The Lords Day, Book 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The Lords Day ordinary duties were both publick and private: publick Church-aſſemblies on the Lords Day: the mention of which, we oftener meet with in the following, than in the former Church: Nightmeetings; and why aboliſhed: Meetings before day, and on the day, in the morning, and in the evening.
WHat we have recited in the foregoing Book, do ſhew, that the Lords day was alwayes ſolemnized by the Church, and what things they were which did ordinarily hinder the ſolemnity thereof, amongſt the men of this world: now we come to thoſe things, in which the ſolemn ſanctification thereof conſiſteth: for we muſt not onelyonly abſtain from labours and pleaſures on that day, but alſo we muſt attend upon Divine worſhip: neither is the reſt commanded on the Lords day, to be dedicated to our affections, ſports, pleaſures, or ſins, but to the Worſhip of God alone: which the pious practiſe of the Apoſtles▪ and of the Church following them, doth declare.
Among the ancients, there were Lords day ſolemnities, [or ordinary duties] †Tertul. de Anima, c. 9. Lords day ſolemnitieswhich were performed in the Church; and what they were, the ſame author explains in the ſame Chapter; namely, reading of the Scriptures, ſinging of Pſalms, Adlocutiones, [q. d. ſpeakings unto] and Prayers. By thoſe Adlocutiones which were uttered in the Church aſſembly, the Battologies (as Pamelius on that place would have it) frequently repeated in the Maſs (as Dominus vobiſcum, [The Lord be with you,] Pax vobiſcum [Peace be to you] Oremus, [Let us pray] Gratias agamus Domino, [Let us give thanks to God,] &c. which are in the Maſs offices repeated ad nauſeam) are not to be underſtood: but by adlocutiones in Tertullian, are meant the Miniſters Sermons to the people, after the Scriptures were read in the aſſembly. For thoſe that expounded the Scriptures, ſpoke to the people by exhortations, admonitions, &c. as afterwards will appear. And in this ſenſe of ours, we meet with the word adlocutio, in Cyprian de Lapſis, ſect. prima.
Thoſe offices alſo to be performed on the Lords day, are extant in Clemens, Constit. p. 2. c. 59.
The Lords day ſolemnities, wherewith they honoured this day, are the duties that appertain to godlineſs: whereof ſome were of a publick, others of a private right: thoſe were to be performed by every Church, in the publick aſſemblies, and theſe of the faithful members of the Church, when they were returned home, the publick aſſembly being ended. This place therefore requireth, that ſomething be added about the publick meetings of the Church, being held on the Lords dayes. In deſcribing whereof, we will firſt teach, that they were in uſe with the Church of God, even from the Apoſtles age. Secondly, we will enquire what was done in them by the Church. Thirdly, we will add ſomething of the places wherein they were held.
Although the ancients (as we have ſeenPublick aſſemblies on the L. Day. in the former book, ch. 5.) did deſtinate the whole Lords day, or the firſt day of the week, to the exerciſes of Divine Worſhip; yet did they hold their publick aſſemblies at certain hours, and what time remained beſides, they ſpent it alſo privately in holy duties. Whence we may eaſily obſerve, that there was a ſolemn, and religious obſervation of the Lords day, both publick and private: the publick was performed in the publick conventions of the Church; and that Chriſtians, in what part of the world ſoever they lived, ſo often as they could for perſecution, were wont to meet together in one place, to handle the duties of piety, is ſo clear from divers places of the New Teſtament, that it wanteth no teſtimony. Theſe aſſemblies could not be held without a ſtated time every week, and a fit place: now we find that the Lords day was deſtined to keep them on, and that while the Apoſtles were living, and faithfully diſcharging the miniſtry committed to them of the Lord. For, on no day was there wont to be a more ſolemn and frequented convention of the people in the Church, to hear Sermons, and partake of the holy Communion, than on the Lords day: and this we have proved in the two firſt chapters of the precedent book, to be a very ancient cuſtome.
The Church therefore, as ſaith Iſychius, In Lev. l. c. c. 9. They met oftener in the following, than in the former Churchhath ſequestred the Lords day for Divine conventions: in which the Worſhip of God was religiouſly celebrated: for the diſpatching whereof, the Chriſtians met together, as often as they could commodiouſly. Yet this muſt be marked of him that obſerves the meetings of the Church, that there is a rehearſal made of more meetings which were kept by the later, than the former Church, on the Lords day, by Hiſtorians and others that treat of them: not becauſe the former Church, if it could, for the daily perſecutions it met with, did not ſo often hold their meeting; eſpecially whenas we ſee that the firſt Chriſtians did ſharply contend (in Book 1. ch. 5.) about ſanctifying the whole day: but becauſe it being hindred with the cruel flames of perſecutions, did meet as often as occaſion did occurr: but the following Chriſtians were at liberty to meet oftner under the Chriſtian Emperours; and therefore we read, that they met twiceThe Church met twice on the Lords day. upon the Lords day: in the former meeting whereof, they begun the day, and with the other they ended the day; and upon that reaſon, they afterwards called the one their Matins, and the other their Veſpers. But what, and how many hours were ſpent at both of theſe conventions, is not well known: becauſe there was not the ſame manner of meeting every where, but according to the neceſſity and profit of the Church, they held their meetings on the night and day.
