The Lords Day, Book 2 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
THE CONCLUSION.
HE that will not refuſe to weigh ſeriouſly with himſelf the teſtimonies of Scripture, and the Holy Fathers, thus far mentioned, ſhall not deny, that the Lords Day was ſolemnized by the Church, in the very Apoſtles age, and ſucceſſively. He cannot but acknowledge, that its holy obſervation was inſtituted of God. He will eaſily perceive what hinders its ſolemnity, and in what things its ſolemn ſanctification, whether publick or private doth conſiſt.
In aſſerting whereof, though I entred into a certain Sea of Diſputations, yet have I ſayled it through by the Grace of God, in a ſhort courſe. And I have affirmed nothing without the perſpicuous teſtimony of notable authority: but we have miſſed it ſometimes, leſt any ſhould believe, that we (ſilly men of inferiour note, betaking our ſelves to what is plain) do undertake an exquiſite piece of work: who indeed have thruſt out into the world nothing but our tumultuary commentations, and intended onelyonly to ſtirr up the Wits of others. Now if there be any that is rather deſirous of a worldly liberty, or carnal reſt, than of Divine truth; who reliſheth not what hath been ſaid, I will take my leave of him with that grave ſentence of St. Austin, If he have any thing more to ſay, for my Aug. in Pſ. 21.part, I know it not, let him wrangle with the Scriptures, and the Fathers that piouſly interpret them, not with us. And I humbly beg it of the Lord, who is the author of this ſolemnity, that he would govern the Church with his Spirit, and ſtirr up the minds of men boldly to exerciſe piety, that what God hath cleanſed, they call not common.
Whatever my blear-eyes have obſerved to be laid up in the deep records of honourable antiquity, (which they that love the truth, cannot but highly prize) upon this holy Subject, I have brought it out to light; that it may be manifeſted to all who truly …avour of godlineſs, how much honour, not onelyonly reaſon it ſelf▪ but the conſent of all good men, and learned, do attribute to ſo ſolemn a Feſtival.
And if I have miſtaken any thing here, I do not withdraw my ſelf from the cenſure of the Orthodox Church, but ſubmit my ſelf very willingly to its ſentence. Sith with all godly and modeſt men, I heartily deſire to remember that of the Comedian, Humanum eſt▪ errare. i. It's a point of mans frailty to miſtake. Neither is there here, as Gregory Nyſſen, a pronouncing of ſentence, but an exercitation, and diſputation. I, having by the conduct of the moſt ancient Fathers, like them who are half▪ blind, entred a Wood, have brought into this bundle what I thought to be moſt congruous for declaring the exerciſes of this holy ſolemnity. Whilſt that I obſerved ſometimes the Fathers did not altogether agree among themſelves, I have embraced that, which was obſerved by men of more ſound judgement, and more congruous to the practiſe of the univerſal Church.
If any one blame me, for not demonſtrating the Holy practiſe of the Church, in theſe queſtions, more copiouſly, and with more teſtimonies of the Ancients; I hope in this to find pardon from the courteous; ſince I purpoſed to do in this buſineſs, what Iſychius, in Levit. l. 2. cap. 9. relates of Image-makers and Painters: who, when they begin of any thing their art requireth, do at firſt ſet out ſome rough draughts of an Image or picture▪ onelyonly ſhadowed out in its lineaments, which afterwards, in proceſs of the work, are perfected, by adding of the ſeveral parts, and are, as it were, brought to their foreign In like manner have I alſo given onelyonly ſome teſtimonies upon this holy ſubject, for a taſte, that all in a ſort may underſtand, that the chief Fathers of the ancient Church did embrace and religiouſly retain the very ſame practiſe of piety in ſanctifying of the Lords Day, which at this day is maintained by a perpetual obſervation, with all the friends of ſincere religion (ſome whereof, to the great dolour of my mind, I ſee to be wavering about this queſtion, and am troubled at others that indulge the liberty of the fleſh too much) in the Catholick Church. But I commend in the name of God this office to others, who are well exerciſed in obſerving the monuments of the purer Church, that for the ability granted to them by the Lord, for profiting the Church, they would not refuſe to bring to light thoſe things which may conduce to the glory of God, in obſerving the ſolemnity of his day. Indeed, I judge, they would in this do a thing very acceptable to God, the author of the Lords Day ſolemnity; profitable to the Church, the faithful obſerver of this ſolemnity, and very well becoming the Chriſtian Religion, of which this ſolemnity was alwayes a token.
I ſilly man have here, ſo far as the labours of my charge would bear, according to my weakneſs, of which I am very well conſcious, done in a ſort, as ſome Dyers, who prepare a cloth to receive a colour, and commit it to the labour and art of others, to put upon it the gloſs.
And this I believe I have done through the grace of God▪ by the conſummation of theſe teſtimonies, that now with little ado the friendly Reader, careful of this ſolemnity, may obſerve, whether they who endeavour to adorn the Lords Day Feſtival, fetch the truth out of its fountains, or they who delight to ſubvert it, that they may ſeek novelty (as ſometime Optatus ſaid of the Donatiſts, lib. 6.) in the bowels of antiquity? He that views the premiſes, without a prejudiced mind, will find this. I have therefore been careful to produce the very teſtimonies of the Fathers themſelves, that to their words, and not my relation, or concluſions inferred from their words by me, credit might be given.
In the mean time, God grant that of his infinite mercy he would cure the exulcerated manners of this age, which are impatient of ſound Doctrine.
Through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, to whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, the Author of the Lords day ſolemnity, be glory for ever.
Amen.
Auguſt. de Trinit. …. 4. c. 16.
No ſober man will hold an opinion against reaſon; no Chriſtian man againſt Scripture; no peaceable man againſt the Church.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Young, The Lords Day (1672)