The Lords Day, Book 2 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Private Duties of Religion to be performed on the Lords Day. Where first is conſidered, the examination of what was heard. Conferring upon the ſame. Meditation of the life to come: and gathering of Almes for the uſe of the poor.
THus far of the Sacred Exerciſes of Religion (wherein the obſervation of this day was ſolemnized) which were performed in the publick aſſemblies of the Church; now follow the private. Thoſe were obſerved of ſundry members of the Church, being aſſembled together, but theſe were devoutly performed by them, when they were diſmiſſed from the publick aſſembly. For although they met publickly, *Hier. in Gal. 4.leſt the diſorderly meeting of the people ſhould diminiſh their faith in Christ, and to procure the greater gladneſs amongſt them, by a mutual ſeeing one another; yet their publick Church meetings did not determine the ſanctification of the Lords Day: becauſe publick conventions were held at certain hours, and the Lords Day i… to be celebrated in memorial of that happy Reſurrection of our Saviour, on a perfect and entire day, as we have ſhown in the firſt Book, and fifth Chapter. Some things then remain to be done by Chriſtians after the Church meetings are ended, and theſe are various. Some whereof I will mention for the godlies ſake (who make conſcience of ſanctifying the Lords Day.)
Firſt of all, they that preached theAfter the publick Treatiſes followed examination of what was beard. Word of God in the publick aſſemblies, when thoſe were ended, they did ſometimes examine the people of what they had heard: Which we read the Ancients did perform with great induſtry. And for this cauſe, Proſper, De vita contempt. lib. 2. cap. 2. contends it is, that Biſhops are called Watchmen. Becauſe they watch the actions of all men, and with an aim of religious curioſity, ſpie out, how every one liveth with his houſhold in his houſe, how with his Citizens in the City: what good men they approve, they confirm by honouring them; whom they obſerve to be vicious, they amend by reproving them. St. Proſper judged it to be the Biſhops duty, whom the Lord hath appointed to be the Watchmen of his Church, not onelyonly to attend preaching of the Word in the Church aſſembly, but alſo when that was ended, and the people diſmiſſed, diligently to obſerve the manners and converſation of the people, that they might promote godlineſs, if by any means they could, while they excited thoſe, whom they ſaw to walk according to what they heard in publick, to a farther progreſs in godlineſs, and ſharply admoniſhed thoſe that turned not what they heard into works. Which office, if ever, we believe they did faithfully perform on the Lords Day: which we may ſee in St. Chryſoſtome, who, when he obſerved any not to be attentive enough to his publick Treatiſes, promiſed, that he would, when he had finiſhed his Treating, by interrogatories make tryal, whether they retained what they had heard. Homil. 4. in Hebr. Yea, he tells them, that when the aſſembly was diſmiſſed, he would diſcourſe ſome time with his Auditors about what they had heard; in the concluſion of Hom. 6. ad Pop. Antioch. And elſewhere he declares the reaſon of his diligence, Hom. 9. ad Pop. For, saith he, if it be no reproach for a Phyſician to ask his patient how it is with him; neither is it amiſs in us to be ſtill inquiring about our Hearers ſalvation; for we being thus advertiſed what to do, and what to leave undone, ſhall apply remedies according to congruous diſcipline. And this diligence he calls a ſollicitude, not of curioſity, but proviſion: where, by an argument from the leſs to the greater, he illuſtrates the neceſſity of the aforeſaid induſtry. For if a Phyſician, who attends the cure of a frail body, doth diligently enquire of the ſtate of his patients health, after he hath adminiſtred his medicines: why doth it not much more lye upon Biſhops, (to whom the inſpection of ſouls is committed) ex officio, to obſerve whether their people lead their life according to what they have heard, after that they have preſcribed unto them wholſome admonitions, and exhortations? whereby on every emergent occaſion they may preſcribe neceſſary remedies. Chryſoſtom himſelfConferring of what they heard. confeſſes, that he undertook private labours in teaching ſome of his Hearers, while he inculcated ſome things to them, who entred communication with him privately. Thus he ſpeaks of himſelf, Hom. prim. de Lazaro.
It grieved St. Cyprian to the heart, while he was in exile, that he could not have liberty to go to every one that was committed to his care, and to exhort them cording to the Miniſtry of the Lord and of his Goſpel. He commends the Presbyters and Deacons, that ſupplied his place, for ſtrengthening all by their daily exhortations. Ep. 40. If therefore Cyprian ſet upon all that were commended to his care with his exhortations, and commended others that did the like, he thought that ſomething more, after the Church-meetings were ended, in which he could not go to them ſeverally, was to be done by him.
Poſſidonius in the Life of Auſtin, chapter 12. mentions his private labours, that he frequently undertook in inſtructing, and exhorting the Catholick people. All theſe vigilant Fathers did not onelyonly propound the Word in Church meetings, but alſo ſhewed us by their own example, that it is privately to be inculcated upon the minds of the Hearers; and their own teſtimonies teach us, that this was done by them daily.