The Apoſtle taught the Epheſians bothMeetings in the night. night and day, Act. 20. 32. At Troas he continued his Sermon till midnight, Act. 20. The Corinthians met in the evening, 2 Cor. 11. for about ſupper time, or after, they were gathered together. But, as I ſaid, neceſſity commanded their night-meetings: becauſe the Chriſtians being moved with the fear of Tyrants, could not ſafely meet on the day time.
The Chriſtians of the following age, retaining their night-meetings, (as alſo many other things, out of which an huge heap of ſuperſtitious rites flowed, by which the clear face of truth breaking out of darkneſs, was filthily darkened) called them Vigils; Vigils.and turned them into the Faſts of the night which went before the Holy day: in which, In Math. 25.ſometimes they continued till midnight; witneſs Hierom in Parab. Virgin. And ſometimes they began their meeting at mid-night. So it appears out of Baſil, who performedBaſ. in 114 Pſ. T. 1. an office in another Church, before he came to ſome other that were met at mid-night, and waited for his coming. But at this day, becauſe of the wickedneſs committed in theſe nocturnal Vigils, Bellarmine thinketh they are juſtly abrogated. Bellarm. de cultu ſanctorum, lib. 3. cap. ult.
Tertullian, amongſt others, makes mention of night-meetings, lib. 2. ad uxorem, c. 4. at which, he ſaith, that an Heathen husband did not willingly ſuffer his Chriſtian wife to be preſent. Souldiers, at the command of Conſtantine the Arrian Emperour, came to apprehend St. Athanaſius, while the people were keeping a meeting in the night with him. Theodor. Hiſt. l. 2. c. 13.
There are teſtimonies alſo extant of meetings before day (which are to be reckoned with them of the night) Tertul. de corona milit. cap. 3. and the Epiſtle of Plinius Secundus ad Trajan. mentions them, apud Tertull.Ap. adv. Gen. c. 2.
Paſſing by the meetings which were inCertain hours appointed for publick meeting…. the night, and before day, we will enquire of thoſe that were kept on the day: where, aſſoon as the Church had obtained peace by the authority of the great Emperours, we ſhall find that they held their ordinary meetings for the exerciſe of Gods worſhip, on the day time: and for that end ſome certain hours of the day were deſtined for performance of the publick offices of Religion. For the religious Fathers did with great care provide, that they ſhould neither weary themſelves, nor the people committed to their care, with continual labours, in ſetting all care of refreſhing themſelves aſide. And they judged it more adviſed, to teach often than long: they therefore ſelected ſome hours out of the whole day for publick aſſemblies.
Julian the Apoſtate is reported, that he ordered the Greeks to live after the ſame manner as did the Chriſtians: and therefore, amongſt other things, he ordains, that certain prayers, for certain hours and dayes, after the custome of the Church, ſhould be ſelected. Niceph. Hist. 10. c. 21. which he would never have done, if it had not been a familiar thing with the Church (after whoſe rule he laboured to regulate the Heathen) to ſelect certain hours of the day for this peculiar uſe. But on what dayes, or what houres of the day, prayers were made by the Church unto God, Nicephorus adds not; only he tells us, that certain hours were ſelect for this office. aAth. Ap. 1.Athanaſius witneſſeth, that the Arrians, who raged againſt the Orthodox, even as they were met on the Lords day, being guarded with a company of Souldiers, found but a few together; for many of them were gone home for the hour of the day; that is, after the aſſembly was ended, which the Church obſerved at ſtated hours: or as aDe anima, c. 9.Tertullian ſpeaks, after the ſolemnities were done, and the people diſmiſsed. But neither Athanaſius nor Tertullian do aſſign the hours at which the Church met.
Ambroſe mentions the morning hours, atMeetings in the morning. which the people met, lib. 5. Ep. 33. where, what was read ont of Pſal. 78. The Gentiles are come into Gods inheritance, he afterwards calls his hearers to mind for the morning hours. Zeno alſo Biſhop of Majuma, although he was well ſtruck in age, yet was he alwayes preſent at bNic. 12. 47.the morning hymns, and the other holy ſervice, or foreign, unleſs hindred by ſickneſs. The Euchariſt was adminiſtred at their morning meetings; which appears out of cEp. 63.Cyprian, while he diſallows the cuſtome of thoſe that in the morning only offered water, leſt they ſhould ſmell of wine: for which cauſe, he calls that the morning ſacrifice, In their morning aſſemblies, they ſung the 63 Pſalm to God. Witneſs Clement, Conſtitut. Apoſt. lib. 2. cap. 59.
