The Lords Day, Book 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The chief of the Fathers make mention of the Lords Day: its authority depends not on the Conſtitutions of Emperours, when it was at firſt ordained that Judges ſhould ceaſe from hearing Law-ſuits on that day: the Chriſtians were puniſhed for obſerving it: What it is Dominicum agere.
BEtter to manifeſt the celebrity of the Lords Feſtival, I will moreoverMention of obſerving the Lords day may be me… with in the chief of the Fathers bend my mind to two things: by which, in the firſt place, I will demonſtrate, that the Lords Day all along in the Church, from the very Apoſtles age, was conſecrated to perform religious exerciſes on: Secondly, that on all that day the Church was wont to be vacant from all worldly matters: which two things will clearly enough ſhew its ſolemnity above all other dayes (to which theſe things agree not) amongſt men that reliſh the truth.
In demonſtrating the fi…ſt of theſe, we will prove that the Lords day was alwayes celebrated, and will briefly open both the reaſons of its ſolemnity, and its names, which we meet with amongſt the ancients. Let it be ſufficient to illuſtrate the firſt, that there is none of any note in the ancient Church, who doth not give an ample teſtimony to this its ſolemnity. Amongſt the renowned witneſſes of this truth, let St. Ignatius aEpiſt. ad Magnes. an. 111.come forth, who thus charges us: Let every lover of Chriſt celebrate the Lords day, which was conſecrated to the Lords Reſurrection, as the Qneen and Prince (i. the chief day, as Conſtantine the Great in Euſeb. de vit. ejus, lib. 4. cap. 18.) of all other dayes.
Juſtin Martyr in the end of his ſecondAn. 150. Apology confeſſeth, that on that day which they call Sunday, were holden ſolemn aſſemblies of all that lived both in villages and cities: and he tells us more at large what wasAn. 170. done in thoſe aſſemblies, of which afterwards we ſhall hear more▪ Dionyſius Biſhop of Corinth, when he mentions Clements Epiſtle to the Corinthians in aEuſ. Hiſt. l. 4. c. 22.Euſebius, ſaith, he kept holy the Lords day. Tertullian bAnn. 200 de Idol. c. 14.reckoneth the Lords day (which he calls the eighth, namely from the Creation) amongſt the Chriſtians ſolemnities. The ſame doth cAn. 261. an. 320.Origen (although otherwiſe he was not at one with himſelf about the times for performing Religious exerciſes) lib. 8. contra Celſum. Euſebius, dHiſt. l. 3. c. 21. an. …492.when he ſpeaks of the Ebionites, whom he reports did obſerve the Lords dayes, after the ſame manner as the Church did, in remembrance of the Lords Reſurrection, doth make mention of this day: whence it is collected, that the Church did celebrate the Lords day, otherwiſe Euſebius had not affirmed that the Ebionites had done it after the ſame manner as the Church did. And the teſtimonies which follow teach us the ſame.
eEpiſt. 59. an. 380.Cyprian mentions this day, which he calls the firſt after the Sabbath. Baſilius M. ſaith, the Church ſtanding up, made their ſupplications on the firſt day of the week, which he calls, the beginning of dayes. De Sp. Sanct. c. 27. fSerm. de …leemaſyn. an. 380.Chryſoſtom ſaith, on the firſt day of the week, or the Lords day, the Chriſtians ceaſed from all labour: that by their relaxation, and holy dayes, the minds of the offerers might become more cheerful. gl. 5. Ep. 33.Ambroſe on the Lords day, after the readings, and treating of the Creed, communicated [Baptiſm] to the Competentes (i. to thoſe, who being inſtructed in the Chriſtian faith, ſought Baptiſm. Aug. Retract. lib. 1. ch. 17. & libro de Fide & operibus cap. 6.) at the Fonts of the Church. We meet with frequent mention of this day in St. Auſtin Ep. 119.An. 430. c. 13. and in the end of thoſe Books, De Civit. Dei, lib. 22. c. 30. alſo Serm. 15. de verbis Apostoli, and many times elſewhere. Hilary ſaith, the Church doth joyfully celebrate a Feſtival on the eighth day, which is alſo it ſelf the firſt of a perfect week. Prol. in Pſalmos. Amongſt the Holy-dayes confirmed by the laws of the Emperours, Valens, Theodoſius, and Arcadius, the Sundayes, which An. 440.their Anceſtors rightly called the Lords-dayes, were reckoned.
Leo alſo and Athenius ordain, the Lords Cod. l. 3. Tit 12. de feriis lege… ſeptima. a Leo Conſtit. 54.day to be alwayes venerable and honoured. a Leo in the ſame place, by his eleventh law, ordains, that all ſhould ceaſe from their labours on the Lords dayes.
I can alſo bring forth many more teſtimonies for confirming the truth of this ſolemnity, yea, of all that have flouriſh'd in the Church of Chriſt to this very day. But I will add no more, leſt I ſhould ſeem to lend light to the Sun: and thoſe that have been cited hitherto do abundantly enough declare, that the Lords day was alwayes ſolemnly kept of the Church: becauſe the holy Fathers acknowledge it for the chief, yea, for an holy day. On it the Church ceaſed from their labours, on it ſolemn aſſemblies were kept, or they rejoyced in the feſtival of the Sabbath perfected; on it the Scriptures were handled, the Sacraments were adminiſtred, on it the Church made ſupplications: and therefore it is numbred amongſt the chief ſolemnities of the Chriſtians, and is provided for by the laws of godly Emperours, that ſtudied all they could to promote the Worſhip of God, that the holy ſolemnity of that day ſhould not be defiled by labours, or any pleaſures.