Secondly, he that ſhall conſult the Fathers touching the obſervation of the Lords Day, will obſerve, that they did frequently ſtir up their hearers to a religious meditation and diſcourſing of what they had heard in the publick aſſembly. Chryſostom more than once doth, labour what he can to perſwade his hearers, that after they are returned home from the Church, friends among themſelves, parents with their children, maſters with their ſervants, meditate and ſtrive how they may do what they are taught. Homil. 5. ad Pap. Antioch. which he elegantly explains by divers ſimilitudes. Even as, ſaith he, many that depart out of a meadow, do take a Roſe or Violet, or ſome ſuch flower, and carrying it about a while in their fingers, do depart: and others returning home out of an Orchard, do carry the boughs of trees that bear fruit; others again, bring to their kinsfolks, fragments of the table from ſumptuous ſuppers; ſo alſo thou, when thou depart'ſt, carry back an admonition to thy children, wife, and all thy kindred. For this admonition is of more uſe than a meadow, an orchard, and a table. Theſe roſes never wither, this fruit never falls off, theſe diſhes never are marred. Afterwards; Think what a thing it is, ſetting aſide all other things, both publick and private, to be alwayes diſcourſing of Gods Laws, at table, and in the market, and in other Conventicles, &c. Homil. 6. ad Populum. Where, by an induction of divers ſimilitudes, he declares what Chriſtians are to do, after they be returned home from the publick aſſembly; namely, that they conferr at home of what they heard in the Church. In the beginning alſo of the ſecond Homil. on John, he requires of his hearers, that they talk not only with one another publickly, but at home, of what they had heard: and when he reproves thoſe that went out of the Church, who did not well remember what they had heard, he preſcribes this remedy for that malady; namely, that when they are return'd home, they Hom. 5. in Math.read the Holy Scriptures, and call their wife and children together, to confer of thoſe things that were ſpoken. It's an excellent place which the Reader ſhall find lib. 5. chap. 12. We wiſh, ſaith Origen, that you wouldHom. 9. in Levit. ſtudy what you have heard; not onelyonly hear the Word of God in the Church, but in your houſes be exerciſed, and meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night: for Chriſt is there, and every where preſent to them that ſeek him.
From the fore-mentioned teſtimonies, it appears, that the Fathers treated ſeriouſly with their people, to conferr among themſelvesObject. of what they had heard. Now if any one think, that they meant conferring of what they had heard on other dayes than the Lords Dayes; I doubt not but he is deceived, that perſwades himſelf of this. ForAnſw. if they require of their Hearers to confer… of the Word heard on other dayes, (which he will not deny they did, that looks into their writings) do they therefore judge that the Word of God which was handled on the Lords Day, muſt be forgotten? Nothing leſs; eſpecially when elſewhere they counſel their hearers to conferr with thoſe that were abſent, of what they heard in publick, after they were departed from the publick aſſembly. So Chryſoſtom, Hom. 10. in Gen. And he ſharply taxes thoſe that did not thus, Hom. 32. in Joh. whom, when they are gone home, he affirms, they ſet upon no work beſeeming a Chriſtian, Whilſt they do not ſearch out the ſenſe of the Scriptures, which they heard in the aſſembly: And at length requires them, that when they are gone home, they endeavour the doing of what they are commanded, &c. Hom. 3. in Joh.
Bafil was of the ſame mind, who ſeriouſlyHom. 7. Hexaem. wiſhed, that what they had heard at both morning and evening aſſembly, all that might be the table talk to the hearers; that is, when they ſat down to table, they ſhould talk of what they heard.
St. Auſtin counſels his hearers, to conferr with thoſe that were abſent, of what they heard; and ſo their memory would be as his voice. Praef. in Pſal. 50. And in the end of the interpretation of that Pſalm, he ſaith, As it belongeth to us to ſpeak in the Church to you, ſo it belongeth to you to ſpeak of it in your houſes.
Thirdly, Becauſe the Lords Day isMeditation of the life to come. not onelyonly ordained for a pious celebration of the memory of Chriſts Reſurrection, but alſo, Baſil the Great being witneſs, is an image of the world to come, although it be no type of the reſt and happineſs in the life to come, yet, as after he explaines it, that in this daily commotion we neglect not to provide viands for a removal into that life that never will have end. Baſil de Spiritu Sancto, cap. 27. Such viands ſhall he provide, that on that day, while he hath leiſure from external things, ſhall ſeriouſly think with himſelf, that this is not his Countrey, but he an Exile; and at length he muſt remove hence into Heaven, the Countrey of all the faithful.
Auguſtine, or whoever it was elſe, affirms, in the Book De decem chordis, cap. 3. that a Chriſtian is commanded to obſerve the Sabbath ſpiritually, in hope of the future reſt, which the Lord promiſeth. And elſewhere, The Lords Day being conſecrated by the Reſurrection of Chriſt, doth not onelyonly prefigure the eternal reſt of the Spirit, but body alſo. Aug. de Civitate Dei, lib. 22. cap. 30. Chriſtians therefore are on this day principally to think of this eternal reſt, taking an occaſion from the reſt of the Lords Day; although, as I ſaid, it be not properly inſtituted to ſignifie this reſt, as a type of that thing.
