Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

CHAP. XIII. Concerning the observation of the Lords day, or First day of the Week in the Christian-Church; and how the same is grounded on the Authority of holy Scripture, and the consent of the best Antiquity; and first, whether that passage, Psal. 118. 24. Be meant of that day.

SECT. I.

WHat grounds we rest upon for the non-observation of the Se∣venth day according to the Law of Moses, we shall give some account of, in that part of this Work where we treat of divers Cases of Conscience. But here we shall offer to consideration, the grounds wherefore we keep holy the Lords Day, or First day of the Week. And first,

Of that remarkable passage, Psal. 118. 24. This is the Day which the Lord hath made, we will be glad and rejoyce in it. That these words do point by way of Prophesie at the day of Christs Resurrection, viz. the first day of the week, (and indeed the only day, which we find the Christians to observe with any special note of religious exercise) is rationally gathered from the coherence, vers. 22, 23. The stone which the builders rejected, is become the head stone of the Corner: this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the Day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoyce and be glad in it. For the sense seems to be this, The same Day on which Jesus Christ was made the head of the Corner, is the Day which the Lord made, wherein the Church should rejoyce before him, for the marvellous work which he had therein shewed forth in raising up Jesus from the Dead, to give Light and Life to sinners: Notwith∣standing all the envy and power of the Builders, to wit, the Pharisees and Priests of the Jewish Nation. For assuredly, if this place speak of any day properly, it can be no other day, so fitly as the Day of the Re∣surrection. And so clear is the evidence of this place for the Lords Day, that those who oppose us herein, have not a better answer, than to say, this place is to be understood only of that particular First day of the week when Christ did actually arise from the Dead.

But then it is to be considered, how the other Prophesie must be fulfilled, We will be glad and rejoyce in it; seeing the Church scarce knew on that particular day, that he was risen, and therefore very few did, or could rejoyce and be glad on that particular day. But

this Prophecy clearly points at the joy of the whole Church under the Gospel, both of believing Jews and Gentiles, at what time they should be united in one Body by this Corner-stone, or Jesus Christ his being made the head of the Corner: yea, this is the Day wherein the high Praises of God should be celebrated in his Church, as the next vers. shews, Save now I beseech thee, O Lord, O Lord I beseech thee, send now prosperity. And let but this Psalm be diligently read from verse 21. to verse 30. and the Exposition here given, will appear the more ac∣ceptable. Thus we find the solemnity of the Lords day, to be founded in this Prophecy which was observed long ago, * 1.1 by Mr. Perkins in his Case of Cons. page 107. The Day of Christs Resurrection (saith he) was prefigured by that Day wherein the stone which the Builders refused was made the head of the Corner, Psal. 118. 24. and in that it was prefigured, it was appointed by God: for then it appeared to be true, which Peter saith of Christ, That God had made him both Lord and Christ, Act. 2. 36. And the same may be said of the Sabbath of the New Testament, that it was in the figure preordained, and therefore limited and determined by our Savi∣our unto the Lords Day.

And further, it is observed by the Learned, that all the Antient Fathers that purposely took in hand to expound this place, Psal. 118. 24. do understand it of the Resurrection Day, and the religious ob∣servation of that Day weekly in the Christian Churches. But that which will best confirm what is said from this place, will be the con∣currant practice of the Churches in the New Testament, which we will briefly consider, and leave this Exposition as probable only.

SECT. II. Of the New Testament Texts, which prove the observation of the First Day warrantable in Christian Churches.

The first thing to be considered here, is that honourable Title, The Lords Day, Rev. 1. I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day; which Title must either belong to some particular day, or else John must speak out of the reach of all common capacities, and perhaps all other Men, sith he does not at all explain himself. If of any particular day, then either of the First day of the week, or some other: But he can∣not be understood to speak of any other day of the week. Not of the Seventh day (which is pretended by some) because that day had a special Title by which it had been known and honoured among the Jews throughout many Generations, namely the Sabbath day; and fre∣quently known by that name in the Old Testament: and other-whiles by the common Title, the Seventh day. Heb. 4.

