A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. How Chriſtian Emperours would have it kept, by their Imperiall Conſtitutions.
WEe have heard how the godly among the ancient people of God, kept their reſt-day morally: How our day was kept in the Primitive Church: How our now preſent Church of England would have it kept holy. Now we come to the higheſt powers of Authoritie, abroad and at home, to learne how by them it ſhould bee kept.
1 Imperiall Constitutions.
COnstantine the firſt Chriſtian Emperour, who thought the chiefeſt and moſt proper day for the devotion of his ſubjects, was the Lords day, declared his pleaſure, that every Euſch. de vita Conſtant. l. 4. c. 13.one who lived in the Roman Empire, ſhould reſt in that day weekly, which is inſtituted to our Saviour, and to lay aſide all buſineſſes, and attend the Lord: who therefore forbade keeping of Courts, ſitting in judgement, and Artificers to uſe their trades: In Die Dominico, &c. ſay Imperiall Conſtitutions, L. …mnes …a. de feriis.the whole mindes of Chriſtians and Beleevers ſhould be buſied in the worſhip of God.
The Emperour Leo ordained, that the Lords day ſhould be kept holy by all ſorts, and to be a day of reſt.
It is our will, ſaith he, according to the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt, and of the Apoſtles by him directed, that on the ſacred day whereon we were reſtored unto our integrity, all men ſhall reſt This Conſtitution reverend Ho…ker much approveth of, Eccl. Pol. Sect. 71. pag. 385.themſelves and ſurceaſe from labour, neither the husbandmen, nor others putting their hands that day to prohibited worke: for if the Iewes did ſo much reverence their Sabbath, which onelyonly was a ſhaddow of ours; are not we which inhabite light, and the truth of grace obliged to honour that day which the Lord hath honoured, and hath therein delivered us both from diſhonour, and from death; are not we bound to keep it ſingularly, and inviolably, ſufficiently contented with a liberail grant of all the reſt, and not incroaching on that one, which God hath choſen for his Service: Nay were it not wretchleſſe ſlighting, and contempt of all Religion to make that day common, and think that we may doe thereon as we doe on others?
This worthy Emperour would not have the dayes dedicated Cod. l. 3. tit. 12. de feriis & Iuſtin. li. 3. tit. 12.to the ſupreme Majeſtie, to be taken up with filthy pleaſures, then much leſſe the Lords day: for he highly advanced this day, and ſo honoured it, that if his birth day, or his inauguration fell upon this day, the ſolemnities thereof ſhould be deferred to another day, upon danger of loſſe of dignitie, and confiſcation of eſtate to them which ſhould offend his will herein: He exempted this day from executions, citations, entring into bonds, apparances, pleadings and the like.
The Emperour Theodoſius enacted that (faithfull Chriſtian Cod. Theod.peoples mindes might wholly be bent to the Service of God) the Cirques and Theators ſhould bee ſhut up on the Lords day, &c. and all publick ſhewes prohibited by Gratian, and Ʋalentinian; Nullus die ſolis ſpectaculum praebeat, nec divinam venerationem confecta ſolemnitate confundat. They Anno 384.forbad arbitrating of cauſes, and taking recognizance of any pecuniary buſineſſe on the Sunday, and that none ſhould be brought before the Officers of the Exchequer.
For further honour to the Emperour Leo and Anthemius, Inſti…ian Cod. l. 3. tit. 12. lex. de ferr…s.who called the Lords day, the religious day, and held it to be ſo honourable and venerable; that they forbad all arreſts, Law-ſutes, and commanded all Advocates, and C…yers to be ſilent, alſo Apparitours of every Judge were inhibited, nor had allowed them any pretext, private or publick, for doing their office on this day.
The Eſterne Emperour Emanuel Comnenus decreed, that Anno 1174.all acceſſe to the Tribunal ſhould be ſhut up, and that no Judge ſhould ſit on any cauſe this day.
Charles the Great, in Anno 789. publiſhed his royall Edict, ſaying, we doe ordaine, according as it is commanded in the Law of God, that no man doe ſervile work on the Lords day, in works of Husbandrie, in dreſſing of their Ʋines, Plowing, making Hay, fencing Grounds, grubbing and felling Trees, working in Mynes, Building, planting Gardens, Pleading, Hunting, Weaving, dreſſing Cloth, making Garments, needle work, carding Wooll, beating Hemp, waſhing Clothes, ſhearing Sheep, but that they come to the Church, to Divine Service, and magnifie the Lord their God for thoſe good things, which on that day he hath done for them.
This Great Charles forbad alſo Markers, and Law dayes on this day which was confirmed by five Councels, which he cauſed to be gathered.
Thus we ſee the care of Emperours.