What Ignatius, Epiſt. ad Magneſ. delivers of the manner of obſerving the Sabbath, may fitly be applied to the celebration of the Lords Day: He would have every one to keep a Sabbath in a ſpiritual manner, in meditating of the Law, not in refreſhing and releaſing of the body, and admiring the works of God: which eſpecially do agree to the ſolemnity of a Chriſtian Sabbath: on which Chriſtians are to bend their care hither, to recollect themſelves, and feed their ſouls with the pious thoughts of that eternal reſt (of which the Lords Dayes reſt is an image, according to Baſil) in the world to come, by what means they can. Therefore, when the publick meeting was ended, there followed alſo a pious meditation, which very well agreeth to the ſanctification of the Lords Day, when the minds of men by hearing of the Word, publick Prayers, and other publick Offices of Religion performed on that day, are inflamed with exceeding love to deſire heavenly things. And that the Ancients were of that mind, the teſtimonies cited Book 1. Chap. 5. without me ſaying ought, do bear witneſs. For the Fathers, as we have ſeen, do acknowledge, that the Lords Day was dedicated to Divine Worſhip, and judged that nought was to be done on that day by Chriſtians, whether in their aſſemblies, or after they were diſmiſſed from them, but what tended to the ſalvation of the ſoul. This, Origen alone, for all, will manifeſt, Hom. 23. in Num. who, while he ſhews in what things the obſervation of the Chriſtian Sabbath conſiſteth, bids in, among other things, to think of heavenly things, to be careful about the future hope, to have before our eyes the Judgment to come, and not to look at preſent and viſible things, but at inviſible and future. Theſe things do ſhew, that pious meditation is of neceſſity to be had on the Lords Day: by help whereof, the minds of Chriſtians may be carried up from earthly, to heavenly things; to the end; that their converſation may be in heaven, from whence they look for the Saviour, Phil. 3. 20. even while they live on earth.
Chryſoſtom is earneſt with his hearers, Hom. 15. in Gen. that they would remember what was ſpoken in the Auditory, and that they would weigh all things with themſelves, that what they had heard might ſettle in their thoughts. Nor doth he ask this onelyonly of them, but doth alſo earneſtly requeſt it of God, that not onelyonly while they were preſent in the Auditory, they would remember what he had ſaid, but that they would weigh them at home by themſelves, and in the market, and whereſoever they did abide. Hom. 5. ad Pop.
Now if a Religious meditation on the Lords Day of what we have heard, be a way to the eternal obſervation of a Sabbath in the Heavens for Chriſtians, (for whom there foreign, remaineth a Sabbatiſm, Heb. 4. 9.) if they are to have before their eyes the future hope, and the tremendous judgment on that day, and to exhilerate their minds with the thoughts of a future life; if they are to hearken to what is ſaid with an attentive mind, not onelyonly while they are preſent in the Auditory, but after their their departure thence, where-ever they abide, they be to call to mind what they have heard.
Laſtly, if thoſe vigilant Fathers were earneſt with God, that their Auditors minds might be perſwaded to do this, all which are manifeſt by the cited teſtimonies: then, not without cauſe, have we affirmed, that when the publick aſſemblies are ended, Meditation upon what we have heard is of neceſſity required of Chriſtians.
Fourthly, we read that Gifts, whichAlms gathered. afterwards they called Collects, were given on the Lords Day, for the uſe of the poor. So St. Paul gave order, 1 Cor. 16. 2. That upon the firſt day of the week every one of you lay by you in ſtore as God hath proſpered him, &c. The Apoſtle did very fitly make choice of a day of a ſacred aſſembly for gathering Almes on. That the minds of Chriſtians might, by hearing the Word, publick Prayers, and holy Leſſons had on that Day, be the better inflamed to beſt… them upon the poors uſe.
Add alſo the conſent of the antient Church. Juſtin Martyr, Ap. 2. ſaith, that when the Church was met on the Sunday, there was a larger contribution, as their ability would bear, and what they ſo gathered, they committed to him that was the Praepoſitus, to be beſtowed for the uſe of all that were poor.
Tertullian alſo mentions this cuſtome, in Apol. and others that flouriſhed after him in the Church. Which is ſo manifeſt, that I ſuppoſe none will make doubt of the ſame.
Theſe are ſome of ſundry things, wherein the ancients, after the publick aſſemblies were ended in the Church, beſtowed their principal pains. Which things, whoever conſiderately weigheth, he will eaſily grant, that the private obſervation of the Lords Day was not unknown to the Fathers; becauſe their hearers were ſometime examined of what they had heard, when the aſſemblies were ended; and the Biſhops admoniſhed them to conferr one among another of thoſe things; and they required them to refreſh their minds with Divine Meditations out of the Word, which they heard in the publick aſſembly; and carefully beſtowed ſeveral things that conduced to the comfort of the poor.
And let theſe things briefly ſuffice to be ſpoken about the publick and private celebration of the Lords Day Feſtival.