Wherefore sith there was no reason for John to speak in a phrase so hard to be understood, had he meant the Seventh day; and so much beside the common usage of the Jews, and much more of the Gen∣tiles; we can with no shew of reason take the Lords day here, to be the same with the Sabbath in the Old Testament. But on the con∣trary,

great reason there is to understand this Title, The Lords Day, to re∣spect that glorious Day on which he triumphed over Death, the Grave, and the Law. And the rather, for that it is affirmed by the Learned, * 1.2 that a certain antient Greek Copy, doth call the First day of the week in 1 Cor. 11. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Lords Day. And that the Syriac Transla∣tion tells us, that the Christians meeting together to receive the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11. 20. was upon the Lords Day; which passage is much strengthned by the practice of the Church at Troas, Acts, 20. 7. who came together on the First day of the Week to break Bread. I confess, I have not seen that antient Greek Copy, all that I have read, hath it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 per unum Sabbatorum, on the first of the Sabbath, or first day of the week. But this cannot prejudice its be∣ing called the Lords day, any more than to call the Sabbath, sometimes by the name of the Seventh day. And certainly, as we know how to distinguish the holy Table of the Lord, from our Common Suppers and all Legal manducations, and particularly the Passeover by this Epethite, the Lords Supper; even so we may distinguish the day of Christian solemn Services, from our Working days, or the Jewish Festival days, and particularly their Sabbath, which were a shadow of good things to come, but the body is of Christ.

Again, when it is particularly recounted, that on the First day of the week the Disciples came together to break Bread, Act. 20. 7. What can we think less then that it was their use to do so? * 1.3 here∣upon (saith Bucanus) the Antients called this day, Dies Panis, the day of Bread. And without controversie, all such Churches, as by this one president, do meet upon the First day of the week to commemo∣rate the dying of the Lord Jesus, do act very warrantably therein, and consequently may hence justifie their keeping that day holy to the Lord. For when we consider, the solemnity of the Service, the preparation which ought to go before it; it is rational to think, that the Christians at Troas, did not just drop out of their worldly Employments, and out of the Markets, to one of the most Sacred, and significant of the Gospel-Ordinances: especially, considering that the Jews Sabbath was but the day before, and had they thought that day most fit for this Gospel-Service, they would in likelihood have bro∣ken Bread that day. But this they did not, but chose the day fol∣lowing, even the First day of the week, deeming as it seems, that day most fit for that honourable Solemnity.

Some indeed will object, That by breaking Bread, here is meant to eat common meat; or that if it were the Lords Table, yet they did not ce∣lebrate till the next day, &c. But these Objections are of small force. For, if they came to eat common food only, they gave the Apostle slender entertainment, to let him fast till Midnight: otherwise it must be allowed, that they had eaten common food with him before that time of the Night. And though the Apostle preached a long Ser∣mon at that time, yet the Lords Table might be celebrated at, or about Midnight; and so small a variation, upon such a pious occasion, from their usual custom could be no Trespass. However, it is undeniable,

they came together to do that holy Duty upon the First day; which is Argument enough, that either they thought that day most meet for that work, or else it was their custome to celebrate the Lords Table on that day: In which they had the Apostles approbation also Wherefore, unless the Christian Churches be obliged to observe two daies in each week in the publick Service of God (which no body will adventure to affirm, (though some are fallen into such practice) then the First being set apart, (after the example of the Apostle, and the Church at Troas) by any Churches since their times; it will be hard to censure them, though they do not observe the Seventh day according to the Law of Moses.

Of the same consideration is that place, 1 Cor. 16. 2. As I have given order to the Churches in Galatia, so do ye, upon the First day of the week let every one of you lay by himself in store as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come. For as we find not that the Apostle kept so much as one Seventh-day-Sabbath in the solemn Services of the Christian Church, in any one Church of the Gentiles; so on the other hand we do find, he did keep one First-day holy with the Church at Troas, in those services which concern the Churches more especially. And now in this place, he * 1.4 Ordains, that the Col∣lection for the Poor be made upon the First day of the week. And here the work of the day, and consequently the day it self (being singled out by the Holy Ghost for that purpose) standeth upon Di∣vine Authority; and this Ordinance was also given to the Churches in Galatia.

It is most rational to conceive, that the reason why the Apostle ordains, that Collections be made for the poor Saints in the Churches of Christ upon the First day of the week, was, because he knew they were then met together upon the great concerns of Christian Religi∣on; of which, this of relieving the poor Brethren is not the least.