The morning meetings were kept about nine of the clock. Therefore, in Conc. Laodic. Can. 18. apud. Zon.it is ordained, that the publick ſervice ſhould be performed at nine of the clock, and at their Veſpers. And theſe ſolemn aſſemblies broke up about noon, as witneſſeth Chryſoſt. Orat. de Philogonio.
The Church alſo met in the Evening.Meetings in the vening. For they had hymns appointed as well for the evening, as morning meetings, Niceph. Hiſt. l. 12. c. 47. Clemen. Conſtitut. Apoſt. lib. 20. c. 59. The Biſhops and Presbyters ofSocr. Hiſt. l. 5. c. 22. Gaeſaria, Cappadocia, and in Cyprus, did interpret the Holy Scriptures on the Lords day, foreign, alwayes about evening. Neither can it be thought inconvenient, Chryſoſtom being judge, if the Church hold an aſſembly in the afternoon: yea, he being witneſs, then eſpecially ſhould we meet, and then our bodily food being received, a ſpiritual banquet ought to be ſet before us; leſt after ſatiety of bodily food, the ſoul beginning to be drowſie, it feel ſome hurt thereby. So Chryſ. in the end of the 10▪ Hom. in Gen. He doth the ſame in the 9th Hom. ad Populum Antiochen. And elſewhere he commends thoſe that when they have dined come to Church, Hom. 10. ad pop. Antioch. Laſtly, he doth often reprove thoſe that are abſent from afternoon meetings, Hom. 10. in Gen. Many of the ancients do bear witneſs to afternoon meetings, which, when we ſpeak of the time aſſigned to the Treating of the Scriptures, ſhall, God willing, be made manifeſt.
For the preſent it is enough to advertiſe the Reader, that thoſe, if there be any ſuch, do deceive both themſelves and others, who do deny that there were held any meetings in the evening of the Church, before the Council of Arragon, that is in the year of Chriſt 370. The Conſtitutions of Clement, which are held ancient by all, do make mention of them. Cyprian, as weEp. 63. have ſeen, took it heavily, that morning Suppers were deſpiſed of ſome delicate perſons, that would not ſmell the ſavour of Wine, but not evening Suppers: they, ſaith he, offered in the morning water only, yet when they came to Supper, they offered a mix'd cup: whereupon the learned Goulartius judiciouſly acknowledgeth, that Pamelius doth confeſs, that ſome in Cyprians age, were wont to offer twice a day: although …amelius doth corruptly referr this to private Maſſes in uſe amongſt the Papiſts. In the Council of Laodicea (which was held before the firſt Council of Nice) there is mention made as well of the evening, as morning Liturgy, (the Fathers ſpeak of the publick ſervice in the Churchmeeting.) Hilary acknowledges for aIn Pſ. 64. great ſign of mercy, the pleaſures (while the day begins in Prayers to God, and ends in his Praiſes) of Matins, and Evening-ſervice in the Church. Divers Treatiſes alſo of the Fathers, in the afternoon, which we ſhall afterwards mention, will teach us, that the Church met in the Evening. But the primitive Chriſtians, as we ſaid, met oftener on the night time in that age which abounded with Perſecutions, and being hindred by the wicked deviſes of the adverſaries, could ſeldome keep a meeting on the day time, as Baſil. Ep. 63. Tertull. de Fuga, ult. cap. teach us. Thence therefore, I think, it came to paſs, that we meet with ſeldome mention of a two-fold meeting amongſt the Chriſtians of the former Church.
And theſe things do teſtifie, that the Church of Chriſt kept publick meetings, to thoſe that ſhut not their eyes againſt the truth. But ſince ſundry in our age do ſo eaſily bite with the tooth of detraction, that ſcarce any thing can be written (though never ſo elaborate, and ſtudiouſly compoſed, which at firſt by the envy of malevolent perſons, may not be depraved, and at laſt contemned: therefore, I onelyonly add this, leſt perhaps ſome might object, that thoſe things which I have obſerved concerning aſſemblies, are to be applied not only to meetings kept on Sabbath dayes, of which I ſhall ſpeak hereafter, but alſo to thoſe which were kept on other dayes, beſides the Lords dayes, which I deny not. I at leaſt wiſe affirm this: if they had it in their mind to meet on other dayes after noon, for Religions ſake; much more are they to be thought to have done it on the Lords day, which was ſet apart for this end. And divers forecited teſtimonies do make mention of meetings being held on that day. Laſtly, what is ſaid to be done in the meetings which were kept on other dayes, we read that the ſame was done in the Lords Dayes meetings: although all things which were done every where in theſe, were not done in thoſe meetings: as hath been obſerved in the firſt Book, and third Chapter.