But although thoſe moſt Religious EmperoursThe authority of the Lords day depends not on the determination of Emperours. ordained the Lords day, as was fitting, to be celebrated, it would be ridiculous from thence to conclude that the Lords Feſtival was not celebrated in the Church before they came to the Empire. The Chriſtians, as hath appeared from the premiſes, attended to celebrate this Feſtival, when as yet there were no Magiſtrates Chriſtian (on whoſe authority the ordination of the Lords day doth not depend) even over the whole world, when the preaching of the Goſpel came. For which cauſe, as we ſhall by and by hear, divers under Diocleſians Reign were puniſhed: But when the Emperours became Chriſtian, they ordained that the ſolemnity which was before obſerved of the Chriſtians by Chriſts authority, ſhould alſo by their own laws be celebrated, and took care that others ſhould not defile it by worldly buſineſſes, or the pleaſures of the Fleſh; but they did not inſtitute it at the firſt. Constantine the Great, the firſt of the Chriſtian Emperours, having got the whole Roman Empire, by publick Edict commanded his Subjects, that they ſhould obſerve the Chriſtian Religion, as witneſſeth al. 1. c. 7.Sozomen: yet no man well in his wits will thence inſe…r, that the Chriſtian Religion was then firſt known to the world: although the free exerciſe of it was not ſafe, before he was ſet happily over the Government of the Empire: So muſt we think of the Lords ſolemnity, which the Church of God obſerved not without great danger, before the Emperours embraced the Chriſtian Faith: but after that the Emperours became nurſing-fathers of the Chriſtian Religion, they did it freely, a Law being made of the Emperours for this end.
Moreover, let none be offended, that before… Lawsuits on the Lords day. the times of Conſtantine, publick Judges did attend the hearing of Law-ſuits on the Lords day, which to do, was [declared] unlawful in his Reign: as though if the Lords day had been formerly known to the World, Magiſtrates had been forbidden the exerciſe of publick judicatures on that day: that moſt godly Emperour greatly contended by all means that he could to promote our Religion, and for the greater ſolemnity of this Feſtival, provided that all Court clamour ſhould on that day ceaſe. Before his moſt auſpicious Government, the publick Magiſtrates did attend Judicatures, even on the Lords day: and no wonder; for before he got the ſtern of Government, the Judges were not Chriſtian, but under his Reign the Chriſtians began to bear almoſt all the Offices of the Roman Empire: aSozom. 1. c. 8.moſt whereof he dignified with authority, ſome with the Senators office, many alſo with the Conſular dignity. bEuſeb. de vit. Conſtant. l. 4. c. 1.But after the Judges embraced the Chriſtian truth, they ſubmitted themſelves to this law of celebrating the Lords day with greateſt good will: and did reſt the parties from their controverſies in honour of that day. I might alſo add this. It was needful, that one law being made for obſerving the Lords day, by another he ſhould interdict the Judges from the cognizance of cauſes on that day. For it was provided by the Roman Laws, a…od. de feriis, l. 4. tit. 12.That no Judge ſhould preſume on his own authority to make any holy dayes. He therefore made this Law in favour of the Judges, who might know on what dayes they ſhould attend the Office which the Emperour committed to them, and on what they ſhould keep holy dayes [free] from the ſame. Theſe things thus being weighed in an equal ſcale▪ it appeareth, that the Law for not hearing Law-ſuits on the Lords day doth detract nothing from the honour of its ſolemnity, but rather much conduce to favour it.
That I may at length put an end to thisChriſtians were puniſhed for obſerving the Lords day. Chapter, We have ſeen how the Fathers have piouſly admoniſhed the Church to celebrate the Lords day, and the Emperours by their Laws made for this purpoſe, very carefully provided, that the Chriſtian people ſhould obey their admonitions: ſo alſo we may find it obſervable, from the Writers of thoſe times, that the Chriſtians did celebrate this day's ſolemnity, with as much devotion of Religion as they could: and therefore while they prayed on that day towards the Eaſt, they fell into a ſuſpicion of worſhipping the Sun bTertul. ap. adverſ. gen. c. 16., with the Heathen, amongſt whom they lived, that hated the Chriſtian name. Yet could they by 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. aAn. 303. n. 35, &c.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 hereWhat it is Dominicum agere. more throughly to weigh what it is Dominicum agere, or celebrare: eſpecially for the ſake of Baronius's candor in rehearſing theAn. 303. num. 39. 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: alib. 2. … Gal.or according to Tertullian; it is to celebrate the Lords ſolemnities: which by the ſucceeding Church bDe fuge… vet.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 aSect. 14.. Sometimes alſo for the Symboles of the Lords Supper; Numquid, ſaith Cyprian, Dominicum poſt coenam celebrare debemus? b…. 63.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. aBar. an. 303. n. 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 bBar. an. 303. n. 35.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 cn. 45.. 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 an. 51. & 45. n. 39.? 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 b…. 39.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 after…d) cum fratribus celebrarunt, c… 43.; namely, ad Scripturas Dominicas legendas in Dominicum convenerunt, d… 51.& Dominica Sacramenta ex more celebranda, e… …6.idque ex authoritate legis Dei f… 51.. 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.)