been taught them out of the Word of God. But let us come to that which Iuſtine Martyr ſaith, and Tertullian, when they were departed out of the Congregation they ever remembred one another of thoſe things which they had heard. They went not, ſaith Tertullian, Apol. ca 30. 39. pag. 692.in Catervas Caeſionum neque in claſſes diſcurſationum, nec in eruptiones laſciviarum, ſed ad eandem curam modeſti…, & pudicitiae, ut qui non caenam caenaſſent, quam diſciplinam: from this Fathers ſpeech we may obſerve. Firſt, That the Love-feaſt was a ſupper, they abode then in the aſſembly late in the afternoone: Secondly, That at that Feaſt, in the afternoone, as may be gathered from Saint Auguſtine, and Saint Baſiles words they had care of Modeſty and Chaſtity. Thirdly, That they received inſtruction for their ſouls, as well as food for their bodies. Fourthly, Being departed from the Congregation they took heed, not to goe into the route of Swaſh-bucklers, nor into the Company of Ramblers, ſuch as did run up and down, hither and thither, not into the breaking out of the wanton and Laſcivious ſort. But Fifthly, they had care of the like modeſty and chaſte behaviour out of the Church, which they ſhewed, when they were in the Congregation. Thus the primitive Chriſtians kept the Lords day: And if credit may be given to that, which Theodoret writeth, as Doctor Heylin cyteth him, of the Feſtivalls in thoſe times above 1200 yeeres agoe, how they were Modeſtae, Caſtae, Temperantia plenae, performed with modeſty, and great ſobriety, (not as the Feſtivalls of the Gentiles in exceſſe and riot) and alſo were ſolemnized with ſpirituall Hymnes, and religious Sermons, and that the people uſed to empty out their ſouls to God in fervent and affectionate prayers, not without ſighes and teares; what may we think then of ſuch godly Chriſtians, but that they devoutly and with high reverence obſerved the Lords day, ſo much to be preferred before Feſtivalls, as hath been before declared, in Chapter thirteenth? Hear what Durand ſaith, in Rational. lib. 5. de veſperis, who telleth us of the Evening meetings, wherein they did conferre of the holy Scriptures: His words are theſe, Poſtremò notandum eſt, quòd religioſi ante Completorium permittunt collationem, quae à ſanctis patribus originem traxit, qui dictis vesperis convenire, & de Scripturis ſacris conferre ſolebant ad inſtar Operariorum ad recreationem, ad invicem confabulantium, ideoque tunc vitas, vel collationem Patrum, quae potius ſunt ad recreationem & delectationem legunt, & Eruditiores, ſi dubium occurrerit, interrogant.