And this Contribution was to be freely performed, as God had prospered them, or according to the Vulgar, ei bene placuerit, as liketh him best. And where it is said, Let every one lay by himself in store; It cannot intend that they should do this at their own Houses, for so there should be the greatest Collection of all when he came, which he labours to prevent; But the meaning may be this, Let every Man act himself in this work of Charity, let him not be acted by another; But as every man himself is purposed in his heart, so let him give not grudgingly, or of necessity (but cheerfully as God hath prospered him) for God loveth a cheerful giver. I conclude from the Premi∣ses, that ••ll such Churches as come together upon the First day of the week to hear the Word preached, to break Bread, to make Col∣lections for the Poor (which comprehend the whole of that constant Publick Worship which we owe to God in the Gospel) have all the grounds which are necessary to justifie such a Religious Observation of that Day: and much more than can be shewed from the practice of any Church of Christ (when met about Gospel-Services more especially) for the observation of the Jewish Sabbath, and especially in any of the Gentile Churches.

SECT. III. Of the practice of the Antient Churches, succeeding the first Churches touching the religious observation of the First day, as the Lords day.

As the many thousand Jews which believed were all zealous of the Law, Act. 21. 20. And very hardly brought off from Circumcision and other Ceremonies, so it may be presumed they were no less zea∣lous for the Sabbath; And hence it is very probable, that some in the succeeding Ages kept both the Seventh and First days holy to the Lord. As the Ebionites are said to observe the Jewish Sabbath; and other Ceremonies they observe alike with the Jews. Here note the Sab∣bath is put upon the account of the Jewish Ceremonies by this Au∣thor, They Celebrate the Sundayes, as we do, in remembrance of the Re∣surrection of our Saviour. This Ebion (the Author of this Sect) is said to live in the latter end of the first Centurie: so that here we find the observation of both days in the first Age of the Gospel, albeit we are certain God no where requires the observation of two days in seven. Yea, Mr. Tillam (an Apostate from the Gospel) is forced to confess, that some of the Churches, for several Centuries, did ob∣serve both days; so hard a thing was it to bring the Jews off from that Sabbath as commanded by Moses. However we find the First day honourably esteemed together with it, which shews, that these Churches did understand, that the Christian Religion had given being to it for an holy solemnity.

Ignatius, contemporary with some of the Apostles, delivers his mind to this effect: * 1.5 Intermitting the Sabbath, let all that love Christ, make the Lords day Holy, the Queen of days, the Resurrection day, the highest day.

And giving account of some Jews which were Converted to the Faith, tells us, They did no longer keep the Sabbath, but led their life according to the Lords day, in which our life arose. And Justin Mar∣tyr, is brought in saying, TETOU HELIOU LEGOMENE HEMERA, &c. Upon the day called Sunday all that abide within the Cities or Villages do meet together in some place: — we send up our prayers to Heaven, which being ended, there is given unto us Bread and Wine, &c. then those of the richer sort, every one as his good will is, contributes some∣thing towards the relief of the poor Brethren. * 1.6 This Justin Martyr lived in the second Century. Thus we have the full explication of these two Texts, Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 11. 1, 2. from this Antient Doctor of the Church, and it were easie to trace the practice through the following Ages which we here contend for. But this being done by others, and by none more satisfactory than by Mr. Warren, I shall refer the Reader to his learned Labours on that Subject.

I shall only insist a little upon the Disputations which were between the Antient Christians and the Jews about this matter. Tryphon the Jew objected three things against the Christians, viz. That they

did neither observe the Festival days, nor Sabbaths, nor Circumcision. Justin Answers, We verily should observe these things, did we not know the reason for which these things were imposed upon you. Where we have to observe, that the Antient Christians even in the second Century, took the Jewish Sabbath to be no more obliging to Christian men than Circumcision and the other Festivities. But Tryphon presseth him with this demand, Whether a Christian observing these Customs of the Law, might be saved? Justin Answereth, Such a one in my judgment may be saved, provided he do not industriously labour to perswade others, (especially those among the Gentiles which are converted unto Christ) to observe the same things, as that without which they cannot be saved. And this moderation may now be as needful (in my judgment) as in the days of Justin Martyr.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Perkins.
• * 1.2

  Beza his note; quoted by Mr. Warren.
• * 1.3

  Bucan.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is Sic∣ut ordinavi, As I have ordained 1 Cor. 16. 1.
• * 1.5

  Ignatius accor∣ding to Mr. Warren his quotation of him.
• * 1.6

  Justin Martyr, Apol. ad Calc.